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….
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…
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….
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…
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…
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…
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
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
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…
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…