New Years Thoughts and Plans

[irene_b]

The End of the Year is upon us and many sit back and reflect on those we lost and the impact of what we have not accomplished.
Why not focus on the positive and leave the past there in the past.

So what have you accomplished in yourself and in your Bonsai trees and skills?
Irene

 

[Attila Soos]

My greatest accomplishment this year is that I managed to kill a bunch of great bonsai material. I am not proud if it, but the lessons learned may have given me some clues about how ignorant I am. That is always reassuring, because it prevents me from becoming complacent.

The second best accomplishment is that I don't see bonsai as a competitive sport anymore. As a result, it has become a fun and peaceful activity again, that has to do less with the Internet and more with trees.

The third accomplishment is the knowledge that trees were not created to become bonsai material and art medium. They have their own purpose, and no matter what that purpose may be, it is as sure as hell that it has nothing to do with me.

Happy New Year, and God bless you all!

 

[irene_b]

Bravo Attila!!
As humans we have a competitive nature but in order to grow as humans requires us to look beyond ourselves and see where we fit in the scope of the universe. When we reach the stage that you are now at we come to realize just how short our lives are and relearn how to stop and smell the roses and understand that the best fertalizer for them is just plain old shit (chicken shit is best). Glad to see that you have grown up;o

May God Bless and keep you growing!
Irene

 

[cantstopsmilin]

Well right around now is about the time that I first became interested in bonsai, and this spring will be my first full year with a tree. I have been really blessed to be a part of this community and bonsaitalk, without them I probably would never have continued with bonsai, it would have been a small interest that just faded away. These sites allowed me to see others work, thier ideas and views, and learn from all the great examples and information here. This is a wonderful community and I'm so glad i'm a part of it... Thanks everyone

 

[Smoke]

I had a few losses this year in the pot department. Wind and birds, squirrels achieved a record three losses this year. Two were signature Tokoname pots at 100.00+ per copy. That did piss me off a little.

This year I did something I have not done as much as I should have. I took most of my shohin collection back to grow containers to really beef up ramification. I have really gained some improvement in a couple fast growers that would have never seen this kind of improvement in show pots. (Note to self, keep trees in training containers untill they are really ready to be shown)

Gave away a lot of material to friends. Sold a lot of material at sales, donated a lot of material to my three clubs I belong too, and bought a lot of material to play with this past year. Bought 27 pots this year, many of them collector pots.

Exhibited a tree in the state convention that had been worked on only three years. Needs many more years but was still a cool tree.


Working on a secret project with my co-chair. Driving to Visalia tomorrow to finalize plans and begin add campaign. A definate first for California, and details very soon as we embed the details in concrete shortly.

Happy New Year, al

 

[onlyrey]

I managed to find that too much clay material and vermiculite in the soil can lead to tree death because of impaired root health . So, I (think I) improved my soil making skills the hard way. I will be humble enough to go to the soil making workshop that my club is having in early spring this time... for my trees' sake.

 

[Dav4]

This year (really in the last 6 months), I developed the courage to spend serious money on quality pots. I'm not quite in Al's league (yet!), but I purchased 9 signature Tokoname (three by Bigei...His pots are awsome!), along with 8-9 unsigned Tokoname and quality Chinese pots, and three by Nick Lenz. Some pots from a few local potters have caught my eye and are on my wish list. It's funny...I find myself wishing I had started with good pots sooner in my Bonsai hobby, just like I wished I had turned to higher quality plant stock earlier on. I've also realized that a good, well made pot is something to be appreciated and admired just as it is.

Happy New Year,

Dave

 

[Rick Moquin]

Spent more time with my trees and less time on forums

 

[JSKII]

I think I have grown in my skills. I have become better in my stock selection, preparing of soils(even though sifting is a mutha-shut yo mouth) and my abilities to work not only my trees but someone elses without fear of screwing up. I have acquired books the last half of 2008 to gain knowledge from others' perspectives, opinions, experiences to help me with the trees I work with. In this search of knowledge I have sorted through all my tree stock weeding out those that just will never cut it as bonsai, those "what the hell I buy that for" trees and those I just no longer want. Course those only count for about 40% of what I have.
As far as a person I'm still the same smartass I've alway been But I'm getting much better now

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I spent more time this year with both grafting and airlayering. Airlayering continues to be easier than I expected, grafting seems harder Grafting pines seems very hard, indeed. I get about a 25% success rate on my pine grafts. Is that good or bad compared to what others achieve?

 

[darrellw]

2008 was my second year in a study group, and I can see great progress in some of my trees. My goal for 2009 is to thin the herd so I can spend more quality time on the trees that have potential (and frankly, just to be able to see them among the see of other plants!).

I also hope to make some time to get back to making pots.

 

[Hans van Meer]

EDIT: Hans I'm gonna edit your post. Debate and controversy are ok, even when they get a little personal, but please keep the discussion civil. If someone disagrees with your posts or thoughts, leave it to others to determine the value of their arguments.

You decided to removed my one and only defence to a insult that hurt me down to the core of my being! I just wont put up any more with these attacks, and believe me, what you removed, was the civil version of what I really wanted to say! So I removed the rest off it all!

"I have become, comfortably numb"
Hans.

 

[bickerto]

My greatest accomplishment this year is that I managed to kill a bunch of great bonsai material. I am not proud if it, but the lessons learned may have given me some clues about how ignorant I am. That is always reassuring, because it prevents me from becoming complacent.

The second best accomplishment is that I don't see bonsai as a competitive sport anymore. As a result, it has become a fun and peaceful activity again, that has to do less with the Internet and more with trees.

The third accomplishment is the knowledge that trees were not created to become bonsai material and art medium. They have their own purpose, and no matter what that purpose may be, it is as sure as hell that it has nothing to do with me.

Wonderful thoughts and insights. Thanks for sharing

 

[greerhw]

I managed to not get banished from BT, only had four personal attacks, all in all a pretty good year.I bought a tree yesterday, so I wouldn't get into my 2009 bonsai budget. Looking forward to what 2009 brings. I hope my Sooners break the bowl jinx next week. Here's the 8" tree I hadn't planned on buying and yes it's legal.

Harry

 

[king kong]

I have a new addiction now. Not bonsai or football. I am addicted to Dexter from Showtime. Haunted by his tortured past, Dexter's activities include filling up the ocean buttom with body parts, a by-product of his serial killer addiction. Happy New Year bonsai nuthouse! Also I am building a Japanese bridge out of wood......very tricky carpentry drill. All the wood has to be kerfed and glued to shape. Those Japanese are really something.

 

[Mark]

.


Best Wishes for Real Bonsai in 2009 and beyond

Mark

 

[Hans van Meer]

EDIT: Hans I'm gonna edit your post. Debate and controversy are ok, even when they get a little personal, but please keep the discussion civil. If someone disagrees with your posts or thoughts, leave it to others to determine the value of their arguments.

Have a fantastic New Year, and I hope that 2009 is full of bonsai positives without any of the negatives!

 

[JSKII]

DAAAMMMMMMIIIITTTT!! This shyt never ends does it?

Hans, ignore him. Don't let him get under ya skin. Ya a hell of a man Hans. I enjoy ya posts, ya stories, ya trees. And those in the bonsai community that know ya speak highly of ya

Mark, I don't know ya, ya don't know me. Time to put up or shut up.

[EDIT] Generally editing for tone. Hate to do this guys, but let's keep the swearing and name-calling out of the forum please. - Bonsainut

 

[Marc S]

Come on guys, the New Year has just started and you're already fighting.

 

[Smoke]

Wow.. sounds like enough arrogance to spread around for all...