New Group Photography Exhibition "The Contemporary Landscape" opens at Baxter Chang Patri Fine Art December 8th

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) November 30, 2005 -- Baxter Chang Patri Fine Art is pleased to announce ?The Contemporary Landscape?, a group exhibition featuring works by Lisa Blatt, Matthias Geiger, Bill Jacobson, Stephen Joseph, Kim Keever, Richard Lohmann, Chris McCaw and Denny Moers. ?The Contemporary Landscape,? which explores a variety of themes in contemporary landscape photography opens on December 8, 2005 and will run through February 28, 2006. A private reception for the artists will be held on Thursday, December 8th from 5pm - 8pm.">New Group Photography Exhibition ?The Contemporary Landscape? opens at Baxter Chang Patri Fine Art December 8th: "San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) November 30, 2005 -- Baxter Chang Patri Fine Art is pleased to announce ?The Contemporary Landscape?, a group exhibition featuring works by Lisa Blatt, Matthias Geiger, Bill Jacobson, Stephen Joseph, Kim Keever, Richard Lohmann, Chris McCaw and Denny Moers. "The Contemporary Landscape," which explores a variety of themes in contemporary landscape photography opens on December 8, 2005 and will run through February 28, 2006. A private reception for the artists will be held on Thursday, December 8th from 5pm - 8pm.
Kim Keever was born in New York City. Kim Keever started out his career as a painter, which is easy to comprehend while beholding one of his monumental photographs. His works, from a distance, appear to be old master paintings, reminiscent of the grandeur and romanticism of the landscapes characteristic of the Hudson River School painters. Yet, on further inspection, it becomes apparent that the work is not only photographic but a crafted landscape. Keever?s enigmatic photographs are created in a 100 gallon fish tank in his studio with a large format camera. The mountains are made of plaster, the trees out of branches or Bonsai, and the cloudy skies are created by the dispersion of paint through the water. Keever writes about his process, ?It?s so much fun to see the paint clouds move through the water and it all starts to look so real, I feel like I am watching a movie or I have been transported to this lilliputian world of my own creation.? The imagined landscapes Keever creates evoke the works of great American landscape painters and the photographers of the American West such as Ansel Adams, who sought to capture the sublime in the untouched landscape. Yet, Keever?s work has an air of the surreal and the apocalyptic. Jeffrey Cyphers Wright describes the dual nature of Keever?s photographs, ?An uncanny sense of kinetic energy lurks just under the surface. Nature is bipolar. Any moment, all hell could break loose.? In Summer: Blue, Yellow and Gray, an idyllic, mist enshrouded, pastoral landscape is littered with uprooted trees, which appear to be the remnants of a violent storm. The viewer feels as if they are witnessing the unraveling of nature?s creative and destructive forces. Edward Leffingwell writes in Art in America magazine, ?Keever takes the role of sole architect and recording witness to the first days of creation, or perhaps the last.? Keever?s work has been exhibited internationally, including a solo exhibition this year at Feigen Contemporary Gallery in Manhattan. He lives and works in New York City.

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The Carnivorous Habits of Christmas Trees By RON SULLIVAN Special to the Planet

We don’t have a lot of eastern white pines (Pinus strobus) in Berkeley. There are lots of domestic cultivars—weeping, or tall and narrow, or bluer than the usual—and if I’m remembering correctly, it’s the species Mom and Dad used to get for the Christmas tree when I was a kid in Pennsylvania. That was partly a matter of tradition, I guess, but also because its soft needles weren’t hazardous when we were all hanging ornaments and tinsel.
And with mycorrhizae, the literal connection of huge communities, we discover the functioning of whole forests as a single superorganism. That part’s not quite news: people have been selling and buying and surreptitiously moving mycorrhizae into their gardens and bonsai pots for years. People have also realized that disturbing or destroying this web is one of the things that trigger invasions by weeds, exotic plants like star thistle and pampas grass, plants out of place that push out natives and make sites effectively useless for the local animals and plants that depend on the original plant community. Plants not interwoven with the web can then “outcompete” the plants that were part of the original, now ruptured, living polity. The originals have effectively had part of themselves amputated.

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The Sound Guy Sounds Off: Sayonara, Mr. Miyagi

As I’m sure you all know by now, actor Pat Morita died in Las Vegas this past week, leaving behind one of the most memorable movie characters I experienced during my formative years, the legendary Mr. Miyagi of the Karate Kid movies.

It’s weird how coincidences stack up sometimes. Just last month I picked up the DVD box set featuring all four Karate Kid movies and was in the middle of watching them from beginning to end when I heard about this. What made it extra weird was that I was wondering why on Earth a fifth movie hadn’t been made yet. It’s been more than ten years, and the last movie, The Next Karate Kid featuring Hilary Swank in place of Ralph Macchio, didn’t really seem to be all that well received, not to mention the problem of how exactly it fit into the canon of the Karate Kid universe. What became of Daniel Larusso? Was he running the bonsai shop? Why could Miyagi spend all that time in Boston? Whatever happened to Cobra-Kai’s Terry Silver and John Kreese, the two most bizarre ‘80s villains ever? Didn’t they still want revenge on Miyagi and Daniel? Was Silver still a millionaire, or did Barnes losing ruin him somehow? And what was up with his housekeeping staff? Did they sign some sort of non-disclosure contract where they had to keep his insane evil deeds secret? I mean, they went out and got him crappy clothes and cars so he could pose as someone who wasn’t a millionaire, all to fool Daniel. At some point any level-headed individual would bring that up at a dinner table complaining session about the boss, right? And how would his being a millionaire have affected the way Daniel looked at him? He still used his own name, and was apparently a pillar in the karate community, so why the ruse? Bah! So many questions were left unanswered, which is why I believe a fifth movie was, and still is, needed. The untimely death of Morita rules out a real reunion movie, but this franchise can still be revived.

So, without further ado, here is my set-up pitch for what would become Return of the Karate Kid:

(Fair warning: I’m gonna get really into this.)

The film opens in modern-day Tokyo, with the obligatory shots of all the nuttiness that abounds there, like robot clowns and holographic fish and young cartoon girls being chased around by giant anthropomorphic basset hounds or whatever. Just what the heck is going on over there? Anyway, we finally settle on a theater and travel inside. The theater is empty, save for people on the stage. A dozen or so young Japanese women in workout gear practice traditional dance moves, overseen by a Japanese woman in her mid-thirties, Kumiko (you know, Daniel’s girlfriend from Okinawa in part two). Kumiko coaches the girls in Japanese as the chirping of a cell phone interrupts. Frustrated, Kumiko rushes to her purse at the proscenium’s edge and pulls out the phone, flipping it open. “Moshi moshi?” she says with a slight chuckle. Suddenly, the levity drops from her face and is replaced with worry.

