Oregon Backcountry Bonsai

This ancient three-quarters-dead Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) is clinging for its life on Cusick Mountain in the southern part of Eagle Cap Wilderness in northeastern Oregon. I borrowed both photos in this post from Backcountry Bonsai. Today it’s SF to Portland. Tomorrow evening it’s the Portland Art Museum for the Cup. Saturday it’s the Village tour to the Pacific Bonsai Museum, then Saturday night and Sunday back to the Museum. I hope to see you there and I apologize in advance if I don’t remember your name. And remember to be kind to your elders. Soon enough, it will be … Continue reading Oregon Backcountry Bonsai

If It Ain’t Fun, It Ain’t Bonsai

This Black Hill Spruce belongs to Andy Smith. As you may have guessed the tree was collected in the Black Hills of South Dakota. By Andy. He estimates that it’s 150-175 years old. The stone was also belongs to Andy. You can find this image and all but one of the other images in this post on Andy’s Golden Arrow Bonsai website. Golden Arrow Bonsai is Andrew Smith (aka Andy), though he no doubt enjoys some help from friends and family. Andrew is a bonsai artist and professional woodsman who specializes in collecting trees from nature. If you would like … Continue reading If It Ain’t Fun, It Ain’t Bonsai

Backcountry Bonsai

This ancient three-quarters-dead Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) is clinging for its life on Cusick Mountain in the southern part of Eagle Cap Wilderness in northeastern Oregon. I borrowed both photos in this post from Backcountry Bonsai. Trees like this fascinate me. Obviously, it will never be a bonsai, but only someone stuck on bonsai without real appreciation of wild trees would care. BTW: such poor benighted souls exist (excluding present company of course). Rather than saying more, I’ll defer to our 26th President (TR) “A people without children would face a hopeless future; a country without trees is almost as … Continue reading Backcountry Bonsai

Deadwood South Dakota: Yamadori part 1

This Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) is going to stay put right where it is. Photo by Andy Smith, from the home page on Andy’s Golden Arrow Bonsai. Andy Smith Andy Smith is a bonsai artist and professional woodsman who specializes in collecting trees from nature. Though I’ve only met Andy once, and have never been collecting with him, I can say with some degree of certainty, that Andy knows what he’s doing when it comes to collecting and caring for yamadori. If you would like to learn how to collect the right way, check out Andy’s DVD, How to Collect … Continue reading Deadwood South Dakota: Yamadori part 1