# 517 - 29th June, 2016

    Greetings one and all. Are you are sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
    My good friend, Englishman Steve Sparks, is in the UK at this time and has filed this report on last week’s hugely impactful referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. I just thought you should know…
    “So, with a victory for the ‘Leave’ campaign by 52% to 48% over the ‘Remain,’ the UK has voted to take itself out of the European Union, a deeply entwined political/economic group of 28 countries, now 27… The UK, that little archipelago of isles on the outer edges of a huge land mass, has often thought of itself as rather special, and that was even before it was the centre of an empire that changed the world. As so often, Shakespeare put it best in ‘Richard II’ with John of Gaunt’s speech that included : ‘This precious stone set in the silver sea/ Which serves it in the office of a wall/ Or as a moat defensive to a house,/ Against the envy of less happier lands,/ This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.’
    “It is that silver sea that has long defined the Britain’s relationship with the rest of Europe. These isles have very rarely been in isolation from it and have always kept a beady eye on other powers across that small yet vital strip of water. The UK has been often concerned with stopping other European powers dominating the continent, playing one off against another. However, from that physical separation flows a psychological distance too, one that affects every aspect of society. When referring to the area across ‘the pond’ I rarely fail to say ‘the UK and Europe’ - making a subconscious statement, I suppose, that there is a significant difference between the two. Nevertheless, I do not think leaving the Union is the way forward…   
    “Now, in the days following the vote, the UK is a country deeply, bitterly divided, and it is hard, so soon after this seismic result, to see how it can easily be unified. The two main political parties are in disarray. Prime Minister David Cameron, just a year after a decisive General Election victory, has resigned and there will now be a fractious leadership campaign for his Conservative Party to endure. The opposition Labor party leader Jeremy Corbyn is dealing with the resignations of a dozen members of his shadow cabinet, all of them questioning his ability to lead the party…
    “Half the population is giddy, half despairing. And, in their post-referendum gloom, the ‘Remain-voting’ Londoners are suggesting they do ‘remain’ while the rest of the country can ‘leave.’ This is not just a divorce between Britain and the EU, it feels just as much like a divorce between one Britain and another. The mood - on both sides - is angrier, more divided, and positions are more entrenched. Did the referendum campaign create this, or just enable it? I would say the latter - the antipathy towards Europe has long had an undercurrent of support in the UK.
    “As BBC corespondent Katy Kay writes, ‘For nearly all the other countries, the Union was a refuge. It was a home they were constructing as a bulwark against history, against horror. Germany was fleeing its role in spreading death and destruction to every corner of the continents, fleeing its own political ambitions. France was running away from defeat and occupation, from humiliation and powerlessness. So were many other countries. Greece, Portugal and Spain found refuge - in an imagined future - from the real past of right-wing dictatorships. The countries of the East were replacing communist tyranny with a new attempt to create peace and democracy. The thought that war could once again ravage a continent is not that far fetched to the Europeans on the other side of the English Channel… For many Britons, World War Two was their finest hour, standing alone, and putting those Europeans to shame, withstanding Hitler and beating him. Some realized the Russians and the Americans helped a little bit too. Now we want to be outside the whole shebang. Don't be surprised if the instinct of those 27 countries who remain is to make sure that we feel some discomfort on our way out’… Ms Kay will probably be proven correct in her prediction and the already discombobulated country will be thrown into further disarray.
    “From my perch in the heart of England, just a few days after the vote, I can observe a country that is somewhat reeling, basically leaderless, and brimming with angst and not a small amount of anger. There is only one topic of conversation. All of my friends, and my 86-year old Mum, voted to Remain. This was primarily due to the anti-immigration rhetoric that the ‘Leave’ campaign consistently used as a less than subtle part of their overall message. Here in England’s second largest city, Birmingham, as in all of the big cities except London (where ‘Remain’ was always going to win), the vote was very close. ‘Leave’ ultimately won here by just 4,000 out a total of half-a-million who voted. This very narrow margin is inevitably causing that undercurrent of anger…
    “There were elements of a Trump-like campaign that were adopted by the ‘Leave’ leaders. Yet they actually ran a very smart race with a three pronged attack featuring a Trump-like character (albeit it a far less abrasive and obnoxious one); the intelligent, informed, dignified politician; and the ‘workhorse’ who drummed up support across the country, and who is now the early favorite to be the next Prime Minister (Boris Johnson, former mayor of London). Having said that, their victory, while not a shock, was still something of a surprise, certainly after the polls and oddsmakers suggested a late surge for ‘Remain’ in the days immediately before the vote was taken. This did not happen.
    “The continuing and inflammatory immigration issue arguably carried the day. During the Depression, as recorded by John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath, many people living in California resented the poor from Oklahoma moving here to work - even though they were all Americans. Over its storied history, Anderson Valley itself has been less than welcoming to ‘outsiders’ such as the Okies/Arkies in the post-war years, the back-to-the landers’ and hippies in the ‘60s and ‘70s, the Hispanic community in the ‘80s, and then the Brightlighters in later years (although that is more understandable of course)…
    “In Europe today, the majority of UK voters have adopted a similar stance to the Californians and Valley-dwellers of those times. The UK’s immigration debate is so heated because this is a very broad-minded, multi-cultural, and forward-thinking society, and yet many people don't feel the same connection to other EU citizens as those in the rest of Europe do; a majority of Brits do not have that same (often limited) desire to help people from other European nations. Many ‘Little Englanders’ see themselves as separate, for good or ill; they do not see themselves as Europeans in any social and cultural way. Those sentiments have carried the day in this referendum, even though, as shown by the closeness of the decision, many Brits, including myself, do not think that way, Certainly nowhere near enough to vote to bring about such a momentous decision as to actually leave the EU. Nevertheless, they/we have been shown to be in the minority, albeit a significant (48%) and now very despondent one.
    “This British referendum on the EU was, if you like, the test case for this new era of populist protest that can be witnessed in many countries. As this trend continues to rise up, the Remain/Leave referendum has been the first big national vote we've had anywhere in the western world. The next will be here in the U.S. in November… Writing of which, last Friday, Donald Trump, in Scotland to open his new golf course (and event inevitably shrouded in controversy), congratulated the Brits on taking back their country. “That’s a great thing,” he said in his usual smug and self-satisfied manner. He drew the parallels with his own campaign and made the point that people are angry, in a lot of places… How angry are you? Enough to irretrievably change the face of this country, as the majority of British voters have decided to do to theirs?… Perhaps we should all be careful of what we wish for…”

