# 112 - May 28th, 2008

Greetings one and all and I hope you enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend and that the Lions Club Tri-Tip Dinner to benefit the A.V. Elder Home was a success. I was unable to attend and you know that for me to miss such an event was very upsetting – helping the elderly by eating tri-tip is surely a beautiful thing!…Anyway, Memorial Day is the sign that summer is here and it would seem that we never did get that final rainfall that we needed, despite the threat of showers over the past few days. Now we can pretty much expect four months or so of dry, hot weather. That may be great for bar-b-q grilling and beer drinking but one can only hope we have enough water to get through to the October rains – I’d love to think that we will all treat this vital resource with care and respect until then…

I was very pleased to attend a couple of Valley events this past week that gave me some insights to Valley life that I do not normally get to hear much about…Firstly, I attended the monthly A.V. Grange meeting (3rd Tuesday of the month, everyone welcome), chaired with a statesman-like demeanor by Grange Master, David Norfleet, and attended by about a dozen members. A very good Pot Luck (regular readers will be pleased to know that I said a “very good” Pot Luck) was on offer and the meeting was interesting, informative, and sprinkled with a fair amount of good humor. “Keep up the good work, gentlemen Grangers and lady Grangettes (?)”…

Then I was able to show up for the presentations of a few of this year’s Senior Projects at the High School. Organized tirelessly and efficiently by teacher Kim Campbell, with help from many other members of the faculty and staff, these projects really put the kids’ efforts under the microscope. From Jason Powers’ imaginative and well researched attempts to raise money for the school yearbook, to Emilio Torales’ tough yet very beneficial assignment to teach elementary school kids about soccer refereeing, and finally to David Steward’s commendable work with the A.V. Animal Rescue under the tutelage of the ever-caring Cheryl Schrader, I had a thoroughly enlightening time. I have to say that although our school, like any other, has its problems, some of which are not always solved satisfactorily, there are many teachers there who are doing a great job in preparing the pupils for life in the ‘big world out there’…

On to the Wine of the Week…I had some stunningly good cheese at a gathering in Philo last week and when I nibbled on it with a glass of the ’05 Chardonnay from Maple Creek Winery in the Yorkville Highlands appellation, it was a very rewarding experience indeed. The wine is refreshing and crisp and I found out what the delicious cheese was – Humboldt Fog, a soft textured, strong tasting cheese available at Harvest Market and perhaps one day in the Valley too. If you’re a wine and cheese person, a summer pairing doesn’t get much better than this…

As always we now segue neatly in to the Whine of the Week - except I don’t have one!...“Unbelievable”, I hear you say. “That miserable bastard Turkey Vulture has nothing to moan about”. Sad but true, I say…Instead this week let’s have a little ‘Jive Turkey’…I think I should let you know that we Turkey Vultures build nests that are very difficult to find - as many of you who have been looking for me can no doubt attest to. I’m sure. We like those remote, hard to reach places. It could be in an old tree stump, amongst inhospitable looking boulders, or perhaps in an abandoned old barn. Wherever it is, if unannounced visitors disturb us, there is a very good chance we will throw up on whoever “invades our space”. Even our Vulture youngsters and babes will do this. Yer gotta like that…

Moving quickly on, I’m sure the Powers-that-Be here at The A.V.A. will give a far more comprehensive and penetrating report on the community meeting held with Sheriff Tom Almond last week but I did want to give my very brief and humble opinion on a matter that I have discussed many times in this column. The forum was concerned with the lack of law enforcement in The Valley since the tragic and untimely death of Sheriff Scott Nordin. What was achieved at this gathering? Not a lot. It was a bit of a whitewash to be honest and the time when something serious happens around here is fast approaching, with little being done to prevent it. It’s too bad…

I hope the Open Studio Tour was a success this past weekend. I couldn’t get to the event and besides, as I may have mentioned before, although I do know art I don’t know what I like…(?)

