Attended my second bonsai club meeting. My interest in the club had waned, since we hadn't been there in two months, and I wasn't sure I really wanted to spend the money to join. However, we went, and this was an awesome meeting! Members brought one of their trees, and a panel of three of the club's Masters evaluated the trees one by one. It was fascinating to hear the differences of opinion and the way each would make the tree their own!

The plans for next month's meeting also got me excited. The club VP is bringing in a bunch of Ilex that he bought cheap - and will sell them to us at $10 each. It's in the holly family, and the base of the trunk is older and supposedly very thick! During the meeting we will make a "hard cut" to bring the tree down to bonsai size. At the following month's meeting we will bring our trees back, and do some styling! This sounds like a great way to get some hands-on training and experience at something a little scary - cutting a larger tree into bonsai size! I'm saving my pennies - I'd like to do two of these trees!!!

The most exciting thing about the whole night was at the end of the meeting, where they had a raffle, except that I didn't have any cash on me at all! Bonsai Buddy came through, and bought six tickets for five dollars, and gave me three. Well, guess what? They called TWO of my three numbers! The winners got to choose from a table of trees (sort of pre-bonsai stuff that members donate) in the order in which your number is called, and you have to make a fast decision. I had already scoped out one choice in case I won, but when the second number was called, I was just flabbergasted! Anyhow, I left with a Ficus (Ficus benjamina "too small") and a Sweet Acacia (Acacia farnesiana), as well as a copy of the latest club magazine. What a night! I now have five trees to play with!