A tiny wildflower is now blooming in the forest on the Mendonoma Coast. That would be the Pacific Starflower. It is growing on banks where False Solomon Seal and Fairy Bells bloomed earlier. It's a welcome addition to the spring wildflowers.
Yesterday Rick and I visited The Sea Ranch. While it was windy, the panoramic vistas never disappoint. We parked at the Lodge as we intended to have lunch there after our walk. With Huckleberry, our golden retriever on leash, we walked out onto the bluffs, admiring the wildflowers, the blue sky with puffy white clouds and the churning Pacific Ocean. The Sea Ranch is a treasure that I never tire of visiting.
This second photo is looking back at the Lodge.
Here's a beautiful wildflower for you today! Nan Brichetto photographed this lovely flower yesterday on the Jenner Grade in Sonoma County. It's a shade lover and has maple-like leaves. The greens are edible - Native Americans boiled the greens for vegetables. The flower heads contain nectar, which attracts hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. The striking Sphinx Moth is the pollinator for the Western Columbine.
On this morning's walk Rick and I noticed these two wildflowers blooming in a shaft of sunlight. The yellow one is a Redwood Violet. It is also called an Evergreen Violet. The purple one is Redwood Sorrel. The Native Americans ate the leaves of this plant but sparingly because they contain oxalic acid, hence their Latin name - Oxalis oregana. Two lovely wildflowers - the very essence of spring!
And the promised laugh. There is a Brush Rabbit living in bushes off our driveway. I have been trying to get a picture of this small rabbit to show you. Yesterday there he/she was, sitting in the sun. I got the camera ready, focused and got a picture of Huckleberry's behind. The rabbit was long gone. There was nothing to fear from this Golden Retriever.
Happy Spring, everyone! Jeanne Jackson, Gualala