Minutes of the March 3, 2024 meeting of the Michiana Bonsai Study
Present: Larry Benjamin, Dave Bohn, William Bohn, Diane Buday, Lisa Chilik, Michael Ciesiolka, Amada Corda, John DeMaegd, ,
Betty Foltz, Pat Guido, Mary Hesser, Sofia Ivanova, Bruce Kennedy, Kevin Mann, Terry Merisch, Janie Minick, ,
Location: Linton's Enchanted Gardens
Program:
The topic of this meeting was the pruning and development of junipers. John DeMaegd led us and helped several members with
styling of their trees. Terry and Michael brought a two tree upright juniper bonsai planting that came out looking really fine. Mary
got two junipers worked on and Lisa and Janie got theirs trimmed before Jon worked on a large juniper that he brought.
In the business portion of the meeting Larry showed members a new logo that he was able to procure from one of the artists
(Phil Horney) who had submitted logos in the ABS logo contest. It was voted in to replace the tree previously pictured on this website.
(Since you are on it now, you saw it at the top of the home page.)
Larry also announced two workshops that the club will be conducting this year - one at the Middlebury Public Library (April 13)
and the other at Wellfield Botanic Garden (July 13). Both are being offered in coordination with these places which have hosted club
events in the past. The April workshop will feature hardy pre-bonsai which Larry will get when he travels to BonsaiByFields this
coming Wednesday (March 6). The July workshop will utilize tropicals which an Indy bonsai expert, Paul Weishaar, will obtain for
the club when he visits Florida at the end of April. Club members will be needed to help participants in both workshops. Lisa and John
have volunteered to help in April. As the date draws nearer, we will hope to get volunteers for the July workshop. Of course, all members
are welcome to come to these, even if not participants.
Lastly, Larry encouraged everyone to attend the American Bonsai Society Learning Seminars which will be held May 9 - 12,
although the bulk of the ABS itinerary will be on Friday & Saturday, the tenth and eleventh, with the 12th being the Michigan All-State
Show which usually occurs at this time in May. While the ABS event usually takes place much further away, this year's event will be
held at Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, a fairly short drive away. To get the schedule as well as registration information, go to
americanbonsaisociety.org.