I wish I could be as optimistic as you but here in SE Wisconsin we just got through a week of single digit temp's and about a foot of new snow. It's finally warmed up into the 20's but guess what? Another 5" or so of snow is coming tonight! At this rate I feel like we'll be lucky to see Spring by June.

... when the crocus are blooming and the daffs are showing buds. So far we have had a very mild Winter, temperature wise, so quite a few flowers are already showing up.

Eduarda

Ditto:
I picked the first daffodils of the year today.

My first daffs opened today too. The hyacints are also in full swing smelling deliciously and the hardenbergia climber is so covered in blooms one can hardly see the leaves.

Eduarda

...we bring tulips which we have forced into to the house for a preview of Spring.

I've been watching my spring blooming witchhazel here in northern NJ - the buds seem to be swelling but that could be only my imagination and wishful thinking. I'll have to try to make it over to the pussy willow to see what those buds look like.

...you lose your gloves :-) 41F today, and if the yard weren't full of snow I would have been checking the beds for snowdrops and winter aconite. Instead I went shopping and abandoned my gloves somewhere. This is a ritual for me.

The streets suddenly resemble a landmine field with all the chuckholes or potholes.

Ok, here in Vermont, where we have real winter, we have another whole season to get through before spring - mud season! Right around the time the maple sap starts running, the dirt roads around here turn to chocolate pudding and if you don't have 4 WD, you may have to rely on the kindness of a neighbor with a tractor to help you get out of axle-deep mud just to get home after work.

when the lenten roses bloom, as mine are just now starting to.

When your neighbors venture out of their houses and greet like long lost family.
When you start seeing trucks loaded with flowering trees headed into town for the Lawn and Garden show!
Oh, I'm ready.

When the tiny species crocus bloom-- :)
{{gwi:1350854}}

when the clematis buds appear.