F B S	End of Year BBQ

By Al Keppler

The Fresno Bonsai Society brings the year to a close each June. 2002 was no different, and the end of year barbeque was held at Howard Latimer’s home. Bill Castellon, a bonsai professional from the Bay Area, was on hand to give expert workshop advice to anyone that brought a tree. Bill is a member of the east Bay Bonsai Society, and has studied with Dennis Makashima and Mas Imazumi. Bill’s specialty is black pine. Seems most everyone brought a pine to work on. There were a few other plants there, elms, juniper, and a red pine.

Bill went to each table working on the trees, explaining about candle pruning, since this was the optimum time in our area. Bill will continue his trips to Fresno and help with pruning, three times a year. Bill would continue on to each tree and then move to the next. When all the trees had been observed, it was time for a rest. Our barbeque host, Howard Latimer had everything set up beforehand. Ice tea was on tap as well as coolers of soft drinks. I did manage to see a few "hard" drinks hear and there. I have to remember to find that cooler next year.

After the rest period, Bill would start round two. Bill would work over the trees one more time to see how the work had been performed. The trees will put out new smaller candles, and Bill will be back to get the trees ready for the fall.  

At about 1:30 the dinner bell was rung. Harold "Mitch" Mitchell pre barbequed all the meat. I had some pork and beef, but there could have been others since there was quite a selection. Mitch is a wizard at the barbeque, Thanks Mitch. All the rest of the meal was potluck. There were aisles of salads all presented quite nicely. I want to give a thanks to all the bonsai gals there. You gave the extra touch needed to make this a class barbeque. The dessert bar afterwards was the biggest and best I’ve seen. Rivaled many tables I’ve seen in Las Vegas.   

I would like to give a big thank you to Howard, for the use of his home and the tables for the workshop. Also, big club thanks to Bill Castellon for his hard work.

The New Year has started, and 2003 will be the headliner year for the Central Valley. Co- chairs John Roehl and Bob Hilvers from the Hanford Bonsai Society have some great plans for the convention this year. I can hardly wait for the new year to start.

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