# 265 - June 29th, 2011

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... I would like to start by pointing out that there was no need to go to London, England if you wanted to attend a ‘royal’ wedding this summer. The Valley had its own version last Saturday afternoon and evening, held high in the hills on the Johnson Ranch on the southern outskirts of Boonville. I have no doubt that the happy couple – Derek Wyant and Nichole Johnson, and their parents – Dianna Charles, Bryan & Elizabeth Wyant, Wanda & Gary Johnson, would never consider themselves as ‘royalty’ but for many Valley folks in attendance, given each family’s long-standing presence in the Valley and their many and continuing contributions here, it could certainly be regarded as the Valley’s ‘Wedding of the Year’... With well over three hundred guests in attendance, many of whom were graduates of the A.V. High School at various points in time, it was certainly a ‘real’ Valley event and the setting could not have been any more picturesque. The whole event was a splendid affair with a delicious feast and open bar, accompanied by an eclectic mix of music. A particularly poignant moment occurred when Nichole and Derek took the time to memorialize significant and influential members of their family and friends who are no longer with us and are greatly missed... I’m sure I can speak for many when I thank the newlyweds and their families for what I’d say was a ‘proper’ wedding and a wonderful celebration of the union of two very fine young people of the Valley...
An event that featured virtually the opposite crowd of people in terms of upbringing and origins took place here in Boonville the previous weekend – that would be the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival and I just wanted to add my final words on that topic... There are many Valley people who attend and enjoy the Festival, myself included in past years, and I am aware that the stores selling ice, cheap bottled water, quality coffee, etc, can be busy, as was Mosswood Market before the music started each day, and even Lemons’ Market, several miles away in Philo. Furthermore, I am told there were very few negative incidents amongst the 6,000+ revelers and that the clean-up went well. However, Boonville’s eateries and places of libation would describe it as a myth that they benefit anywhere near as much financially from this event as the Festival owners would have them/us believe. I remember vividly (because I was there) when the Festival owners, Warren and Gretchen Smith, two very pleasant people, first came here seeking local support and met with local small business owners, assuring them that the event would be of great financial benefit. As it turns out, some are now of the opinion that the three-day music extravaganza may actually even have adverse affects on them. This is due not only to the Festival being virtually self-contained in terms of food and drink vendors, but also as a result of other out-of-towners, not here for the Festival, being unable to find parking outside the local dining establishments and therefore passing on through without a stop... I also know that it isn’t only some small business owners who are not happy among Valley folks. Father’s Day was on the Sunday, so business was pretty brisk for a few hours downtown, however, many locals wished to avoid the crowds and they stayed away, foregoing their usual weekend meal in town. Complaints about public urination and blatant use of drugs, campers setting-up wherever they liked, washing in restaurant bathrooms, etc, did not offset the gesture of free tickets being given to some local people, and there would seem to be a need for further discussions between the organizers and local groups before next year’s event. I certainly believe the event has a place here but let’s not pretend that everyone in the Valley has only positive feelings about it. I would also humbly suggest that the Festival organizers perhaps think twice before rejoicing publicly that there were ‘even more vendors here this year’ as if this was a particularly positive thing for everyone, and perhaps a little more sensitivity might be shown by them rather than simply basking in a false notion that the ‘good vibe’ is felt by one and all...
Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #176 - The vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be in the Valley for one more visit this month - tomorrow, June 30th at The Farm Supply, north of Philo on Hwy 128, from 2pm until 3.30pm. It’s a very convenient service so let’s support it and make plans to attend if your four-legged friend needs come medical care or is due some shots anytime soon.... #177 – Here we go again – it’s The Olde Time 4th of July Celebration! Taking place at The Fairgrounds in Boonville on Monday 4th, it’s an afternoon (noon-4pm) of fun, games, competitions - ‘rooster crowing’, ‘hen clucking’, and tug ‘o war, plus lots of food and drink. I can’t imagine I won’t see you there...
