# 533 - 19th October, 2016

    Greetings one and all. Are you are sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
    Before I get to the this week’s P.S.A.’s, I should inform you that for last week’s column I invited my close personal friend, Steve Sparks, to once again provide us with an update on the ever-changing Valley restaurant scene that many readers are clearly very interested in. He politely declined as he had received a better offer from the AVA’s Powers-that Be to produce his own separate articles that have been running for a few weeks now. However, his week, with developments in the restaurant scene taking a somewhat brief respite, he has rejoined us…
    Steve reports, “Whatever next?… I will surely be one of the many followers of the Valley’s restaurant scene who undergoes a ‘you’re kidding me’ moment upon hearing this week’s latest development. Yes folks, Matt Barnes and his partner, chef Patrick Meany, of Stone and Embers ‘fame’ have decided to reopen their fine restaurant once again, perhaps as early as next week. Having closed twice in the last few weeks, and reopened once two weeks ago, you may be forgiven for thinking these two gentlemen are somewhat dazed, confused, or just nuts. That would be unfair. No, dear readers, I can assure you that they are passionate about food and doing it right, both have spent a huge amount of time in restaurants over the years, but they are simply finding out that running a successful restaurant here in the Valley is far more than that. Anyway, they plan to re-open in the next week or so, serving their delicious wood-fired pizzas and maybe some of their signature salads too - I wish them well… Meanwhile, negotiations regarding The Buckhorn and possible new tenants are currently a case of two sets forward, one step back - which is progress of course, but those of us missing a good draft Guinness, superb spicy wings, and a ‘proper’ place in which to share lively banter with friends, are getting a little impatient. Owner Tom Towey, who closed down on September 20th, continues to meet with folks but nobody has yet come up with a deal that suits everyone. I believe this a viable business for the ‘right people’ and remain confident that the Valley’s landmark pub/restaurant, which comes all ready to go with a full liquor license, will re-open soon-ish…”

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #538 - The Vets have one more visit to the Valley this month and that’s tomorrow. Thursday, October 20 when they will be at the Anderson Valley Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo… 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!… #539 - It’s Open Mic on Saturday, October 22 at Lauren's Restaurant in downtown Boonville. Dinner served 5 to 9, sign up is at 8.30pm before the Open Mic starts at 9 pm. All are welcome - musicians, singers, poets, writers, impressionists, belly dancers, magicians, pole dancers, sword swallowers, comedians, exotic dancers, actors, fire-eaters, ventriloquists, raconteurs, animal callers, etc. No clowns - apparently they would scare any kids who might be there, and no mimes, please - they scare almost everyone else! For more information call 895-3869… #540 - It’s the annual Oktoberfest Fundraiser, this coming Saturday, October 22, 2016 at the big barn in Philo, next to the Anderson Valley Farm Supply. Happy Hour is at 5pm with Dinner to follow at 6pm. The menu features Pork sausage, Beer-steeped sauerkraut, German-style warm potato salad wit onions and bacon, and dessert. Tickets are $30, that covers dinner and dessert, a beverage of your choice, and $10 donation to the Senior Center. Tickets are limited so get them early from the A.V. Senior Center (895-3609) or A.V. Market in Boonville… #541 - Here’s an event that is important and always lost of fun - Anderson Valley Arts presents “It’s About Time”, a live auction fundraiser featuring time-inspired artworks created by Valley artists. The event will take place at Lauren’s Restaurant in Boonville on Sunday, October 23, from 4-7pm and will also feature a little live music. Your $20 donation includes a glass of wine (served by ‘celebrity’ bartenders) and some delicious hors d’oeuvres and all proceeds from the auction will support supplemental arts programs and scholarships for Anderson Valley students. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, visit www.av-arts.org… #542 - The next Barn Sale will take place on the weekend of Saturday/Sunday, Nov 5/6 from 9am-3pm at The Big Barn next to the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way just north of Boonville… #543 - The Boonville Farmers’ Market continues every Saturday from 9.30am - noon in the Boonville Hotel parking lot generously donated each week by local humanitarian J Schmitt. For more information, call Cindy at 895-2949… #544 - The A.V. Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays at The Fairgrounds - Tuesday 1.30-4.30pm and Saturday 2-4pm… #545 - 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 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, October 20, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be ‘Breakfast for Lunch,’ followed by Cinnabon Cake for dessert… Then, next Tuesday, October 25, the evening meal served at 6pm will feature Lasagna, with Italian Cream Cake 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!… Meanwhile, Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays at 11am it is Kathy’s Easy-stretch Yoga class. Also on Thursdays, the Active Life Club runs from 10am to 2pm and features games, crafts, and music. The Senior Center/Community Bus goes to Ukiah on Monday's and also Santa Rosa on the first Wednesday of the month. These trips fill up fast so don't forget to sign up early at 489-1175… 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…

    The Three-Dot Lounge – the home of “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” in the Valley, remains closed except for private parties and drunken binges. Nevertheless, Three-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, continues to diligently spread his words of wisdom and here comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “There's this long observed phenomenon that killing in war time is easier the more distant you are from your target. And the more automated we can make killing people, the easier it is for people to do it. That's long been a function of warfare; it's a well-understood phenomenon within that world. Well, we’ve taken that logic and applied it to our social interactions online. It's no wonder that Twitter has become a heaping mass of wretchedness and I believe there's a real question Twitter is actively struggling with right now in terms of: How do we prevent this from sliding into being a cesspool in which people behave in ways that they would never behave in person?
    “It is kind of a fascinating, dehumanizing world that we're stepping ever more rapidly into. But I think many of us are saying, ‘Wait a second. How do we retain some level of civilization and humanity? How do we hold onto some of that in a world that is becoming ever more confusing when it comes to our interactions with people?’… It is a huge dilemma and may be an obvious sign that the Apocalypse is fast approaching. We’ve been able to take on board all of these innovations and adapt very rapidly to them. But you still have some fundamental human attributes that don't work very well in the world that we've created. Which is big part of the reason why some new technologies and much of social media should be wonderful things and are often not and, I would suggest, never will be”…

    Thanks for the downer, Buzzard… 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 leave them in your vehicle for any amount of time; think good thoughts; ‘Keep the Faith’; try to not let life get in the way of living; may your god go with you, and may your dog go with you too… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture - still wallowing in the honor of having the 2nd tallest tree (343.6 feet) in Hendy Woods named after me and my ilk…
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 humming, Hummingbird… Missing the Venerable Pheasant… On the sheep, Grace…