Minutes of the November 16, 2014 meeting of the Michiana Bonsai Study

Present:    

          Larry Benjamin, Rose Benjamin, Jason Bittle, John DeMaegd, Kathy Lee, Mary Morgan,

Bill & Norma Osborne and Paul Weishaar

Location:     Home of Larry & Rose Benjamin, County Road 10, Bristol

Program:

       We began our meeting with a light lunch: soup (the three varieties to choose from included butternut squash, tomato  bisque and potato/leek& carrot), sandwiches (the two choices were tuna salad and sloppy joes), a veggie platter with Beau Monde dipand, for dessert, Rose's cranberry mini-muffins and chocolate chip cookies. In addition to coffee, we had hot mulled cider to wash it all down on this chilly day.

        After lunch Kathy showed us three trees that she is working on. She brought along photos to let us see their earlier appearance and we discussed their development. Then, our discussion turned to several bonsai topics, including a few facts from Larry's trip to the national ABS / Golden State Bonsai Federation convention in Sacramento. Paul reminded us that 2015 will be a great opportunity for all of us to attend the Midwest convention, which will be held in Indy this coming July.

    Finally, several items of club business were discussed. Larry reported that the (free) server we had been using for our website no longer is functioning. He said that he would work to resolve this, although it may require an investment of $$$. [Since you are reading this, you know that we now have a new, functional server.] Larry reported that he had reserved Linton's again for our first three meetings in 2015 (Jan. 11, Feb. 8, and March 8). Paul said that he will come up and style an elm tree as a demonstrtation in March. And, last but not by any means least, concern was expressed for our low turn out at recent meetings. Hopefully, if you are one of the many absentees, you will make an attempt to attend as many meetings as possible in the new year. (Put the meetings on your calendar!)