Sci Friday # 97: Visual Inspiration
Images that inspired me
I loved Japanese festivals. So much energy and joy.
But they were also opportunities for Japanese folks to show off their hobbies.
Well, I was cruising through a festival on base where a lot of bonsai practitioners had their work on display.
This one really grabbed my eye.
What?
The most common bonsai trees are pines. They have the toughness to take the bending and trimming that the art applies to them. And, boy, do they get the wringer. Wires, cutting, roots restrained in tiny pots.
Why?
Why do I like bonsai trees? They remind me of the giant trees you might run into on some windswept coastline.
They also bring a part of that wildness into your house. Not that you’d keep them inside long. They need sunshine, wind, and other bits of God’s blessing to, if not grow, flourish.
Also, they look like something out of the sumi-e, Japanese ink paintings, or ukiyo-e, woodblock prints, and the video game I’ve played off and on this year, Where Winds Meet. It’s a wuxia role playing game, think kung fu with magic like you see in The Forbidden Kingdom movie with Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Some of the techniques are pretty cool.
Readers questions: What are your favorite hobbies? What hobby would you take up if money was no object?
I wish I had the talent and time to raise bonsai, but instead of a green thumb, I have a “withering black” one. 🤷♂️
Hope all y’all had a great week. Enjoy the weekend. 👋