CLUB MEETING DEC 11

Our Club always has a year end party on the second Sunday in December. We used to have a Santa Maria style Bar-B-Q, but we lost our BBQ organizer Henry last year. We all miss seeing him each month. We had our first pot-luck this year.

As you can see we had quite a selection of wonderful food. With another table filled with appetizers and desserts.

We had three tables of happy diners.

We had our customary gift/raffle after eating. Every one brings a gift. The Club and the Muranaka Nursery also provide some gifts. In the Japanese tradition gifts are not wrapped.

George conducting the raffle.

Since I am the Blog Master I get to feature my gift. Each year I create a 5x7 miniature oil painting. This year Kanemi won my painting. He was very pleased to receive it, but not any happier than I. He is a long time friend who has helped all of us with our trees, and continues to be an inspiration.

CLUB MEETING OCT 09

It's hard to believe I have not been to a club meeting since May. I will try to attend more often.


Kanemi is helping style this Olive tree in a nursery container

Brandon has this young Juniper in a clay garden pot. They make terrific inexpensive training containers.

George is helping to shape this wind swept Juniper.

The interesting container on the right is hand made.

Jeff''s juniper cascade has full dense growth on the top and at the lower tip. But the growth between these two areas is thin and week. This is a typical problem with cascades.

I love the taper on the trunk of this Japanese Black Pine. I understand this tree was in the ground for more than 20 years.

CLUB MEETING FEB 12

I believe this tree is a Japanese Yew. It was a very bushy nursery plant but has just had its first pruning. It will be interesting to see the progress on this specimen.

A very nice double trunk California Juniper. These trees are generally collected inland at higher altitudes. We used have club digging expeditions to the east side of the Tehachapi Pass, but have not done this in a long time.

A small juniper.

Wonderful taper on the trunk of this Oak tree. The top has been cut and a smaller branch has been wired up to create a new apex. This branch will thicken in time and help to enhance the trees taper. Tapering a trunk like this tends to make the tree look older.

This is a Japanese Black Pine.

Father and Son team working on a couple of trees. Y0u can compare this young Oak on the left with the one above, and see how the taper help with the appearance of age.