Last Friday we launched Hypatia’s new website.  At the end of that very long day I was physically exhausted, mentally drained and a little over-emotional that the new site went live.  Elspeth, my host, was watching a movie and I joined her.  Here is my advice — Ingmar Bergman’s Through a Glass Darkly is not a good choice if you are running on physical, mental and emotional fumes.  As tired as I was, I did recognize that at least I was not as mentally ill as the main character, Karin.

The next morning I rose to the peaceful, restorative power of the woods.  I poured a cup of coffee and on my way to curl up on the sofa I grabbed a nearby book.

What Remains: Japanese Americans in Internment Camps

Photo of the book "What Remains" by Margaret Chula and Cathy Erickson.In this book I found a poet and a quilter working together to tell stories about family, memories, resourcefulness, trials of the spirit, sorrow, culture, strength, heorism and love, just to name a few.  The poet is Margaret Chula and the quilter is Cathy Erickson.  One crafting with words and the other with textiles.  The combination tells the stories in way that would be impossible with just words or just fibers.  I did not put the book down until I reached the last page.  Check it out for yourself. Here are two of the poems/quilts.

In the last few pages of the book Chula and Erickson talk about their experience working together to create this book – the individual inspirations and how each of their respective works inspired the other.

Their book was just the right tonic to jump start the right side of my brain.  Chula and Erickson succeeded where Bergman failed.

We are very fortunate to have Chula visiting Hypatia-in-the-Woods later this week.  As part of her visit, she is doing a public reading at the Shelton Timberland Library in Shelton, WA.  If you are in the area, please do attend and experience this immense talent.   Thursday, June 14, 6:00pm to 7:30 pm.  Here are more details about the event.  

————

Margaret Chula’s website – margaretchula.com

Cathy Erickson’s website – cathyerickson.net