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #544 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have no more visits this month but they will be at the Anderson Valley Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo, on the first and third Thursdays of next month - that’s July 7 and 21…     #545 - The Boonville Farmers’ Market continues every Saturday in the parking lot of the Boonville Hotel, 9.30am-Noon. For more information, call Cindy at 895-2949… #546 - The A.V. Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays at The Fairgrounds - Tuesday 1.30pm-4.30pm and Saturday 2pm-4pm… #547 - The County Dump is open from 9am-4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Remember, no dead animals!…
    As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches over the next week in 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, June 30, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Italian Chicken with Coconut Cream Dessert  … Then, next Tuesday, July 5, lunch will feature Meat Loaf and Mashed potatoes, with Birthday Cupcakes for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal - it maybe the best value for money you’ll get all week! Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays at 11am it is Easy-stretch Yoga, as part of the Active Life Club that runs from 10am to 2pm and which also features games, crafts, and music… Hopefully you will be able to attend some of these events and certainly the lunches and dinners, and remember – ALL ages are welcome! Hope to see you there…

    In my absence, The Three-Dot Lounge will be closed so until my return there will be no “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley…
    I’m outta here - I’ve got help get this country back on its feet and then go and see a man about a sheep… Besides, that’s enough for now, so “please take me drunk, I’m home,” and until we talk again – Be careful out there; if you break a leg don’t come running to me; stay out of the ditches; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; show love to your pets, they will be faithful and true to you to the last beat of their hearts, and please remember to keep your windows cracked if you leave them in your vehicle for any amount of time; think good thoughts; ‘Keep the Faith’; 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 - saddened but ultimately comforted in the knowledge that the old hare has safely moved to his new burrow in the sky…
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. Hi, George – hope you and Sheila are well… Is that ‘lafter’ I hear, Carroll?… Bobwhite Quail - keep up the knitting!   

