All Valley Blogs

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… First let’s get to the very important list of Senior Birthdays in September – ‘Many Happy Returns!’ to Gloria Abbott, James Gowan, Garth Long, Maddie Winkleman, and Clifton Kobler … Which reminds me of a question that was asked of me recently – Who is the oldest man and the woman residing in the Valley at this time? My initial guesses are Freda Fox who turned 92 in March and Ross Murray who will be 92 in September, but I would certainly like to hear from anyone who can correct me if they know otherwise…

Public Service Announcements… #120 – County Fair time in Boonville is just around the corner – Sept 17^th-19^th – just thought you might like to be reminded… #121 – The Boonville Farmer’s Market is still going on every Saturday morning in the parking lot at The Boonville Hotel from 9.30am to noon… #122 – Here’s a couple of reminders of the opening hours for two local small businesses in town – Laughing Dog Books is open from Friday thru’ Monday, 9am to 7pm each day, and owner Loretta Houck informs me that she is now stocking a number of magazines. These will total about twenty in time but for now she has The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated,

Consumer Reports, Vanity Fair, and Skateboarder, amongst others… And Mosswood Market’s Pillar Echeverria tells me she is open weekdays from 7am to 3pm and then from 8am to 3pm at the weekend… #123 – Talking of The Fair, you will be pleased to know that not quite everything else inexplicably stops taking place during the preceding week. Oh, no, the Senior Center just keeps on going and going and their ‘Bingo and Dinner’ night is at 6pm next Tuesday, Sept 14^th (not the 13^th as stated in the new Grange newsletter). It’s the hottest ticket in town and I suggest you get there early to get a good seat. All are welcome, not just seniors, and there will be prizes galore following a wonderful feast…

Moving quickly on to a couple of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley at a location…

… When a regular dropped off that recently distributed Grange Newsletter one thing hit me immediately - the unsightly ‘blackout’ on the front page which is as a result of the scribbled deletion on the inner page for the Boonville Hotel advertisement… Surely The Hotel could have done a different ad one has to think. Or did the Grange people put in an old ad and then have to delete something deemed inappropriate from every issue?… It seems very strange…

… I don’t know of anyone in the Christine Woods/Floodgate area who is receiving any ‘deal’ for being bombarded by noise pollution from the Golden Eye’s Narrows Vineyard but if anyone does deserve some compensation for their inconvenience over this past few months it would surely be theses sleep-deprived souls… Now this - a little bird popped into The 3-Dot the other day and informed me that in order to keep their neighbors ‘happy’, some other wineries have been paying money to the long-suffering victims of the noise pollution in certain parts of the Valley… Very interesting… Is this true? I think we should be told…

… Talking of ‘noise pollution’, several 3-Dot regulars have informed me that the downtown Boonville area was under constant ‘attack’ from such a thing last Tuesday morning when the alarm on a vehicle parked behind the ice cream store intermittently pierced the peace and quiet with a very irritating sound that went on and off for about four hours. Those nearby were not happy. I would have been quite annoyed too had I not been in Santa Rosa with Hummingbird - whose car it was! She had purposely not locked it but apparently there was an electrical fault that led to the problem. Upon our return to the Valley, the vehicle was stuck in ‘park’ as a result of the alarm’s activation and could not be moved. It had to be towed to Starr Auto where it currently resides, wallowed in guilt, as we await information from the manufacturer about ‘deactivation codes’. Hummingbird was mortified and sends her sincere apologies to all affected by her unintentional ‘pollution’…

… ‘Things people say’ – I overheard these words uttered by a tourist sitting outside ‘All that good Stuff’ in Boonville on Sunday afternoon – “Oh, yes, Hendy Woods is quite pretty”… ‘Quite pretty’? I think she meant to say, “Absolutely stunning and beautiful” but she had drunk too much wine and was unable to express herself very well…

And with these things in mind here are some thoughtful words from the historian and environmentalist writer, Wallace Stegner – “Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last virgin forests to be turned into comic books; if we drive the few remaining members of the wild species into zoos or to extinction; or if we pollute the last clean air and dirty the last clean streams and push our paved roads through the last of the silence…”

I’m outta here, but not before I ask that, with the hot weather almost with us, could you please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle… Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

p.s. Keep the Faith…

p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… I have been very remiss of late and failed to mention the August birthdays of the following seniors, many of who are regular attendees at the weekly Senior Center lunches and dinners – Kay Clark, Joy Daniels, Donna Reilly, Bev Burger, Fritz Kuny, Joe Hansen, Mark Fontaine, and Ellen Fontaine. Better late than never, I suppose, so it’s ‘Congratulations and Many Happy returns to all!’

