Oh yes. You're not dreaming. This is not a test. It really happened. An entire event dedicated to the wonders of rhubarb. And yours truly was there, at Fort Mandan's rhubarb festival in good 'ol Washburn, North Dakota.
That's me with Ben and our friend Shireen, soaking in the sun underneath the cottonwood trees. And see that foot in the corner? That's Clay Jenkinson's foot. Yes, THE award winning humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson that I hear on the radio every Sunday morning during The Thomas Jefferson Hour on Prairie Public, lying in the grass listening to the country band that was performing for the small crowd. He was the rhubarb tasting judge. I kinda sorta have a crush on him. I mean, smart AND likes rhubarb? What's not to like? I was too embarrassed to take a picture of him, so the foot will have to do.
This woman, bless her heart, dressed up as a prairie woman and made rhubarb pies in a cast iron Dutch oven over an open fire. I've never been so happy to live in the 21st century as watching her make pie over a fire on a hot summer day. No thank you.
And then there's this kid. Check out that smile. His rhubarb punch won a prize. There is all kinds of awesome going on in this photo, if you ask me.
For you NDers, you may have missed the rhubarb festival, but Fort Mandan is still worth the visit. Family friendly with the interpretive center and a gorgeous walking trail by the river, just pack a picnic basket, load up the van, and you've got a great day trip. Don't forget the camera!
Hey, Beth. We too are great admirers of Jenkison. Is he not such a gift to North Dakota, a great speaker and wonderful writer. Truth be told, my wife also has a bit of a nerd crush on him. This picture must have been during the rhubarb fueled coma he wrote about.
ReplyDeleteSorry we missed the party.