.....for the welcome and for the information, both in the NG
and e-mails. I
saved your info for reference and appreciate all the input.

Jim, Andy, Carl, Nina, and Jeff, and those who e-mailed, here
is my
decision. I do not know enough to purchase a tree now.

So, don't. Head down to the nearest nursery (or Home Depot,
Lowes, Wal-Mart, etc. garden center) and buy a woody plant -- a
juniper, or a holly (Yaupon is best), or a boxwood, or a privet.
And while you're there, check their publications rack -- where
they sell those little books from Ortho or Sunset or Southern
Living, etc. and see if they don't have Sunset's "Bonsai." If
they do, buy it. If they don't have it, find someone and have
them order it.

Take plants and book home and follow the instructions in the book
and BUILD YOUR OWN BONSAI. That is a heckuva lot more satisfying
than going out and buying someone else's bonsai, then just
watering it. That's kinda like reading about sex. (Or beer. ;-)

www.borders.com is a pretty good source for finding bonsai books,
too. Also www.abebooks.com for used books (which will have the
Sunset book, too. But don't buy the first edition! The second
or third (I think there's a fourth out now) are worthwhile.)

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - "People,
when Columbus discovered this country, it was plum full of nuts
and berries. And I'm right here to tell you the berries are just
about all gone." -- Uncle Dave Macon, old-time musician

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