Saturday brought thunderstorms to the Mendonoma Coast. A huge thundercloud sat off of Gualala as the sun was setting. Here is a photo of it at 5:30 pm, followed by the sunset. It's quite beautiful to see the different colors on the thundercloud.
This last photo is of the sky overhead. It just was a magnificent, yet eerie, sunset with the storm clouds. Saturday's sunset was epic!
A few Matsutakes appeared in the same spot they fruit every year. Usually there is an undulating string of at least fifteen Matsutakes but this year only four have sprouted.
Rozann Grunig took this photo of me holding a nice Matsutake.
And here is a photo of several Shrimp Russulas. They like our Shore Pine habitat, just off our driveway. Our golden retriever, Huckleberry, likes them too. It's a race to see who gets them first - him or me.
We are longing for rain but the weather is remarkably autumn-like - warm and dry as a bone. If it rains, I hope to see Black Trumpets, Hedgehogs and Winter Chanterelles. May it rain soon!
Thanks to Rozann for allowing me to share her photo of me with you here.
On Dec. 29th a beautiful Sun Pillar appeared just after the sun had set. It lasted long enough for me to find my camera (I ran right past it), go outside and snap a few photos. I'm thrilled to be able to share it with you.
A Sun Pillar occurs when light from the sun is reflected off thin ice crystal clouds high in the atmosphere in a spot or band pattern vertically above the setting sun,an amazing phenomenon.
I may not have photographed a green flash (yet!) but I'm happy to have photographed this Sun Pillar!
Bald Eagles are a rare sighting on the Mendonoma Coast. We hope one day they will be a common sighting. It's always exciting to see one of these magnificent birds. Paul Brewer and his wife Jacquie were driving up to the town of Mendocino when they spotted this beautiful Bald Eagle by the Navarro River. As they watched the bird flew down and drank from the river.
What a wonderful sighting. Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see more of Paul's wildlife photographer, here's the link to his web site: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/
We have rain in our forecast, the first rain in many a moon. This is what the sky looked like from our deck in Anchor Bay this morning. Storm is on the way!
My best to you, Jeanne Jackson
This old-growth Redwood grew in a twisted fashion. That's what save it from the logging activity that went on here on the Mendonoma Coast in the 1800's. Thank goodness! It stands like a forest god, over two thousand years old. It is on a neighbor's property but we are able to hike down to visit it.
Craig Tooley recently photographed this magnificent tree. You will see that Rick, Huckleberry and I are dwarfed by it. The first time I saw it my heart raced. What a treasure to find in the forest.
To see more of Craig's Coast photography, here's the link to his web site: http://ruffimage.com/