# 408 - May 28th, 2014

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… It’s been a very busy time on the social scene this past couple of weeks as summertime has the events calendar fully stocked. It’s a little calmer this week but let’s start with the Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s) anyway…       

       Calendars and pens at the ready… #313 - May 31 is the last Saturday of the month and that means it’s time for the Community Sing-along at Lauren’s. Things get going at 9pm, prior to which some delicious food and a little wine is always a very good option… #314 - The Mendocino Film Festival takes place from May 29 - June 1 and on the Saturday and Sunday of the event there are a number of screenings at Balo Vineyards here in the Valley. Coupled with winery open houses and special receptions at The Madrones on the other side of Hwy 128, this would seem to be a “civilized’’ way to spend your weekend I must say! For more details, check out www.mendocinofilmfestival.org… #315 - The Mendocino Bookmobile is in town next Tuesday, June 3. They are in the Valley on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at each of these places and times: Navarro Store 9am; the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Their next visit will be Tuesday, June 17. Phone 463-4694 for further details… #316 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be visiting twice next month - on Thursdays, June 5 and 26… #317 - The monthly Barn Sale 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 7 and 8… #318 - Another reminder that sheep-shearer Matt Gilbert is setting up his schedule for the next few weeks of work in the Valley. If you have sheep to shear and/or good wool to buy do not hesitate to call 972-9144 and Matt will fit you in and you’ll be very pleased that he did… #319 - It’s coming!!... The Sierra Nevada World Music Festival hits town for the weekend of June 20-22…

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches over the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans Building in Boonville… The Center asks for a $6 donation from Seniors for lunches and charges $7 for Non-Seniors… Tomorrow, Thursday, May 29, the lunch, always served by Marti Titus and her crew at 12.15pm, will be Chicken Diane, Potluck Potatoes, Carrots, Wheat Berry Salad, Pecan Bars … Then next Tuesday, June 3, the menu will feature Meatloaf and other goodies that I was unable to ascertain before going to press... 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 surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley, a location that sees people get together and share their thoughts about life in A.V. and where we subscribe to the Winston Churchill philosophy that “A lie will get halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put on its pants”… So I’ll put my pants on and continue…

… A couple of Three-Dot regulars and I had a wonderful dining experience at Stone and Embers in The Madrones, south of Philo, last weekend. This establishment continues to raise the bar with its unique pizzas from the wood-fired oven along with its home-baked bread and ice creams plus many other alternatives from the cutting-edge culinary mind of chef/owner Patrick Meany… Summer hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 4-8pm each day, and on Saturday and Sunday from 12-8pm and 12-5pm respectively…

… Those delicious eggs laid by the high school’s hens continue to sell out at $4 dozen - a great price for such a top product. You’ll never get eggs at Safeway or Raley’s again! Call Ag teacher Beth at 895-2514 to reserve yours… And when school is out for the summer (last day is June 13), then the eggs will be sold at Gowan’s Oak Tree stall…

… A couple of weeks ago I gave out a number to call - 901-7441 - if you wished to make a comment about the ludicrously loud fans that some local wineries are using for frost protection in the middle of the night. In response, ‘Chewsome’ comments ‘That phone number is the trap that leaves no legal record or recourse. Being a good neighbor, it would be nice to call. But if you do not follow up with recordable retrievable verified complaints to authorities of record, germane to public nuisances and noise ordinances, then you may be simply bleating in the wind until the legal precedent is set. Then it could happen to have the phone number disconnected in 3 years, grandfathered in by a steep burden to provide evidence, with all records destroyed on their end of their phone line, and not retrievable for equitable justice fair hearing in court of law’... I think ‘Chewsome’ raises a good point and hope folks take heed of this advice…

… Three-Dot regular, The Raven, reports, “My mate, whose forage route includes trash bins behind tasting rooms along Rte. 128, happened to overhear (while alighted near one in Philo) a couple who had just been hiking in Hendy Woods discussing their observation of a film crew deep inside H.W. last week who were apparently using sophisticated cameras, lights, and fog machines (but no microphones) to shoot forest scenes. It's been reported on mainstream media that filming for Star Wars VII has begun. Recall that most of Star Wars VI was shot in redwood forests on the north coast. Can we assume a connection? Just wondering… Excellent scavenging and reporting, Raven, but I have to say that my other sources tell me it is not Star Wars, but more than that I am unable to reveal at this time…