We cut to a darkened Tokyo apartment, not far from the theater. Our hero, Daniel Larusso, now in his mid-thirties as well, sits at a table, chopsticks in hand. We’re treated to a nifty CGI close-up of a fly as Daniel catches it in his chopsticks. Daniel looks down, grunts a satisfied grunt, and lays this fly on the table with three more dead ones. The sound of a door opening interrupts his fly-catching. He turns around to see Kumiko rushing in, slightly out of breath.

Kumiko: Daniel! You took the phone off the hook again!

Daniel: I didn’t want to be interrupted. Sorry. What’s wrong, Kumiko?

Daniel tosses the chopsticks to the table and stands, approaching Kumiko.

Kumiko: I got a phone call from your mother…it was about Miyagi.

Daniel: Miyagi?

Kumiko: Miyagi has died, Daniel.

Daniel stares at Kumiko for several seconds, finally turning away and heading back to the table. He sits down hard in the chair and cradles his head in his hands, crying. Kumiko approaches him from behind, hugging him as we fade to black.

The title card fades in: Return of the Karate Kid.

(Bam, our first five minutes of the movie are in the bag, just like that. See? Already this is better than the first five minutes of part three, which was just made up of clips from the first two movies largely centered on Kreese, who was shortly shipped off to Tahiti. Wait…huh? Ah, forget it, let’s move on.)

We fade in to an establishing shot of Los Angeles. Bagpipes are playing, punctuated by shots fired from seven rifles. We settle in on a military funeral for Mr. Miyagi, attended by a small group of people, including Daniel, Kumiko, their two children, Daniel’s mother, Louisa Pierce and her granddaughter, Julie Pierce (the last one there would require a cameo appearance from Hilary Swank, who just might do it, considering the crappy movies she’s made in between Oscars before...The Core, anyone?) The flag is presented to Daniel, and his voiceover transitions us into the next scene, Daniel talking to his mother at Miyagi’s graveside.

Daniel: I just don’t see how this was possible, ma. Mr. Miyagi took good care of those cars…

Mrs. Larusso: The police investigated it, Daniel. They said he turned around in the street in front of the bonsai shop and was on his way home. There was a train coming and his brakes failed, Daniel…he couldn’t stop.

Daniel: After all Mr. Miyagi had been through it just doesn’t seem fair for him to die like that.

Mrs. Larusso: Dying is never fair, Daniel. But Mr. Miyagi led a full life…

Something catches Daniel’s eye. Across the cemetery two men in dark suits and sunglasses stand on either side of a tree, looking Daniel’s way. Daniel takes a few steps closer, trying to place the faces. Then it hits him: the two men are John Kreese and Terry Silver, the maniacs behind the Cobra-Kai dojo.

Daniel: What the hell are they doing here?

Mrs. Larusso joins Daniel in staring at the men. She looks at Daniel, puzzled.

Mrs. Larusso: What’s wrong, Daniel? Who are those men?

Kreese and Silver laugh as they stare at Larusso. They turn and make their way toward and idling black limousine.

Daniel: Looks like just a couple of snakes.

(Great line of dialogue, if I do say so myself…flawlessly references the Cobra-Kai angle while simultaneously foreshadowing the menace the reappearance of these two will undoubtedly bring. Toot!)

Mrs. Larusso: Well, honey, let’s go ahead on home. I wanna visit with my grandkids. Oh, and you have some things to square away at the house.

Daniel turns to his mother, confused.

Daniel: House, ma? You live in an apartment. What house?

Mrs. Larusso: Mr. Miyagi’s house…or should I say your house. He left it to you.

Daniel turns to his mother, smiles a weak smile, and puts his arm around her shoulder as they walk away…

And the first fifteen minutes are in the history books. We’ve dealt with the unfortunate and somewhat mysterious death of Mr. Miyagi, establishing that Daniel thinks that his death is not quite what it seems. We’ve already made plot points out of minutiae tossed around lightly in the previous films, such as Kumiko going to work for a dance company in Tokyo and Miyagi leaving his house in California to Daniel after writing a hasty will in part two. And, by far my favorite part, we got to see Kreese and Silver return, hinting that they are still the nasty, bizarre foils to Daniel that made part three so much awful fun to watch. And are they perhaps responsible for Miyagi’s death?

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Mr. Monday: Mr. Miyagi was a great coach

Mr. Monday still hasn't caught a fly with chopsticks.
No beginner's luck here.
Mr. Miyagi was headed to the bonsai forest in the sky.

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Ginkgo biloba is an ancient wonder

Fall is a colorful time in Redlands. Trees from around the world cast their tapestry of beautiful fall colors across our verdant urban forest. Bright reds, scarlets and crimsons mix with dazzling yellows, ambers, rusts and the translucent gold of the November Tree of the Month, the ginkgo biloba or ginkgo tree.
The ginkgo tree or maidenhair tree is the sole survivor of the ginkgolaceae family whose fossil records date back more than 250 million years to when dinosaurs roamed the earth. A deciduous conifer (despite its almost fern-like leaves), the ginkgo is the link between the ferns and flowering plants as well as ferns and conifers. Called a 'living fossil' by Darwin in his 'Origin of Species' of 1859, this tree may be the oldest living seed plant to survive on earth and is considered by some as one of the 'Wonders of the World.'
Ginkgo trees were once widespread in Asia, Europe and North America, but were mostly destroyed during the Ice

