The Twisted Wire

The Official Newsletter of the Gold Country Bonsai Club

 From the Bench of the President

February is also the time the club collects membership dues. The cost is the same as last year $40 per family.  This money goes for aluminum and copper wire, rent for our new meeting place, soil for re-potting, raffle items, to bring in bonsai artists to do demonstrations, and to cover the cost for the main dish’s at our summer and winter parties.  Please see Sue Hom at our January meeting to sign up for your 2015 membership.

This is a reminder that we have a new meeting place for our February meeting as well as a new starting time.  On February 26th we will meet at the:                                                                                                         Cameron Park Community Center                                                                   2502 Country Club Drive                                                                                     Cameron Park, CA. 95682                                                                                     Classroom B, from 7:00 to 9:00pm, on the 4th Thursday of each month.                                                                                                                                   We are responsible for clean up after our meetings so if you can bring a cloth to cover the table you will be working on and a broom and dustpan if you have one.

Tips and Techniques by Scott Chadd

Gold Country Officers and Board Members

Officers

President – Scott Chadd – scottchadd@lotusbonsai.com                        Vice President – Linda Gartner – lagartne@micron.com                    Secretary – Bolet Salvador – bolet@lotusbonsai.com                    Treasurer – Sue Holm – theholms2013@gmail.com

Board Members

Don Van Dyke – don.a.van.dyke@sbcglobal.net                                             Paul Holtzen – pbholtzen@sbcglobal.net                                                        Paul Vandlik – paulvan9653@gmail.com                                                          Pat Flynn – ptflynn@sbcglobal.net

Heard From The Bonsai Stand by Bolet Salvador

Hear ye, hear ye!!!.

February 21 – 22, 2015 (Saturday & Sunday) GSBF Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt: The annual Mammoth Fund Raiser will be held at 666 Bellevue Ave., Oakland, CA. (Garden Center Building). Saturday: Auction preview at noon with Auction starting at 1PM. Sunday: Vendor Sales start at 9AM. Also on sunday help us celebrate our 15th Anniversary! Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt will celebrate the many bonsai clubs who have created and supported the Garden by inviting Bonsai Clubs from all over Northern California to showcase their best trees. Bonsai Garden will be open 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday and Noon to 4 PM on Sunday.                                                                 For more information or to sell trees, email bonsailakemerritt@gmail.com and visit: http://www.gsbf-lakemerritt.org.

February 28 – March 1, 2015 (Saturday & Sunday) Bonsai-A-Thon XIX at The Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino, CA.  This is the annual fundraiser for the GSBF Collection at The Huntington.  Admission to the event is free with Bonsai-AThon “early bird” registration between 8:00am – 9:30am.  Event hours are 8:00am – 4:30pm both days.  Pancake breakfast, tour hosted by Jim Folsom (Director of the Garden), demonstration, lunch, bonsai exhibits, large sales area, raffle and auction.  Sunday only; “Bring Your Own Tree Bonsai Consulting Clinic,”                                 For more information, contact Marge Blasingame, (626) 579-0420 or margeblasingame@att.net.

March 14, 2015 (Saturday) Better Bonsai Workshop at Lotus Bonsai Nursery. Participant will bring 2-3 of their Bonsai to the workshop. The focus will be on styling, wiring, pruning, repotting, proper care and culture of each tree and season. Solutions to pest and disease problem will be covered. We will discuss each Bonsai; make decisions about its future and take decisive action to advance the design. Wire and sil are provided as needed. Limited to six (6) students. $65                                                                                                         Contact bolet@lotusbonsai.com to register or for more information

March 15, 2015 (Sunday) Better Bonsai Workshop at Lotus Bonsai Nursery. Participant will bring 2-3 of their Bonsai to the workshop. The focus will be on styling, wiring, pruning, repotting, proper care and culture of each tree and season. Solutions to pest and disease problem will be covered. We will discuss each Bonsai; make decisions about its future and take decisive action to advance the design. Wire and sil are provided as needed. Limited to six (6) students. $65                                                                                                         Contact bolet@lotusbonsai.com to register or for more information

March 14 – 15, 2015 (Saturday & Sunday) Bay Area Bonsai Associates 34th Annual Bonsai Exhibition at Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave., Oakland, CA.  Show hours are Saturday 5:00pm – 9:00pm and Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm.  Demonstration by Matt Reel at 6:30pm Saturday, followed by a raffle of the demonstration tree.  Continuous plant sale including bonsai related items (pots, tools, soils, wires, books, etc.) both days.  Matt Reel has studied bonsai in Japan for 8 years under Shinji Suzuki.  Admission is free. Parking fee to the Lakeside Park entrance is required during the park hours.                                                                                                                         For more information, please contact Bob Gould at (925) 935-1914.