One person who will not be in attendance is Jack Kevorkian, who passed away a couple of weeks ago. The American pathologist and most famously the right-to-die activist, is best known for publicly championing a terminal patient's right to die via physician-assisted suicide; he said that he assisted at least 130 patients to that end. He famously said, "Dying is not a crime". Anyway, several regulars at the 3-Dot, myself included, raised our glasses to the man who said, "My aim in helping the patient was not to cause death. My aim was to end suffering. It's got to be decriminalized"... Having recently seen first hand the awful quality of life of for many terminally ill patients, I agree wholeheartedly...
And with that in mind, what more appropriate Quote of the Week could you ask for than these words from German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, “One should die proudly when it is no longer possible to live proudly”... And a little lighter take on this topic from Woody Allen – “It’s not that I’m afraid to die; I just don’t want to be there when it happens”...
I’m outta here... With the hot weather almost with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle; children too, I suppose... Otherwise, ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

# 264 - June 22nd, 2011

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... Belated ‘Happy Birthday’ wishes to our Valley Seniors with birthdays in June – Carolyn Short, Eva Holcomb (neé Pardini), June Lemons, Alice Fashauer, Rod Basehore (‘Get well soon, Rod), and James Crabtree...
A Valley dweller who deserves our best wishes every day of the year, in my humble opinion, is Cheryl Schrader, the founder and continuing driving force behind the Anderson Valley Animal Rescue (A.V.A.R.). When I spoke with her recently she was still overjoyed at the success of their Fundraiser held at The A.V. Brewery a couple of months ago, raising nearly $5000 for the cause. She and her fine crew of volunteers work very hard at helping both pets and owners in this county and particularly in the Valley, as they continue to provide financial assistance for the spaying/neutering of cats (2,800 in 2010) and dogs (70), offer adoption outreach for homeless cats (630) and dogs (80) from the county shelter, run a working barn cat program, a senior cat placement program, and much more. In 2011 they anticipate continuing their aggressive spay/neuter campaign as well as increasing the foster care and adoption outreach programs to accommodate the kittens/cats and dogs that would otherwise lose their life at the county shelter if not for rescue. Anytime you feel like giving her support, either by volunteering some of your leisure time or with a donation to this very worthwhile cause, please call her at 895-3785. Meanwhile, if you are looking to adopt a new ‘best friend’ contact the A.V.A.R. at www.avanimalrescue.petfinder.org or if you just wish to keep in touch with this wonderful organization, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AVAnimalRescue...Great job, Cheryl and the Gang – your efforts are much appreciated by many - both those with two legs and four...
And therefore, it should come as no surprise to regular readers that for the Quote of the Week we’re going to have a couple of pet/animal quotes?... First from English novelist George Eliot – “Our pets are such agreeable friends--they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms”... And how about these wise words from the philosopher Alfred A. Montapert – “Animals are reliable; many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful, and loyal - difficult standards for people to live up to”...
Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #39 - The vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be in the Valley on two more occasions this month; each time at the usual venue - The Farm Supply, north of Philo on Hwy 128, from 2pm until 3.30pm. The first of these visits is tomorrow, June 23rd, and they will return once more on the 30th. It’s a very convenient service so let’s support it and make plans to attend if your four-legged friend needs come medical care or is due some shots anytime soon... #40 - It’s the final weekend of the month so that means time for another Barn Sale. As always it takes place at The St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way just north of Boonville, from 9am to 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday, June 25th/26th... #41 – The Boonville Farmer’s Market takes place, as usual, at the Boonville Hotel parking lot this Saturday, June 25th. It runs from 9.30am to Noon and this week features all the regular goodies plus veggies, honey, olive oil, herbs, lotions, and flowers – what’s not to like?...
Moving quickly on to some 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 where people gather and share their thoughts about Valley life... First let’s have a couple of questions from the regulars sitting at the bar...
... ‘Enquiring Minds at The Three-Dot want to know’ - Part 1: Why are there graduation ceremonies here in the Valley for pre-school, 6th grade, 8th grade, and the High School? Haven’t the kindergarten graduates done enough to deserve such an accolade?
