Your Questions About Gardening

GardenersCardiff answers:

E11 is a specific model of Bb Clarinet made by a specific company (Buffet) — the same way that an Escalade is a specific sort of automobile made by Cadillac.

Buffet clarinets are very good instruments. The quality control is exceptional and they are pretty easy to find someone to work on. The E11 isn’t the best of the Buffet models but it’s a very-very good advanced student instrument that will last most people through middle school, high school, and college (for marching band in college – not studio performance). It’s also a suitable instrument for professional sax players who need a clarinet for doubling. The tolerances of the manufacturing process are very fine and it’s actually a useable instrument for professionals who need a backup for outdoor playing or questionable venues where you don’t take a $3500+ R13.

When you look at those ads that say “approved” on them – call them and ask “approved by whom?” — there’s no approval agency for band instruments. In fact, I could put a garden hose with a clarinet mouthpiece on it on eBay and call it “approved” if I want to.

Fingerings: YES, some do indeed have a different fingering system and you’ll want to make certain that you’re buying the right one. In the USA we use the Boehm system exclusively but that’s not the case in the rest of the world.

Better sound: Some. The real difference in sound quality comes at a much higher price than an E11. Take a look at the Buffet R13 — now that’s a sound quality difference. It’s also why most professional players use an R13 or similar model instrument.

What’s the “Bb”?: In the USA we use a Bb Soprano Clarinet in school instrumental music programs. Most instruments sold as “clarinet” are in fact a Bb Soprano Clarinet. The “Bb” part simply means that the fundamental pitch of the closed/natural tube sounds a Bb when played and we all use the same thing so that we can play together and not sound bad. There are others though and they have particular uses. Orchestras use an A clarinet in addition to the Bb. Opera uses the C and D often. Many bands have a single Eb (aka “ee’fer”, a tiny clairnet) player. In some eastern and ethnic music they use a G clarinet. None of these are suitable for a band class even though some will cost far more than a standard Bb soprano. [If you’re buying for a college/university player then you might as well get used to the idea of buying a matching A Clarinet sooner or later too.]

The most common reason that a music teacher will insist on a particular model of a particular maker is to be certain everyone in the class is on equal footing and because it’s easier to get repairs made when you have a common need. There are other models by companies such as Selmer, Yamaha, Leblanc, Jupiter, etc that are equal to an E11, they just won’t cost you much (if any) less. Where you find prices lower, you also find lower specifications and quality. Requiring an E11 though is an awful high model demand for school music. I’d expect to see that as the very minimum (not suggested model) of a college/university clarinet studio or an ensemble that is performing at the highest level of high school performance such as the All-State honors ensemble. The Buffet B12 is their student/beginner model and it’s A LOT less expensive.

If you think of it in terms of tools; while you can build a birdhouse with some tools you got down at the Dollar Store; would you want to try to build a house for people to live in or work on your car’s brakes with those tools? You’d probably want some much better made for that purpose. A musical instrument is a tool too. Some are cheap pieces of garbage that nobody could ever be expected to play well on – others are massive overkill that will do things none of us will ever need to do. In the middle you find a range such as the Buffet E11 or R13.

GardenersCardiff answers:

I don’t know if it’s the “best” way, but I just went cold turkey. Woke up one morning, decided I was going to make a life change, and that was that. Never went back. Before I made the transition, I knew I wanted to be vegetarian “someday” and I knew I never LIKED meat to begin with. But I didn’t know WHEN I was going to do it or how (i.e. “cold turkey” (sort of a pun) or not), until that very morning when I just woke up and decided.

As for what you need nutrients wise & where to get it, here’s my personal complete “vegetarian” list of items to specifically look out for considering your change in diet. Forgive me, but, I gave this exact answer to someone before, and it’s so long I just copy n’ pasted instead of writing it down all over again. It’s the same information, and I think you’ll find it VERY helpful. Of course, this list will be longer if you one day decide to go vegan. =)

Zinc. You need zinc to keep your immune system in optimal shape, heal wounds and metabolize carbs, proteins and fats. Vegetarian sources include legumes (beans and lentils), whole grains, nuts, seeds, soy, dairy, and fortified foods. Try Vegetarian Chili for a super-easy (microwave!) way to pull together a meal rich in zinc-containing foods.

Iron. Not getting enough can leave you weak, pale, and easily tired. Vegetarian sources include fortified cereals and grain foods, legumes, soy, dried fruit, and green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach. This Lentil Spinach Soup would be a great pick because it contains both lentils and spinach. (Omit the chicken, obviously, to keep it vegetarian!)