… Are you “Tri-tip’d out” yet? Hopefully not because the ‘season’ has only just started! However, it did begin with a deluge with three separate community events offering this delicious cut of meat on their menus in the space of four days. It began at the Senior Center lunch on Thursday, followed later that day by the A.V.H.S. Ag. Dept’s Drive-Thru’ Dinner, and finished at the Lions BBQ on Sunday for the A.V. ElderHome benefit… I enjoyed two of these and was glad I did… However, isn’t it about time somebody cooked up some baby back spare ribs for a change?…

… Regular readers will be aware that during the summer I post a reminder in my closing remarks every week about leaving your dogs/pets in your car and having the windows cracked open a little - hopefully I don’t have to remind people to do so with their kids. Anyway, last week in Canada, the awful results of not doing so came about when a paid dog-walker left six dogs in her car as she ran some errands. It was a hot day and yet she did not crack her windows. All six died… As an experiment I sat in a car in the sun and closed all the windows. Within about five minutes it was difficult to breathe and I felt I was suffocating. It was a horrible feeling and I let myself out… The dogs had no such choice… Come on - think about it!!! 

       I’m outta here… So, until we talk again – ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; AND 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 - thinking you should now that we Turkey Vultures are monogamous and mate for life and sometimes, as if to prove our loyalty, we like to indulge in a display dance on our nesting grounds…

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. Skylark – read any good books lately?

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

p.p.p.p.s. Everything cool with you, O.J.? Of course it is…

# 407 - May 21st, 2014

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Please give serious consideration to attending the Memorial Day service at the Memorial Wall in the Evergreen Cemetery on A.V. Way on Monday, May 26 at 10am. This is ultimately why the upcoming holiday weekend exists and a special and quite short event is being put on by the A.V. Veterans to commemorate those who have died while serving in the military. With U.S. servicemen and women continuing to perish in various theaters of war, a good turnout would surely be a sign that their efforts have not been in vain and are deeply appreciated by those of us who live on. And with that in mind, for the Quote of the Week, let’s turn to Francis A. Walker, American economist, statistician, journalist, educator, academic administrator, and military officer in the Union Army, for his words “We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them”...

       Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #315 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be visiting the Valley tomorrow, Thursday, May 22. Next month, their visits here will be on Thursdays, June 5 and 26… #316 - Also tomorrow, the A.V. High School branch of the F.F.A. is holding its Drive Thru Dinner. The meal includes tri-tip, baked potatoes, rolls, green salad, and watermelon. Tickets are $50 for a dinner for four or $25 for a dinner for two. You can call the School Ag Dept at 895-2514 to reserve your ticket… #317 - Over Memorial Day weekend - May 23 to 26, the annual Flea Market & Indoor Craft Fair runs each day from 9am-4pm at the Anderson Valley Senior Center-Veterans Building in Boonville. The snack bar is open all day and breakfast will be served from 9-11am every morning… #318 - The 12th Annual Open Art Studio Tour is another event that takes place over the Memorial Day weekend - May 24-26. Self-guided tour guides are available at many locations in the Valley… #319 - As part of that event, on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons, at Aquarelle Restaurant in Boonville, artists Michael Wilson and Susan Spencer will exhibit their art but, perhaps even more importantly to some, chef/owner Christina will be selling her gourmet hot dogs right off the soon-to-be-famous Boon Dogs grill… #320 - The Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 25, will see the A.V. Lion’s Club presenting their delicious Chicken and Tri Tip Barbecue at the Redwood Grove in the Fairgrounds to benefit the Anderson Valley ElderHome! Serving starts at 4:30 and festivities continue until 7:30. Along with the always-excellent Silent Auction and music by DJ Pete, new this year will be the ‘Grab Bag Tables’ (whatever they may be?). Advance purchase tickets are $15 at Lemon’s and All That Good Stuff. Seniors (62+) and children (12-) are $12.  At the door they will be $18 and $15. Children under 6 are free... #321 - Finally this week, and not related to Memorial Day at all but certainly an important task at this time of year for some - sheep-shearing… Shearer Matt Gilbert is setting up his schedule for the next few weeks of work in the Valley. If you have sheep to shear and/or good wool to buy do not hesitate to call 972-9144 and Matt will fit you in and you’ll be very pleased that he did…

