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May is such a beautiful time of year on the Mendonoma coast. On a drive down Highway One a few days ago, Rick and I saw many Pacific Rhododendrons blooming along Salt Point State Park.

Pacific Azaleas are blooming now too. Martin Steinpress photographed these along the Salal Trail, a public access trail on The Sea Ranch.

And the big, splashy Andrew's Clintonia is blooming in shady forests. Andy Moore recently photographed this one. You can see a yellow Redwood Violet in Andy's photo too.

Another of my favorite native wildflowers is blooming now too, Coast Lily.

Today, Sunday, we are having spectacular weather. The wind has died down and temps are up. Yes, it is a beautiful time of year here on the coast.

Thanks to Martin and Andy for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Anne Mary Schaefer wrote, “I’ve been trying to stop by there for some time, and on Saturday afternoon the parking lot was packed! But watching the clouds streaming by throughout the afternoon into early evening, I thought it might be a lovely night for me and the kids to explore some of the trails. And I was right! The light was golden and luscious, and with not a car in the lot, we had the entire place to ourselves.”

Pelican Bluffs Preserve and Coastal Trail is a jewel. It's our newest open space acquisition overseen by the Mendocino Land Trust. To learn more about it, here's the link: https://www.mendocinolandtrust.org/trails/southern-coastal-trails/pelican-bluffs-trail/

Thanks to Anne Mary for allowing me to share her photo with you here. To see her wonderful pet photography, here is the link to her website: http://www.pawpawrazzipetphotography.com/

It's cloudy and cool here today, and tomorrow we might get some nice rain. After that, it will be sunny and warmer. Memorial Day weekend is almost here, and the Mendonoma coast beckons!

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On May 9th, John Wall caught the magic!  He photographed a fogbow stretching over Gualala Point Island. We had fog with very high water content. Normally fogbows are completely white, but this one had a little hint of color.

Gary Curtis also photographed a fogbow that day, and his shows even more color.

These were both taken from The Sea Ranch. But fogbows were seen that day off Gualala and off Anchor Bay. Yes, I saw one that day too. It's rare to see a fogbow, so we are always excited about seeing one.

Thanks to John and Gary for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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The Gualala River closed last Sunday. The wave action built up the sandbar across the river mouth. This happens every year, and when it does the river backs up like a bathtub with a plug in it. Allen Vinson photographed the river mouth last Sunday afternoon.

After a couple of days, this is what the Gualala River lagoon looked like - full to the brim! Charlie Ivor took these photos. The first photo shows Mill Bend. And the second photo shows the Gualala Bridge. Oh, it's wonderful to see the river so full and beautiful!

This is the perfect time to kayak or canoe on the Gualala River. To schedule your day of fun, here is the website to Adventure Rents of Gualala: http://www.adventurerents.com/

Thanks to Allen and Charlie for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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The Mendocino Land Trust invites you to tomorrow's Grand Opening:

"Saturday, May 19th from 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at Pelican Bluffs
For this special event we will be providing a complimentary shuttle service making several trips from the Point Arena City Hall to Pelican Bluffs every 15 minutes, starting at 10:15 a.m. Return trips to City Hall will begin at 11:45 a.m. after the conclusion of the dedication. The last shuttle will depart Pelican Bluffs at 1:30 p.m.
There will be no parking available at the Pelican Bluffs Reserve for this event.  Please plan to take the shuttle from City Hall.
Bring a bag lunch if you would like to hike the trail after the dedication. There are no waste receptacles, so please plan to pack in and pack out all trash.
We can't wait to see you there to share the beauty of this special place."
Hooray for this wonderful public access spot in Mendocino County, north of Point Arena. Thank you, Mendocino Land Trust and all would made this possible!