pbsnewsletter

Annual Picnic and Auction

This June brings us to the event many of our members look forward to for months - that of our annual picnic and auction. Let’s hope for some sunshine again this year!!
We'll start the day off with a picnic lunch. PBS will provide BBQ chicken, condiments, potato salad, and lemonade for the picnic. Members are requested to bring some snack foods (Chip, pretzels, etc.) or a dessert to share.
Once everyone has had their fill, our annual auction will be held. Member -donated items will be sold to the highest bidder. Finished bonsai, prebonsai, nursery stock, pots, tools, books, magazines, or any other bonsai related items are requested from members to help make our 2010-11 programs a success. Bidders are needed, too, so bring your checkbook or cash.
Please join us and share a great day. Rain or shine -we'll have a tent, just in case. Be sure to bring a lawn chair along with your items to donate for the auction!!

PBS Annual Picnic & Auction : Sunday, June 27
Host: Howard McNeal, Old Mill Bonsai Studio, Honeybrook, PA
Picnic: 1:00-2:00--Auction 2:00 (times approximate)Please bring a folding chair

May Meeting

Our speaker for May, Sean Smith, brought us a very interesting and informative program focusing on developing bonsai from nursery stock. Sean chose a piece of material which can be found in almost any garden center or nursery, San Jose juniper. Sean stressed that most nurseries do not keep the type of material that we bonsaists want out in the sales area, rather material with twisted trunks and branches are often found in the clearance sale area, or even the junk pile at the back of the nursery.
With the limited time available, Sean removed unnecessary branches, wired the main and a few of the secondary branches, leaving the detail wiring for a later date.
Sean stressed the need for careful and neat wiring, stating that this tree would likely require 5-6 more hours of work to be completely wired.
While the end result was in somewhat rough form, the viewer could tell that the tree has great potential for the future. All that is needed is for the tree to "acquire time" , machikumi, a philosophy of the Japanese explained by Sean.
Thanks to Sean for a great program - we're sure that there was a run on junipers at the local garden center on the following days.

The evening's raffle winner was Mike Wigginton. Congratulations, Mike!!

President's Notes

Jim and I just returned from the 2nd US National Bonsai Exhibition in Rochester, NY. This premier event, arranged by Bill Valavanis, featured two hundred and twenty-six outstanding bonsai. The amount of work in organizing an event of this size was staggering. PBS was well represented by members Solita & Chase Rosade, Jim Doyle, Flex Hovig, Karen Harkaway and Jim Gillespie. Although our members did not win any awards, their displays were impressive and innovative. Congratulations to them all.
Thanks again to all who helped with the PBS Exhibit at Shofuso, the Japanese Tea House, last month. We all noticed an increase in attendance over previous years thanks to the publicity arranged by Paul Krasner. Bonsai were displayed by Paul Krasner, Flex Hovig, Howard McNeal, Andrew Klein, Joanne Dohty, Mike WIgginton, Jim Brant, and me. Howard's workshop was filled with ten participants and two observers. Participants walked away with very nice juniper bonsai.
May's meeting provided a great demo and information on creating bonsai from nursery stock by Sean Smith. We also had a special guest, Ofer Grunwald, from Israel. He emailed on the following day thanking our members for their friendly welcome. Ofer has promised to keep in touch and promises to visit again.
Our June picnic will be held on the 27th at the home of Howard McNeal. You (family members are welcomed) can view Howard's beautiful bonsai, share in good food and fellowship and also get some great bonsai bargains. Please donate bonsai and related items for the annual auction. Bring your folding chairs, your appetites, and your $$. 2010/2011 dues are due if you have not paid them. Further information about the picnic and directions are included in this newsletter. See you there.

Dues Reminder

It’s that time of the year again! Our membership year ends with the last day of May. If your address label has an 09/10 on it, please send your dues check to our treasurer, Dave Spirt, as soon as possible, or rejoin at the May or June meetings. Labels displaying an 10/11 indicate dues are paid for the 2010-11 year. Dues remain at $20.00. Please clip the attached form, fill out, and return. The mailing address is:

The Pennsylvania Bonsai Society
Box 801
Spring House, PA 19477

Directions to Old Mill Bonsai Studio
PBS June Picnic & Auction

Take the PA Turnpike to the Downingtown Exit. Then take Rt. 100 south to Exton Square and Rt. 30 west. You can also take the Schuylkill expressway to Rt. 202 south to Rt. 30 west.
Next, take Rt. 322 out of Downingtown, cross over Rt. 82, then make a right on the next road. Go about 2 miles and cross over an iron bridge. At the next crossroad, make a right and go 3/10 mile to a Y in the road. House in on the right. Parking in the studio lot. Lost?- phone Howard 610-942-2082.
The street address for those using Google Maps, Mapquest or a GPS system is:
420 Lewis Mills Road
Honeybrook, PA 19344