Peter Baye found a very late blooming Western Columbine, Aquilegia formosa.
And I found a very early Matsutake.
A Sightings contributor sent me a photo of his haul of Matsutakes from earlier today. So if you are a Matsutake forager, check your spots!
Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
It's another beautiful Autumn day here on the Mendonoma Coast. There was a pretty impressive fog bank early this morning but it is gone this afternoon, leaving nothing but sunshine!
Western Columbine, Aquilegia formosa, is a treat to find. Judith Fisher found this beauty at Gualala Point Regional Park recently.
This wildflower's scientific name is interesting. Formosa means "beautiful." Wildflower.org's website states this: "The genus name Aquilegia comes from the Latin aquila which means eagle and refers to the spurred petals that many believe resemble an eagle's talons." Fascinating! Look for Western Columbine in moist areas.
Thanks to Judith for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
Today is an "in between" day. Yesterday morning at 7, I found 0.40 inches of rain in our gauge. Another 0.15 fell during the day. Today we have beautiful clouds scudding across the sky, pushed by strong breezes. Heck, it's downright windy this afternoon! Tomorrow we have some rain coming in. Thank you, Mother Nature!
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.
