# 447 - 25th February, 2015

     Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Apparently, this past week has seen a journalist from Newsweek, the national magazine, in the Valley researching an article that will feature your beloved A.V.A. - the last real newspaper in America! Perhaps there is more on the event elsewhere in this week’s edition but don’t be surprised if Messrs. Anderson, Scaramella, and McEwen act a little highpockety (to use a Boontling phrase) when you next see them around town. This could be quite prestigious and it’s certainly better from a journalistic standpoint than if the Weekly World News had shown up and talked about aliens, headless corpses, orgies, witchcraft, etc (although perhaps not as accurate)…

       With this in mind, I think it’s time to present some Quotes of the Week on the subject of journalism? I think you’ll like them… Here we go… First it’s this classic from the incomparable Mark Twain who sarcastically advised journalists to “Get your facts first, and then you can distort ‘em as you please”… And now this remark from presidential nominee Adlai Stevenson who observed “Journalists do not live by words alone, although sometimes they have to eat them” - not a reader of this column obviously!... And for a final quote I can think of nothing more accurate on this topic, certainly where the A.V.A. is concerned, as these words from my second favorite French person, Napoleon Bonaparte, who said, “A journalist is a grumbler, a censurer, a giver of advice, a regent of sovereigns, a tutor of nations. Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets!” - you have been warned…

       Onward… Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #274 - At this time, due to staffing difficulties, the Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital are unable to make any visits to the Valley in February. All they have on their calendar for now is a visit on Thursday, March 26 - yes, March, that is not an error!... #275 - The Boonville Winter Market is every Saturday, rain or shine, in front of the Boonville General Store, 10-12:30. Come on down to Boonville and either sell or buy locally grown or made food or crafts. For more info, call Cindy at 895-2949… #276 - The 24th Annual Variety Show returns on Friday/Saturday, March 7/8. For further details and/or to audition, call Bill at 895-2318, David at 895-3580, or Corporal Raindrop at 895-3807 for details… #278 - The County Dump is open from 9am – 4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday. Remember, no dead animals!...

       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 and charges $7 for Non-seniors… Tomorrow, Thursday, February 26, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be the always-popular Joe’s Chili & Corn Bread, with Banana Pudding… Then, next Tuesday, March 3, the lunch will feature the traditional first meal of the month - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, cauliflower, Bulgur salad, and Birthday Cupcakes for dessert… All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. Hopefully you will be able to attend, and 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 guess I’ll put my pants on and continue…

… Myself and a couple of 3-Dot regulars attended the art opening at Scharffenberger Cellars tasting room featuring drawings and paintings by Kyllikki ‘Kay’ Clark. There were about 35 or so people there including Kay’s son, Brian, who was gratified to have such a good turnout for his bed-ridden mother’s works. The exhibit itself will run from February 20 to May 14. It is well worth a visit and all proceeds go to A.V. Arts Scholarship Fund to further student studies in the visual, performing, and literary arts…

… School sports’ update… After some concern, the announcement of a coach and two assistants means there will be a Junior High Soccer team after all. The coach will be sometime-substitute teacher Ian Wilson, who will be ably assisted by recent youth soccer coaches Jay Newcomer and Alan Thomas. The 7^th and 8^th grade student athletes are no doubt delighted and will be ready to go on March 19… Meanwhile the Boys Basketball team finished unbeaten in league play and their play-off run will begin tonight (Feb 25) with a home game against Tomales. A large and loud local turnout would be a great lift for the guys and a victory would result in a quarterfinal game on Saturday at St Elizabeth’s in Oakland…

