BONZAI!!!! 30.30.30

New addition last year. Unlike the others that
I raised from seedlings, this one was a salvaged
mutilated maple
that was treated as a weed before I found it.

 Since 2008 I have been growing my own indigenous bonzai trees. Because they are from saplings found here, with proper care, they can be left outside year round. 

30.30.30 today was about the "proper care" portion of that. It seems that my Thirty Minutes of Drawing has evolved into thirty minutes of "intentional me time". Which, under the circumstances, seems warranted. When your hobby becomes your job, you need a new hobby.

Bonzai Garden Summer 2013 (top view)

Bonzai Garden Summer 2013 (front view)

The roots of the bonzais are quite fragile. Every fall they must be trimmed. Before the ground freezes they must be covered with sufficient soil and mulch to protect them from the hardships of winter. This has been an exceptionally harsh winter. I am interested to find if they have all survived. The little oak seems to be struggling. The older/larger maples in the back have new buds on them already and will have to be covered tonight before it drops back down to 18 degrees.                       Eventually, I plan to raise them up into a more visible and easily-accessible bed. This will take a little research. It has to be a container that will still keep the roots warm enough in winter. The current location keeps them sheltered from the elements.