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Last Thursday, Jinx McCombs and Paul Nordstrand had one of the rarest sightings of all – a Fata Morgana. Jinx wrote, “As we were driving down the coast, headed toward Jenner, we saw something odd in the familiar view offshore. Beyond Bodega Head and further out, it seemed we were seeing Point Reyes as taller and clearer than we both remember ever seeing it, and it seemed to have structures above the land."

If you look at Jinx's photo above, it shows dark blocks to the right. That is open ocean with no land.

“We stopped several times to take photos, and it kept changing – at times hardly visible, at other times showing a dark shape at the right and separate shapes like cranes on the left.

We considered the idea of a ship, but it stayed in the same relative position and we realized a ship that looked like this would have to be a mile long. We concluded it was an optical phenomenon. We were amazed and awestruck.”

Fata Morganas are photographable mirages and are called superior mirages. They are named after the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fey. They are caused when rays of light are bent when they pass through different temperature layers in the air.

Thanks to Jinx for allowing me to share her unusual sighting with you here.

We still have smoke from the Butte County fires, but not as bad. Still doing a rain dance!

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Ken Hofer photographed the moon painting a path across the ocean.

And Jon Loveless photographed this beautiful sight from his home on The Sea Ranch.

Thanks to Ken and Jon for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Our beautiful coast has been shrouded in heavy smoke from the terrible fires in Butte County. Today has been very tough, especially those with respiratory issues. Here's a photo I took yesterday late afternoon at the Point Arena Lighthouse of the smoke pouring westward.

We have hopes that an onshore breeze will appear later today. Pray for rain for all who are impacted by wildfires.

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The weather hasn't been kind to mushrooms lately. It's been too warm and the humidity has been very low. That is drying up many of them. However Cece Case found a pristine Red-capped Butter Bolete, which she cooked up with onion and bacon. YUM!

Rick and I found two of these edible mushrooms in our forest but they were full of bugs. They don't fruit every year so it's a treat to see them. You can see a blue mark on the stem where Cece touched this mushroom. Staining blue is one of the identifiers of this mushroom.

Once again we have a sunny, low humidity day. While it is beautiful out, we need some rain.

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

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Grace O'Malley noticed this young Red-tailed Hawk perched on a tattered "No Trespassing" sign. Looks like an enforcer was in town!

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

Another sunny, breezy day here on the Mendonoma coast. It actually feels more like Spring than Autumn. Come on, rain, come on down from the north!

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The sounds of waves hurled onto sandy beaches and against bluff faces is an autumn highlight. The Pacific Ocean is more active, presumably from storms to our north. These breakers can bring sea foam. Susan Levenson-Palmer and Jan Conlon were walking at Irish Beach when they saw what Susan described as “green foam.

Sea foam, or spume, is formed when the surf churns up organic matter in the ocean, such as dead algae. Unless there was a toxic algae bloom, sea foam is harmless and is, in fact, an indicator of a healthy ocean ecosystem.

Here's a photo of Sea foam after a big storm several years ago, taken by Margaret Lindgren. The sea foam completely filled in this cove at The Sea Ranch.

Thanks to Jan and Margaret for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

We are still having lovely autumn weather, though most of us would appreciate some rain.