# 348 - February 27th, 2013

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Quick update for those of you who have followed the ‘All That Good Stuff’ saga over the past year that is soon to conclude happily with the move of the business, popular among locals and tourists alike, to Benntraub Square (named for philanthropists/landlords Anne Bennett and Aaron Weintraub) in SoBo – the area next to the fire house just past the Live Oak Building in ‘South Boonville.’ Co-owners Leslie Hummel and Claudia Jimenez informed me last week that their move has been slightly delayed and will now take place in mid-March. Meanwhile, there is no doubt that community support for the store and the move from The Farrer Building continues and will no doubt be present in full force for the moving-day celebration…       

       Moving on to this week’s Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready… #252 – The Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital will be back in the Valley tomorrow, on the afternoon of Thursday, Feb 28 at the A.V. Farm Supply just north of Philo from 2-3.30pm. You should be aware that they will also be here twice in March – on Thursdays, March 7 and 28… #253 – The Variety Show is coming up on the weekend of March 8 and 9, with a 7pm curtain on both nights. It’s the 22nd version and there is a vicious rumor going round that after all these years the host Corporal Raindrop has finally bought a new tuxedo – say it ain’t so!... #254 – there is no #254…

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans Hall in Boonville… The Center asks for a $5 donation from Seniors and charges $7 for Non-Seniors for lunches… On Thursday, Feb 28, the lunch, which is always served at 12.15pm, will be Chicken with Kale, Garlic noodles, Broccoli salad, Arugula & Rice salad, and a Mudslide dessert…Then next Tuesday, March 5, Marti Titus and her crew will be serving Meatloaf, mashed potato and gravy, Succotash, Tabbouleh salad, mixed salads, Fruit salad, and Birthday Cup Cakes for dessert… Hope to see you there…

       Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events 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 get together and share their thoughts about Valley life…

… The furor over ‘The Jim Tomlin Vote’ swept through The Three-Dot Lounge last weekend as the ‘special’ School Board public meeting to discuss the future of Mr. T as High School Principal approached, and by the time you read this, Monday’s public gathering at the school cafeteria will have taken place and hopefully a satisfactory outcome for the good of the school will have resulted… Before anything official was announced, and indeed before any official votes by the Board were made, apparently rumors were spread by ‘persons unknown’ (but easily identified) that Mr. Tomlin’s tenure was to be terminated, with the result that the school faculty and Tomlin’s supporters, upset at this prospect, were mobilized into action to solicit support via face-to-face conversations, phone calls, and e-mails throughout the community – a veritable blitzkrieg of a reaction, although certainly understandable from their point of view, given the circumstances… Meanwhile, those in favor of such a move were relatively restrained in their response, preferring to share their thoughts and opinions with close friends and confidants in the various Valley communities – it should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, that people just handle situations like this differently… Whatever your thoughts on this provocative issue, no doubt you will hope that the best long-term interests of the school will remain the highest priority of those involved with the process, and the wishes of the community as a whole will be reflected when the official vote is taken - sometime on or before March 11th…Whenever that is done, it would be comforting to know that the five-person Board will have performed due diligence regarding all aspects of their decision, maintain an objective focus in their discussions, and ‘do the right thing’ – whatever that may be… 

… No doubt a far more relaxing and fun experience than it will be attending the meeting this evening, was watching Saffron Fraser and her friends enjoy themselves at her birthday party last Thursday… As most of you know, Saffron survived a nasty car crash a few months ago but I can assure you that she is well on the way to a full recovery. She seemed to have a ball, and those few tears when her cake was delivered, as the whole gathering sang ‘Happy Birthday,’ was a very special moment for a special person, surrounded as she was by some of the many people who care about her…

… What is the point of leaving phone messages on answering machines that are unintelligible to the listener, either because the words are spoken too quickly or mumbled?... Why do people who are employed to answer phone calls say simply ‘hello’ or ‘hi’ without any mention of who they are, or whom they represent?... Both of these scenarios are inexplicable to me, other than as more examples of the continuing decline in acceptable levels of social adeptness, courtesy, and competence… Phew – glad I got that off my chest…

… The Senior Center Guest Chef Dinner series got off to a great start last week when K.C. McClure and her crew served up a splendid meal for the 50+ guests… The next such event will feature Dean Titus and family as chefs and will take place on the final Friday in April - the 26th... 