... ‘Enquiring Minds at The Three-Dot want to know’ - Part 2: Why is it that when a charitable act is poorly done or presented, the excuse is often given that those responsible are just volunteering so it’s o.k.? Many folks in this Valley do volunteer for various causes and events. The vast majority of them do a splendid job and these people certainly would not use their volunteer status as an excuse for anything less than that. So since when did ‘volunteer’ become used as an excuse for ‘inefficiency’ as some would have us believe?...
... Where can I get my sheep sheared? Well, this is one I have a good answer for... There is a young man from the coast who will certainly oblige. His name is Matt Gilbert and he has already done a fine job on many of the smaller flocks in the Valley during the past month or so, as he has been doing for the last few years around here. He is accommodating and very reasonably priced and can be reached on his cell phone at 972-9144...
... Many regulars expressed gratitude that the surface of Hwy. 128 is slowly but surely being repaired, one section at a time. One wisecracking old-timer asked, “Does it really need it?”
... As for the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival that took place here in Boonville over this past weekend, I’m sure many of our local eateries and places of libation are tired of listening to the myth that they benefit substantially from this self-contained event given its many food and drink vendors set up inside the Fairgrounds. However, any negative reviews, no matter how justified, should also take into account the undoubted joy given to many of the male population of the Valley by the sight of young women festival-goers, with bare-midriffs, balancing hula-hoops on their gyrating hips that hypnotically circle around and around as if they were... (continued on page 29)...
Well, on that note, it’s time to take my leave... With the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle, or even children I suppose... Otherwise, ‘Keep the Faith’; 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”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net
p.p.s. Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!

# 263 - June 15th, 2011

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... How about starting off with two ideas, that have come my way via local folks, each with the potential to solve some of the financial problems facing the Anderson Valley Health Center?... Firstly, a splendid idea from the Valley’s own ‘Uncle Sam’ a.k.a. Bruce Hering - a Medical Marijuana dispensary to benefit the Health Center, set up at the Health Center, with inventory provided in the form of ‘pledges’ from the many expert horticulturists who live here. Think about it... And secondly, and this one has come from several folks chatting over a few glasses of wine, with many of the wineries’ employees receiving medical treatment at the Health Center, how about we introduce a local ‘tax’ of $1 on every bottle of wine sold here - all proceeds payable by the wineries to the Health Center. Can the wineries afford this? ‘Yes’ would be my guess. So, we would have a local tariff that is used specifically on something the community needs – not on missiles, bailouts, and other such craziness that is beyond the Valley. I believe, as do many far more informed people than myself, that the idea of focusing on local assets for the benefit of local communities is the way of the future, and certainly these are two assets at which we excel and have plenty...
Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #134 – It’s Father’s Day this coming Sunday (19th) and if other Dad’s are anything like me then they will really appreciate a little something from Pat Hulbert’s Bake Sale taking place on the porch at Lemons Market in Philo at 10am on Saturday, June 18th. All proceeds will benefit the Philo Methodist Church and Pat Hulbert’s cookies, Zuke bread, Huckleberry and Apple pies, and tarts, are not to be missed – they will sell out, I’m sure... #135 – Coming to downtown Boonville, Friday thru Sunday, June 17th–19th is the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, returning here to A.V. for the 6th consecutive year. Given the number of Festival vendors who also going to be here from the ‘outside’, I seriously doubt the Festival’s benefit to the Valley’s restaurants and eateries in terms of significant income, despite the fact that 5000 visitors are expected to attend. However, there is no doubting the excellent time that many local folks who attend the festival will enjoy. This year’s top names, amongst the many wonderful reggae and world music artists, include Toots and the Maytals, Pablo Moses, Dennis Alcapone, and my personal favorites, Steel Pulse... #136 – The Senior Center is offering an A.A.R.P. Driver Training Course beginning at 8am on Tuesday June 21st. Call 895-3609 to reserve your space - taking these classes could lead to insurance discounts and yer gotta like that!...
There were plenty of ‘Enquiring Minds’ involved in heated debates this past week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley where people gather and share their thoughts about Valley life... Here is a sampling...
