“If there is magic on the planet, it is contained in Water.” Loren Eiseley
Part of what makes Cascadia great is our water: the beauty and power of the Salish Sea; the moist fertility of our green farming valleys; the abundant variety of our friends the aquatic creatures; the delicious potability our freshwater wells; the mildness of our coastal climate.
On this island home, water is all the more powerful. The lapping waves define the borders of our Whidbey community, and even the region as a whole is defined by our proximity to the Puget Sound.
At the Institute, we’re celebrating water in a big way now that the Westgarden is fully irrigated! Hear about the intrigue, challenge, and satisfaction of this big project under Learning from the Land, further down the page.
Personally, I’m cheered to be returning to the water’s edge this summer. My family and I have just made the move from inland Whatcom County, in the Cascade foothills, to Whidbey Island. We are delighted to live closer to grandparents and to Chinook! You can read more about this transition in my Spotlight article, below.