As you know my daughter Amy was airlifted to hospital by helicopter in Kathmandu and after speaking to her on Christmas day, she promptly disappeared so to speak for 8 worrying days. So I have been a little preoccupied as you can imagine and not really in the mood to do much, although you have too do something if only to occupy the mind.
2012 has been and gone and 2013 has started as 2012 ended with rain and more rain.
So imagine my surprise last night when we got some of the white stuff.
I came out of the cinema just after 10.00 pm after seeing 'Les Miserables' to see the car park covered in the fluffy white stuff and it was hammering down. It looked like it was going to be 'Miserable' all the way home too as the roads, as you can imagine, were dire. Oh and I recommend the film, but take plenty of tissues!
Freezing cold here this morning and still snowing as I look out of the kitchen window. As the kettle was boiling a pair of Buzzards were circling overhead on a thermal from my hot porridge.
I have to stock up on calor gas today for the fire in the studio, as I have emptied two 15kg bottles in the last two weeks. I am not a great fan of dewiring trees but it's all part of the game and I have been quite busy in the studio on that front despite the cold and wet. I have quite a bit of sand blasting and carving in the pipeline, but as all my equipment is in the old barn. The damp air conditions make it a stop and start affair.
I also managed to get time to do a little bit more on the Scots Pine I started. Remember this one?
Now your probably wondering why I did not finish the Scots before doing the dewiring. Well it's quite simple. If a tree needs the wire removed it should be done and not left. However the styling can be finished anytime. So it's down to priority!
Also I can dewire with my eyes shut and without too much thought and as my head has been some place else recently (Kathmandu), the dewiring option was the easiest. Also I prefer not to style trees if I am not focused. And if I am honest, my heart has not been in it recently.
I have a lot of re potting to do this year and I am looking forward to that. I find re potting and also wiring very relaxing and it gives me time to re acquaint myself with the trees and give them a look over. I just need to stock up on pumice first as stocks are a little low and I will need some for clients and students who are also re potting. Luckily I have two pallets of pumice coming just after the Noelanders Trophy which you should all know by now is this weekend.
I have to pick up my hire van on Thursday ready for the off early Friday morning. This time I will be going by ferry as the people who run Eurotunnel have whacked up the prices for big vans for 2013. There is no way I am paying over £400 for a crossing.
On the bright side I will be coming back with nearly 50 new yamadori trees and there are a couple I might be tempted to keep. I will also have myself a good stock of copper wire so I will be able to do some work on the new projects I am working on for myself. I have hated using aluminium wire on the trees I have styled recently.
I hope to get some photo's of the exhibition which I will post probably on Monday next week and of course I will post a few images of some of the new trees. Like this Mugo Pine..............
I am really looking forward to catching up with old friends and making some new ones. I have two super Japanese trees to deliver as well so I will have some money burning a hole in my pocket. Who knows what I will return with.
For any of you out and about travelling over the next few days, remember if you get stuck in bad weather conditions. Don't eat the yellow snow!
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