# 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...