That's right. Bonsai.

I'm not sure what got me in to the idea of caring for bonsai. I've always thought they looked cool, as I'm sure some of you do as well, but figured they were for retirees with too much time and not enough hobbies.

Oddly enough, I think it all started with me watching Hot Fuzz. In the movie Simon Pegg mentions that his beloved Peace Lily helps oxygenate the room and helps him think. I looked around my room and thought "Huh. Apart from the bacteria growing in those half-drunk cans of coke, I'm the only living thing in here." Thus I went to a local nursery and picked up a peace lily. I figured I'd probably end up killing it pretty quickly, but the thing absolutely thrived. Unfortunately when I moved house I took it with me, and a wallaby ate it. I went on with my life plantless for quite a while.

 That is until Flower came out! Flower seemed to rekindle that desire to have living things around me. I suddenly felt sad at the lack of greenery around my room and around my city, so I decided to pop out and buy another peace lily. Unfortunately nowhere I went seemed to have any. It was one one of these trips to a nursery that I discovered a little enclosure with bamboo tables covered in young bonsai. There were also some pretty awesome midi versions of songs by The Beatles playing from a speaker nearby. I did a bit of research of which type of Bonsai would grow indoors and could take a lot of mistreating, and picked up a Banyan Fig. I later discovered it's pretty much the most popular tree to train as a bonsai, for the exact reasons I wanted it. It's been hanging out with me at work for the last year and a half. Hasn't changed much size-wise, but I've managed to reduce the leaf size a fair bit.

Love them bonsai!  :-)

And if you're looking for relaxing activities, have you ever considered playing the yidaki aka didgeridoo?

The vibration is great for your sinuses, and the circular breathing has a yogic quality that really mellows you out. In warmer weather, I like to play at night by a fire pit on a corner of the property. (I live in the mountains.)

The best I do is cacti.

Bonsai actually don't take a whole lot of effort to care for compared to your garden variety houseplants.  However, take note:
DO NOT leave them in the sun too much.  They WILL dry out and feel like a porcupine and then die.  :(

I had an awesome one, that my aunt let die when I asked her to take care of it over summer break. Never tried after that.

" Love them bonsai!  :-)And if you're looking for relaxing activities, have you ever considered playing the yidaki aka didgeridoo? The vibration is great for your sinuses, and the circular breathing has a yogic quality that really mellows you out. In warmer weather, I like to play at night by a fire pit on a corner of the property. (I live in the mountains.) "

" Bonsai actually don't take a whole lot of effort to care for compared to your garden variety houseplants.  However, take note: DO NOT leave them in the sun too much.  They WILL dry out and feel like a porcupine and then die.  :( "

" If you took a bonsai and planted it ouside in the ground would it grow into a full size tree? "

I've had 2, and both died horrible and tragic deaths. One was flooded when I asked my brother to take care of it for a few days. The other was decimated by spider mites.

Interesting.

I have no idea where there could be a place in St. Louis that sells Bonsais.

"Unfortunately when I moved house I took it with me, and a wallaby ate it."

I didn't know Ralph Macchio had a GB account.

"Unfortunately when I moved house I took it with me, and a wallaby ate it."

Wow, never knew they could grow into big trees. I've always wanted one, ever since I found out about them. Check out bonsai barber, you might like it.