# 369 - August 28th, 2013

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… 

The A.V. Brewery’s Fal Allan, (no relation to Ken Allen, former Brewery owner and one-time Father Christmas at Macy’s), responded to my request to publish a list of the recipients of the monies dispersed by the Wee Boont Foundation (the non-profit that puts on the Boonville Beer Festival). Here they are: AV Parent/Teacher Organization; AV ElderHome; AV Lions Club; AV Education Foundation; AV High School Sports Booster Club; AV Animal Rescue; AV Senior Center; AV Historical Society; AV Fire Dept; AV Volunteer Fire Assn; AV Ambulance; Kimmies of Cody Mosh; Navarro River Resource; AV Land Trust; AV Health Center; AV Housing Authority; Emerald Earth Sanctuary; Mendocino Humane Society; Mendocino County Fairgrounds; KZYX Radio; and The Hendy Woods Park Association. The total of donations this year was $111,000!!! That’s fantastic and I suggest we all drink a few Boont Amber Ales in celebration…

         For your Quotes of the Week, the topic of philanthropy has many wonderful comments and here are just a few…”It is more blessed to give than to receive” - Acts 20:35… “Charity begins at home but should not end there” - Sir Francis Bacon… “I resolved to stop accumulating and begin the infinitely more serious and difficult task of wise distribution” - Andrew Carnegie… “It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it” - Albert Einstein… “I would rather have it said, ‘He lived usefully,’ than, ‘He died rich’.” - Benjamin Franklin… “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again”… Mohandas Gandhi… “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the creative light of altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness.  This is the judgement.  Life’s persistent and most urgent question is ‘What are you doing for others?’” - Martin Luther King Jr. – Excellent!..

       And while we’re talking about charities and good causes, here’s this from our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard - another in his insightful series – ‘The Approach of the Apocalypse’… Buzzard comments, “With so many of our local non-profit organizations and charities deservedly benefiting from the wonderful generosity of the A.V. Brewery, I do find it quite disturbing that there was nothing donated to the impoverished ‘Save the Turkey Vultures and Old Buzzards Fund.’ Given their role as nature’s garbage collectors, a job not nearly as glamorous as people might think, and one that is entirely on a volunteer basis, this was surely an oversight. I must share with you the wise words of Turkey Vulture’s mother – ‘You will miss me when I’m gone” – and I remain confident that a significant donation will be soon on it’s way to The Nest, c/o A.V.A. Office, The Farrer Building, Boonville, CA 95415… If not, then we are certainly much closer to the Apocalypse than I had thought…

       Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready… #214 – A useful bit of information, I hope, is to know the hours of our two local post offices. Both open at 8.30am, but in Philo lunch is from 1.30pm to 2pm, and they close at 4.30pm; while in Boonville, they take a break from 12.30pm to 1.30pm, and they then close for the day at 5pm. Now you know… #215 - The next visit to the Valley by the vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital will not be until Thursday, September 12, but they will then come again the following week on September 19… #216 - The Guest Chef Dinner series, that takes place every two months to benefit the Senior Center, is coming up this week - Friday, August 30 to be precise, with Happy Hour at 5pm followed at 6pm by Chef Matt Ward’s Jambalaya on rice with southern-style Hushpuppies. Tickets will certainly sell out so call Gina at 895-3609 to reserve yours… #217 – The following evening, Saturday, Aug 31, Dave Evans, hard-working owner of the Navarro Store and impresario in the world of local live music, informs me that the Deep End will once again be the scene of a very special live performance when electric blues harmonica great Charlie Musselwhite will make his much anticipated return to the Valley… #218 – The wine, food, and music event, ‘Winesong,’ returns to the Valley over the weekend of September 6-8 – details to follow…#219 - On Sunday, September 8, Anderson Valley Land Trust is sponsoring its 4th annual Sustainable Discoveries that will feature visits to the Yorkville Olive Ranch; a special local food lunch in the picnic area at Meyer Family Cellars prepared by Aquarelle Restaurant; Pennyroyal Farm to see the making of the cheese and  the goats who produce the milk; and the Anderson Valley Community Farm in Boonville to experience their organic market garden, and animals. You can get more information or sign up by calling Shelly at 895-3150…

       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 $6 donation from seniors and charges Non-Seniors $7 for lunches, always served at 12.15pm. Tomorrow, Thursday, August 29, Marti Titus and her crew will serve Roman Style Chicken, Pasta, Sourdough Bread, Broccoli, Faro Salad, Sundae Cone Cake. Then next Tuesday, September 3, the menu will feature Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy, Corn, Rolls, Quinoa Salad, and Birthday Cup Cakes… Remember, all ages are welcome!... 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 (and often Reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley where people get together and share their thoughts about life in A.V.…

… Many regulars and I agreed that it was a busy Friday night in town with big crowds at the local eateries and bars… Hummingbird and I were out on Saturday too, but down in the Deep End at the recently opened Coq Au Vin – a country French cuisine restaurant at the location known as The Floodgate. Well, without wishing to slip into drooling hyperbole, I’ll just say that everything was delicious and let you discover this new treat for yourselves…

… With the first week of school underway, the word on the streets is that the new High School Principle, Michelle Hutchings, might well be just what our school needs - a person who will provide strong leadership; exhibit good people skills; show ability to balance ‘tough love’ and discipline with earned praise and encouragement; demonstrate fairness and consistency; be organized and prepared; have good listening skills; and be somewhat of a visionary in the world of modern education… All of us here at The Three-Dot wish her every success…

… Talking of which, the first day of school saw all the student athletes – cheerleaders, volleyball, football, and soccer - wearing their jerseys as part of a rally organized by cheerleader coach Erica Lemons and others. A very nice way to start off a year that bodes well on the playing fields and in the gymnasium, and will hopefully be matched in the world of academia too…

… Flying around the school on ‘opening day’, I was impressed by the vibrant enthusiasm shown by teachers and students alike. However, regular readers will know that I am far from prudish and yet I was nonplussed by the fact that the school dress code seems to have sunk to new depths. Hopefully, Ms. Hutchings will soon sort that out…

      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; please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle; 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. On the sheep, Grace…

p.p.p.s. Keep on humming, Hummingbird…