# 121 - July 30th, 2008

Greetings one and all and welcome once again to the next few minutes of your life – how does that feel? Reading this stuff when you could be doing something so much more worthwhile? Exactly, I know what you mean – guilty pleasures are good for you…Anyway, as promised last week it’s a return to a some old T.V. favorites and none are more favored than a good old Valley Quiz…(Answers at the end)…
1. Which vineyard would you find on Hwy 128 at mile marker 20?...Meanwhile, what’s at mile marker 8?
2. Who are the two realtors currently working at North Country Real Estate here in A.V.?
3. Which of the following mass murderers is the odd one out?
a) Charles Manson b) Ted Bundy c) Jim Jones d) Leonard Lake
What about a Quote of the Week? This time we turn to the American social critic and witty commentator, Alexander Woollcott…”All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal, or fattening” – certainly words to live by, wouldn’t you say?
Now on to another regular feature – The Wine of the Week…I was particularly fortunate to be at a small gathering a few miles up the Philo/Greenwood Rd when a bottle of 2004 Baxter Zinfandel was opened. A large glass of this dark red nectar soon found itself clasped between my claws and seconds later the contents were trickling past my beak and permeating my taste buds, before cascading down my gullet – class, eh? It was excellent. Made with grapes from the Francis Fashauer Vineyard on Mendocino Ridge, it is in limited supply but I can assure you that if you buy a bottle and pair it with any red meat or, in my particular case, some fresh raspberries and French vanilla ice cream, then the word “orgasmic” might just enter your mind…
That’s all very well but unfortunately life is not all Zinfandels and ice cream is it? – There is always the “Whine of the Week”!…This time it’s not so much a whine but rather an ongoing concern which may possibly not exist, although I sense that it does. Please read on…I have always been amazed at the incredible generosity of the Valley’s numerous organizations and various individuals when it comes to giving out scholarships to our High School seniors upon graduation. Tens of thousands of dollars are donated and the students are surely extremely grateful. I have often wondered how this gratitude is expressed. One can hopefully assume that, at the very least, a letter of thanks is sent to the donor and it would be considered ‘normal’ in the “real world” for the students to follow this up in some way, may be with an appearance at the organization’s meeting or a progress report in an e-mail perhaps. As for future contact then the sponsor(s) would surely appreciate an annual update on the student’s academic progress. The student could surely manage this at some point - it would seem rude to not to…
If none of these gestures occur then it is a poor reflection on the students and the school and, in my humble opinion, it would be something that should be addressed…Having said all that I am aware that in the past week or so, one of the students, Sara Guerrero-Leon (Aigner), did make an appearance at a meeting of the Independent Career Women (I.C.W.) and thanked the group for their scholarship that will support her during her upcoming studies at U.C. Berkeley. She talked about her studies and goals and I’m sure her attendance was much appreciated by the I.C.W. members. This should not be a “big deal” for the student and we should not go overboard with praise for Sara –shouldn’t her gesture should be the norm? Common courtesy, good manners, and a modicum of decorum surely still have a place in our society; my own wine-slurping habits notwithstanding. However, I think Sara’s attendance is well worth mentioning, “well done, Sara” - and hopefully she is just one of many who also “do the right thing”…
Now regular readers over the past couple of years will no doubt fondly remember The Turkey Awards given out sporadically for various “services to the community” in and around The Valley. These have included “Best Strawberries”, Best French Fries”, “Best Super Chicken Burrito”, “Best Pint of Beer”, etc. Well, over the past three weeks I have been frantically researching the “Best Meat Lovers Deli Sandwich” award and I must say I found that the standard in these parts to be exceptionally high, To qualify for the award the sandwich must be made-to-order, cost less than $7 (it’s a sandwich for god’s sake!), be available on a French roll, and come with the basic but crucial ingredients – medium cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mustard, and mayo. Other extras are nice of course but to keep this on a somewhat level playing field I have been keeping to just these basic requirements…After my extensive research and commitment to duty (not to mention a second round of sandwich-eating to ensure the final results were totally accurate), I can now announce that the winner, in a very close race, is…the Roast Beef Sandwich at Lemons Market in Philo…Superb – very good beef (lots of it too); fresh and tasty produce, good cheddar cheese, and all on an very fresh roll. As I mentioned above, all of the Valley’s deli departments produce a high quality product for a reasonable price – that would most certainly include The A.V. Market, The Navarro Store, and the Yorkville Mini Mart. (N.B. Boont Berry Farm doesn’t do a meat sandwich (booo!) and The Boonville General Store has a delicious Tri-Tip Sandwich but it is $8.95)…So, hungry readers, if in doubt about lunch today, visit one of our local deli departments and order up a sandwich – you can’t go wrong! Trust me on this; you can thank me later…p.s. Non of The T.V. Awards have ever been, nor ever will be, influenced by any form of “bribe” and freebies are never accepted – this can only be described as cruel but fair!
Just time for a “quickie” – as the Bishop said to the Actress… Public Service Announcement #133: The Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital will be at Digg Garden and Landscape Supplies (formerly The A.V. Farm Supply) tomorrow – Thursday, July 31st from 2pm for a couple of hours. Grab the chance if your pets have the need – the Vets will not be here in August…
Well, that’s all for now…Be careful out there; remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle; think good thoughts, try to enjoy life despite the fact that living sometimes gets in the way, 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
Quiz Answers…
1. At mile marker 20 you would be at The Corby Vineyard and at 8 miles you could turn off at the Paul M. Dimmick campgrounds…
2. Mike Shapiro and Jimmy Humble…
3. The answer is b) Ted Bundy – he is the only one not to have lived in the Valley at some point…Have a good night’s sleep…..

