Sometimes in clinic, people say, “It’s natural, so it can’t harm me.”
Um.
As we hiked Tunnel Creek yesterday, the forest shifted. We entered a drier section, still in shadow, and saw patches of these black fungi. We enjoyed their creepy beauty and wondered if we were entering a forest of no return. Even though they are natural, we did not touch, nor pick, nor eat these mushrooms.
I thought you were going to come across Poison Ivy, it’s not something I know much about but what I do isn’t comforting.
Poison ivy is only east of the Rockies and I get it terribly. I have to be very careful hiking in Virginia. West of the Rockies we have poison oak and I haven’t gotten that yet.
I’m in Australia and we don’t have either of those here, Plenty of other nasty plants though.
my response to patients saying “its natural, so it must be good” is ” so is hemlock”.
we have hemlock plants in town.