# 135 - November 5th, 2008

Greetings one and all…Are you sitting comfortably - then I shall begin…Well, I’ve been under the weather a little so not only did I miss the weekend’s Halloween events (I was suffering my own version of the ‘horrors’ in the bathroom) but my sickness also means that this week’s “Bird’s Eye View” will not have the usual Valley Quiz and will be somewhat less ‘socially aware’ as I’ve been Nest-bound for a few days. Normal service will be resumed a.s.a.p. - next week, hopefully…
Anyway, with ‘sickness’ on my mind perhaps the words of philosopher and man-of-letters, Ralph Waldo Emerson, provide a very appropriate Quote of the Week…”All sicknesses run into one – old age” – he was an annoyingly clever bastard wasn’t he?...
First up – did you vote? If not, then any complaining about the government is not really valid…
Next Tuesday – November 11th – is Veterans Day (Remembrance Day in Europe and Canada) and in surely a very important day for observance. This day marks the end of hostilities in World War One (the so-called “War to end all Wars” - if only it had been), which took place at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. In my opinion it is not a day to celebrate victories but rather one for remembrance of those who fought, and in many cases gave their lives, so that ours may be better. To my knowledge, and please correct/inform me if I am wrong, there is no service to commemorate Veterans’ day in The Valley. That’s really too bad…
Meanwhile, I’d like to share with you a few poignant words from the very moving poem ‘For the Fallen’ by Laurence Binyon, written during W.W.1, that sum up how I humbly and sincerely believe we can reflect for a brief moment or two on this day...
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”
Public Service Announcement #715 – I called the Mendocino Animal Hospital the other day and they informed that they are short-staffed at present and so, unless something unlikely happens, there are no planned visits by their vets to Dig Supplies here in The Valley in either November or December. Disappointing I know, but that’s the way it is. I just thought you should know so you can make plans to go ‘over the hill’ to Ukiah for your pet’s needs. I’ll let you know if the situation changes…
Before I caught this ‘bug’ I made a couple of oft-postponed exploratory flights back up into the hills above The Valley. Firstly I flew up Peachland Road for about five miles and found it very quiet indeed, passing one horse, one truck and no livestock on the way. I found it eerily beautiful but what do people do back there? Perhaps I shouldn’t ask…Then, a few days later, just before the rains, I decided to see how far I could get up along Whipple Ridge Road, starting from the P.G. & E. plant behind Philo. There are some spectacular views to be enjoyed up that way and most of the gates were open until I reached a spot, perhaps two miles along, looking way back down on Jack’s Valley Store. As I turned around I spotted a hawk majestically zoom over me and swoop down upon a squirrel scrambling across the meadow below. The catch was perfect and the kill instant. I thought about moving in for some lunch myself but then remembered that you’re better of kissing an angry bear’s ass than interfering with a hungry hawk who is enjoying a well-earned and peaceful lunch in the hills…
Moving on…Just a quick ‘thank you’ to reader Carl Flach of Alameda for sending me a copy of the excellent “Buzzards” by Lee Zacharias which appeared in ‘Best American Essays 2008’ (recently released and available very reasonably from Amazon.com). I humbly suggest that you read it too – it’s a beautiful thing, seriously…
Talking of beautiful things, last Wednesday afternoon as I flew casually down Hwy.128 I noticed about a ten of my brethren on and around a medium-sized, very recently killed deer near to Breggo Cellars, on the opposite side of the highway to Bill Hill’s Huge Hole. It was about 1.30pm and, judging by the state of the deer’s body, the first Turkey Vultures had only just arrived. I waved to my buddies and explained that I had an appointment in town but would return for a snack later. On my return journey, I was shocked to find the deer gone with just a few scattered meatless bones remaining. I do believe this was a new Valley record for twelve Turkey Vultures or less – a fully devoured deer in a time of just 2 hours and 5 minutes! Yer gotta like that – even if I did miss my snack…
I’ll get my coat, shall I?…Be careful out there; 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. It’s not all glamour being a Turkey Vulture but we certainly do get many compliments. My favorite comes from no less an ‘expert’ than Charles Darwin who said about us Turkey Vultures, “A disgusting bird whose bald scarlet head is formed to wallow in putridity” – Thank you, Mr. Darwin – I think you will go far…
You can contact me with words of support/abuse by e-mail at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net…