Mom baked a strawberry rhubarb pie this weekend.

If you haven’t had one, you must.

Rhubarb pies are a favorite of Martha Stewart and others, even though they are not in the major leagues of pie, like apple or blueberry. (Note: rhubarb is actually a vegetable, not a fruit.)

Mom made strawberry rhubarb pie now not because it’s delicious, but because June is the best month to harvest rhubarb.

For every thing there is a season, and June is literally the season for strawberry rhubarb pie.

My generation talks a lot about being “mindful,” but it always feels a bit forced. True mindfulness is a quiet awareness of when the time is right.

That explains why mom makes peach pie in the summer and apple pie in the fall.

One thing you appreciate with age is the value of tradition and repetition. Making pie at the same time every year is more memorable than doing it randomly.

Excellent pie is really all about the crust.

Mom uses a recipe for Flakey Pastry that calls for 2 cups flour; ½ teaspoon salt; ¾ cup shortening and 6 tablespoons cold water. That’s it.

It seems simple, of course. But, it’s not.

I always make the mistake of using too much flour to coat the rolling board.

“It’s tempting to do that,” mom said. “But you have to be careful. The pastry gets too thick.”

Good lessons for life and business.

-Pick the right time
-Follow the recipe
-Pay attention to the work

(Part of a series based on conversations with my parents about how to manage life.)