California dreaming, on such a Winter's Day

Last year, someone gave me a pot of tulips as a thank you gift. I planted it in my garden and they died. Quite promptly. I went out the other day to dump some compost and pull some weeds and lo! Tulips! What industrious little flowers they are.

And they are even making their way in the most snail-ridden section of my back yard (as far as I know). I really have to get a hold on the snail issue. I remember in my grandparents backyard, my gramps used to bring us outside to step on them all. An odd sensation.
Speaking of odd -- this might not look like much, but when you're sitting at a railroad crossing for upwards of 10 minutes while the train goes this way

and then that way, it looks like a LOT. Quite impressive. I think they were trying to get the train 1) hooked up with another and 2) on to a neighboring track. So back and forth and back and forth it went. I was sitting on my bike next to a school bus and was really feeling for the bus driver. Kids + end of day + interminable waiting = meltdown. I imagine.
Also industrious -- this is the little area that I cleared and planted my canister of flower seeds. Can you see the little green tips trying to grow?

Here?

Definitely here! Hurray! So exciting.Time changes on Saturday night. Spring is the following week (and my dad's bday -- happy bday!)
Things are looking up.