# 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.