My GPS

I have a little GPS I've had it all my life It’s better than the normal ones My GPS is my wife It gives me full instructions Especially how to drive "It's sixty miles an hour", it says "You're doing sixty-five" It tells me when to stop and start And when to use the brake And tells me that it's never ever Safe to overtake It tells me when a light is red And when it goes to green It seems to know instinctively Just when to intervene It lists the vehicles just in front And all those to the rear And taking this into account It specifies my gear. I'm sure no other driver Has so helpful a device For when we leave and lock the car It still giving me advice It fills me up with counselling Each journey's pretty fraught So why don't I exchange it And get a quieter sort? Ah well, you see, it cleans the house, Makes sure I'm properly fed, It washes my shirts and underwear And - keeps me warm in bed! Despite all these advantages And my tendency to scoff, I do wish that once in a while I could turn the damned thing off I showed this little ditty to my Wife and asked her if it reminded her of anyone she knew...... she just laughed

Bonsai Progression

26 - 7 - 2009

After doing a little tidying up of my Bonsai this morning I took a few photos and uploaded them to my files.

In the process I started looking back at earlier photos from the beginning of the styling.  I think that while we have a way to go yet, this one has come a long way.

I had had this tree for a while but had not done a lot with it apart from deciding on a Semi-Cascade style and potting it as such.

26-7-2009

I often find that as I look at my trees as time passes I see better designs in them and have to make adjustments in the styling.

Here it is with some wiring and bending branches into better alignment.

The tree needs to be re-potted soon and I think that a slightly bigger pot is required.

1 - 1 - 2012

My idea is to encourage the upper part (apex) of the tree to grow more and catch up to the lower branches thus forming a more rounded canopy.

Here is the same tree re-potted in a slightly larger pot three years later.

Note the increased branching although I am not exactly happy with the upper growth as yet.

29 - 1 - 2013

I am not sure what happened in the interim three years as far a photos go, I can't seem to find them on file.

I re-potted in a supposed Bonsai potting mix that I purchased from Masters but I have to say that my trees have not done well in it at all and I won't be using it again.

This photo is 12 months after the previous one and as you can see the branch growth is poor.

22 - 7 - 2-13

In full leaf and with a slight change to the potted angle, I am progressing in the direction that I want.

Leaf reduction is happening and as I increase the sub branching I will be able to reduce them even further.

This is not the final pot that this tree will live in, I am still looking for one that will suit.