March 18 – 22, 2015 (Wednesday – Sunday) Bonsai Society of San Francisco Annual Bonsai Exhibit at the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, San Mateo County Event Center, 1346 Saratoga Dr., Sam Mateo, CA. Show hours Wednesday – Saturday 10:00am – 7:00pm and Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm.  There will be demonstrations and trees for sale.                                                                       For more information about the club, visit: http://www.bssf.org.                         For group and early bird ticket information to the Flower and Garden Show, visit: http://sfgardenshow.com.

March 28 – 29, 2015 (Saturday & Sunday) Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai 27th Annual Show at the Museum of Art & History, 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz, CA.  Show hours are 10:00am – 5:00pm with demonstrations at 2:00pm both days.  Raffle drawing for demonstration tree and trees especially prepared by club members are part of the raffle each day.  Sales area include vendor and members trees, pots and other related bonsai items.  Admission price to museum includes entry to bonsai show/demo and complimentary coffee, tea and cookies.                                                             For more information contact Marc Shaw at: marcshaw@sbglobal.net

March 28 – 29, 2015 (Saturday – Sunday) San Jose Betsuin Bonsai Club 45th Annual Bonsai Exhibition at San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, 640 North Fifth Street, San Jose, CA.  Hours are Noon – 5:00pm Saturday and 11:00am – 4:00pm Sunday with demonstrations at 1:00pm both days by club members headed by Dr. Seiji Shiba.  A benefit drawing wil be held at each demo conclusion.  Styled and pre-bonsai trees will be offered for sale.     For more information, visit: http://www.gsbf.org/sjbonsai or email Ken Azuma at: kennetazuma@sbglobal.net.

April 25 – 26, 2015 (Saturday & Sunday) San Diego Bonsai Club Celebrates it’s 50th Year with a Spring Show at Casa Del Prado, Room 101, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA.  Free admission.  Show hours are 10:00am – %:00pm with demonstrations at 11:00am and 1:00pm both days.  Bonsai trees, plant material as well as other Bonsai related items for sale.                                                                                 For more information visit: http://www.sandiegobonsaiclub.com or contact Janice Hale via the website.

May 2 – 3, 2015 (Saturday & Sunday) Kusamura Bonsai Club 55th Annual Show at the Lucie Stern Community Center, 1305 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto, CA.  Show hours are Noon – 5:00pm on Saturday and 11:00am – 5:00pm on Sunday with a demonstration at 1:00pm on both days.  Club members sales a available.                           For more information contact Mark O’Brien at (650) 327-0450 or mobrientrees@hotmail.com.                                                                                   The club’s website: http://www.kusamurabonsai.org also has more details.

May 22 – 23, 2015 (Friday & Saturday) Lotus Bonsai Nursery’s 9th Annual Spring Sale.  Hours are 9:00am to 4:00pm both days.  This is the not to be missed once a year only sale at the nursery.  Up to 20% off on all Bonsai, stock plants and pots.                                                             For more information contact Bolet at: bolet@lotusbonsai.com.

June 13 – 14 (Saturday & Sunday) Descanso Bonsai Society 46th Annual Bonsai Show will be held at Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr., La Canada, CA.  Show hours are 9:00am – 4:00pm with demonstrations at 11:00am and 1:30pm both days.  The indoor show will be held in Van De Kamp Hall.  Trees form Novice to master exhibitors will be on display.  A large selection of bonsai trees, pots, bonsai stock and accessories will be for sale.  All events are free with garden admission.                                                                                                           For more information visit our website at: http://www.descanso-bonsai.com.

June 19, 2015 (Thursday) Black Pine Workshop at Lotus Bonsai Nursery.                                                                                                                               For more information contact Bolet at: bolet@lotusbonsai.com

Note:  Addition events are listed under “Events” on the website header.  Click on it to open it up and take a look.

2014 Meeting Calendar and Agenda

February – We will be re-potting deciduous trees at this months meeting.  The club will supply re-potting soil if you need some for a $5 fee.                                                                                                                             March – Major re-potting; soil will be provided by the club for a $5 fee.                                                                                                                                        April – Major re-potting; soil will be provided by the club for a $5 fee.                                                                                                                                          May – Preparation for the Bonsai Show                                                         June – Bonsai Show