# 351 - March 20th, 2013

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… It’s the first day of Spring! Anyone feel like prancing through a meadow like a young gazelle? Oddly enough, I don’t… In fact, following a heavy weekend-long St. Patrick’s Day celebration I actually feel more like lounging on the sofa like an aging sloth… But that’s just me – go ahead and prance if you feel the need…

       And while you’re doing that, maybe enjoy thinking about these words on the subject of Spring, which I present as your Quotes of the Week… First let’s turn to Margaret Atwood (1939-?), the Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist who wrote, “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt”… And how about this from author/journalist Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) who remarked, “When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself” – I couldn’t have put it better myself, Ernie… Next we go to a comment with which I and many others no doubt strongly agree - wise words from baseball ‘man and maverick’, Bill Veek (1914-1986) who very accurately commented, “The true harbinger of spring is not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of the bat on the ball”… Then there is this from distinguished Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), “Spring is the time of plans and projects”… And this from non other than Sitting Bull (1831-1890), tribal chief of the Lakota Sioux, who observed, “Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!”… And finally, perhaps the most ‘poignant’ of all, from actor/comedian Robin Williams (1951-?), “Spring is nature's way of saying, Let's party!”…

       Moving on… Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready… #652 - The Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital will return to the Farm Supply next week – Thursday, Mar 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… #653 – The A.V. Lions Club will resume their annual fund-raising activities on Sunday March 31 when their Easter Breakfast will take place from 8am – 11am in The Apple Hall at The Fairgrounds in Boonville. This year’s event will benefit the Future Farmer’s of America (F.F.A.) and will be followed at noon sharp by the Easter Egg Hunt for kids from pre-school thru’ 4th-grade in the lawn area behind the Hall… #654 – As already discussed, Spring is here, and things are very busy in the A.V. High School Agriculture Dept. The laying flock of chickens is doing its job and they are providing about a dozen eggs per day. These are free-range fresh eggs and they are selling for $4.00 per dozen. Call the Ag Dept at 895-2514 or 895-3496 Ext 116. They actually taste like eggs – imagine that! They are delicious and, as I may have said before, trust me on this - you can thank me later…

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… Tomorrow, Thursday, March 21, the lunch, served at 12.15pm, will be Lasagna, Vegetable Mornay, rolls, Dried Fruit & Ferro Salad, 3 Bean Salad, Hawaiian Carrot Cake … Then next Tuesday, March 26, at 6pm, the dinner served by Marti Titus and her crew will be Beef Stroganoff, Butter Noodles, Carrots, rolls, Strawberry Gelatin, Wheat Berry Salad, Italian Cream Cake…This is also Game Night so bring your favorite game to play or hang out and visit with friends… Hope to see you there…

       The Three-Dot Lounge has been closed for the past week to cater the private St. Patrick’s Day function so we have nothing to report in the way of “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… However, our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, has managed to pull himself together and here are his thoughts for this week… “There is NO truth whatsoever to the unfortunate rumor that the Animal Rescue of Anderson Valley, the wonderful organization that has done so much for the Valley’s (and County’s) pets and animals over the years, has folded. I spoke at length to founder Cheryl Schrader and following her departure to the Sierra foothills to be closer to family, the local Animal Rescue operation in Boonville has closed, although they are continuing to do as much as ever to help animals in need but for now it is being run out of their Ukiah office. Cheryl continues to respond to phone calls and Ember Koski, a major volunteer and organizer for the group, is as good a person as any to talk too. The two numbers to contact A.V.A.R. are 707-895-3785 (Cheryl's voice) and 707-621-2912 (Ember's voice) and the organization’s website/Facebook page is www.facebook.com/andersonvalleyanimalrescue. In the upcoming months fund-raising efforts will take place and the operation will re-organize. They will survive, but some new leaders/volunteers locally would certainly help – after all, if this group goes under then it would be as clear a sign as any that the Apocalypse is upon us…”

       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…