Author Archives: Jeanne Jackson

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Once in a while someone will leave a nice message in the sand. On Father's Day Pat Whelan saw this message:

Happy Father's Day greeting by Pat Whelan

"Dear Dad, I LOVE U!" Pat said it was charming to see.

Thanks to Pat for allowing me to share this photo with you here.

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Western Pond Turtles can occasionally be seen along the Gualala River. They are quite shy so often the only sighting is the ring of circles where the turtle just disappeared in the water. Will Ericson recently saw and photographed one.

Western Pond Turtle by Will Ericson A Western Pond Turtle by Will EricsonThese turtles are only found on the West Coast of the United States and Mexico, from Washington State to northern Baja California. They eat a wide variety of food, including plants, insects, and fish.

Thanks to Will for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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Bob Rutemoeller found this beautiful wildflower on the Point Arena - Stornetta Lands recently. It's Coastal Onion, also called Magenta Wild Onion, Allium dichlamydeum.

Coastal Onion by Bob Rutemoeller

This wildflower is a member of the Lily family. The flower head has many small flowers and the stem is quite thick. They grow about 3 to 5 inches tall on coastal bluffs. And, yes, they do have an onion smell!

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

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Marykate Cochran Warner took this photograph north of Gualala on the full moon of July 1st. She wrote, "We all share the same moon."

We all share the same moon by MaryKate Cochran Warner

A vision of loveliness for you today!

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

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Today in America we celebrate Independence Day. As the Bald Eagle was chosen in 1782 as the emblem of our country, I thought the 4th of July would be a perfect time to show you a few photos of mature Bald Eagles. Here is a recent photo taken by Kris Rose near Stewart's Point.

Bald Eagle near Stewart's Point by Kris Rose

And here is a photo taken last year of a Bald Eagle that perched on a snag in the Gualala River. It was taken by Phil Wendt.

A Bald Eagle on a snag in the Gualala River by Phil Wendt

Here is what www.baldeagle info.com says about why the Bald Eagle was picked to represent America:

"The bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the emblem of the United States of American, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks, and also because it was then believed to exist only on this continent.  The eagle represents freedom. Living as he does on the tops of lofty mountains, amid the solitary grandeur of Nature, he has unlimited freedom, whether with strong pinions he sweeps into the valleys below, or upward into the boundless spaces beyond."

Happy 4th of July! Thanks to Kris and Phil for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see more of Phil's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.philwendt.org/