A Misty New Moon & Autumn Gifts

October 14th 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.

Around the circle we shared gratitude and practiced speaking in the language that has been interwoven in the land since time immemorial: Twulshootseed. We practiced saying thank you Vashon (hawadubsʷ tacŭ). 

We then heard a story about how one of our mentors offered a gift grown by their hands to a curious bəlups (raccoon) who came to visit their chickens one day. This story inspired responses about times others have offered a gift to their more-than-human friends and as well as empathy for creatures who may have unreliable food sources.

From there, we wandered extensively in the land. One of our Young Mentors helped us to navigate with reverence by fox walking around wasps on the trail, we practiced consensual plant harvest with huckleberry, played troll in the hole where a long-time student offered some uplevels to the game, found our way to Uncle Wigglebottom’s Cabin, and finally joined our other cohort of Forest Trackers for a game of capture the flag.

We are grateful for this time with the children and are excited to welcome them back next month!