# ci293 Flowers from Cosmodrome Baikonur

On April 18, 2004 a day before Soyuz TMA-4 launch, mission commander Pilot-cosmonaut Gennadiy Padalka sent by e-mail from Baikonur picture of beautifull yellow desert flowers.Picture was taken by Gennadiy with digital camera near Soyuz rocket ready to start.In a short message he tells `To send it to our women!`-mothers, sisters, wives. These flowers live only One week during entire year in Kazalhstan desert. And next day April 19, when Soyuz TM-4 with Russian-American-Dutch crew launched and left the Earth, these flowers were no longer alive.Weather conditions changed.Temperature drops from +26 to -3 C-degree.Desert field was covered with snow a day before the launch. This beatifull picture of flowers from Baikonur now belongs to thousends of you, who watch it.So, send it to your women, from Russia with love!