Tree hint of the month

Trees can have a positive impact on the greenhouse effect and may even slow global warming. Trees soak up carbon dioxide and give off the oxygen that we breath.
Studies have shown that in order to counter the greenhouse emissions of each car, we should plant 17 trees. We are in luck. Fall is our "second planting season" here in Redlands and it is one of the best times to plant trees.
Age, surviving only in certain regions of Eastern China. Scientists thought that ginkgos were extinct but ancient specimens grown in China by Buddhist monks were introduced to Japan in the late 1100s. These ginkgos were rediscovered by Europeans in 1691 in Japan. Seeds were taken to Holland and by the mid 1700s, this tree had once again spread across Europe. In 1784, ginkgos were reintroduced to the United States. In the late 1800s, it became a popular street tree in urban areas on the east coast.
Today, the ginkgo is a sacred tree in both China and Japan. It grows in many countries worldwide and it is found in almost every city in the United States.
The ginkgo is a graceful shade tree with a symmetrical upright branching habit, which will grow to a height of 25 to 50 feet with a 25- to 35-foot spread. It grows at a slow to medium rate in either full sun or partial shade. This tree is at home in most soils and is drought tolerant, one established. Young trees can be pruned in early spring, but mature specimens rarely require pruning.
The tree is also known for its peculiar fan-shaped, leathery smooth leaves, that look almost like duck feet. They are unique from any other tree. The ginkgo tree acquired its common name maidenhair tree because its leaves resemble those of the maidenhair fern.
These bi-lobed leaves are bright green during the spring and summer and then suddenly turn brilliant gold in the fall. Bonsai enthusiasts find that the unusual leaf structure of the ginkgo makes a beautiful specimen.
The ginkgo makes a superb tree provided you have the male non-fruiting variety. The small yellow fruit of the female tree can create a litter problem and it has a strong rancid odor. Some cities allow planting only of male ginkgo trees and many landscapers also recommend only the male tree.
Ginkgos have survived over millions of years because of their genetic tenacity. They are long-living trees some as long as 3,000 years. They are resistant to insects, diseases, pests and fires. They survived the dinosaurs and are even extremely tolerant of air pollution. They are fine ornamental trees that can do well even in harsh city conditions.
Since ancient times, the ginkgo tree has been used for many purposes. Ginkgo nuts have long been regarded as a delicious food by Japanese people, and these have been cooked and served in various ways. The nuts are used in ceremonies, eaten at banquets and are given away at Chinese weddings, as they are thought to bring good luck. Seeds are used in soups, stews and custards.
The delicate fan-shaped leaves are found in art, jewelry, clothing, crests and symbols. But the most significant worldwide interest in the ginkgo tree today stems from its increasing potential medical values. The ginkgo tree seems to prevent and benefit many problems throughout the entire body. The nuts, leaves and even roots provide valuable medical materials throughout the world.
The earliest Chinese record of the use of the leaves as a medicine dates back to about 2800 B.C. It seems some members of the royal court were becoming a bit senile as they aged. The legend states that the emporer looked out his window and was instructed by a "voice" to use the ginkgo tree to restore the minds of his relatives and friends.
Servants were instructed to make a tea from the tree and served it to the afflicted, who demonstrated signs of returning memory function.
Ironically, studies in the last 30 years have probvided clinical evidence that ginkgo biloba shows promise not only in the reduction of Alzheimer's symptoms, but also with improved circulation, alleviation of memory problems, strokes, cataracts and much more.
The largest ginkgo biloba tree plantation in the world is in South Carolina. Approximately 12 million ginkgo trees are grown and harvested there for medicinal purposes.
The ginkgo biloba which lives so well here in Redlands, is a tree that has had and continues to have a significant impact on our human history, society and civilization.
The Tree of the Month is an award-winning program that introduces the community to some of the more than 65,000 trees that call Redlands home. Sponsored by the Redlands Horticultural and Improvement Society, members of the City Street Committee and the Redlands Daily Facts, the program features a different tree each month.

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City to boost distribution network for farm produce

HCM CITY - The city plans to strengthen the distribution network for farm produce coming from other provinces and help farmers promote the sale of their key products, according to a local agricultural official.
Director of the city?s Agricultural Consultancy and Assistance Centre Tu Minh Thien said the city had begun to tackle distribution problems and develop marketing strategies for key farm produce such as organic vegetables, ornamental flowers and bonsai.
He said that the marketing of farm produce remained difficult and unstable because the distribution network was small, consisting chiefly of wholesalers and trading co-operatives.

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Bonsai lover a passionate tree trimmer

ELLENTON - Tom Zivic is a mechanic leading a double life. By day he designs power transformers at GE Energy in Palmetto. In his free time, he's busy shaping miniature juniper, pine and fur bonsai trees.
Bonsai - Zivic is quick to inform customers it's pronounced 'bone sigh' - is the ancient oriental art of growing dwarfed, ornamentally shaped trees and shrubs in small pots or trays. Zivic calls the mini-trees 'a replication of nature with a reduction of size.' He's been a bonsai enthusiast for the past 10 years.
'It's a tree in a tray, or anything you can put in a pot,' he said. 'It started with one tree, then two, then 20 and now I have 1,000.'
His hobby began in 1995, when he was building shelves for a friend's bonsai trees. As he learned more about the trees, Zivic took a keen interest and turned his hobby into a part-time job.
Zivic uses copper wire, light weights and pruning shears to shape and mold the trees into an attractive miniature.
'If you make a mistake, it will grow back. That's the good thing,' Zivic said. 'But you just have to be patient.'
Each weekend from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Zivic sets up shop next to Manatee Mattress on 60th Avenue East with about 100 trees representing 15 different varieties. On a typical day, he sells between 30 and 40 trees for $20 to $40 each. He said the price is a fraction of the cost to grow the trees, which take between three and 10 years before they are ready to be sold.
Some trees he won't sell, like the 12-inch Chinese Elm that could be as old as 60. A Fukien Tea tree, about 40 years old, is also off-limits.
"I'm sharing the hobby with people," Zivic said. "Most people know me as free and cheap," he said, referring to neighbors to whom he offers free clippings and advise.
He offers budding bonsai enthusiasts six tips for growing a successful tree: water once a day, fertilize, rotate, weed, re-pot and trim. It was too much for one prospective buyer Friday. She walked away.
"There's no niche for bonsai shaping around here, whatsoever," Zivic said. "It's pretty much a whimsical thing when someone buys one."
Zivic is a member of the Sho Fu Bonsai Society in Sarasota. Later this month he will learn whether his forest of 23 black olive trees is judged among the world's 100 finest bonsais by the Taikanten World Bonsai Contest in Japan.
Recently Zivic turned down a whopping $5,000 for the cherished forest. It was an easy decision, he said.
"These trees are a hobby and a passion," Zivic said. "It's not a business."

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Fontainhas festival begins

Panaji Nov 26: The Tourism Minister, Dr Wilfred de Sousa today inaugurated the 3rd Fontainhas Festival of the Arts 2005 at the Geetanjali art gallery in the Latin quarters of the city by releasing the annual issue of Parmal brought out by the Goa Heritage Action Group, the main organiser of the event.
There will be bonsai, fruit and vegetable and ice carving demonstrations, matolli and street furniture competitions, etc.

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Daily Planner: Sunday

CHICO BONSAI SOCIETY: 1-4 p.m. Pleasant Valley Recreation Center, 2320 North Ave. Janet Walters at 846-5332 or Pat Gilmore at 343-3447. Fourth Sunday.

