Retirement Pine

Smoke

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On The 28th of March, My wife went to work for the last day forever. I have no idea what retirement must feel like but I would sure like to know!

That being said, for the last two years I have been scouring the countryside for material to stash away for my own retirement. Of course that will be very hard to do with the loss of income from my wifes salary, so, buy now and enjoy later.

Between digging material from the field at Steves place, and trading some stands for them, digging the pyracantha from the commercial business and buying this one last piece of material from my friend George, I feel like I have enough to keep be busy for quite some time.

In fact getting canopies on them to suit my taste may take longer than I have left on earth.

Anyway, I called George Muranaka on Tuesday to let him know I would be over. He was having some issues with a family member and possibly the hospital, so he may not be home Saturday.
Dang it, just my luck. I'm going and he's not home.

He sends me an email on my blog Thursday that he will indeed be home on Saturday so I can come on over and look around. I get there around 10AM and start to look for the tree I have come over for. I find two that I have never seen before but they are just not exactly what I am looking for. I ask him about two I saw before on another trip. He said that he was going to keep one but that I can have a look at the other. Both trees were not in the nursery but over around his home out of sight of customers.

We came to an agreement on the price and I was on my way with another project. Probably a project with the most potential I have ever owned.

18 inches tall and a 3.25 inch trunk at the waist.
 
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Smoke

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Ohhh...you want to see it...

Sorry...

here it is.
 

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Brian Van Fleet

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Ohhh...you want to see it...

Sorry...

here it is.

Nice retirement present you got yourself to celebrate your wife's retirement. Hope you like the diamond earrings she's getting herself when you retire! (At least that's how it will probably work at the Van Fleet house!)
 

Jason

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Ohhh...you want to see it...

Sorry...

here it is.

Impressive specimen, Al. Hope you enjoy your wife's retirement! ;) That one could be the cornerstone of a great collection. Enjoy!
 
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that's a good looking tree. lots of potential.
don't kid yourself, Al, you aren't done acquiring trees.
besides, you can start or buy young tridents and develop them to sell in order to keep yourself occupied and spending money in your pocket. that's the fact Jack.
 

JudyB

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Very naughty of you to have a retirement gift for your wife....
Course she's probably happy to do her own shopping for the event anyway.

I would like to take a pine like this the distance, will be watching your progress. Nice base to work with. Can we see the nebari????
 

Smoke

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Thanks Judy, I will be writing the entire weekend on the blog soon. Many more goodies to share from the trip to Gods country.

Pictures of the base too.
 

Smoke

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that's a good looking tree. lots of potential.
don't kid yourself, Al, you aren't done acquiring trees.
besides, you can start or buy young tridents and develop them to sell in order to keep yourself occupied and spending money in your pocket. that's the fact Jack.

Thanks Don, now you went and spoiled the good news for my wife next year. I just may reopen Keppler Enterprises.......
 
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Thanks Don, now you went and spoiled the good news for my wife next year. I just may reopen Keppler Enterprises.......

I hate to break it to you, but she knew already.... They are keen that way. 2 steps ahead of us. That's why I go backwards, quickly and quietly.... Denial is your best friend.
 

Smoke

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I hate to break it to you, but she knew already.... They are keen that way. 2 steps ahead of us. That's why I go backwards, quickly and quietly.... Denial is your best friend.

Up untill this last week (her first week home) I always recieved ebay purchases that I was able to intercept before she got home. I am home by 3:30 she was not off untill 5.

the pot from you and the number two issue of bonsai Today showed up friday. I got home and asked where the mail was...

"You expecting something" Thats never a good sign. Ok how much did you pay for the magazine and the pot.

This is what it cost me....
....I'm good for six months now.....
 

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Smoke

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There seems to be a some confusion on the retirement. I would not like to be known as the guy who talked his wife into buying more trees cause I won't be able to afford them later....

Just so you all know... when the time was right, I saw this view looking back at the ocean on the way home. I took the time to pick her a bouquet of wildflowers. Bought me another three months easy......


smooth as silk....
 

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Smoke

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Now I just have to explain this pile of envelopes she found under my desk from all the ebay purchases of Ancient Greek and Roman coins not to mention arrowheads. Now she has the time to clean where she didn't clean before. I'm screwed.

I have recieved some packages with stamps on them. I think these stamps from Israel are beautiful. This guy in Missouri sent this envelope covered on the front and back with stamps. The postage was like 4.00 and he did it with almost all 5 cent stamps.


I wonder what she would think about stamp collecting too.....
 

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Jason_mazzy

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Nice stuff. I was retired for a few years after the military. It was easier to get packages because I was always home while she was away. Lol. I also collect uncleaned roman coins. Now I'm away and when I get home I Can tell if something showed up early by the look on my ladies face.
 

milehigh_7

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There seems to be a some confusion on the retirement. I would not like to be known as the guy who talked his wife into buying more trees cause I won't be able to afford them later....

Just so you all know... when the time was right, I saw this view looking back at the ocean on the way home. I took the time to pick her a bouquet of wildflowers. Bought me another three months easy......


smooth as silk....


Wow Al, just when I think trees and wood working are your only skills, you go and show that you've got skills with the ladies as well!
 

berobinson82

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There seems to be a some confusion on the retirement. I would not like to be known as the guy who talked his wife into buying more trees cause I won't be able to afford them later....

Just so you all know... when the time was right, I saw this view looking back at the ocean on the way home. I took the time to pick her a bouquet of wildflowers. Bought me another three months easy......


smooth as silk....

That landscape is absolutely breath-taking. Mind if I ask you what you shoot?
 

Smoke

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That landscape is absolutely breath-taking. Mind if I ask you what you shoot?

I probably take about 6000 pictures a year. If I leave the house, the camera is on the floorboard by my feet. When I finally run into that UFO that has been hounden me for 37 years I will be rady to shoot it.

I believe in pictures of landscapes to provide inspiration. A person can't look at these pictures and not be inspired.

OH...and I shoot a Nikon D-50 with an aftermarket 18-200 all glass Nikor lens.
 

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Smoke

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maybe a few of these...
 

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Smoke

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Oh...and the orange on the hillside...

California State Flower, Golden Poppy
 

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