Tag Archives: Peggy Berryhill

•

Peggy Berryhill was up in the town of Mendocino when she saw this circle around the sun, which is called a Halo.

Marion Patterson took this photo at her home in Anchor Bay. The sun was behind the tree, but you can see most of the Halo. Notice that Marion's photo shows some color in the Halo.

The following is from the National Weather Service and explains the different between Halos, Sundogs and Sun Pillars.

"A Halo is a ring or light that forms around the sun or moon as the son or moon light refracts off ice crystals present in a thin veil of cirrus clouds. The Halo is usually seen as a bright, white ring although sometimes it can have color.

Sundogs are colored spots of light that develop due to the refraction of light through Ice crystals. They are located approximately 22 degrees either left, right, or both, from the sun, depending on where the ice crystals are present. The colors usually go from red closest to the sun, out to blue on the outside of the Sundog. Sundogs are also known as mock sun or parhelia, which means "within the sun."

Sun Pillars appear as a shaft of light extending vertically above the sun, most often at sunrise or sundown. They develop as a result of ice crystals slowly falling through the air, reflecting the sun's rays off of them. Look for Sun Pillars when the sun is low on the horizon, and cirrus clouds are present."

Thanks to Peggy and Marion for allowing me to share their photos with you here. And thanks to the National Weather Service for a great explanation on the differences between these phenomena.

Clouds are pouring in this afternoon after a sunny morning. Temps are around 60 degrees. A storm is headed our way for tonight. Bring it, Mother Nature!

•

Mother Nature must have a sense of humor. She created a caterpillar that looks just like a twig. Peggy Berryhill and Susan Ruschmeyer found one at their home in Anchor Bay. It's a twig-mimic caterpillar in the family Geometridae.

Its head with three legs on each side is to the right. Here's a video Susan took of the caterpillar's unique movements.

Twig-mimic Caterpillar video by Susan Ruschmeyer

This is a first for me! Perhaps for  you too.

Thanks to Peggy and Susan for allowing me to share their photo and video with you here.

Sunny and warm today with no wind. It's supposed to heat up tomorrow, Tuesday and on Wednesday. The Pacific Ocean was flat calm today.

•

Rainbows over the Pacific Ocean, over meadows, and even over Highway One, are a treat from Mother Nature. Many of us believe we are getting a hello from a loved one who has crossed over. I always try to photograph the ones I see from our place in Anchor Bay. Here's a recent one.

This photo of Peggy Berryhill's in on page one of the Independent Coast Observer this week. She titled it, "We're off to see the wizard!"

And here are two more rainbow photos taken by Peggy, including a double rainbow.

Perry Hoffman took this lovely rainbow photo after a recent storm

And Tom White took this spectacular photo of a rainbow at dawn on the first day of winter.

Each one is just glorious! Thanks to Peggy, Perry and Tom for allowing me to share their photos with you here. I hope you can take some of this beauty with you into the New Year!

Happy New Year. May there be peace.

•

Peggy Berryhill noticed this beat-up Pale Swallowtail. Something took a couple of bites out of its wings, but it lived to feed on these sweet flowers.

And Jackie Baas found a Painted Lady, also a little worse for wear.

If these butterflies could talk, what a tale they might tell us!

Thanks to Peggy and Jackie for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Yesterday, Monday, it was very warm, hitting 90 degrees at Rick's and my place in Anchor Bay. Overnight the blessed fog rolled in and this morning it was 52 degrees. That's weather whip-lash!

•

Peggy Berryhill tried to tell me she had a snowy Owl in her garden. Snowy Owls are white and are found in the Arctic. But a stone owl with snow on it - yes, Peggy had a snowy Owl.

Craig Tooley photographed an American Robin in the snow. The robin didn't seem to mind it.

Michael Reinhart photographed a Snowy Plover at Doran Beach, Sonoma County. Okay, the bird isn't in snow, but I had to include it because of its  name!

Thanks to Peggy, Craig and Michael for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

It was very cold Monday morning and it sleeted a bit at Rick's and my place in Anchor Bay. At higher elevations it snowed again overnight. After morning showers, the sun appeared and passing clouds made for interesting sky-watching.