March 2020 Journal Photos

Makapuu beach from the parking area. Photo by Andrea.

At Dave's Ice Cream in Waimanalo. Photo by Andrea.

I walked across Thomas Square to get to the Diagnostic Labs.

Later I went to the beach while Andrea got a massage and I saw this great white rubber shark on the sand.

The guy on the bicycle appears to be a model being photographed. Earlier he was posing with a red ukulele.

Andrea, as President, ran the third precinct sub-meeting. She was re-elected and I was elected Treasurer.

Photo by Andrea. A selection of Italian wines in the room behind me.

Table for three. We had prosecco and the salumi platter for antipasti.

There was a party of 18 arriving at the long table. Photo by Andrea.

A Roman style mural painting was by our table. We shared napoli pizza and two kinds of risotto.

President Ryan ran the meeting in Mike's garage.

Looking at the ohia seelings that Larry brought. Photo by Andrea.

Mel Carillo brought a couple of bonsai to show us. On the table are bonsai brought by Ryan and me. Larry brought the ohia seedlings to give away.

Working on the hibiscus bonsai I brought. Photo by Andrea.

Members look at the bonsai in Mike's back yard.

At the Waioli Kitchen for lunch. We walked around back later and Andrea photographed the Robert Louis Stevenson grass hut.

Friday morning I checked out our ocean equipment in anticipation of Christian's visit next month. He later cancelled it due to coronavirus concerns.

I photographed my smallest suiseki (a mountain viewing stone). I carved the base for it many years ago.

Saturday I photographed this orchid growing on our rock wall.

Sunday Andrea took Mom for a drive to Dave's Ice Cream in Waimanalo where it began to rain.

Monday morning, March 16, I unwrapped Ku and placed an Eel River suiseki, collected by Harry Hirao, between Lono and Ku. Ku
had been wrapped in white paper for Makahiki, now over, which began last November.

Monday I put out the Saint Patrick's Day flag.

Tuesday morning, March 17, Andrea took a walk and photographed our Michiko hibiscus. Then we went to visit my urologist and tax preparer.

Thursday afternoon, March 19, Andrea and I drove out to Makapuu to take a look. Some nice waves.

Saturday morning Andrea and I walked down to the First Hawaiian Bank and Foodland, stopping to photograph the stream from Kalanianaole Highway.

Here's the zoomed-in view of the Hind Drive bridge. We live about seven houses up the stream from the bridge on the right hand side.

The first step in creating a bonsai is finding the front. Then the branches are pruned to reveal the form. A formal upright must have
a straight trunk and be planted vertical. Branch placement is of great importance in this most difficult of bonsai styles.

The wayward branches have been wired and the tree is now ready for planting in a bonsai growing pot.

Using the root rake to remove soil from the roots. Photo by Andrea.

Cutting the tap root with a lopper. Photo by Andrea.

Raking out the roots. Photo by Andrea.

Trimming excess roots with a bonsai shear. Photo by Andrea.

A fit check in the pot. The tree will go slightly to my right and slightly to the rear of the pot (away from me). This is a concrete
growing pot. Later (in a few years) it will go into a Japanese ceramic pot. Photo by Andrea.

A mound of potting soil goes under the center of the tree. Photo by Andrea.

The tree is placed on the mound of potting soil and then filled all around. Photo by Andrea.

A surface layer of washed basalt sand will weigh down and hold the light soil during water immersion. Photo by Andrea.

Immersing the bonsai in water for a minute. Photo by Andrea.

Here it is with the front toward me. Photo by Andrea.

The citrus bonsai is finished, for today. No bonsai is ever completely finished. This tree will be pruned and wired several times again
before it is ready to be planted in a Japanese ceramic bonsai pot. Elapsed time from first photo to last is one hour and 23 minutes.

The breadfruit bonsai after pruning and wiring.

Looking down the valley from the top of Hind Iuka.

A bit further down the valley looking at the sea.

After defoliation.

I have removed the potting soil from the roots and washed them with a hose. The tree is tied to the work table with a nylon cord. Photo by Andrea.

I am reducing the side bulge with a concave gouge. Photo by Andrea.

After carving with the gouge. Photo by Andrea.

The tree is potted into a rectangular unglazed Japanese bonsai pot. Photo by Andrea.

The rich organic potting mixture is covered with a layer of wet washed basalt sand. This will weigh down the soil during soaking. Photo by Andrea.

The pot is immersed in water. The sand layer keeps the soil from floating away. Photo by Andrea.

Letting it soak for a minute. A little wiggle of the top helps the soil settle in. Photo by Andrea.

I put the bonsai on the glass table to drain. Photo by Andrea.

Friday morning I photographed our potted pineapple which I brought in as a houseplant.

I photographed the croton the next day in its Japanese rectangular pot. I have not wired or otherwise formed any branches. Bonsai is one of
those rare sports/crafts/arts where procrastination is sometimes helpful. Those two lower branches may be wired out someday, or maybe they're
sacrificial branches. If I cut them today I would never know.

Closeup of the purple pineapple flowers.

The premna bonsai after pruning.

The tree has been removed from its pot and the roots unbound. It is clinging to the rock and the roots have been trimmed.

After potting in a plastic growing pot. The pot has slightly more volume than the priceless Ohlinder pot, which it may go back into someday.

Meanwhile Andrea has nearly finished the jigsaw puzzle she's been working on for the last few days.

Hummingbirds and butterflys. One of several puzzles she got for Christmas.

At the end of Hao Street, looking down the Wailupe valley.

We decided to close the little free library to eliminate the possibility of transmitting coronavirus.

Here is my selfie.

Another view of the lava slab, set vertical. It would be horizontal, of course, for the planting, but I decided against it.

I have eleven citrus trees in small pots. Eleven is a prime number, as needed for a multi-tree planting for bonsai. Three small trees
are in one pot, in case you counted. Square or rectangular numbers won't do for bonsai (or saikei in this case); the number of trees
must be prime. Often, one plants a larger number in case a tree or two should die. I don't have that luxury in this case.

The eleven trees have been pruned and are ready for the planting. That's a very nice Japanese forest pot. The drainage holes will be
blocked with screens and covered with washed sand.