June 2002 Newsletter

Sensei: Kunitoshi Akabane (925) 736-7600

President: Scott Couture (925) 735-3535

Editor: Daryl Bunch (925) 830-8790

June Meetings:

All meetings held at Heather Farms Garden Center, 1540 March Banks Dr., Walnut Creek. 7:15 – 10:00 PM

June 3  - Basic Class  Meeting.    7:00 to 7:15 pm  - library open.  7:15 to 7:30 pm Business meeting.  7:30  to 8:00 pm - Class instruction by Sensei Akabane;  topic – Review styles learned thus far.  Bring all styles to the class.  8:00 to 10:00 pm – Workshop.  Every member should bring all their trees from this year for the Workshop.

         Refreshments: Mary Bert Smyth and Linda Soliven.

June 4  -  Board of Directors Meeting at 7:30 pm. CalFed Bank, San Ramon.

June 10 – Intermediate Class Meeting.  7:15 to 7:30 pm - Business Meeting and Library open.  7:30 – 8:00 pm - Class Instruction  by Sensei Akabane; topic – Discuss concens of feeding, soil and location.  8:00 to 10:00pm - Workshop.  Every member should bring material to work on during the workshop.

                        Refreshments:  Scott Couture

Notes:     - (1) If you are listed to bring refreshments and cannot attend, please call Scott Couture at (925) 735-3535

               -  (2) Don't forget to bring a piece of plastic to cover your table during the workshop.  After the workshop, clean-up around your table and help put away the tables and chairs. (two rows of tables and chairs at the south end of the room.)

              -  (3) Wear your name tags to class every month to make it easier for everyone to meet each other.  If you need a name tag, call Scott Couture at (925) 735-3535 to order one.  The cost is $2.00.  

Club News

Many thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Norman Wanek, Dr. & Mrs. James Merrill and Mr. & Mrs. Robert Lausten for hosting the Spring Garden Tour. Those attending saw three outstanding Bonsai collections and were treated by our hosts to generous hospitality with great food and beverages. For all who missed sorry, it was a great tour.

From theChair and Sensei “K”:

I spent some time today talking to “K” about the club and how things are going. I was glad to find he is generally pleased with the progress of many members. He HAS noticed many of you are putting in a lot of effort and it shows in your trees. He is very interested in focusing the club on helping members develop better quality trees – ones that stand out  - and encouraging and developing members who want to excel. “K” spent some time discussing the Nature Study and offered some interesting ideas. He feels that if members spend more time studying nature, it will be easier for them to relate to and understand some of the concepts he teaches during his lessons. I agree. Here are some ideas and expectations K has for the Nature Study I talked about in the newsletter last month. “K” would very much like see all of us participate in the Nature Study – so, please try. It WILL help improve your understanding of the art. Locations that K would like to see groups visit include: Muir Woods, north of San Francisco - dominated by redwoods; A coastal area - Monterey, Santa Cruz, North Coast, etc.; Auburn – Elevation around 2000 ft; Truckee – Coldest location in Northern California; and Yosemite – Diverse environment – cliffs, meadows, mountains. We will have sign up sheets for these locations at the June meetings. But, before you head off into the trees, do some studying so you are prepared. “K” suggests you use the Sunset Western Garden Book as a good place to start and notes it is packed with good information – apparently it is even used as a textbook at times. Try to learn about the climate zones in the area you plan to visit and what that means with respect to temperatures, rainfall, trees and plants that grow well in those climate zones, etc. If you study ahead of time, you’ll know what to be looking for when you get there. Try to complete research and your visit by August for colder elevations due to the possibility of early ice or snow. It’s important to properly prepare (book/web study) before you go on your Nature Study field trip, so if it slips into September, that’s OK – for lower elevations anyway. For those of us who have been out of school awhile, pretend you’re your grandkids for a few months and remember what research papers were like – nice little intense learning sessions. During your visit to the area, study the environment and the trees you find growing there. Look for signs or clues indicating weather conditions in the area, the elevation, the soil type, how much water is available for plants. Look at what type of trees grow in the area. Take photos to help remember things and to show other club members who can not make your trip. Are there any surprises from what your research told you to expect – trees you did not expect to see there? Can you conclude anything about what trees might be easier to train as bonsai in the area you live? What about their natural growth habit and what you are trying to force your tree to do? After the trip, prepare a presentation to use when discussing your trip with the club. Make some posters or sheets that summarize what you did. We will want to use the reports as the basis for part of an education display at a future bonsai show, or shows, so if you can make your report suitable for display great, if not we’ll get some of the Club members who are good at that to help put the report into a good display format. Include photos, sketches, and whatever else you need to communicate what you learned. If the whole group pitches in, it should not be too much work for any one person. Best Wishes, Scott

Events Elsewhere

Golden State Bonsai Collection at Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Avenue, Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA.

Garden House Hours - Wed, Thurs, Fri – 11:00AM to 3:00 PM  -  Sat – 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM  - Sun – 12 Noon to 4:00 PM

Call ahead to be sure they are open at (510)-763-8409.

June 1-2 San Mateo.  Sei Boku Bonsai Kai<19th Annual Show at the San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo, CA.  Hours are 11AM-4:30PM both days. Demonstrations from 11AM to 3PM both days featuring Warren Clark, Steve Fenton, Tim Kong, Valerie Monroe and Mike Page. > 19^th Annual Show at the San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo.  Hours are 11 am – 4:30 pm both days.  Demonstrations from 11 am to 3 pm both days, featuring Warren Clark, Steve Fenton, Tim Kong, Valerie Monroe and Mike Page.  Door prizes, tree clinic, vendor and plant sales.

June 2  Monterey.  Monterey Bonsai Club 39th Annual Bonsai Show at the Monterey Buddhist Church, 1155 Noche Buena, Seaside. Hours are 11am – 4pm.  Demonstration at 2 PM by Katsumi Kinoshita.

June 15-16, Oakland.  California Suiseki Society 8^th Annual Suiseki Exhibition “the Japanese Art of Stone Appreciation” at Lakeside Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave, Oakland.  Hours are 11am – 5pm both days.

July 3-7, San Rafael.  Marin Bonsai Club Annual Show at the Marin County Fair, Highway 101, San Rafael.  Fair hours Wednesday through Sunday 11am – 10pm.  Bosai Exhibit in Marin Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium, Bonsai demos at the Home Arts Stage, July 4 & 5 at 1pm, July 6 at 5 pm.  Admission to the fair is $11 genera, $9 Seniors and children 4 – 12 years.  Bonsai exhibit and demos free.

Diablo Bonsai Look Ahead Schedule

July 1 – Basic Class.  Topic – Discuss care of trees during summer dormancy.  Workshop.         

Refreshments: Lou Anne & Win Whitley and Jane Wirth   

July 2  -  Board Meeting

July 8  -  Intermediate Class.  Topic – Review last six months.  Workshop.      

Refreshments: Robert Eden

August 5 – Joint Basic & Intermediate Club Bonsai Show.