... ‘Enquiring Minds at The Three-Dot want to know’ - Part 1: When will Elderly residents live at the Elder Home?...Many Valley people have asked me in recent months about this and would no doubt appreciate an update on the progress being made there following the various fundraisers held in recent years. I know there is progress and an explanation is forthcoming I’m sure. I believe someone involved will be answering those inquiries in these pages soon – over to you, Elder Home Committee...
... ‘Enquiring Minds at The Three-Dot want to know’ - Part 2: Why, when the Valley is trying to ‘Save the Health Center’, are there many patients apparently paying a mere $7 charge for services. We at the 3-Dot could not think of anyone, in any walk of Valley life, who did not have more than $7 to spend on his or her health. Furthermore, it was reliably rumored that there are some patients who don’t even pay a cent; some who fail to receive bills due to administrative error; and that there are even some coming here to get treatment who are not even residents in the Valley, claiming they cannot afford treatment in their own communities... How does all this happen? I think we should be told...
... ‘Enquiring Minds at The Three-Dot want to know’ - Part 3: Why do certain people always find fault with things in the Valley? Whether it’s the Wineries, the Elder Home, the Health Center, the school, or whatever, it would seem some people are just that curmudgeonly... I couldn’t possibly comment; after all, I love living here...
Well, now I think it’s time to take my leave... Meanwhile, with the hot weather finally here, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle; children too I suppose... Otherwise, ‘Keep the Faith’; 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”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at

# 262 - June 8th, 2011

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... Calendars and pens at the ready because it’s the P.S.A.’s and we’re entering a busy time of year!...
Public Service Announcements… #92 – The vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be in the Valley on three occasions this month; each time at the usual venue - The Farm Supply, north of Philo on Hwy 128, from 2pm until 3.30pm. The first of these visits is tomorrow, June 9th, and they will return on both the 23rd and 30th. It’s a very convenient service so make plans to attend if your four-legged friend needs come medical care or is due some shots sometime soon... #93 – The Summer Live Music Series at the Navarro Amphitheatre next to the Navarro Store gets under way this weekend with the appearance of the David Nelson Band with support from the Boris Garcia Band. The performances begin at 3pm on Saturday and 2pm Sunday on June 11th/12th... #94 – The 2nd Tuesday of the month is nearly upon us and that means ‘Dinner and Bingo’ night at The Senior Center! Dinner is at 6pm with Bingo to follow at 7pm next Tuesday, June 14th and it’s the hottest ticket in town so I suggest you get there early to get a good seat. All are welcome, not just seniors, and there will be Bingo prizes galore following a wonderful Tri-tip feast... #95 – The Senior Center is offering an A.A.R.P. Driver Training Class Refresher Course at 1pm on Tuesday June 14th and a week later, on the 21st, there is a First Course being held. Call 895-3609 to reserve your space - taking these classes could lead to insurance discounts and yer gotta like that!... #96 – Coming to the Valley in less than two weeks time is the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, returning here to A.V. for what I believe is the 6th consecutive year. While it’s benefit to the Valley in terms of income is somewhat up for debate - given the number of vendors who also are from the ‘outside’, there is no doubting the excellent time enjoyed by the many local folks who attend the festival. This year’s top performers include Toots and the Maytals, Pablo Moses, Dennis Alcapone, and my personal favorites, Steel Pulse. It’s all happening in downtown Boonville, Friday thru’ Sunday, June 17th–19th...
