# 223 - August 25th, 2010

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... I have little to report this week as I had a short break from flying around and observing the Valley over the past seven days or so.
I did venture out on Sunday lunchtime and found myself devouring the delicious Mexican bbq chicken plate prepared on his outside grill/smoker by owner/operator Ricardo at The Redwood Drive-in. Even Hummingbird, who is not a big meat-eater like myself, was heard to say ‘This is a beautiful piece of chicken.’ Check it out when you get a chance – trust me on this, you can thank me later...
Anyway, if nothing else, I should do my weekly duty and provide you with the Public Service Announcements… #103 – The vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be here tomorrow, Thursday, August 26th from 2pm to 3.30pm at The Farm Supply north of Philo. Don’t forget to support your local farm supply while you’re there – it will make you feel good... #104 – The live music series continues in The Deep End this Friday evening (August 27th) when the wonderful Texas Swing band, ‘Asleep at the Wheel’ will be in town. To get such a top act to come by and play at his Navarro Store venue is quite a coup by owner Dave Evans and hopefully the community will get down there to support it and have a great time doing so... #105 – Don’t forget the weekly Boonville Farmer’s Market at the Hotel parking lot in Boonville from 9.30am to noon on Saturday the 28th... And finally, #106, it’s time once again for the monthly Barn Sale at The St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way just north of Boonville. It’s from 9am to 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday, 28th and 29th and, as an added bonus, each day from 11am to 2pm there will be food, with delicious bbq pork ribs and chicken on Saturday and then Senor M will be serving up his Efrenburgers and Mendozadogs from the grill on Sunday...
Latest small business news... In the space next to the location formerly known as The Boonville Lodge, a new Mexican Restaurant, by the name of Yuri’s has opened. It is owned and operated by Brenda Soris and she tells me they plan to be open every day from 9am to 9pm with Chinese food added to the menu on weekends at some point soon. I wish them every success... Meanwhile, the aforementioned Lodge location will soon be filled by The Boonville Saloon just as soon as the Alcohol Beverage Commission (A.B.C.) can fit it into their busy schedule to grant the long-awaited license... As for The Buckhorn, as I have said several times already, it is about two months away. When it does open, it will be a pub/restaurant with a lunch and dinner menu similar to The Lodge in recent times, a brunch on weekends, pizza (to go too), a beer garden, a wide selection of draft beers, and many local wines...
As I said, it’s a short column this week, so I’m outta here until next time... But first let me remind you that in the hot weather please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle... Otherwise, 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”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. Keep the Faith...
p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

