Auroras

I knew that there had been another solar flare which caused a geomagnetic storm significant enough to produce auroras.  I just didn't think they were supposed to be visible this far South, so I didn't pay that much attention to it.  

So there I was, sitting in my living room watching Crime Scene Kitchen, when suddenly my social media feeds were flooded with photos of Northern Lights, and when I saw one post saying they were visible in Biloxi, I grabbed my phone and headed outside. 

Looking to the northwest, I saw a faint glow, and began snapping photos. 

Knowing that auroras fluctuate, I went back inside, but came out to check on them every few moments.  It was during one of those moments, I finally figured out how to set my phone's camera to a longer exposure and got some much brighter photos. 

Shortly after 9:00 PM, when I knew the lights would be at their peak, I stepped back outside and saw them glowing pretty brightly behind the trees.  

"If only those trees weren't in the way!" I said to myself in frustration.  Then I remembered...they'd cleared a bunch of the trees behind the house, so I walked through the woods to the empty field...

and the heavens declared the glory of God and the skies proclaimed his handiwork. 

After that, there just doesn't seem anything left to say. 

Did You See Them?

Did you see them?  

Did you see the Northern Lights last night?  I totally wasn't expecting to be able to see them this far South, but on a whim I stepped outside -- just to check, you know -- and there they were!

I took these photos on my phone with a three second exposure. 

 Seeing the Aurora Borealis in person is something I'd always dreamed of, but never in a million years did I expect to actually get to do it.  What made it even more amazing is that as I was looking at them, I saw the International Space Station go over, too!  By the way, if you missed them, they're saying there's a good chance we may be able to see them again tonight, especially those of you farther North than me. 

On another whim, this morning, I got my eclipse glasses and tried to see the solar storm that has caused all this excitement, but I couldn't.  Maybe if I'd had something to magnify it, but I don't have a solar filter for my telescope.  

In other, less exciting news, I didn't find the right size cord for my lawnmower, so I had to order some from Amazon and hope it's the right size.  It's supposed to get here tomorrow, so we shall see. 

But I did get out and get my weed eater fixed.  That was pretty easy -- just two screws and two hoses.  Then I trimmed up all the weeds right in front of my flower beds, so they look a whole lot better. 

They'll look even better once the flowers are all in bloom.  So far, I've got two, plus a whole bunch of buds.

They're on one of the very first Cosmos I planted.  The others should  catch up soon.  I had to replace a couple that died, but they all are looking pretty good now.  I've still got a few left in the seed tray, just in case.    

Meanwhile, the sunflowers are starting to come on.

As is this Bachelor's Button.  

I've always had a bit of a soft spot for these plants.  I think it's because when I was little -- about 5 or 6 -- I wanted to try to grow some flowers, so my mother let me pick out some seeds.  I picked Bachelor's Buttons.  Alas, despite our best efforts, nothing grew.  That's why I'm so thrilled that these are coming back year after year.  

In less positive news, I've come to the conclusion that nothing I planted in these cups is going to grow, 

so I took a risk and planted some apple seeds in them instead.  I'd saved some from the apples I bought for the deer last fall, but everything I've read said that they can be difficult to grow from seed.  I'm of the attitude that if they grow, they grow.  If they don't, no big loss.  They'd have been for the wildlife anyway, since I'm not a big fan of apples. 

On a similar note, Cody's peppers are really taking off.  

The little tabasco even has flowers on it.  

I've been hardening off my new  plants I got from Burpee on the front porch, and today, I decided to put them into the raised beds where their permanent homes will be.  The lemon verbena and orange mint will go into this bed, 

and the French tarragon goes here. 

I'm going to harden them a few more days before planting them there, just to be on the safe side, but I'm pretty sure they're ready now.  

Well, Cody and Brennan are coming to cook me Mother's Day dinner tomorrow, so I guess I'd better get off of here and get the kitchen cleaned up.  Right now, they're in  Memphis for a wedding, and Cody told me the happy couple got to have a photo taken in front of the Aurora.  Now, that is a quite the souvenir!