I try to be honest, sometimes to my own regrets, in revealing my short comings in a process of designing a tree.  I have not had any formal training and I am constantly trying to learn and look at different ideas with new eyes as often as possible.  During this last couple of years I have not only been looking at all of my trees, many I have had for many years, but becoming aware of their flaws.  I have not been happy with what I have seen.

I have noticed on the INTERNET that when a lot of people come to that point in the road they seem to do one of two things.  One is to get rid of all their old trees and two; buy a bunch of expensive Pre-bonsai or Yamadori trees.  Not having that option and living on a fixed income, I have found it more expedient to look all all of my old trees as opportunities for advancement with my own pre-bonsai.  Consequently all of my old stuff, even if they had won awards previously, are not beyond my attempts to redesign them into what I feel are better bonsai.  And so now, I post trees that are older than most but, as new bonsai.  In many cases the trees are not even recognizable as what they once were.