I definitely mentioned this last week but it bears repeating - Public Service Announcement #153: Tomorrow (Thursday, May 29th) sees the Vets’ monthly visit to Dig Supplies (formerly the A.V. Farm Supply). They come over the hill from the Mendocino Animal Hospital in Ukiah and will see your pets on a first cone, first served basis from 2pm to 3.30pm. And if you haven’t dealt with these vets before, do not hesitate - I highly recommend them…

Oh, and before I forget, over the following two weekends - Friday and Saturday evenings at 7pm, May 30th/31st and June 6th/7th, it’s this year’s presentation by The Anderson Valley Theatrical Guild at The Grange on Hwy 128 just a mile or so south of Philo. Director Rod Basehore and his dozen or so actors have been rehearsing for months and are now ready to present the two short comedy plays they have worked so hard on. I have seen a brief segment of what will be on offer and I think it will be lots of fun so I’ll see you in the cheap seats. Hopefully many of you will support this ‘cultural’ event – what’s not to like?

Be careful out there, stay out of the ditches, think good thoughts, and may your god go with you…Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

You can contact me with words of support/abuse by e-mail at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink. net…But remember, if it’s abuse you choose, sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me – unless of course somebody hits me with a really heavy, hard-covered dictionary…Also remember - I know where you live…

# 111 - May 21st, 2008

Greetings one and all, and I hope you’ve recovering from last week’s heat wave. Suffice it to say, we here at The Nest didn’t do much other than guzzle down a few beers, sip a little wine, eat a little bbq'd pig, and watch my Turkey Vulture buddies “go to work” on a dead sheep. Not a bad couple of days come to think of it…
As promised, here is The Valley Quiz…Answers at the end…
1. The Toll House, up on Hwy 253 in Bell Valley, was built in which year?
a) 1892 b) 1902 c) 1912
2. What did a Valley restaurant called Janie’s Place become in the 1990’s?
3. Mike “Flick” MacDonald is the well-known coach of the High School’s all-conquering girls’ volleyball team but who is his assistant coach?
Let’s start with another helpful hint from my #1 fan, “Mr. Helpful” of Hopland, California. This one is for the wine lovers amongst you…”Hi, Turkey Vulture…Here’s a little advice for those among your red wine-sipping readers who are concerned about discoloring their teeth if they spend a night drinking Cabernet, Syrah, or Zinfandel. They should simply drink a bottle of white wine before going to bed to remove the stains. It always works for me and the hangover isn’t that bad. Best wishes, Mr. Helpful…p.s You have my vote for Mayor of The Valley”……Thank you, “Helpful”, I don’t know what we’d do without your ingenious tips…
Under the heading of The Wine of the Week, I really must share with you the superb dining experience I had last Friday evening out on the coast at The Ledford House in Albion and recommend that you follow suit, particularly if you have a special birthday or anniversary coming up. Accompanied by Hummingbird, The Wise Owl, and The Venerable Pheasant, it was as pleasurable a wining and dining experience as I can remember…Hummingbird and I split a bottle of Navarro Winery’s 2003 Zinfandel as she elegantly nibbled at her Cassoulet whilst I pecked feverishly at my Rib Eye Steak – a perfect match of wine and food in both cases. Meanwhile, The Pheasant “ooh’d” and “aah’d” about his seared halibut as The Wise Owl, showing great wisdom in choosing the bargain $25 three-course set dinner, eagerly slurped away at a delicious and very succulent chicken breast; both of them sipping at the perfectly paired Husch Gewürztraminer. Everything was excellent, but the highlight was still to come... For dessert, I had the strawberry sorbet; Hummingbird went with the chocolate pudding cake smothered in a chocolate fudge sauce, and served with house-made vanilla ice cream, and topped with walnuts – wow; Wise Owl was delighted with her strawberry and rhubarb crumble; whilst The Venerable Pheasant looked in hog heaven as the bread pudding in Wild Turkey bourbon sauce trickled across his taste buds…Host Tony Geer, Chef Lisa Geer, and their excellent staff do a marvelous job and coupled with the stunning setting on the edge of the ocean I have no hesitation in putting it in my All-Time Top Five Dining experiences - high praise indeed!…I just thought you should know…
Now for a Whine of the Week, and it’s not mine but that of a fine feathered friend of mine who formerly held a management position at the now-deceased Ox Pub/Restaurant in Boonville. I am reliably informed that although there were several loyal volunteers in attendance, only one of the salaried employees of the local public radio station actually turned up at last year’s free Ox Fest Music festival to benefit KZYX & Z. The event featured many local musicians and raised over $800 for the station. Furthermore, despite the success of the fundraiser, the ‘powers-that-be” at KZYX & Z never felt the need to send a “thank you” letter to The Ox for their efforts and for the substantial financial windfall the station received. Not a big deal, I suppose, but a sloppy and amateurish way of conducting business, and perhaps symptomatic of the way things are done, or rather do not get done, around there.
What with the recent treatment afforded to the now-reinstated program director, Mary Aigner, and the over-the-top political correctness spewing across the airwaves these days from their “compound” just south of Philo, I really am beginning to adopt an increasingly negative view of our community radio station, or is that a little too politically incorrect for me to say?…Meanwhile is that “smooth-talking” Lance the Crow fellow still working there? Vultures and Crows! Not a good mix apparently; it’s just like the English and the French - so I’ve been told…
Public announcement #317: The traveling vet from The Mendocino Animal Hospital will be at Dig Landscape and Garden Supplies (formerly the A.V. Farm Supply) next Thursday (May 29th) from 2pm-3.30pm…