… Apparently, community sing-alongs are all the rage on social calendars around the country and A.V. was not going to be left behind… With this in mind, Patty Liddy led a very enjoyable such evening in Saturday at Lauren’s Restaurant that featured many pop classics from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. It was a really good time for one and all and no doubt those in attendance are already looking forward to the next one – last Saturday of the month with host Sarah Larkin… Patty Liddy will be back in April, I believe…

       Well, given this week’s hot topic of the vote on the tenure of our local high school Principal, here are a couple of Quotes of the Week that focus on the honorable profession of teaching… Firstly, it’s this rather negative view from George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), the Irish playwright and the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize in Literature (1925) and an Oscar (1938 - for his work on the film Pygmalion / My Fair Lady), who said, “He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches”… But, on the other hand, it was Robert G. Ingersoll (1833-1899), the American social activist, orator, and agnostic, prominent during the Golden Age of Freethought, who observed, “One good schoolmaster is worth a thousand priests”… I guess these two comments, in indirect ways, just about sum up the current debate in A.V….

       Well now I think it’s time to take my leave… So, until we talk again – ‘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 <turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net>

p.p.s. Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!

p.p.p.s Bobwhite Quail - keep up the knitting!

# 347 - February 20th, 2013

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… And let’s get immediately into the Public Service Announcements…

       … Calendars and pens at the ready… #215 - The Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital will return to the Farm Supply in the Valley twice this month – tomorrow, Thursday, Feb 21 and then again next week on Feb 28. If you are a previous client you can call them 48 hours in advance (462-8833) to ensure that your pet’s charts are brought ‘over the hill’ and also order any medications your pet might need. New customers and their pets are always welcome… #216 – This year’s Guest Chef Dinner series that benefits the Senior Center gets underway this week, on Fri, Feb 22, when Chef K.C. McClure will prepare a meal featuring anti pasta, lasagna, salad, garlic bread and tiramisu for dessert. Happy Hour starts at 5.30pm and dinner will be served at 6.30pm. Tickets are available at the Senior Center (895-3609), and also at the two sponsors of this event - Laughing Dog Books and Philo Ridge Vineyards tasting room in Boonville. Those of you who have enjoyed these special gatherings in the past may wish to purchase a discounted $100 ‘season pass’ for all four Guest Chef Dinners planned for this year (this one and those in April, June, and August). Meanwhile, the evenings are still a great deal at $30 each for your meal and one complimentary glass of wine or beer – hope to see you there… #217 - A Fiesta Celebration sponsored by the Anderson Valley Adult School is on Saturday, February 23 at The Apple Hall from 5 to 10pm. Celebrate the adult school and all those who, because of it, have become citizens. The Big Band, actually a class of the Adult School, will play, as well as a Latin Band for live swing and cumbia dancing, along with Salsa lessons by Kevin. There will be a fresh taco dinner from 5:30 to 7:00, a salsa competition, and children's activities! Tickets are $10 per person, or $25 a family, and can be purchased at All That Good Stuff, Boont Berry, and AV Market in Boonville and Lemons’ Market in Philo… #218 – Also on Saturday evening, at 8.30pm, it’s the first in a series of sing-a-longs to be held at Lauren’s Restaurant in Boonville. Featuring pop music classics and hosted by Patty Liddy, this will be a fun evening whether you join in with the singing or not – lyrics will be provided – you know you want to!...

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans Hall in Boonville… The Center asks for a $5 donation from Seniors and charges $7 for Non-Seniors for lunches and for the dinners it is $6 and $8 respectively… On Thursday, Feb 21, the lunch, served at 12.15pm, will be Chicken with Winter Vegetables, Brown Rice, Spinach Apple Salad, and Cookies & Cream Cake for dessert … Then next Tuesday, Feb 26, at 6pm, the dinner served by Marti Titus and her crew will be Rosemary Pork Roast, Twice Baked Potatoes, Carrots, Rolls, Quinoa Salad, Orange Gelatin Salad, and “Better Cake” – which I have never heard of but I’m sure it’s, err, simply better… Hope to see you there…

       Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events 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…

