Inspiration Avenue: Community challenge

Today is Friday, the day I post my Inspiration Avenue challenge. Unfortunately, I'm not here, but I've scheduled this post so I wouldn't miss the challenge. This week the theme Community was provided by Magpie. She asked that we focus on food in relation to community and gave examples of community gardens, local food and drink establishments, and farmers' markets. All great examples, none of which are in my city, except a few struggling food and drink establishments.

When I think of Community in relation to food, I think of Food Banks. I think of how fortunate we are as a nation, and even so, many of our citizens, like those in every corner of the world this year, are going hungry.


Even though our grocery stores (some of you call them markets) are limited to 2 chains,

lovely produce is everywhere. The choices for apples alone are endless,


as are pears. There is no shortage of colorful produce.


Signs that Thanksgiving is coming is evident in the selections found in this produce department,


as well as this one.


You can even choose organic in most stores.

But what are WE as those who "have" doing for the "have nots?" I know we think about it at Christmas, maybe even Thanksgiving, but do we ever consider these people on, say June 24th? That's why Community Food Banks are so important to me and why I became part of the Penny Experiment back in January of this year.

The idea, created by Jeffery Strain, was simple: turn a penny into a million dollars worth of food. The first 100 pennies would be donated by persons making a piece of art to be auctioned when they were all completed and in Jeffery's hands. Please click on the photo above to see all the details in the contribution I sent. It is also on Jeffery's blog banner right above the categories "Penny Art Gallery" and "Participate." If you want to learn the details of this piece, please see my blog post. And I hope this week, while contemplating what community means to you, that you donate a bag of food to your Community Food Bank.

I want to thank Magpie for this thought-provoking challenge. To show my appreciation, I am featuring her blog, The Magpie's Nest today. She also has another blog, On the House, in which she offers free downloads, all of which are super, especially for any altered artist. Her generosity is genuine and much appreciated. Her art is always stunning. She is an occasional WOYWW participant, as well as a participant in the Sketchbook Project, 3 Muses challenges, and The Butterfly Effect. Magpie lives in Pennsylvania in the US. Please visit her this week and show her how much you like her art. I know I sure do!