# 222 - August 18th, 2010

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... It’s the hottest ticket in town! I’m referring to the Dinner and Bingo Night held on the second Tuesday of each month at the Senior Center in Boonville. Last week, sixty-three (63!) Valley folks, seniors and non-seniors alike, and including a permanently-smiling Bruce McEwen of A.V.A. fame, were in attendance for a lovely dinner of fish and chips and a lively evening of Bingo – and it was all in a good cause. It will all happen again on September 14th – a few days before The County Fair – now that will be a week when I’m not sure the Valley will be able to handle all the excitement!...
Talking of ‘excitement and lively evenings’ there will be an important benefit on Saturday, August 21st at The Grange for the A.V. High School Sports Booster Club – Soccer/Futbol Program. The school district has virtually no money for high school sports these days and the various teams have to put on fundraisers for themselves in order to buy new equipment and uniforms etc. The highly successful boys’ soccer program – the one that has been to the play-offs six years in succession after winning the regular season title in five of those years, has been wearing the same shirts and shorts for six seasons now and, to be blunt, they look more than a little shabby. For this upcoming fall 2010 season the team has a squad of thirty-three boys – yes, that’s 33 young guys who will be involved in sport after school on as many as five days a week – and they need some new ‘stuff’. With your support this can be achieved. There will be an alumni tournament at 1pm on Saturday afternoon at Tom Smith Field beside the high school and following that, at 7pm, there will be an evening of Mexican food and drinks with local d.j. Emilio and his Sonido Ritmo Azteca providing the sounds. Even if you cannot make it to the event you can always buy a ticket for a $10 donation – they are available from Coach Steve Sparks (895-2460), or at Lemons Market in Philo and ‘All that Good Stuff’ in Boonville. All proceeds will go to the soccer program and your contributions will be very much appreciated, I’m sure...
Now on to our Public Service Announcements… #548 – The Dance Groove returns to The Grange this Friday, August 20th at 7.30pm... #549 – Bluegrass music comes to the Valley this weekend at the Golden Old Time Campout from Friday thru’ Sunday, Aug 20th-22nd – see flyers for details... #550 – A useful reminder that the A.V. Lending Library, run by The A.V. Unity Club, is open Tuesdays from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and on Saturdays from 2pm to 4pm at The Fairgrounds... #551 – An early-ish heads-up on the next visit to the Valley by the Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital of Ukiah. They will be here at 2pm on Thursday, August 26th at the Farm Supply in Philo... #552 – And just because I mentioned it above, let me give you the dates of the County Fair so you’ll know – it’s Friday thru’ Sunday, September 17th-19th...
Moving quickly on to a couple of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley...
... Several people have written or stopped by to thank me for bringing attention to the continuing noise pollution caused by Golden Eye Winery’s Narrows Vineyard in the Floodgate area of the Valley. Are the Golden Ears listening, I wonder?... (With all that noise perhaps they can’t hear!)
... I was reminded by a couple of regulars that it’s the raspberry picking season alongside Hwy 128 and the tourists are out there once again picking fruit, and getting covered in poison oak no doubt. I wonder if those Cal Tran workers I saw picking opposite the Methodist Church in Philo are o.k.? I also wonder if they were on the clock or not... Meanwhile Blackberry Jerry and Bill Owens, two of the Valley’s ‘professional’ pickers, know exactly where to go and not get affected by such things and these ‘experts’ find the best berries I’ve had – I urge you to buy some if you get the chance. I should also mention rookie picker Spike Matson who gets his berries from a bountiful patch behind the Fairgrounds - I see a very good future in the berry-picking business for this young fellow...
... I made my monthly pilgrimage up to the County Dump last week and was very pleasantly surprised to see the place in good order and to be greeted by a polite, efficient, and personable young man by the name of Matt. Despite comments to the contrary in last week’s A.V.A., and even though my favorite Dump Guy, Bill, is no longer working up there, everything seemed to be in order. Besides, Bill could represent the U.S. in a talking competition and sometimes you just wanted to drop off your stuff and get out of there quickly. Matt will allow you to do this and at the same time remind you that ‘no dead animals’ are allowed and advise you to leave that particular item to Vultures like myself – nature’s garbage collectors...
... I was unable to attend the Airport Party last Saturday but by all accounts it was another success with many, many Valley folks taking flights over the Valley before enjoying the food and drinks at an excellent pot luck... Speaking of which, the topics of flying and food are covered in this Quote of the Week from Jean Kerr, author of the humorous book ‘Please don’t eat the Daisies’, who said “I feel the way about airplanes the same way I feel about diets: It seems to me that they are wonderful things for other people to go on.” I agree!...
Well now I think it’s time to take my leave but first can I remind you that with the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle... Otherwise, 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”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. Keep the Faith...
p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net
p.p.p.s. Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!

