SREČNO

I experienced two extremities in last few days: wild river Soča, which makes you full of respect and fear, and peaceful evening full of meditation on lake Petelinje.

V zadnjih dneh sem doživel dva ekstrema: divjo reko Sočo, ki človeka navda s strahospoštovanjem, na eni in mirnim, meditativnim večer ob Petelinjem jezeru.

And this is life: wild and inexorable, but when you understand it beautiful and peaceful. Bonsai is of course in that second part. Happy 2010!

In takšno je življenje: divje in neizprosno, a ko ga dojameš lepo in pomirjujoče. Bonsaji seveda sodijo v ta drugi del. Pa srečno 2010!

DELAVNICA

Only when I was near trees again, I did realize how much I missed bonsaism. Real bonsaism: creativity on trees. I was almost one hole month without doing it! Andrej and Jan came in Tora for workshop. Jan was working on Chamaecyparis, Andrej worked on shari on his juniper of thousand possibilities! There was smoke ...

Šele, ko sem bil spet v družbi dreves, sem ugotovil, kako zelo sem pogrešal bonsajizem. V pravem pomenu besede: ustvarjanje na drevesih. Za mano je skoraj cel mesec abstinence! Andrej in Jan sta se oglasila v Tori na delavnici. Jan se je posvetil delu na pacipresi, Andrej je ustvarjal v suhem lesu na brinu tisočerih možnosti! Kar kadilo se je ...

Meanwhile there were snow and cold outside ... I'll organize workshops in Tora even in the future. Once at month, maybe even more, depending on interest.

Med tem pa zunaj sneg in mraz ... Delavnice bom v Tori organiziral tudi v prihodnje. Predvidoma vsaj enkrat na mesec, odvisno od zanimanja.

PRILOŽNOST

There is still one free place for Saturday's workshop. If you have a proper tree and you want to styled it in a good atmosphere and under supervision of a experienced bonsaist, just give me a call at +38641241224!

Za sobotno delavnico je na voljo še eno prosto mesto. Če imate primerno drevo in bi ga radi oblikovali v prijetni družbi in pod strokovnim vodstvom, potem me pokličite na 041 241224!

SNEG

This is first snow in this winter. As from fairy tale, all puffy ... Life in heights with all four seasons is a bless.

Tu je prvi sneg v tej zimi. Ves puhast in pravljičen. Življenje v širinah z izrazitimi letnimi časi je blagoslov.

In long winter evenings I'll read a master Kunio Kobayashi's book. It is from Max's shop in Metz. Good stuff. Very good stuff.

V zimskih večerih si bom krajšal čas s knjigo mojstra Kunija Kobajašija. Je iz Maxove trgovine v Metzu. Dobra stvar. Zelo dobra stvar.

In Saturday I am planning a workshop. Three students and advanced work on trees. Candidates please confirm your participation and take care of your trees in next days - tree for workshop must not be all wet and snowy ... We'll start at 9.00 in Tora!

V soboto 19. decembra pa bo na vrsti obljubljena delavnica. Trije študenti in poglobljeno delo na drevesih. Vsi trije, ki ste se prijavili, prosim potrdite svojo udeležbo in v naslednjih dneh poskrbite za svoja drevesa - na delavnico ne smejo priti namočena, zasnežena ... Začnemo ob 9.00 v Tori!

NAZAJ

Shock of adopting to old climate zone is showing by cold I catch ... But here are my trees with their good energy. Today I was a TV star. (That I am over here) Ana Gajic is preparing a story about hobbies of TV celebrities and obvious I was interesting enough. But if she would know that bonsaizm is not only hobby for me ...

Šok prilagajanja na staro podnebje sem plačal s prehladom ... Ampak tu so spet moja drevesa, ki mi dajejo energijo. Danes sem bil TV zvezda. Kolegica Ana Gajič pripravlja prispevek o hobijih televizijcev in očitno sem se ji zdel dovolj zanimiv. Ko bi le vedela, do mi bonsajizem ne pomeni zgolj hobija ....

OGENJ IN VODA

Even if I attach a million pictures and write a million words - they would not be able to describe all feelings of that magic night ...

Če pripnem še toliko slik in napišem še toliko besed - le-te ne bodo zmogle opisati občutkov tiste čarobne noči ...

We set in silence in original morning, one of the most beautiful for us and first for a small piece of new-born land. Big Island, Hawaii, 3. December 2009.

Tiho smo obsedeli v prvobitnem jutru, za nas enem najlepših, in prvem za košček novorojene zemlje. Neponovljivo. Havaji, 3. december 2009. 

KROG

"Last Leaf has fallen,

Tree will sleep and I will dream

spring is Tomorrow."

