Czech Yamadori

It might be a bit boring to share all the time the same tree...  If you think that it's a nuisance then skip the next post as there is another one just getting ready for the show...

I admire the stands made by Jerry Braswell and Al Kepler.  First it was just an incidental click on interesting web but gradually it has developed into focused search and follow up.  I consider wood as the best material to deal with so it was just a matter of time to get to the point when I have decided  to build few tables - just to see if I can do something to please my soul.   This is the very first one.  Not very complicated design but nice to test some new methods. Wood: Dark stained Beech. Very common timber but this one has very nice flames.  Top coat: Tung oil with some resin.  I was a bit nervous using a dye but it came out quite nice.   ( Thanks to Bob Flexner and his great book: Understanding ..... )                                Dimensions: 21  x  16 x 5 cm 8,3'' x 6,3" x 2"

   In the early December I have started to work on a reasonably sized burl - suvel.  Within a couple of hours I have managed to cut  three slices planned to be transformed for ji-itas.  Manually  with a foxtail saw.     There is an old saying that one gets nicely warm three times making a firewood.  First time during the harvest in the forest.  Second time cutting it into smaller pieces and finally at home in the stove.   I can confirm that the first two are correct.  As for the third - I was afraid that the slices may end up as a firewood but luckily that was not the case.  And apart from these three slices I have managed to transform the last part of the burl into something like a bowl.      After cutting I  have left the slices to dry out a little and then in mid of Jan they received the first soak of synthetic resin.   Today is the 30th Jan and I have decided to see how they look and to make some pictures.    Suvel types of burl are quite different from the so called burl caps

A wood burl is really something very special.   Maybe a bit strange or even ugly from the outside, but the inner wood tells a completely different story.   You need to see it.  Doesn't make any sense to try describing it in words. I will post something about this wood later on before I drop off  for some time.  Right now I will share a root stand I have made recently from a small burl. Dimension: 16,5 x 5,2 cm   /  6,3 x 2"

... different reasons for Leeds United fans and for US & Iraq though.   And I hope there will be no reason to remember this day by the rest of us.   And if so, it will be just because of little treats like the one I have enjoyed  today. Despite the last few nights at minus 7°C  one of my pre-shohin mahaleb is still full with leaves.  No signs of drop off. Gentiana clusii ... Flowering quince still in bloom... Ume_Beni-chidori A young stick grafted on Prunus cerasifera.

B. sempervirens_boxwood_box_krušpánek_zimostráz_??? Whatever name you like,  it is all about the same hardy plant. Hardy?  For sure the bush is quite resistant to the attacks of many pests but as we know a keen non well seasoned greenfinger or a delicate moth could do a lot of damage to it. Just have a look how this tree has looked like in spring 2018:  And now in winter  ( 30.12.2019 ) It looks a bit less regimented perhaps.  But if you look closer you will see a lot of dead branchlets all around the crown. See the pic below... At the first thought about the reason I was quick to blame the vigorous blossoming in the previous year.  And based on that I have tried to strip as many new buds as possible.   Quite a job.  You need a good amount of time to deal with that.  The good point of it - it gave me a lot of time to think. And maybe having a bit deeper and more honest look on the possible root causes.  In spring 2019 I have set a target to make 3,

Height: 27 cm from the rim of the pot Pot:  Training I really like this small tree.  The mirrored movement of the top section looks quite special.   Two headed dragon?  Dancing snakes?  Black - white?   Good - Evil?   Yin - yang?   Pretty much in line with the  role that blackthorn played in our history - see the previous post. I hope that now after all that time with one step forward and two steps back I have found a direction to follow.   Well, nearly.  Still must decide how to proceed with the low branch on the right and  select more appropriate pot.  The rest is "just"  a horticulture.     The green mass on the top of soil = a shredded moss to promote growth of surface roots.  Fingers crossed.