Beginning of 2018 updates

Hey All,

In the start of 2018, I decided to clarify and outline for myself what the most important things in my life are and focus more on those things. What I settled on was:

• Family
• Bonsai
• Health
• Friends

Ultimately, if it's not on the list above, i'm trying to spend less time on it and more time on the things that are most important to me.  Lately, life has been busy and exciting with my first kid on the way which will obviously be at the top of my priorities.  The wife and I have been getting the nursery all prepped, buying baby stuff and reading up on what to expect when your expecting.  When not prepping for the future little one I've been working hard at upping my Bonsai game.  If your interested in following me more, I've started posting more frequently on Instagram and would love if you followed me @lee_bonsai.

Here's a couple maternity pics we took.

CA native -Coast live oaks - Quercus agrifolia in the background 😉

 

Last month, I exhibited my tree I jokingly refer to as the Coffin Box tree at the 19^th annual Bay Island Bonsai show.  Can you believe Boon and his club have put this show on for nineteen years now?  I’m looking forward to next year as they celebrate their 20^th-an incredible accomplishment in continuing this exhibition.  I had a great time as usual hanging out with all the BIB members and assisting with photography.  Huge props to Sam Ogranaja the photographer who took this beautiful picture and Boon for all the help since 2010 in working on it!  I was incredibly honored as the tree was selected as the Members Choice award for Large Conifer and it was accepted into the 2018 US National this September.

 

A couple details snapped with my cell.

 

 

Quick flash back from 2010 after getting the tree home and cleaning it up a bit.

 

Here it is just before collection.  I collected this with my good friend Larry White.  Hard to even recognize it's the same tree.

 

Here's another tree I just kept coming back to at the show, at first glance I thought it might be a Japanese White Pine.  It was even better in person.  Have you ever seen a Shore Pine all detailed out like this before? This phenomenal tree is owned by Alexi and was wired and styled by Daisaku Nomoto.  I’m blown away by the way it turned out and think we should look at this US native as a reference to what Shore Pine and Lodegepole can offer us.

 

Beautiful flaky bark.

 

Last weekend I started laying down 3/4inch granite around my Bonsai benches.  Because of this, I could no longer use my hydraulic cart as the wheels were made of hard plastic and wouldn't role over the rock.  I was able to go to the local Tractor supply store and picked up these new rubber wheels.  My neighbor is a welder and helped me install them.  If you work with large trees, this is a fantastic way to move them around.  Simply pull the cart alongside your Bonsai bench,  scoot your tree over to the hydraulic table top, then you can wheel it way and raise or lower it.  The new wheels are quieter, can role different types of surfaces and dampen the vibrations of the cart which is easier on the trees.

 

Speaking of needing a Hydralic chart, the last update I have for you is that I purchased a beast of a Ponderosa from Randy Knight.  This is just a teaser shot of the base for now, but I'm sure it will end up on the blog in the future.  I've got some exciting announcements to make in the near future and really appreciate you checking out my site.  Thanks for stopping by!