Public Announcement #318: The Barn Sale was last weekend! I found this out too late to inform you but I did think of my loyal readers as I devoured my delicious Bill (Holcomb) Burger whilst Hummingbird picked up a couple of bargains. It was held a week early this month for some reason but the next one will be back on the usual schedule – the last weekend of the month (June 28th and 29th)…

As votes continue to pour in, there is not much space this week for a complete update on the standings for the “unofficial” Poll on the “unofficial” candidates for the “unofficial” Mayor of Anderson Valley - if such a position was to be officially created. All I have room for is to inform you that Lauren (of Lauren’s Restaurant) is still just in the lead, with A.V.A. Supremo Bruce Anderson and yours truly, Turkey Vulture, now tied for second…Oh, and one other thing, you should be aware that one of my numerous proposals if elected would be that “Anyone, anywhere in public, starting a sentence with the words “You should” will be fined $1 on the spot. All monies going towards the A.V. Christmas Tree Fund”…

I’ll get my coat shall I?...Be careful out there, stay out of the ditches, think good thoughts, and may your god go with you…Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

You can contact me with words of support/abuse at
turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink . net
Quiz Answers… 1. The Toll House was built in 1912 as the main headquarters of the Miller Family Ranch and it was here that a toll was extracted from those who were hauling redwood logs to the inland mills.
2. Janie’s became Libby’s Mexican Restaurant in Philo.
3. Beth Swehla is Flick’s assistant on the school’s most successful sports program.