# 221 - August 11th, 2010

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... Let’s start with a couple of those good news/bad news items that can be either one of the two depending on your perspective... School starts next Monday, August 16th – good news for some, not so good for others, perhaps! That’s very early indeed and one would think that with all the cutbacks it would be counter-productive. However, I am informed that they will finish a little earlier at Christmas to allow many kids to travel at that time and they will also have a week off sometime in the spring so it will all balance out in the end... The other news is that there is talk of a rare public street protest in the Valley in support of the folks who are constantly being affected by the continuing noise pollution that comes from Golden Eye’s Narrows Vineyard in the Floodgate area between Christine Woods and Navarro. In the spring it was the helicopter-like frost-protectors that kept people awake in that area and now it’s the screeching and whining of heavy equipment doing who knows what untold practices virtually every night. Such a protest, if it does indeed happen, would certainly be good news for any people living in the vicinity who are in need of some support on this issue and it would probably be bad news for the publicity conscious powers-that-be at Golden Eye Winery, wherever it is they peacefully live in their gated mansions and secluded ivory towers, no doubt many miles from our Valley...
And for your Quote of the Week, that is not at all related to the previous comment, I offer you these wise words from one of history’s great men, Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi – “It is difficult but not impossible to conduct strictly honest business. What is true is that honesty is incompatible with the amassing of a large fortune.”
Moving on... Public Service Announcements… #83 – the Annual Yorkville Highlands Wine Festival is taking place at Meyer Family Cellars from 2pm this coming Saturday, Aug 14th... #84 – The always popular Airport Party, featuring free airplane rides over the Valley and one big Valley Pot Luck is also this Saturday afternoon and evening in Boonville at the airport... #85 – And another event this Saturday is the elimination round for the Mendocino County Fair’s sheep dog trial. This is at The Fairgrounds from 10am... #86 – The Lions Club will meet this coming Monday, August 16th at The Grange at 7pm... #87 – The Grange Board will have their monthly gathering on Tuesday the 17th – also at 7pm and not surprisingly also at The Grange... #88 – Heads-up for a very special benefit on Saturday, August 21st at The Grange for the A.V. High School Sports Booster Club – Soccer/Futbol Program. This will feature an evening of Mexican food, drinks, and music with local d.j. Emilio and his Sonido Ritmo Azteca. It starts at 7pm following the Alumni Tournament that will be played from 1pm that day at Tom Smith Field next to the high school. Even if you cannot make it to the event you can always buy a ticket for a $10 donation and all proceeds will go to the soccer program... Tickets are available from Coach Steve Sparks (895-2460) and at Lemons Market in Philo and ‘All that Good Stuff’ in Boonville. Your contributions would be greatly appreciated, I know...
Moving quickly on to a couple of the topics under discussion this week at The 3-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley...
... A regular at The 3-Dot informs that the ice cream shop in Boonville is now finally open with the name ‘Paysanne’ – which, when I initially ‘Googled’ this word, I found meant ‘the cutting of vegetables into thin slices.’ Not exactly what you’d expect in connection with your ice cream, eh? However, sometime later in the day, Valley chanteuse Nahara informed me, via Bea at ‘All that Good Stuff’ store in Boonville, that in French it means ‘country woman’ and that makes more sense, although I would venture to guess not many people will know that, French not being spoken by many in the Valley nor anywhere nearby. Oh, well, ‘c’est la vie’. Anyway, apparently out-of-town customers have been plentiful and that has also proven to be good news to the surrounding businesses too. Hopefully the products are affordable to all and that locals will also be able to support this exciting new venture – ‘bon voyage, mes amis!’...
... Local musician and storyteller, Bill Owens, popped into The 3-Dot for a beer after regaling many of these same visitors with his tunes and tales as he sat outside the new ice cream store. He told us that he had informed the tourists that now that he is eighty years old he and wife Wanda are becoming self-employed and are going into the Iron and Steel industry – “she’s going to start ironing and I’m going to begin stealing!”... Bill also told them, rather sadly, that his dog had been acting a little crazy lately and he’d had to shoot it. A gullible tourist asked if the dog was mad to which Bill replied, “Well he wasn’t too pleased!”...
... Talking of dogs, a local shepherd showed up at The 3-Dot gasping for a beer after working two of his dogs at the Barn Sale Field alongside Hwy 128 just north of Boonville. He had witnessed last weekend’s sheep dog display at the Not-So-Simple Living Fair and was inspired to put his dogs through their paces even though it was a hot afternoon in the Valley. The working dogs, old (11) Fred and young (2) Beth, did their job very well before diving into the nearby water trough to cool off. The herded sheep were left to relax and nibble on some fresh alfalfa hay in the shade. Why the gasping shepherd? Well he had lost his truck keys somewhere in the field and had to walk into town under the hot sun to collect a spare set from his sympathetic wife – and grab a much-needed beer as he reflected on his error. He had been guilty of ignoring Shepherding Rule #3 – ‘Never take your truck keys into the fields or up into the hills.’ Meanwhile, I’m sure you all know Rule #1 – ‘The herding is never done until the sheep are where you want them to be with the gate closed’... And #2 – ‘Never trust a sheep to tell the whole truth’...
Well now I think it’s time to take my leave, but first a gentle reminder that with the hot, yet not too hot weather, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle... Otherwise, 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”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. Keep the Faith...
p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net
p.p.p.s. On the sheep, Grace...

