December 9th 2023
What a wild and wet day we had this time! And maybe especially because of the rain, the day was indeed an honoring and celebration of fire and the gifts fire shares with us. The colder temperatures and rain made us appreciate the gifts of fire even more than usual.
Read MoreDecember 8, 2023
We shared a beautiful day together on Friday. In the morning we brought fire (hud) into our circle and heard a story from Mélou about their first time tending hud through the night as a pre-teen, and the support they received when they remembered to practice deep listening to their body and the land.
Read MoreNovember 11, 2023
The winds were blowing strong, as we traveled down, down, down, to the beach. The big leaf maples near the road scattered bright yellow leaves, actively falling down and blanketing below. The beach is a wonderful mentor, calling each into activities that inspire.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2023
The Wind Gatherers shared a sunny day back together after break. Building shelters, playing games to honor salmon, making leaf prints and relaxing in the warm sun!
Read MoreOctober 25, 2023
Our last gathering together was hailed by sunny skies and cold winds. Our Wild Wanderers split into two groups: one around the fire and one wandering the land. Let’s see what feathers and fir needles had to do with this fine day!
Read MoreOctober 13, 2023
Coming together in a scotch broom clearing prepared last year by many in our group we were greeted by Boletes, Puffballs, and many more mushrooms as well as a lovely Yew.
Three groups set off to wander throughout Camp Sealth, our 400 acre home!
Read MoreOctober 14, 2023
The forests and meadow edges of our island are showing us mushrooms everywhere this season. Children have a special affinity with these plant friends that is a joy to be around!
We heard a story this month about a young girl named Keiko whose grandmother is Japanese. Oba-san loves to come from Japan to visit Keiko in her home near the Salish Sea during the Fall rains when mushrooms grow.
Read MoreOctober 14, 2023
On a misty new moon that coincided with a solar eclipse, we embraced our first day together.
We arrived by playing mushroom tag, observing tanned hides and working with our hands to make iris cordage until the time for us to have our morning circle.
Read MoreOctober 6, 2023
We shared another bright and sunny day together. hawadubš (thank you in Lushootseed) for those helped us carry wood for the many fires to come!
We gathered in our morning circle and heard a silly story about the bəlups (racoon) who inspired one of our mentors to get creative with one precious tomato she grew to court the bəlups out and away from the chickens she tends.
Read MoreSeptember 29, 2023
Blue skies, crisp cool air, and sunshine greeted us all last Friday as we gathered the wind for the second time this program year. At our home base, Toads Crossy Roads, we heard a story about Skywoman and the birth of Turtle Island in a story from oral tradition, reimagined by Robin Wall Kimmerer of the Potowatomi Tribe.
Read MoreSeptember 29, 2023
As the full moon worked their magic on the waters and land of this island, we dropped deeper into the land and our relationships with each other. One of our hopes for the children is that they might feel a sense of belonging, of home, amongst Hemlock, Song Sparrow, and our other wild kin. As a group we spent a large part of our day place-making - setting up our tarp to keep us dry through the winter, tending our hearth where fire will warm us, and harvesting hemlock and bracken fern so that even on the wettest of days we might call in fire.
Read MoreSeptember 22, 2023
We shared such a sweet and sunny first day together on the autumn equinox!
During morning circle, we greeted the land in the Twulshootseed language that has been interwoven in the land/Vashon since time immemorial by saying "hello taču!" (Sounds like: touch-oh). VWP staff learned this phrase from David Turnipseed, a Puyallup tribal member and teacher for the Puyallup Tribal Language program.
Read MoreFebruary 8, 2020
Our day today was absolutely beautiful! The rain visited us for only a short while this morning and left behind droplets of moisture glistening on the edges of leaves, leaving the impression of being surrounded by fine gemstones in the varied green woods of Island Center.
Read MoreJanuary 31, 2020
At VWP we love to see and support the natural affinity that exists between young children and Elders. In the Fall we host a special Grandparents Day that many of our family members participated in with us. Grandparents Day is one of our favorite program days! But, of course, many of our childrens' grandparents live far away and cannot make it to Grandparents Day. When those Elders come to town we are so happy when they ask to come and join us. We had just such an opportunity last Friday …
Read MoreDecember 14, 2019
While our morning began with drizzle and damp, the prospect of a day on the beach warmed the hearts of one and all! We began the day with games to warm us, skulls and bones to mystify us, and a tale chronicling the life of Mag, a drop of water. What were the many transformations of Mag? Where and how did Mag travel? Where might Mag be right now? Perhaps your family can observe a drop of water, and wonder about the many travels that drop might take!
Read MoreDecember 6, 2019
Last Friday was a fun and spontaneous one! We had Kristiana (one of our elders) spend the day with us. She brought with her such wisdom, in the form of joy, curiosity and playfulness. We all absolutely love when she spends the day with us. As an instructor it is hard not to feel alive and inspired when she is around, and I could see the same sentiments reflected in the children.
Read MoreDecember 5, 2019
What a fun day we had last Thursday at our Late Start program on campus at our local elementary school. It was dry and relatively warm -- perfect adventuring weather!
Read MoreNovember 8, 2019
We had a lovely day together! It was cold, but dry. Of course, many of your little ones seem to strip off their layers very quickly!
After a time of gratitude, we gathered around a warm fire and had a bit of theatre. Many children enjoyed acting out a scene they experienced in Nature and we all had fun guessing! Maybe your kiddo is paying a bit more attention to the natural world in the hopes that they have some news to share for next program...
November 9, 2019
Our day began with a beautiful fire Yasmin built with assistance from our teen volunteer Orion. It burned brightly all day under our dry shelter. We also welcomed another new teen volunteer, India, who has been part of VWP programs since she was four years old. The fire and these two lively volunteers brightened our day immensely!
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