by Earl Ekman

Fall is in the air and the trees are starting to change colors and drop their foliage. It's a beautiful time of the year. It is time to start preparing for the winter season. At our next meeting, November 22nd, at Bon Air library we will have a panel of Bonsai Society members discussing how to take care of your trees during the winter months. On occasion we have an extremely cold winter so it is very important for the health of the trees to adequately protect them from the cold. Done properly, they should have no trouble surviving. Our panel of experts will discuss when to start winter care and how they do it. They will discuss both outdoor and indoor trees and answer any questions you might have. This is a very important meeting. There will be refreshments, maybe a video and a few trees at this meeting.

Our Christmas party will be Saturday, December 3rd at 6 PM. It will be at the King Buffet, 1801 Priority Way (266-8886). It is located just behind the old Sam's discount store (See directions on page 2). This is the same place we had the party last year. Come prepared to eat all you want. Wine will be served for those who want it. Come prepared for a good time.

One of the real pleasures of bonsai is the people you meet and the friends you develop. A couple of weeks ago, Dan Robinson and his wife, Diane, stopped by for an overnight visit on their way to Ashville, NC. Dan was the featured artist at the North Carolina Arboretum. He was conducting demos and workshops and critiquing their trees. Dan is always inspirational and a true lover of bonsai. He gets you excited about the art, and you can tell he lives and breathes bonsai. I love talking to him and listening to his ideas. He makes you glad you are in the art of bonsai. Sandy and I have been through China with Dan and Diane on two different occasions, and we count these trips as some of the most exciting trips we have ever taken. If you are ever in the Northwest, be sure to stop by Dan's Elandan Gardens in Bremerton, Washington. I'm sure you will love it.

Best regards, Earl