# 120 - July 23rd, 2008

Greetings one and all, and welcome to the next few minutes of your life. Are you sitting comfortably? – then I’ll begin…I promised you a Valley Quiz this week so let’s get right on it…Answers at the end…
1. Following a card game played over one hundred years ago, the winner got to name the local town after himself and the loser became its postmaster – which early Valley dwellers am I talking about?
2. In which year was the Valley’s first sparkling wine released by Roederer of France? a) 1982 b) 1985 c) 1988
3. The not-yet-released movie “Pig Hunt” was made here in the Valley and its environs in the summer of 2007. Which local “actor” makes his film debut in this film?
What a lovely event! I’m referring to the wedding I attended last Sunday afternoon at The Boonville Hotel – the one that saw Beverly Bennett and Monika Fuchs, both of Philo Pottery Inn ‘fame’, finally tying the knot after 26 years of being together. Hummingbird was the officiant/minister at what I believe was the first-ever legally sanctioned gay/lesbian/same-sex public wedding service in The Valley and she produced a very special and unique service for the happy couple - it was certainly a case of handkerchiefs at the ready! Best wishes to the happy couple for much love, good health, and happiness together...Oh, and before I forget, the music provided by Mitchell Holman, Pilar Duran and two others (my apologies, I did not get names) fitted the event perfectly, the flowers by Audrey were beautiful, and the food was exceptionally good too, particularly the chicken and shitakke mushroom kebabs and the really top class gazpacho (diced style) – great job, Johnnie Schmitt and the Crew!...
Wedding quote #1: Guest to Monica - “Thanks on behalf of several people for providing non-alcoholic drinks, especially this Crystal Geyser mineral water”…
Wedding quote #2: Different Guest to Monica (seconds later) - “Thanks on behalf of the vast majority here for providing the alcoholic drinks, especially this delicious Scharffenberger sparkling wine” – I felt someone had to put things in proper perspective…
Aagghh! Bad news – the annual Mendocino Woolgrowers Fair, featuring all-things wool, a Bar-b-queue or lamb-bake, and the Sheep Dog Trial has been cancelled! It was due to take place at The Fairgrounds in Boonville this weekend (Sunday, July 27th) but due to the on-going use of that facility for the fire-fighting teams, and the organizers having to plan ahead, they decided they had no choice but to cancel – even though at this point the venue is almost ready for normal use once again. What a shame – it’s a wonderful event and I had been very pleased to hear it was going ahead following talk over the past couple of years of its demise. Let’s hope it will return next year – “The Woolgrowers” is one of those events that make The Valley special…
At least you can cheer yourselves up by going to this weekend’s Barn Sale – on both Saturday and Sunday (26th and 27th) from 9am to 4pm. I’ll be there for the bargains and Bill’s Burgers, and a little bird told me that The Wise Shepherd of Yorkville and The Eager Shepherd of Navarro, and of course their numerous dogs, might be putting on a dog training/sheep herding display in The Field alongside the Barn on Sunday afternoon…
Public Service Announcement #133: The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital in Ukiah will be at Digg Landscape and Garden Supplies (formerly The A.V. Farm Supply) just north of Philo on the last Thursday of the month – the 31st. I strongly advise you to take advantage of this wonderful service, particularly as they will not be making their usual monthly visit in August…
More fascinating insights from the pen of “Confused of Comptche”…”Dear T.V., I have been confused for some time as to why people think physicist and observer of the universe, Stephen Hawking, is so clever. After all, when you ask him a question and he is typing in the answer on his little screen attached to his wheelchair, how do we know he isn't just looking up the answer on the Internet?”…You really might have something there, Confused – I’ll see what I can find out about this possible fraudster…
Can you have too much of a good thing? Surely not if it’s a good band, excellent food off the grill, and stimulating company – which is exactly what I enjoyed once again at The Navarro Store last Saturday night. Accompanied by Hummingbird and The Redwood Valley Robin, I spent a great evening listening to the blues/rock sounds of The Black Horse Blues Band, eating rib plates, slurping down cool Pacifico beer, and watching some “bad-ass craziness” on the dance floor. This “display” was led by the slick hand-jiving moves of Navarro Tommy, the sweat-inducing gyrations of Cathy Hulbert, the cheerleader-like gymnastics of “Young” George Gowan, the hip-hop moves of a six year old boy, the indescribable yet rhythmic maneuvers of Stringbean, two hippie girls with rhythm and lovely belly buttons, and a dancing dog. End result - a great time was had by all…Is this the Valley’s most entertaining night out? That’s a subjective topic and I couldn’t possibly comment…but I think you’re getting my drift…p.s. this coming Saturday (July 26th), The Store hosts an ‘Open Mic’ night - this may or may not be your ‘thing’ – it’s not mine, but I’m sure many others will be there with singing voices ready to go and/or instruments tuned. Enjoy!...
Well, that’s all for now…Be careful out there; remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle; think good thoughts, try to enjoy life despite the fact that living sometimes gets in the way, 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
Quiz Answers…
1. Richard York named Yorkville and E.M. Hiatt became postmaster…
2. 1988 saw the first “Champagne” from these parts…
3. Vince “Vinnie” Ballew of Boonville can be seen in the film – according to A.V.A.Supremo Bruce Anderson, Vinnie is one of the best parts of the movie!