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Learning initiative from Japanese

Many Americans believe that the Japanese don't enjoy as many freedoms as people in the U.S. Americans have been fed the "we're the freest country in the world" line for so long that they no longer question it. After living in Japan for over 20 years — and observing the direction the U.S. is heading — I think I can safely say there is no comparison. Japan, today, is a much freer country than the United States.
Sure, Japan has its problems; everywhere does. But I do not fear for my safety, or my family's safety, at night. I do not fear the police here. And I most certainly do not fear "terrorism" in Japan. Can most people living in today's United States make the same claims? I don't believe so. Today's America has become a police state, where the populace fears for its personal safety just like people used to in the Soviet Union.
There also seems to be some idea, among Westerners, that Japan is a sort of "nanny state." According to this view, the Japanese are so trapped in groupthink that they don't think for themselves or do anything without the government's permission. This is patently false. In many ways, Japanese are motivated to "do things by themselves" more than Americans are. They have some very valuable things to teach Western society. I'll give you a good example, but first, an observation about Japan that we've all made.
There are vending machines standing on the streets everywhere in this country. You'll rarely see one broken. I have never heard of one being stolen. People also keep beautiful bonsai trees in front of their homes. Some of them are over 100 years old and quite valuable. No kids run around at night kicking them over. No one steals them. Teenagers don't spray paint graffiti on walls here like they do in America.
Have you ever stopped to consider the reasons for this phenomena? Sociologists claim that Japan has a stronger family unit than the West, and that this explains its more stable society. This is certainly true. But there is one more thing that Japan has that the West does not: "kumiai."
"Kumiai" refers to a group of people, living in a neighborhood or working for the same company, who come together to resolve their local problems. This is done on a minute scale, without consultation or approval of the state. The "kumiai" have absolutely nothing to do with government or management. Some Westerners might confuse this with "voluntary socialism," but they'd be mistaken. Socialism, with its rules and structures, is never voluntary. As with any form of organized government today — and that includes so-called democracies — socialism operates under a form of coercion. The kumiai is completely voluntary.
One day, shortly after I had moved to Japan, I saw a group of neighbors cleaning the drainage ditches in the neighborhood. I asked my wife what they were doing. "It's the 'kumiai,'" she answered. "You should go out and help them." So out I went and shoveled dirt and mud from the ditches along with 12 or so neighbors. They were young and old, men and women, and after the ditches were cleaned, everyone thanked each other and bowed.
I was puzzled. "Why do people do this?" I asked. "Don't they pay taxes to have their ditches cleaned?" My wife explained that the people in the "kumiai" got together in an effort to keep their neighborhood beautiful, to lower their taxes and just to get to know each other better. They held meetings every once in a while to discuss neighborhood problems and how to deal with them. It was a way for the folks to grow mutual understanding, communication and trust. The "kumiai" was a group, but perhaps a better definition would be community.
I look back on that day as a lesson in politics. Had the government come in to clean the ditches, it would have brought in a dozen men, a few trucks and a tractor with a shovel. It would have taken all day, snarled traffic and eaten up a lot of tax money. But the local people got together and took care of it themselves. It was the community that resolved the problems. And it was up to me, as an individual, to decide whether or not I wanted to be a part of that community — which I did, in part because I might someday need help from my neighbors.
I think "kumiai" helps explain why kids don't vandalize neighborhoods here or why they don't go around raising hell: Mom and her friends are just going to have to clean up the mess anyway. "Kumiai" is one of the reasons that streets are safe at night, and it's a big reason, I think, why Japan offers a society free from crime and fear. This simple idea could teach Westerners a lot about how to live a peaceful life in a peaceful country.

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'Crazy Boggers' rehabilitate marsh

The Crazy Boggers describe their work as intensive gardening. They even admit to some sleight of hand: When the pine trees they planted grew more quickly than the acidic conditions of an intact bog would allow, the group called in a bonsai expert to advise on pruning.

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Mojave Gardener by Micki Brown

Although we do not often think about gardening with mosses here in the High Desert, 'Moss Gardening: Including Lichens, Liverworts, and Other Miniatures' by George Schenk presents some great ways for us to enjoy mosses and similar plants. The book includes descriptions for identification, transplanting, propagation, and growing such plants in containers and bonsai situations. Gorgeous color photographs provide incredible ideas.

 

 

Home in Camden County is a good place to be this holiday season

Residents of Woodbine will open their doors to the public on Dec. 17 as they host the first Woodbine Tour of Homes & Art Exhibit. The Art Exhibit, featuring landscape acrylics, porcelain painting, Japanese bonsai and works from Camden County High School students, is supported by a Grassroots Arts Grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts. The Tour of Homes and churches will be a special treat for all in Camden County to see as several homes currently being restored have not been lived in for quite a while. The tour will include the Gowen/Joiner house and the late 19th century Woodbine Plantation House of the Bedell family on the Satilla River. Tickets are $15 each.

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Japanese maples offer fall landscape splendor