# 516 - 22nd June, 2016

    Greetings one and all. Are you are sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
    I continue to enjoy the Annual Birds of Prey Convention over here in the United Kingdom of Turkey Vultures, Buzzards, and Lesser Birds of Prey. The country is engulfed with three huge topics of conversation at this time - firstly, the national soccer team’s involvement in the European Championships in which they are regarded as viable challengers to the favorites France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, particularly after beating the  annoying Welsh 2-1 at the weekend… Secondly, rarely does a few hours pass without somebody mentioning the extremely important issue on whether Britain should remain in the European Union or not - a decision that is perhaps one of the most important that voters will make in their lifetimes, given it is not something that, unlike national elections, will be revisited again any time soon. The vote is tomorrow, Thursday June 23 and according to the polls it promises to be very close… And finally, the tragic shooting of British Member of Parliament, Jo Cox, a highly regarded 41-year old woman from Yorkshire who was gunned down and stabbed by a right-wing middle-aged white man, who based on first impressions appears to be basically insane. However, for now it is being treated as an act of political terrorism, with Cox being the first politician murdered in this country since 1984 when the IRA was still committing such heinous acts. The event has deeply shocked this nation where such acts are extremely rare… Of course,  each of these issues understandably mean very little to most of the readers of this column, so I shall now move on, but I just thought you should know…
    However, something that may be of interest to local readers, and in particular those enjoy a round of frisbee golf at the A.V. Brewery, is the upcoming World Ultimate and Guts Championships (WUGC), apparently the most prestigious event in the global flying-disc calendar. For most people, throwing a frisbee might serve as an interlude during a picnic or to exercise ones dog, or, as I believe, so that men in particular, who are not as talented in baseball, football, or basketball, can partake in a sport, with the main goal being not necessarily to play a game but more to meet members of the opposite sex. Anyway, the tournament begins in London this weekend, and includes two disciplines. “Ultimate” is a cross between netball and American football: players cannot run with the disc, instead passing it to the end-zone. “Guts” is not unlike dodgeball with a frisbee. Novices might scoff at such games. But they were recognized as sports by the International Olympic Committee in 2013 and are played by more than five million people in America, which has two professional leagues. I just hope the competitors get to meet their ‘perfect’ matches - it’s got to be better than EHarmony or FarmersOnly.com…
   
    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #544 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have no more visits this month but they will be at the Anderson Valley Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo, on the first and third Thursdays of next month - that’s July 7 and 21… #545 - The Mendocino Bookmobile returns to the Valley next Tuesday, June 28. They are here on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at each of these places and times: Navarro Store 9am (for just 30 minutes before heading out to Comptche); the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Phone 463-4694 for further details… #546 - The A.V Museum is open every Saturday and Sunday, from 1pm-4pm. Situated in The Little Red Schoolhouse next to the Elementary School on A.V. Way, this is a perfect thing to do in the Valley when you have a couple of hours spare on a weekend afternoon. It is not without reason that it is generally regarded as ‘The Best Little Museum in the West’…
        As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches and dinners over the next week in 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, June 23, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Pizza: Cheese, Pepperoni, or Veggie, with Root beer floats for dessert… Then, next Tuesday evening, June 28, as always on the final Tuesday of the month, it’s Bunco Night. The dinner, served at 6pm, will feature Chicken Enchiladas with Chocolate Flan Cake for dessert, and will be followed by Bunco at 7pm. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal - it maybe the best value for money you’ll get all week!… Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays it is Easy-stretch Yoga, also at 11am, as part of the Active Life Club that runs from 10am to 2pm and which also features games, crafts, and music… Hopefully you will be able to attend some of these events and certainly the lunches and dinners, and remember – ALL ages are welcome! Hope to see you there…