With that in mind, and having spent quite a bit of time around the senior center in recent times, for the Quote of the Week I offer up these words from the great comedian George Burns, “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old”… The group above would seem to bare that out, wouldn’t you say?

Moving on to this week’s Public Service Announcements… Well this week I think I’ll just give you a few of the Valley’s gatherings that happen every week or so. Here we go - The A.V. Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open on Tuesdays from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and on Saturday 2pm to 4pm at The Fairgrounds… Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday sees the A.V Museum open from 1pm to 4pm at The Little Red Schoolhouse on Hwy 128 by the Elementary School… Hopefully on every Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, the County Dump is open from 9am – 4pm each day up on Mountain View Road about a mile or so outside Boonville – remember ‘No Dead Animals’… And finally, on the first and third Tuesday and every Thursday there is a lunch at The Senior Center Lunch served at 12.15pm. On the second Tuesday it’s Dinner and Bingo Night at 6pm, with dinner served once more on the fourth Tuesday, again at 6pm. You don’t have to be a senior to attend – all are welcome…

Now on to a couple of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley…

… The dinner at The Senior Center in Boonville on Tuesday Aug 24^th was simply delicious. On the menu was Cook Natalie’s Enchiladas in red sauce - some truly wonderful culinary delights, I must say. There was a good crowd once again and Hummingbird and I snapped up the final six enchiladas! Hope you were there!

… Just as tasty, and also selling out, was the bbq at last weekend’s Barn Sale cooked by Irma Sanchez. Once again, if you were hungry in the Valley you could have done yourself a big favor…

… Now if you were both hungry and thirsty, and you went to the gathering that was officially for tasting room employees held last Thursday at The Golden Eye Winery, you would have been very pleased. I would have gone but given the things this particular winery has been doing of late in terms of noise pollution in the Christine Woods region of the Valley, I decided not to. I have been told by some Three-Dot regulars that it was a very well attended event and I’m sure everything was wonderful and a nice party ensued, but a hypocritical Turkey Vulture is a bad Vulture, not that that is a bad thing of course – just not on this occasion…

… Several Mexican adult soccer league players and fans swung by The 3-Dot on Sunday and downed a few Pacifico beers following a convincing victory by Valladolid – one of three teams in the league based in the Valley, each of which features many former high school players. The other two teams are Leon and La Laguneta - named after the town in the Mexican State of Michoacan where the vast majority of the Valley’s Mexican community is either from or has heritage. The teams play every Sunday with at least one playing in the Valley at Tom Smith Field by the school every week at 10am.

I’m outta here and leave you with a few ‘instructions’ - With the hot weather almost with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle… Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

p.s. Keep the Faith…

p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… I have little to report this week as I had a short break from flying around and observing the Valley over the past seven days or so.

I did venture out on Sunday lunchtime and found myself devouring the delicious Mexican bbq chicken plate prepared on his outside grill/smoker by owner/operator Ricardo at The Redwood Drive-in. Even Hummingbird, who is not a big meat-eater like myself, was heard to say ‘This is a beautiful piece of chicken.’ Check it out when you get a chance – trust me on this, you can thank me later…

