A Sign of Hope

Still no power but they say we will be restored by noon time today.  The phone miraculously came back on late yesterday afternoon.  The generator is humming away and I am all plowed and shoveled out.  When I glanced out the breakfast room window, I saw this little message of hope, small rhododendron bud.  If the deer or squirrels don't nibble it this winter, it will be a lovely purple flower next spring.  Next storm is Friday but since it will be close to 50F, it will be rain.   Hope is a thing with feathers, Emily Dickinson said.  Extra is a very hopeful Tuftie waiting for the back porch cafe to open during the storm.  Auntie's Tree has survived with only one broken branch, I am happy to say.  Nature's pruning process.