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches and dinners over the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans Hall in Boonville… The Center asks for a $6 donation from seniors for both lunches and dinners and charges $7 for Non-Seniors for lunches and $8 for the dinners… Tomorrow, Thursday, May 22, the lunch, presented by Marti Titus and her crew at 12.15pm, will be BBQ Tri Tip, Baked Beans, Brussels Sprouts, Sourdough Bread, Cole Slaw, Freekah Salad, and Wendy’s Oatmeal Cookies for dessert… Then next Tuesday, May 27, the dinner menu, served at 6pm, will feature Lasagna, Green Beans, Garlic Bread, Ferro Salad, Orange Gelatin, 3 Bean Salad, with a Lemon Pineapple Dessert… 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… This week one topic dominated discussions - the driving surface of Highway 128 … From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’…

       Buzzard reports, “I heard this week from local resident Bill Kimberlin who, regarding the unfinished section of Hwy 128 between Boonville and Philo, writes, ‘I called Wesley Chesbro's office (2nd Assembly District Representative) and Noreen Evans' office (2nd Senate District Representative). The go- to guy is Jeff Tyrrell 707-468-8914. He was helpful but he needs more people to call to get any action, not just me. I want them to speed up the paving job they left unfinished. Cal Trans told me it might not be paved for up to two years. After my calls, and those of others, they are now saying one year. Please call in and ask for a speed up because it is dangerous. The area is from Peachland Road to the Grange. When the summer tourists get here in their rented RVs, towing boats, it is going to get ugly down there at 70mph.’

       “Bill continues, ‘The above mentioned Jeff Tyrell replied to me, Caltrans has indicated that resurfacing of the 3.5 miles along Highway 128, between Peachtree and the Grange, is scheduled for the Summer of 2015.  They also said that since the Summer of 2011, $12.5 million have been allocated to paving projects along Highway 128, unfortunately the asphalt purchase fell short of the miles of estimated coverage. Caltrans has been regularly sweeping the loose gravel along this stretch of road. They also indicate that problem of loose gravel will dissipate as time passes. However, if anyone incurs damages to windshields etc., Kathy King of the claims department can be reached at  (707) 445-6594. So it was a math error and unless more folks complain, via Jeff, we shall be driving over that terrible surface for another year’… Good job, Bill. The road is really quite bad already and that the authorities think we should drive on it for another year or so is shocking. Now it’s time for others to make the call, otherwise a year of driving along as it deteriorates even further will surely be a sign that the Apocalypse is virtually on our doorstep…”

       I’m outta here… So, until we talk again – Make the phone calls;  ‘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 - hope you enjoyed the read, and who knows, you might miss me when you’re gone (?)…

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. Hi, George – hope you and Sheila are well…

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

# 406 - May 14th, 2014

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Let me begin by informing you of some phone numbers that may well play small but significant parts in our lives over the next year or so… First, here is the number to call if you wish to express comments or make complaints about the noise pollution from the frost protection fans that many, but not all, of our local wineries have been guilty of causing in recent times - 901-7441. The wineries, to their credit, have set this up so please call and, following your torrent of abuse, leave your physical address so that they can monitor where the problems lie and perhaps, when the cow has jumped over the moon, they will do something about them… Secondly, the current plan to fix the unfinished section of Highway 128, between Peachland Road and The Grange, sees it being completed by 2015! However, if you join the folks who have already called to complain about this ridiculous situation, maybe it can be done sooner. Call the very helpful Jeff Tyrell at the Senate District Representative’s office - 468-8914… Furthermore, here is the number for Kathy King of the Cal Tran claims department who should be contacted if you incur damages to windshields etc while driving along that particular section - 445-6594…

