2020... What a DISAPPOINTING year !!! !!!

[Mike Corazzi]

The Scots pine is dead. Ditto 4 maples. One out of 4 cotoneasters made it.
What a fucking mess!

Trees that I "emergency" repotted due to stress, dying, and generally looking all shitty are doing fine.
Now I'm waiting for spring to repot and kill some more.

NONE are coloring or even HINTING at dormancy or leaf drop.
And the fucking HEAT continues.

I'm busy now selecting which trees to take to the dump and which to even ....ATTEMPT.... to keep through the spring.

PISS ON 2020 !!!!

 

[rollwithak]

I’ll second the hell out of that. 2020 started of with my best buddy DJ passing, the rest of 2020 needs no explanation!

 

[AZbonsai]

The Scots pine is dead. Ditto 4 maples. One out of 4 cotoneasters made it.
What a fucking mess!

Trees that I "emergency" repotted due to stress, dying, and generally looking all shitty are doing fine.
Now I'm waiting for spring to repot and kill some more.

NONE are coloring or even HINTING at dormancy or leaf drop.
And the fucking HEAT continues.

I'm busy now selecting which trees to take to the dump and which to even ....ATTEMPT.... to keep through the spring.

PISS ON 2020 !!!!

Lost 2 big cypress as well! Heat damage as well! I concur PISS ON 2020

 

[Bonsai Noodles]

Please give us some of your heat over here in the Midwest

Now are the times I really wish we could distribute climate somehow, sigh.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

American hornbeam suffered greatly here, hopefully pull through in the spring??

 

[HorseloverFat]

(Speaking of “Piss on 2020”)

Shhh!!!! You’re gonna piss off his younger brother.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Yeah sure, I think most would advise 2020 to eat a dick. There’s no where to go but up.
I hope.

 

[Carol 83]

The Scots pine is dead. Ditto 4 maples. One out of 4 cotoneasters made it.
What a fucking mess!

Trees that I "emergency" repotted due to stress, dying, and generally looking all shitty are doing fine.
Now I'm waiting for spring to repot and kill some more.

NONE are coloring or even HINTING at dormancy or leaf drop.
And the fucking HEAT continues.

I'm busy now selecting which trees to take to the dump and which to even ....ATTEMPT.... to keep through the spring.

PISS ON 2020 !!!!

So sorry to hear about your tree losses. I whole-heartedly agree that this year has totally sucked, but you're still around to care for the trees you have left, so that's a good thing.

 

[sorce]

I lost 3 gave away twice as many and still wish 2020 took more. Well, if we're talking Aesthetics, it got a few more!

Sometimes we stack rank, sometimes nature does it for us!

Sometimes loved ones leave us to allow us to focus our attention elsewhere.

Death is inevitable with Life, and everything about life is a blessing!

Sorce

 

[Ruddigger]

I’ll second the hell out of that. 2020 started of with my best buddy DJ passing, the rest of 2020 needs no explanation! View attachment 336183

Sorry about that. I lost my dog too this year, as well as a few trees to the extreme heat, even some landscape trees couldn’t hang.

 

[Paradox]

I also lost a dog this year. Had to put him down in April.
It sucks and I miss him.

 

[Dav4]

Hey Mike, so sorry for this year's set back with your collection. I know it's likely to be poor solace for you, but misery loves company, and most people who have striven to keep and develop bonsai long term have suffered similar and equally painful losses. I can really only speak for myself, but personally, I've lost too many nice trees over the years to count... sometimes through my own neglect/ignorance or poor horticultural practice, and sometimes through situations that were completely unavoidable. Ultimately, every loss is an opportunity to learn, I suppose... at least, that's one way to rationalize the loss of a tree you've owned, worked, and loved for many years. Anyway, here's to flushing 2020 down the shitter where it belongs and looking forward to something better in the future. Good luck.


... and I had to say goodbye to Norm this year, as well, but I have no regrets there as he had an awesome 14 year run with us after we rescued him...

 

[penumbra]

It has been a difficult year but the pendulum swings both ways.

 

[BrianBay9]

Sorry about the trees, heat, fires, smoke. It's too easy to focus on the bad. You've had successes this year too! I don't know what yours were, but for me:

Wife had an emergency triple bypass.....but she lived through it and has recovered really well
Daughter had a problem pregnancy and a surprise c-section......but we have a beautiful granddaughter
Her husband had to deploy early due to covid on another carrier.....expected to come home before Christmas
Work cut to half salary during shutdown......but kept paying us, paying healthcare benefits and we're back to 100%

We're tough enough to beat 2020!

Sorry, can't resist one pic of the new one, in her daddy's old flight helmet.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Sorry about the trees, heat, fires, smoke. It's too easy to focus on the bad. You've had successes this year too! I don't know what yours were, but for me:

Wife had an emergency triple bypass.....but she lived through it and has recovered really well
Daughter had a problem pregnancy and a surprise c-section......but we have a beautiful granddaughter
Her husband had to deploy early due to covid on another carrier.....expected to come home before Christmas
Work cut to half salary during shutdown......but kept paying us, paying healthcare benefits and we're back to 100%

We're tough enough to beat 2020!

Sorry, can't resist one pic of the new one, in her daddy's old flight helmet.

View attachment 336282

That is a wonderful picture!

 

[penumbra]

That is a wonderful picture!

Priceless!
Babies, puppies and kittens.

 

[Ohmy222]

I've had a mixed year in terms of bonsai. I only lost 3-4 very young maples so my losses were not painful at all. My trees have struggled more than normal though. All of my prunus species seemed to have some ailment of some sort. Maples had more leaf burn than normal and foliage in general was more ragged looking. Since I have been working from home since March I have actually been able to care for them more and wonder if that makes it worse. Seems they did best with the sprinkler system and lack of care Personally, it has been tough this year but I am definitely one of the lucky ones. I have been able to work from home the entire time and spend more time with trees and family. Still some cabin fever with my daughters who have rarely left the house in months.

 

[CWTurner]

Work cut to half salary during shutdown......but kept paying us, paying healthcare benefits and we're back to 100%

Nice employer. Give them a shout out!
CW

 

[rollwithak]

It has been a difficult year but the pendulum swings both ways.

I was just about to type that in, that as bad as it is, there’s always little joys to spot out around us. Have a great weekend all!! I’m currently on a 10 hour pork butt smoke!!!

 

[HorseloverFat]

I was just about to type that in, that as bad as it is, there’s always little joys to spot out around us. Have a great weekend all!! I’m currently on a 10 hour pork butt smoke!!!

*drools*