# 119 - July 16th, 2008

Greetings one and all and hopefully you’re feeling a little more comfortable than last week. The extreme heat wave has passed for now; the fires are gradually being extinguished – “until the last ember is out” according to the tireless and brave firefighters of both our local crews and those from many points beyond; and the smoke seems to be slowly dissipating, although it seems to be a case of two steps forward and one step back as the weather and wind patterns dictate this…
Quote of the week - appropriately…”What dreadful hot weather we’ve had! It keeps me in a constant state of inelegance” – Author Jane Austen…I know how she felt! …
Despite feeling like that, I still rather stupidly waited until last Thursday, when the heat wave was virtually over with, before heading to the Coast for a cool-down. It was slightly foggy and there was even a chill in the air and I was glad to have a sweatshirt on...As I flew into the town of Mendocino, I spotted one of my cousins, Teddy Vicious the Turkey Vulture, sitting at the top of a power-line pole overlooking the bay. He had his vast wings spread wide as he basked in the dull morning sun that was barely breaking through the thin layer of fog. He looked quite threatening as he observed everything and everyone in his domain – he is a nasty looking piece of work, I must say. You may have seen this ‘wing-spreading’ phenomenon before and I should point out that we Vultures are not showing off our balancing skills or how “big” we are when we do this. He was basking in the sun because a little sunbathing, with wings spread out wide, is what we Vultures do to increase our body temperatures following a cool night or early morning – which it certainly was…And that, folks, before you even realized it, is your snippet of ‘Jive Turkey’ for this week…I just thought you should know…
I bumped into Steve Sparks and Jamal Essayeh in town last week. These are the two Co-Directors of the Anderson Valley Film Festival and they had just finished the first of many meetings they will no doubt have over the upcoming months in preparation for the 3rd Annual A.V.F.F. They informed me that this next year the Festival will take place at The Grange in The Valley on January 22nd – 25th (Thursday – Sunday), 2009, and hoped that once again perhaps 20% of the films on view will have some connection to The Valley, in one way or another. With this in mind, they asked me to mention in my column that anyone who might know of such films, either the filmmakers themselves or their family/friends, should contact Steve at avff@earthlink.net or call 707-357-1726 to talk about submitting these films for the Festival line-up…I asked about my favorite film form last year – the locally made “Pig Hunt”. Well, they do hope to show it, possibly as it’s U.S. premiere, and yer gotta like that!
Talking of culture in The Valley, last weekend saw the Boonville ‘Art Walk’, wherein local artists display their creative works in a variety of downtown venues. However, as I’ve said many times, “I know art but I don’t know what I like”. So what’s the point of me going you may wonder? Precisely…However, I do know beer, bar-b-que, and music so I zoomed down to the Navarro Store where the sounds of Sweet Spot could be heard under the giant redwoods - I’m very glad I did. The band, led by Dave Gould and featuring the slick guitar sounds of Yorkville’s Kevin Owens amongst other experienced and talented musicians, played an assortment of rock classics and more recent hits whilst in the background, to complement the music, Pablo worked his magic on the grill, and the staff inside the Store catered to the liquid refreshment needs of the assembled masses. Storeowner Dave Evans continues to do a remarkable job down in The Deep End and he has created a wonderful space to listen to and enjoy music. There was a lively crowd of about seventy people from all walks of Valley life that had gathered to see this latest in a series of Saturday afternoon/evening musical extravaganzas, which will include the Johnnie Winter show coming in September…