       Moving on… Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #312 - The Valley’s Annual Pinot Festival is this coming this weekend - Friday to Sunday, May 16-18. Depending on your mindset, I hope to see you out and about either sipping wine or selectively protesting frost protection fans at the guilty party’s events… Or both… Suffice it to say, I shall not be sipping at one particularly winery - one that shall be remain nameless because Golden Buttocks may get upset if I do… #313 - Saturday, May 17 sees the Open ‘Mic’ night at Lauren’s Restaurant in Boonville. It’s always on the 3rd Saturday of the month at 9pm… #314 - The Mendocino Bookmobile is in town next Tuesday, May 20. They are in the Valley on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at each of these places and times: Navarro Store 9am; the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Their next visit will be Tuesday, June 3. Phone 463-4694 for further details… #315 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be visiting the Valley next week on Thursday, May 22. Next month, their visits here will be on Thursdays, June 5 and 26… #316 - The A.V. High School branch of the F.F.A. is holding its next Drive Thru Dinner on May 22nd. The meal includes tri-tip, baked potatoes, rolls, green salad, and watermelon. Tickets are $50 for a dinner for four or $25 for a dinner for two. You can call the School Ag Dept at 895-2514 to reserve your ticket… #317 - Over Memorial Day weekend - May 23 to 26, the annual Flea Market & Indoor Craft Fair runs each day from 9am-4pm at the Anderson Valley Senior Center-Veterans Building in Boonville. There is a snack bar and breakfast will be served from 9-11am every morning… #318 - The 12th Annual Open Art Studio Tour is another event that takes place over the Memorial Day weekend - May 24-26. Self-guided tour guides are available at many locations in the Valley… #319 - The Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 25, will see the A.V. Lion’s Club presenting their delicious Chicken and Tri Tip Barbecue at the Redwood Grove in the Fairgrounds to benefit the Anderson Valley ElderHome! Serving starts at 4:30 and festivities continue until 7:30. Along with the always-excellent Silent Auction and music by DJ Pete, new this year will be the ‘Grab Bag Tables’ (whatever they may be?). Advance purchase tickets are $15 at Lemon’s and All That Good Stuff. Seniors (62+) and children (12-) are $12.  At the door they will be $18 and $15. Children under 6 are free...

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches over the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans Hall in Boonville… The Center asks for a $6 donation from Seniors and charges $7 for Non-Seniors… Tomorrow, Thursday, May 15, the lunch, always served by Marti Titus and her crew at 12.15pm, will be Beef Stir Fry, Jasmine Rice, Snow Peas, Quinoa Salad, Asian Slaw, and Strawberry Short Cake for dessert… Then next Tuesday, May 20, the menu will feature Citrus Cod, Couscous, Broccoli, Quinoa Salad, with a Peach Cobbler for ‘afters’... Remember, all ages are welcome!... Hope to see you there…

       Moving quickly on to a couple 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 surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley, a location that sees people get together and share their thoughts about life in A.V….

… The Theatre Guild returned under the renewed directorial leadership of Rod Basehore with their recent presentation at The Grange and did a wonderful job. Many Three-Dot regulars attended and were thoroughly entertained. It was funny, fast-paced - unlike some previous productions, had a good plot, and featured a number of splendid performances - Florianne Weyrich, Danny Mandelbaum, and Ray Langevin being the standouts in the opinion of us folks up at The Nest… Well done, one and all!...

… Regulars were busy calculating that Valley Tasting Room #29 (yes, we have 28 at the moment) will be making its debut this weekend as part of the 17th Annual Pinot Festival - see P.S.A. above... The appropriately named Domaine Anderson (trademark by the big boys at Roederer Winery) will open its doors at the location that was formerly the home of Jim Ball Winery and will host just one of the many winery open house events on Sunday, May 18, the concluding day of the weekend-long Festival…

       I’m outta here… 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”… Poking and stroking but humbly yours, Turkey Vulture - pleased in the knowledge that the old hare has returned safely to his burrow…

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…

p.p.s. Is that ‘lafter’ I hear, Carroll?...