… Many Three-Dot regulars attended the ‘Out There in the Woods’ book signing and discussion at Lauren’s Restaurant last weekend, the fifth such event held at various Mendocino locations since the publication of the book that gives an account of the 36-day manhunt for double-murderer Aaron Bassler among the coastal forests in 2011. Along with signing copies of the book for a wide variety of locals, the co-authors, Stephen Sparks and County Sheriff Tom Allman, answered questions from an informed audience of about 40 or so interested Valley folks that included the A.V.A.’s Mark Scaramella. The Major posed some relatively hard-hitting questions which the Sheriff dealt with deftly, even at one point making a semi-joking comment on the ‘accuracy’ of some of the A.V.A.’s articles that solicited mumerous giggles from those in attendance and even a chuckle from the otherwise stoic reporter. With books being sold at a brisk pace by Loretta from Laughing Dog Books and dining at the restaurant being the choice of many guests following the signings and discussion, the event hopefully made some money for local businesses and the three charities to which the proceeds of the book will go…

… A number of reports have reached us that Valentine’s Day was a busy night on the Valley’s dining scene, with full houses at both Lauren’s and Aquarelle among others – as it should be!...

… Good news for many of us is that the A.V. Farm Supply, already open Monday thru’ Saturday from 8am to 6pm, is now opened on Sundays too - from 10am to 4pm… Yer gotta like that…

… From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘The Approach of the Apocalypse’… Buzzard comments, “The phrase, ‘Does a bear sh*t in the woods?’ is used in response to a question where the answer is an obvious ‘Yes.’ Another similarly used expression would be ‘Is the Pope Catholic?’… An amusing combination on these, but in this case a phrase used to express an obvious ‘No’ answer, has been the question ‘Does the Pope sh*t in the woods?’ Well, now we have the recent announcement from the Vatican that there is to be the first papal retirement for 600 years, with Pope Benedict XVI stepping down from his position. He apparently plans to retire to ‘seclusion and solitude’ and with that in mind one has to consider that the idiom ‘Does the pope sh*t in the woods?’ may now be used when the answer is no longer a definitive “No.’ It may be the case that this should be used when the answer is ‘Perhaps,’ ‘Maybe,’ or even, dare I say it, ‘Yes’!…… Oh, come on… I’m half-kidding… Either way, a Pope retiring for the first time in 600 years is surely a sign that the Apocalypse is even closer than Hummingbird and many other Catholics, both current and lapsed like herself, had imagined.”

       Oh, dear, have I upset somebody? – I’ll suppose I should get my coat and leave… Oh, well, until we talk again – ‘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 <turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net>

p.p.s. Keep on wagging that tail, Fred…

# 346 - February 13th, 2013

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… And what better place to get things rolling along than to wish the following Valley folks ‘Many Happy Returns!’ in the month of February: Frank Wyant, Cecilia Pardini, Linda Vandervort, Jane Morse, Vicky Czapky, and Robin Lindsey… To these and my other 50,000 plus readers, may I wish you all a ‘Very Special Valentine’s Day’ for tomorrow, Feb 14… 

       And so inevitably we must have some Quotes of the Week on the topic of love… First it’s this from Billie Holiday, “Don’t threaten me with love, baby. Let’s just go walking in the rain”… And an even more blunt opinion from Woody Allen who observes, “Sex alleviates tension. Love causes it”… How about a more positive view from part-time Valley dweller and renowned author Alice Walker – “I have learned not to worry about love; but to honor its coming with all of my heart”… Then there is this from Marlene Dietrich who wisely commented, “How do you know love is gone? If you said you’d be there at seven and you get there by nine and he or she has not called the police yet – it is gone”… And finally this wise conclusion from W. Somerset Maughan – “The great tragedy of life is not that we ultimately perish, but that we cease to love”…

       Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready… #214 – there will be the monthly Grange meeting next Tuesday, Feb 19 at 7pm, held, where else, at The Grange… #215 - The Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital will return to the Farm Supply in the Valley twice this month – on Thursdays, Feb 21 and 28. If you are a previous client you can call them 48 hours in advance (462-8833) to ensure that your pet’s charts are brought ‘over the hill’ and also order any medications your pet might need. New customers and their pets are always welcome… #216 – This year’s Guest Chef Dinner series that benefits the Senior Center gets underway on Fri, Feb 22 when Chef K.C. McClure will prepare a meal featuring anti pasta, lasagna, salad, garlic bread and tiramisu for dessert. Happy Hour starts at 5.30pm and dinner will be served at 6.30pm. Tickets are available at the Senior Center (895-3609), and also at the two sponsors of this event - Laughing Dog Books and Philo Ridge Vineyards tasting room in Boonville. Those of you who have enjoyed these special gatherings in the past may wish to purchase a discounted $100 ‘season pass’ for all four Guest Chef Dinners planned for this year (this one and those in April, June, and August). Meanwhile, the evenings are still a great deal at $30 each for your meal and one complimentary glass of wine or beer – hope to see you there… #217 - A Fiesta Celebration sponsored by the Anderson Valley Adult School on February 23rd at The Apple Hall from 5 to 10pm. Celebrate our adult school and all those who, because of it, have become citizens. The Big Band, actually a class of the Adult School, will play, as well as a Latin Band for live swing and cumbia dancing, along with Salsa lessons by Kevin. There will be a fresh taco dinner from 5:30 to 7:00, a salsa competition, and children's activities! Tickets are $10 per person, or $25 a family, and can be purchased at All That Good Stuff, Boont Berry, and AV Market in Boonville and Lemons’ Market in Philo… 

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans Hall in Boonville… The Center asks for a $5 donation from Seniors and charges $7 for Non-Seniors for lunches… On Thursday, Feb 14, the lunch, always served at 12.15pm, will be Spaghetti with Meat Balls, Sourdough Bread, Vegetable Mornay, Ferro & Dried Fruit Salad, and Lemon Pineapple Pie for dessert… Then next Tuesday, Feb 19, Marti Titus and her crew will be serving Salisbury Steak, Peas, Potluck Potatoes, Rolls, Bulgur & Gorgonzola Salad, and some delicious Banana Split Cake… Hope to see you there…

       Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events 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…

… Christina Jones, owner/chef of Aquarelle Restaurant and Wine Bar, stopped in at The Three-Dot to inform us that while they normally open from Friday thru’ Monday, this week she is also going to open on Thursday, Valentine’s Day, for a special dining experience. To make a reservation call 895-2767…

… Many folks have told me what a great afternoon they had at the A.V. Historical Society’s annual gathering last Sunday at The Grange. Once again, the event featured a roundtable discussion on life in the Valley – this time focusing on the 50’s and 60’s – by those who lived here during those years. DVDs of this event will soon be available of this event and orders for this and last year’s discussion – on the 30’s and 40’s – are available by calling 895-3207…

… From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘The Approach of the Apocalypse’… Buzzard reports, “I flew into Turkey Vulture’s number No. 1 Fan, ‘Confused of Comptche, California’ last week and he expressed his wish to share some of his vast wealth of experiences with readers in the form of a number of ‘tips on life’… There were quite a few, but one stood out and here it is… ‘Perhaps some of your readers will be interested to know that if they wish to conduct a life of celibacy and emotional solitude, without joining a monastery, they can do so by simply living with my wife. It's more comfortable than a monastery and you'd be able to watch TV and use the Internet’… So, if anyone is interested in escaping the inevitable Apocalypse that approaches, let me know and I will promptly forward your information to Confused’s wife…

       Well now I think it’s time to take my leave… So, until we talk again – ‘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 <turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net>

p.p.s. Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!

p.p.p.s. On the sheep, Grace…

# 345 - February 6th, 2013

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Well, like many other folks around here, and in places not that far beyond, today is a Monday for recovering following two of the biggest events of 2013 – and it’s only Feb 4th! As a result this will be an abbreviated column – to the delight of some, I’m sure!

