Giant Chain Ferns - Woodwardia fimbriata - need moisture to grow, so it's not so suprising to find one growing next to Quinliven Creek. And what a beauty it is! It's nearly six feet high when it's not bent over from the rushing waters of the creek. Native Indians used the fiber of this fern mixed with red dye for patterns in their baskets. Rick and I admire it on our daily walks - a treasure in the forest.
Wildflowers burst into bloom this week on the Mendocino and Sonoma Coasts with just a few days of warm sunny weather. On a drive down Highway One a few days ago, Rick and I saw the first Lupine in bloom. Wild Iris - Douglas Iris - caught our eyes with their brilliant splashes of blue. Bright orange Poppies, California's state flower, have joined in the party. The wildflowers in the forest are a bit more subtle but worth your attention too. The beautiful False Solomon Seal has just bloomed and the forest floor is carpeted with the yellow-faced Redwood Violets.
Movement in the storm-muddied pond caught my eye yesterday afternoon. This member of the Salamander family put on quite a show for my camera. I believe it's a male and he is definitely in his aquatic form. He is brown on top and a bright orange on the bottom.
The Pacific Ocean is wind-whipped today, not a good weekend for the start of the abalone season. There is nothing "pacific" about the ocean today. Stay home and be safe - calmer days are ahead.
The sunrise reflected on the clouds over the Pacific Ocean this morning was beautiful. Carolyn André captured a lovely photo from her home at Sea Ranch and kindly gave me permission to share it here. Are sunrises and sunsets like snowflakes? Are no two exactly alike? We could spend a lifetime trying to find out.
It's a Mendonoma Coast tradition to gather driftwood. Gualala Regional Park is a wonderful place to find beautiful driftwood and it's legal to take as much as you can carry out. But what do you do with the driftwood once you get it home? I've put mine in the garden, where it makes a nice accent piece. A friend has made candle holders and even a plant holder. But my former neighbor's son, Luke, had one of the most creative ideas. He made a chair. It still sits overlooking a bend in Quinliven Creek, a charming invitation to sit a spell.
