One of my greatest late spring anticipations is the return of our Rhubarb. I kid you not--I get truly excited about this. (Remember the rules, you have to make your own fun!) Sitting on a shelf in my kitchen is an entire cookbook devoted exclusively to rhubarb, called (appropriately enough), Rhubarb Recipes, compiled by Jeanne DeMars (Apple Blossom Books). Truly, would you have known (or even dreamed) that you could make Rhubarb Ambrosia or Rhubarb Daiquiris? One year I made my own concoction for a Rhubarb Martini (even used little stalks for stir sticks--too cute!)...well, after 2 of them....let's just say it's a good thing we had no obligatory responsibilities the rest of the evening!

My all time favorite is my Mom's recipe for Rhubarb Custard Pie (with or without merengue). And if you came over to my house and had a piece, I dare say you might experience at least a slight heart palpitation.

Apparently Rhubarb is indigenous to Asia and was often eaten by the Tater tribes of Mongolia. It's especially common along the Volga River; I imagine one could conclude that it's the Taters that had the good sense to bring it there. Hmmm.... trying to envision Genghis Khan eating a slab o' rhubarb pie....

All kinds of rhubarb species can be found, but usually you'll see what's known as, appropriately, the Garden Rhubarb. There's also False Rhubarb, which isn't false; but we won't go there. Our own Garden Rhubarb used to thrive--it was the envy of the neighborhood. We said the secret was to transplant it at least 3 times and make sure at some point that a huge earth moving machine runs over it. I am not making this up--true story in the life of our rhubarb during our house renovation. Alas, over the years its once sunny location has turned to mostly shade--a Red Bud tree threatening its well-being. Two solutions are being worked on: 1) the Red Bud tree got a severe haircut and 2) I'm caging for rhubarb rights all around the neighborhood. (This led to one rather embarrassing scenario in which I asked a new neighbor, assuming he didn't care about the rhubarb in his backyard, if I could have a few stalks. He was too polite to say no, but it soon became obvious that he had visions of his own Rhubarb Cobbler dancing in his head.) Generally both options are working out. So far.

I hear rhubarb is rather expensive at farmer's markets. If it comes to that, if you actually have to buy the stuff.... well.... it would be worth it!

Does anybody have a recipe for a good robin's egg omelet?

We were going to go boating yesterday.....but after loading up all the stuff for our maiden voyage of the season, we discovered this:

Aaarrrggghhh! What to do?!

I can tell you one thing we didn't do--and that was to go boating!

We are tender hearted animal lovers on the horns of a dilemma. One of our friends told us to "make a 3 egg omelet and go boating!" My brother says it's a no-win situation for them--they'll fly out of the nest and fall into the water and drown. Oh dear....

Meanwhile, the flowers in the back yard are simply stunning. The tropics have nothing over the Midwest on a fine June day--so lush are the greens & so fragrant is the air. There's something very satisfying about picking a bouquet this time of year. This is our dining room table this afternoon:

I was looking through some quotes to find something about flowers....in light of recent events, this one was just too good to pass up....

You must not know too much or be too precise or scientific about birds and trees and flowers and watercraft; a certain free-margin, and even vagueness - ignorance, credulity - helps your enjoyment of these things.

---Walt Whitman

The Marriage of Minds

Last Friday, May 29th, a wedding took place in Washington, DC, 

at the World War One Memorial.

The bride was lovely and there was no stopping her! 

In fact, we could hardly keep up! 

The groom looked amazing in his full dress uniform!

And, of course, there was a Marine HMX Helicopter flyover! 

(The Groom looked most pleased.)

The bride's best friend flew in for Maid of Honor duties.

After the ceremony, we all walked to the World War II Memorial and beyond. 

Imagine if you will, the combination of a Marine in full dress uniform, 

a blushing bride, the Washington Mall, and hundreds of tourists. 

 Complete strangers cheered; people shouted their best wishes (we assume) 

in several languages; children posed for pictures with the bridal couple; 

cameras were snapping everywhere....they were rock stars!

All in all, it was beautiful.

~~~~~xoxo~~~~~

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Sonnet 116

--William Shakespeare