# 160 - May 27th, 2009

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin...First I want to send my very best wishes to Bridget Reilly, Laddie Kalinowski, their lovely daughter, Quinn, and loyal dog, Jake, who next week are leaving the Valley, where they have made their home for several years, and are moving back east to be closer to their families both in Ohio and New Jersey. Many of you may know them as they have been very popular on the Valley’s social scene – they like a ‘good drink’ - and have thrown numerous wonderful parties and social gatherings during their stay here. Laddie has been a Valley electrician, working with Bryan Wyant for much of the time, whilst Bridget has been at Meyer Family Cellars in recent years. The gain of Quinn’s grandparents’ uncles’, aunts’, and cousins’ will certainly be many Valley folks’ loss. Hummingbird and I will both miss their kindness, generosity, humor, sense of what is right and wrong, social awareness and skills, and a special friendship very much indeed. May peace and happiness be with them...
With this in mind I have no choice but to make the Quote of the Week these wise words from St. Thomas Aquinas who said, “Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious.”...I would only add another relevant phrase which I cannot attribute to anyone but it’s very appropriate in light of the fact that Bridget and Laddie often provided us with some wonderful goodies – “In the cookies of life, friends are the chocolate chips”...
On Saturday night I headed down to the Navarro Store for the Hansen and Raitt show, the latest in the summer-long Live Music series held in the Deep End. There was a crowd of over one hundred people and it was certainly the best atmosphere of the series so far. These events attract all sorts of Valley folks, from representatives of The Old Families (Pardini, Pronsolino, Hulbert, Gowan, etc), to the Veteran Hippies (Captain Rainbow, Buckhorn Bob, Dee Dee, and friends), to Winery folks (Bob Klindt of Claudia Springs, Jill Derwinski of Brutocao, Sharon Sullivan of Roederer), to several Rancho Navarrians, a smattering of Valley-Dwelling Urban Refugees; a few bedazzled Brightlighters, and of course the Deep Enders themselves, led by the King of Dance, Tommy Hopper. Set amongst the towering redwoods and with Pablo on the bbq grill, the excellent music was actually just one of many reasons to make me think, “It doesn’t get much better than this”...
Sunday afternoon came around all too quickly and I had barely recovered from the previous evening’s activities when I found myself at the Lion’s Club Tri-Tip BBQ to benefit the ElderHome in Boonville. It was held in the lovely Redwood Grove at The Fairgrounds and once again a good turnout of Valley folk was in attendance, although it was not as busy as last year...With Grill Masters, Olie Erickson, Justin Clarke, and Kevin Lee, taking care of the important business, the Lions Club Crew serving up the fixings, and the Bowman Family on the beer and wine bar, the event was a success and I can only point out that this was certainly a case of “snooze you loose” for those who missed it...
Not much room or time this week but we must squeeze in some important Public Service Announcements for the upcoming week...Tonight, May 27th, it’s the monthly gathering of the Independent Career Women (I.C.W.) and if this is the first you’ve heard about it then you’re too late to sign up on this occasion. I did not receive an invite once again and I really must check in with Postmaster Joe in Philo as to why it failed to arrive... Then tomorrow, Thursday 28th, the Anderson Valley Lyme Group will show a new documentary film on lyme disease at 6:30 p.m. in the Live Oak Building in Boonville. Free admission and very informative.!!... This coming Friday and Saturday, May 29th and 30th (also on June 5th and 6th), the A.V. Theatre Guild will be presenting their 2009 production at The Grange. It’s ‘A Thurber Carnival’ featuring the works of James Thurber in several skits under the direction of the inimitable Rod Basehore. All shows are at 7pm and I urge you to support the Guild’s efforts to bring even more culture to the Valley...Finally, on Saturday and Sunday, 9am – 3pm each day, it’s this month’s Barn Sale under the expert stewardship of Gloria Ross at The St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way just north of Boonville. There are lots of bargains to be had and whilst there are no more Holcomburgers these days (Bill has “retired’) there will be a guest grill chef serving food from 11am to 2pm each day...
I should go now – I’ve got to see a man about a sheep...Be careful out there; think good thoughts; stay out of the ditches; and, with the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle...May your god go with you...Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture.
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse by e-mail at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