Unfortunately, despite living in this bucolic Valley, this past few weeks has seen our community faced with some heavy doses of reality and an increasing number of ‘Signs that Armageddon is Approaching’... The possible closing of Hendy Woods State Park; the rumor that The County Fairgrounds are facing a serious economic shortfall and may not be able to continue for more than three more years; the Valley’s impending loss of Deputy Sheriff Craig Walker; the on-going financial crisis at our A.V. Health Center; and the issues of the school buildings falling apart and the lack of the enforcement of the school dress code reaching farcical proportions... As for beyond the Valley, there’s the nation’s overall lack of direction in terms of its moral compass; reality T.V. shows; an increasing lack of respect for one’s elders; so many people grasping desperately at their fifteen minutes of fame, no matter that in the vast majority of cases it turns out to be fifteen minutes of shame; the influence of Fox News and tabloid journalism; the continuing existence of the Homeland Security Department; the lack of universal health care; etc; etc... Sorry to be the harbinger of all this doom and gloom, most of it hardly that fresh news I’m sure, but clearly the lunatics are running the asylum and isn’t it about time there was some serious discussion about a People’s Revolution?... I’m just sayin’...
Count me in on that, but meantime how about lightening the mood with some humor?... Here are my current all-time top five jokes, in reverse order on the Gigglemeter... #5. ‘I have a very large seashell collection, which I keep scattered on beaches all over the world.’ (Steven Wright)... #4. ‘I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashioned way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land.’ (Jon Stewart)... #3. ‘A man goes to a psychiatrist and says, "Doc, my brother's crazy, he thinks he's a chicken." The doctor says, "Why don't you turn him in?" The guy says, "I would. But we need the eggs" ‘ (Woody Allen)... #2. ‘Three guys, stranded on a desert island, find a magic lantern containing a genie, who grants them each one wish. The first guy wishes he was off the island and back home. Whoosh! - he’s gone.. The second guy wishes the same. Whoosh! - he’s gone too. The third guy says "I’m so lonely. I wish my friends were back here" ‘... And #1 ‘It's Game 7 of the World Series, and a man makes his way to his seat behind home plate. He sits down, noticing that the seat next to him is empty. He leans over and asks his neighbor if someone will be sitting there. "No" says the neighbor. "The seat is empty." "This is incredible," said the man. "Who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the World Series and not use it?" The neighbor says, "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Giants game we haven't been to together since we got married." "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. That's terrible... But couldn't you find someone else, a friend or relative, or even a neighbor to take the seat?" The man shakes his head. "No,” he says. “They're all at the funeral” ‘... Feeling a little better? Good...
To complete a cheerful turn-around in this week’s column let me remind you of a couple of good Happy Hours in Boonville... Lauren’s Restaurant has a Happy Hour on Friday from 5pm until 6pm-ish during which time her award-winning fries are $2 and all beer and wine is $1 off; while down the street at The Buckhorn, Boonville, it is Happy Hour Monday thru’ Friday from 5pm to 7pm when all draft beers and house wines are $1 off...
I’m outta here – and off to enjoy a couple of Happy Hours actually... Meanwhile, with the hot weather perhaps finally with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle... Otherwise, ‘Keep the Faith’; 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”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at

# 261 - June 1st, 2011

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... Newsflash!!! Tonight, June 1st at 7pm, at the Apple Hall in Boonville, there will be an open community meeting to ‘Save our Health Center’. The Center is facing some major financial difficulties and the community can help in a variety of ways – find out what you can do....
The Lion's Club ‘TriTip and Chicken Barbeque’ (yes, there was chicken too!) to benefit the A.V. Elder Home was held last Sunday at the Redwood Grove in the Fairgrounds and, despite the winds and cool temperatures, numbers seemed a little higher than last year – perhaps 120. Last year, it was recalled, I complained that they ran out of beer and so there was plenty this time, leading to me being castigated by several of the organizers as I chose to drink wine on such a cold afternoon. I apologized profusely to my critics and the good news is that it was decided that the leftover cases of beer would be donated to the Senior Center for the upcoming Dinner and Bingo night on June 14th – see, my master plan worked!(?). The silent auction was a success, the crowd had a good time, friends checked in with friends, and the delicious chicken, cooked superbly I must say, was a hit alongside the always popular tri-tip. This all ensured that the second big Valley bbq event of the year (the first was the Animal Rescue fundraiser in April) was a success – many thanks to the Elder Home Committee and the Lions Club volunteers for their tireless efforts...
