Spring Has Sprung

I always count the real start of spring from when the earliest spring flowers bloom. It's a bit early this year and this flower is a surprise. It is one of two crocus I found in front of the fence (between the front fence and the road). The reason it is a surprise is that I don't recall ever planting crocus there. I moved that fence back from the road about 6 feet 9-10 years ago and I suppose it is possible that I had planted some inside the old fence line and forgotten about them but that would have been at least 15 years ago. So have they been blooming outside the fence all these years and I never noticed?  I can't imagine that they would have lain dormant that long.

The crocus and other spring flowers inside the fence aren't blooming yet. The crocus inside the fence hasn't even broken through the soil. They must think spring isn't here yet. BTW While photographing this one and it's cohort I spotted two more outside the fence that will be blooming in a few days.