September 2013
Hello there, Stacy Lyn’s dearest gentle readers. There is nothing of consequence in Stacy Lyn’s world presently, so we thought we would sneak onto Dream Tree Bayou and write in her stead. We shall recount the day in September that we spent with her and the Bubbleheads at Tillicum Village on Blake Island in the Puget Sound. The island is only accessible by water, so first stop – the ferry.
We were greeted by locals donning traditional Northwest Native garb offering a cup of clams. Stacy Lyn gladly accepted the cup of clams then proceeded to hand them to Norm. She does not eat mussels of any kind. Can you blame her?
Once inside, we watched the chefs prepare smoked salmon over an open flame. Later, it was served to the guests as we watched a performance of local legends. We would love to share photos with you, but photography was not allowed during the show.
Afterwards Stacy Lyn poked around admiring the artwork then spoke to one of the dancers. She inquired about the legends that were performed – she is the biggest Northern Exposure fan around, and she wanted to pick the performer’s brain about the stories. She’s weird like that.
A stroll around the island with friends revealed the most beautiful evergreens – some had found their end, and others still flanked the hills with their glory. Stacy Lyn thought that they looked like Christmas trees and opined that the people of Washington state are so lucky to see trees like this all year.
Helios continued his journey across the sky, and before we knew it, the time had come to say goodbye to Blake Island.
It was a good day, one that will not be forgotten. Days spent with friends are like that.
Stacy Rambles 
I know so little about the Native Americans, so this is very interesting to see. Thank you for sharing these photos and the story, Socks. My island is only accessible by water from your island too, but you might need something larger than a ferry to get here. 😉
I find Native Americans to be a very fascinating subject. (One of my great-g-g-g-g grandmother’s was Choctaw – the tribe that used to inhabit what is now Louisiana and the coastal states.) ❤
Thanks for this, Socks! Did you know that ‘Tillicum’ means ‘Friend’? At least in some dialects. Clams and smoked salmon; delicious! I like my seafood right out of the ocean, mussels picked off the rocks minutes before. Mmmmm. I used to live just north of there, in the Gulf Islands and other oceanfront areas. Great memories. If she ever takes you to Victoria, BC, make sure she goes to the Provincial Museum (they call it the Royal Museum now, I think). She will need a day to see everything. And if you have the time, take her to see Craigdarroch Castle; that’s worth a day, too. At least to me and even though I lived in the area for years, we went there quite often.
Oh, just seeing the ocean again and hearing talk of ferries . . . what fun! ~ Linne
I didn’t know the meaning of the word “Tillicum,” but now that I know, it makes perfect sense! Thanks for sharing that tidbit, Linne. ❤
Dearest Stacy,
That was for sure a very interesting visit and especially for experiencing their way of food preparation.
There is so much to learn from the native Indians or First People as the Canadians call them.
Enjoy your Sunday!
Hugs,
Mariette
Socks, we so enjoyed reading this–and looking at the photos. Thank you! Signed, A Gentle Reader who wishes Stacy’s husband might some day glimpse a bobcat on his remote camera.
Always a pleasure to see you, Socks!
I’m a big fan(?) of Native American myth. Raven, coyote, trickster. Fantastic stories.