The following day, Monday, May 30th at noon, I was pleased and humbled to be in attendance at the Memorial Day service at the Memorial Wall in the Evergreen Cemetery on A.V. Way. This is ultimately why the holiday weekend exists and a short but special event was presented by the A.V. American Legion to commemorate those who have died while serving in the military. The service was hosted by Mark Fontaine of the American Legion, and with an honor guard featuring the Legion’s Kirk Wilder, Dave Papke, Bob Nimmons, Patrick Ford, and Ray Langevin giving the gun-salute and Ellen Ingram reading out the names on the Memorial Wall of those from the Valley who have served and have now passed, I’m sure those folks in attendance, of which there were over forty, will have found the event both suitably reverential and very worthwhile. Among that forty people was Freda Fox, former nurse to American Forces in London during World War 2, and many other Veterans, plus Supervisor Dan Hamburg, once again showing his support for an important community event. Add the unique Anderson Valley feature of ‘Taps’ being played on the trombone by Joe Patelle and I believe The Fallen we remembered on this day would have appreciated the efforts made in their name...
Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #204 – This Friday and Saturday are your final opportunities to see the A.V. Theater Guild’s annual production at The Grange. This year’s play, entitled 'Southern Hospitality', is written by the same author as last year's popular show, and the curtain will go up at 7pm on both evenings, June 3rd/4th... #205 – The County Library Bookmobile will be in town once again on two Tuesdays this month – the 14th and 28th. Venues and times are as follows – 9am-9.30am at Navarro Store before heading out to Comptche from 10.45 to 11.30am; then they will be returning to the Valley and The Floodgate Store from 1pm to 1.45pm; followed by a stop across from the Philo Post Office from 2pm – 2.45pm; and finally at The Apple Hall in Boonville from 3pm to 3.45pm. Remember, there are book drops at other times at the Navarro Store and the Boonville General Store and for further details call 463-4694. This is a special treat/service that we should continue to support, I’d suggest... #206 – It’s not too late to get your tickets for this weekend’s event benefiting the Anderson Valley Ambulance Service - it’s ‘James Taylor Roberts’ Tour of His Home & Garden’. Nationally renowned for outstanding design, Jim has been featured in Island Home, House & Garden, Trends and Options Magazines. This event will feature wine pairings with small tastes and local artisans will be displaying and selling their ornamental garden oriented sculptures, pots and totems on the central lawn. It takes place on Saturday, June 4, 2011, from 1pm to 5pm; $40/person, sales limited to 250 tickets. For more information call Ginger Valen at 707-895-9424...
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...
... Regulars were very pleased to hear that for the first two of my Annual Big Five Awards, the voters have chosen A.V. establishments as this year’s winners... The carefully selected group of judges, led by yours truly, for the second year in succession has chosen the French fries at Lauren’s Restaurant as Best Fries in ‘A.V. and places nearby Beyond’ – that area covers the Valley plus Ukiah, Cloverdale, and The Coast from Albion to Mendocino. The wonderful fries at Mendo Burgers in the town of Mendocino came in a very close second... In the other category to be decided at this time, for the Best Classic Spicy Wings, the recently opened Buckhorn, Boonville won their first Turkey Vulture Award when they just edged out some fine opposition from a couple of restaurants on the coast, with previous winner, The Mendocino Café, as this year’s runner-up. The wings at The Buckhorn are smothered in the very spicy and traditional Frank’s Hot Sauce and are served with a delicious Blue cheese – it’s very hard to find any better I’d venture to say... Coming up in the next month or so will be the other three Awards - Best Strawberries, Best Roast Beef Deli Sandwich, and of course the always competitive Best Classic Cheeseburger...
... And then there were two – I’m talking about the second foal that has now joined the two adult horses and other foal that have been providing quite a distraction for drivers as they drive past the field on the east side of Hwy 128 just north of Breggo Cellars – it’s a beautiful thing...
I’m outta here... With the hot weather almost with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle... Otherwise, ‘Keep the Faith’; 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”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net
p.p.s. On the sheep, Grace...
p.p.p.s. Is that ‘lafter’ I hear, Carroll?...