Anyway, if nothing else, I should do my weekly duty and provide you with the Public Service Announcements… #103 – The vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be here tomorrow, Thursday, August 26^th from 2pm to 3.30pm at The Farm Supply north of Philo. Don’t forget to support your local farm supply while you’re there – it will make you feel good… #104 – The live music series continues in The Deep End this Friday evening (August 27^th) when the wonderful Texas Swing band, ‘Asleep at the Wheel’ will be in town. To get such a top act to come by and play at his Navarro Store venue is quite a coup by owner Dave Evans and hopefully the community will get down there to support it and have a great time doing so… #105 – Don’t forget the weekly Boonville Farmer’s Market at the Hotel parking lot in Boonville from 9.30am to noon on Saturday the 28^th… And finally, #106, it’s time once again for the monthly Barn Sale at The St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way just north of Boonville. It’s from 9am to 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday, 28^th and 29^th and, as an added bonus, each day from 11am to 2pm there will be food, with delicious bbq pork ribs and chicken on Saturday and then Senor M will be serving up his Efrenburgers and Mendozadogs from the grill on Sunday…

Latest small business news… In the space next to the location formerly known as The Boonville Lodge, a new Mexican Restaurant, by the name of Yuri’s has opened. It is owned and operated by Brenda Soris and she tells me they plan to be open every day from 9am to 9pm with Chinese food added to the menu on weekends at some point soon. I wish them every success… Meanwhile, the aforementioned Lodge location will soon be filled by The Boonville Saloon just as soon as the Alcohol Beverage Commission (A.B.C.) can fit it into their busy schedule to grant the long-awaited license… As for The Buckhorn, as I have said several times already, it is about two months away. When it does open, it will be a pub/restaurant with a lunch and dinner menu similar to The Lodge in recent times, a brunch on weekends, pizza (to go too), a beer garden, a wide selection of draft beers, and many local wines…

As I said, it’s a short column this week, so I’m outta here until next time… But first let me remind you that in the hot weather please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle… Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

p.s. Keep the Faith…

p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… It’s the hottest ticket in town! I’m referring to the Dinner and Bingo Night held on the second Tuesday of each month at the Senior Center in Boonville. Last week, sixty-three (63!) Valley folks, seniors and non-seniors alike, and including a permanently-smiling Bruce McEwen of A.V.A. fame, were in attendance for a lovely dinner of fish and chips and a lively evening of Bingo – and it was all in a good cause. It will all happen again on September 14^th – a few days before The County Fair – now that will be a week when I’m not sure the Valley will be able to handle all the excitement!…

Talking of ‘excitement and lively evenings’ there will be an important benefit on Saturday, August 21^st at The Grange for the A.V. High School Sports Booster Club – Soccer/Futbol Program. The school district has virtually no money for high school sports these days and the various teams have to put on fundraisers for themselves in order to buy new equipment and uniforms etc. The highly successful boys’ soccer program – the one that has been to the play-offs six years in succession after winning the regular season title in five of those years, has been wearing the same shirts and shorts for six seasons now and, to be blunt, they look more than a little shabby. For this upcoming fall 2010 season the team has a squad of thirty-three boys – yes, that’s 33 young guys who will be involved in sport after school on as many as five days a week – and they need some new ‘stuff’. With your support this can be achieved. There will be an alumni tournament at 1pm on Saturday afternoon at Tom Smith Field beside the high school and following that, at 7pm, there will be an evening of Mexican food and drinks with local d.j. Emilio and his Sonido Ritmo Azteca providing the sounds. Even if you cannot make it to the event you can always buy a ticket for a $10 donation – they are available from Coach Steve Sparks (895-2460), or at Lemons Market in Philo and ‘All that Good Stuff’ in Boonville. All proceeds will go to the soccer program and your contributions will be very much appreciated, I’m sure…

Now on to our Public Service Announcements… #548 – The Dance Groove returns to The Grange this Friday, August 20^th at 7.30pm… #549 – Bluegrass music comes to the Valley this weekend at the Golden Old Time Campout from Friday thru’ Sunday, Aug 20^th-22^nd – see flyers for details… #550 – A useful reminder that the A.V. Lending Library, run by The A.V. Unity Club, is open Tuesdays from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and on Saturdays from 2pm to 4pm at The Fairgrounds… #551 – An early-ish heads-up on the next visit to the Valley by the Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital of Ukiah. They will be here at 2pm on Thursday, August 26^th at the Farm Supply in Philo… #552 – And just because I mentioned it above, let me give you the dates of the County Fair so you’ll know – it’s Friday thru’ Sunday, September 17^th-19^th…

Moving quickly on to a couple of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley…

… Several people have written or stopped by to thank me for bringing attention to the continuing noise pollution caused by Golden Eye Winery’s Narrows Vineyard in the Floodgate area of the Valley. Are the Golden Ears listening, I wonder?… (With all that noise perhaps they can’t hear!)