# 159 - May 20th, 2009

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin...Well, that was a couple of uncomfortably hot days over this past weekend wasn’t it? I can’t complain other than to say that everyone talks about this but nobody does anything about it!...One thing it does mean is that the females of the species certainly look very ‘healthy’ in their skimpy summer outfits and that is surely a good thing for the observant male. It also leads me to offer you the first Quote of the Week from another observer of the human condition, incomparable English novelist Jane Austen, who commented, “What dreadfully hot weather we’ve had. It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.” Wallowing around naked at The Nest, I couldn’t have put it better myself...
In light of the upcoming Memorial Day (Monday, May 25th), we should most certainly have a pertinent Quote of the Week to honor those who have given their lives for the benefit of others and the world in which we live. I can think of few better to provide some wise words on this than American philosopher, mythologist, and commentator on the human experience, Joseph Campbell, who said, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”...Sincere appreciation to them all – we shall remember...
On to the topics under discussion this week at The Five-Dot Lounge..... (5-Dots – geddit?)..... Yes, it’s time for “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite bar/restaurant in the Valley..... The continuing ‘significant’ C.H.P. presence in the Valley is certainly on people’s minds with further tickets being given out to locals for not wearing their seat belts. This is certainly very odd and unfortunate. For every good deed that new sheriff Craig Walker is credited with, I hear about a negative one committed by the Chippies. I remember when the cops were there to ‘protect and serve’, give out directions, and help old ladies cross the road - or was that in a past life?..... It’s 4pm on Saturday and with The Pinot Festival going on as I write, one can only hope that not everyone in attendance is as drunk as the BMW Convertible driver and his disheveled blonde companion who staggered out of Golden Eye Winery to their car parked on Hwy 128 an hour or so ago. They were nearly run over as I drove past and then gave the finger to the person who used his horn to warn them away from the road. Obviously some Pinot sippers are as capable of getting as obnoxiously drunk as some of the beer guzzlers at the previous week’s Beer Fest. As regular readers will attest, I like a beer and a glass of wine as much as anyone, but if it affected me like it does some of these bozos then I would most certainly stay at home and stagger around the pastures abusing the sheep – verbally only, of course..... Some people here at The 5-Dot are concerned that the Saturday Night Live Music series at The Navarro Store attracts some ‘undesirables’ – not true I can assure them. Sure, some people get a little inebriated but it doesn’t really affect anyone else, and if it ever does, you can be sure that host Dave Evans and his ‘security staff’ will see to it that these miscreants are dealt with ‘in the usual way’.....
Hummingbird and I were very pleased to attend the surprise birthday party organized by Diana, Holly, and Suzie Charles for their mother JoAnne, held at Mom’s lovely home just north of Philo last Saturday afternoon. The party was, miraculously for this Valley, kept a secret from JoAnne until she arrived home to find so many friends and family gathered to celebrate with her. Wonderful food and wine added to this special occasion and with The Boonville Lodge’s Tom Towey providing the late night fun with the bar’s Karaoke machine it was a party to remember. My personal highlight, apart from the delicious chicken provided by Corey Morse, was the sight of Bill Teague’s twin daughters, Chelsea and Heather, singing an Avril Levigne song which left their proud father with a tear in his eye – great stuff...
On Sunday afternoon, it was the turn of Alan ‘Meat’ Thomas to celebrate his birthday with a party at his Bay Creek Farm on Ornbaun Road in Boonville. Obviously at such an event, the meat on the bbq was going to be of the highest quality and Alan and his lovely wife Torrey Douglass didn’t disappoint...The lamb ribs and pork roast were the highlights along with Hummingbird’s potato/egg salad (perhaps I am biased?) and Wes Drumheller’s delicious strawberry-based dessert...The homemade porter beer by Dan Houck went down well too on what was a lovely, albeit very hot, afternoon in the Valley...
Now, as is customary in this space, here are a few Public Service Announcements for the upcoming week...Tomorrow, Thursday 21st, at 2pm will see the Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital making their monthly visit to the Valley. You can sign up earlier and the vets are here until 3.30pm. It’s a very convenient service to all Valley pet owners and I urge you to support this if your pet has any needs at this time. (Their next visit will be June 25th)...As mentioned above, this coming Monday is Memorial Day and the annual Senior Center Flea Market will be taking place from Friday thru’ Monday...Also this weekend is the Open Studio Tour in which local artists welcome guests to visit their studios – call Nancy or Bill at 895-3134 for details...Finally, on Sunday 24th, it’s The Lions Club’s tri-tip bbq to benefit the Elder Home. It is at the Fairgrounds from 4pm – 7.30pm and I’d rather kiss a wild hog’s snout than miss this one – you’d be wise to do the same...
I should go now – I’ve got to see a man about a sheep...Be careful out there; think good thoughts; stay out of the ditches; and, with the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle...May your god go with you...Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture.
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse by e-mail at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net
p.p.s. How are you Silver Swan and Ducklips? It’s been too long...