I know many of you have probably had fall come and go but in my area it just getting started. Right out my office the Japanese maples are starting to show their first hints of color. The trees were really healthy and exquisite in form.
I was in a town just the other day and noticed several huge lace-leaf or dissected types showing color. I could only guess at their age and for sure a landscape value that was priceless.
I am a believer in Japanese maples and have grown several but there is much mystery associated with this group of plants. These small trees are brilliant in the spring, with new red color, followed by exotic foliage throughout the summer, and often ending with a fall blaze of crimson, orange and yellow.
The Japanese maple is versatile and can be used as a bonsai, a small tub planting or an awesome accent, or several can be grouped artistically. But there are hundreds - if not thousands - of selections that most of us know little about.
The Japanese maple is known botanically as Acer palmatum. Nurserymen usually think of the Japanese maple as having two leaf types: non-dissected and dissected.
Japanese maples can be grouped by three types - uprights, lace-leafs and bush-dwarf types. Among the uprights are the linearilobums, which have long, narrow lobes on ">Macon Telegraph | 11/24/2005 | Japanese maples offer fall landscape splendor: "I know many of you have probably had fall come and go but in my area it just getting started. Right out my office the Japanese maples are starting to show their first hints of color. The trees were really healthy and exquisite in form.
I was in a town just the other day and noticed several huge lace-leaf or dissected types showing color. I could only guess at their age and for sure a landscape value that was priceless.
I am a believer in Japanese maples and have grown several but there is much mystery associated with this group of plants. These small trees are brilliant in the spring, with new red color, followed by exotic foliage throughout the summer, and often ending with a fall blaze of crimson, orange and yellow.
The Japanese maple is versatile and can be used as a bonsai, a small tub planting or an awesome accent, or several can be grouped artistically. But there are hundreds - if not thousands - of selections that most of us know little about.
The Japanese maple is known botanically as Acer palmatum. Nurserymen usually think of the Japanese maple as having two leaf types: non-dissected and dissected.
Japanese maples can be grouped by three types - uprights, lace-leafs and bush-dwarf types. Among the uprights are the linearilobums, which have long, narrow lobes on each leaf. The lace-leafs are dissectums with pinnately dissected leaves. The growth habit of the lace-leaf type is usually cascading or weeping. The bush-dwarf group includes maples that are slower growing, and bushy.
One of the most popular varieties in the non-dissected group are Bloodgood, a recognized award winner, Oshu beni and Senaki. Some of those notable in the dissected group are Crimson Queen, Ever Red and Tamukeyama.
A large area in the United States is fortunate to be able to grow the Japanese maple. They prefer well-drained, moist, slightly acidic soils. I like them best with morning sun and afternoon shade, or in areas with dappled light. Even though I have seen gorgeous specimens in full sun, I still like some shade.
Supplemental water during the summer helps prevent leaf scorching. They take 10 years to reach 15 feet. Some of the oldest plantings of Japanese maples in the United States are in the 50-foot range.
Those in the dissectum group have more of a layered, mushroom shape in the garden, and their heights are usually much shorter.
Newly leafed-out Japanese maples are gorgeous in early spring combined with azaleas, dogwoods and phlox. They are exceptional in rock gardens and in combination plantings with full-size and dwarf conifers like the gold thread false cypress.
The slow growth rate, coupled with the many groups, sub-species and cultivars, intimidate many gardeners from getting started. But once they do many find it becomes a passion.
Standing in front of an old lace leafed Japanese maple creates an indescribable feeling, mostly awe. If you don't have a Japanese maple, get one or two. Remember, fall is a great time to plant them.

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Fontainhas festival to open on Nov 26

Panaji Nov 23: The Fontainhas Festival of the Arts 2005 will open on November 26, with the participation of 42 artists showcasing their works and several folk as well as tiatr groups.Adequate arrangements have also been made to ensure that the festival runs smoothly without any law and order problem, especially with a group of citizens strongly opposing the annual event.
Furthermore, there will be bonsai, fruit and vegetable and ice carving demonstrations, matolli and street furniture competitions, vintage car exhibition, etc.

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Obituaries 11.23.05

William Clayton Boardman

A service will be held at a later date for Sequim resident William Clayton Boardman, who died Nov. 13, 2005, at the age of 89. Mr. Boardman was born June 27, 1916, in New Richmond, Wisc., to Edna Catherine (Oakey) and William Clayton Boardman, Sr. He married Frances Aileen Jonah in January of 1975. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1944-46. He attended Louisiana State University and Kansas University. He retired in 1965 from Anchorage Telephone Utility as outside wire chief and plant supervisor. He taught for the Red Cross for approximately 20 years. In addition, he was the first president of the Alaska Ornithological Society; past president and lifetime member of Toastmasters International, and the Lion's Club. He also was an active member of Elk's Lodge 2642; a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; and the Alaska Sled Dog Association. He and his wife Frances were lifetime members of the Dungeness Bonsai Society. He is survived by his wife, Frances A. Boardman of Sequim; daughter and son-in-law Ann and Joe Wilbur of Girdwood, Alaska; brother Bruce Boardman of Bluffdale, Texas; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Olympic Cremation Association was in charge of arrangements.

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Arboretum Prepares Winter Flower Show

After Thanksgiving celebrations, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum will welcome guests at its new Oswald Visitor Center with a vast display of amaryllises and holiday decorations.
The Arboretum plans to have a bonsai show in January followed by an orchid show in February.

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Southland Retiree Chooses Cherries

A retired farmer could be leading the way to establishing a fruit growing industry in Southland
Ron Riley has established a small bonsai cherry orchard at his property near Invercargill. The difference is that the trees are growing indoors, in tunnel houses.
It is the second year that Mr Riley has collected fruit from his 150 trees. He says he has the capacity to get up to 600 trees into tunnel houses on his property. Mr Riley says the system of growing fruit has huge potential, without costing a lot of money.
He already supplies an Invercargill supermarket and says he would have no problem selling his cherries if he went to full capacity.
As to the taste test , Mr Riley says his bonsai cherries are as good, if not better than the Central Otago cherries

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Ongoing Events For Adults, Teens, And Children

Bonsai Club Second Tues., 7 pm, Polly Hill Arboretum, West Tisbury. 508-693-9788; 508-776-8220. Oct. 11: meet at Donaroma's.

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Bonsai Sale Aids Needed Arboretum Repairs

Gardeners and the garden-inspired bought plants and helped revamp the on-campus nature preserve at UCF's Arboretum nursery sale this past weekend.
Butterflies and soft, Asian-inspired music hung in the air as students and staff browsed through the displays of ficus, bonsai and ferns available for purchase. The goal of the sale was to generate money for the new design of the Arboretum.
Shoppers chose from 100 varieties of plants. Twelve local nurseries and individuals donated the plants, Arboretum directorMartin Quigley said. He said he had hoped to raise $30,000 to go toward trees and shrubs.
The best seller of the weekend seemed to be the manageable bonsai trees, but any plants that weren't sold on campus will be offered for sale to local retailers and clubs. The remaining plants will be held until the spring.
The Arboretum is receiving a makeover because of the damage from the 2004 hurricanes.
Most of the damage came from the falling of the pine canopy, according to the UCF News and Information Web site. The current plant life in the Arboretum is sparse and in disrepair.
The master design plan for the Arboretum will be revealed in early December. The process will take three to five years with the planting to begin in January, Quigley said. The new Arboretum will be home to about 1,200 different species of plants, the majority being native to Florida, placed in both wild and cultured settings.
Quigley also described the bio-geographic theme gardens that will display plant life that is not native to the Florida region, but which thrive in the climate, such as bonsai trees.
Such displays will include plants native to Asia/India, Southeast Asia, Australia/Pacific Islands, Indian Ocean areas, South Africa, the Mediterranean, South America, Central America/Caribbean and temperate America.
Quigley plans to keep the already existing Arboretum structures in place, including the pond and waterfall that were dedicated in 1996.
"They're the only historical features we have!" he said.
A display board at the nursery sale described a new "green" building that will be placed in the midst of the Arboretum. "Green" refers to the plans for it to "use the best technology available to reduce energy use, and to control storm water runoff."
It will hold offices for the Arboretum, the UCF Herbarium and the Florida Solar Energy Center.
The roof is to be planted, and the north side of the building will be made "earth sheltered," meaning plants will slowly grow on and around the structure to become one with the landscape.
Quigley said he anticipated the remodeling would cost $10 million, with the funding coming from private donors and research finances. It is hoped the involvement of FSEC will attract more donors, Quigley said.
The 88 acres that make up the Arboretum are currently undergoing prescribed burning in order to maintain the already existing healthy ecosystem and to prevent unplanned fires.
The prescribed fires are necessary to control excessive fuel loads, or dead and decaying plants, which create a high risk of wild fires.
The next prescribed fire is planned for early January, but the exact date will depend on the weather for safety precautions, Quigley said.
The burn will be conducted by the prescribed fire coordinator, the UCF burn boss, and other organizations such as the Florida Division of Forestry, Orange County Fire/Rescue and the Nature Conservatory.
Quigley suggested students take a look at the January burn, the best view of which will be from the East Parking Garage.
Although the process of burning and replanting will be long and tedious, Quigley said there were still beautiful areas of the Arboretum to enjoy until the entire process is finished.
"We hope the students will take advantage of the Arboretum … there is so much to do and see," he said.
The Arboretum will be open to the public throughout its reconstruction.
The Arboretum Web site is not currently up to date, but the master design plans are scheduled to be available in January via the UCF Facilities Planning Site under "Master Plan Drawings."