… I was reminded by a couple of regulars that it’s the raspberry picking season alongside Hwy 128 and the tourists are out there once again picking fruit, and getting covered in poison oak no doubt. I wonder if those Cal Tran workers I saw picking opposite the Methodist Church in Philo are o.k.? I also wonder if they were on the clock or not… Meanwhile Blackberry Jerry and Bill Owens, two of the Valley’s ‘professional’ pickers, know exactly where to go and not get affected by such things and these ‘experts’ find the best berries I’ve had – I urge you to buy some if you get the chance. I should also mention rookie picker Spike Matson who gets his berries from a bountiful patch behind the Fairgrounds - I see a very good future in the berry-picking business for this young fellow…

… I made my monthly pilgrimage up to the County Dump last week and was very pleasantly surprised to see the place in good order and to be greeted by a polite, efficient, and personable young man by the name of Matt. Despite comments to the contrary in last week’s A.V.A., and even though my favorite Dump Guy, Bill, is no longer working up there, everything seemed to be in order. Besides, Bill could represent the U.S. in a talking competition and sometimes you just wanted to drop off your stuff and get out of there quickly. Matt will allow you to do this and at the same time remind you that ‘no dead animals’ are allowed and advise you to leave that particular item to Vultures like myself – nature’s garbage collectors…

… I was unable to attend the Airport Party last Saturday but by all accounts it was another success with many, many Valley folks taking flights over the Valley before enjoying the food and drinks at an excellent pot luck… Speaking of which, the topics of flying and food are covered in this Quote of the Week from Jean Kerr, author of the humorous book ‘Please don’t eat the Daisies’, who said “I feel the way about airplanes the same way I feel about diets: It seems to me that they are wonderful things for other people to go on.” I agree!…

Well now I think it’s time to take my leave but first can I remind you that with the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle… Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

p.s. Keep the Faith…

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

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Let’s start with a couple of those good news/bad news items that can be either one of the two depending on your perspective… School starts next Monday, August 16^th – good news for some, not so good for others, perhaps! That’s very early indeed and one would think that with all the cutbacks it would be counter-productive. However, I am informed that they will finish a little earlier at Christmas to allow many kids to travel at that time and they will also have a week off sometime in the spring so it will all balance out in the end… The other news is that there is talk of a rare public street protest in the Valley in support of the folks who are constantly being affected by the continuing noise pollution that comes from Golden Eye’s Narrows Vineyard in the Floodgate area between Christine Woods and Navarro. In the spring it was the helicopter-like frost-protectors that kept people awake in that area and now it’s the screeching and whining of heavy equipment doing who knows what untold practices virtually every night. Such a protest, if it does indeed happen, would certainly be good news for any people living in the vicinity who are in need of some support on this issue and it would probably be bad news for the publicity conscious powers-that-be at Golden Eye Winery, wherever it is they peacefully live in their gated mansions and secluded ivory towers, no doubt many miles from our Valley…

And for your Quote of the Week, that is not at all related to the previous comment, I offer you these wise words from one of history’s great men, Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi – “It is difficult but not impossible to conduct strictly honest business. What is true is that honesty is incompatible with the amassing of a large fortune.”

