dellac said:Rick, something about your lovely image reminds me of gooseberries. (Something else we used to have with christmas sometimes when I was a kid - gooseberry pie!)
The cactus (Coryphantha vivipara) berries are edible, and they taste very good. No sugar needed!
dellac said:Of course bonsai is a lifetime commitment! 
Maybe not as long as you think. This one is only 18-20 years old from a 2 year seedling. I had initially wired the trunk, but everything else is done by judicious pruning. None of that special bonsai mix or root pruning, either.
Larix decidua. That's a volunteer Cerastium alpinum there, too.
By the way, in my opinion Larix (especially) and Juniper for bonsai are the most hardy and forgiving species in regards to harsh conditions. (Temperature swings and forgetful watering.)
