Future Meetings

February 17 - Suiseki Program - Chiara Padrini (Italy)
March 4 - 11 - Exhibit Sitting - Philadelphia Flower Show
April TBA

It’s not too early to begin thinking about the Philadelphia Flower Show, March 4-11, 2012. The theme for this year is "Hawaii, Islands of Aloha". It looks like there will be some interesting changes in our exhibit, both with location and design.

Linda Brant is always looking for volunteers, new or experienced, to help act as docents for the exhibit. A brief three hour period is all that is needed. Tickets to the Show are provided for you and a guest (have you checked the cost of admission this year? $25+!!!). We have to cover the exhibit for the entire show, so lots of help is needed. Contact Linda by phone (610-948-6380) or email (lbrant@comcast.net) to volunteer, or sign up at our meetings.

President's Notes

It is hard to believe that the biggest problem the trees have faced this winter is watering. Be very aware that trees that are wintering in enclosed areas can dry out very quickly. Keep your eye on those stored outside also, as there has not been much rain in the last few weeks. There have been a couple of wind storms that caused concern as branches could fall on winter storage areas, but so far so good. My personal long term weather forecaster (the cashier at my Giant grocery store) assures me that we will pay big time in February, so we will wait and see,
Even if you are not working on a tree, please plan to attend the workshop in January. You can learn so much by watching and talking with those who are working on trees. The Flower Show exhibit is going to be very different this year. The Hort. Society feels that the PBS exhibit needs an update, so plans are to change the exhibit each year. The moon gates will be used, but in a different configuration. It will be interesting to see how the changes are viewed by the public.
It is not too soon to check out the web sites of our local bonsai artists, and sign up for spring and summer workshops. Chase Rosade's class schedule should be out soon and Jim Doyle's (Nature's Way) classes are already listed. Other professionals such as Howard McNeal and Jim Gillespie work more one to one rather than holding classes, so you could set something up with them when you see them at a meeting. Sitting with someone and getting a different perspective of your trees is very valuable.
Please call or email me to get on the Flower Show schedule. I still have many empty slots. See you at the workshop.
Linda

Weather Related Meeting Notification

Over the years, we have had very few cancellations due to the weather, but sometimes we get caught in a storm. If we are faced with a cancellation, the following procedures will take place.
A. If you are on the email list for newsletters - you will receive cancellation notice by email.
B. If you are not on the email list, then check the web site. Cancellation notice will be posted prominently on the home page.
C. If you do not have computer access, a board member will attempt to contact you by phone.
D. We will also try to place a notice on KYW radio.
E. We will attempt to notify the Community Center.

If you are in doubt about a meeting taking place, be sure to check before leaving home.

MidAtlantic Festival

Please mark the dates on your 2012 Calendar for the 2012 MidAtlantic Spring Festival to be held on April 20-22 at the Grantville/Hershey Holiday Inn.
This month's focus will be on our featured artist, Mr. Isao Omachi, from Japan.
Mr. Omachi studied bonsai as an apprentice of Mr. Takeo Kawabe for five years beginning in 1992. (Mr. Kawabe had been an apprentice of Mr. Kimura). In September of 1999 he became a member of the prestigious Japan Bonsai Kyodo Kumiai. In Sept. 2006, he was certified as a bonsai instructor by the Japan Bonsai Association. In December of 2006 he won the coveted Prime Minister’s Award at the 32nd Sakufu-Ten bonsai exhibition. He first visited MABS as an assistant to Mr. Shinji Suzuki in 2006 and so impressed the attendees that he was invited back as a headliner in 2009. Among his professional activities, he travels to Korea every year to maintain the spectacular Sumsund Bonsai Collection.
In March 2011, Mr. Omachi’s home and nursery were swept away by the tsunami which struck his home in Sendai, Japan. While his family is safe, he lost his entire collection. It is with great pleasure that MABS has invited Mr. Omachi to join us again in 2012 to share his deep and stimulating understanding of bonsai.
Mr. Omachi and his assistant will present lectures/demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday. He will also conduct a critique of the MABS Exhibit trees. Mr. Omachi's translator will be Ms. Hideko Metaxas, who has worked with MABS many times in the past.
Registration forms will be sent out shortly - some problems arose with one of the scheduled speakers and some revisions were necessary before the forms could be mailed out.
Raffle tickets for the February drawing of a full MidAtlantic registration will be available at the workshop.

Directions to the Greater Plymouth Community Center

From Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276)-Take Exit 333 (Norristown - old exit 25). At the end of the ramp, turn left onto Plymouth Road. At the light, turn right onto Germantown Pike West. Continue approximately one (1) mile, through five (5) traffic lights. At the sixth light, turn right onto Jolly Road. The Community Center is on the right at 2910 Jolly Road.
From Blue Route (I-476)-Take exit for Germantown Pike West (Exit 20). Continue on Germantown Pike west for approximately one (1) mile, through six (6) traffic lights. At the seventh light ti right onto Jolly Road. The Community Center is on the right at 2910 Jolly Road.
From Route 202-Follow Route 202 to Germantown Pike. Travel EAST on Germantown Pike, through five (5) traffic lights. At the next traffic light, approximately half a mile, turn left on Jolly Road. The Community Center is on the right at 2910 Jolly Road.