    In my absence, The Three-Dot Lounge will be closed so until my return there will be no “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley… However, from our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, who is also obviously over here for the Birds of Prey Convention, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “Another subject under discussion in the UK has been the continuing mass killings in the U.S. and the gun control laws, or lack thereof. After the massacre of 49 people at a nightclub in Orlando, politicians and pundits soon moved past grief and asked: who benefits? This happened with breathtaking speed. Within a day Donald Trump had thanked people for (purportedly) congratulating him on his prescience; implied the president might be in league with Islamic State; and suggested that fewer people would have been killed had the dead exercised their constitutional right to bear arms. Barack Obama made yet another post-shooting speech, his 14th as president, in which he said (again) that the country’s gun laws made it to easy for would-be killers. Certain narrow-minded, illogical, and ultimately incorrect critics (again) said he was exploiting the tragedy to advance a plot to disarm the country.”
    “Unfortunately, little suggests that anyone will change their minds on guns, hate crimes, how to deal with Islamist terrorism—or anything else… Such a lack of decisive action is seen by many in the States as an unacceptable state of affairs, while when this situation is viewed by folks here in the UK it is thought of as utterly shocking and inexplicable. Many Americans don’t give a damn what anyone else thinks. That is too bad… However, like many Americans, those around the western world cannot understand that anyone could interpret the 2nd Amendment as intending to include such a gun as the AR-15 assault rifle and other similar weapons for civilian use. These have been used in the majority of the mass killings in recent times - last week in Orlando; six months ago, in San Bernardino, when a man and woman armed with assault-style rifles killed 14 people and wounded 20 others at a holiday party; back in 2012, in Aurora, Colorado, a man armed with an assault-style rifle killed 12 people and wounded 58 others in a crowded movie theater; and perhaps most horrific of all, also in 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, a man armed with an assault-style rifle killed 28 people, including over 20 children aged six and seven, at Sandy Hook elementary school… Do we have to wait until the final Apocalypse for this madness to end?…”

        Thanks for your input, Buzzard… Now I’m outta here - I’ve got see a man about a sheep… Be careful out there; if you break a leg don’t come running to me; stay out of the ditches; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; show love to your pets, they will be faithful and true to you to the last beat of their hearts, and please remember to keep your windows cracked if you leave them in your vehicle for any amount of time; think good thoughts; ‘Keep the Faith’; 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 - saddened but ultimately comforted in the knowledge that the old hare has safely moved to his new burrow in the sky…
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. Skylark – read any good books lately?… Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!… Everything cool with you, O.J.? Of course it is…

# 515 - 15th June, 2016

    Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… So, while I continue to enjoy the Annual Birds of Prey Convention over here in the United Kingdom of Turkey Vultures, Buzzards, and Lesser Birds of Prey, what better place to file this report than from a pub?… But before I get going, I would like to express Her Majesty’s gratitude for all the well wishes she received from readers of the Turkey Vulture column for her 90th Birthday that occurred over the weekend… “Thank you sew mach”…
     Onward… I am in the ‘Big Heart of England’ - Birmingham, the second largest city in Britain after London, and enjoying a pint and a steak and kidney pie and chips at The New Inns, a classic old pub built in the early 1900s. As has been the case for centuries, the pubs are mostly very welcoming, particularly those outside the trendy city center areas, and intentionally provide a warm and cozy atmosphere somewhat representative of people’s living rooms. With quality beers and ales from every tap (none with fruity flavors or overly hoppy, you know what I am talking about - ‘proper’ beers), and simple late night pub faire such as cheese and onion cobs (rolls) or scratchings (fried pork skins), it’s like sitting in your own home with a bunch of friends and being served a perfect combination of food and drink. Why would you leave? Well, you don’t have to. With ‘after-hours’ available to those ‘locked in’ after the official 11pm closing time, when the curtains are closed, the ash trays come out, and the doors literally locked, those remaining inside can continue with their fascinating conversations about ‘What makes a real English breakfast?’ (answer at the end of the paragraph); ‘Which way will the vote go next week for Britain to leave or stay in the European Union?’ - it’s going to be close; ‘Why do Americans, a generally civilized breed otherwise, have such an obsession with owning guns?’ - the Orlando night club shootings led the headlines on Monday morning; ‘Is the friendly and obviously buxom barmaid in the low cut blouse staring at me, or is it wishful thinking?’ etc, etc… By 2am these questions have all been thoroughly debated and it’s time to get a taxi home - one that can carry six inebriated friends to their abodes not more than a couple of miles away. It’s a civilized way to live, I must say… Oh, and of course, as promised, a real English Breakfast, known as ‘The Full English,’ consists of back bacon, pork sausages, fried eggs (always over medium, no choice), baked beans (Heinz - available at Lemons’ Market in Philo), fried tomatoes, fried mushrooms, black pudding (dried pig’s blood), and one, some, or all of toast/bread and butter/fried bread, plus the inevitable cup, or preferably a mug, of tea. I look forward to mine in the morning… More from my travels next week…