# 220 - August 4th, 2010

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... Congratulations to the organizers of ‘The Not-So-Simple Living Fair’ for their excellent job this past weekend at the event held in Boonville. The committee of Doug Mosel, Rob Goodell, Captain Rainbow, Sophia Bates, and Linda McElwee put together a very eclectic program covering all aspects of country living on both Saturday and Sunday, with the many volunteers and exhibitors all playing their part. Numbers were good on the Saturday but somewhat low on Sunday although all costs were covered and that was obviously very important. Some visitors felt that occasionally too many events were going on at the same time and they had to make difficult choices but this was the first such event for nearly thirty years and next time any such problems that may have existed will no doubt be ironed out. I spoke to some fairgrounds’ staff and they emphasized that every event there takes a couple of years to reach its potential and I fully expect that when the word spreads about the quality and scope of this show, the numbers will surely come. ‘Well done’ to all involved – hope you’ll do it all again next year...
On to the Public Service Announcements… #31 – Live music at the Navarro Store continues this weekend with another top draw act, The Subdudes, appearing on both Friday (Aug 6th) and Saturday (7th) in the Deep end, accompanied by Rogerwood and Friends, and Dave Dart, and of course, there will be affordable drinks and Pablo on the grill “putting the meat to the heat”... #32 – On Saturday (Aug 7th) at the regular gathering for the Boonville Farmer’s Market in the Boonville Hotel parking lot there will be the blackberry cook-off featuring recipes, tastings, and competitions. It goes from 9.30am to noon... #33 – It’s the second Tuesday of the month coming up (Aug 10th) and you all know what that means – Dinner and Bingo at the Senior Center in Boonville. At 6pm Cook Natalie will serve her ‘fish and chips’ dinner with salad and dessert and then at about 7pm it’s bingo time! You don’t have to be a senior to attend and I guarantee you will have a good time and may even win one of the cash prizes, but I can’t guarantee that of course, despite my ‘connections’!... #34 – Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the A.V Museum is open from 1pm to 4pm at the Little Red Schoolhouse on Hwy 128 just north of Boonville. As I said before, ‘this is the best little museum in the West!’ and you will not be disappointed...
Finally, #35, and also this coming Saturday, it’s the annual Lu’au Fund Raiser for our local public radio station, KZYX &Z, that will be held at the Boonville Fairgrounds. It will feature the Hawaiian Island sounds of Kevin Brown, Robyn Mahealani Knuebuhl, Kalae Miles and local favorites Hui Arago with a full on ono Lu'au dinner being served along with heavy pupus! Everything gets underway at 3:30 PM. A limited number of tickets are available for $45 in advance. You won't want to miss this beautiful event and as it provides a big part of the station’s annual income, your attendance would be much appreciated, not to mention that you’d have a really good time of course...
Moving quickly on to a few of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley at a location known only to ‘those in the know’...
... The Boonville Saloon (formerly The Lodge) will definitely open really soon... As will the Ice Cream Shop... The Buckhorn is two months away... Now you know...
... While my own invitation was once again mysteriously lost in the mail, a couple of distinguished ladies of the Valley came by to tell me that the monthly gathering of the Independent Career Women (I.C.W.) took place at Freda Fox’s home last week and that the evening was a roaring success with delicious fried chicken, various salads, cup cakes, and a very competitive ‘white elephant gift-giving’ game. I can’t wait for the next one...
... An annoying member of the public came into The 3-Dot this past week and said he had nearly ended up in a ditch trying to avoid a large number of Turkey Vultures on Hwy 128 who were devouring a dead animal. Needless to say he was swiftly asked to leave after I explained to him the dangers of what we did on the highways and by-ways of the Valley in our brave efforts as nature’s garbage collectors. I went on to add that it’s not all glamour being a Turkey Vulture but that we do indeed get many compliments. I feel I should remind you all, once again, of my favorite one which came 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 for those kind words, Charles... And that’s the Quote of the Week...
I’m outta here; but first... With the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle... Otherwise, 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”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. Keep the Faith...
p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net
p.p.p.s. Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!