John Yoshio Naka
March 6, 1982

"Zadnji list je padel,

drevo bo spalo in jaz sanjal:

Jutri je pomlad."

It is hard to believe, that the circle is fulfilled again. That the year is rounded again and we are smarter for a year-ring. Nevertheless we are only visitors on blue planet. Our lives are just sparks which are bright for the moment: some are brighter, the other go out unnoticed ...

Kar težko verjamem, da je krog spet sklenjen. Da je leto naokrog in smo za letnico modrejši. Ne glede na vse, smo na modrem planetu le obiskovalci. Naša življenja so zgolj iskrice, ki za trenutek zažarijo: nekatere bolj, druge ugasnejo neopazno ...

Trees are living different way. And when they are 100 yrs old they still gain their power and beauty!

Drevesa živijo drugače. In pri 100 letih še vedno pridobivajo na moči in lepoti!

P.S.: Winter is coming, but I am lucky enough - my next stop is island Hawaii in the middle of the Pacific ocean! Keep reading!

P.S.: Zima prihaja, na srečo je moj naslednji cilj otok Havaji sredi Tihega oceana! Se beremo!

CELOVČAN

This weekend we organized the last club workshop in this season. You can find a report and more pictures here. I was working on Juniperus chinensis shohin size, this tree was first time styled four years ago on workshop in Klagenfurt. Since then it developed a lot. After I repoted it in a final pot this spring, It was neglected a little. Now it is wired again; the new buds will develop and there will be a little more green mass on the clouds.  In the future I'll create some dead wood on the trunk. Height: 33 cm.

Ta konec tedna smo v Logatcu organizirali zadnjo klubsko delavnico v tej sezoni. Poročilo in več slik je tule. Delal sem na kitajskem brinu šohin velikosti, ki je svojo prvo obliko dobil pred štirimi leti na delavnici v Celovcu. Od takrat je prehodil že dolgo pot. Po spomladanski presaditvi v mislim da kar končno posodo, sem ga malce zanemaril. Zdaj je ponovno sfriziran; svetloba v krošnji bo vzpodbudila speče brste in nekoliko zgostila oblačke. Zdaj imam v načrtu le še nekaj šarija na deblu in to je to. Višina je 33 cm.

This is the whole story:

Tule je njegova zgodba:

Raw material. Material.

After first styling. Po prvi obdelavi.

First season of growing. Prva sezona rasti.

In first bonsai pot. V prvi bonsajski posodi.

Before Saturday's styling. Pred sobotnim oblikovanjem.

Actual photo. Aktualna slika.

UČENJE

Tora expand its offer lately even on door-to-door education ... Marko did take this offer and order instructor at his home.

Tora je v zadnjem času razširila svojo ponudbo tudi na izobraževanje na domu. Marko je izkoristil to ugodnost in si inštruktorja naročil na dom.

I don't remember that one of my student would learn how to wire so quick as Marko did. It was enough that I show him once and his fingers worked almost without mistakes. Man has experiences with detailed work, his hobby was making little military figures, so ... We had a great time together.

Ne spomnim se, da bi kdo izmed mojih učencev kdaj tako hitro osvojil žičenje, kot ga je Marko. Dovolj je bilo, da sem mu enkrat pokazal in razložil osnove in njegovi spretni prsti so delovali skoraj brez napak. Človek ima pač izkušnje z natančnim delom, njegov hobi je bil izdelovanje vojaških figuric in finomotorika deluje brez težav. Dobro sva se imela.

Marko working

Marko na delu

One of his knights ...

Eden od njegovih vitezov ...

Not bad for the first time!

Ni slabo za prvič!

Tomorrow there is already a new bonsai adventure - We'll organize a club workshop in Logatec. See you there!

Jutri je že na vrsti nova bonsajska dogodivščina - v Logatcu v okviru SBK organiziramo klubsko delavnico. Se vidimo!

OGNJEMET

For quite a few days I am waiting for good weather, for sunshine through clouds and for bright autumn colours on trees. I want to photograph a firework of colours which is every autumn set by Nature. Even on bonsai trees. But I am still waiting for right light; here is something just for a try: Ugly duck in bright autumn colours. If just the sun would be shining already!

Že kar nekaj dni čakam, da se vreme ustali, skozi oblake posije sonce in na drevesih zažarijo jesenske barve. S fotoapartom želim zabeležiti ognjemet barv, ki ga vsako jesen pripravi Narava. Tudi na bonsajih. Žal prave svetlobe še nisem dočakal, a tu je nekaj za pokušino: Grdi raček žari v jesenskih barvah. Ko bi le posijalo sonce!

I am waiting for right light. View from the kitchen ... V čakanju na pravo svetlobo. Pogled iz kuhinje ...

