Not quite a groundhog...

This recent Groundhog's day, Punxsutawny Phil saw his shadow and foretold another 6 weeks of winter.

But today, on the way to the transfer station with a truck load of trash, I saw a dark blob at the foundation of my neighbors barn. I grabbed my camera and approached the blob, knowing I was in for a treat. And there was this young porcupine, looking for a snack on a patch of ground where the snow had melted. He stared at me balefully with a glittering shoe button eye, and rattled his quills a bit when I got too close. Looks like a sign of early spring to me.