(also known as Lushootseed) By Jane Valencia In the January and February issues, David Turnipseed, a language instructor with the Puyallup Tribal Language Program, taught us about Twulshootseed, the language spoken by the indigenous people of Puget Sound. He invited us to support its revitalization by learning some of it ourselves. Today, we embark on…
Literary, May 2025, Poetry
Violet – Lore, Poem, and Herbal Litany
By Jane Valencia In Catholic faith tradition, flowers have a treasured place in devotions to Our Blessed Mother Mary. Since the earliest centuries of the faith, flowers (and other plants and trees) have served as nature’s “icons” – expressing the virtues, character, and mysteries of Our Lady, as well as other spiritual truths and tales….
April 2025, Island Resilience
Island to Island, Forest to Forests: Part 1
By Jane Valencia Vashon-born and raised and a 2024 University of British Columbia graduate, Mabel Moses, has worked with “The Mother Tree Project.” With a mission to practice forestry in a way that better preserves biodiversity and carbon storage, MTP was started by Dr. Suzanne Simard who many forest-loving Vashonites know for her work with…
Island Interviews, March 2025
Lushootseed: Language from the Land, Part 2
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