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November 11, 2021
The Air Flute
by Joey Bokor
by Joey Bokor
You would think that you'd need to play a musical instrument to join the marching band, but that is actually not the case. I was in the band at Hillsborough High School from day one. I had switched at some point from piano to trombone as one of my instruments, and it was a given that I would join the Big Red marching band. Kim on the other hand had never touched a musical instrument in her life, but at some point, when she realized that her friends and boyfriend were going on fun trips to places like Gatlinburg, she decided to give it a try.
She started playing flute. She enrolled in some lessons and got all the music for our school's fight song, the alma mater, and the half-time show. She was ready to go. Except, I don't think she really was. Some of us learned our music, knew every note, and were ready to toot away on the field. I'll leave it to Kim to tell you whether she learned her parts or not.
The funniest part of this is that one day in practice we were drilling the half-time show, making sure that we had the music and moves in sync. I was one of the drum majors at this point, and the band director and I were walking the field checking for mistakes when he yelled out 'Kerby, your notes are flat.' and then moved on to the clarinets.
I laughed because I was in on a little secret. Kim hadn't played a note at that rehearsal, possibly not all year. Sure, she'd learned a few basic scales in her lessons, but on a football field with 150 other instruments, it didn't really matter what a little flute did. She was just holding her flute in playing position and marching, but no sound was coming out.
The next year, Kim got wiser, realizing that you could still go on the band trips (and hang out with your boyfriend, the drum major) if you were on the Dancerette team, so she finished out her time in high school in the dance squad and put her air flute away. For a while though, she had everyone fooled. If there were competitions for air flute like there are for air guitar, she would win every time.
Today, on Veterans Day, we are especially thankful to all veterans. Without your service, we wouldn't have the freedom to enjoy our gardens. If you are a veteran or active military and you want to get out in your garden this weekend, let our cashiers know at checkout and we'll give you 20% off of your entire purchase (through 11/14/21). Thank you for your service!
She started playing flute. She enrolled in some lessons and got all the music for our school's fight song, the alma mater, and the half-time show. She was ready to go. Except, I don't think she really was. Some of us learned our music, knew every note, and were ready to toot away on the field. I'll leave it to Kim to tell you whether she learned her parts or not.
The funniest part of this is that one day in practice we were drilling the half-time show, making sure that we had the music and moves in sync. I was one of the drum majors at this point, and the band director and I were walking the field checking for mistakes when he yelled out 'Kerby, your notes are flat.' and then moved on to the clarinets.
I laughed because I was in on a little secret. Kim hadn't played a note at that rehearsal, possibly not all year. Sure, she'd learned a few basic scales in her lessons, but on a football field with 150 other instruments, it didn't really matter what a little flute did. She was just holding her flute in playing position and marching, but no sound was coming out.
The next year, Kim got wiser, realizing that you could still go on the band trips (and hang out with your boyfriend, the drum major) if you were on the Dancerette team, so she finished out her time in high school in the dance squad and put her air flute away. For a while though, she had everyone fooled. If there were competitions for air flute like there are for air guitar, she would win every time.
Today, on Veterans Day, we are especially thankful to all veterans. Without your service, we wouldn't have the freedom to enjoy our gardens. If you are a veteran or active military and you want to get out in your garden this weekend, let our cashiers know at checkout and we'll give you 20% off of your entire purchase (through 11/14/21). Thank you for your service!
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Happy Gardening, The Kerby's Nursery Family 
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It's hard to believe that we are in the last months of yet another year. Where in the world did 2021 go? The beautiful thing about Florida is that even as we approach the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the garden is still there for us, to bring us a little peace and joy when our families start stressing us out. And, even though no one ever believes us, now is one of the best times of year to plant new trees, shrubs, and perennials. Planting now gives new plants a long time to establish before the heat and humidity of summer return. So get your gloves on and clippers out, and get some tasks done in the garden this month.
Keep an Eye on Watering - The summer rains grant forgiveness when you forget to water new plants. By now, the afternoon rain patterns have stopped and you want to be sure you are following our typical watering instructions for new plants: daily for the first month, every other day for the second month, and twice weekly in the third month. Of course, always water in the morning. This November, we've started out on the cooler side, which means plants are using less water, but if we go a long stretch without rain, they'll still need an extra drink.
Plant some Color - The cool season brings a new opportunity to brighten gardens with favorites that can't take our summer heat. For bright winter color, add geraniums, petunias, or alyssum to your landscape.
Help the Butterflies - Butterflies, especially monarchs, are finishing their southern migration throughout this month. As they make their way toward their wintering grounds in Mexico, make sure you have plenty of yummy flowers like pentas and salvias to feed them along their journey.
Time to Prune - We avoid severe prunes in the summer because of the intensity of the sun and heat. Now that the days are shorter and the temperatures are cooler than summer, it is a great time to prune cold-hardy shrubs and trees.
Prepare for Winter - It always seems a little silly to talk about frost and freeze when it is warm and sunny outside, but now is the time to assemble the materials you will need for protecting your plants in the winter. For sensitive shrubs or fruit trees, make sure that you have enough frost blankets to cover plants completely, and anchor pins to attach blankets to the ground.
Plant Herb Gardens - Most herbs are cold-hardy and since there are many great meals to share during the holiday season, be sure you've got your rosemary, sage, parsley, and thyme planted. When it is time to cook, you'll be ready to harvest fresh herbs for spicing up your best recipes.
Bring the Garden Inside - When the weather drives you inside, or if you just prefer inside to outside, you can still work on your green thumb. With houseplants, you can bring the air-cleaning and oxygen-producing benefits of plants right into your home.
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New Arrivals |
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Camellias Classic Color for Shady Gardens 10" Pot - $39.99 |
Purple Heliotrope Gorgeous Purple 6" Pot - $7.99 |
Super King Ixora Fall the Florida Way 10" Pot - $17.99 |