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Countdown To Earthcore

The annual Earthcore Carnival takes place in rural Victoria this weekend, combining fresh air, blue skies and hundreds of DJs and performers. The party is happening on a 500 acre property adjacent to the Goulburn River. There will be many different arenas of music including the Monster mainfloor, Circus Bersekus Big Top Band tent, Hydra trance floor, the Sunny Zone, Market Messy Mashup, the Bonsai Bonanza Japanese floor and the deluxe Club 333 vip zone.

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Landscape And Garden Calendar

Tucson Bonsai Society - Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. "Jack Frost Is on the Way" by Alex Ellis is the program presented at this regular group meeting. Learn to prepare your bonsai and other container plants for winter months. Workshop follows. 12:45 p.m. Nov. 20. Free. 722-2000.

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Pruning Basics

Bonsai how-to

Long-time Bay Area bonsai practitioner Jim Ransahoff will demonstrate how easy it is to create and maintain bonsai from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday. The demonstration and lecture is free; the bonsai will be raffled when completed. The demonstration is at Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. Call (510) 763-8409

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Farmers' Market Re-opens

The Farmers’ Market re-opens today in Hamilton and new and old vendors will be on hand to offer a wide variety of locally grown vegetables, produce and handcrafts.
Organic products are one of the key features of the market this year as well as vegetables without pesticides or chemicals.
“We have a good line of vendors this season and I am very pleased with the response from vendors and from the public who are enthusiastically looking forward to the return of the Farmers’ Market,” Market manager Frances Eddy said.
Bonsai trees, gourmet nuts, baked goods, chickens, eggs, seedlings, endemic plants, hot peppers, honey, fruit jams, and a host other items will be available.
“The Farmers’ Market is now in its fourth year of operation but the concept is still relatively new but we are encouraging the public to come to the market and sample Bermuda made products.” Ms Eddy said.
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches and Christmas season nears, vendors at the Market will be offering turkeys, poinsettias, Christmas wreaths and other ornaments such as pottery items and wood carved items.
For children there will be pony rides and face paintings and refreshments will be available.
Future plans for the Market include a potato festival to highlight Bermuda based agriculture, a Bermuda authors day and more children’s activities.
The Farmers’ Market is held at the Bull’s Head car park on Canal Road, just north of Masters Limited and runs from 8 a.m. to noon.

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Photo Request Produces Plethora Of Pelicans

Robert O'Neill of Pinellas Park has found it necessary to trim back the scope of his gardening, and has he ever gone mini! He has settled on bonsai, those beautifully sculpted tiny trees. His newness to the hobby means he needs almost anything bonsai - books, catalogs, pots, tools, the works. Robert can pick up items during daylight. Please call (727) 541-1579.

A similar request for hobby equipment comes from Vanessa Cox, except she makes fused glass art instead of bonsai. She would like to find a kiln of any size. Currently the only kiln she has access to is at her mother's home in Tampa, which could be a bit of a drag on artistic spontaneity. Any glass or tools related to Vanessa's hobby would also be welcome. Please call 727 642-5508 or e-mail vcox@verizon.net

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Sasanqua Camellias

Need a little excitement in your winter garden?

