Spring Charmers

This stunning busker at the Bellingham Farmers Market brought the warmth of Mexico to our northern clime, and perhaps she's the one responsible for the sun breaking through about noon today!

For marketgoers who are optimistic about the weather, or perhaps have greenhouses, there were some good-sized tomato starts available today. Many vendors took part in the new "20% off an item on the first Saturday of the month" venture, one of the ongoing special events for the market's 20th season.

Among the seasonal offerings were loaves of allium bread from BreadFarm, our favorite bakery, which incorporated local roasted leeks, shallots, and onions. I didn't fancy that, and made do with our usually seeded mini baguettes, a loaf of BreadFarm's stoneground "House Wheat " -- their 20% off item today -- and a rhubarb and lemon mini bundt cake, a delicious finale to our late lunch.

We're going to the Whatcom Land Trust "Great Outdoors" fundraising auction this evening. It's a chance to dress up a little, bid on a few items, and enjoy a meal and wine or beer with others who believe in the importance of preserving wildlife habitat, scenic, agricultural, and open space lands in Whatcom County for future generations. We've supported Whatcom Land Trust since we moved to Bellingham and have made provision in our wills to continue that support.

(Today is the first anniversary of my sister E's death. Tulips were her favorite flowers, so I'm including these, from the Bellingham Farmers Market today, in her memory.)