>> Beautiful! Spring flowers are my favorite; they're such a vibrant pop of color against the barren coming-out-of-winter landscape.<<

I love them too.

>> I've got a few crocuses popping <<

I have some. My earliest flowers are winter aconite, then snowdrops and snow crocus, then miniature iris.

>> (though they weren't a fan of the below-freezing temps of earlier this week), <<

Here it got down to 27F recently. I thought it would wilt some of the plants, but I didn't see any damage. Today it's been raining off and on.

>> and my forsythias are just starting to bud up. <<

Mine are starting to open, such a pretty sunny yellow. I'd like to plant some witch hazel, another very early bloomer, but it's harder to find.

>> I'm pondering cutting a few branches for forcing indoors.<<

Good idea. Forsythia usually works.