The new moon of June 17 continues a pattern of early-morning minus tides. Summer officially begins in our northern hemisphere on Wednesday, June 21, as the north pole tilts toward the sun in its northernmost position. This will bring our longest day of the year. In Celtic tradition, herbs gathered on this day are considered particularly potent.
At Limantour Beach, the tideline is marked by small blobs of clear jelly, interspersed with a few blue “by-the-wind-sailors,” or Vellela vellela. The tiny blobs about the size of a quarter are called salps and drift on the open ocean surface waters before they are driven ashore by winds.
Twinberry, a native shrub, is blooming right now across from the animal hospital and along the northern Estero Trail. Its two side-by-side tubular pink and yellow flowers will eventually become two dark purple berries with a scarlet frill around them. They are not edible for humans but provide food for birds and animals.
Many grasses are turning toasty brown. One of the most unusual is rattlesnake grass. This European grass has a brown flower that looks like a rattlesnake tail and shivers in the breeze, hence its second name: quaking grass.