By Jane Valencia David Turnipseed is a language instructor with the Puyallup Tribal Language Program. In Part 1, David shared how Lushootseed, the language of the indigenous peoples of the Puget Sound region, had gone from nearly zero language speakers in 2014 to an estimated 500+ who speak it an hour or more a day….
February 2025, Island Interviews
Lushootseed: Language from the Land, Part 1
By Jane Valencia Editor’s Note: Participating in Island life, we hear Land Acknowledgments at events, from organizations, and see them posted at businesses or on websites. Each year, we welcome the Blue Heron canoe family to our shores at the Low Tide Festival at Point Robinson. Up and down the Island, colorful yard signs in…
Children, Island Resilience, January 2025
Herbs with Kids – Winter Wonder and Vitality
By Jane Valencia Author’s Note: For plant safety basics when foraging, read “Herbs With Kids – Plant Safety Basics and a Few Summertime Remedies” – published August 2023 and available on vashonloop.com With the rain, cold, mud, and leafless trees, winter seems a bleak landscape for herbal adventure. But nature never leaves us bereft. For…
January 2025, Recipes
Pancakes for Matrona
By Jane Valencia We were heading soon to a gathering, and I unexpectedly found myself with a spare 45 minutes. Could I cook something to bring? We had a new large griddle, and over the years I’ve made a lot of pancakes. The pancakes today would need to be dairy-free. Gluten-free, or digestively gentle, would…
December 2024, Entertainment
Two December Illustrations
By Jane Valencia Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie, 12-27-23 – by Jane Valencia Boy with Midwinter Bundle in front of Vashon Center for the Arts – by Jane Valencia
December 2024, Poetry
Moon Carol
By Jane Valencia Quiet nightblue snowhidden moon twirls a skein of light Snow fallssoft woolen coinsspinning between antler branches A Christmas rose unfurlsfrom her clouded petticoatShe dyes petals within silent ponds Moon! Your footfallson the new-woven snowreveal patterns in this winter grove
Announcements, November 2024
Clothing Drive Update
By Jane Valencia Under the effort and direction of Daniel Hooker, the Clothing Drive has been running for ten years, for the past 2½ years at the Food Bank. Distribution takes place on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. As mentioned in last month’s issue, Daniel is retiring from running this program. Thank you…
Literary, November 2024, Poetry
Take, for What Is Given – A Villanelle
By Jane Valencia Download a pdf of the poem set to music Years ago, in the dark of the year, a friend shared with me a dream she’d had. I quickly forgot the nature of her dream, but a phrase she spoke sparked my imagination: “Take, for what is given.” I set to work on…
Commentary, Island Voices, October 2024
Artist Profile – Anne Gordon
In August, our front page featured an eye-catching visual by Anne Gordon regarding undergrounding Vashon-Maury power lines for fire safety. When we pondered how we might depict Island concerns regarding the potential zoning changes, we thought immediately of Anne. As you can see on the front page, Anne has a wonderful ability to create art…