California poppies spread Mother’s Day cheer

It’s InMenlo contributing photographer Frances Freyberg to the rescue again, with her photos of cheery California poppies atop Windy Hill, a perfect way to salute mothers everywhere.

Here’s the back story on the flower so familiar to the Golden State, courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service: “Adelbert von Chamisso, naturalist aboard the Russian exploring ship “Rurick”, discovered and named the species. The Rurick visited Alaska and California in 1816 under the command of Lieutenant Otto von Kotzebue. Chamisso named the California poppy Eschscholzia californica in honor of J. F. Eschscholtz, the ship’s surgeon and entomologist (note that he accidentally left the “t” out of Eschscholtz’s name).”

Photos by Frances Freyberg (c) 2020