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #544 – If any Valley dwellers haven’t heard already, their cave being particularly high up in the hills, the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (SNWMF) returns to the Valley for the its 11th successive year this coming weekend - June 17-19. Yes, it has been coming here since 2006! Thousands of reggae-loving visitors will be here and many locals will no doubt join them too. Most of this particular crowd will be very respectful and polite to the Valley and our residents, and the ‘female of the species’ is often very pleasant on the eye, so let’s give them a big Valley ‘Welcome’, hope they support our locally-owned small businesses, and then wish them merrily on their way come Sunday night. For details go to www.snwmf.com. …#545 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have one more visit this month to the Anderson Valley Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo. That will be tomorrow, Thursday, June 16 from 2-3.30pm. They are trying to keep to a first and third Thursday schedule and therefore plan to be back in A.V. on July 7 and 21… #546 - The only Barn Sale this month will take place this coming weekend, Saturday/Sunday, June 18/19, from 9am-3pm at The Big Barn next to the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way just north of Boonville. The Barn Sale hopes to be open on the first and third weekend of each month but I will try to confirm this as we go…  #547 - The Food Bank is open from 8-10am on the 3rd Tuesday of each month - which is next Tuesday, June 21. They will also be open the Monday evening before (June 20) from 4-6pm. Gardeners, farmers and produce growers of all kinds, remember to donate your extra produce and drop it off on the Monday 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. Denisse Mattei is the Food Bank director. You can reach her at 895-3763… #548 - The Boonville Farmers’ Market continues every Saturday in the parking lot of the Boonville Hotel, 9.30am-Noon. For more information, call Cindy at 895-2949… #549 - If you need a Burn Permit, the A.V. Fire Department is no longer offering them but you can still enquire about one from Cal Fire, situated on the southern outskirts of Boonville - at the prison-like complex past the gravel pits. Hopefully you will be pleasantly received there, but it will not be nearly as pleasant as your previous visits to the A.V. Fire Department… #550 - The A.V. Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays at The Fairgrounds - Tuesday 1.30pm-4.30pm and Saturday 2pm-4pm… #551 - The County Dump is open from 9am-4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Remember, no dead animals!…
    As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches over the next week in 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, June 16, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Stuffed Shells with Tiramisu for dessert… Then, next Tuesday, June 21, lunch will feature Chicken with Kale and then Cherry-Pineapple Cake for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal - it may be the best value for your money all week! Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays it is Easy-stretch Yoga, also at 11am, as part of the Active Life Club that runs from 10am to 2pm and which in addition features games, crafts, and music… Hopefully you will be able to attend some of these events and certainly the lunches and dinners, and remember – ALL ages are welcome! Hope to see you there…

    In my absence, The Three-Dot Lounge will be closed so until my return there will be no “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley…
    I’m outta here - I’ve got to see a man about a sheep - not easy to do in the middle of a large city so it could take some time… Meanwhile, be careful out there; if you break a leg don’t come running to me; stay out of the ditches; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; show love to your pets, they will be faithful and true to you to the last beat of their hearts, and please remember to keep your windows cracked if you leave them in your vehicle for any amount of time; think good thoughts; ‘Keep the Faith’; 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 - saddened but ultimately comforted in the knowledge that the old hare has safely moved to his new burrow in the sky…
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. Skylark – read any good books lately?… Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!… Everything cool with you, O.J.? Of course it is…   

   

# 514 - 8th June, 2016

    Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Well, it’s that time of year again - when I leave these parts for the Annual Turkey Vultures and Lesser Birds of Prey Convention at a secret location many miles from here. You will no doubt be pleased to hear that I shall be once again receiving a Special Vulturanitarian Award for my continuing services to the Birds of Prey Community of Northern California, to go along with yet another (my fifth) Carrion-Eater of the Year Title (Anderson Valley Region). Thanks to everyone who has made these awards possible, particularly of course Hummingbird, my fellow Vultures, and the noble carcass-providers... During my absence, it remains to be seen if I shall be able to write this column each week, although I shall certainly try to… Please prey for me…

