7:00p.m. - 10p.m. Meeting
Lonnie
McCormick
will begin the evening by outlining the procedures
to follow to keep our tools sharp. Clean cuts are
essential to success in bonsai, and we are told
that practice will make us perfect. Looking beyond
bonsai, acquiring this skill will also be useful
around the house for improving the cutting edges of
our paring knives and garden tools. Lonnie, besides
being our resident expert, has been on the program
of numerous bonsai conventions where his skill as
teacher and demonstrator are greatly admired. He
also has the patience of a saint!
Please bring
your tools and sharpening stones to the
meeting.
Lonnie recommends a 1000/6000 combination wet
stone. Other high quality wet stones or oil stones
are also acceptable. If you wish to order a wet
stone of the type Lonnie recommends, you can order
one on an emergency basis by calling
1-800-241-6748. The part catalogue number is
#026429. The cost is $19.99 plus shipping. If you
order immediately you could receive your stone
before the meeting. Don't forget to bring an oil or
water basin, a towel, and a block of wood to
elevate your stone above the table top.
COLLECTION
NORTH
We've scheduled Sunday, October 12, 9 am until noon
to work at the bonsai garden in Oakland. We'll be
mulching, planting, propagating for plant sales,
and weeding. There will be a job for everyone
regardless of bonsai knowledge or strength. The
Collection-North has a small quantity of hand
tools, but we're urged to bring our own favorite
weeders, shovels, pruning shears, gloves, kneeling
pads -- anything you think you might want to use.
Only five people have signed up so far. Don't you
think that's a poor turnout for a club our size.
We'll have final
details on the outing at the meeting. This event
will give you a chance to spend time with some of
the finest bonsai in California and beyond. It will
be fun, and you will go home knowing that you have
done a good deed. Along these lines, four Kusamura
members were recently honored for serving 75 hours
as docents: Stephanie North, Lonnie McCormick,
Jerry and Nancy Eaton. Others have put in many more
hours.
And speaking of
volunteering, Gordon Deeg, president of Sei Boku
said, "I would really like to see every member of
every club put in ONE half day a year as a docent
at the Collection-North." Helen Reist, who'd gone
with me to see Mitsuya in action, jokingly
whispered to me, "Now where have I heard that
before?" Lonnie will have the October and November
docent calendars at the meeting. Once again, I urge
all Kusamura members to sign up. TRY IT, YOU JUST
MIGHT LIKE IT!!