… From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “Theeeeyre back! - I’m referring to the dreaded frost protection fans that were the cause of much grief to sleep-deprived folks throughout the Valley last year and, as long-time readers will recall, to those of us in the Philo/Navarro borderlands for several years before that. Last spring, as fans were turned on night after night in the Boonville metropolis, the Powers-that-Be at the AVA began to lose sleep themselves. This noise pollution of our Valley began to feature in an increasing number of Valley conversations and made significant newspaper headlines via a series of articles that hopefully rocked the very comfortable cradles in which the wineries seem to wallow. A town meeting was called to discuss  the issue, which a number of the wineries deigned to attend, some of who seemed to adopt a mild level of concern. Meanwhile, a lawsuit by a justifiably very angry local citizen is currently pending that may force the wineries to sit up, take notice, and actually do something about the way they are adversely affecting their community’s quality of life. I am not holding my breath…

Anyway, one day last week, in the vicinity of The Nest in the Floodgate area, a fan was turned on for some inexplicable reason at 5pm in the late afternoon. I assume now that they were just getting it ready for full-time operation because in the early hours of this past Monday morning, with a slight frost in the air, the fan came on for four hours or so until 6am… The noise was not particularly high on the Helicopter Index of Frost Protection Fan Noise Pollution - perhaps a two-Helicopter noise level as opposed to the many four- or five-Helicopter magnitudes that were reached last year, but it is early days. I have since been told that some frost protection fans in Boonville were also operating at the same time… Based on what a number of local folks told me last year, if we have to again endure what took place last spring, and the wineries continue to ignore them or offer vague and insincere platitudes of concern, then perhaps a combination of anger and lack of sleep will lead these people to make unwise decisions and to take the problem into their own hands - then the Apocalypse really would be upon us!”…

       Thanks for your thoughts, Buzzard - I certainly agree… Well now I think it’s time to take my leave… Besides 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; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; 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”… Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always 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. Skylark – read any good books lately?... Keep on humming, Hummingbird… Everything cool with you, O.J.? Of course it is…

# 446 - 18th February, 2015

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… With Valentine’s Day leading into President’s Day there was a steady stream of business at the Valley’s eateries and wineries this past weekend - and a good thing too… February, March, and April are traditionally the slowest times of year ion the hospitality business and every little extra boost is significant. We have some excellent local restaurants and of course some world class wines so let’s all try to do our best to support them at this time, not to mention our other small businesses - and of course, it is stating the obvious to say that it’s not like we wouldn’t get to enjoy some wonderful food and drink while doing so…

         Although it has now passed, and last week we gave this section of the column to Valentine’s Day, I still think we should still have some wise words relating to President’s Day for your Quotes of the Week. Here we go… "When one side only of a story is heard and often repeated, the human mind becomes impressed with it insensibly" - George Washington… “To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed” - Theodore Roosevelt… “Always give your best. Never get discouraged. Never be petty. Always remember: Others may hate you. But those who hate you don’t win, unless you hate them. And then, you destroy yourself” - Richard Nixon, (a comment not without a touch of irony as it turned out)… “If we can but prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy” - Thomas Jefferson… “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory” - Franklin D. Roosevelt… “This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it” - Abraham Lincoln… And finally, “Mankind must put an end to war — or war will put an end to mankind” - John F. Kennedy… Some impressive fellows and their thoughts wouldn’t you say?...

       Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #491 - At this time, due to staffing difficulties, the Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital are unable to make any visits to the Valley in February. All they have on their calendar for now is a visit on Thursday, March 26 - yes, March, that is not an error!... #492 - There will be an art opening reception at Scharffenberger Cellars tasting room on Friday, February 20, featuring drawings and paintings by Kyllikki ‘Kay’ Clark. A native of Finland, Kay grew up in World War 2 Finland and this is a ‘must-see’ as she draws her inspiration for these works from her early life, nature, and wildlife. The reception is from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, while the exhibit itself will run from February 20 to May 14. All proceeds go to A.V. Arts Scholarship Fund to further student studies in the visual, performing, and literary arts… #493 - The monthly ‘Open Mic’ night at Lauren’s restaurant in Boonville resumes this Saturday, February 21 at 9pm (sign up at 8.30pm). All are welcome - musicians, singers, poets, writers, impressionists, magicians, comedians, actors, fire-eaters, pole dancers, sword swallowers, ventriloquists, raconteurs, exotic dancers, animal callers, etc. No clowns - apparently they would scare any kids who might be there, and no mimes, please - they scare me!… #494 - The Boonville Winter Market is every Saturday, rain or shine, in front of the Boonville General Store, 10-12:30. Come on down to Boonville and either sell or buy locally grown or made food or crafts. For more info, call Cindy at 895-2949… #495 - The Mendocino Bookmobile returns to the Valley on Tuesday, February 24. They are here on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at each of these places and times: Navarro Store 9am (for 30 minutes); the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Phone 463-4694 for further details… #496 - The 24th Annual Variety Show returns on Friday/Saturday, March 7/8. For further details and/or to audition, call Bill at 895-2318, David at 895-3580, or Corporal Raindrop at 895-3807 for details… #497 - Need a burn permit? You can get one from the Firehouse in Boonville, also home of the oddly named Community Services District (C.S.D.) which, for those of you wondering, performs a great job in dealing with all issues connected with the fire department, our local airport, and the recreation center, along with the maintenance of the street lights in the center of our heaving metropolis - all seven of them! Call 895-2075 for any questions regarding any of these services or stop by - you will be efficiently served with a smile - trust me on this…

      

       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’ Building 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, February 19, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Mac & Cheese with Sausage and Fresh Strawberry Cake for dessert… Then, next Tuesday evening, February 24 at 6pm, the dinner will feature Beef Stroganoff with Kahlua Cake for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. Hopefully you will be able to attend, and 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 guess I’ll put my pants on and continue…

… Following the recent rains and trash-movers, several Three-Dot regulars report that the Lambert Lane bridge is not in good shape and the sooner the County takes care of it the more at ease the folks who live down that way will feel…

… Shortly after the reopening of Libby’s Restaurant in Philo, two more of our local restaurants have now followed suit after their own winter breaks and we are up to ‘full-strength’ on the restaurant front once again as we head into spring… Stone and Embers are doing lunch only for now - Noon to 4 on Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon; while Aquarelle is open on those same days for dinner from 5 to 9 - reservations are often useful for the latter - 895-2767…

… A couple of regulars attended the A.V. Historical Society’s membership meeting last Sunday and heard that the organization is doing quite well despite having to spend more than they took in during 2014 as a result of a number of significant building upgrades that were necessary. Their next event will be on April 12 when their AGM Fundraiser, open to the public of course, will be a Roundtable Discussion about life in the Valley during the 1970s. The panel will feature folks who lived here at that time and who were roughly the same age as those ‘new people’ who arrived here during those years who will provide the other half of the discussion group - mostly the back-to-the-landers and the hippies. Should be a very interesting afternoon…

      

       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; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; 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”… Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always 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… Hi, George – hope you and Sheila are well… Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!

# 445 - 11th February, 2015

 Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… So we are already at Valentine’s Day and yet the year seems as if it began yesterday - in fact some folks are still wishing me a ‘Happy New Year! Valentine’s is of course a day to express love and affection, and we all need some of that, particularly curmudgeonly Turkey Vultures like myself, so I am expecting lots of hugs over the next few days - don’t be bashful, I won’t bite or peck!… Meanwhile, and somewhat inevitably, for your Quotes of the Week we turn to the topic of love…

       First up it’s this thought from author A.A. Milne who remarked “If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you” - sad but true... And perhaps more moving is this from Judy Garland who said, “For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul”… Leave it to Albert Camus to get a little more serious on this topic (and why not?) with his comment, “I know of only one duty, and that is to love”… And here are three of the wisest of them all with their thoughts - "Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies" - Aristotle, and "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind" - Shakespeare, and "Let us always meet each other with a smile, for a smile is the beginning of love” - Mother Theresa… I like this from Cameron Diaz - “I'd kiss a frog even if there was no promise of a Prince Charming popping out of it. I love frogs” - so do Turkey Vultures, Cameron - as appetizers!... And staying on the lighter side, how about this from Zsa Zsa Gabor - "I want a man who's kind and understanding. Is that too much to ask of a millionaire?"… Finally, and perhaps most important of all, we have this from Charles M. Schulz who said, “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt” - precisely, Charlie, I couldn’t have put it better myself... Happy Valentine’s Day to one and all!...

