February 2005 Newsletter

Sensei: Kunitoshi Akabane (925) 736-7600,

President: Jim Stalker,                                         Vice President: Nick Nickelson

Editor: Don Meeker,

February Meetings:

Note: 2005 Club meeting location, day and times. . We meet in the Rotary Room of the Heather Farms Garden Center,Walnut Creek, on the 2nd and 3rd Wednesdays of each month, from 7:30PM to 9:30PM.

The Rotary Room is on the lower level of the Garden Center. A ramp leading to the lower level is to the left of the Main Building Entrance off the parking lot. We are working on getting vehicular access to the lower level for a few members who may be disabled or have very large trees to carry in to the meetings.

Meeting times have been reduced due to the increased cost. Meetings will start promptly at 7:30PM with a brief business meeting, and will end at 9:30PM. Please be ready to meet at 7:30PM.

Please bring plant material appropriate to the class topic for the workshop. Either something already in development or to be developed.Working on the tree in the style discussed will help us better understand the lecture and the style.

Tuesday - Feb 1st, 7:30PM - Board Meeting, Charlotte Wood School, Danville.

Refreshments: Jon and Katie Wheat.

Wednesday - February 12th - Intermediate Class Meeting. 7:30PM - 7:30 - 8:00PM -Lecture Topic: Arrangement of Roots. 8:00 - 9:30PM Workshop, bring Show and Donation Trees in the Chokkan, or formal upright style to work on.

Refreshments: Norman Wanek.

Saturday - February 12th Potting session, Tassajara Nursery 9:30AM. If it is raining or misting please call the Nursery before departing for the session. First bring Show or donation trees to work on, if you will have time then possibly new material.

From the President

From the President:

I would like to speak to the members about seriousness and commitment to the club. Saturday, January 22, the club held a potting session at the Tassajara Nursery. The turnout was extremely disappointing- Only the Members of the Board and one intermediate member showed up!

It needs to be understood how important these potting sessions are, especially for the Basic members. There is much to be learned, both from Kay, and from your fellow members at these sessions. And since a significant objective is to prepare donation plants for the forthcoming show, it is important for these trees to be well prepared and priced by Kay.

Attendance at regular club meetings has also been less than desirable recently, especially when you consider our membership is small and we have an important show on April 2nd and 3rd. This brings me back to the subject of being serious, committed members of the club. The club has already paid the Danville Community Center $2800 for rental of the show facility for the Friday evening set up and the Saturday and Sunday show. This money is not refundable! Our only hope to break even is to have an excellent display of trees and a successful sale and raffle of donation trees. We will need a minimum of 45 good display trees for the show. This means at least two display trees from each member. We also need more than two donation trees for each member to generate the direct sales and raffle tree sales need to help offset the cost of the facility.

We have only two club meeting for each class and one potting session scheduled before the show, although if needed we can set up an added potting session. There is much work to be done. The Chairpersons of the Committees are listed below. They must have people to help and will be asking for your names on their list and handing out assignments at the February meetings.

As indicated above we need to know as soon as possible what trees you will be donating and displaying. At the February meeting Kay will be prepared to price donation trees and review your display trees Bring them to the February club meetings so we can record the information and properly plan the show.

Remember we need strong attendance and commitment from here to the end of the show on Sunday April 3.

2005 Show Committee Chairpersons

     Sales                       Jim Stalker
     Hospitality               Lois Naye & Don Meeker
     Education                Don Meeker
     Publicity                  Carol Bassett
     Security & Raffle     Steve Huskins
     Construction            Nick Nickelson
     Greetings                 Open

Jim Stalker

Sensei Kunitoshi Akabane is requesting all members, Basic and Intermediate to look in Garden Nurseries for appropriate material. The Club will not conduct field trips to Bonsai Nurseries in 2005. The objective is to direct the members to look at basic nursery stock, 4" starter trees, 1, 2 and 5 gallon stock as potential bonsai material. This is to help the members develop their ability to look for and select basic raw material for development potential. Each member is requested to find a one gallon tree which would be appropriate for a formal upright, one for an informal upright, one for a windswept and one for a cascade. These four trees are to be developed as projects over the course of the year, starting with the Formal Upright, bringing them regularly to meetings to be critiqued and worked on.

At the close of each meeting please help with the clean up and storing of the Club materials. Be sure that Lois Naye is not left to close alone after the Basic class meetings.

Diablo Bonsai Look Ahead Schedule

Wednesday March 9th - Basic Class Meeting 7:30PM - Lecture 7:30-8:00PM - Fukinagashi (windswept style.
Workshop - Bring Show and donation trees, especially Formal upright or windswept trees to work on.
Refreshments: Barbara Richards.

Saturday, February 12th - Potting session, Tassajara Nursery 9:30AM. If it is raining or misting please call the Nursery before departing for the session. First bring Show or donation trees to work on, if you will have time then possibly new material.

Wednesday March 16th - Intermediate Class Meeting 7:30PM - Lecture 7:30-8:00PM - Branch Development 1. 8:00PM-9:30PM - Workshop - Bring Show and donation trees, especially Formal Upright trees or windswept to work on.
Refreshments: Bob Brown.

Events Elsewhere

Oakland, February 26-27 Golden State Bonsai Collection -North Saturday 14th Annual Mammoth Fundraiser Event at the Lakeside Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave. Auction - Saturday (Feb 26th) 1PM-4PM with preview 12Noon-1PM. Sunday 10AM to 5PM. Demonstrations and critiques by Kathy Shaner and Walter Pall from Germany. Sale of bonsai and pre-bonsai materials.