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #544 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have one more visit this month to the Anderson Valley Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo. That will be on Thursday, June 16 from 2-3.30pm. They are trying to keep to a first and third Thursday schedule and therefore plan to be back in A.V. on July 7 and 21… #545 - As  mentioned last week, the ‘Second Wednesday Drumming Circle’ will be taking place at The Grange tonight, Wednesday, June 8 from 7-9pm. To confirm, perhaps call Andy at 895-3020… #546 - The Mendocino Bookmobile returns to the Valley next Tuesday, June 14. They are here on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at each of these places and times: Navarro Store 9am (for just 30 minutes before heading out to Comptche); the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Phone 463-4694 for further details… #547 - The A.V Museum is open every Saturday and Sunday, from 1pm-4pm. Situated in The Little Red Schoolhouse next to the Elementary School on A.V. Way, this is a perfect thing to do in the Valley when you have a couple of hours spare on a weekend afternoon. It is not without reason that it is generally regarded as ‘The Best Little Museum in the West’… #548 - The Anderson Valley Grange is having its regular ‘Second Sunday Pancake Breakfast’ on June 12 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 although gluten extra is not served), eggs, and bacon, with a choice of juice, tea or coffee included…
    As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches and dinners over the next week in 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, June 9, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Citrus Cod with Triple Lemon Dessert… Then, next Tuesday, June 14, the evening meal served at 6pm, will feature BBQ ribs, and Cherry Crisp for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal - it maybe the best value for money you’ll spend all week! Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays it is Easy-stretch Yoga, also at 11am, as part of the Active Life Club that runs from 10am to 2pm and which also features games, crafts, and music… Hopefully you will be able to attend some of these events and certainly the lunches and dinners, 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 (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley, a somewhat secret location that sees people get together and share their thoughts about life in Anderson Valley and often far beyond, 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, with that in mind, I shall quickly put my pants on and continue…
… Following last week’s ‘Most often heard in the Valley’ discussion about commonly repeated phrases heard in A.V., the 3-Dot regulars decided to discuss what sights could be deemed ‘Most often spotted in the Valley’… These made the final selections - A dog running along the road, clearly lost and without a collar… Many different local people gathered in groups of two or three having conversations outside local stores and post offices - a very nice thing to do… Silver-haired men driving sports cars with a much younger blonde woman in the passenger seat pretending to listen to what the old guy is saying… Motorcycle ‘gangs’ of lawyers and accountants dressed in hardly-worn leather biker gear, trying to look menacing, but failing miserably… Very slow-driving tourists refusing to use the many turnouts despite a long gaggle of cars behind them… Schoolkids walking in small groups through downtown Boonville, each staring at an iPhone and ignoring their companions (this can be almost as common as adults doing the same while sitting in restaurants and is not a sight unique to just A.V. of course)… Wine-tasting visitors becoming visibly more inebriated and hence more glib and ‘silly’ as the afternoon progresses… Tourists along the side of Hwy 128 picking raspberries, often completely unaware that they are also standing among vibrant bushes of poison oak…
… New science rooms at the high school? A swimming pool? Are these really among the best ways to spend money at the school? Some would say ‘Yes’. Anyway, that may be the result if the new bond issue passes… How about a chalkboard, some stimulating two-way conversation between teachers and students, a little extra sprinkling of discipline and a modicum of student accountability, and homework assignments and tests completed with passing grades?… Most seniors at the high school have managed this and will receive deserved congratulations at their graduation ceremony this week. They have partaken in video games, boy/girl friends, texting and social media, playing sports, goofing off - all of which are part of the school experience in these times of course, but the graduates have partaken in such activities without excess and have shown that there is still plenty of time for academics… This is a school after all…
… Here’s an old chestnut worth repeating before I head to places where this will not be an irritant - the overuse of the word ‘awesome’… In my humble opinion, the word is expressed far more often than it is warranted, and one cannot help but question whether everything referred to these days as ‘awesome’ is really as awe-inspiring as the way the word is defined? Much of what is so described is, if the truth were to be spoken, ‘especially good’, ‘very tasty’, ‘quite pleasant’, ‘particularly interesting’, ‘very well done’, ‘most impressive’, etc. Things that are actually awe-inspiring and earn the description ‘awesome’ could also equally be referred to as being breathtaking, magnificent, overwhelming, stunning, sublime, and wondrous. So come on, was that burger actually ‘magnificent,’ or was it ‘very tasty’?... Just wondering, and trying to keep it real…

