Hello hello. Welcome to September, the most beautiful month in the world (imo). 

Having just returned from a weekend up north I’m feeling high on the Pure Michigan waters. September and October always have me looking around honey-eyed. The goldenrod sways, the humidity breaks. We delight in the waning greenness before Michigan cups us in her snowy palm for a long winter nap. 

In true eclipse season fashion, Jake and I found out we’ll need to move out of our home in Hamtramck soon, somewhat unexpectedly. We’ve been inching towards this for a while so it’s not an unwelcome push. We’ll be staying with my parents in Chelsea for a bit, as Jake has another big surgery coming up this winter, and caring for him throughout the recovery period is infinitely easier with more support around.

Changing of seasons, changing of houses, changing of bodies. In this transitory time I’m feeling particularly grateful to have just strained a batch of fresh milky oats tincture, a hazy and glorious nectar for the nervous system. Milky oat medicine comes from the immature seed pod of the avena sativa (oat) plant.  Alongside nettle, oat is another of my most beloved plant allies.

The benefits of avena sativa are vast and generous. She is nourishing, nutritive, and safe for all (unless you have celiac). As she floods the body with her vitamins and minerals, our internal well is replenished. The autonomic nervous system is restored. The heavy veil of depression is lifted, and we learn to operate from a place of internal safety and ease. Not so gently put, this is medicine for people who are freaking fried, anxious, and exhausted, and need a helping hand to reach out and pull them back up again. I drink herbal infusions of oatstraw all year long, but find it extra supportive this time of year, when I’m feeling crispified by the sun and summer yang energy.

When I think of milky oat, I think of the song Come And Play In The Milky Night by Stereolab (Listen here. I kind of prefer the demo, because I almost always prefer the demo, but that’s besides the point). 

“Come and stay

Bring the stars

Play in the milky night”

Milky oat reminds us — Come. Stay. You are safe here. She holds us through the liminal spaces, and gives us the capacity to not only endure the discomfort of the unknown milky night, but to play within it. As I dive into some newly cresting waves of change, I know I’ll be leaning on this medicine as a pillar of support. 

If you want to chat any more about oatstraw/milky oat, or if you’re interested in some of the tincture, feel free to reach out. I have enough to share.

That’s all for today friends. I hope you’re dripping in the end of summer juices.

xx

Anna