# 158 - May 13th, 2009

Greetings one and all - I have finally returned to The Valley from the real world and so if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin...I was in Europe on my travels and found the alcohol consumption over there to be truly ‘over-the-top’. Morning, noon, and night those people are guzzling beer and sipping wine. I frequently found myself joining them – it would have been rude not to, don’t you think? Anyway, based on this experience I am convinced that they adhere to the philosophy of American comedian, Steven Wright, who wisely noted, “24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not.”...
Moving on...And one final word on the Beer Festival...It was a very pleasant surprise to witness the non-confrontational behavior of the Sheriff’s department over the weekend, particularly in downtown Boonville. They were there offering help if necessary but generally went with the flow and several local business owners have commented positively about this...Unfortunately the C.H.P. have not been so amenable of late. They seem to be are everywhere these days and whilst some would say ‘they are just doing their job’ I can only wonder why they have to pull over so many sober locals who are driving short distances and who sometimes forget to wear their seat belts. This is illegal of course but surely law enforcement’s time could be better spent and I know of many Valley residents who are, shall we say, ‘suspicious’ of the department’s motives...Meanwhile, the ‘Emil Rossi is Innocent’ campaign is well underway and has the support of many...
On my return I decided to fly up and down the Valley to make sure that everything was still ‘running smoothly’ and that all of the carrion had been dealt with in my absence – you’ll be pleased to know that all was well. In Boonville on Saturday morning, the Junior High soccer kids were involved in a three-team tournament at Tom Smith Field alongside the High School, whilst The Farmers Market in the parking lot of the Boonville Hotel was busy, as was the ‘good shepherd’ in the field alongside The Big Barn just north of town. He was working three dogs on the dozen sheep – surely man and dogs must have ‘won’ that one?...In downtown Philo, outside Lemons Market, there was a bake sale to benefit the nearby Methodist Church. They had nearly sold out when I bought the last two bags of cookies and then I ventured inside paid the very friendly staff for my ‘Brownie Mountain’ Ice Cream. They warmly welcomed me back. Following a brief chat with Johnnie Pinoli at his fence alongside the Post Office, I visited Dig Landscape and Garden Supply where the always-delightful Karen Katz offered a lovely smile and another ‘welcome home’...What a nice afternoon, and the day got even better because then it was off to the first night of the 2009 Live Music in Navarro series that will run all summer long. This is something I urge everyone to attend at some point – trust me on this – you can thank me later...
For the opening night, ‘Impresario’ and Navarro Store owner, Dave Evans, had booked the Black Horse Blues Band to open for Willie G and the G-Spots – good move, Dave, I must say...I arrived towards the end of the opening set but clearly those in attendance had had a good time. After buying some Pacifico beers from the store and ordering a burger and potato salad from the excellent Pablo on the grill, I sat down to enjoy the blues/soul/funk sounds of Willie G. What a great show! The band, and particularly the horn section, was top quality, and with Willie a commanding presence on stage, the audience had a marvelous time. Many people hit the dance floor led by the irrepressible Tommy Hopper, who had clearly honed some new moves over the winter months to add to his repertoire. Unfortunately one member of the audience had a bad fall and was taken ill in the intermission and the emergency services had to be called. This led to an early end to the gig but the spirits of the crowd were not unduly dampened and undoubtedly it’s going to be a great summer down in The Deep End – and yer gotta like that!
Now, as is customary in this space, here are a few Public Service Announcements...This coming weekend sees the annual Pinot Festival - Friday 15th – Sunday 17th at wineries throughout the Valley with the main event at Golden Eye Winery on Saturday...Of course the Boonville Farmers’ Market continues each Saturday in Boonville from 9.45am to noon (details Cindy at 895-2949)...The grandly named ‘Philo Yacht Club’ is holding its ‘Regatta’ this Saturday at noon under the Hendy Woods bridge on the Navarro River – contact Commander D for details at 895-2813...And finally a reminder that throughout the summer the A.V. Museum is open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm – you can’t beat a little Valley History I always say...
I should go now – I’ve got to see a man about a sheep...Be careful out there; think good thoughts; stay out of the ditches; and with the hot weather just around the corner please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle...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 www.turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net
p.s. It’s not all glamour being a Turkey Vulture but we do get many compliments. This is one I have shared before but as I’ve just returned I thought it warrants repeating once again. It’s certainly one of my favorites and 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. D, very kind of you to say so...

# 157 - April 29th, 2009

Greetings one and all...Yes it's me - still gallivanting around the globe before returning to the Valley in a week or so...Meanwhile I do have one brief piece of advice I wanted to share with you before my return; so if you are sitting comfortably I shall begin...

On Friday, May 1st, the A.V. Historical Society will be having its benefit spaghetti feed at the Senior Center. There will be a Happy Hour starting at 5pm before Dinner is served from 5.30pm to 7.30pm and a raffle of locally baked goods will also take place. I should inform you that this is no ordinary spaghetti feed; oh, no, dear readers - it's a spaghetti feed featuring the 'Great Pardini Recipe' - which obviously I am not at liberty to share with anyone (mainly because I don't know it). Anyway, you can imagine how good this will be, and at only $10 ($5 for kids under eight), it must be one of the best deals of the year...So, in my absence there will be plenty for everyone and it is for a wonderful cause. Oh, and a further tip from me - if you find yourself going back for seconds, or even more, feel free to use my oft-used explanation to anyone who questions your actions - "I'm not greedy, I just like a lot!"...

Looking forward to returning to A.V. from the 'real world'...Meanwhile, be careful out there and may your 'god' go with you...And a last request, 'Let us prey'...Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...