Tag Archives: Don Spear

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Green flashes are photographable  mirages. While you can see one at sunrise, I'm told, here on the Mendonoma coast most of us watch for a green flash as sunset. Over the years, coast photographers have captured green flashes. I thought I'd share some with you today.

Here is a photo taken by Don Spear. The green flash only lasts for a brief moment. If you blink, you will miss it!

Jim Grant's photo shows a double green flash. When I look at Jim's photo in full screen, I can see he also captured a green flash morphing into a blue flash, which you will see in Allen's photo below.

And here Rich Kuehn has photographed the classic green flash just beginning. The setting sun appears to narrow, becoming hour-glass shaped. What happens next is the top part appears to pinch off and it becomes a vibrant green flash.

On very rare occasions you might see a green flash morph into a blue flash, as photographed by Allen Vinson.

And the rarest of all was photographed by Ron LeValley - a green flash, no, a blue flash, no a violet flash!

Thanks to Don, Jim, Rich, Allen and Ron for allowing me to share their photos with you here. If you are interesting in purchasing Ron's photo, as Rick and I did, you can find it on Ron's website at this link:

http://levalleyphoto.com/home/

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Beth Kattleman found this spiderweb covered in rain, which shows off the intricacies of the web.

spider-webs-by-beth-kattlemanThis web was possibly made by an Orb Weaver Spider. Here's a another pretty photo of a spiderweb, taken by Don Spear.

spider-web-jewels-by-don-spearThanks to Beth and Don for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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February 23rd brought a full moon with passing clouds. Don Spear was out photographing the beautiful sight.

The moon and clouds by Don Spear

Rozann Grunig also photographed the full moon. Rozann's photo shows a halo, which is often a predictor of rain.

Feb. 23 Full Moon by Rozann Grunig

Peter Reimuller sent in a photo of a recent halo around the moon.

Halo around the moon by Peter Reimuller

These halos were predicting rain! We've had lots of it. Since March 1, we have received 13.5 inches at our home in Anchor Bay, and our  year to date is 50.80 inches. Today we have a break from the storms, a break that should last until the weekend. After so much rain, the sun feels awfully good.

Thanks to Don, Rozann, and Peter for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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On January 21st unusual clouds filled the sky. I had never seen anything like this before. Many coast residents photographed the event. These photos were taken by Don Spear,Pat Maxwell,  Michael Alexander and Shirley Mitchell respectively.

Unusual clouds by Don Spear

Unusual clouds by Pat Maxwell  Unusual clouds by Michael Alexander Unusual clouds by Shirley Mitchell

Here's what I wrote in my weekly column in the Independent Coast Observer:

Many people noticed the incredible clouds last Thursday. Justine Rosenthal’s class at Horicon School was amazed. One student said, “Look, we’re underwater!”

Michael Alexander saw them too. He wrote, “I looked up and saw these interesting cloud contours overhead. It looked almost like the surface of a very plush mattress.”

Pat Maxwell wrote, “The clouds were eerie and amazing. They reminded me of a Van Gogh painting. And for those of us who see faces in clouds, they were fascinating.”

Rick and I saw them over Gualala and we couldn’t believe our eyes. Shirley Mitchell was one of many to photograph the event. She wrote, “The clouds look like the ocean and/or sand dunes. I have never seen a sky like this. Wonders are always around us!”

Scott Gasparian knew what they were. He wrote, “They are pre-frontal strato-cumulus, with orographic forcing. In other words, the coast hills cause the waves. [There has] to be strong winds above the stratus layer to do that.”

It was an amazing sight to behold! Thanks to Pat, Don, Michael and Shirley for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

The wind has shifted this afternoon and the coast cooled off. Yesterday it was an unbelievable 81 degrees at our house. We may be headed back to winter soon, but no rain in this week's forecast.

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Don Spear photographed the crescent Moon with Venus below, with a few clouds to add atmosphere.

The crescent moon and venus by Don Spear

Today we are having some much-needed rain.

Thanks to Don for allowing me to share his photo with you here.