# 71 - August 8th, 2007

Greetings one and all, and welcome back to another few observations and thoughts about life in and around Anderson Valley from the travels and mind of your favorite bird of prey…
But first I have to set this week’s quiz. Here we go; answers at the end of the column…
1. What is the name of the Ranch situated on Hwy 128 between the Valley Foothills Vineyard and the Greenwood Ridge Winery tasting room?
2. Hopefully everyone is aware that the teams at A.V. High School are known as The Panthers, but what is the name of their perennial rivals from Mendocino High?
3. When did the first white settlers arrive in Anderson Valley?

As one of his biggest fans, I was saddened to hear the news that Ron the Dump Guy left his job at our County Dump on Mountain View Road, taking with him that knowing smile and those words of wisdom. Fortunately, he has been replaced (if you can actually replace a living legend) by the always courteous, often helpful, bushy bearded, and even jolly, ‘Dump Guy with No Name’ (who does have a name but I have inexplicably forgotten it as I sit here in a haze. I will certainly let you know a.s.a.p.)…Anyway, as a result, The Dump remains one of my favorite places in The Valley to hang out; although I accept that the pungent aromas emanating from there on some of our hotter days are not to everyone’s liking…yet I actually find them quite exotic...Oh, and before I forget, according to the sign, you still cannot take “dead animals” to the dump so please leave them to those of us who know what to do with such things...

Now on to The Whine of the Week…On this occasion my “whine” is concerned with a subject very dear to my heart – lost pets, specifically dogs, but cats obviously go missing too on occasion. In this Valley I have noticed a tendency for some dog owners to not attach tags to their dog’s collar with a name and phone number inscribed, if indeed they even have a collar at all. I know several otherwise smart, caring people whose dogs do not have tags. I do not understand why this is so. Surely it’s not too much to expect if you are investing love, time, and money in other ways, into your pet. You can get tags through your vet, at Wal-Mart in Ukiah, or, perhaps best of all, off the internet from a very reputable company I have used many times. They are at www.tagxpress.com and it will cost you less than $10 for a tag, including shipping. Let’s make it easier for Cheryl and the rest of our Animal Rescue people, along with other concerned citizens, to ensure that lost pets finds their way back home quickly with as little worry as possible for all concerned…

No Wine of the Week this time – I’ve been taking a wine-break and concentrating on beer only. I can therefore highly recommend the Anderson Valley Brewery’s Poleeko Pale Ale that is poured splendidly at both the Boonville Lodge and The Highpockety Ox. Accompanied with the spicy chicken wings at The Ox or the fried jalapenos at The Lodge, I can assure you that it doesn’t get much better than this after spending a long, hard day waiting around for something to die…

What about those ornery sheep in the dog trials at last week’s Woolgrowers Fair? Some of the most aggressive I’ve ever seen at such an event. As I said to Hummingbird at the time, “I’d rather kiss a wild hogs snout than tangle with some of those nasty woolen bastards”…All morning long the dogs and their handlers struggled to control them and the spectators in the stands at the Fairground were witnesses to the humbling of some of the county’s best dogs and their shepherds. In football terms I’d say it was a 35-7 win for the sheep and when I visit the Master Shepherd next week in Yorkville I know he’ll have plenty to say about this disastrous result…Further bad news for all lovers of the sheep dog trials, not to mention the tasty lamb bar-b-q on offer every year – my best investigative reporter, Balding Eagle, informs me that this may well have been the last Woolgrowers. Lack of Money? Organizers dropping out? I’m not sure, probably both, but surely this wonderful event, one of my favorites the Valley has to offer, will not go down without a fight…

As I flew over the High School early last Wednesday evening I observed about 20 or more soccer players on Tom Smith Field under the watchful eye of The Man himself, along with Assistant Coach, Steve Sparks, who were putting the boys through some pre-season drills and practice. Having followed the program’s progress for some years, I stopped for a brief chat and found out that the squad has lost only two seniors from last season’s starting line-up – a team that reached the play-off semi-final before falling to the eventual Champions from Marin Academy. The coaches believe that the ability is certainly there on the team to go even further this year although divisional rivals, Roseland Prep from Santa Rosa, who came second to the Panthers in last season divisional race, did not lose any of their starters. Without being disrespectful to other teams in the same section, it would appear that these two schools will once again be doing battle for the Divisional Title and the all-important home field advantage through the play-offs. The season begins at the end of August during the first week of school - I’ll keep you posted…

Once again, I’ve run out of space just as I was getting going. Never mind there is always next week. It just remains for me to suggest that you think good thoughts, stay out of the ditches, and in the meantime, let us prey…
Humbly yours…Turkey Vulture…..
You can contact me with your comments of support/abuse, or anything else for that matter, either through the Letters Page of the A.V.A. or e-mail me at…turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net
Quiz Answers…
1. The Day Ranch
2. The Cardinals
3. 1851