As the beer flowed, the dancing “frenzy” in front of the stage increased, and I was particularly taken by the sight of the portly Navarro Tommy dancing in his inimitable hand flapping style accompanied by six sprightly, casually but smartly dressed “soccer Mums” from Marin, who were in the Valley visiting with Cappy Reed at her part-time home on Gschwend Road. – Tommy and the Tiburon Girls have a future in this business, I thought… This, together with a Deep End couple who never left the dance floor all night as they alternated a whirling dervish style of dance with some lusty moves reminiscent of two heavily perspiring actors in a soft porn film, made for wonderful entertainment. Add in the excellent music and food and I had clearly made the best decision on how to spend my particular Saturday…Besides, I’m sure the world of art can do without my confused opinions, for a while longer anyway…
As I was leaving the event I bumped into Eva Holcomb who was there with husband Bill and friends. She spoke of the days when Navarro/Wendling had enjoyed dance nights such as this all year round, when it was the main town in The Valley as a result of it being the hub of the logging industry. As the child, Eva Pardini, she had lived there before the Second World War, from the age of 4 to 12, and remembers well her grandparents’ hotel - The Pardini - being the “place where everyone went on a Saturday night”, her grandmother making her special ravioli from the old country for anyone to enjoy. This was just one of four hotels in “Iteville” or “Dago Town” (as it was so nicknamed for obvious reasons), not to mention the numerous restaurants, the dance hall, a movie house, the jail, and a busy brothel! Can we look forward to return to those good old days, I wonder? You can probably guess what my vote would be…
Well, as you ponder that enticing thought, I’ll take my leave…Be careful out there, try to stay out of the ditches, remember to keep the windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle, think good thoughts, and may your god go with you…Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…p.s. We’ll have a Valley Quiz, possibly a Whine and a Wine of the Week, and an assortment from the other usual ‘favorites’ next week – bet you can’t wait! (?)…
You can contact me with words of support/abuse by e-mail at
turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

# 118 - July 9th, 2008

Greetings one and all and welcome to another installment of hack writing, featuring mostly irreverent comment along with a smattering of perhaps mildly interesting/amusing information and observations about life in and around Anderson Valley. Perhaps to the surprise of the likes of Nate “Doom and Gloom” Collins of Oakland, (Letters Page, July 2nd), many people, particularly Valley folks, seem to like this stuff, and, for their continued support, I am very grateful…So, with that in mind let’s start with a Valley Quiz, shall we? – Answers at the end…

1. How high is Boonville?... I’m talking about altitude here - this has nothing to do with the “goings-on” at the recent Sierra Nevada Music Festival…

2. Who are the three women spearheading the alternative to the County’s General Plan for the Valley’s future?

3. How many winery tasting-rooms are open to the public in The Valley between Philo and Navarro (actually Floodgate)?

And while I’m at it, here’s a little more taxation on your brain – yes, folks, some good old “Jive Turkey”!...We Turkey Vultures have an extraordinary olfactory system (sense of smell) – the largest of any bird of prey. We also have excellent eyesight. This combination allows us to be both aware of carrion from over a mile away by smell and also able to spot dying or recently dead animals from great heights. Add to these attributes, the ability to swoop down at speeds of up to 60 miles-per-hour on to our next meal, thus arriving before any other hungry bird of prey, and it’s no wonder that we can be truly regarded as “Nature’s Garbage Collectors”. It’s a lot of fun I can tell you but not something you should try at home…Now you know…

