It's Not Only About Flowers

I was advised that Table Mountain wasn't "ready" and I should wait another couple of weeks.  What about the people who live there?  Should they leave?  I went anyway, and had a great time.  Fortunately, my companions and I were aware that the wonders of Table Mountain are year 'round and are not limited to flowers blooming.  Although the sheer quantity of blooming flowers was not the greatest we had ever seen, and probably has not reached its peak for this season, we saw plenty of flowers.  We also saw some great cloud formations, some very photogenic, gnarled trees, great views of the coastal range and Sutter Buttes, and lots of little animals.  My favorite is the frog formerly known as Hyla, now known as Pseudacris regilla, the Pacific Chorus Frog.  The green one pictured above sat on my hand long enough for me and my fellow photographer to get several dozens photos.  SOme of the others will undoubtedly appear here from time to time.  This species of frog occurs in many color variations as the third photo attests.  The color doesn't always match the background as with chameleons.  We also saw lots of newts, including mating pairs.  Rather difficult to photograph underwater, so I caught one for picture taking.  The last photo here is of a Praying Mantis egg case.  We also saw Water Striders, Ladybugs, other kinds of beetles, and several kinds of birds, the most memorable of which were the Killdeer and Meadowlarks.  If I were a geologist, I would be gushing over the fantastic rock formations, not only on the mountain but all along the way from Quincy.
Reports of wildflowers seen to follow soon.
We are expecting a week or more of rain beginning today, so the week following the rain should be terrific for people visiting the mountain primarily for flowers.  I'm sure I'll be going back.