# 110 - May 14th, 2008

Greetings one and all…I hope you have recovered from the Brew Fest by now – whether you were either in attendance or had to deal with its impact on our local community. I flew into downtown Boonville on Saturday morning with every intention of attending the annual ‘benefit’ for “King” Ken Allen (although it must be said that even though he does sell a ridiculous amount of his beer he does give a large chunk of the profits to various local groups/charities). At 10.30am there were hundreds of people milling around, most of them drinking beer, and the event was still a couple of hours away – 1pm to 5pm officially. It was already quite warm and I asked myself, “do you want to spend an afternoon in the hot sun surrounded by this lot, many of who will be getting very drunk and some of which will no doubt behave quite obnoxiously?” The answer came to me quickly and was a resounding “No!” So, as a surprise to myself, the “new, sensible “ Turkey Vulture tuned round and decided to visit the High School’s plant sale instead!!!...As I flew back along Hwy 128 through town, the A.V. Brewery’s horse drawn carriage was passing by the A.V. Market and the two shire horses each made an immense deposit in the middle of the sidewalk. It sort of summed up my current feelings towards the event but then my animal instinct licked in and I wondered if perhaps “King” Ken’s horses were making a comment on behalf of Ken about the way he is often depicted by some in the local community. I guess we’ll never know. Meanwhile surely he must have arranged for one of his people to pick up the horses’ mess…
Votes continue to pour in to Poll Headquarters for the unofficial Mayor of Anderson Valley race and local restaurateur Lauren (of ‘Lauren’s’) currently has a narrow lead over the Variety Show’s Captain Rainbow with A.V.A. Supremo, Bruce Anderson in 3rd. Newly nominated candidates include the I.C.W.’s Freda Fox and the Farmer’s Market Director, Cindy Wilder…I remain in a dangerously threatening 4th place and would like to take this opportunity to announce that my election slogan, available on the soon-to-be printed t-shirts, is not surprisingly, “Trust me, you can thank me later”…
Latest poll results…Lauren 16%, Rainbow 15%, Bruce Anderson 13%, Turkey Vulture 10%, Bruce “Uncle Sam” Hering 8%, Ross Murray 7%, Bruce Patterson and Vince “Pig Hunt” Bellew both on 5%, Wayne Hiatt and Emil Rossi, and Coach Kuny each with 4%, Freda Fox and Cindy Wilder both on 3%, Gene Herr 2%, and “King’ Ken Allen with 1%...You can ‘register’ your support for a candidate, either from the list above, or perhaps add a new name, by sending a message to turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net…
It’s time for a quick “Whine of the Week” and this time it concerns the continuing lack of law enforcement in the Valley. I have mentioned this problem before but I am aware of an increase in the number of late night alcohol-fueled arguments in downtown Boonville with the combatants fully aware that there will be no police presence for as long as it takes for the officers to drive over the hill from Ukiah. This is ridiculous and I cannot help but wonder when the first “serious” incident will take place and the words “I told you so” will spill from my beak…
On a far more positive note, the “Wine of the Week” comes from my recent lunch experience at Libby’s Mexican Restaurant in Philo. It’s not actually a fine wine but the crisp refreshing Pacifico beer I enjoyed with the superb Carnitas that can certainly compare with the best of wine and food experiences. On that note I should point out that Libby’s carnitas plate is as good as anything I tasted in the many years I spent frequenting the taquerias of San Francisco’s Mission District. Served with a cold Pacifico, it is, dare I say, orgasmic!...
Talking about local merchants, has any small business owner done a better job in recent times than Dave Evans and crew at The Navarro Store? The way he has turned this store around is remarkable and, with the continuing improvements outside (including both a new stage and the "amphitheatre" for the summer music events ) matching the efforts made in the deli department by Dee Dee and Crist Perez, a visit to the Navarro Store these days is a very pleasant experience indeed…p.s. The word is that some very big names in the music world may be appearing in the heart of Deep Ender country over the coming months. I'll keep you posted...

Whilst applauding the efforts of Dave at the Navarro Store it is perhaps the moment to also admit to being an admirer of the work by the A.V.A.’s resident front-page cartoonist, Stan Peskett. One of his best efforts to date was last week’s “Glorious Weekend” with its depiction of both the Sheep Dog Trial in Yorkville and the Junior High Soccer tournament in Boonville. Unfortunately, I am here to inform you that Stan is not infallible in his pursuit of the perfect cartoon. At one point during the Trial, at which I was a V.I.P. Guest, he inexplicably decided to walk right across the course as a shepherd was competing with his dog! He was quickly admonished and one observer immediately referred to him as Stan “the Pest” Peskett! Then, to add to this faux pas, in the paper a few days later his cartoon soccer scene was labeled as showing a game between Fort Bragg and Flynn Creek. Really? There is no Flynn Creek School – it was actually Eagle Creek…“Come on, Stan,” I thought, “Time to change your medications, perhaps?”...He is a “lovely fellow” though…

Just a quickie to finish with…This coming weekend (May 17th/18th) is The Valley’s Pinot Festival and on Saturday it’s the public tasting event under the “Big Tent” at Golden Eye Vineyards. If you like your wine this event is a “must do” and here in The Valley we have some of the best Pinot Noirs to be found anywhere. See you there - I’ll be the one with a glass in each hand!...

