Spring Signs?

 On my morning walk with Presley, I noticed two particular things that I took as a sign.  Could we be heading out of this hard, cold winter?  Is it too early to begin dreaming of spring?

Sign #1 - It rained off and on all day and night yesterday.  This morning I found not one, but two earthworms on the pavement.  Now, I'm not a scientist, but I don't recall ever seeing earthworms up on the ground during the winter months.  I decided it was a small sign that winter is on the wane.

Sign #2 - In a large puddle left from the rain, three plump robins were bathing.  I tried to get a photograph of it, but Presley decided to act like a bird dog and tried to flush them out.  It worked.  They flew up into the tall pine tree.  I'm sure they were fussing at us.  I found this stock picture that captured the moment my camera missed.

I will have to wait until Groundhog day to be completely sure, but in my mind, I'm going with the hope that the worst of our winter is behind us.

The January sun rose over the pines and chased away the gray dawn mist. We turned toward home as daylight invaded the dark woods. I caught a whiff of spring...