Wondering what I can do in the summer?

I suffered a heart attack and bypass surgery last July and as a result of my families concern for me no one watered the trees for about 3 of the hottest and windiest days of the year. As a result of my adventure I had 16 dead trees but one surviving bonsai enthusiast. I have had some more health issues but am back ready to work on some trees. The trees in the ground are fine, 2 yews, one Alberta spruce and in pots a larch and Japanese maple salvaged from a nursery. I was wondering what if anything I can safely work on this summer safely other than minor trimming?

Well, you are a helluva lot more important than the trees! Glad you are recovering.

You can, of course, go to a local nursery or two and enjoy poking and prying throughout the trees looking for possibilities. If you find anything, you can start some work on the tops.

What do you have in the ground and how far along are they?

The yew I found at a nursery and put it in the ground a few days before I had my emergency, the deer pruned it nicely over the winter. I also got an Alberta Spruce at the time because it was 80% off. The Japanese maple is still in a pot, that and the larch I obtained in the distressed section of a nursery because they had been broken about 3 feet up the trunk. I also have a 2 yr. old aspen and several 3 yr. old hornbeams that somehow survived 3-4 days of 90 degree heat and winds last summer. All of the trees I lost were in my collection for 8 yrs. or more.

Seems to me you can at least work the tops of the trees that survived in pots. Feed them, prune off damaged foliage, do design work on the tops as new foliage comes in, etc.