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I love this native wildflower, Blue Eyed Grass, Sisyrinchium bellum. Craig Tooley recently photographed three of these small flowers.

Blue Eyed Grass is a member of the Iris family. They love sunny meadows.

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

Sunny and breezy today. I've heard that a lot of tourists have driven here as the beaches in Mendocino County were opened a few days ago. But there are no bathrooms or other services! And there is no place to stay, as all lodging is still closed. All Sonoma County coastal parks remain closed. It's really too early to visit the Mendonoma Coast. I hope my posts will help a bit while we figure this virus out.

Spring doesn't know...

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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.