Vernal Urges

My penultimate stored shallot from Cedarville Farm clearly has spring on its mind, so I thought a formal portrait was in order today, before it becomes part of a meal tomorrow.

It's so interesting to cut into a shallot at this time of year, after admiring that delicately striped protective exterior and the reddish purple skin underneath, and come upon a pale green shoot deep inside. There is so much beauty in simple vegetables!

Now if I could just get as excited about the weed-filled front garden...

But that will have to wait until tomorrow, as we are heading out soon to attend what I call "a gathering for good" -- the annual Interfaith Coalition Garden of Hope Spring Auction. From their website: Interfaith Coalition is a partnership of 47 congregations of diverse faiths in Whatcom County. Member congregations work together to provide basic necessities to local people in need, focusing on housing for homeless families, access to health care for all, and meaningful social connection to older adults whose health and well-being may improve with meaningful social connection. By pooling financial and volunteer resources, we can have a greater impact than any one congregation can have acting alone.

I love how the Interfaith Coalition brings together people from a wide range of spiritual -- and, no doubt, political -- persuasions -- to help their neighbors. It seems particularly wonderful when compared to the prolonged presidential campaign here, in which diatribe and dissension are never-ending, and venal urges, rather than vernal ones, are acted upon.