Throughout the world, across time and place, cultures recognize a Tree of Life. The Tree may grow as a specific species, or express as an archetypal form, yet the gifts this Tree bears are not only of physical abundance, but of sacred relationship, generosity, promise, and well-being. Here in the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) region,…
Editorial Page
Invitation To Divide
The Vashon Loop has a fun series called, “What Brought You to the Island?” Such arrival stories often include surprising and unique details, but there is also a common thread – a desire for community. What is community? Is it the mere presence of other human beings? Is it the roads, mailboxes, parks, and stores?…
Children, Literary
Rose Hip and Snowberry – Part 1
Once upon a time, the world changes. On an Island like this one, forest and mist reclaim the land, technology falls away, and certain names disappear. Calling out to her two children to come home, a mother puzzles in mid-holler as she forgets their names. Noticing the two bushes on either side of the front…
Children, Literary
Finn and The Salmon Of Wisdom
A retelling of an Irish mythIllustration above by Jane Valencia Here on Vashon Island, now is the time that the salmon return home after long years in the ocean. Up streams and rivers they swim and leap and lunge, taking in deep scents of the waters along the way, smells that reach into their beginnings…
Island Voices
Land Acknowledgment – Salmon Return
Welcome back, dear Salmon! We celebrate your return to our Island. We honor the end and beginning of your life cycle, and the wonder of your transformation. You feed the waters and forest, the creatures of sea, land, and air, as well as us humans You nourish our bodies, brains, and imagination, our spirits and…
Announcements
Looking For The November Loop?
Issue #3 has just arrived on the Island, and is finding its way to businesses and central locations near you. The PDF of our print edition is here. The posts of the individual articles and more are below.
Literary
Poetry for The Light And The Beautiful Dark
Please enjoy a poem by Margaret Roncone and two poems by Claudia Hollander-Lucas. Autumn Light lengthening shadowsdiscard bright lightstore it in acupboard for next June what I notice andpause to studyare narrators ofa fresh storyunfolding in pebbled graveldried grassand moon’s play on stone. By Margaret Roncone Margaret Roncone: I write poetry daily because of a…
Announcements
Welcome to Issue #2
Printed newspapers arrive on the Island today, and will be delivered to numerous businesses and other locations throughout the Island. Are you a fan from over the water? Or are you an Islander who doesn’t want to wait for your copy? For a newspaper experience (the closest you can get!) read The Vashon Loop, Vol….
Commentary
Beyond the End of the Line
In this article I attempt to use terminology that depicts the reality that Japanese Americans suffered in the War Relocation Authority (WRA) camps during World War II, as opposed to the euphemisms employed at the time and often used to this day. For further information, please see the references at the end of this article….
News
Issue #1 – View the Newspaper PDF
Don’t live on Vashon, but you want to read The Vashon Loop as a newspaper? View Vol 19, #1 here.