p.p.s. Keep up the good work, Round-eyed Robin

# 405 - May 7th, 2014

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… With space at a premium in the ‘New A.V.A.’, many columns are to be a little shorter for now, even one as popular as this one - go figure?... I wonder if the length of some of the long less interesting ones will be the same? If so, I would think that… (continued on page 74)…

       Moving swiftly on… As if anyone can forget, this coming Sunday, May 11, is Mother’s Day and while Hallmark and other merchants of crass commercialism have done their best to spoil such a wonderful celebration, they have failed, and it does give us an opportunity to sit back and think about how appreciative we should be of our mothers - after all, where would we be without them?...

         Inevitably, this day results in some memorable Quotes of the Week… First let’s hear from President Kennedy who once observed, “Mothers all want their sons to grow up to be president, but they don't want them to become politicians in the process”… And a thought from his wife, Jackie Kennedy, who said, “If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do well really matters very much”… And there is a Jewish proverb that states, “God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers”… Here’s one to ‘set the cat among the pigeons’ from the Greek philosopher Aristotle, “Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own”… And on the lighter side, from Milton Berle we have, “If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?”… These are the thoughtful words of journalist and author Maria Shriver, “Our mothers give us so many gifts. They give us the precious gift of life, of course, but they also leave treasured lessons that can guide us along our journeys even when they are no longer with us”… And I will finish with perhaps, given today’s world, the most relevant quote of this week, from British novelist E. M. Forster, who wisely commented, “I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would be no more wars”...

       Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #215 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be making two visits to the Valley this month. The first of these is tomorrow, Thursdays, May 8 and as always the venue and times are the A.V. Farm Supply from 2-3.30pm. New customers are always welcome and for those who have been before you can call 462-8833 and the vets will bring your pet’s charts. Their next visit is on Thursday, May 22… #216 - The A.V. High School’s Ag. Department will hold its plant sale, featuring vegetable and flower seedlings, on Saturday, May 10 from 9am-Noon at the high school - please bring your own flat or box to carry your purchases home... And their spring Drive Thru’ Dinner will be on May 22 - details to follow… #217 - On Saturday May 10, 2014, Stoney Bottom Gardens in Boonville will be open to the public to benefit the Garden Conservancy.  This spectacular private 6-acre garden welcomes the public between the hours of 10am-4pm. Entry is a $10 donation and they are located at 13400 Anderson Valley Way, Boonville.  Info: 707-895-9424 or go onto the Garden Conservancy website for more information… #218 - The Valley’s annual Pinot Festival is just around the corner - May 16-18… #219 - Lauren’s Restaurant has resumed it’s Summertime lunch hours from 11.30am - 2.30pm, Thursday thru’ Sunday. Among the goodies available is the delicious salad selection (yes, this is Turkey Vulture speaking) that includes Sirloin Salad, Cobb salad, Garden salad, Curry Chicken salad, and the classic Caesar salad. Oh, and excellent burgers too!... #220 - Coq au Vin, offering delicious French country-style food at its location at The Floodgate, will begin its summer schedule on Thursday, May 15. That means local nights featuring a special menu and prices on Thursdays and Mondays, with the regular menu offered on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday… #221 - And while I’m on the topic, the popular local hostelry, The Buckhorn, Boonville, continues with their popular specials that include Mexican Margarita Mondays, Prime Rib Thursdays, and ‘The Valley’s Best Brunch’ at the weekends from 10am-4pm on both Saturday and Sunday…

       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 for both lunches and dinners and charges $7 for Non-Seniors for lunches and $8 for the dinners… Tomorrow, Thursday, May 8, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at 12.15pm, will be Chicken Picata, Polenta, Green Beans, Ferro Salad, and Carmel Apple Cake for dessert… Then, next Tuesday evening, May 13 at 6pm, the dinner will feature Country Captain Chicken, Peas, Brown Rice, Rolls, Raspberry Gelatin, Tabbouleh Salad, and Triple Lemon Dessert for dessert. As this is the 2nd Tuesday of the month, the dinner will be followed by Bingo at 7pm. Hopefully you will be able to attend, and remember – ALL ages are welcome! Hope to see you there… 

