November Program:
A tree carving demonstration on elm by C.K. Carlson and Norman Summers will follow the election of new officers and board members.

October Meeting Highlights

• We gained new members this meeting: Sandi Clugston-Alknich, Doris Sparks and her son William. Welcome!

• Nominations for new officers are being taken. The current list of nominees is in this issue.

• The workshop attendees were pleased with Lindsay Shiba. So much so that talk of bringing Lindsay back for another workshop arose. Steve felt that this one was one of the better work shops the club has had. Those who missed the workshop missed a valuable learning experience. Members are urged to attend the workshops as silent spectators if unable to participate. C. K. Carlson proposed a carving work shop on bald cypress, with an increased workshop fee which would include a tree to work with.

• Roy Hayes donated a maple and a Chinese quince for the raffle. Both trees wore Lindsay Shiba’s trademark green plastic protective wrap. The trees were so nice that the raffle was a dollar a chance. David Parham and Doris Sparks were the winners. Thank you again Roy.

• Mike Flanagan brought buck eyes for anyone who wanted them. To grow one, you can plant the buckeye eye down, or carry it in your pocket for luck. Maybe one in your pocket will generate enough luck to favor germination of the planted one. This is the time of year for fruition and harvest. Tom pointed out that the ginkgo at Utica Square is dropping seeds if you would like to start a gingko from seed. By paying attention, many found materials are around for the taking.

• Sign up sheets for the Fall Show were passed around for trees, setup crew, demonstrators and greeters for the show. Show times and Dates:
  Setup Fri. Oct. 28th 5:00-7:00
  Sat. Oct. 29th 10:00-4:00
  Sun. Oct. 30th 11:00-4:00
  Be aware of the Tulsa Run on the 29th; it may affect your usual travel route.
  Also: promote, promote, promote!

The nominating committee, consisting of Justin Lovelace and Bill Watkins, has nominated the following people who have accepted their nominations:

President: Peter Aradi
Vice President: Michelle Gray
Treasurer: Bill Watkins
Secretary: Lisa Martin
3 year board member: Steve Sanders
2 year board member: Andre Chenault
1 year board member: C. K. Carlson
Ex Officio: Dan Bonnett

Lisa is continuing as secretary. Bill Watkins is being replaced as 2 year board member by Andre and Bill is volunteering for the position of treasurer. Also, the Garden Center has asked that the position of president also be the affiliate member instead of having a separate person in that role. The above is contingent upon nominations from the floor.

October Bonsai Care
The year is coming into the home stretch with a burst of exertion. The current cooler weather warrants bringing in tropicals now. If you have already sprayed or dosed with a systemic pesticide that takes care of scale and spider mites you are ahead of the game. It is advisable to take care of these near invisible pests before you bring them inside. It is also time to start getting materials ready for over-wintering plants outside. A loose mulching material and bright protected area is ideal. I keep mine against the house on the south and east face which protects the trees from Northwest winds. It is also by the garden tap?we still water through winter, though the Arnold Arboretum has this advice:

The Arboretum bonsai are stored in a concrete-block structure with the temperature between 33 and 36 degrees Fahrenheit. The plants are checked for water once a week. Generally they need watering about once a month. If the plants become too dry during storage, they become difficult to rewet in spring. On the other hand, if the plants are kept too wet in storage, they become susceptible to fungal infections.

Keep an open eye for plants that would look good in the fall show. If we are lucky with the weather some deciduous trees will be showing their colors, and there may be some conifers that have done well over this difficult summer.

Bonsai Masters Workshop
Lindsay Shiba was a personable and focused tutor. Unlike the other instructors I have observed, he did not keep up a running patter, but he communicated as much with his hands-on approach, and answered questions clearly. At workshops, I usually spend half of my time on my tree and the rest observing the teacher and asking questions. This was an especially productive method with Lindsay. As the meeting notes indicate, even if one is unable to participate in the workshop, it is valuable to attend as an observer.