I never, ever expected to be so awed by it. Die-hard cynic that I am. Pictures just don't do it justice, especially when you realize how far away from it we were. I saw a pic on flickr someone had taken of it, coming over the horizon, from the coast of Rhode Island. I swear, it was as bright there as it was here on Canaveral. A week before a launch and until it returns, access is restricted, but normally you can get about a mile away from it on Playalinda beach. It was really cool because everyone was really friendly and we met people from all over the world. People were also very conscientious of the serious photographers and staying out of their/our way. Truly, another inch closer is irrelevant we just didn't want any heads in our pictures (we took the van in case we needed to take pics from the roof). Little communities formed and I just think it's great when that happens.

I finally got around to doing an inventory of who's poking their heads up. I'm thinking beginner's luck really applies to me (like Hykue already mentioned for her garden), since almost everything seems to be coming back. My garden is in Whitehorse, Yukon (Zone 1a). Here's what made it: Delphiniums - 'Summer Skies', Pacific Giant 'Guinevere', and assorted miscellaneous ones that were here when we moved in. Re-blooming Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Catherine Woodbury') Asiatic Pot Lily 'Mt. Duckling' Primula cortusoides - coming up like crazy and now its blooming, one of the earliest ones in the garden, came up at the same time as the Delphiniums Columbine - Aquilegia vulgaris plena 'Black Barlow' and A. flabellata 'Ministar' (Blue Angel Fan columbine) Dianthus deltoides 'Confetti White' (White Maiden pinks) and Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Tiny Rubies (Cheddar pinks) Campanula cochlearifolia 'Bavaria Blue' (Bavaria Blue Fairy Thimble) - came up a bit later than everything else so I was worried about it but it looks like itÂs doing fine Rosy Pussytoes Cutleaf Anemone  another one thatÂs growing like crazy. Goat's Beard Sempervivum 'Emerald Express' Tanacetum coccineum Robinson's Mix (Single Painted Daisy) Subalpine Daisy Baby's Breath - a transplant from my mother-in-law's garden last year Speedwell - Veronica allioni unknown var.; Veronica RedFox; Veronica spicata 'Sightseeing Mix' (all are coming up like crazy) Aster alpinus 'Dunkle Schone' (Dark Beauty Alpine Aster), and Aster alpinus 'Pinkie' (Pink Alpine Aster) - the Dark Beauty has tons of growth, the Pinkie is slower but alive Double-flowering Almond - I really had doubts about how this one would do when I planted it last year but it's flowering! Icelandic poppy  just about to flower. Peonies 'Sword Dance', 'Sarah Bernhardt', and 'Sorbet' - I was worried about them but the ÂSarah Bernhardt is coming up like crazy and the others are alive, too. I had thought the Sword Dance was dead last year so stuck it in the ground in a patch in the middle of nowhere, pretty much ignored it, and now itÂs coming back. IÂm amazed. Common Bleeding Heart  survived but I planted it in what turned out to be a poor spot last year so IÂll move it as soon as I can this year. Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle) - planted it in a very bad spot two years ago and I'm amazed it's still hanging in there. I'm going to move the poor thing this year. Potentilla nepalensis (Cinquefoil ÂMiss WillmottÂ)  another one that I planted in a really bad spot two years ago and it survived. IÂd actually forgotten it was even there and so wasnÂt watering it or anything but then went to dig up a spot for azaleas and found it! So IÂve moved it to my new shade bed while apologizing to it profusely. Hosta undulata ÂMediovariegata' is slowly coming up; still no sign of Hosta fortunei Âaureomarginata Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis ÂRoseaÂ) Lilacs  two unknown varieties that were here when we moved in Chives - these were here from the previous owners. I accidentally weeded a bunch out when we first moved in and then discovered more the other day. A few other odds and ends  raspberries that we transplanted from my mother-in-lawÂs garden last year, rhubarb that was here when we moved in, two Ashleaf Spirea that appeared out of nowhere, tons of JacobÂs Ladder and Yarrow and Oxeye Daisies, and a mixture of wild and domestic strawberries that are all in bloom now. The casualties (what doesnÂt appear to have survived or are iffy): Dwarf Arctic Iris (Iris setosa var. arctica)  two donÂt have anything but I just noticed that one has a couple of green shoots Phlox divaricata ssp laphamii ÂChattahoochee Johnny Jump-ups  maybe these will come later since they did fine last year Blue Marguerite (Felicia amelloides) Nepeta faassenii ÂDropmore Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla ÂJack FrostÂ)  I think IÂll try this again but somewhere else in my yard. Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea ÂDouble MixedÂ)  not surprised these didnÂt make it, I didnÂt really expect them to but thought IÂd give them a try False Spirea (Astilbe taqueti ÂSuperbaÂ)  another one that I planted before I knew what I was doing and that probably would have done fine if IÂd put it in a better spot. Poor thing. IÂve got some other Astilbes in a different spot this year.

Kim, your story made me remember when I shattered my ankle. I was cleaning the stalls int he barn, both dogs were off leash in those days, but with me ... I stepped up to the manure pile to empty the wheelbarrow, when I came down, my ankle shattered ... no one ever determined why. I obviously went down with a cry ... both dogs came running over to me and were frantic about what happened to me. I called to the kids across the street to get their Mom and for her to call 911 ... they had just thought I was playing with the dogs on the ground. LOL ... I can laugh now. I spent a couple of days in the hospital, it took a while to find a surgeon and then I had to get my strength back enough to walk with cructhes, which was new to me. I ended up going to my sisters house for a couple of days before heading home, my Mom had gone to my house to bring my dogs to me, and only my female (Brandi) would come. Dakota was still feaked out and wouldn't get into the car with my Mom. When Brandi came in the door at my sisters house, she started barking madly and I could hear her nails scrabbling on the floor as she tried to find me. She basically launched herself into my lap when she saw me ... and then wouldn't leave unless I went too. So, if you were really hurt, and hopefully never are ... I bet they will surprise you!

it was an led light, so...it's still out there! The light went out tho. Don't know whether it wasn't charged enough, or what...