#66 - January 29th, 2007

Greetings one and all…Well I’m back for another set of observations and thoughts on life in Anderson Valley and Beyond…It’s been a busy couple of weeks since my last tome so hopefully I’ll have something of interest to you…Let’s see…
First I want to thank all those involved in the Second Annual Cioppino Feed held last Saturday evening (Jan. 20th) at The Apple Hall in Boonville. It was an excellent affair and there was a good turnout from amongst the “usual suspects”. The proceeds went to The Senior Center and everyone ate their hearts out – some more than others…I would apologize for my gluttony, however, it is one of my better traits…Next up – The Crab Feed to benefit The Catholic Church. This one is at The Apple Hall also and takes place on the evening of Saturday February 3rd – I’ll be the one having seconds…at the very least…..
One of those seniors enjoying the Feed was Dick Sands – the long-time driver of the Senior Bus, in and around The Valley. As many will know he lost his wonderful wife of more than fifty years a few months ago and the grief has been very hard on him. However, he is still getting out and about and shared with me his gratitude to all those in The Valley who have rallied round to support him. After arriving in The Valley in 1944 he is going nowhere else and now he’s moving into the Elder Home in downtown Boonville so feel free to visit him there – he’d love to chat…Meanwhile, wherever you see Dick, he’ll no doubt continue to share with you that saucy sense of humor of his that so many of us enjoy…
Speaking of fine elder Gentlemen of The Valley, I have had the distinct pleasure in the past week or so of also spending some time with two of the finest – Carroll Pratt and Ross Murray…
Carroll resides just outside Philo with wife Carol and numerous dogs and livestock. He is in his mid eighties yet still gets around town and he remains as sharp as a tack. His claim to fame as the inventor of the Laugh Track is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of his lifetime achievements. He worked in Hollywood for many years and even received an Oscar for his work on the sound of the musical, “Oklahoma”…and that was after flying missions over Germany in W.W. II, even being shot down and interred in a prisoner-of-war camp…These days he remains busy with various projects, including his involvement with The Boonville Lodge as a mentor to new owner, Tom Towey…Speaking to Carroll is a wonderful way to spend a few hours and the time just flies by listening to his fascinating stories and discussing many issues of the day. He is a true gentleman and one for whom I have the greatest respect…
I can say exactly the same about Ross Murray, and it is somewhat eerie how Ross’s life has followed a similar path to Carroll’s. Ross was also in the entertainment business, initially in the film world, but mostly the thirty years he spent at C.B.S. in radio and television during which time he received an Emmy for his work. In another “link” to Carroll, Ross was in the U.S. Air Force in W.W. II and flew bombers at that time also…These days Ross lives up on Mountain View Road with wife Joyce, formerly of the Andrews’ Sisters (“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”), and they can often be seen around town at various events. Ross is a very insightful and pertinent commentator on society today with his public radio show on Wednesday evenings and when he speaks people should listen – they might learn something!
Spending time with these Three Wise Men of The Valley is an absolute joy to me. As a result of their longevity, I was able to listen and learn from both of my grandfathers and they were big influences on my life. Unfortunately, most people lose their grandparents too early in their lives to appreciate them and so much of their wisdom and enlightenment gets lost. Hopefully I will be able to glean some of that wisdom on every occasion that I am able to talk with and listen to these three very special fellows…
Talking of which, it turned out I was quite wise myself when I managed to zoom out to the coast last week on what turned out to be a beautiful day...Tourists have not yet caught on to the fact that sometimes at this time of year we enjoy the most spectacular weather. There was very little traffic and as I reached the sea at Navarro Point at the end of Hwy 128 I was greeted by an absolutely perfect horizon - a light blue sky meeting a deep blue sea in a perfect straight line across the whole horizon; not a cloud, absolutely clean, clear and fresh. If it had been a painting you would not have believed it, but it was true and remarkable and it’s too bad you weren’t there…
Whine of the Week…Bagels are impossible to find in The Valley and for someone who strongly believes in the hangover cure of an onion bagel with lashings of cream cheese then this is a problem - and certainly something to whine about. I was promised bagels would be served at The Mosswood Market before they opened last summer but it hasn’t happened yet – although many other good things have happened at this wonderful establishment. At this point I have to resort to the effective, but often very hard to face up to, “hair of the dog”. It’s not the end of the world but some mornings it really feels like it…
Wine of the Week…Having lovingly prepared a leg of lamb, from the flock of the Master Shepherd in the Valley I may add, I was in need of the perfect wine accompaniment. I didn’t have to look far as Hummingbird had opened a bottle of the 2003 Esterlina Pinot Noir and to say the experience was orgasmic would be an understatement..er…er…or something like that. Try this magnificent pairing of wine and food – trust me on this – you’ll thank me later…
Finally, I had the distinct pleasure of dining at The Boonville Hotel recently. It was ‘locals’ night” and featured the ‘fixed price, set menu with no corkage fee’ deal. I sipped some fine local wines as I enjoyed the excellent paella wonderfully cooked by Johnny Schmitt and delightfully served by Saffron Fraser. You may be interested to learn that Anderson Valley Advertiser Head, Mr. David Severn, joined me for dinner!! – well not exactly…As I sat at my table, who should be peering down upon me (from the wall directly above my seat where his photograph was hanging), but none other than The Supreme Commander of The A.V.A…”How the fates conspire”, I thought. Anyway, perhaps it was my own paranoia but as I looked up at the photograph it appeared that he had a frown on his face. Saffron, however, assured me it was a grin and on closer inspection I found this to be the case. Only last week I suggested that David and I could reconcile some of our perceived differences over a cup of coffee at The Mosswood Market. This ‘get-together’ at The Hotel was perhaps a step in that direction, and besides, it certainly brought a smile to my beak…
Next week, or whenever I can get my report in, we’ll have a Useful Word, perhaps a “sports” report from up on the farm with The Master Shepherd, and hopefully a couple of indisputable facts from the Vulture Book of Universal Truths…
Meanwhile, before I go, I do have just one request, and I think many of you know what it is – “Let us prey”…
Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…..

