Bonsai!

Yesterday, I had my second Bonsai class. No it isn't martial arts or a Japanese suicide bombing technique, rather it is the art and cultivation of a small tree or shrub: "'bon' meaning a shallow tray or container; and 'sai', a plant or planting." (Harry Tomlinson) It is offered through the Air Forces Arts and Craft center. We have a Japanese Bonsai Sensei who comes twice a month to help teach us how to care for our bonsai. He is nice and helpful and is around 30-40 years old. His English isn't too bad. my favorite expression he uses is "no, thank you." He employs it by says, this weed is "No Thank You." He will talk with pretty clear English words, then after a while I realize I'm not understanding what he is talking about. But I gather enough to try to grow little trees.

It is a fun and relaxing time. He provides all the soils, a few starter plants, tools, and wire for shaping the branches. So far I have repotted two plants and pruned a few. Yesterday I did my first copper wiring of my juniper tree, helping it take on a better form. It's a true art and science. There are basics to it, but a lot of it comes down to the individuals artistic taste and choice. The author of the above quote, from the book "The Complete Book of Bonsai" describes it well: "Unlike other works of art that, once completed, retain a fixed form, bonsai introduces a fourth dimension in that the design naturally alters with the seasons and with age, and is in a state of continual development."

So here are the beginning members of my new forest:

Maple

Juniper

Azalea (I repotted this one last week)

Azalea

tirimen* *he only knew the Japanese name for this one