Acorns From the Alamo. (Well, about a block away.)

     Early in November I went to San Antonio, Texas, to attend the 2013 annual conference of the American Translators Association. There wasn't much time for sight-seeing, but I did manage to pick up some acorns of Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) within sight of the famous old Alamo mission.

Now almost 300 years old and originally a Spanish mission, the Alamo was built largely from the fine local limestone. 

Mid-America Bonsai Show 2013, Part VII. Two More Things To Do

(This is my last post about this year's Mid-Am Show -- honest.)

     Participate in the Exhibit Critique, attend Bjorn Bjorholm's demonstration, go thru the Exhibit savoring the quality of the trees, touch base with friends -- what more was there to do at the Mid-America Bonsai Show, you might ask?  I did have two more objectives.

One of the weak areas in my knowledge is the development of an apex. So I devoted two to three hours to peering down (or up) into the apices of various Exhibit trees, examining how they were arranged, and deducing how they must have been pruned. I also took pictures for further study at home, like these of a Japanese black pine:

"On Getting Older," from Willowbog Bonsai

      I read this on Willowbog's blog (thanks to "Bonsai Eejit,") commented, and moved on -- but then came back to it after a few minutes' thought. This is worth passing along.

Mid-America Bonsai Show 2013, Part VI: Tropical Trees and Suiseki

     I am what one bonsai friend calls a "northern tropicals nut," so I'm a little surprised myself that I didn't get more picturess of the tropical trees on display at the 2013 Mid-Am. (But then I also have to remind myself to take pictures at all.) Let me share what I did get.