A simple, yet important sign of spring has finally emerged in NJ

One of New Jersey's earliest signs that spring is finally around the corner has finally emerged. But I'll be honest, I usually see these a bit sooner in New Jersey.

Nevertheless, it's still a welcoming sign to see flowers when winter still has its grip on New Jersey. My guess is these were probably a bit late to finally arrive simply because this particular winter's cold has been so relentless.

I'm talking about one of my favorite flowers, the snowdrop. Before I share the photos that brought me joy to see and hope that this winter is almost behind us, let's first dive into what exactly the snowdrop is.

Finally visible in NJ

The photo above is just one of the pics I spotted along one of my favorite hiking trails. Although I hit this path frequently throughout the year, most of this winter has either been way too cold or way too snowy to hike this particular trail.

Every year I look forward to seeing these flowers open, usually by the beginning of February. This year, however, they definitely seemed to be late.

It's also possible I might have missed when they first opened. Perhaps they did bloom earlier than I thought. Maybe the cold and snow has just been preventing me from getting out there early enough.

Winter's almost behind us

It's not just finally seeing the snowdrops that are making me feel optimistic about leaving the cold winter behind us. Pretty soon, some of our other early flowers will also start to emerge.

And I'm sure you're looking for signs of spring too. I mean, aren't we all? I honestly don't remember the last time we've had a winter that's been this persistently below average with virtually no break.

Just remember, as more flowers emerge, to be mindful of your pets as some of them can be harmful to your pets. And yes, that includes the snowdrop flowers.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.