This was last year ... In še primerjava z lansko jesenjo ...

DELAVNICA

There was plan to work slowly and with enjoyment and we did it so. Joze, Miha and Roland participated at advanced workshop in Tora and we did enjoy our time together! All three of them already mastered the basic bonsai techniques and they are looking for advanced knowledge.

Načrt je bil delati počasi in z užitkom, tako je tudi bilo. Jože, Miha in Roland so se udeležili nadaljevalne delavnice v Tori in skupaj smo uživali! Vsi trije so že dodobra osvojili osnovne bonsajske tehnike in zdaj iščejo znanje na višjem nivoju.

Miha bring in nice Fagus sylvatica with a lot of character - with a lot of scars from fight for survival.

Miha je prinesel zelo zanimivo bukev, z veliko karakterja, vonja po svežini in brazgotinami ob boju za preživetje.

Miha firstly defoliated the tree; leaves are already done their work for this season so defoliation was not a problem for a tree - leaves would fall off in a week or two anyway. With defoliation the structure of the crown become visible - Miha was slowly removing veil from his princess ...

Miha je drevo najprej razlistil; listi so za to sezono svojo funkcijo tako ali tako opravili, odstranitev teden prej, kot bi odpadli sami, seveda za drevo ne predstavlja nobene težave. Z razlistenjem je postala struktura drevesa vidna - kot bi Miha počasi odstiral tančico s svoje princeske ...

A tree with such character call for non-classical design. Miha just removed some disturbing elements, wired the main brunches and set the future of this tree. With deciduous species it take time ...

Drevo s toliko karakterja seveda kliče po neklasičnem oblikovanju. Miha je z drevesa zgolj odstranil nekaj motečih elementov, ožičil glavne veje in določil prihodnost drevesa. Pri listavcih gre počasi ...

When this tree will be repoted into proper pot, get some ramification, it will be a nice bonsai!

Ko bo drevo presajeno v primerno posodo, pridobilo na razvejanosti, bo to odličen bonsaj!

Roland was working on Juniperus communis Alpina. Wide and compact crown, trunk with some movement. Not an easy task ...

Roland je delal na alpskem brinu. Razpotegnjena, potlačena in kompaktna krošnja, deblo z nekaj gibanja. Kar zahteven zalogaj ...

We analised the tree and find a solution: kengai or han-kengai. And Roland did start working!

Analiza drevesa je kmalu nakazala rešitev: kaskada ali polkaskada. In Roland se je lotil dela!

We created a nice han-kengai, still a little tousled but Roland will know how to comb it out. He proved that with his Chamaecyparis: in one season it has done a big step forward. There is still some work on deadwood but the silhuette of new nice bonsai is here. And that was meaning of the workshop!

Nastala je simpatična polkaskada, še nekoliko razkuštrana, a Roland jo bo znal počesati. To je dokazal že s pacipreso, ki je pod njegovimi rokami v eni rastni sezoni naredila ogromen napredek. Kar nekaj dela je tudi še na suhem lesu, a obrisi lepega bonsaja so tu. To je bil tudi namen delavnice!

Jože worked on Chamaecyparis. He concentrated on shari. We did not finish the tree, so we'll do that some other time.

Jože je s seboj imel pacipreso. Posvetil se je izdelovanju šarija. Za dokončanje drevesa je zmanjkalo časa, tako da ga bova dokončala ob naslednji priložnosti.

Workshop was a great success! A small group was right for detailed analises, we concentrated on all deatils that are important in bonsaism. Beauty is in details!

Delavnica je bila zadetek v polno! Majhna skupina je bila ravno pravšnja za podrobnejše analize, posvečanje podrobnostim na drevesih, ki so v bonsajizmu zelo pomembne. Lepota je v podrobnostih!

Because of great interest I'll organize such workshops even in future. One I'll organize before New Year that is for sure: if you are interested, contact me!

Zaradi velikega zanimanja bom podobne delavnice organiziral tudi v prihodnje. Eno prav gotovo še pred novim letom; če vsa zanima se oglasite!

VABILO

This time I am inviting you to a advanced workshop instead of writing about what happened to me. Advanced workshop for three students will be this Saturday, 7th of November in Tora. Because two places are already taken there is just one room for one student more. Let me know if you are interested. We'll concentrate on each tree, analyze it, we'll search for best solution and we'll shape it together. We'll start at 8.30! 

Tokrat namesto opisovanja preteklih dogodkov napovedujem in vabim: v soboto 7. novembra se na delavnici dobimo v Tori. Gre za nadaljevalni tečaj, na katerem je prostora za tri udeležence. Ker sta dve mesti že zasedeni lahko na delavnico sprejmem samo še enega. Če vas zanima, mi čim prej sporočite.
Vsakemu drevesu posebej se bomo podrobno posvetili, ga preanalizirali, poiskali njegove najboljše stvari in ga skupaj oblikovali. Začnemo ob 8.30!

