Farm magic

The girls were driving me nuts! I don't know if it was the adjustment of being home from Maine, too much time together, anxiety about approaching school but they have been fighting with each other and being rude and moody with me.

I am out of sorts. I feel more angry than usual, my patience is much thinner, so that could be alot (most?) of their off-kilterness.

We were at Picadilly Farm harvesting these gorgeous calendula blossoms for drying and I felt like I wanted to cry from overwhelm. I was saying to myself, "Angels, please help me. Angels please help me!" in a sort of desperate way that felt unfamiliar. (Like I said, I'm having a hard time. I had also acclimated to a certain amount of alone time with the girls in school and now I can't go into the other room without them following me, all the while bickering with each other! Also I'm still wrestling with the shitty reality of death)


Lily interrupted my reverie by coming up with a handful of a plant she had picked; Sticking it in my face, she asked, "What are these?"

I had a funny moment.
I looked at them like an old friend where you recognize their face but it takes a moment to gather all the back-story from your surprised brain.

It was Oatstraw.
Oats.
Green and tall with a seed head that was still milky.
Must be a weed or cover crop from the flower garden.
I stopped and smiled.
I showed Lily how you can squeeze the pointy seed head and a milky juice spurts out, which is sweet and very soothing.
Oats are a deeply healing and nourishing plant that has been used forever to support the nervous system. It is amazing medicine for anxiety and despair.

I learned about it years ago by reading Susun Weed books. Here's a tidbit from her website.

http://nourishingherbalinfusions.com/Oatstraw.html





It was perfect for harvesting. The seeds were plump and juicy.
I felt. No, I knew, that the angels I had been fervently praying to, had sent Lily over to stick this old friend in my face.
I am a women who needs Oatstraw tea and maybe tincture (stronger!) in the pantry. Lily had been pretty difficult lately, for me and herself, so I thought she might benefit, too. And maybe it would reduce Georgia's swearing, that has reached new highs (lows?).



I harvested a nice bunch and we made some tea when we got home. Lily and I really liked it. Georgia tolerated it once it had lots of honey. The afternoon went better. Probably party due to the Oat tea, but I also felt better. I had been reminded that I had allies in the world around me. Sometimes I forget about the plants I can use; I take for granted all of my knowledge and connection with the plant world, but right now I'll take all the help I can get.