The morning of our January workshop greeted us with several inches of snow, making the roads a bit slick and holding attendance down to a group of hearty souls. Some great trees were brought in for grooming, styling, or advice. One of the trees that will be in the exhibit showed up at the Spring auction a few years ago!! While not all will be in this year's exhibit, some future specimens were there for us to see. And, wouldn't you know it? By the 2nd hour of the workshop, the snow had just about melted!!

We were unable to sell raffles for the February drawing for a full MidAtlantic registration, so be sure you get yours at this month's meeting.

Over the years, we have had very few cancellations due to the weather, but sometimes we get caught in a storm. If we are faced with a cancellation, the following procedures will take place.
A. If you are on the email list for newsletters - you will receive cancellation notice by email.
B. If you are not on the email list, then check the web site. Cancellation notice will be posted prominently on the home page.
C. If you do not have computer access, a board member will attempt to contact you by phone.
D. We will also try to place a notice on KYW radio.
E. We will attempt to notify the Community Center.

If you are in doubt about a meeting taking place, be sure to check before leaving home.

Please mark the dates on your 2012 Calendar for the 2012 MidAtlantic Spring Festival to be held on April 20-22 at the Grantville/Hershey Holiday Inn.
This month's focus will be on our featured artist, Mr. John Thompson, better known as J.T., from California.
J.T. is a bonsai enthusiast, lecturer, demonstrator, and artist who lives in San Jose, CA. He says that his ideas about bonsai have been influenced by nature, John Naka, Kathy Shaner, Harunobu Tokita, and Boon Manakitivipart, and many others. He has served on the board of directors for both American Bonsai Society and Golden States Bonsai Federation. He has demonstrated, taught, and led workshops at conventions and many clubs. He writes a monthly care column for several Bay Area clubs and has authored articles for ABS and other publications. In his workshops and demonstrations, he tries to utilize the unique characteristics or flaws in each tree that will set it apart from others of the same species. He emphasizes transplanting, wound healing, grafting and effective wiring in the process of developing bonsai. JT’s experience and bonsai collection encompass a wide range of species and styles. He is perhaps best known for his driving passion for oak bonsai, Sierra junipers, boxwoods, pines and other collected trees. Touching and enjoying his trees, if only for a few moments, is an essential part of each day. He will present two lecture/demonstrations, one on Friday and one on Saturday, and will do a critique of the MABS Exhibit trees on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon, he will conduct a workshop on boxwood.

Registration forms will be sent out shortly - some problems arose with one of the scheduled speakers and some revisions were necessary before the forms could be mailed out.
Raffle tickets for the February drawing for a full MidAtlantic registration will be sold at that meeting.

April's speaker, featured artist, Mr. John Thompson, better known as J.T., joins us from California and the MABS festival.
J.T. is a bonsai enthusiast, lecturer, demonstrator, and artist who lives in San Jose, CA. He says that his ideas about bonsai have been influenced by nature, John Naka, Kathy Shaner, Harunobu Tokita, and Boon Manakitivipart, and many others. He has served on the board of directors for both American Bonsai Society and Golden States Bonsai Federation. He has demonstrated, taught, and led workshops at conventions and many clubs. He writes a monthly care column for several Bay Area clubs and has authored articles for ABS and other publications. In his workshops and demonstrations, he tries to utilize the unique characteristics or flaws in each tree that will set it apart from others of the same species. He emphasizes transplanting, wound healing, grafting and effective wiring in the process of developing bonsai. JT’s experience and bonsai collection encompass a wide range of species and styles. He is perhaps best known for his driving passion for oak bonsai, Sierra junipers, boxwoods, pines and other collected trees. Touching and enjoying his trees, if only for a few moments, is an essential part of each day.

JT's demo material will be a large boxwood, one of his preferred materials. The demo material will be raffled off, so bring a bonsai for display and double your raffle tickets.
Guest Speaker: John (JT) Thompson -Lecture/Demo
Date: Friday, April 27
Time: 7:00
Location: Greater Plymouth Community Center

Our guest for February, Chiara Padrini, presented a comprehensive and instructive program explaining suiseki and its appeal. Chiara traced the origins of fascination with stones back to Seventh century Japan and up to current times. Asian cultures embracing stones include the Chinese (shangshi), Koreans (susok), Taiwanese, and of course, the Japanese (suiseki).
She defined the basic divisions of Japanese suiseki as follows:
Landscape stones
Distant mountain
Near mountain
Mountain Range
Hill Stone
Step stone
Shelter stone
Cave Stone
Arch Stone
Island Stone
Coastal Stone
Waterfall Stone
Lake Stone
Object Stones
Hut Stone
Animal Stone
Human (form) Stone
Boat Stone
Colored Stones
Pattern Stones
Chrysanthemum Stone
Tiger Stone

Each stone is evaluated using three criteria: shape, color, and "spirit". Stones should be sedimentary, dark, and between 4.5 and 7 on the Moh's Scale (hardness).
Chiara's knowledge of suiseki is demonstrably extensive, and she presented a great deal of information in an easy to understand form, enjoyable to all. Thanks, Chiara, for a great program.

It’s that time of the year again! Our membership year ends with the last day of May. If your address label has an 11/12 on it, please send your dues check to our treasurer, Dave Spirt, as soon as possible, or rejoin at the May or June meetings. Labels displaying an 12/13 indicate dues are paid for the 2012-13 year. Dues remain at $30.00. Please clip the attached form, fill out, and return. The mailing address is:

The Pennsylvania Bonsai Society
Box 801
Spring House, PA 19477