My First Bonsai

Inspired by my mother's love of bonsai, and motivated by her gift of my first "bonsai pots", I have taken the brave move to create my first two bonsai plantings. I find myself drawn to bonsai because, like photography, it is a combination of art and technical skill.

I am also inspirted by my Mom's "just go for it" approach, both in her art and her own bonsai collection. So, with advanced apologies to bonsai purists who know a LOT more than I do, I humbly present my first two bonsai creations:

Liquid amber, from a recent random sprout in our yard

Coast Live Oak, from a two year-old seedling (the year our oak tree blew off thousands of acorns)

Of course any tips on how to REALLY do bonsai, how to care for these fragile creations, etc., are much appreciated. Feel free to post your suggestions or links to your favorite bonsai resources in the comments area. I look forward to hearing from you!

Small Wonders Everywhere

Visiting family in the Pacific Northwest, I went outside one morning in hopes of catching a photo of the local deer who like to forage in the woodland neighborhood. Of course they were no where to be seen - no doubt preferring the evenings over the morning.

Thankfully, I had my macro lens with me, so my morning walk was full of small surprises:

Morning dew on a fern stem, inspired by (but not nearly as remarkable as) a photo by  Aspiring Photographer

The fun continued the next day during a stop along Highway 5, south of Eugene, Oregon. There was nothing remarkable about the turn-off (really - nothing at all)... at first glance. But lo and behold, the wonderful world of "small" began to reveal itself in a patch of grass alongside the on-ramp.

 

If anyone knows the formal names for these beauties, please post a comment!