       Onward… The second of the Valley’s annual Crab Feeds took place this past weekend at The Apple Hall in Boonville. This one benefited the Catholic Church but, let’s be honest, perhaps even more importantly to most of us it provided an event for a significant number of local folks to gather and enjoy each other’s company as we sat down and ate together as a community - it doesn’t get much more civilized than that! The two ‘feeds’ are arguably the biggest community-based happenings in our busy local social calendar, with the vast majority of the 350-plus who were in attendance at the sold-out event living here in the Valley and representing all walks of Valley life. For the uninitiated, it was basically all-you-can-eat crab, so if you showed a little ‘Greed at the Feed’ it was totally acceptable. In fact, such behavior along with the sipping of a little wine, beer, and/or Margarita, and of course the stimulating banter, all went towards making this an event not to be missed… ‘Well done and thank you’ to Gloria Ross and her wonderful team for once again presenting such a great Valley ‘happening’…

       Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #491 - At this time, due to staffing difficulties, the Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital are unable to make any visits to the Valley in February. All they have on their calendar for now is a visit on Thursday, March 26!... #492 - Gardeners, farmers, and produce growers of all kinds, are asked to remember Food Bank days as a time to donate your extra produce. This is always the third Tuesday of every month, which on this occasion is next Tuesday, February 17. It will be greatly appreciated if you could please drop off on the Monday the day before, behind the Boonville Methodist Church. If you need someone to glean your produce to take to the Food Bank, contact Valerie Kim at valerie.h.kim@gmail.com or Denisse Mattei, the Food Bank director, at 895-3763… #493 - The Boonville Winter Market is every Saturday, rain or shine, in front of the Boonville General Store, 10-12:30. Come on down to Boonville and either sell or buy locally grown or made food or crafts. For more info, call Cindy at 895-2949… #494 - The General Knowledge and Trivia Quiz held at Lauren’s Restaurant is on its Spring schedule of 2^nd and 4^th Thursdays of the month starting at 7pm each night… #495 - There will be an art opening reception at Scharffenberger Cellars tasting room on Friday, February 20, featuring drawings and paintings by Kyllikki ‘Kay’ Clark. A native of Finland, Kay grew up in World War 2 Finland and some of the work is very haunting but a must see as she draws her inspiration for these works from her early life, nature, and wildlife. This event is from 5.30pm to 7.30pm and the exhibit itself will run from February 20 to May 14. All proceeds go to A.V. Arts Scholarship Fund to further student studies in the visual, performing, and literary arts…

       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 and charges $7 for Non-seniors… Tomorrow, Thursday, February 12, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Beef Stew and Texas Sheet Cake for dessert. Then, next Tuesday, February 17, the lunch will feature Jared’s Clam Chowder, Corn Bread, Bulgur Edamame Salad, and Lemon Cake. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. Hopefully you will be able to attend, and 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 guess I’ll put my pants on and continue…

… The Unity Club’s meeting last week saw presentations about ‘Safety in the Community’ by both high school Principal Michelle Hutchins and Sheriff Deputy Craig Walker. Both did a fine job and we seem to be in good hands as long as the ‘powers-that-be’ above these two don’t mess things up or halt the positive progress each of them seeks - we shall see. By the way, the next School Board elections are in November with three of the five current members up for re-election - if they so wish… Whether they do or not, broad-minded, forward-thinking individuals should apply…

