New Buds, Fattening up

There is approximately a week and a day left in January.   Deciduous trees are dormant at this time, resting. for the next growing season.   I noticed that all of our giant Oaks are still full of leaves.   The leaves are dead, but waiting for the new leaves to push the old ones out of the way.  
    I went outside to my wintering bonsai and looked at the Maple and Kotohemi.   The Maple is still sleeping.   It had been potted a year ago and there were no roots coming from the pot.  It was fine.    
     The Kotohemi, however has started to swell........    ie the new leaf buds are enlarging, getting ready to burst forth from their casing.    This tree has not been repotted in 3 years.    It's time, and I only have one week left in the window when it's safe.   
      Todays Blip is the top of the tree, above soil level.   Today is cold and rainy, but over the next few days I will have to pull the tree from it's pot, wash out all of the old, mucky soil, and repot in soil with pearlite.  This tree needs a healthy  growing season before I work much more on developing it.    I had better get my tools sharpened before the new season starts. :-))))