Well, with “The Old-time 4TH of July Celebration” cancelled as a result of The Fairgrounds in Boonville being used as a base for many of those either fighting the fires or by those affected by them, Hummingbird and I gladly accepted an invitation to a bar-b-que at The Large-Breasted Warbler’s place. We had a great time eating good food; sipping fine wines, Margaritas, and beer; dancing the Funky Chicken to the sounds of The Byrds and The Counting Crows (try it sometime!); and then after dark sitting around and watching our favorite movie, One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest…I suppose you had to be there…

Quote of the Week…Whilst on the topic of the effect of the fires, I have spoken with several of our volunteer firefighters over the past week and one thing that stood out to me was their modesty and insistence that what they had done was not a big deal. Many citizens of the Valley would no doubt respectfully disagree with their assessment and I was reminded of the words from Greek writer and philosopher, Homer, who said, “The charity that is a trifle to some, can be very precious to others”. On behalf of the many, may I pass on a big “thank you” to them all for their efforts…

Public service announcement #123…Although the price of gas in The Valley is rapidly approaching $5, at least I can inform you that all three of our gas stations are charging similar amounts - within 5 cents of each other as I write. Furthermore, and I know this doesn’t really help but it shows that things could be worse, a visitor to The Valley from the U.K. informed me that “petrol” prices in his country are now at $11.50 a gallon…He pointed out that their gallon was 20% more than ours so, with that taken into account, it’s currently costing the Limeys $9.20 a gallon. I wonder if they are still so polite these days?!?...

I imagine that some of you were not feeling like being polite to me if you had gone to Digg Landscape and Garden Supplies just outside Philo expecting to see the vets from Ukiah a couple of Thursdays ago (June 26th) after I had informed you in a previous ‘Public Service Announcement’ that they would be there. They were not there due to the fire and smoke situation and asked me to pass on their apologies…Please accept mine too – it was beyond our control…

Helpful of Hopland writes, “Hi, T.V., I hope you’re not getting too fat on all the fine carrion that you seem to eat. If you are however, I do have a solution so you can avoid your torso being surreptitiously filmed and used in a Fox News report about America’s obesity problem. Simply wear a T-shirt at all times with “Fox News is a load of crap” written on it. That way they’ll never show your big belly will they? Just trying to help, yours helpfully, Helpful of Hopland”…What a brilliant idea, I must get such a t-shirt a.s.a.p. Thanks, Helpful…

And whilst we’re dealing with my recent correspondence here’s one from an old acquaintance…It comes under the category of “Strange but True”…#76 – ”Dear Mr. Vulture, Do you remember the recent furor over the guy in Austria, Josef Fritzl, who had kept loved ones hidden in his house for many, many years? I couldn't understand all the fuss about this so-called 'evil' man. As I remember, the last time an Austrian hid his young lover and seven children from the authorities the story was turned into the most successful and beloved film musical ever. People are so fickle….Confused of Comptche”…You are a sick bastard, Confused, and I ask that you stop writing to me, although I have to agree, “The Sound of Music” was a wonderful film…

That’s quite enough of this for now, I’m sure you’ll agree…So, be careful out there, try to stay out of the ditches, remember to keep the windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle (and it’s not too smoky), 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 either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

Quiz Answers

1. Boonville is at an altitude of 400 feet – it’s on those signs at each end of town that many of you pass every day…

2. Eugenia ‘Gene’ Herr, Kathy Bailey, and Barbara Goodell…

3. There are 12 tasting rooms in that eight-mile stretch – Scharffenberger, Toulouse, Brutacao, Navarro, Greenwood Ridge, Standish, Lazy Creek, Roederer, Husch, Esterlina, Handley, and Claudia Springs…

…So how was your A.V. knowledge, Nate?...I thought as much…

# 117 - July 2nd, 2008

Greetings to one and all and I hope I find you in good sprits despite the continuing poor yet improving conditions in and around The Valley. Whilst a number of the fires are gradually being contained, the smoke has been terrible at times over the past week or so, particularly in Boonville and the heart of The Valley. The Community has come forward with great fortitude and enthusiasm once again and the efforts of so many people should be acknowledged - the firefighters particularly, but also lots of others in direct support of those brave guys, along with those who have lent a hand to people in need of help with moving themselves, their possessions, and/or livestock etc. The whole effort has been heart-warming and in many cases truly remarkable…