… Why do we have to deal with ‘spell check/guess’ on our cell phones? The other day when trying to write the local restaurant name ‘Coq au Vin’ in a text message I was ‘overruled’ by the ‘brain’ in my phone and given ‘Cow Author Vin’? I guess the inventors fail to realize that many folks over forty were taught to spell at school…

… And more ‘Why’s’…Why do lambs and calves always seem to be born in heavy rainstorms?... Why do more than just one or two new people to the Valley claim they have found their new ‘best friends forever’ after a couple of months of being here and then aren’t talking to those folks six months later? Just wondering... Why is gas more than a dollar cheaper in Ukiah? - I understand there will be a difference, but over a dollar?... Why is there only one bar in town and several churches?... Why are there so few men’s groups in the Valley - if any apart from poker gatherings and a military history book club, while there are several women’s groups, clubs, and organizations?... Why are certain Valley ‘ne’er do wells’ driving around without car insurance or registration and we know that if you or I did the same we’d get a ticket?... And finally a few old favorites - Why can’t we get a bank in the Valley?... Or a pharmacy?... Or a Mayor?!?!?!?!...

       Well now I think it’s time to take my leave, and besides 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; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; 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”… Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture - pleased in the knowledge that the old hare went on the move and 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… Is that ‘lafter’ I hear, Carroll?... Keep up the good work, Round-eyed Robin

# 444 - 4th February, 2015

        Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… It appears that Mitt Romney heeded my advice in last week’s column and backed out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination. I just do what I can (?)… This does however leave Jeb Bush (John Ellis Bush - Jeb - gettit?) as the probable new frontrunner in that race, beating out Chris Christie on the ‘Establishment’ wing, and given both the probable split of votes amongst the many social and religious conservative nominees and also the weak challenges of the less radical but ‘old news’ has-been’s who have little chance of beating him. Remarkably, if Jeb were to win the nomination, and then go on to defeat his Democratic opponent in November 2016, this would continue a sequence that has seen the name ‘Bush’ on every winning Republican ticket since Nixon/Agnew won the election for them in 1972. By 2016 there will have been eleven elections since then - if Jeb is victorious, it will be six Republican wins; each one with a Bush on the ticket!…
       It is odd that a country founded on the principal of hostility to inherited status should be so tolerant of such a dynasty; not to mention of course that the current Democratic frontrunner, a certain Mrs. Clinton, is the wife of a former president. Chelsea for President in 2040 pehaps?… Meanwhile, those who are concerned about the Jebster’s lack of charisma/personality should be assured by his mother Barbara’s recent comment that he is not boring and that folks who think so should ‘try living with him”... Which is also odd…
              
       Onward… Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #344 - I encourage you to attend the Unity Club’s lunchtime meeting tomorrow, Thursday, February 5 at 1pm. This will take place at the Fairgrounds Dining Hall in Boonville and both our high school principal Michelle Hutchins and local deputy sheriff Craig Walker will give talks/presentations. Hopefully they will also be responding to questions from the audience, who will be served coffee and cookies... #345 - The Anderson Valley Grange is having its regular second Sunday Pancake Breakfast on February 8, from 8:30-11am. Prices range from $5-10 - kids through hungry folks, for a delicious, locally-sourced breakfast. Choices include pancakes (gluten free available), eggs, and bacon, with a choice of juice, tea or coffee included… #346 - The Mendocino Bookmobile returns to the Valley on Tuesday, February 10. They are here on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at each of these places and times: Navarro Store 9am (for 30 minutes); the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Phone 463-4694 for further details… #347 - The A.V. Alsace Varietals Festival, featuring Riesling, Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc, takes place at The Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, February 8/9, with open houses and seminars, winemaker dinners, and local foods. Call 895-9463 for further details… #348 - An early ‘heads-up’ - The 24th Annual Variety Show returns on Friday/Saturday, March 7/8. For further details and/or to audition, call Bill at 895-2318, David at 895-3580, or Corporal Raindrop at 895-3807 for details… #349 - Need a burn permit? You can get one from the Firehouse in Boonville, also home of the oddly named Community Services District (C.S.D.) which, for those of you wondering, performs a great job in dealing with all issues connected with the fire department, our local airport, and the recreation center, along with the maintenance of the street lights in the center of our heaving metropolis - all seven of them! Call 895-2075 for any questions regarding any of these services or stop by - you will be efficiently served with a smile - trust me on this…
            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’ Building 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, February 5, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Chicken Stir-fry, Asian Slaw, Quinoa salad, and Cherry Dump Cake for dessert