    I’m outta here - I’ve got see a man about a sheep… So, until we talk again – be careful out there; if you break a leg don’t come running to me; stay out of the ditches; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; show love to your pets, they will be faithful and true to you to the last beat of their hearts, and please remember to keep your windows cracked if you plan to leave them in your vehicle even for just a few minutes; think good thoughts; ‘Keep the Faith’; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Sometimes poking, often stroking, yet almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture - saddened but ultimately comforted in the knowledge that the old hare has safely moved to his new burrow in the sky…
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. Keep on wagging that tail, Fred… Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!… Keep up the good work, Round-eyed Robin…

# 513 - 1st June, 2016

    Greetings one and all. Are you are sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
    President Obama recently became the first sitting president to visit Hiroshima since America dropped an atom bomb on the city in August 1945. Mr Obama did not apologize for it, nor for the bombing of Nagasaki three days later. Nor should he. The decisions to drop the bombs were arguably among the most difficult ever made in warfare. There are very persuasive arguments on both sides but ultimately, by doing so, the losses were in tens of thousands rather than hundred’s of thousands had the war continued… In Japan, Obama struck a careful balance in his remarks: between empathy for the victims, his own aspirations for a nuke-free world, and a tacit acknowledgement that the bombings helped curtail the war’s mass slaughter in Asia and the Pacific. Next up: will Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, visit Pearl Harbor?! I just cannot imagine Donald Trump coping in any dignified way with all of this… Speaking of whom, with the Republican nomination for president wrapped up, Trump was considering a debate with Bernie Sanders until it was decided by his advisors to be the wrong thing to do. Unlike many of Trumps appearances in the last several months, I would have tuned in for that…

