Midori Meets Again!
August 2021
What an amazing experience it was to have everyone meeting and working on trees again in July. It was a delight to see old faces and new alike working on trees again. Here are some images from the meeting, courtesy of Jack Christiansen and me.
In this month’s Editor’s Notes, we first have some sad news to share. Michael Haley, a member of our club and Sei Boku Bonsai Kai passed away. A note from his wife is shared with us.
In the bonsai show world, we have some updates on the Bonsai Rendezvous convention in Santa Nella. A list of vendors is provided.
Here in Midori, we have two upcoming First Thursday events. The First Thursday of August will be JT’s Oak Tree demo. And in the First Thursday of September, we will be having our annual Silent Auction. I designed a new form for us to use for this event. As always, the Third Thursday is our usual general workshop.
Lastly, we have a very special guest for our Trees in the Wild feature this month. Jeff Lewis is a world renowned award winning landscape visual artist. He is known for his breathtaking landscapes from the Bay Area and around the world. Jeff recently found an interest in showing the dramatic trees from his journeys.
I hope everyone enjoys this newsletter and I can’t wait to see everyone at the next meeting. 🌳
The Finished Bonsai
by Kathleen Haley
As bonsai folks are fond of saying, “The only finished bonsai is a dead one.”
I am sorry to announce that Michael Haley now joins the ranks of finished bonsai. He died 7/21 from a heart attack at home.
He thoroughly enjoyed his bonsai life and the friends he made. His trees will be donated to the various functions to benefit the Sei Boku Bonsai Kai. I will not be having a memorial; eventually his ashes will be scattered in Mendocino in his other favorite garden.
Thank you for all your kind thoughts I will see you soon. 🌳
Bonsai Rendezvous Updates
An updated list of vendors and the event details have been updated. Please see the following flyer for details. 🌳
Silent Auction Form
Our new Silent Auction form features the new Midori design elements.
I would like to share with everyone the new Silent Auction form for September. This is a great chance for us to see how the new Midori design holds up in other media. I took the previous form and improved a few things, while keeping it familiar to all of us.
To everyone who is bringing an item to the Silent Auction, please fill out a Silent Auction Form for each item you bring in. 🌳
Trees in the Wild
by Jeff Lewis
"Fight the Good Fight", from New Beginning: A California Spring, Vol. II
This majestic oak always catches my eye as I drive through the San Jose hills. It just speaks to me, alone on the hill, waiting patiently as spring slowly sprung and the sun began to shine. I passed by it several times as the green grass began to sprout, but I wanted to wait for the tree to sprout its first leaves for the season, and then photograph it. A month or so later, with a dramatic sunset and a carpet of lupine, it was perfect. I was in a difficult time in life and there were days when I struggled just to leave my room. When I thought of natural scenes like this, they helped me keep fighting and get outside to my happy places. I love the trunk's wide nebari — I call trees like this "bigfoot trees". 🌳
Upcoming Midori Events
Upcoming First Thursday topics
August: JT’s Oak Tree Demo.
JT will be doing a demo on oak trees and will be featuring some of his trees as well as a special display tree to share with us. Please bring in your own oak style trees for suggestions, time permitting.
September: Silent Auction
We will be having our annual Silent Auction. Please donate your bonsai related items for club members to bid on. Bring in an auction form for each item. A portion of the funds from the auction go towards supporting the club activities.
As always, the Third Thursdays are our general workshop. Bring in some trees to work on or get feedback. 🌳
Upcoming Northern California (and Beyond) Bonsai Events
7th US National Bonsai Exhibition
September 11-12, 2021 — East Rochester, New York
US National Bonsai Exhibition
The world bonsai community will once again be enriched by the display of bonsai gathered from across the United States at the 7th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition, September 12-13, 2020, in Rochester, NY.
Like Japan’s Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition, people from around the world attend the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibitions to appreciate and study the diversity of the unique and distinctive species displayed by accomplished bonsai artists from across the United States.
GSBF Bonsai Rendezvous
October 2-3, 2021 — Hotel Mission de Oro
Golden State Bonsai Federation
Get ready and plan for attending the 2021 GSBF Bonsai Rendezvous. The event theme is Bonsai Rendezvous. A two-day event for renewal and celebration for the love of bonsai. No registration fee. Open to the public. Free bonsai demonstrations both days. Free professional bonsai critiques, Bring Your Own Bonsai and Do It Yourself Bonsai settings. Vendors from Northern and Southern California in one huge location. There will be silent auctions for quality bonsai and related items. There will be no banquet dinners. Additional information and schedule of activities forthcoming shortly. See the "Convention" section of the GSBF website for further updates. 🌳
