Well, today is quite Hot here in SC, I guess summer is here now. I was just
down at my local bonsai shop chatting a bit with the host of the Green Island
Ficus Contest. I was quite amazed to hear the turn out of people who
submitted final photos in the contest. In fact "there is only one other
person from IBC who submitted and also only one from Florida." This really
surprised me since it was a Ficus contest, thought there might be a lil more
show up from Florida. I only wonder who this one from Florida is. Mr.
Lewis is it you the lone one from that sate? But anyway I guess I will have
to get back out in the heat to work for a while before my real job.. Just
thought I would drop a note on the contest since its been officially closed
as of
May 1.

Derek Zieminski
Summerville, SC
Zone 8A

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Well, today is quite Hot here in SC, I guess summer is here
now. I was just
down at my local bonsai shop chatting a bit with the host of
the Green Island
Ficus Contest. I was quite amazed to hear the turn out of
people who
submitted final photos in the contest. In fact "there is only
one other
person from IBC who submitted and also only one from Florida."
This really
surprised me since it was a Ficus contest, thought there might
be a lil more
show up from Florida. I only wonder who this one from Florida
is. Mr.
Lewis is it you the lone one from that sate?

Not me. I don't own a Ficus -- from any island.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Hi, Derek.

I'm not surprised that the official and final entries dwindled.

For some, the tree was not easily found. (although it didn't take much work)

The requirement to have not sold a tree (was it in the last 3 years?) is
tougher than it looks. As I, a relative beginner, have found as I transition
from the "gotta have one of those" stage to the "where can I find a home for
that?" stage, that requirement costs money! I suspect that many of us have
club auctions where the material is either donated, and solf for the club's
benefit, or sold for the owner, with a hefty commission to the club. My
interest in the contest cost me some (not too much) money, as I was a
donater, rather than a seller.

Now, let's get to the tree. Suppose you found a nice one to work on. What
are the chances that it might lead you to feel you had produced something
nice? That 7 months later it might have developed as you wished? That you
remembered to make note of the (very reasonable) deadlines? Yes, we were
reminded, but ther'es the matter of getting arount to it, where "it" is
photographing, etc.

Okay. Now we have a tree, and maybe we spent as much as $30 for it alone.
Now we have to find a pot for $9.95. There are LOTs for $10. Darn near none
for $9.95 or less that will work. Sure, we all have old pots that could be
used, but we can't prove the cost. Actually, I found the pot hunt quite an
education in itself. I solved the price problem by buying a nest of 3
chinese pots for $30 and using the smallest, which HAD to have cost less
than $9.95. Unfortunately, an overzealous tweak on my part, and the tree was
out of the running!

All of these factors may have led to (I surmise), a disappointing number of
entries. I am genuinely sorry to hear that, as I felt the whole procedure
was a great opportunity to have fun and learn.

I also had hoped that this would work as a way to stimulate interest among
the IBC community.

I enjoyed the challenge, although I thought that the playing field might
have been a little more level if we had a northern summer to help things
along, but I'm not complaining!

Thanks, Ron.

Bart

----- Original Message -----
From: "Derek Zieminski"
To:
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2003 3:17 PM
Subject: [IBC] Green Island Contest


Well, today is quite Hot here in SC, I guess summer is here now. I was
just
down at my local bonsai shop chatting a bit with the host of the Green
Island
Ficus Contest. I was quite amazed to hear the turn out of people who
submitted final photos in the contest. In fact "there is only one other
person from IBC who submitted and also only one from Florida." This
really
surprised me since it was a Ficus contest, thought there might be a lil
more
show up from Florida. I only wonder who this one from Florida is. Mr.
Lewis is it you the lone one from that sate? But anyway I guess I will
have
to get back out in the heat to work for a while before my real job.. Just
thought I would drop a note on the contest since its been officially
closed
as of
May 1.

Derek Zieminski
Summerville, SC
Zone 8A


************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++