I've got the garden-variety jeans on, along with the garden-variety
(overworn but useable) polo shirt (its unseasonably warm!). I grabbed an
Almond Joy from the evening's goodie-bag for brunch & the packaging sits
beside me. A nice response from an instructor at Vassar who publishes
articles on Japanese ritual tea got a long draft response this afternoon.
Then, I opened the IBC list (as a refresher) and see all my friends behind
their PCs.

Peter will appreciate the Sen (tea, not Buddhist) school precept that "Zen &
Tea are one!"... and I'm trying to convince this instructor that his
students should add "bonsai & suiseki" to their studies combining Japanese
aesthetics. It could be grant-level material... :-)

Sandy sounds scandalous, Jim & Peter sound cantankerous (so what's new?) &
Nina would be a surprise if not surprising (soil science & fungus studied
with humor?). Marco didn't say what he's wearing-- I'm guessing he is
dressed dentist whites & wielding a tooth drill. As Shelly notes, almost
no one looks good in green tights (Robin Hood excepted) unless built like a
model.

When Jim attacked Pennsylvania lawn growers moving to Arizona deserts, I
thought of a friend who now maintains a Japaneseque garden. It seems humans
will create, sometimes in the most surprising directions, a landscape which
completes some mythic ideal (or at least keep up with the Jones' ideal).

Happy Halloween. It seems no no eulogy is requested for the list, though I
expect Craig is prepared with a austere phrasing to send us off if need
arises.

OB' bonsai: I've never been successful with keeping individual companion
plants over years. Roger's 9 year old dandelion might be record-breaking.
I'd like to hear of other companion plants maintained so long (not just
material maintained in flats with cuttings used). I'll check Naka's
_Techniques_ to get an idea of Sandy's root-exposed dandelion. My attempts
have each wilted long before concerns of frost, and yet I don't think they
were underwatered. I hope Roger will share more on annual dandelion
maintenance... :-). List oldies will recall Bonsamurai preening about his
dandelion, and I was surprised at failing continually at keeping one alive
(much less vigorous).

Best wishes,
Chris... C. Cochrane, , Richmond VA

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