Tag Archives: Mary Sue Ittner

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Mary Sue Ittner found Footsteps of Spring, Sanicula arctopoides, blooming on coastal bluffs recently, especially at Salt Point State Park.

Here's a photo Mary Sue took of her friends at the park, hiking through the yellow wildflowers.

And look at those blue skies - they had a perfect morning for their hike.

Thanks to Mary Sue for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

After Saturday morning's early rain (.15 inch), Sunday is clear and quite windy. The ocean looks like a whirlpool bath according to whale researcher, Shari Goforth-Eby. Hard to see whale spouts with all those whitecaps. Happy first day of Spring if you are in the Northern Hemisphere!

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Michelle Melio recently found this Anna's Hummingbird feeding on Hedge Nettle.

I asked Mary Sue Ittner to take a look at the photo of the native wildflower. She wrote, "It looks like Stachys chamissonis, Chamisso's Hedge Nettle, Coastal Hedge Nettle or Bog Hedge Nettle. I like the last common name as you usually see it growing in very wet spots and in this dry year that would explain why it is still in flower and looking so well when the rigid hedge nettle that is common here is dried up in a lot of places."

Anna's Hummingbirds are year-round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. Thanks to Michelle for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

It's warm, 80+ degrees, and unfortunately smoky. And there is no wind to whisk the smoke away, though perhaps by tomorrow the northwesterly winds will return.

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Mary Sue Ittner recently found this wildflower, Clarkia amoena, blooming at the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands. It's common name is Farewell to Spring as it usually blooms in late spring and early summer. Seems late then, doesn't it?

Mary Sue also photographed Coastal Sneezeweed, Helenium bolander. Its common name really doesn't apply as this member of the Sunflower family is pollinated by bees. It's flowers that are wind-pollinated that can cause allergies. So feel free to sniff this beautiful wildflower!

Thanks to Mary Sue for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

It's sunny and warm, but a strong breeze has picked up this afternoon.

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I always look forward to this beautiful native wildflower, which blooms in late spring and sometimes into early summer. It's the Coast Lily, Lilium maritimum. Mary Sue Ittner found it blooming recently.

This wildflower is endemic to the coast and is found near water. You should never pick them or dig them up. They are quite rare and a treat to see. A neighbor has a few that grow near her spring box. And there is a group of them that grows along Highway One at Salt Point State Park. Look for the splash of orange-red now near mile marker 38.83 on the east side.

Thanks to Mary Sue for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

We have a lovely, calm (no wind!) day today with a chance...oh, I hope it happens...a chance of some rain later today/tonight. Fingers crossed!

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The other day I showed you a photo of a Coast Lily, which bloomed several weeks ago. Today you will see a group of Leopard Lilies blooming inside a hydrangea bush. Pat Maxwell has this beautiful sight in her garden.

Here is a close-up of Leopard Lilies, Lilium pardalinum, taken by Mary Sue Ittner.

For comparison, here is a look at the Coast Lily, previously shared here, and taken by Craig Tooley.

Thanks to Pat, Mary Sue and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Fog hugs the immediate coast but it's sunny when you move just a bit inland.