President’s Letter for February 2023
Off to a Great Start for 2023!
Our first General Membership Meeting is set for February 1st. We will view and discuss the comments, suggestions, and criticisms of the trees entered in the Morton Arboretum Destination Asia Festival show last August.
Our guest artist for the event was Chris Baker, the curator of the Chicago Botanic Garden bonsai collection. I had never been present for the review of the displayed trees before, and I was not sure what to expect. I was struck by Chris’ helpful, unceasingly positive, and encouraging comments. I was also a first-time participant in displaying trees, so I was relieved to hear Chris’ thoughts. I have been told by others, who are far more experienced at showing trees than I am, that occasionally judges can be very negative. Fortunately, that was not the case with Chris.
Also, as discussed at the Christmas Party and in many email announcements, at the meeting on the first, we expect to be able to pass out the new shirts, hoodies, and caps embroidered with the PSBS logo. I am looking forward to being warm in my new hoodie at the Silhouette Show at Cantigny! What a segue!
Silhouette Show at Cantigny
Nick DiBattista is chairing the annual February show. The show will run from 10 AM to 4 PM in the Visitor Center. We will set up backdrops starting at about 8 AM and receive trees for display shortly after that. Nick will be sharing more exact details at the February meeting. To volunteer or feature a tree in the show, contact Nick DiBattista at 630.479.2112 or nicholasd_1@yahoo.com.
Urban Yamadori
Many years ago, I was involved with a PSBS project to dig up and pot boxwoods from a hedge in someone’s front yard. Unfortunately, the one I kept did not make it. We have a similar new event planned for April 1st this year. We will join with friends from the Milwaukee Bonsai Society, the Midwest Bonsai Society, and the Madison Bonsai Society to dig up some invasive burning bushes on a Milwaukee property. The price is right, and it should be a fun day to join with others having the same passion/disease. Plan to add it to your schedule. More info to come in the next couple of months.
Board of Directors
As mentioned previously, due to changes on the Board, we have two open spots for At-Large Board Members in 2023. The By-Laws allow up to three At-Large Board Members, and right now, Steve Fluett is the only At-Large Board Member. If anyone else in the Society would be interested in joining the Board of Directors, contact me at PSBSPresident@gmail.com or any other Board member, or attend any of the Board meetings, which are always open to all PSBS members. Our next Board meeting will be held on February 7th, 2023, at 7:00 PM via Zoom to plan our March events. As the time draws nearer, it will be announced via email.
And always . . .
Let us know if you have ideas for presentations, you would like to see discussed in 2023. It is your club, and we want to know what information you need and can use. We have already added a presentation on air layering to the schedule for May. If you have any other topic you want to be addressed, either as a Bonsai 101 or as the evening’s main event, please email me at PSBSPresident@gmail.com or contact Programs Director Larry Magee at dblvisn@yahoo.com, and we will try to include it in our 2023 programming.
Hope to see you on the first!
Craig