Vitamin B12. Besides meat, the only good sources of naturally occuring B12 are dairy and eggs. Vegans should take a supplement or use fortified foods like soymilk. A Breakfast Burrito or Garden Omelet (both of which have eggs and cheese) would help you get B12, and both take less than 10 minutes to make. Bear in mind though, that 91% of the B12 in eggs is in the yolk, so use whole eggs instead of whites.

Vitamin D. Implicated in preventing chronic diseases from cancer to cardiovascular disease. Vitamin D is also needed for bone health, regulation of the inflammatory response, and absorption of dietary calcium. You may know that you can synthesize vitamin D in your skin with exposure to sunlight. You can also get D from a vegetarian diet by choosing milk and dairy foods fortified with vitamin D. In light the of recent research though, it appears that higher levels of vitamin D than the RDA are beneficial, so this one instance in which I recommend taking a supplement of 400-1000 IU.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin). Involved in the reactions necessary to utilize carbohydrates, fat, and protiens for energy. Good sources include mushrooms, spinach, romaine, broccoli, eggs, soy and dairy foods. Why not throw together a vegetable-rich stir fry with tofu or tempeh on a weeknight? You’d get lots of different B12 sources there from the vegetables and the soy.

Calcium. Choosing 3 dairy foods a day will provide enough calcium for an average adult, or you can substitute non-dairy equivalents like soymilk, soy yogurt. (But check that nondairy foods have added calcium, because some don’t.) Some quick ideas for meeting calcium needs include smoothies, yogurt with nuts, fruit or flaxseeds stirred in, or a dairy dessert like Riccotta Cream or instant pudding. You can also use milk in tomato soup to bump up the nutrient content of an instant meal, like this Creamy Tomato Soup.

Protein. Our body nerves, tissues, bones all are made up of proteins. So proteins become very necessary for them to grow and repair. Another function of protein is that it produces antibodies which fight with the bacteria, viruses, toxins and many foreign substances that are harmful for the body. Moreover when you are injected by cold, flu etc. It helps in the cellular healing process. The best sources of protein are chick peas, baked beans, tofu, cow’s milk, lentils, soya milk, museli, boiled eggs, peanuts, bread, and hard cheese.

Omega 3 fatty acids. There are many functions of omega 3, some of which are: increasing energy and performance, easing PMS, lowering risk for cardiovascular disease, aiding in weight reduction, strengthening the immune system, regulating organs and glands, speeding up the healing process, improving digesting and lessening the chance of infection. Omega 3 fatty acids can be obtained by eating flaxseed, omega-3 fortified eggs, omega-3 fortified butter, omega-3 fortified cheese, walnuts, various leafy greens, and flaxseed oils.

GardenersCardiff answers:

Anything sells good as long as you have yard sale prices. Kitchen items sell good for me. Clothes sell best when I sell them so many pieces for a set price no matter what pieces they pick. Jewelry sells good if you display it nicely. Go through closets, bathroom cabinets and under beds. You may even find stuff in your attic. Toiletries from your bathroom sell best when bagged in ziploc bags as sets.

Okay, we all know that women stop at yard sales. How do we draw in the male customers? Easy!! Make a “Man” table and display it in the front where it can easily be seen from the road. Put things on it like tools, tackle boxes, ice chest, fishing stuff, car stuff, golf stuff, video games (real good one!), old radios, outside tools or gardening related stuff and anything else that draws the interest of men. I do this at my sales and a lot of men stop just to look at the man table. I also advertise it on a local yard sale site. Search the internet to see if you have a local yard sale site. Rather you advertise on the internet or in the newspaper, make sure you include that there will be a man table just for the guys.

Don’t forget to have an ice chest of cold drinks to sell. Also use fans aimed at the loot to keep everyone cool. The more comfortable your customers are the longer they will stay. Display everything as nicely as possible so that it doesn’t look like junk from the road, or up close. Use sheets for table clothes and price everything. There is nothing more intimidating than to go to a yard sale and have to ask what everything costs. It tends to make your customers uncomfortable and obligated to buy something. Last but not least, don’t forget bags, newspaper and boxes for packing up the purchases. Good Luck!

Note: This is not joke, I made $1500.00 at my last yard sale. It ran from Friday to Sunday. Sunday was slow but it was worth it.