I don’t know about you, but it’s not often the word “tantalizing” applies to my existence. Its suggestion of dangerous temptation, of irresistible-yet-unattainable delight, seems a bit melodramatic when applied to the last bowl’s worth of moose tracks ice cream burning a hole in the freezer. A neighborhood 10-year-old once informed me that the disarray of spices, herbs, and teas on a shelf over my sink made me seem like a witch, which, if true, would be the only hint of mysterious danger in my drab, indoorsy life.

But let me tell you about baneberries…

This Field Note was written by Alyssa Roggow. Would you be interested in writing one? Contact Allison De Jong, Field Notes editor, at adejong [at] montananaturalist [dot] org or 406.327.0405. Please visit the Field Notes website at the Montana Natural History Center for more information.