# 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