p.s. Oh, yes, before I forget, a big “thank you” for your continued support and the messages of good will sent to turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net…Feel free to contact me anytime, but remember, I know where you live...

#65 - January 13th, 2007...I'm back

Greetings one and all…Hopefully you have all recovered from the holiday festivities. It was the season to be merry and bright and a time for sharing with friends, family and loved ones…But now it’s over, so back to the real world, eh??

“So where have you been, T.V.?”, I hear you asking. “The last we heard you were going to Europe to see a specialist about your Avian Flu-like symptoms and you never appeared in the Anderson Valley Advertiser again”…

All true. I did go to Europe, England to be more accurate, where it was discovered that I was not suffering from the deadly bird flu but instead the far less life-threatening, although almost as equally unpleasant, Severnitis - a disease becoming increasingly prevalent in the Anderson Valley region, I have to say. The only known cures at this point are either the termination of your subscription to David Severn’s Anderson Valley Advertiser or, as the vast majority of Valley-dwellers do, a refusal to buy this “organ of the press” in the first place.

In some less severe cases of the “disease”, you may be able to get by with just a light reading of those sections in the paper not concerned with the same old diatribes against the aspects of Valley life which do not adhere to the sensitivities and opinions of the Powers-that-Be who make up the A.V.A. hierarchy… I used to love the A.V.A. and for many, many years looked forward to it’s weekly publication. I don’t any more…On my return I decided to stop contributing to the publication as The Powers-that-Be were editing my columns so much as to make them virtually unreadable. Many readers were disappointed and told me so. Conversely,The Powers-that-Be were no doubt relieved – the thorn in their side was gone and they could concentrate on reading their “fan-mail” and be confronted with little in the way of an alternative point of view to their own…Nevertheless, I sincerely wish them well; they gave me a chance to share a few thoughts and opinions each week for well over a year and for that I am grateful. In whatever form it make take in the future, “Long live the A.V.A.”…

Anyway, now that you’re caught up, I just want to inform you that I shall be contributing regularly to this website. Having spoken with ‘The Main Man” at A.V.Net, I have been asked to resurrect the “Bird’s Eye View” by Turkey Vulture - the column that formerly graced the pages of the A.V.A. It will no doubt give me great pleasure and, as long as the reader understands that I am merely here to offer some observations and personal opinions on life in The Valley and beyond, in a fairly irreverent way, and does not expect anything beyond “hack” reporting, alternating in disposition from curmudgeonly to joyful, then I hope it will give others some small pleasure too…

