The New Year in Japan

In Japan, the New Year is ushered nicely into place with a grand three day cleaning fest, in the first three days of January. This is quite a bit more involved than the usual house cleaning, it is more like a very early spring cleaning where you get way into the closets, the cupboards… and if you’re in a bonsai nursery, it’s lifting and cleaning underneath everything that has not seen light for a while. Basically, it’s exhausting.

In tribute to this, I did a day and a half (small place, I figured I could get away with half the time…) of tidying and cleaning. 

Otherwise, Crataegus Bonsai is getting it’s first greenhouse. A rather simple hoop style house but with some added features that inevitably have added work. It’s been raining canines and felines, and the site I chose to put the greenhouse has a slight slope. So I’m slipping around out there with a fair amount of air and ground time included in the construction day. A big mud pie. Five pounds of mud on each boot, at least. Waving metal sticks in the air while trying to stay upright, I had some sympathy for those in the battle of Agincourt. Only, I doubt the French had the benefit of a shower afterwards.

Happy New Year, everyone, and best wishes for the new decade—-

Michael