Tuesday April 7th: Ann Erb, Show Presentation : 7:30 – 9:00 pm
There are a number of things to do in order to show a tree (remove the tiny Chinese guy with the fishing pole for one thing) and our Club’s show coordinator, Ann Erb, will explain them in detail at the May meeting, including choosing the right stand and accent plant, preparing your top soil and moss, and removing the crud (technical term) from your pots. Ann, who has been coordinating our show for years, also does the California Bonsai Society’s shows and helps with Bonsai-A-Thon. If you have a tree you’d like to show, but are not sure if it’s ready, please bring it to the meeting and Ann will evaluate it. Meet and greet begins at 7 p.m., the meeting at 7:30. See you all there!
President’s Message: Looking Forward!
Once again, It’s Show Time! May 19-20 are the magic dates. If you are reading this and your show tree still needs some last-minute tweaking to look its best, turn off your computer right now and go outside to complete any pinching, pruning, “mossing”, pot-cleaning, or whatever else it might need to look its best by May 19. Please return your entry form to Ann Erb at least a week before the show. If you really don’t think your tree is ready yet for prime time, consider bringing it for our informal and unfussy Trees-in-Training exhibit – no entry form needed, just bring it in and we’ll make a label for it and put it on the display table, but keep in mind that if you wait until your tree is “finished” it will be too late to show it because the only finished trees are dead ones. We’d also like to have lots of anything bonsai-related on the sales tables and on the silent auction table. Lastly, as always, we need an army of volunteers to help set up and tear down the show. Let me know if you are available to help take the Tokonoma, backdrops and other items to the church on Friday afternoon. We have a new venue this year that we will have to share with church services on Sunday morning which will complicate our show closing on Saturday and opening on Sunday, so please plan to help by just showing up around 8:00 AM on Saturday and again around 4:00 PM, and then again on Sunday at about 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The club always puts on a first-rate show, and I’m sure this year will be no different. See you there!
~ Joe
New Webmaster Needed
Longtime webmaster, Daniel Martinez, needs to step down. We need a replacement. Daniel says it is not hard to do and he would be happy to train someone with a basic knowledge of websites. If you can spare a few hours per month to keep our website up to date, please contact Joe Olsen at joeyuccaseed@verizon.net
Last Month: Bob Pressler: Boxwood Finale — Sort Of
Bob Pressler, owner of Kimura Nursery in Northridge kimurabonsainursery.com and the newly elected president of the California Bonsai Society, returned in April for the third and what he thought would be the last styling on a boxwood he started in April 2016. I wasn’t there, but cracker-jack reporter Tom Post was and he said: “Bob said that the tree didn’t put out as much foliage as he had hoped, so he felt that it would take another year before being show ready. He did extensive Dremel work on the dead wood. He did some wiring and lowered the top section by about 8” or so. I now have the tree at the house. Joe said that we might put the tree in either raffle or sales area. Bob did show us an extension that he uses on the Dremel that makes a big difference in reaching areas of the tree. he said it was pretty expensive.” Special thanks to Mike Hicks for taking the photos.
Upcoming:
May 9, Huntington Library, San Marino, California
Join curator Ted Matson for a private tour of the Huntington’s bonsai collection, highlighting masterpiece trees on view in the Bonsai Courts as well as in the non-public area. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are limited. Go to: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3387666
May 20, Van Nuys California
Sansui Kai of Southern California: Annual Bonsai Show and Sale, Japanese Garden, Tillman Water Reclamation Center, 6100 Woodley Ave. Hours are 10 AM – 4 PM with demonstrations at 1PM. Entry fee $5 to show and garden. There will be bonsai trees for sale as well as bonsai related things (pots, stones etc.).
May 26, 27, 28, Arcadia, California
Santa Anita Bonsai Society 54th Annual Memorial Day Show and Sale, L.A. County Arboretum – Ayres Hall
Arcadia, 9am-4:30pm. Demos daily 1pm, bonsai items on sale
The Big Show! May 19-20, Trinity Lutheran Church: Be There!
909 La Cumbre Road at the corner of Foothill Road. Please note the times: Saturday 11 am to 4 pm, and Sunday noon to 4 pm. (We have to start later on Sunday than usual this year because of church services.)
Show trees must be dropped off at Trinity Lutheran by 9 am on Saturday and picked up Sunday at 4 pm.
ALL sale items must have a sticker attached with your initials and a number on them that corresponds with the Sale Form you are also receiving with this newsletter. Club Members receive 70% of sales.
Besides bringing trees, pots, tools, and other bonsai-related items for sale, John Bleck wants to remind everyone that donations for the silent auction are greatly appreciated. The silent auction has become one of the more popular events at the show and all proceeds directly benefit our club.
Member’s Corner: When In Doubt Read The Manual!
Susanne Barrymore is our Club Librarian and wants to remind members that we have an extensive library. Members are welcome to sign out any book at no charge, returning it at the next meeting. Here is a recommendation from Susanne: “One book in the library, Man Lung Artistic Pot Plants, which is a green hard-cover publication of the Wing Lung Bank Ltd. authored by Mr. Wu Yee-sun, founder and chairman of the bank, in 1976. It was very available at that time by sending $10. and $1. for shipping overseas. I assume that is no longer the case, but it’s something to look for at places like the Planned Parenthood book sale and other used book sources. I found it was still available through Amazon. When our club learned about the book, many ordered it. With most of the information in English, as well as Chinese, it was most helpful. It identifies species for each picture of a tree, and there are also pictures of plantings on large rocks, identifying the stone as well. There are pictures of rocks used for display, some with carved dai for support, or in a planting. Trying to emulate this, I soon discovered you need to live where there is rain and humidity for things to thrive. At the end of the book is the Cultivation Chart, where the various species are listed, with recommendations for soil, fertilizing, when to prune and clip, and a column for miscellaneous information.”
BCSB On Display At Bethany Japanese Matsuri
Club members Joe, Wally and Keith brought trees to display in Bethany Congregational Church’s spring festival, which also featured karate demos, tone chimes, and, according to Joe, “a mostly Japanese choir singing old Negro spirituals!” The photo gives new Club members an opportunity to see how trees are professionally presented.