It would appear that I’m out of space so I’ll get my coat and leave…Hopefully we’ll do a Valley Quiz next week…Be careful out there, stay out of the ditches, think good thoughts, and may your god go with you…Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

You can contact me with words of support/abuse at

# 109 - May 7th, 2008

Greetings one and all and I hope I find you well. Let’s get straight into the Valley Quiz – answers at the end…
1. What is the link between Judge Harwood June, Austin Hulbert, Jim Clow, and Dave Gowan (amongst others)?
2. What is the name of the wine maker at Navarro Vineyards?...What about the Head Brewer at The A.V. Brewery?
3. Luster Bivans is believed to have planted the two biggest trees in downtown Boonville – both continue to stand majestically at what is now The Rookie-to Gallery. What was his nickname?
With the opening of the Boonville Farmer’s Market this past weekend I thought these words from Thomas Jefferson would be appropriate for the Quote of the Week – “No occupation is so delightful as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden”. This man Jefferson will go far, I’m sure!
Speaking of the above event I flew into the parking lot beside The Boonville Hotel at about 11am on Saturday and stayed for the final hour of the opening day. There were plenty of familiar faces to meet and greet and bargains galore in the Spring Plant Sale. I wasn’t hungry, having already eaten a huge plate of Country Hash and Eggs at The Boonville Lodge, but according to many there were some delicious snacks provided by Darius and Julie from the General Store, and with music provided by a Bryan Wood, Joe Patelle, and Charlie Hochberg, amongst others, it was an excellent beginning to the ‘season’…
Across the street the bar/restaurant formerly known as The Ox, and prior to that The Buckhorn Saloon, remained closed. Rumors have been circulating for weeks about the future of this excellent location in the heart of town. The most believable of these was that the landlord, A.V. Brewery Supremo, “King” Ken Allen, was going to install his people to run the bar operation alongside an exclusive menu of pizza presented by one of the guys from the rarely open (and therefore inevitably and eventually closed) ‘Lumberjack Pizza’ that had previously occupied the space that is now successfully operated by The Boonville Lodge’s Grill. Well, I have heard from my top investigative reporter, Bald Eagle, that this plan has been shelved and “King” Ken, having found the whole new enterprise too expensive and time-consuming, is intending to sell the property and/or business to “outsiders”. I have heard, but cannot confirm, that with so much time on his hands he will now concentrate his efforts on running for Mayor of The Valley. I couldn’t possibly comment…
With that in mind, you perhaps would like to know that the votes continue to pour in for the “unofficial” Poll on the “unofficial” candidates for the “unofficial” Mayor of Anderson Valley - if such a position was to be officially created. Out of nowhere to head the poll at this point, although perhaps not a big surprise, has come Variety Show Impresario and all-round “Mr. Nice Guy”, Captain Rainbow, (or just ‘Robert’ to some, or perhaps Mr. Salisbury to others)…You can ‘register’ your support for a candidate, either from the list below or perhaps add a new name, by sending a message to turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net… It’s a wide-open race as you can see from the current standings: Captain Rainbow 16.25%; Lauren Keating (of Lauren’s Restaurant) 15%; Bruce Anderson 11.25%; Turkey Vulture 10%; Ross Murray 7.5%; Bruce “Uncle Sam” Hering 7.5%; Vince “Pig Hunt” Bellew 6.25%; Bruce ‘Pat” Patterson 6.25%; Coach Danny Kuny 5%; Emil Rossi 5%; Wayne “Community Xmas Tree” Hiatt 3.75%; Eugenia “Gene” Herr 2.5%; Miscellaneous Others 2.5%...and “King” Ken Allen 1.25%...(p.s. you can vote for yourself!)…
On my daily visit to the Philo Post Office I spotted a flyer on the notice board commenting on the recent fiasco at our “free speech” community radio station, KZYX & Z. The notice simply stated, “Fair Play for Mary Aigner!... Vance Crow must go!” - you’ll get no argument from me on either request…As I was leaving the building I bumped into Beverly, of the former Philo Pottery Inn bed and breakfast. She told me her father, George, would be moving to The Valley permanently in June from his home in London. She is very excited at this prospect and who can blame her? George is a “jolly nice” fellow and I’m sure he’ll settle into Valley life and be enjoyable company wherever he goes…
At the end of this month (May 30th and 31st) and again on the first weekend in June (6th and 7th), The A.V. Theater Guild, under the expert guidance of Rod Basehore, will be putting on its annual production at The Grange. Twelve Valley folks are currently hard at work, rehearsing a couple of times a week, to bring to you two humorous short plays – one by Anton Chekhov and the other written by Basehore himself. I was fortunate to drop by the Grange on Saturday afternoon and managed to catch part of a dress rehearsal in full swing. Based on what I saw, from love amongst the pompous and confused Russian middle/upper classes in the first play to a very understanding female God juxtaposed with naughty nymphs, “dwarfs”, and a wickedly funny Satan, whip in hand, strutting her stuff in thigh high leather boots in the second play, I imagine the finished product will be well worth seeing…
It would appear that I’m out of space so I’ll get my coat and leave…Be careful out there, stay out of the ditches, think good thoughts, and may your god go with you…Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…
You can contact me with words of support/abusel at
Quiz answers…
1. These fine gentlemen were all managers of the Mendocino County Fair at one time or another…
2. Navarro’s winemaker is Jim Klein and brewing the beer in The Valley is Neil Atkins – two very "important" men I’m bound to say…
3. He was known as The Buzzard. I imagine he and I are related in some way…