       The Three-Dot Lounge was closed this week as many customers went to, and are recovering from, the 18th Annual Beer Festival held last weekend at The Fairgrounds in Boonville. The reports are in and they are the same as always - ‘Great fun for many; excessive but gratifying drinking by some; ridiculous stupidity by a few.’ For some old farts and curmudgeonly types at the Three-Dot it was a case of ‘done it, enjoyed it, but enough is enough’ - the drinking of strong beers in the afternoon is not good for the wiser mind or older body’… On a related note, our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, went to the Festival and has not been seen since so obviously his words of wisdom cannot be shared this week - and if they could they’d probably be gibberish anyway…

       I’m outta here… 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”… Poking and stroking, and always 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. Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!

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

# 404 - April 30th, 2014

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… I like the newspaper’s new format and although it may initially mean a little more work for the Major, in the future it will actually give him plenty of opportunity to do Mr. Anderson’s laundry in the morning and then have lots of time to make sandwiches and pots of tea for The Supreme Commander later in the afternoon. For his part, I imagine our mighty leader will be able to grab more naps and listen to ‘Democracy Now’ and his other favorite KZYX & Z programs for hours on end… Let’s be moving on…

       Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #685 - The monthly Barn Sale takes place this coming weekend 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, May 3 and 4… #686 - The A.V. Theatre Guild’s ‘Comedy of the Arts and More’ - a comic opera, will be presented at The Grange from Thursday thru’ Saturday, May 1-3 at 7pm, plus a matinee performance at 2pm on Sunday May 4… #687 - If anyone is interested in one or both of the following fun trips please contact Gina at the Senior Center 895-3609 or the Bus driver Tamara 489-1175: first it’s the aforementioned AV Theater Guild Performance on Sunday, May 4 - cost for bus and admission is $9 for Seniors; and then on Friday, May 9, there will be a trip to the Botanical Gardens and lunch at the new Café at Fort Bragg Botanical Gardens. Leaving Boonville at 10am - cost for bus and lunch is $5; admission to the Gardens is free… #688 - The Boonville Farmer’s Market moves across the street from its winter home at The General Store to its regular summertime spot in the Boonville Hotel parking lot beginning Saturday, May 3, from 10am-12.30pm… #689 - The annual Boonville Beer Festival is at The Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 3, from 1pm-5pm. This is not a non-alcohol event so children will not be allowed to see some adults behaving like children… #690 - Work off your hangover from the BeerFest at The Boontling Classic, a 5K footrace the following morning - Sunday, May 4. Call 895-2701 for details… #691 - The Mendocino Bookmobile is in town next Tuesday, May 6. They are in the Valley on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at each of these places and times: Navarro Store 9am (before heading off to Comptche for an hour or two); the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Their next visit will be Tuesday, May 20. Phone 463-4694 for further details…  #692 - The A.V. High School’s Ag. Department will hold its plant sale, featuring vegetable and flower seedlings, on Saturday, May 10 from 9am-Noon at the high school - please bring your own flat or box to carry your purchases home... And their spring Drive Thru’ Dinner will be on May 22 - details to follow… #693 - Coq au Vin, offering delicious French country-style food at its location at The Floodgate, will begin its summer schedule on Thursday, May 15. That means local nights featuring a special menu and prices on Thursdays and Mondays, with the regular menu offered on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday… #694 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be making two visits to the Valley in May. Those will be Thursdays May 8 and 22, and as always the venue and times are the A.V. Farm Supply from 2pm-3.30pm…

      

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches over the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans Hall in Boonville… The Center asks for a $6 donation from Seniors and charges $7 for Non-Seniors… Tomorrow, Thursday, May 1, the lunch, always served by Marti Titus and her crew at 12.15pm, will be Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy, Carrots, Rolls, Barley Salad,
and Birthday Cup Cakes for dessert … Then next Tuesday, May 6, the menu will feature Tamale Loaf, Cauliflower, Salsa, Black Beans, Freekah Salad, and Kahlua Cake for dessert... 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 surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley, a location that sees people get together and share their thoughts about life in A.V. and where we subscribe to the Winston Churchill philosophy that “A lie will get halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put on its pants”… So I’ll put my pants on and continue… I have attended a few excellent Valley events of late and some regulars at the Three-Dot thought I should mention them, so here we go…

