I made this at PBI! (continued)

At the Paper and Book Intensive in Ox-bow this past May, I also took tool making with Shanna Leino, where we learned to make our own bookbinding tools out of elk bone, and also stamping tools out of steel. I fell in love with the elk bone process, and probably would have been perfectly content to make tools the entire two weeks. These are some of the tools I completed; I had two more awls, but I have already given them to much deserving recipients as thank you gifts. The tool on the right I think I'll use as an awl specifically for punching leather; the end is quite sharp. 

My third class at PBI was paper marbling with Steve Pittelkow. He is a superb marbler and I came home with about 40 sheets that I had marbled myself, which is wonderful. I'm excited to use them in our bookbinding homework over the next school year! These are a few of my favorites that I produced.

And I'll conclude this post with some of my favorite images from PBI. 

A poem...

by Mary Elizabeth Frye.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sun on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circling flight.

I am the soft star-shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there; I did not die.

Golgulsa Temple Stay

As part of our trip to Seoul, we spent a couple of days in a coastal town named Gyeong-Ju. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip, as it included not only seeing wonderful temples from the Silla dynasty, but also a temple stay at a Buddhist temple, Golgulsa. 

I had read about similar experiences, but never dreamt that I would get to experience something like this myself. The temple was so beautiful, and I felt such reverence for the place, that I did not take a single photo the entire time we were there. We were in bed by 10 pm, and awoken at 4 in the morning to walk up an incredibly steep hill for morning chants, followed by walking meditation and a timed breakfast ceremony. A few of us made the treacherous trek up the rocky steps of the mountain to see the Buddha carved into the mountain from the 5th century. 

Fortunately, one of our tour guides, Semi, was photographing the whole time! Thanks so much to Semi for sharing the photos with all of us, they are a treasure. 

Receiving our first instructions on the temple-stay experience!

Walking to dinner in our new temple-stay togs.

 Mary, Kunyoung, and I were very pleased about something.

 In line for our first meal experience.

 Kunyoung and Victoria choosing their food for dinner (although the food for breakfast was very similar). We learned a lot about choosing appropriate portions because it was a disgrace to waste any food.

Victoria with one of the cutest puppies of all time.

Our introduction to our Seonmudo training.

I love Katherine's face here.

 Right before the beginning of our evening chants and Seonmudo.... we really had no idea what was in store!

The way to the 5th century Buddha.

The view of the Buddha after the nerve-wracking climb had paid off! Photo by Victoria Marcetti.

The temple-stay was one of my absolute favorite experiences during our trip to South Korea. Sitting underneath that Buddha and feeling as though I was at the edge of the world... it was an experience I will never forget.