# 108 - April 30th, 2008

Greetings one and all…Well let’s get started, as promised, with The Valley Quiz…Answers at the end…
1. There are a number of Sheep Dog Trials held in The Valley every spring and summer. Most of them take place at the Fairgrounds in Boonville but there are two other local venues. Where are they?
2. Who is the new President of the Independent Career Women’s group that meets once a month in The Valley for discussions and dinner and, in the process, raises sponsorship money for graduating High School students?
3. Who were the four original owners of Lemon’s Market in Philo?
What glorious weather we had last weekend – perfect for the arrival in town of the sharp-witted Wise Owl and her spouse, The Venerable Pheasant. On a beautiful Saturday morning I decided to share with them a “Day in The Valley” and after a pot of coffee, some bagels and cream cheese, toast and marmalade, a bowl of cornflakes, and a nibble of fresh carrion, we set off from The Nest at about 10am…
First stop on this ‘typical’ day out was inevitably The County Dump on Mountain View Road. Open from 9am to 4pm at weekends (and at the same times on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for now), there was a steady flow of people keeping Dump Guy Bill busy as I surveyed the always interesting ‘stuff’ being dropped off. However, it was still quite early in the day and therefore the smell wasn’t quite as pungent as I like it, so, after meeting and greeting several Valley folks, we flew back into town to the annual Wild Flower Shower being held at The Fairgrounds in Boonville…
This has been held in The Valley since 1926 and involves several members of The Unity Club spending the previous few days gathering hundreds of examples of the Valley’s wild flowers and fauna and presenting them in beautiful and informative displays at one of the halls at the Fairgrounds. Together with the coffee and snack bar and a plant sale featuring many bargains, not to mention the many smiling and familiar faces, this was nothing short of what I would call a “lovely” event – “very well done” to all concerned…
I had hoped to watch some of the Junior High Soccer tournament that was taking place at Tom Smith Field at the High School but my stomach was rumbling so I insisted we headed to the monthly Barn Sale on Anderson Valley Way and was very glad that I did. Not only were we warmly greeted by Gloria Ross and Bill and Eva Holcomb but Bill informed me that his ‘Barn Burgers’ were selling like there was no tomorrow and that I should get my order in soon. Sure enough, as I began to devour the delicious cheeseburger and potato chips (just $4) I heard the relieved voice of customer Rod Basehore announce, “They are the best burgers in town and I just got the last one!”…Bill was sweating at the grill as he completed the final few orders and his day was going to be a long one – he would now have to go shopping once again because the whole weekend’s supply of burgers had gone by 2pm on the first day! Tough for Bill but good news for the beneficiaries – St. Elizabeth Seton Church and well-fed customers like myself…