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #557 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will make two visits this month to the Anderson Valley Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo. The first of these is tomorrow, Thursday, June 2 from 2-3.30pm. To avoid a line perhaps turn up at around 3pm - you will definitely be seen. New customers and their pets are always welcome and previous visitors should be aware that they can call 462-8833 and the vets will bring your pet’s charts with them - making this an even better service than it already is! The only other visit this month is on Thursday, June 16… #558 - Due to illness this weekend’s Barn Sale has been cancelled. There will be one such event this month - Saturday/Sunday, June 18/19, from 9am-3pm at The Big Barn next to the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way just north of Boonville. Moving forward, the Barn Sale is hopefully going to take place on the first and third weekend of each month through the summer… #559 - The Boonville Farmers’ Market continues every Saturday in the parking lot of the Boonville Hotel, 9.30am-Noon. For more information, call Cindy at 895-2949… #560 - If you need a Burn Permit, the A.V. Fire Department is no longer offering them but you can still obtain one from Cal Fire situated on the southern outskirts of Boonville - at the prison-like complex past the gravel pits. Hopefully you will be pleasantly received there, but it will not be nearly as pleasant as your previous visits to the A.V. Fire Department… #561 - The A.V. Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays at The Fairgrounds - Tuesday 1.30pm-4.30pm and Saturday 2pm-4pm… #562 - The County Dump is open from 9am-4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Remember, no dead animals!… #563 - I am led to believe that the ‘Second Wednesday Drumming Circle’ will be taking place at The Grange on Wednesday, May 11, from 7-9pm. To confirm, perhaps call Andy at 895-3020…
    As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches over the next week in 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, June 2, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Meat Loaf, Mashed potatoes & gravy, with Birthday Cupcakes… Then, next Tuesday, June 7, lunch will feature BBQ Hamburgers, and Banana Split Cake for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal - it maybe the best $7 you’ll spend all week! Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays it is Easy-stretch Yoga, also at 11am, as part of the Active Life Club that runs from 10am to 2pm and which also features games, crafts, and music… Hopefully you will be able to attend some of these events and certainly the lunches and dinners, 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 (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley, a somewhat secret location that sees people get together and share their thoughts about life in Anderson Valley and often far beyond, 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, with that in mind, I shall quickly put my pants on and continue…
… Winery Tasting Room Update… There are 26 winery tasting rooms currently open to the public in the Anderson Valley appellation, plus three more in the Yorkville Highlands… Seven more wineries can be visited by appointment only… Zina-Hyde Cunningham, Londer, Breggo, Jim Ball, Standish, Claudia Springs, Rayes Hill, and Esterlina? All eight of these have closed in the last few years…
… And talking of wineries, the annual A.V. Pinot Festival was a day for the wineries to ‘give back’ to their admirers in the form of the open houses that took place on the Sunday afternoon of the festival… The events on Friday and Saturday, too expensive for many folks at prices ranging from $100 to $140, had all sold out so that left the rest of us with a chance to ‘seize the day’ and have a hedonistic, even decadent, Sunday afternoon of fine wine and delicious food offerings… I visited several wineries and this year’s award for best pairing has resulted in a tie… The previous year’s winner, grilled lamb chops with rosemary cooked by Kurt Morse, and served delightfully and generously by Marcia M, was excellent once again and when paired with Balo’s 2012 Estate Pinot it was hard to beat. However, on this occasion it was certainly equaled by the pulled pork sliders paired with the 2012 Classic Pinot at Brutocao… Honorable Mention goes to the Tacos Al Pastor at Toulouse paired with their 2013 Pinot Noir and the wood-fired oven-baked pizza by Corey Morse and Diana Charles, paired with the 2013 Pinot Gris, also at Balo… One thing that stood out was the small percentage of attendees that were locals - perhaps 20%. Obviously many wine-loving locals in the Valley were working the Festival, but I was still surprised at the lack of Valley folks who did not come out to enjoy the hospitality of our wineries. As a result I had more than my fair share - I felt it would have been rude not to…
… Inquiring Minds like to Know… Is there a Winery in the Valley without an ‘Award-winning Pinot Noir’ presented from somewhere or another?… Why do the Lions Club Fundraisers held in the Redwood Grove at The Fairgrounds for various well-deserving local organizations start at 4.30pm on a Sunday afternoon?… Why are there so many women-only groups in the Valley compared with the number that are enjoyed exclusively by men?…
… Meanwhile, 3-Dot regulars recently discussed what phrases could be deemed ‘Most often heard in the Valley’… These made the final selections - “We’ve always done it that way”… “Yes, I know that, but he is very nice”… “She’s going out with who!?”… “Sorry I’m late, but I was — — ” (fill in blanks with an excuse that is difficult to disprove)… “Isn’t it time for a ‘safety meeting’?”… “I think you should —— ” (fill in blank with something you have already decided not to do)… “Tri-tip? Again?”… “I don’t watch television”… “I’m a musician”… “I’ve been here for sixty years and I’m still not a local”…
… From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “It was unanimously agreed among 3-Dot regulars that the recent auction of the gun that was used to shoot unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin was another example of the shameless and sickening way that some people in this country think and act… As a result of the auction, the owner of the gun, George Zimmerman, who fired the shot but was acquitted of Martin’s murder, received $250,000. The pistol sells new for about $350… Apart from those in the 3-Dot, the sale of the gun drew criticism from many, many others, all decrying Zimmerman for seeking to profit from the killing. Gun rights advocates say he was exercising his legal rights under US law - true, but it’s a particularly shameful act… If this whole episode is not one of the more obvious signs that the Apocalypse is approaching I don’t know what is…”

        Couldn’t agree more, Buzzard… Now I’m outta here - I’ve got see a man about a sheep… Besides, that’s enough for now, so “please take me drunk, I’m home,” and until we talk again – Be careful out there; if you break a leg don’t come running to me; stay out of the ditches; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; show love to your pets, they will be faithful and true to you to the last beat of their hearts, and please remember to keep your windows cracked if you leave them in your vehicle for any amount of time; think good thoughts; ‘Keep the Faith’; 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
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. Missing the Venerable Pheasant everyday… On the sheep, Grace… Keep on humming, Hummingbird…