A Collected Pine, I Believe it's a White Pine

by James Kenney
(Easley, South Carolina)

After moving from good ole New York to South Carolina, I first went into culture shock. I'm blown away by the difference beween the two states. In NY everyone lives on top of each other and a one family house sitting on a lot measuring 60 ft by 25 ft (sometimes smaller) can run $300,000 and up.

Moving to SC was like a dream come true. I purchased a one family house that sits on 3/4 acre. WOW breathing room!!

The first thing that blew my mind were the trees. I mean trees all over the place. Wow, it's funny though in my so called city here in SC there is NO BONSAI CLUB. BOO HOO HOO So at this point in my life I've been trying to start one, but getting no response to my newspaper ads.

I'm trying to fine people in the surrounding neighborhoods who are interested in the hobby of bonsai.

I fell in love with bonsai when I first visited the NY Botanical Gardens ... one of the only places in NY where you can make believe you are somwhere else. I saw before me in the greenshouse a 350 year old maple, in a pot no less. I was astounded to say the least. That same day when I got back home, where I lived with my parents, in wonderful Queens, NY, I began hunting for trees in the local parks.

I started my very own bonsai collection with whatever I could find. I also searched the plant shops and even vacant lots. I soon had some immature sticks stuck in pots, laying around in my parents backyard. Over the years I bought some books and went to the library to gather all the info I could.

My submitted pic is a collected pie from my backyard, here in lovely SC. Enjoy.