Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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There are several rare plants that bloom at our place in Anchor Bay. One of them is Gnome Plants, Hemitomes congestum. They are growing between a wooden step we put in some years ago when we put in a hiking trail.

On the left there are two small ones just peeking up. We have to be careful where we walk to protect these unusual plants. They extract nutrients from decaying matter. We have Allotropa virgata, Sugarsticks, close by, which indicates there is a LOT going in in this area. Sugarsticks need a fungus to thrive and this is where we find Matsutakes in the winter. Mel Smith recently photographed the first emerging Sugarstick.

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

Sunny and windy today - don't bother to fuss with you hair if you are on the coast today!

Spring doesn't know...

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Deloras Jones photographed Lupine in bloom at The Sea Ranch. It's a happy sight, don't you agree?

The wildflowers are pretty amazing this spring. Thanks to Deloras for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

Today couldn't be lovelier - sunny with a nice breeze. And spring doesn't know...

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Paul Brewer photographed this male Bald Eagle in Gualala during one of our recent rainstorms.

Eric Zetterholm recently watched this Bald Eagle catch a Lamprey (a jaw-less fish) and head up river. We are thinking/hoping the female is tending to her nest in the Gualala River watershed, and the male is bringing her - and perhaps a hatchling or two! - their meal.

Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Paul's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/

Thanks to Eric for his report/sighting. Eric will have a fun photo of the Bald Eagle in tomorrow's Independent Coast Observer to go along with my column.

The rain is over for now. Sun and breezes are the order of the day as Spring doesn't know.

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Early this morning Rick and I saw this beautiful sight.

I hope seeing it lifts your spirit too. This afternoon, the sky is filled with dramatic clouds. It's a wait-five-minutes kind of day. Sunshine, no, it's raining, whoops now it's sunny again. Mother Nature is being a drama queen today.

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Maggie Rudy found this nearly white Sierran Treefrog. Since this little frog does have the black eye stripe, it is not leucistic. But even the experts don't know what to call this unusually pale frog!

Bill Bennett photographed a Sierran Treefrog in a more normal-colored emerald green.

This frog can change color from green to a rusty red. Here are two frogs that Carolyn Andre photographed hiding in her barbecue. The black eye stripe stays the same though.

Thanks to Maggie, Bill and Carolyn for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

We received 1.2 inches of rain yesterday and overnight. More rain today. We hit 30 inches season to date, which is still well below average. We'll take every drop!

Spring doesn't know...