I think that's a big club, I'm also a member.
Bonsai off season / side hobbies ?
- Thread starter Shogun610
- Start date
I used to do a lot of crewel (fancy needlework) but it's hard on the eyes and I kind of lost my patience to do it. I love to cook. I mostly grill all summer, so in the winter I get a bit more imaginative. I'm a voracious reader. I wish I could say I was a skydiver or a secret spy or something more interesting.
Vincent Tanner
Shohin
I’m the President of the Bonsai Society of Hartford, and even in winter we’re hosting events and having board meetings for planning, so I have some bonsai all year round. (On top of normal winter watering and shuffling trees in and out of wintering areas.) I tend to do too much pot shopping in winter while I’m bored and dreaming of bonsai.
Outside of bonsai, I’ve been a competitive powerlifter for almost 15 years. I train with a crew who meets four days a week. I’ve traveled the country lifting in meets, coaching others, and being an official referee for different organizations.
My whole life I’ve played Magic cards, although I’m not in as deep as I once was. I mostly sold out all the expensive stuff and long gone are the days of tournaments.
I play a lot of video games. Most times it’s stuff like Halo and Call of Duty, but I’ve put a lot of hours into other stuff like RDR2 and Elden Ring.
I also play a ton of chess. I’ve been in different chess clubs and played in tournaments since high school.
And finally, my longest running hobby would be close up magic and sleight of hand. I’ve been practicing and performing magic since I was 12 or 13. There’s been times where I did paid performances but nowadays it’s more just a personal hobby.
I guess I enjoy quirky hobbies that take 20 years to get any good at.
Outside of bonsai, I’ve been a competitive powerlifter for almost 15 years. I train with a crew who meets four days a week. I’ve traveled the country lifting in meets, coaching others, and being an official referee for different organizations.
My whole life I’ve played Magic cards, although I’m not in as deep as I once was. I mostly sold out all the expensive stuff and long gone are the days of tournaments.
I play a lot of video games. Most times it’s stuff like Halo and Call of Duty, but I’ve put a lot of hours into other stuff like RDR2 and Elden Ring.
I also play a ton of chess. I’ve been in different chess clubs and played in tournaments since high school.
And finally, my longest running hobby would be close up magic and sleight of hand. I’ve been practicing and performing magic since I was 12 or 13. There’s been times where I did paid performances but nowadays it’s more just a personal hobby.
I guess I enjoy quirky hobbies that take 20 years to get any good at.
Shogun610
Masterpiece
Haha yeah but you have your art , and your pots, printing and I’m sure lots more that you enjoy with them ! That’s the whole joy tooI have kids, what hobbies…
Thetradingtree
Sapling
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I have not. They are soo cheap already. I do print alot of stands. I found a really nice red mahogany wood based filiment. Still fine tuning the temp and speed.
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Shogun610
Masterpiece
Yes every weekend I work at Kifu bonsai when I don’t have family or friend obligations .. I do enjoy changing it up sometimes and winter gives me a brief break outside of prepping for repots but I bought 5 bags of each substrate last year so I’m way ahead of the game
Shogun610
Masterpiece
Congratulations to you and your family
ChristianDGreat
Shohin
GOLF and Bonsai is the best combo.
Mike Westervelt
Chumono
Bonsai has been my longest hobby, going on 40+ years
Also love hiking, cycling (both mtn. and regular) skiing, mostly cross country some downhill, lifelong bird watcher. Did some mountaineering and rock climbing when younger. Sailing, brother has a Jeanneau 36i.
Wine collecting, usually have 200+ bottles in our cellar, homebrewing, cooking, eating, drinking, growing edible things. Obsessed with tools, Japanese knives, vintage Stanley planes
Traveling a bunch since we retired 3 years ago, I'm genealogy nerd (family came to America in 1664) have a fondness for my cars, a 70-1/2 Z28 Rally Sport, 1972 Triumph TR6, 1966 Volvo 122S, 1968 Chevrolet C20 pickup.
Also love hiking, cycling (both mtn. and regular) skiing, mostly cross country some downhill, lifelong bird watcher. Did some mountaineering and rock climbing when younger. Sailing, brother has a Jeanneau 36i.
Wine collecting, usually have 200+ bottles in our cellar, homebrewing, cooking, eating, drinking, growing edible things. Obsessed with tools, Japanese knives, vintage Stanley planes
Traveling a bunch since we retired 3 years ago, I'm genealogy nerd (family came to America in 1664) have a fondness for my cars, a 70-1/2 Z28 Rally Sport, 1972 Triumph TR6, 1966 Volvo 122S, 1968 Chevrolet C20 pickup.
PerryB
Shohin
I've been playing piano for 67 years and I'm still discovering new challenging pieces I want to learn. Also, I teach piano with 4 young students currently, which is lots of fun.
I bake sourdough bread once a week and give one loaf away; I also bake a lot of fancy desserts. And I love to cook, generally.
I'm in a neighborhood book club and bridge club. I lift heavy weights at the gym 3 times per week and try to get in at least one yoga session per week.
Then there's the greenhouse with several tropical bonsai trees, a few orchids, several tropical trees and citrus. I'm an active vegetable and flower gardener, so right now I'm salivating over the just-delivered seed catalogs so that I can start germinating some things next month.
Finally, my husband is disabled, so there's lots of caregiving for him...AND there's a big standard poodle who is too smart and needs lots of exercise so we go on long walks/runs twice a day.
I bake sourdough bread once a week and give one loaf away; I also bake a lot of fancy desserts. And I love to cook, generally.
