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Newsletter: Shibui Bonsai Kai

PO Box 81084
Parkhurst 2120
e-mail: bonsaikebana@mweb.co.za

Dear Bonsai Friends

We have come to the end of another financial year and it is time for our Annual General Meeting once again. This is to be held in The Floreum on Saturday 17 July at 14:00. The agenda will be as follows:
a) Confirmation of minutes of previous AGM
b) President’s report
c) Treasurer’s report
d) Election of committee
e) General
e.1 Brenthurst

In terms of the constitution the entire committee is to retire at the AGM. The present members have expressed their willingness to serve for another term. We will, however, be looking for volunteers to complete our numbers. Serving on the committee involves one committee meeting per month, (usually immediately prior to the monthly general meeting), and all members of the committee are expected to help with duties at our normal meetings and any functions we organise during the year. Do give this matter your consideration, as we do need your help. A good and reliable committee is essential for the well being of any organisation, and to serve on the committee of any Bonsai group should merely be an extension of furthering and acquiring knowledge in the Art of Bonsai. The tasks of the committee this year have been eased as the programme for this years meetings were agreed at last years AGM. Perhaps we should consider doing this again as the general response from members regarding the topics and content this year has been very positive. Please bring your ideas to the meeting. Subs. for the New Year are now due and the present committee have agreed that after keeping them unchanged for the last 5 years, we would increase them slightly to - Single R110, Family R130, and Junior R20 per annum. Brenthurst has been included on the agenda as this needs to be discussed in detail and decisions and commitments made by individuals for the start up and workload for the immediate future. After the AGM, we will be having another short ‘Show and Tell’, and with time and weather permitting, a hands on workshop. The sales table and raffle will operate as usual.

Our last meeting was very well attended and Bonita gave us a very interesting talk on the various Neutrog products. She also generously gave us a large bag of Rapid Raiser for our raffle, and all members went home with a goody bag containing samples of the different products. After the tea break Erika gave us a most interesting demonstration of a Saikei planting on a small Chinese marble slab. Being the talented person she is, she had very artistically glued the beautiful rocks into position first and waterproofed the area to contain the soil, then planted a lone Berberis, and completed the Saikei with moss. Many thanks to Bonita and Erika for making the afternoon so interesting and enjoyable for us all. Thanks also to Erika and Godfrey for the refreshments, as well as the donors of the raffle prizes.

The family of our late good friend and Honorary Life Member, Eddie van der Westhuizen has asked us to thank everybody for their kind messages at this sad time. Eddie’s son is to take care of his remaining Bonsai and will give us at least one of the trees for Brenthurst collection. Helen will be doing the calligraphy for us for our tribute to Eddie in our very special Shibui book of memories.

We have been asked to dispose of some old Bonsai containers from another deceased estate. All the containers need cleaning and include Japanese, Chinese as well as quite a few local pots, and are not that big. These are at least 30 years and some even older, so if you are interested, please give me a call. They are all very reasonably priced and you can view them at my home.

According to our local newspaper, Her Imperial Highness, Princess Takamodo of Japan, together with the Mayor of Johannesburg, planted 2 Cherry trees in the Botanic Garden this month. These were 2 of the 100 cherry trees presented by the Japanese to celebrate the century of relations between our two countries. Hopefully the trees will prosper and receive the necessary care and attention. Princess Takamodo is the first member of the Japanese Imperial family to visit South Africa.

Hopefully you are all enjoying your hibernation and catching up on your Bonsai reading and enjoying all the soccer on TV in front of a roaring fire in the freezing weather we have been having lately. The severe black frost certainly did some damage, but do not cut back any of your affected Bonsai at this stage. Leave the trees until the end of winter when the possibility of frost is past and then cut back to remove the damaged portions. Don’t forget to water any trees you have put away under protection for the winter as this can be just as harmful as frost.

Birthdays in July: Trevor on the 1st, Arlene on the 5th, Erich on the 15th and Kobus on the 17th. Many happy returns to you all and we wish you many more happy ones in the future.

Hoping to see you all on the 17th, in The Floreum, and please remember, subs for the new year are now due.

Sincerely

Committee
President/ Treasurer:	DERRY RALPH	788 6104		TREVOR BOTHAM	(082) 784 7581
Vice President:	RUZA WHITAKER	(016) 366 0147		ARTHUR HAMMOND	783 9033
Secretary:	ALMERO STEYN	(083) 294 1242		ERIKA KÖHLER	958 5059
BRAT:	ERICH WALTER	793 6902		FRED KÖHLER	958 5059

Banking Details: Nedbank - Rosebank branch - 195 805, Shibui Bonsai Kai: A/C # 1958 289 906

CAKE DUTY ROSTER

• July: Erich Walter and Stan Simcox
• August: Issie Buys and Jeff Abrahams

Each person to provide one plate of 'sweet' and one plate of 'savoury' please.

FOTHCOMING EVENTS
July	31	B.R.A.T. Open day at Waterberg Bonsai Kai
Sep	18/19	The Cape Kai 40 th Anniversary Celebrations

PS: Committee members, we will be having a meeting at 12:30 - prior to the General Meeting

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