President’s Message
November 2023
Now that I'm home after being gone for three weeks on vacation and missing all the meetings in October, it's nice to look forward to the fall season and our club meetings once again.
We had a fantastic time in Portugal and Spain on a food and wine tour. We were introduced to the wonderful cuisine and domestic wines produced locally. The countryside is teeming with vineyards and olive groves providing the residents (and visitors) with such beautiful mountains and scenery, along with the mild Mediterranean climate we enjoyed. We want to go back soon!
Since we left on vacation the day after our club show was over, I missed taking part in the review of the show with everyone. So I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who shared in what I consider to be one of the finest shows our club has ever put on in the 14 years I've been a member. The member support was incredible! Everyone came forward with the skills they could offer and worked with eager anticipation, providing the help we all needed in such a timely fashion. And then there were the trees that were offered for display! It was a great exhibition of the finest bonsai we could have imagined for our annual show! Thanks to everyone who took part, you made my job as president so much easier and staged a very enjoyable bonsai show day that I'll always remember.
Our First Thursday Meeting for November
I was truly impressed with the variety and quality of bonsai trees that were on display at our show this year, and now I want to learn more about how they all came about. So here's what we would like to do for our meeting on November 2nd. Club members, we would like you to bring in your favorite tree you presented at the show, and share with the club some of the history behind its development. This will be a wonderful learning tool for all of us in the club to enjoy, and to help us understand how these tree came about.
Of course we won't have time for everyone's trees, but bring in your tree if you feel moved to tell the story behind your now-finished bonsai. Tell us how you acquired the tree and the years of progress in its development. Everyone who showed a tree is invited. This includes the trees in training division if you feel there is an interesting story to tell. We can all learn something, there are always 'take-aways' from the stories, especially from our senior members with the ups and downs we've all faced when doing bonsai over the years.
I'm really excited for this meeting, eagerly awaiting the many stories of our club members' bonsai trees, and their journeys to what we see today. We look forward to seeing everyone that evening!
Our third Thursday meeting will be our usual club workshop, with senior members helping all with their trees brought in.
The Holiday Season is With Us!
Yes, another year is coming to pass, but we still have much to look forward to with Thanksgiving and the Christmas Holidays. Our club's Christmas Party is just around the corner, with an opportunity for everyone to share in a great holiday meal together on December 7th. I promise it won't be like Pearl Harbor — instead, a holiday social gathering with everyone enjoying food made and brought to share. Following the meal will be our club's yearly open auction of bonsai trees and all bonsai products. Much more will be discussed in our December newsletter regarding our party. So plan now to be there and share in our end-of-year celebration.
So have a great month doing bonsai everyone! 🌳