Oct 22 2012

Club Tree Critique Night

I’ve been wading through video taken during Peter Warren’s recent visit here trying to put some useful and interesting stuff up on Youtube for all to view.

The problem as usual is how to edit this together into small chunks that are watchable. I have had to make some clips longer than I wanted but most will be around the 20 -30 minutes mark. I would have preferred 10 minutes but I just couldn’t leave out bits without making it disjointed.

My biggest problem was the guy behind the camera! Phil did a lot of zooming in on nasal hair, ear lopes etc. And people call me an eejit!! 🙂

Here are the first 2 Parts of the 4 I’ve made from the Friday nights meeting. As I publish them on YouTube and the Club Site, I’ll add them here as well. I have more following that taken during the two days of workshops.

Oct 22 2012

Shohin Black Pine

I’ve shown this one before but I asked Peter Warren for his view on it and we changed the angle a touch and removed two branches. Oh, and we made the back the front 🙂

This was it before wiring. The first one was my chosen front. The main reason for this choice was to hide the chop mark.

This was the back that I had discounted. You can see the chop that I was avoiding.

This was my styling.

Peter said that many people, obviously me included, can get hung up on one particular fault. The chop is hard to see and he didn’t see it as a big problem. He pointed out that the major bend in the trunk was easier on the eye from the chop side. With a slight change of angle and a few minor branches removed….

He had a few minor concerns over the slight yellow tinge. This years rainfall has seen many of the micro nutrients being leeched from the soil. He suggested a feed with seaweed extract and better control of the watering by placing it in the greenhouse for the Winter.

Oct 21 2012

Photo’s From Cavehill, Belfast

Some photos from my walk this morning up Cavehill over looking Belfast and Belfast Lough. A bit misty at the top and some mist floating around the docks giving it a spooky look just in time for Halloween approaching.

Three photos in one using photomerge. Click it for a bigger image on FlickR.

Belfast docks

Holywood, County Down peeking out of the morning mist

Had to laugh at this 🙂 Bonsai Baker down on his knees to get a decent shot, then …

Enter Smudge stage left who whipped him round the face with a wet tail on the way past 🙂 …

and the look of, ‘WTF’ on Stephen’s face 😀

Inspiration in an old Scottie

Why they call it cavehill

These two cavemen heading home! Spoke to them briefly on the way up. Both obviously high as kites from last night and have gone for a wander up the hill. They tried to pet my dogs who managed to give them a wide berth! [Yes Stephen, I’m taking credit for the cavemen joke 🙂 ]

Haws catching the sun.

Hooded Crows catching the thermals

McArts Fort with a misty top.

Spooky!!

About the only splash of colour

Maggie splashing in the puddles at the top

Looking over the flat top, I’m a shadow of my former self 😉

I said to Stephen, ‘Look a Chestnut Horse’. He said, ‘You mean a Horse Chestnut?’ Nope 🙂

Finishing on the down slope.

Oct 21 2012

Chuhin Maple – A Long Year

This little Maple has had a hell of a year.After winning an award in the BSA Exhibition back in March it was attacked by some sort of pest and lost numerous branches. After putting me through the mill for a few months thinking it was going to be a very long time before it would be a decent tree again, it decided to pop buds. It budding in areas were I honest thought it had dessicated. It still going to take a few years to work it back to anything approaching it’s best, but it’ll get there. It rewarded me with this Autumn colour as a sign of new beginning next year.

Oct 20 2012

Shades of Red

Some Maple Reds on my bonsai.

Oct 19 2012

Capel Manor Exhibition Photos

Dan from the Enfield Bonsai Group kindly sent me some photos showing the trees exhibited at Capel Manor this weekend past. I had previously blogged the poster here to help get the word out. Happy to do this for any club event pretty much anywhere in the world as I seem to have viewers from everywhere! All photos also gratefully received.

Oct 18 2012

Best of British Bonsai 2013

Looks like Best of British 2013 could be interesting next year with the event now taking place at Gardeners World Live and the associated large crowds attending.

I had 3 trees provisionally accepted but the changes now make it impossible for me to attend. The date no longer suits and the extended length of the show added a lot of extra expense to a trip from N. Ireland. Guess I’ll have to wait until the next one or maybe consider giving Noelanders a go!!

For all those lucky enough to live within driving distance, enjoy, and take plenty of photos 🙂

Oct 18 2012

Autumn Colour on Root Over Rock Trident

Been waiting for this maple to start turning 🙂

Oct 17 2012

Peter Warren Day 4

Well, there wasn’t really a day 4, it was the day Peter flew home, but we did manage to pop down to Stephen’s House [bonsai Baker] for a look around.

Check out the colour on his Arakawa Maple. The colour had even deepened from the Friday night meeting.

Oct 16 2012

Sunday’s Workshop in Photos

Sunday was a smaller affair with the workshop limited to four of which I was one. Here are the photos. I haven’t added my trees here as I plan to post these with a little more information. As time permits I’ll be putting some video together showing Peter’s thoughts on trees from the weekend. In the mean time, you’ll have to make do with this.