January 2003 Newsletter

Sensei: Kunitoshi Akabane (925) 736-7600

President: Jim Stalker

Editor & Webmaster: Don Meeker

January Meetings:

January 7 - Board of Directors Meeting, 7:30pm, CalFed Bank, San Ramon.

January 13 - Joint Class Meeting.

7:00 - 7:15pm Library open, 7:15 - 7:30 Business Meeting - 7:30 - 8:00 pm Class Instruction by Sensei Akabane: Fundamentals of bonsai styles. Subject matter - Chokkan (formal upright). Winter care.

8:00 - 10:00pm Workshop. Refreshments - Loretta Hayes and James Merrill.

After the meetings help clean up and put away the tables and chairs.

If you are listed to bring refreshments and cannot attend, call your Class Representative. Wear your name tags to class every month to make it easier for everyone to meet each other. If you need a name tag, ask your Class Representatives to order one. The cost is $2.00.  

Club News:

The schedule for 2003 has been completed and will be mailed with the 2003 Club Roster to all members. Note that the club meetings will be joint meetings and are scheduled for the second Monday of each month.

Two field trips to Northern California nurseries are planned. The tentative dates are for January 18th and February 15th. These trips provide the members with the opportunity to acquire material for their new projects and for donation trees for the Club's fall show. Two potting sessions are scheduled for the Saturdays following the field trips, on January 25th and February 25th. The potting sessions will be held at the Tassajara Nursery. Details will be published as soon as arrangements can be completed. Dates are subject to change.

Club officers for 2003 were elected at the December meeting. Jim Stalker was elected President. The position of First Vice President is still vacant. Lorretta Hayes was elected Secretary and Barbara Richards was elected Treasurer. John Dommes was elected as Class Representative from the Basic Class. The position of Class Representative for the Intermediate Class is still vacant.

Because the Board of Directors is now smaller, it will be more important than ever for Club members to assist with the many tasks associated with the Club activities. Please step forward and offer your assistance to President Jim Stalker.

Twenty-three members have paid their dues for 2003. The Heather Farms Garden Center has found it necessary to increase their charges for the meeting rentals. The club dues will no longer cover the cost of the meeting rentals. It will become more important that we have a successful fall show and plant sales. Please keep this in mind as you select and prepare your donation trees.

Events Elsewhere

January 11-12, Bay Island Bonsai, 4th Show, "An Exhibit of Fine Bonsai," at Centennial Hall, 22292 Foothill Blvd., Hayward. Hours 10am to 4pm both days. Two and three point formal displays. Guided tours of the exhibit. Free parking. $3 admission. Benefit drawing. Auction of quality bonsai on Saturday: preview at noon, auction at 1pm.

January 18-19, Bay Area Bonsai Associates 22nd Annual Bonsai Show at Lakeside Garden Center (Lake Merritt), 666 Bellevue Ave., Oakland, CA. Hours are Saturday 6pm-9pm and Sunday 11am-4pm. Demonstration by David DeGroot, curator of Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection.

Diablo Bonsai Look Ahead Schedule

February 10 - Joint Class Meeting. Moyogi & Shakan (informal & slanting) styles. Soil, root & transplanting. Workshop

Refreshments - Patricia Hines and Byron Nobriga.