World Bonsai Day.......

Today was the first time since covid hit in 2020 that the Nursery was open to the public, and we celebrated World Bonsai Day.    it  also was Customer AppreciationDay and Luncheon with guest speakers,  . (It was canceled last year).
       There were about 100 people who were there this year (down from the 300 in attendance 3 years ago.  The Bonsai family will get going again as  the numbers keep dropping in Florida, the number of vaccinations grew up, and people get over their fear from Covid  last year.
      Top Photo:  The new benches with many older, well established bonsai trees.

Middle Photo:   People gathering around tables with lunch prepared:  Pulled Pork sandwiches,  Hot Dogs,  Ham and Tuna sandwiches, cole slaw, potato salad, all sorts of chips, baked beans, deviled eggs, several deserts, fresh fruit,  lemon ade,  sodas, Peach tea, water.....   It was a fabulous feast  for some very hungry people!
Last Photo: This years theme was "The Art in Bonsai."   The speakers were relating art principles of symmetry, balance,  taper, aesthetics.   One of the speakers was also a painter and discussed the principals of painting and the tree subject in a pot.   He also  auctioned off a painting of a favorite tree during the raffles.
     All of the proceeds of the raffles, tree sales, donations, etc were given to Marion Hospice House in memory of Linda VanBuskirk, who died of lung cancer last March.  Her husband, David, is keeping the Nursery working and open for bonsai enthusiasts, like me!