Plant a row of sasanqua camellias and you'll get a succession of delicate flowers blooming from late fall through winter.
These camellias brighten up our landscapes at a time when most other flowering plants are still sleeping. Able to tolerate more sun that the more common Camellia japonica, a sasanqua can be used in a wide number of garden spots.
Sasanquas can be planted as a hedge, as a screen, as an espalier, as ground cover, in containers, and can be shaped into bonsai. In my own garden I have a beautiful, semi-bonsai sasanqua on the path to my front door. It's lovely when it blooms, but I like it almost as much the rest of the year. Because my unnamed cultivar has a graceful shape and dark green,shiny leaves, the plant is attractive with or without flowers.
There are innumerable cultivars of C. sasanqua available today. You can find Setsugkka,' an up right grower with white blossoms, Show a Supreme,' a sprawling type with pink flowers, and Dwarf Shishi,' a compact, bushy plant with rosy red blooms that is suitable for containers or patios. Many shades of flowers within each group can be found, from white top ink to red.
Last year I added four low- growing sprawling sasanquasto my hillside garden. One of the new camellias is tucked in a spot where marauding animals love to dig.They have disturbed the plant several times trying to find hidden treasures in the soil. Each time it happens, I push the roots back down and say a few comforting words. I've placed chicken wire around the spot to deter the critters. The plant is still alive but I don't see flower buds forming this fall.
The sasanquas on the hill blend harmoniously with other evergreen foliage and then make their bright floral statement in early December. Just as they finish blooming, the larger japonica bushes behind begin their flowering cycle.
An even more dramatic use of sasanquas is as a ground cover. A large front garden in Altadena has the most beautiful spread of C. sasanqua I've ever seen under a spreading oak tree. The owners must have purchased several dozen plants at the beginning, but over the years they've saved plenty. Camellias need considerably less water than grass and certainly require less time from a gardener. The added benefit is the dramatic coating of pink bloom every winter.
Pasadena gardener Eugenie Schuleter treasures a hedge of sasanqua camellias along her driveway. Apple Blossom' is an early bloomer and begins sending out flowers early in September. The soft pink blooms with creamy centers continue arriving until November.
“I love seeing the flowers open just as the weather cools down, Schuleter said. “The planting is much more rewarding than an ordinary box hedge. Even though it's taken 10 years for the hedge to fill in to six feet,it's worth it because in the fall, it's so gorgeous.”
Altadena camellia grower Julius Nuccio recommends Kanjiro,' an upright hot-pink or Dwarf Shishi' for gardeners who are new to sasanquas. These are fail-safe plants that can put up with plenty of sun and don't need much pruning.
“But all sasanquas are reliable given the right culture,” Nuccio added. “We sell hundreds of Show a Supreme' because it's so easy to grow.” For more experienced gardeners, Nuccio also likes Double Rainbow,' with a white center androsy pink border.
Camellia sasanqua is a native of Japan where it has been cultivated for centuries. It can be found growing as a shrub or small tree on the islands of southern Japan near the
coast in relatively dry, well-drained soil. Unlike the larger C. japonica we're used to cultivating, sasanqua foliage is dense and twiggy. The leaves are small and leathery with finely toothed leaf margins.
In Japan C. sasanqua was as popular as the larger C. japonica, but it took an extra 150 years for western gardeners to learn to appreciate the beauty of this species.
Almost all varieties of C. sasanqua are scented, according to camellia books, but I can't honestly say that I've noticed. I just pulled off the second blossom of the season from my potted bonsai camellia and although I sniffed hard trying to find a fragrance, I couldn't get any more than a generic flower scent.
When the petals of C. sasanqua fall after their few days of glory, they form a colorful carpet at the foot of the bush. In Japan, a carpet of camellia blooms on the ground is thought to be as beautiful as the flowers on the plant. If you want to encourage this floral effect, make certain the ground below the plants is relatively bare, otherwise the blooms will fall into ground cover and be lost to view.
If you're adding sasanquas, decide on a spot when the plants will get plenty of light. Most sasanquas will take full sun. They will thrive in a half-sun situation as well. But, Tom Nuccio cautions, “if you have a very shady spot, pick a japonica rather than a sasanqua.”
As if C. sasanqua didn't have enough to recommend it,Nuccio also reminds gardeners that they are perhaps the most versatile of the camellia family. They aremore relaxed in style that the larger species, and they grow faster as well.
Sasanquas don't need pruning but will accept it. I've never bothered to fuss with my plants except to remove an occasional branch. The beautiful sasanqua near my doorway shaped itself over the years, as if it knew that it was becoming so beautiful that I would have to show it off.
If you want to learn more about camellias, the Southern California Camellia Society welcomes visitors to their meetings at the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia. They meet on the fourth Thursday of each month, October through April. Meetings begin at7:15 p.m.
No plant in your garden will deliver more benefits than C. sasanqua. Decide on colors and shapes now,while nurseries have blooming plants in stock. Or head up to Altadena to find a really big selection.Nuccio's Nursery grows more than 40 cultivars of C.sasanqua. This camellia, like other species, is dormant while in bloom so right now is a perfect time to add it to your landscape.

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Can You Imagine Giant Trees Reduced To A Few Centimeters For Humans To "Raise?"

CIEGO DE AVILA – Kyuzo Murata, one of the fathers of the modern Bonsai, would enjoy visiting the Gallery of Art in the city of Ciego de Avila, 420 kilometers from Havana, where the most eminent Cuban Bonsai sculptors participated in the 3rd 2005 CubaBonsai Convention.

Thirty representatives from nearly all the country’s provinces discussed this living art that penetrates to the depths of one’s soul and captivates those who cultivate it.

LIFE IN MINIATURE

It could be said that the world fits into a Bonsai; and those who agree are not without reason. These diminutive lives, by definition, are semi-perennial living plants, placed in a pot, atop a rock or slab."
"Each plant not only represents the beauty of nature, but its aspect brings to mind something more: a forest scene, a majestic solitary tree, a marine landscape, a lake, river, a pond..."
The Bonsai simulates the abundance of nature and expresses its eternity of slow changes. It is the result of centuries of development and continual evolution.
It is a convergence point for diverse disciplines such as art, botany, and philosophy, which all share a drive toward perfection.
I say that the world fits into a Bonsai and I think of the Maquette of the City of Havana, a large metropolis reduced to only 22 meters in length and 10 in width; or the Monólogo del Bonsái (Bonsai Monologue), interpreted by Carlos Luis de la Tejera, who with subtle political humor compares Latin America to a small garden in which the International Monetary Fund is the gardener.
The tale of the origin of these miniature trees comes from a Chinese legend claiming that during the Han dynasty (206 b.c.-220 A.D.) an emperor ordered the construction on his patio of a landscape representing the mountains, rivers, valleys and lakes of the empire. Afterwards, he stood ecstatically gazing through the windows of the palace, as if he had the world at his feet.
More recently, in 1971, the oldest testimonies of the plant were discovered in the tomb of Zhang Huai, of the Tang dynasty.
These writings describe that in the year 552 A.D. Buddhism arrived in Japan and with it, the tiny trees. Thus, Japan Islands assimilated the culture of China, including its architecture, literature, calligraphy, ceremonies, etc.
Even the theatrical piece Hachi-no-ki (The Model Trees), one of the world’s most relevant works treating this theme, appeared on stage. The piece is based on a much loved Chinese folk story.

BADLY-RAISED CHILDREN IN CU BA

Hijos malcriados (badly-raised children) is a very Cuban saying and an apt one in the case of these little living beings. "We have to provide all their needs if we want them to grow and develop, from food to adequate education", commented several cultivators questioned by Granma International during the Convention.
Raciel Méndez Gómez, with 16 years experience in this art, explains that as far as she knows, the first trees appeared in the house of a couple who lived in the town of La Fe, on Cuba’s Isle of Youth.
She claimed that in the early 70’s her friend Enrique Cuenca had seen the plants, which disappeared a short while after the couple died. "It’s not known what happened to them."
Raciel also said that in Santiago de las Vegas, Havana province, many books on the subject appeared in an abandoned house. The books were passed on though many people, some of whom may have begun cultivating the tree.
The history of the Bonsai, like life itself, is full of mystery and conjecture. So much so that there are 300 known cultivators in Cuba, a figure that is growing as others, still anonymous, are incorporated.
For Dimitri Gómez González, president of the Convention organizing committee and who has given life to the project in recent years, the cultivation of this living art could be another pathway to integration among nations in the year of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas. He notes: "The president of the Latin American Bonsai Federation is in Venezuela."

