Czech Yamadori

   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 lo...

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....

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.

I have come across some  extracts from this book.   Interesting reading.  Need to get a copy.   Well, life is not just black or white. And it is the same with a sloe.   It is a pity that we have lost  much of our ancient wisdom about the healing power of local natural products.    On the other side we have managed to keep the recipe how to make a sloe gin or as it is more common in my region the wine made from sloe.   Apparently  shamanism/druidry/ witchcraft  were  percieved by the rulers ( black or red ) as bad while alcoholism was acceptable... I would love to have a small bonsai table made from this wood.    Height: 40 cm Width: 30 cm Trunk diameter: 7 cm Style: Slanting tree