Tag Archives: Milkmaids

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Milkmaid blossoms are quite small and prove difficult to photograph...at least for me. Ron Bolander to the rescue. He found this beauties at Gualala Point Regional Park last Saturday.

There are groups of them at Rick's and my property near a seasonal creek. They like moist areas. Milkmaids are in the mustard family. They are doing particularly well this year!

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

The vigorous storm blew through yesterday, with ominous-looking clouds full of brief downpours. Here are two photos of a very impressive cell that I took yesterday, Sunday.

Season to date rain totals at our location is 58.81 inches, a nice, fat, wet season. There's another chance of some rain tomorrow afternoon. Then we have a bit of a dry spell and warmer temps. This weekend could be spectacular here on the Mendonoma Coast!

Bonus sighting: On Friday Scott and Tree Mercer saw their first mother/calf Gray Whales pass by the Point Arena Lighthouse Peninsula...heading north.

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Amy Ruegg went out on a local trail last Sunday and while she found trees down because of the recent storms, she also found early wildflowers. Milkmaids, Cardamine californica, are blooming now. They are members of the Mustard family.

Amy also found Western Trilliums, Trillium ovatum.  This photo shows one covered in raindrops. The white blossom tells you it is freshly bloomed. The blossom will turn pink and then darker still in the days ahead as it "ages."

And lastly, Amy found Wild Ginger, Asarum caudatum.

Wonderful to see! Thanks to Amy for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

It's a lovely day here on the Mendonoma Coast today, sunny with little breeze, and temps briefly hit 70 degrees!

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Every winter, beginning around Christmas, Rick and I look for Slink Pod, Scoliopus bigelovii, also called Fetid Adder's Tongue. This year we found our first one mid-January.

They can be very hard to spot, as they are quite tiny. They are members of the Lily family and the two leaves you can see just peeking up through the forest duff, will grow in the weeks ahead to be quite large. These leaves are oblong and mottled and if you see them later in the year, then next winter look for the tiny orchid-like bloom in the same spot.

Amy Ruegg found the first blooming Douglas Iris, Iris douglasiana.

Now that does seem early! I am looking for Milkmaids, Cardamine californica. The first leaf has appeared in spots but no sign of the flower stalk yet.

Thanks to Amy for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

Another dose of rain overnight, along with a few showers today. Coastal streams are full, creating beautiful waterfalls when they spill over bluffs. The weather forecast calls for sunny, warm days. Pretending to be spring?

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Milkmaids, Cardamine californica, are members of the Mustard Family. They are one of the earliest blooming wildflowers on the Mendonoma coast. Jinx McCombs recently found one in bloom.

Western Trilliums, Trillium ovatum, are up too! Rick and I found a half dozen today in the forest. Members of the Lily Family, they are sometimes called Wake Robin because their bloom can coincide with American Robins returning from their wintering grounds. Here is one just appearing on the forest floor.

Native wildflowers are a treat to find. Thanks to Jinx for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

We are having warm, dry weather. It doesn't feel like winter here on the Mendonoma coast today. No rain in the forecast for the next week. We may have to start planning for a rain dance.

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Karen Tracy found the delicate-looking Milkmaids, Cardamine californica, blooming.

It is one of our earliest blooming wildflowers. Rick and I are seeing them begin to flower in our forest alongside the creek.

We are having wild, cold weather. Rain followed by sunshine that then turns to rain seems to be the order of the day. Some call it zany weather!

Thanks to Karen for allowing me to share her photo with you here.