THEIR OWN HISTORY

Alejandro Moya Valdés, a beginner, acquired his first specimen after spending four hours with a chisel and hammer extracting it from the coast. Perhaps this is the reason for his belief that the fundamental element of cultivating and educating the plant is discipline.
The participants of the conference each summed up their definition of the art in one word: "spirit," said Lorenzo González Casuso; "addiction," Leonel Monzón García; "harmony," Asley Hernández Sánchez; "peace," Jovany Borrego Mejías; "emotion," Raciel Méndez Gómez; "tranquility," Nancy Gutiérrez Gárciga; "spirituality," Jorge Guerra; "thought or passion," Leonardo Rodríguez Triana.
Without thinking about monks, empires, civilizations, nomads and dynasties, the Cuban cultivators have their own history, which with the passage of time will be told by others keeping this 1,000-year-old art alive.

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Garden Calendar

Bonsai is one type of gardening that can
be continued indoors over the winter.

Inland Empire Bonsai Society – New officers will be elected along with a discussion on developing Bonsai. Sunday. Noon-3 p.m., Manito Park Garden Center. 455-9576.

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Beat The Holiday Crunch And Help Struggling Neighbors, Too

Incredibly, the holiday crunch is looming just around the corner! It's time to act like Martha Stewart: Display your creativity, stretch your dollars, conquer insurmountable lists and show loved ones just how much you care. Are you ready? Do you have a plan? Here's a suggestion that could help save your sanity during the holidays. It will help many of your neighbors too.
The 29th Annual Marketplace Crafts Festival, sponsored by The Wellesley Hills Junior Woman's Club, is one of the largest in New England. More than 120 artisans will display a dazzling array of boutique and hand-crafted items that are perfect as holiday gifts for family, friends, teachers, hostesses or yourself! There will be beautiful collections of unique, hand-painted silks, pillows, linens, porcelain, glass and furniture. Find embroidered linens and baby items, Alpaca or crystal-encrusted fashions, and whimsical to elegant home accessories, like stained glass, beaded serving utensils and bonsai trees.

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Northern Monmouth Calendar

BONSAI FUN

MIDDLETOWN: Monmouth County Park System and the Deep Cut Bonsai Society will present Origins of Literati Bonsai Style 7-9:30 p.m. at Deep Cut Gardens, 352 Red Hill Road. Admission and parking are free. Call (732) 842-4000 or (732) 671-6050.

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Bonsai Exhibition Set For Late November

Evergreen art: The history of the
art of Bonsai dates back to the
Tang and Sung dynasties.

The Hong Kong Bonsai Exhibition will be held in Kowloon Park's Banyan Court from November 25 to December 4. Admission is free.
Bonsai has a long history dating back to the Tang and Sung dynasties. It later spread to the West.
Shape and spatial arrangement are essential to the art of bonsai, but the essence of the art is to reflect the beauty of nature.
Plants that are commonly used for bonsai horticulture are Fukien Tea, Sageretia, Fire-thorn, Serissa, Buddhist Pine, Elm, Rhododendron, Juniper and Bougainvillea.
Plants of developed roots, short stems and small lustrous leaves are generally better choices for bonsai purposes. Flowering plants should be able to stand a long time to be appreciated.
The art of bonsai has evolved in different ways and has a variety of styles. Matching pots and tables are also important to complement the beauty of the plants.

Exhibit details

Opening hours of the Hong Kong Bonsai Exhibition are from 10am to 6pm on November 25, and from 7am to 6pm from November 26 through December 4.
The exhibit is presented by Leisure & Cultural Services Department, and co-organised by the Association of Horticulture Lantau Island, Sha Tin Bonsai Association, Penjing and Artstone of Asia, Hong Kong Penjing & Artstone Society, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Bonsai International, The Yuen Yuen Institute and Ching Chung Taoist Association of Hong Kong.

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Botanical Center Hosts Asian Festival

Visitors to the Quad-City Botanical Center on Sunday received a basic education in Far Eastern visual and performing arts during the third annual Asian Festival.
During his martial arts demonstration, Duane Spellious of Chung Kim’s Black Belt Academy told the audience that his specialty is called martial “arts” for a reason.
“It’s an art, like the flower arranging you saw earlier,” he said, referring to the ikebana demonstrations that started the celebrations. “Arts look easily done.”
Lisa Berger of Shoreview, Minn., drew the same conclusion while watching the martial arts maneuvers. “When they make it look easy, that’s when you know it’s hard. You know there’s talent there when they make it look like it’s nothing,” she said.
Berger, who came with her aunt from Rock Island, said they decided to see the festival during her visit because she enjoys horticulture and wanted to see the ikebana and bonsai being demonstrated and discussed. But the martial arts interest her, too.
“I’ve always liked the martial arts. Maybe this will light my fire to get me to try it,” she said.
People also came to learn more about green tea and the art of the Japanese tea party. With several volunteers barefoot and seated onstage, Izumi Haraki-Gordon demonstrated how the tea parties are orchestrated, down to the finest details. She was dressed in a formal kimono (robe) and obi (belt or wrap) that belonged to her mother. Haraki-Gordon is in the tea-trading business with her husband, Tony Gordon.
The native of Shizuoka, Japan, showed the proper way to be seated, fold a napkin, give and receive the tea bowl, eat sweets from toothpicks and to never, ever, drink the tea from the art side of the tea bowl.
“As guest, you should take time to admire the art first, then turn it, three times, before you drink,” she explained.
After being on the stage for the demonstration, Roberto Leone of Rock Island said his interest in the Asian Festival was threefold: he is interested in tea and its effects on the body; he is trying to gain a better understanding of Eastern cultures since a friend of his has adopted a baby from China; and he simply has a general interest in learning about other parts of the world.
“Getting the bigger picture helps us to live in a more peaceful world,” he said.
Jerry Zimmerman of Milan, Ill., founder of the Quad-City Bonsai Club, said he got drawn more than 30 years ago into the Eastern approach to gardening. His group had brought samples of trees and shrubs gardened in the bonsai style.
Zimmerman explained that “bonsai” means to plant in a shallow container. Anything else bonsai gardeners do is all a matter of personal style, he said.
The event wrapped up with dances by the Filipiniana Dancers. The women demonstrated dances from the Philippines in a combination of traditional and modern dress.

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