       Let’s start with the Valley’s big social event that took place last Saturday night - ‘The Original Crab Feed’. This event has been produced by Gloria Ross and her crew for about ten years now, and by all accounts, including my own, it just keeps getting better and better. The capacity of over 325 tickets was sold out a week in advance and there were many disappointed crab lovers on a waiting list for any cancellations that did not happen. As always, the food was very good and plentiful, although some folks did find the crab a little too salty for their liking. Many did not. There were many kudos for the other dishes, the garlic French bread in particular; the raffle was a huge success, and not just because the Priest did not win any prizes this year; I’m sure the auctioneer could surely have got more money for the Giants and 49er blankets/wraps from his brief appearance; the beer, wine, and margaritas flowed until after 10.30pm at which point the gibberish being spoken was quite significant; and one particularly impressive thing about the whole evening, commented on by many guests, was the really excellent job done by the wait staff – recruited from Terry Rhodes’ high school food service class. As someone who not only worked in the service industry for many years, but who also now spends most of my social life enjoying the fruits of other’s labors in the bar and restaurant field, I was very impressed indeed by the performance of the waiters/waitresses. On an evening when deserving praise should be spread among many people, this group of high school students should certainly receive a special mention… (p.s. These comments are not in any way influenced by the fact that, in terms of crab and wine, the wait staff seemed to favor the table at which I was seated)…

       But I digress… With the servers in mind, here are a couple of comments on the ‘art’ of service for your Quotes of the Week… From winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Pearl S. Buck (1892 -1973), let’s have, “To serve is beautiful; but only if it is done with joy, and a whole heart and a free mind” – well it seemed as if the students certainly met those criteria… And then there is this from Spanish prose writer, Baltasar Gracian, who wisely commented, “To oblige persons often costs little and helps much”… Precisely…

       As for the other huge event – the Super Bowl, I would apologize to those who, after listening to my advice, placed wagers on the 49ers to win but I assume nobody did such a thing, as it would have been illegal… On reflection, through the blur of Sunday afternoon and evening, I cannot help but feel that the local team somewhat beat themselves, particularly with silly penalties and turnovers in the first half; the poor effort on the second half kick-off that was returned over 108 yards for a touchdown (and therefore provided the points that ultimately gave Baltimore the victory), and the four ineffective plays from the Ravens’ five-yard line with less than two minutes to play, and a game winning touchdown needed, that resulted in nothing. It was very disappointing result indeed and one that will not easily be put aside for Niner fans in the Valley and way beyond… Most Raider fans will no doubt be quite happy, some probably deliriously so – which is strange given their many recent seasons of futility. However, such is the prevalence of Schadenfreude among sports fans that this is entirely understandable and I’d feel the same if the Raiders were in the 49ers situation – which is highly unlikely any time soon, of course… 

       Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready… #214 – The ‘Art in the Cellar’ event at Handley Cellars on Hwy 128 takes place this Friday thru’ Sunday, Feb 8-10, from 11am-4pm each day. The event features wine, food, art and music, and is a part of the A.V. Alsace Varietals Festival happening all over the Valley this weekend. Call 895-9643 for further details… #215 – The Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital will visit the Farm Supply in the Valley on two occasions later this month - Thursdays, Feb 21 and 28… #216 - A Fiesta Celebration sponsored by the Anderson Valley Adult School on February 23 at The Apple Hall from 5 to 10pm. Celebrate our adult school and all those who because of it have become citizens. The Big Band, actually a class of the Adult School, will play as well as a Latin Band for live swing and cumbia dancing, plus Salsa lessons by Kevin. There will be a fresh taco dinner from 5:30 to 7:00, a salsa competition, and children's activities! Tickets are $10 per person or $25 a family and can be purchased in Boonville at All That Good Stuff, Boont Berry and AV Market, plus Lemons’ Market in Philo… 

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the next week at the Senior Center… The Center asks for a $5 donation from Seniors and charges $7 for Non-Seniors for lunches, and $6 and $8 respectively for the evening meals. On Thursday, Feb 7 the lunch, always served at 12.15pm, will be Jared’s Clam Chowder, French Bread, Broccoli Salad, Wheat Berry Salad, Apple Mint Salad, Banana Pudding, and then next Tuesday evening, Feb 12, at 6pm, Marti Titus and her crew will be serving a dinner Chicken Diana, Potluck Potatoes, butternut Squash, Raspberry Gelatin Salad, Kasha & Beef Salad, Pineapple Upside-down Cake - a feast that will be followed by Bingo at 7pm… Hope to see you there…

       Well now I think it’s time to take my leave, so until we talk again – ‘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 <turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net>

p.p.s Bobwhite Quail - keep up the knitting!

p.p.p.s. Skylark – read any good books lately?