I'm in a neighborhood book club and bridge club. I lift heavy weights at the gym 3 times per week and try to get in at least one yoga session per week.
Then there's the greenhouse with several tropical bonsai trees, a few orchids, several tropical trees and citrus. I'm an active vegetable and flower gardener, so right now I'm salivating over the just-delivered seed catalogs so that I can start germinating some things next month.
Finally, my husband is disabled, so there's lots of caregiving for him...AND there's a big standard poodle who is too smart and needs lots of exercise so we go on long walks/runs twice a day.
gooeytek
Shohin
Not really off-season, but I work on my car (drag and roadcourse) and truck (outer beach 4x4), shoot pool with a couple of leagues, cook, attend small concerts, and recently have been going to the observatory (Custer Institute) on Saturdays. Also walking the beach and doing cleanup whenever possible.
WIlliam_Butler_Yeets
Mame
Maybe not so much "off season" as it is year round, but as far as other plants are concerned, I also keep some carnivorous plants (mostly nepenthes) and orchids indoors. Currently my spare bedroom has a giant potted pineapple spending the winter indoors also.
For non-plant things, I do a lot of birdwatching. Nothing better than getting in the car before sunrise on a warm summer morning and driving up to the mountains or out to the coast chasing after a rare bird (though any season is nice). But it's equally pleasurable to take a nice walk in a park and pick out all the different species either flitting around or calling from the trees. I also like hiking and landscape photography and good book.
For non-plant things, I do a lot of birdwatching. Nothing better than getting in the car before sunrise on a warm summer morning and driving up to the mountains or out to the coast chasing after a rare bird (though any season is nice). But it's equally pleasurable to take a nice walk in a park and pick out all the different species either flitting around or calling from the trees. I also like hiking and landscape photography and good book.
equaloil4710
Seedling
I do astrophotography. The long cold winter nights are prefect to setup a telescope and take pictures of the sky.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Reading through this thread, seems there are different definitions of "off season".
I'd consider winter to be off season as most of the. trees are sleeping in the coldframe or if tropical, in the basement. Even with those, they generally have lower growth rates in winter so dont need much other than an occasional trim.. Winter isnt completely off season though since wiring trees and minor pruning can happen until March.
I'd also consider July and August as "off season". Other than early July repotting of those tropicals, it's too hot for most bonsai work.
So that said, my other hobbies include fishing which is partly in bonsai work seasons and July/August.
My dogs are a year round effort. I won't say hobby as I consider them family.
I also play video games, mostly mmos and I do that year round.
Winter, I consider to be rest time but I wonder if there really is any down time. I'm super busy May-Oct at work. Add the tree/boat stuff April and October, with some tree work starting in March and extending into November through January but at a more leisurely pace than frantic Spring repotting.
Spring tends to be nuts. April-May, spring repotting, plus getting the boat ready for spring launching at the same time. Likewise fall gets more intense as well with the start of fall tree work and getting the boat out of the water, winterized and put away. I often have to look at the weather and decide if a task absolutely needs to get done this weekend because the weather is most conducive for that task. Example: running the boat across the bay to get hauled in the fall because it's going to be a really nice, calm day to do that and the tide is right and I can't guarantee it will be ok the next week or the week after that.
I'd consider winter to be off season as most of the. trees are sleeping in the coldframe or if tropical, in the basement. Even with those, they generally have lower growth rates in winter so dont need much other than an occasional trim.. Winter isnt completely off season though since wiring trees and minor pruning can happen until March.
I'd also consider July and August as "off season". Other than early July repotting of those tropicals, it's too hot for most bonsai work.
So that said, my other hobbies include fishing which is partly in bonsai work seasons and July/August.
My dogs are a year round effort. I won't say hobby as I consider them family.
I also play video games, mostly mmos and I do that year round.
Winter, I consider to be rest time but I wonder if there really is any down time. I'm super busy May-Oct at work. Add the tree/boat stuff April and October, with some tree work starting in March and extending into November through January but at a more leisurely pace than frantic Spring repotting.
Spring tends to be nuts. April-May, spring repotting, plus getting the boat ready for spring launching at the same time. Likewise fall gets more intense as well with the start of fall tree work and getting the boat out of the water, winterized and put away. I often have to look at the weather and decide if a task absolutely needs to get done this weekend because the weather is most conducive for that task. Example: running the boat across the bay to get hauled in the fall because it's going to be a really nice, calm day to do that and the tide is right and I can't guarantee it will be ok the next week or the week after that.
MalsRFun in TN
Seedling
Owned by two Belgian Malinois. Enough said!
But I am also a novelist and painter year round.
But I am also a novelist and painter year round.
shohin_branches
Chumono
OMG I have been searching for a gargoyle that kinda looks like my dog (I saw one during a garden tour) and have been toying with the idea of carving something out of wood and then making a form to cast my own.
Is there anything you can't do?
Zac
Mame
Besides getting started in bonsai I do photography with old 35mm film SLR camera but getting hard to find film so will probably have to buy a digital one. I fix appliances and lawn and garden equipment. I do wood working and fix up my old house. I'm also learning how to work on my old truck.
I love to read, and I started bonsai after I suffered a major injury running, and couldn't pursuit my other huge passion, ultra running, any more, although I'm slowly recovering and feel I still have some big races in me. I'm also the Deputy Chief Fire Officer at my local volunteer fire brigade, something what I'm very passionate about and which takes up a lot of my spare time.
shohin_branches
Chumono
I have a lot of houseplants and carnivorous plants to keep me busy when I'm not working or volunteering for the bonsai club.
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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I left all my temperate and tropical pitcher plants in GA when I moved north