# 219 - July 28th, 2010

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... I was just one of over a hundred people in attendance at the most recent live music show down in The Deep End at Dave Evans’ Navarro Store on the Sunday before last. The performances went from around 3pm thru to 11pm at night and featured The Thorn Petals, Ralph Woodsen and his Jimi Hendrix Tribute Band, and finally, Guitar Shorty. With inexpensive beer available in the store and Pablo on the grill turning out some fine bbq including a delicious tri-tip sandwich plate, it was a great afternoon and evening and I encourage you to attend the next one – if Pink Floyd music and laser light shows are your thing, that is (see below). If not the one after – The Subdudes on both August 6th and 7th...
On to the Public Service Announcements… #195 – The Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital return once again tomorrow, July 29th when they will be at The Farm Supply from 2pm to 3.30pm. I suggest you take advantage of this service and save yourself a trip over the hill to Ukiah while you can – they will not be back until late August... #196 – As mentioned above, the live music continues in The Deep End with The House of Floyd’s appearance, along with laser light show, at the Navarro Store on Saturday, July 31st... #197 – The Not-So-Simple Living Fair, sponsored by the Anderson Valley Food Shed Group, is taking place this coming weekend, July 31st and August 1st, at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville and will feature workshops, demonstrations, and a sharing of rural living and homesteading skills, plus an appearance by The Gschwend Family Sheepdogs and much more! For more info call 684-0028...
Now to a new feature - The Praise (‘Preys’ in Vulture-speak)) of the Week’ – and for the inaugural edition we have two recipients... It was a hot and sticky evening a couple of Thursday’s ago at Lauren’s Restaurant in Boonville for the weekly General Knowledge and Trivia Quiz, and then the crowd of nearly forty were informed that the water in the building had ceased to flow. On top of this, the fryers went down and some of the power went out. Obviously, this was all bad news for a busy restaurant. Lauren had only one course of action and called Mr. Fix-It himself - Mike Crutcher, who was soon on the scene to do his ‘thing’. Not long afterwards, it was all systems go. On behalf of many Quizlies and assorted other customers, ‘Preys’ goes to good old Mike... A little later that same evening, news spread of the fire up in the hills at the Gaines Family’s Highland Ranch and with the Quiz-playing Rob Giuliani and Judy Long able to keep in touch by radio with the firefighters up there at ’ground zero’, those of us in Lauren’s were well informed of developments. Despite significant damage nobody was hurt, although the Gaines Family, all gathered at the ranch for their family reunion, were certainly in need of some sustenance. ‘Preys’ is indeed due to Lauren and her staff for re-opening their kitchen, which had closed for the night, and serving the Family some hearty meals in their time of need when they turned up in town. At the risk of repeating myself, I must say we do live in place with some very caring and giving people.
Moving quickly on to a few of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley at a location known only to ‘those in the know’...
... Still the ice cream shop remains unopened?? Come on Johnnie, pull your finger out!
... The Boonville Saloon (formerly The Lodge) could well open this coming weekend, but it might not... Meanwhile The Buckhorn is two months away...
... School starts on Monday, August 16th! Volleyball and soccer get underway before the end of August; football remains shrouded in unknowns...
... I am to told by several regulars that around about now thru’ August is the time to buy your propane; i.e. when prices should be at their annual low...
... My good friend, Steve Sparks, who does the interviews with Valley folks that appear in this publication each week, showed up at The 3-Dot and asked me to point out that the favorite song of last week’s interviewee, Loretta Houck, is not Tom Petty’s ‘Running down a Drain’ but his far more popular song ‘Running down a Dream’. Sparks had clearly been drinking heavily when he wrote that and now apologizes profusely...
... The late-night/early morning noise made by various contraptions at The Narrows vineyard owned by Golden Eye Winery continues to upset many in the Floodgate/Christine Woods area of the Valley. One regular is convinced that any bed and breakfasts in that particular part of the Valley must be unable to continue their normal business with guests not prepared to pay for the ‘pleasure’ of trying to sleep through such an awful din. Those who actually live near there have no such choice; Golden Eye Winery most certainly does...
I’m outta here; but first... With the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle... Otherwise, 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”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. Keep the Faith...
p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net