… Then, next Tuesday evening, January 10 at 6pm, the dinner will feature Lasagna with Garlic Bread, and Tiramisu for dessert. As this is the 2nd Tuesday of the month, the dinner will be followed by Bingo at 7pm. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. Hopefully you will be able to attend, and 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 guess I’ll put my pants on and continue…
… On their return from a well-earned winter break, Jose and Libby of Libby’s Restaurant have announced that they will be cutting back on their workload for health reasons and therefore lunches will no longer be served. Those familiar with the restaurant-owning business will know what that can be like in a busy establishment where the owners also work the shifts during both the prep time and business hours. They have been serving wonderful food to the community for many years and so it is with some relief that, while the delicious lunches will be missed by many, the dinner hours are to remain the same - Tuesday to Saturday from 5 to 8.30pm… Phew!...
… Aquarelle, so I am informed, will re-open after their holiday break on Friday, February 13; but as for the re-opening of Stone and Embers in The Madrones complex, I have no news…
… High school kids on community oversight boards?… The regulars were unanimous in their agreement with the Powers-that-Be at the A.V.A. who criticized such moves in the ‘Valley People’ section of this esteemed organ last week. The folks who approve of such token appointments to local boards, simply because it ticks a few politically correct boxes, show a false/misguided consciousness when they do so. Diversity on our boards is important but, having spent much time around high school students in recent years, many of whom are certainly bright but are still kids in the end (fortunately), I cannot imagine what significant contributions in decision-making capacity they bring to boards such as the one that is ‘running’ the Health Center at this time. I suggest that folks would better serve our next generation by sharing advice on the life skills that many lack when they enter the ‘real world’ beyond the Valley - everything from handling basic social interactions to attitudes towards sexism, racism, homophobia, etc. Not only is having them on boards somewhat patronizing, in our humble opinion, it is without any practical benefit…
… From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “Hopefully Yelp.com, the ‘online urban guide and business review site’ is not that influential on people’s decision-making when it comes to dining around the Valley. Throughout much of its history there have been allegations that Yelp Inc. has manipulated their website's user reviews based on participation in its advertising programs and, based on some reviews of local establishments (those who do not advertise), one can see why such allegations exist. As every successful restaurateur knows, for every poor review tendered, there are many more unwritten positive reviews. Furthermore, to post a complaint, shouldn’t one have visited the establishment more than once? Unfortunately, it is the nature of certain folks to complain about restaurants and I suspect that ironically many of these ‘reviewers’ would fail to know the difference between crawdads, crawfish, crayfish, and mudbugs… However, these people now have the ‘pulpit’ they would never have been given in a previous, and perhaps more discerning, time and are going to spout their often debatable remarks with little regard to the effects it may have. The only way to stop this development is to check out restaurants in person and not pay heed to such websites, whose popularity is surely another sign that the Apocalypse is getting closer with each day…

       I’m outta here - 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; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; 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”… Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture - and thinking you should now that we Turkey Vultures are monogamous and mate for life and sometimes, to prove our loyalty, we like to indulge in an ‘erotic’ 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
p.p.s. On the sheep, Grace… Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!... Good day, Bobwhite Quail - keep up the knitting!