Squirrel Medicine or “How to Deal with Cabin Fever”

I learn a lot from my best teacher in the whole world, Nature. If you just set your Self off to the side for a bit and watch, something will occur to teach you how to get along better in the world. So the other day I was outside watching the birds at my bird feeder, feeling cranky cause it was sooooo bleeping cold. But I had also gotten to a mental point were I had to be outside the house. I’m talking a personal mental point where I am looking at my house partner and thinking “If you breathe like that again I’m going to scream”. I would feel a little scared/ concerned about myself but then I look at my cat, looking at me, and I can tell she’s thinking the exact same thing in my general direction. So me and the cat go outside as a way to freeze our collective criminal brain cells, she goes her way and I mine- which is to the bird feeder.

So I am watching these little puffed up downy birds coming in and going out of the feeder and I am amazed at them and proceed to wax poetic on them. Just when I am starting to lose my self there is a hellacious racket from the tree next to the house. All sorts of chittering, snow flying, and branches falling. So much for poem wax. It seemed a squirrel found my presence at “his” birdfeeder bothersome….imagine the nerve of me. I was sort of impressed by the squirrel’s ability to hang upside down by his toes but not real keen on the racket coming out of his front end. So doing my best squirrel impression I chittered back at him. Squirrel was also stomping his little hind feet, they do that when they get all territorial and such. So I stamp mine. Back and forth it goes between us for quite a while until the Squirrel looks askance at me, clicking his teeth and twitching his tail, then goes like a shot up the tree and through the tree tops swearing the whole way.

Watching Squirrel monkey through the trees I gain a smug sense of satisfaction. I won the territory. I was “Mistress of My Domain” or at least the tree and birdfeeder. Yep I was all puffed up with my victory when I turned to see my cat sitting behind me, first looking at me then the retreating squirrel then back at me. I felt deflation settle in knowing it was the mere presence of “the Cat” that moved the squirrel, not my prowess at squirrel talk and territorial dance. My Nature lesson seemed to be humility or is was it humbleness? The Cat looked worried…no maybe it was smug, in my direction. Almost as if to say “If you’re done dancing with the rodent you can open the door so I can go in”. I march to the front door, feeling chagrined but oddly better. “Come on Cat,” I say “let’s get inside and start breathing wrong again”.

Herbal Medicine Wild Crafting in the Winter

Wild crafting in the winter? “But there’s nothing growing!” you say. Oh contre Mon Chere! There’s lots of good medicine right outside your door! Take the humble snow bank…good to use for inflammation and creating a rise in body heat when you are cold (shoveling). With that quip aside let’s really look at the medicine around you.

White Pine Pinus Strobus: We all know what a white pine is right? A big tall tree with sticky sap and long slender green needles in groups of 5’s, can’t miss it. If there was a gift given to us by Goddess/God it is the White Pine. You can get medicine, food, shelter, and a comfy bed from the White Pine. And the White Pine emits negative ions which are very important for your general health and mental well being! A tea made from the needles contain a very healthy dose of Vitamin C, bioflavinoids, and antioxidants; which is a very good thing to help fend off colds & flu as well as support the integrity of your heart and circulatory system.

The inner bark was used as food by the Native peoples of the Northeast especially during lean winter months. It is also the commercial source for pycnogenol, a powerful antioxidant useful in treating various disease states of the body. The inner bark makes an excellent cough remedies especially for deep seated lung infections; it is a favorite of mine when dealing with pneumonia’s long drawn out infection in my clients.

The sticky sap is an excellent first aid treatment and instant band aid while stomping around in the woods. It prevents infection and strengthens the local immune action of the injury/cut it’s applied too. It also makes a really tasty chewing gum, for me anyway. Chewing it helps strengthen the gums and fight any infection that may be trying to take hold in the mouth/teeth.

White Birch Betula spp: I know I don’t need to tell you what a white birch looks like. We recognize it’s slender grace and beauty easily! White Birch is another tree that was used by the Native peoples of this area for everything-containers that prevented stored food from rotting, canoes, toys, shelter, food, and medicine. White Birch’s medicine it gentle yet powerful too. The leaves & end twigs are excellent for treating pain especially of the headache/body ache variety. It is also useful in reducing fever and inflammation.

White Birch also grow 4 types of mushrooms on it’s body that are powerful healers themselves! These mushrooms have been long studied (in other countries of course) to treated various types of cancers and disease with good results. One of the mushrooms can be used as a very absorbent, antibacterial bandage for cuts too.

Tapping the white birch in spring gives sap that can be used as a spring tonic or boiled down into a tasty syrup for eating. The catkins, in spring, can be ground into a powder/flour and used to sprinkle on cuts and abrasions to stop pain and bleeding…..or added to baked goods to increase protein content.

Oak Quercus spp: Another tree used for everything by the Native peoples of this area….are you beginning to see a pattern here? The White Oak tends to be the one specified for use by many herby/woodsy folk, as it is not as strong in tannins as the other oaks, but being the practical person I am I use which ever oak grows around me if I am in need. This is especially important when I am out competing with squirrels in gathering up as many acorns as I can for food. Eventually once you get the acorns properly leeched and processed you end up with a nutrient rich food that is also a complete protein! While gathering them I do recommend wearing a helmet of some sort to prevent concussion of the brain from high velocity speed falling acorns, they will leave a dent!

Anyway, the inner bark is typically used for medicine, although the leaf and acorn cups/tops can be used in a pinch. It is the tannins of the oak that make powerful medicine by tightening the tissues of the body which prevents bacterial infection/invasion. A tea of the bark makes an excellent first aid wash on cuts and abraded skin while also helping to stop bleeding. The powdered inner bark can be poulticed on the gums for loose teeth, pyorea, bleeding and receeding gums, and infection. The inner bark is incredibly high in organic plant calcium so it will help with the structural integrity of teeth, bones, and connective tissue. Applying a thick decoction of the bark to varicose veins will reduce them in size or, properly done, will eliminate them all together.

Aren’t you in awe of the powerful medicine you have available to you in winter?! All you have to do is step out your front door and let your healing begin!