On the way back to The Nest for a “well-deserved” nap (all that socializing and eating is tiring work I can assure you), we made one final stop at Jack’s Valley Store and, as always, the service and knowledge provided by “customer service expert” Kevin was second to none. He always listens to what your needs are, offers advice and alternatives, and you leave in the knowledge that you have what you need – a welcome feeling, given my questionable handyman qualifications!
It had been a wonderful few hours and, thanks to so many Valley people, both Owl and Pheasant had been treated to a great day out – the only problem being that we just couldn’t find Chocolate Chip Vanilla Ice Cream in any of the Valley’s stores. Not one!! In my humble opinion, whoever wants to become Mayor around here will get our vote if they can somehow ensure that the Valley’s stores always stock this increasingly ‘rare item’ in large quantities…I just thought they should know…
And that leads me perfectly to the latest figures in the Unofficial Anderson Valley Mayoral Race which are shown below…Obviously this is completely ‘unofficial” as only those reading the “Bird’s Eye View” column are aware of it and have contributed at this point. You can ‘register’ your support for a candidate, either from the list below or perhaps add a new name, by sending a message to turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net… It’s a wide-open race at this point, as you can see…
Bruce Anderson 14%; Lauren Keating (of Lauren’s Restaurant) 12%; Ross Murray 12%; Turkey Vulture 10%; Coach Danny Kuny 8%; Bruce “Uncle Sam” Hering 8%; Vince “Pig Hunt” Ballew 8%; Emil Rossi 8%; Wayne “Community Xmas Tree” Hiatt 6%; Eugenia “Mean Gene” Herr 4%; Bruce "Pat” Patterson 4%; Miscellaneous Others 4%...and “King” Ken Allen 2%...(p.s. you can vote for yourself!)…I look forward to receiving your votes in the upcoming weeks…
Coming up at the weekend it’s Opening Day for this summer’s Boonville Farmer’s Market. It runs from 9.45am to noon on Saturday, May 3rd and will have the usual array of local ‘goodies’ with this first week seeing a special Spring Plant Sale…Also this weekend we have the annual Boontling Classic 5K Footrace. The race starts at 10am on Sunday, May 4th at the Elementary School on Anderson Valley Way and you can register there between 8.30 and 9.30am or call Jan at 895-2701 to pre-register on May 3rd or earlier…
Sounds like you will be busy, so be careful out there, stay out of the ditches, think good thoughts, and may your god go with you…Oh, and of course, one final request - “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture… You can contact me with words of support/abuse and votes for ‘Mayor of Anderson Valley’ by e-mail at

Quiz Answers…
1. Both venues are in High Roller Country - Two trials are held at The (Stanley) Johnson Ranch in Yorkville beside Hwy 128, and then there is The Kevin Owens’ Classic on Hulbert Ranch Road, also in Yorkville.
2. The new President of the I.C.W. is Monika Fuchs the owner of what used to be The Philo Pottery Inn Bed & Breakfast..
3. Lemons’ Philo Market was began by Elmer & June Lemons and Tom & Connie Lemons…