Not everyone has been so wonderful, of course – that would be expecting too much. This results in my Whine of the Week and concerns the inability of certain people to ever admit that they may be in the wrong. An incident highlighting this kind of social ineptness occurred when I was in the parking lot of The Philo Post Office last Friday afternoon. Following the usual enjoyable banter with local folk at that fine establishment, I was approaching my vehicle when a car swerved into the parking space alongside my truck. The driver stopped so close to my pick-up that there was no way I could get into the driver’s side door. I looked inside the offending car and recognized the driver - many people know many other people in The Valley.

‘Hi, -----, could you please just move over a little so that I can get in my car”, I politely asked.

“You shouldn’t drive such a big piece of s***”, was the very surprising reply as he got out of his car. These were his first words.

“What!?!?” I said, incredulously. “It isn’t a big deal, is it?”

“Am I in my parking zone?” he said, walking round to check if he was in-between the lines on the tarmac.

He was, and so was I. The difference was that he had pulled into the far right side of his space whilst I was in the middle of mine. As he passed by me I detected a pungent and most unpleasant body odor. I ignored this although those close to him could maybe mention it to him; anyone would think he bathes in the river, which was o.k. for the Indians but sadly the rivers can no longer be relied upon for personal hygiene purposes.

As he walked back round his car, I inquired, somewhat sarcastically, “And how’s your day going, -----?”…


”This is what happens when you drive such a piece of crap” was his snarling comment as he got into his car and moved his vehicle to the middle of his zone, thus enabling me to get into my truck, which is just a standard Dodge Ram pick-up, one of many such vehicles in The Valley, and one I need to have to do much of my land and livestock work. He then got back out of his car and strode off towards the Post office, mumbling some unintelligible nonsense to himself as he went. A curmudgeonly Turkey Vulture would be like a jolly clown in comparison to this “miserable bastard” - as I referred to him as he shuffled away.

I was shocked. This unprovoked outburst had come completely out of nowhere. Perhaps he is terminally bitter and this is how he behaves in any confrontational situation, no matter how innocuous it may be. Perhaps, if he is on medications, he had not taken them. If that’s the case he really should be more diligent about this if he intends to circulate in the community, not to mention finding some soap and hot water.

However, what I believe the real underlying reason for his outburst was that this was someone who is under the misapprehension that he is always, unfailingly right. We all know such people. He is so self-righteous that he didn’t like me questioning his parking acumen, although I was hardly doing this, merely asking him to move his vehicle over a little way. He saw this as a form of criticism and he couldn’t take it, exploding into a rude and totally unnecessary tirade. This guy has no class and I must take a moment to remind him of this fact when I next see him scuttling around The Valley…

I was able to enjoy a far more pleasant experience on Sunday afternoon when I attended the monthly Barn Sale on the north side of town. In the field alongside the Barn, the local shepherds, who regularly work their dogs on the sheep in those pastures, were playing host to a special guest/friend. It was Colleen Duncan, last year’s winner of the High Points Trophy for the Redwood Empire Sheep Dog Association (R.E.S.D.A.), and she was sharing her vast knowledge and wonderful dog handling skills with the locals. I watched intently as she worked two of her own young dogs, Hope and Tango, on the not always obliging sheep, before giving an unofficial clinic on the finer points of sheep dog work to the young pups belonging to our apprentice shepherds. Everyone had a most enjoyable and beneficial time and, with the sizzling burgers to follow, courtesy of Bill Holcomb on the grill behind The Barn, and the smoke somewhat dissipating for a few hours, I have to say it was a special afternoon in Boonville…Even “Miserable Bastard” might have enjoyed himself - well maybe not…

This weekend sees the annual Independence Day festivities and I’m sure a good time will be had by all who attend Sunday’s Old Time 4th of July Celebration at The Fairgrounds in Boonville from noon to 4pm. Along with the usual fun events, I see there is to be a chicken clucking and rooster crowing competition. Any self-respecting Turkey Vulture has to like his chances in those events, not to mention the fact that there will be barbeque tri-tip, hot dogs, and homemade pie! See you there – I’ll be the one clucking, crowing, and chowing down – possibly all at the same time!...

Be careful out there, try to stay out of the ditches – and the smoke, remember to keep the windows cracked if you have pets in your car, 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