JESEN

With my son Jakob we take advantage of beautiful day and we went in mountains. Larches are gold, beeches are red, the sky is blue and wide. We admired sights and enjoyed our time. And in the end we returned home with beautiful beech which enriched my collection of yamadoris. Day was fulfilled again!

Z Jakobom sva izkoristila lep dan in se odpravila v naravo. Macesni rumenijo, bukve so rdeče, nebo modro in širno. Občudovala sva razglede in uživala. In na koncu sva se domov vrnila z lepo bukvijo, ki je obogatila zbirko jamadorijev. Ponovno izpolnjen dan!

METZ

This weekend I traveled to Metz, France. Cathedral from 13th century is something special – it is a classical cathedrale with the largest glass area in Europe (and probably in the world), incredible 6500 m^2 of vitraux is extraordinary heritage. (This would be something for you Andrej!) In the mighty ship of gigantic dimesions surreal light is coming thru windows. Man can easily enter a different world by admiring this outstanding art.

Ta konec tedna sem bil v Metzu v Franciji. Katedrala iz 13. stoletja je nekaj posebnega – je klasična katedrala z največjo stekleno površino v Evropi (s tem najbrž tudi na svetu), neverjetnih 6500 m^2 vitražev je neprecenljiva dediščina. (To bi bilo nekaj zate Andrej!) V mogočni ladji gigantskih dimenzij se skozi okna preliva nadzemeljska svetloba. Človek ob občudovanju izjemne umetnine stopi v drug svet.

But my intention was to write about something else. About new bonsai friends I met here. Bonsai club de Lorraine from Metz is even the oldest bonsai club in France. In Friday afternoon I was in Max Kozak's shop. Max is selling Asian, mostly Japan art. Here you can find even a antic bonsai pots, painting scrolls, bonsai books and many other things. What a shop! On his web page http://www.sui-gallery.com/ you can see only a fragment of his offers. Max, thank you again for your hospitality.

Ampak v bistvu sem hotel pisati o nečem drugem. O novih bonsajskih prijateljih, ki sem jih tu srečal. Bonsai club de Lorraine iz Metza je celo najstarejši francoski klub. Petkovo popoldne sem preživel v trgovinici Maxa Kozaka, ki se ukvarja s prodajo azijskih, predvsem pa japonskih umetniških izdelkov. Tudi antične bonsajske posode, slikarske zvitke, bonsajske knjige in še kaj. Paša za oči! Na njegovi internetni strani http://www.sui-gallery.com/ boste za zdaj našli le drobec njegove ponudbe. Max, hvala za gostoljubje.

In Saturday morning I was a guest of Patrick Gronwald and his family. With his wife and three sons he live at a country side near Metz – he is an artist by soul and profession. But now he is more interested in bonsai (mostly shohin) then in his sculptures which you can find on his web page http://gronwald.site.voila.fr/ (still under construction). And I saw some really beautiful shohin trees. Beside that, Patrick is also making bonsai stands (some of them you can find in Max's shop) and pots. Something special are small pots from stainless still. Sorry, but this time I forget my camera, so I was helping myself with cell phone …

V soboto dopoldne pa me je v svoj krog družine sprejel Patrick Gronnwald. Z ženo in tremi sinovi živi na podeželju blizu Metza – umetnik po duši in poklicu. Zdaj ga bolj kot skulpture, ki jih najdete tudi na njegovi spletni strani http://gronwald.site.voila.fr/ (še v izgradnji), zanimajo bonsaji. Predvsem šohin velikosti. In videl sem nekaj zelo lepih primerkov. Poleg tega Patrick izdeluje tudi bonsajske podstavke (nekaj jih je tudi v Maxovi trgovini) in posode. Nekaj posebnega so posodice za spremljevalne rastline ulite iz nerjavečega jekla. Žal sem tokrat pozabil fotoaparat, tako da sem si moral pomagati s telefonom ...

Patrick is working on his Carpinus (the largest one!)

Patrick dela na gabru (največjem v zbirki!)

Wonderful shohin Acer

Čudovit shohin javor

I spent a wonderful morning with his family; Patrick tell your wife that lunch was really good!

V krogu njegove družine sem preživel čudovito dopoldne; Patrick, povej ženi, da je bilo kosilo izvrstno!

New experiences, new friendships. Bonsaism are most of all – people!

Nove izkušnje, nova prijateljstva. Bonsajizem smo tudi in predvsem ljudje!

P.S.: Yes; Krim won that mach!

P.S.: Da, Krimovke so dosegle lepo zmago!