President’s Message
August 2025
After being away for two weeks, it's always so difficult to get back into the swing of things, especially catching up with matters I've left behind that need attention. Here we are in August already; the hot days of summer will start to fade, and fall will begin to show its head with cooler days. My wife and I just returned from the upper reaches of the Earth, visiting Iceland and Norway—countries I never thought I would have the chance to visit. I never saw a bonsai on our whole trip; instead, I marveled at the incredible country and landscapes covered in majestic tree forms that I'm sure all of us would love to replicate in small bonsai form. Traveling is a wonderful gift, but it's great to be home!
At this time, I feel it necessary to speak about our most senior club member, George Shoptaw. George has now been hospitalized for over three weeks after a serious fall. He is currently in rehab, and after reading a few emails from club members who have had a chance to visit him, I learned that he is alert and very appreciative of all those who have stopped by. I plan to visit him this week for a short chat. Stay strong in your recovery, George; I'm anxious to see you!
I want to thank John Thompson for coordinating this month's presenter for the club's first Thursday meeting in my absence. John personally knows Lucy Judd and was able to coordinate with her to come and share her special creative skills with accents and kusamono. We will all benefit from her extensive knowledge on how to incorporate various plants into a lovely coordinated display. This will be a great opportunity for everyone to learn about what she does and the plants she uses, especially since we all need accents for our upcoming show in October.
For Our First Thursday Meeting
This month, we will have Lucy Sakaishi Judd presenting a demo and workshop for our members. She will start with an initial slide presentation on accent plants and kusamono. Then, she will demonstrate how to put them together and finally conduct a workshop where you can create your own accent plants. She has a wide variety of plants, moss, and soil, and will have some pots available for sale in the $10-25 range. If you have your own bonsai scissors, chopsticks, and small pots or trays, please bring them with you and get ready to have fun getting your hands dirty!
For Our Third Thursday Meeting
As we get closer to our yearly show on October 4th, please bring in the trees you plan to display this year for potential suggestions and critiques that can really make a big difference. This is a great opportunity to gather a variety of viewpoints and perspectives that will help keep your trees moving forward.
Have a great month of August doing bonsai, everyone! 🌳