Onward….Let’s start off with The Whine of the Week…I really am beginning to wish I had a dollar for each time somebody in this Valley “brags” that he or she does not watch television or perhaps does not even own a television. Not a big deal in some cases when the person just leaves it at that but often they need to say more and it's as if this is some sign of "intellectual superiority" on their behalf and that by having a television and watching it you are somehow less intelligent... Granted, there is a huge amount of absolute rubbish offered up on our t.v. screens, but the discerning viewer, who chooses to search the channels a little or who has access to H.B.O. and other cable networks, can avoid this drivel and view a wide range of highly entertaining, most informative, and intellectually stimulating programming... H.B.O. in particular has some excellent shows and its mantra that “it’s not T.V.; it’s H.B.O.” is very true and perhaps something these "Anti-T.V. Snobs" should be aware of. I’m can only assume that those who make the judgement about all television being awful and vapid have no idea what is actually available. They may use the internet or newspapers for their information but dismissing all television surely shows a certain closed-mindedness...As a result, isn't it they who are displaying some "intellectual inferiority" and missing out on broadening, in many cases, their quite narrow horizons?…
And, naturally we move quickly to The Wine of the Week…As I began to devour the chicken piccata served at The Highpockety Ox in Boonville last Wednesday evening I knew a fine glass of pinot noir was needed to complement the excellent feast. I ordered the Standish 2004 from the vines on Highway128 at the relatively recently opened Standish Winery. It was a decision I would not regret. It's an excellent Pinot, from our Valley of many superb Pinots, which would pair very well with any chicken or lamb dish in particular…and one which is well-priced. Trust me on this, you’ll thank me later…

I know it’s been very cold at night – down to 23 degrees on Thursday – but the days have been spectacularly beautiful with clear blue skies and a warm sun to take the nip out of the air…Most tourists do not realize that the Valley’s weather in the late fall and winter can be wonderful and the roads have been quiet during my travels in and around the Valley - that's fine with me…I headed for the coast a couple of days ago and as I hit the headlands overlooking the ocean at Navarro Point, I was met by the most striking of views – a perfectly clear, light blue sky meeting a calm, deep blue sea, along a completely straight horizon. If you saw this in a painting you’d think the artist had made it up. Visibility was perfect and I slowed to stare even more intently, and perhaps find a “ flaw” in the view. I couldn’t and I thank the higher powers for sharing this special moment with me…

News from the Sports Desk…Last Wednesday saw me head up Yorkville way for an afternoon’s sport in the hills. As regular readers will remember, in these parts my favorite sport is Sheep Herding, featuring our intrepid Master Shepherd, his eager Assistant Shepherd, and the seven Border Collies, or The Magnificent Seven as their fans refer to them. It is early days in the season but already the youngsters amongst the seven are showing great promise under the tutelage of the old ‘uns in the Gang and the diligent Master Shepherd. Despite the sheep being on home turf and the dogs a little out of practice, after just two hours the Wooly Beasts were well-beaten by, in football terms, a score of 35-7. Well done to the victors, in particular the previously erratic Rosie who was the day’s M.V.P., setting the tone early with some excellent herding and control and thus ensuring that the cans of Guinness drank by yours truly and The Shepherds tasted even better…

Is it just me or are there many of you who received Xmas cards proudly displaying the photographs of the kids of the thoughtful senders? I believe this to be a relatively recent development and one that I can only put down to both the computer age and modern life’s 'preoccupation' with children…Call me a traditional old bastard set in my ways but whatever happened to a jolly Santa, some brightly lit Xmas trees, and lots of pure white snow on the front of greetings cards at this time of year. Next year I hope those who receive my cards enjoy the pictures of baby vultures munching down on bloody carrion – that’s my 'preoccupation' so it’s only fair wouldn’t you say?...

Sign of The Apocalypse…I read with interest this past week that The Bank of Ireland has announced that 100% of Irish bank-notes that were tested contained traces of cocaine. Now Ireland is a country that has enjoyed a startling economic boom in the past decade or so and this is perhaps one of the more unfortunate side affects, depending on your point of view of course. Is it also one way of explaining why those Irish lads and lassies so often exhibit the gift of the gab?...

It would be most remiss of me not to inform you of two of my favorite events of the year in The Valley, both of which are just “round the corner” – The Crab Feeds…The first of these, featuring a Crab Ciopino, is on Saturday, January 20th at The Senior Center in Boonville and proceeds go to that good cause. The second one is at The Apple Hall on Saturday, February 3rd and benefits The Catholic Church. Last year I had a marvelous time and was the last person to leave the event - not that I was thrown out, you understand. I perhaps should also share with you that I was also last one out at The 2006 St Patrick’s Day Dinner and The 2006 Variety Show – a record of which I am proud, in a “sad but true” kind of way…

Well that’s plenty of "stuff" for “ my first game back” so I’ll take my leave…In the future I hope to include a number of Turkey Vulture favorites such as The ‘Useful Word or Phrase”; Helpful Hints; Personals; Reports from around the globe by roving reporter, The Balding Eagle; and even some Universal Truths…For now, good readers, I’d just like to pass on my best wishes that you and yours have a happy and healthy 2007…

But just before I go, I do have just one request, and I think many of you know what it is – “Let us prey”…
Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…..

p.s. Oh, yes, before I forget, a big “thank you” for your support and the messages of good will sent to turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net that I received during my time at the A.V.A. and my subsequent “recuperation”. Feel free to contact me anytime, but remember, I know where you live...