Hi Jim,

This (bonsai as "pets" or "family") was not the thrust of either the
comments here or of my comments in the essay. The fact is that the artist
and the tree have a partnership that necessitates cooperation in ways not
found in most (any?) other art(s). Selling or giving away something that is
unfinished, with the balance of "our" plans being unrealized is a bit
different than selling/giving away a work of art/possession that does not
carry this kind of baggage. This is not to say that doing so involves an
overabundance of drama, but it is often a bit more difficult.

Anyway, let's not mischaracterize the gist here.

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
zone 8, Texas
http://www.bunjindesign.com/bonsai/

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Lewis"
Bonsai aren't pets. Plants reciprocate no warm and fuzzy
feelings like a dog will (or a cat -- sometimes -- while you are
petting it. There's absolutely no point in getting emotionally
involved with a tree in a pot. There are always more where that
one came from.
Enjoy them, by all means, but as "things" not as "family."
Jim Lewis

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