Cattle Call



They are packed under a rather small scrub oak. These pairs of mothers and babies will be moved off this week and replaced next week by pregnant cows.

Penstemon



These beardtongue or Penstemon Laetus are plentiful this spring. The pure blue-purple blossoms brighten the otherwise rapidly browning landscape.

Mule's Ears



Wyethia Ovata or Mule's Ears of the sunflower family prepare to bloom. A large patch grows down the hill from the house.

Carpenteria Californica



I planted a second bush anemone in my front yard since the first is growing and thriving. There are still a few blossoms left as it reaches the end of its blooming cycle.

Wine Cup Clarkia



The small, dark pink variation of the clarkia, Clarkia Purpurea, is also known as the Wine Cup Fairy Fan. I've seen a few this spring but not the profusion of previous years.

Common Madia



Still blooming, the Madia Elegans of the Asteraceae family contrasts with the rapidly browning grass. At times difficult to distiguish among other similar yellow flowers of various sizes.

Snake Lily



Also known as Twining Brodiaea, the snake lily (Dichelostemma Volubile) is sparse this year. Still a few are doing the parasitic vine thing emerging among the ceanothus and live oak with a lush dark pink cluster of blossoms.

Diamond Petalled Clarkia



It was with some sadness that I saw the first clarkia. It signals the end of spring and it hasn't been much of a spring. This is the Clarkia Rhomboidea with light pink-lavender petals.

Purple Milkweed's Fate



So often the flowers are bitten off as in this picture.

Blue Witch Matures



The blossoms have become pods with a slight purplish tinge like miniature eggplants.

Ithuriel's Spear



The dramatic Ithuriel's Spear or Grass Nut (Triteleia Laxa) comes up in the same spot every year. One of the larger varieties of the lily family, its delicate pink/purple petals are often under Valley oaks.

The Cattle Visit



Pairs of mothers and babies roam the 1400 acres of the ranch. They don't get up to our property too often.

Yellow Lupine



Yellow lupine (Lupinus Luteus) is the rare cousin of the purple annuals. Here's one on my neighbor's property.

Sticky Cinquefoil



Another new (to me) flower that I just identified! Sticky Cinquefoil (Potentilla Glandulosa) looks somewhat like a berry with rather small blossoms. It's in the Rose family.

Arrowleaf Butterweed



I noticed a few of these in the shady wet area under the trees. These less showy members of the sunflower family are not yet in bloom. Latin name is Senecio Triangularis.

Woodland Star



More impressive in a group, the Woodland Star (Lithophragma Affine) thrives in the shade.

Monkeyflower



Just this month, the Common Monkeyflower (Mimulus Guttatus) are emerging in a few wet areas. There are few to be seen with the low rainfall this year.

Valley Tassels





Valley Tassels have the latin name of Castilleja Attenuata. These cream-colored columns of clover are rare this year, alas.

Chinese Houses



These showy annuals are blooming now. Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla) are part of the figwort family. This purple version grows in the shade by my well. There is a lavender in color, more spindly version that grows by the road in the full sun.

The Gooseberry Swells



Spiky berries form as the weather heats up.

Table Mountain



Looking to the San Joaquin Valley, it's clear enough to see a plateau created by volcanic flow. After the storm just a few clouds remain.

Globe Gilia



Nestled up to the nightshade, a globe gilia pokes its head out. The type we have at the ranch is a pale powder blue.

Mountain Milkweed



One of the over 250 varieties of milkweed, the mountain milkweed tends to be bitten off before it blooms. This one met that fate even though it was inside the fence.

Larkspur



Mountain larkspur (Delphinium depauperatum) of the Ranunculaceae family only grow in a few shady meadows. The delicate blossoms are difficult to see. The color ranges from blue to deepest purple. Healthy specimens can be three feet tall.

Fremontia in the Rain



Who says natives aren't spectacular? Fremontia aka Flannel Bush pops with bright yellow blooms in May. They do well in the wild. My attempts to grow them near the house have failed. Too much water possibly.

Mystery Flower



This small plant with its dark blue-purple blossoms has proved elusive to identify. In the mint family but that's as far as I've gotten.

Update: Premliminary identification is common skullcap.

Hidden Water



Down among the rocks a few year round springs remain.

Gold Fields



Small yellow flowers create the illusion of a golden carpet. These small meadows in the oak woodland contain a changing variety of blooms.

California Poppy



This one in my front yard is paler than the ubiquitous hillside variety. I'm glad to see it flourishing this spring.