…The Lion’s Club Easter Breakfast and Egg Hunt was very well-attended and, as always with this group, the event was an unqualified success, not least because I was given extra ham and eggs as I am allergic to pancakes, particular if it means I can get extra ham and eggs… The eggs this year were particularly good - thanks to Bob the Whisker working under the master tutelage of Judy Long… I did not stick around for the egg hunt but hopefully it was a success and hopefully everyone appreciated all the work that goes in to organizing such an event by the always hard-working Lions…

… Two other events I managed to attend, both last Sunday afternoon, were the A.V. Unity Club’s Wild Flower Show at the Fairgrounds that led nicely into the A.V. Arts Fundraiser, an event that has not happened for several years and was resurrected this year to raise money for art in the schools. Both were very enjoyable and hopefully raised lots of money, although neither seemed as busy as I remember them being in the past. When also considering other recent Valley events, it appears that the Valley is taking its time ‘waking up’ from its winter slumbers. Come on folks - wakey, wakey!... It’s time to once again to get out and support your local good causes and small businesses - you know it makes sense…  

… Hands up if in the last week or two you have heard the phrase ‘ - but he/she is so nice’, when someone is trying to explain away a person’s failure to do what they said they were going to do, or perhaps they did it so poorly that it would have been better to have had someone else do it, or even oneself… Hmmm, interesting - that’s quite a lot of hands… Saying they are ‘nice’ should not be an excuse for incompetence or lack of accountability, and whether they are ‘nice’ or not, and they often are of course, is inconsequential. It is not a big deal in the overall scheme of things but one does seem to hear the phrase used in this situation on a far too regular basis and several regulars are getting a little annoyed at it… Just thought you should know…

… Conversely, a phrase you do not hear very often, if at all, is, ‘Even Homer nods’, a Latin phrase, used by myself on occasion but otherwise heard very infrequently these days. It is used when remarking that even the best of us make mistakes and it refers to the man revered as the greatest of ancient Greek epic poets, who apparently rarely did anything incorrectly or poorly… To my point - I called Scharffenberger Cellars and was told by the answering machine that they would be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 18 and 19, but would re-open for business on Thursday. This was good to know - except I was calling on April 24! I had to chuckle at the oversight by such a professional organization, and it naturally led me to utter, ‘Even Homer nods’…

… From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “Following my report last week stating, in a nutshell, that ‘Vegetarian diets are tied to generally poorer health, poorer quality of life and a higher need for health care than their meat-eating counterpart, and specifically carry elevated risks of cancer, allergies, and mental health disorders’, several veggie friends of mine have expressed mild rebuke. They are entitled to do so of course, and in most cases I am almost certain it was not as a result of some sort of mental health issue. One such fellow, the venerable Benjamin Graham, MD has responded ‘in regard to the vegetarian study: dietary studies are difficult to do in that most of them--like this one--are self reported. Who knows what the subjects are actually eating. However the biggest concern is that it does not address cause and effect. Many turn to vegetarian diets because of pre-existing ill health in the hope that it will improve their situation. (e.g. Bill Clinton, who went from Big Macs prior to his heart attacks to vegan.)’… Thanks for your input, good doctor. My concern is not so much that the veggie folks do what they do, but rather that some of them do so with an air of superiority, almost frowning at us hamburger guzzlers. This is odd but, given that the study has convinced me that vegetarians generally are more likely to suffer from mental health disorders than the steak-munchers among us, perhaps I should not be surprised…”

       Thank you for your comment, Buzzard - I find it equally as ‘odd’ that a doctor reads your weekly ramblings… Well now I think it’s time to take my leave - I’ve got see a man about a sheep… 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 - extremely honored to have the 2^nd tallest tree (343.6 feet) in Hendy Woods named after me ……

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…

p.p.p.p.s. Still miss you Frank and Bing…