Blog Roll

You may notice two new additions to the blog roll. If you read Wayne's work over at Bonsai Bark you're probably already familiar with them (and if you aren't already reading over there, well, why the heck not?)

Forgive the links to pictures instead of pictures, the photoclient is being buggy.

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The older of the two is Peter Tea Bonsai, a Journey of a Bonsai Apprentice at Aichi-en, Japan.

Some of the pictures from his latest post about the Taiken-ten (ok, maybe not some but all) leave me wistful and a little jealous of his adventures. The fact that he's going so far to catalogue and share those adventures thrills me and makes me smile. So I figure it evens out.

There are, no surprise, some amazing bonsai featured, just in that post alone. While there are some really fantastic conifers, I admit that the two that jumped out at me the most were an Azalea and a Princess Persimmon.

The Azalea appeals for the classic, powerful 'wow, that's some azalea', reasons.

I like the persimmon because there is a small child in me who saw the picture and immediately thought "Why didn't I know strawberries grew on trees?!" despite being perfectly aware of that they do not. I got very excited and confused for a minute. The fruits on that tree are miniature and perfect and while it may not be something that a lot of us here in the US consider desirable in a bonsai, it struck *me* with a sense of giggles and wonder.

One of the things I like best about the blog though so far, is that he's very casual, interjects vingettes and interesting tidbits that aren't strictly about the art of that bonsai. Like Peter's comment about the persimmon. "Now that is a lot of princess persimmons! Just a warning, for those who may not know. The persimmons taste horrible! I sacrificed my taste buds to get the word out."


There are about a half dozen other things I could comment on, but I'm going to let his blog speak for itself. It really doesn't need my help.

(Pssst.... look for the two ginkgos and the pine from Hiroshima in that same post. Well worth it.)


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The second blog, very recently launched, is Capital Bonsai, which features bonsai from the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum.

Besides featuring fantastic trees right here in the US, it's shaping up to be a great behind the scenes catalogue of the Museum. The first post about their first tree is a story I feel not a lot of people would have been familiar with for instance.

Is it obvious I like stories? I like stories. And bonsai. So the two together are exceedingly interesting in my book.

Though there are less than a half dozen posts so far, already the photography is grade A, and I look forward to more of it. For those of you who can't get enough of high quality photographs of beautiful bonsai, this looks like it'll be a great spot to go. In their Autumn Bonsai post they set the bar, and you won't be disappointed. Two favorites of mine from that post are the Toringo Crabapple and a shohin Trident Maple.

I'll be keeping an eye out here, looking forward to more.

Eastern Suffolk Bonsai Society and more

I've spent much of this week sick (not unexpectedly, my house as been a source of the black plauge), but fortunately, I didn't succumb until after Tuesday evenings Eastern Suffolk Bonsai Society meeting.

I was invited to attend by Tom and Eric, two very active society members, one of whom I'd met previously when he came to see Mike Hagedorn speak for the BSGNY. Though I had no clear notions in mind of what to expect, I have to say that the evening has been one of the most enjoyable ones I've had in some time. The first thing that strikes one about the members of the ESBS is how friendly everyone is. I can't say enough how wonderful it was to be greeted so warmly by those I met on monday night. That in and of itself would have made the night well worth it.

Their speaker was Bob Mahler, who has been studying bonsai since he was 15. He studied bonsai in Japan, with Susumo Sudo, and worked at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens for eleven years. Tom provided a really nice piece of stock, a field grown Japanese White Pine. I wish I wish I wish I had brought my camera, but this was one of those rare occasions where it slipping my mind and I didn't have it on me. Bob was an enjoyable presenter, very knowledgeable about bonsai in general, and white pines in particular. The tree took shape over two and a half hours, and was raffled at the end, going home with one of the club members.

Check out both the ESBS website (http://www.easternsuffolkbonsai.org/index.cfm) and Bob Mahler's as well (http://www.sexybonsai.com/).

Partly inspired by that demo, and armed with a new understanding of white pines, I ended up with a dwarf white pine from Edna at Green Garden Works. More about that in the future, and once I get some pictures taken.

BSGNY's monthly meeting is tonight at Farmingdale University. The topic is Maple grafting, the lecture and workshop with Rich Perricone. I don't think I'm going to be able to make it, the way I feel today... and I really don't want to spread the plauge any further >.<

I'll be taking it easy the next few days. Fortunately for me, this chosen hobby of mine is a perfect thing.

Marco Invernizzi

On this friday, Marco Invernizzi will be visiting us at the Bonsai Society of Greater New York. He will be doing a demo at Farmingdale University, and I think this is easily the most I've looked foreward to a bonsai event ever. Check out his website to see some examples of his magnificent trees.

http://www.marcoinvernizzi.com/

If you will be in the area, feel free to contact me for more details on this event.

In other news, most of the work on the Golden Bonsai site is complete. There is still content to be added, but the chunk of it is done. I am hoping that we'll be able to get in touch with the BSGNY old webmaster soon, and then work can begin on the society website as well.

My own bonsai work is winding down for the autumn. Serissa and Miniature Pomegrante will be coming inside soon. The colours are starting to change on the maples and the pomegrante. The zelkova show no sign yet of the coming winter, but that won't last for long. There is still some time before the first real freezes and the tree's move to either beneath the bonsai benches or into the shed as needed. The False Indigo has shown the greatest change, already experiencing a die back of foliage just from the cooler evenings. It has come inside, and will remain as the more I read, the more I think it doesn't require a period of dormancy at all.

Thank you all who have continued reading this blog, I realize that updates the last two weeks have been few and far between. More pictures will be posted as I start on the fall pruning and a light bit of jin and shari work on a juniper. Until then, I hope this developing autumn finds you in as good of spirits as it finds me.

Karamoto Bonsai Art by Hans Van Meer

I happened to stumble across Hans Van Meer's bonsai website today. I'm still moving through the bonsai stories he has posted, and I have to say that these progressions are wonderful, detailed and extremely helpful. Even if it's just to look at his gallery, this is a site I would recommend you at least stop by, or even better, take the time to read everything there....

http://www.karamotto.org/

Hope you enjoy it as much as I am!