HOT HOLIDAY SIT SPOT REPORT

It was already super hot (over 80 degrees?) at 9:30 am when we arrived at the river this Memorial Day Monday. The parking lot was more full than usual when we arrived and there were people waiting for me to pull out to take my space when we left at noon.

We hiked in and went straight to a shaded patch of St. John's Wort and collected enough to make another 16 ounces of oil. Which was just as much as kiddo has patience for before we had to head down to the beach. Loving my mom-made harvest apron which makes this process so easy particularly with all the other things I'm carrying (buckets, toy shovels, backpack full of snacks and extra clothes). This is our third week in a row of gently harvesting St. John's Wort. This slow, small batch process works out just right with kiddo and busy work life.

It ended up being super crowded at the beach; I am hoping to be able to get some weekday sit spots in now that summer is here. Or aim for early arrival times. I really appreciate winter time for the quiet, less crowded aspects. I also noticed today, focused on collecting St. John's Wort, I didn't even bring my binoculars. My pattern these past few years (well particularly last year and this with kiddo) has been to focus on birds in winter and transition to herbs and projects in late spring.

We got fully in the water and did some swimming!

We saw a kite hovering above the water, an acorn woodpecker going to and fro the snag, a Phoebe, two California Towhees nonchalantly walking around the busy beach scratching in the sand.