We were there anyway

The brat and I had to go up the coast to check the progress of a house being built by Orange Helpers, we wound up running out of daylight and I won't ride Highway 1 after dark, no way no how. The little guest house we found ourselves bedded down in was full of huge trees, potted and un-potted. That evening and over breakfast we talked to the owner about the trees. He was a very nice guy, proud of his trees but, by his own admission, had no idea where to start.

We messed around a little but I promised to return and do some tinkering. Here are some pics from one days work.


Big and very overgrown a good place to start.


After a lot of drawing in the sand and a few hours of looking/working, we start to chase things back to something that looks like a tree. Son started to get the idea and was really getting into working with it. We also raised it a little and exposed more nebari as things went on. In the future there are large 'stumps' all over the tree which will need the attention of my die grinder.

BOB,,That will make a good looking tree ...you made some nice progress in what you did for a start!! trees every where over there,,you are lucky man!! what is it anyway??? take care john

Hi Bob,

I hope Mr. Son gave free accommodation Did he by any chance invite you to a drink of rice wine as well?

Best regards.

I see they like big trees in Vietnam.


Hwy 1 sounds like the Wild Wild West. Do you need an infantry platoon for security?

Viet, no we paid just like anyone else. They did let the brat use their kitchen to cook our meals and we shared one evening meal with them. I did get a few free beers. It's out in the country so the rooms are very cheap anyway.

Rob, Highway 1 is bad enough in daylight. It's the main road here and much of it is in bad shape, between Tuy Hoa and Song Cau there are potholes you could park a car in. You are sharing the road with tour buses, trucks of all sizes, local buses and cars/trucks/SUV's and motorbikes, people on foot livestock and bicycles. The buses run the road at top speed with the local buses stopping without warning to pick up customers -- everyone passes 2, 3 and 4 abreast on this 2 lane road -- they think nothing of passing 2 abreast on a turn. At night it's even worse because the drivers all use their high beams all of the time and, if they have extra lights, they turn them on too.

Adding to the fun are the people on motorbikes, they don't think it's necessary to use headlights and, if most burn out they don't replace them. They will tape or wire a little flashlight to the handlebars in some cases. So, you're driving blind and watching in the headlights for shadows of oncoming motorbikes, people, livestock and bicycles...no thanks.

The tree size is a thing of status, 'mines bigger than yours' however, it also makes them harder to steal. Even my crappy 'welcome' tree is chained to the pot, the pot is chained and bolted to the cement on the porch.

Bob

hi bob,,,,Are you going to post some of your new projects for us that are freezing soon????? take care john

Won't be anything soon John. As I mentioned in another post this has been a bad year. The long blistering hot summer followed by one of the longest-coldest-wettest monsoon seasons in a while (what happened to global warming anyway?). We have mold growing on the inside walls of the house!!! At least I don't have to water.

Bob

OK BOB,,I am sorry about your bad weather...we are haveing a bad winter also,,,snow and ice!!! when you start working a new one show us anyway....i am glad you are on this forum now lot more going on...take care john

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Another bigger tree we worked on for a little while...half a day maybe.

We spent the time difining areas of foliage, making it a tree instead of a bunch of leaves....



to actually have a decent pot would have been nice, I worked with what we had.

Bob

Bob ,,yet another big and nice tree..i guess this is ficus?? with all your pruning it looks a lot better...what is that large ball on the right,,root or a big rock??? good job so far i know pots are hard to come by...take care john