A late fruiting of Black Trumpets - Horn of Plenty - mushrooms had Irma Brandt of Gualala smiling with glee. Thanks to Miriam Owen for this picture.
A happy mushroom foragager!
And outdoor room beckons!
A gift of several used picnic tables got Rick and me to think outside the box. We decided to create an outdoor room. In the autumn when we get our hot weather this shaded table will be an oasis. We are fortunate to have a lot of large rocks on our land, which add beauty and interest. This is a mixed forest of Bishop Pines, Douglas Firs, Redwoods and Tan Oaks. Wild rhododendrons, huckleberries and manzanita grow beneath the trees, giving cover and shelter to wildlife.
Spectacular photo of Crashing Waves off the beautiful Sonoma Coast
Award winning photographer, Siegfried Matull, has graciously allowed me to share a spectacular photo he took on the bluffs of Sea Ranch. The photo was previously published in the Independent Coast Observer (the ICO). Siegfried's recently submitted it for the ICO's Destination Mendonoma photo contest for the front page. I wouldn't be surprised if he won - again!
Unusual Cloud formation – California Dreaming.
I love watching clouds travel down the coast. I took this photo from our deck. It had such an unusual formation I thought you'd enjoy seeing it. After a storm the Mendocino Coast can be breathtaking!
Huckleberry Bushes are loaded with blossoms this year, hinting of good things to come!
Despite the heavy storms of March that knocked some of the blossoms off the bushes, most Huckleberry Bushes have a profusion of blossoms. A few bushes even have tiny green huckleberries already formed up. When we first bought our property and we were walking the land with our friends, Tamarrah and Bill, Tamarrah said to me, "You know all these bushes are Huckleberries, don't you?" No, I didn't. I was thrilled! Not every year is a banner year for these wild blueberries. Last year was a great year. Now it looks like we will be celebrating two banner years in a row. Life is good!
