Be-bop-a-re-bop

It's the time of year when the rhubarb is in its full glory, all magenta, pink and green, sitting like a quiet beast in the garden. I love this plant - it's so dependable and grows in even the least desirable soil. It comes back every year on its own with little to no tending, and it's one of the first signs of summer. It tastes good and stores well. And there's something so satisfying about chopping rhubarb - that crisp, clean chop-chop-chop. But it does peak in early July, so now the rush begins...the more you pick it, the more it grows! Amazing! Fantastic! For the love of pete, what do we do with all this stuff? Heaven forbid we let it just SIT there!

So, this morning I picked a big old bushel and I swear I saw new shoots start growing immediately. This bunch will become rhubarb jam, which will join the rhubarb sauce sitting in sealed jars on our pantry shelves.

And while we wait for the rest of our garden to flourish even half as heartily as this red wonder, we'll just continue to eat rhubarb and take joy in the fact that a vegetable could taste this good.