#24 - June 15th, 2005

"The good rain, like a bad preacher, does not know when to leave off"…Well that's all very well for you to say, Ralph Waldo Emerson, but it would be nice to have had some warning… Everyone was talking about it, many saying they could not remember so much precipitation in the Valley so late in the year. I hadn't been in the Anderson Valley Farm Supply for a few days so I'd not had my weather update from Dave "The Weatherman" Gowan, who would surely have known and given me a 'heads up'. Therefore, like so many others, I was not forewarned when those latest rains stormed through the Valley last week and as a result of this surprise I found myself in animated conversation about it all day - exciting stuff, I have to say…..…
Wailing police sirens; pulsating bars full of trendy twenty-somethings talking loudly at each other; seemingly normal looking people walking along the streets talking loudly to themselves; buses too big for the congested streets; noise, noise, and more noise; pretty, attractive, sexy young women of all races in clothes emphasizing that always 'pleasant on the eye' bare-midriff look; vomit on the streets; construction sights and road blocks; wild-eyed crack users, red-eyed pot smokers, and beady-eyed cocaine fiends; knowledgeable banter about the Giants, the N.B.A. play-offs and where to find the hottest new lesbian scene; unpleasant and unrecognizable smells; the witty comments, risqué remarks, and sarcastic asides from the 'at-the-top-of-their-game' bartenders; aloof, unfriendly, irritated attitudes exhibited by those same bartenders just moments later (it's what the 'kids' want, apparently); delicious Thai food, particularly when enjoyed with Singha Thai beer; the unmistakable odor of urine drying in the sun; great coffee and bagels with cream cheese; people of all ages adorned with world class tattoos; occasional real dramas, but more often just melodramas, at every street corner; it never ends - stimulation in every direction…along with yet more noise…..
Just a few reflections on a wild forty eight hours last weekend in San Francisco - a place where so many people seem to spend their whole evening searching for the best bar scene or the best possible 'night out' right through until morning when they're confronted with the sobering thought that they'll have to try again…A place where I spent many, many years in my younger days and from which now, after a couple of nights, I am ready to leave and head for the hills…For this mellowing Turkey Vulture, S.F. is still a wonderfully vibrant city to visit for a short time but the country now seems a more satisfying place to live . As anthropologist Desmond Morris comments, "the city is not so much a concrete jungle as a human zoo" - and I really don't like zoos…..
Wine of the Week… With the passing of Memorial Day, it's usual at this time of year for me to taste the fruits of my winter labors in the sheep pastures. As a result, one day this past week I was delighted to get my beak into a superb leg of lamb and almost as happy to have it alongside an extremely pleasant bottle of Anderson Valley's Navarro Vineyards' Pinot Noir. Free range, alfalfa-fed lamb and a top quality Pinot Noir from the Valley - that's a match made in heaven…..
Whine of the Week …Now I may be just a naïve, once-upon-a-time city slicker currently residing in the countryside with a strong predilection for hack-writing about the local events and tales of life in a northern California valley, but surely I am entitled to an explanation as to why, when we put a man on the moon nearly forty years ago, the "Rough Road" sign at the 35.2 Mendocino mile marker on Highway 128 between Boonville and Yorkville has been a permanent fixture for well over a decade. This is not a 'biggie' and the stretch of road has become such a part of the landscape that I do believe at this point that I'd almost miss the little yellow warning sign and the bumpy little ride around the gentle bend, both accompanied by the sense of well-being which comes with knowing exactly where you are and how far you are from your destination. Many attempts have been made to satisfactorily repair this section of road - each has failed. I'm sure there have been the usual 'budget restraints' and 'technical difficulties', blah, blah, blah, but after such a long time and so many fruitless efforts isn't it a little ridiculous at this stage ? It's only my humble opinion of course but instead of the half-hearted attempts made so far shouldn't somebody be stepping in and doing the job correctly ? Who are those responsible for these continual failures ? Are they still working on the problem ? Why haven't they been replaced by somebody who can successfully complete a job for which they will undoubtedly be well paid ?…I think we should be told…..
On a lighter note, a little further south east on Highway 128, at approximately the 48 mile marker, is the beginning of Mountain House Road, or Route 111 as it is officially known. If you take this delightful little drive to the east it will bring you out at Hopland on Highway 101 and, due to it's lack of traffic and beautiful NorCal scenery, it is referred to by some insightful locals as quite simply, "The best little road in the West " !…Having flown along this "way less traveled" recently I have to say they may be absolutely right and I just thought you should know…..
I'm aware that you're excited to get to the important stuff so here we go - it's 'Jive Turkey Time'…On our journeys of up to 200 miles in a day, not only do we have to swoop at speeds of up to 60 plus mph (or should I say 55mph to keep the CHP happy) to avoid being 'mobbed' by those annoying ravens and jays, but we also have to share our knowledge of the thermal currents so that the 'lazy' hawks can also enjoy the 'ride'. Yes, we can virtually float in the sky using these thermal currents (rising columns of air) and will use very little energy doing so, rarely flapping our wings. Whilst we Turkey Vultures may be ignored, or even treated with disdain, the hawk gets all the plaudits. I've heard people comment, "ooh, look at that elegant hawk smartly using the air currents" when in actual fact that same hawk has been watching us find the currents before taking advantage of them and claiming all the glory. We are used to the lack of respect, we actually thrive on it, but hopefully, despite our bald, red-headed appearance and tendency to thrust out heads into the body cavities of rotting animals, you now know who the "elegant and smart" ones really are…..
With the extended daylight hours of late I've tended to hang out in the evenings on the deck at The Nest and thus have done little 'eating out' on the Valley scene. My apologies. However, at least I have been very diligent about the Friday night appearance in the Boonville "metropolis" and last week was no exception…I arrived at the Anderson Valley Brewery Tasting Room around 6pm - perfect for "Earlies", which began with a delicious pint of Poleeko Gold Pale Ale. The smartly dressed bartender was in fine form and the usual suspects were in attendance along with a smattering of tourists and a number of the Brewery staff. It was certainly a good beer-drinking crowd and "Earlies" were extended to about 9pm when it was clearly time to eat before having a few 'night caps' at The Buckhorn Saloon. The crowd began to head out and once again I had left it late for Boonville dining - my only option being Moya's Taco stand. No problem at all - I salivated at the thought…On my arrival I was tempted to be sensible and have the $4 mini-burrito (the size of the average guinea pig) but in a moment of great clarity I decided to order the $7 Super Chicken burrito (the size of a small baby) with a cunning plan to save half for lunch on Saturday. It was delicious, I couldn't stop eating…Well, I think you can guess the rest - Late drinks never happened, I was sound asleep in The Nest by 10pm, and I didn't particularly enjoy the buttered toast I ate for lunch the next day…..
Finally this week, I thought I'd share another of those "universal truths" with you…I was reminded of this one first hand last weekend in S.F. and it goes something like this - "At the end of every party there is always a woman crying and a man drunk, although they're not necessarily together" - I have to say that sometimes it's the other way round but apart from that I assume you can relate….Perhaps we should just all prey….
Kind regards, Turkey Vulture…..
(turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net)