Moving on… Public Service Announcements… #83 – the Annual Yorkville Highlands Wine Festival is taking place at Meyer Family Cellars from 2pm this coming Saturday, Aug 14th… #84 – The always popular Airport Party, featuring free airplane rides over the Valley and one big Valley Pot Luck is also this Saturday afternoon and evening in Boonville at the airport… #85 – And another event this Saturday is the elimination round for the Mendocino County Fair’s sheep dog trial. This is at The Fairgrounds from 10am… #86 – The Lions Club will meet this coming Monday, August 16^th at The Grange at 7pm… #87 – The Grange Board will have their monthly gathering on Tuesday the 17^th – also at 7pm and not surprisingly also at The Grange… #88 – Heads-up for a very special benefit on Saturday, August 21^st at The Grange for the A.V. High School Sports Booster Club – Soccer/Futbol Program. This will feature an evening of Mexican food, drinks, and music with local d.j. Emilio and his Sonido Ritmo Azteca. It starts at 7pm following the Alumni Tournament that will be played from 1pm that day at Tom Smith Field next to the high school. Even if you cannot make it to the event you can always buy a ticket for a $10 donation and all proceeds will go to the soccer program… Tickets are available from Coach Steve Sparks (895-2460) and at Lemons Market in Philo and ‘All that Good Stuff’ in Boonville. Your contributions would be greatly appreciated, I know…

Moving quickly on to a couple of the topics under discussion this week at The 3-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley…

… A regular at The 3-Dot informs that the ice cream shop in Boonville is now finally open with the name ‘Paysanne’ – which, when I initially ‘Googled’ this word, I found meant ‘the cutting of vegetables into thin slices.’ Not exactly what you’d expect in connection with your ice cream, eh? However, sometime later in the day, Valley chanteuse Nahara informed me, via Bea at ‘All that Good Stuff’ store in Boonville, that in French it means ‘country woman’ and that makes more sense, although I would venture to guess not many people will know that, French not being spoken by many in the Valley nor anywhere nearby. Oh, well, ‘c’est la vie’. Anyway, apparently out-of-town customers have been plentiful and that has also proven to be good news to the surrounding businesses too. Hopefully the products are affordable to all and that locals will also be able to support this exciting new venture – ‘bon voyage, mes amis!’…

… Local musician and storyteller, Bill Owens, popped into The 3-Dot for a beer after regaling many of these same visitors with his tunes and tales as he sat outside the new ice cream store. He told us that he had informed the tourists that now that he is eighty years old he and wife Wanda are becoming self-employed and are going into the Iron and Steel industry – “she’s going to start ironing and I’m going to begin stealing!”… Bill also told them, rather sadly, that his dog had been acting a little crazy lately and he’d had to shoot it. A gullible tourist asked if the dog was mad to which Bill replied, “Well he wasn’t too pleased!”…

… Talking of dogs, a local shepherd showed up at The 3-Dot gasping for a beer after working two of his dogs at the Barn Sale Field alongside Hwy 128 just north of Boonville. He had witnessed last weekend’s sheep dog display at the Not-So-Simple Living Fair and was inspired to put his dogs through their paces even though it was a hot afternoon in the Valley. The working dogs, old (11) Fred and young (2) Beth, did their job very well before diving into the nearby water trough to cool off. The herded sheep were left to relax and nibble on some fresh alfalfa hay in the shade. Why the gasping shepherd? Well he had lost his truck keys somewhere in the field and had to walk into town under the hot sun to collect a spare set from his sympathetic wife – and grab a much-needed beer as he reflected on his error. He had been guilty of ignoring Shepherding Rule #3 – ‘Never take your truck keys into the fields or up into the hills.’ Meanwhile, I’m sure you all know Rule #1 – ‘The herding is never done until the sheep are where you want them to be with the gate closed’… And #2 – ‘Never trust a sheep to tell the whole truth’…

Well now I think it’s time to take my leave, but first a gentle reminder that with the hot, yet not too hot weather, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle… Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

p.s. Keep the Faith…

p.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.p.s. On the sheep, Grace…

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Congratulations to the organizers of ‘The Not-So-Simple Living Fair’ for their excellent job this past weekend at the event held in Boonville. The committee of Doug Mosel, Rob Goodell, Captain Rainbow, Sophia Bates, and Linda McElwee put together a very eclectic program covering all aspects of country living on both Saturday and Sunday, with the many volunteers and exhibitors all playing their part. Numbers were good on the Saturday but somewhat low on Sunday although all costs were covered and that was obviously very important. Some visitors felt that occasionally too many events were going on at the same time and they had to make difficult choices but this was the first such event for nearly thirty years and next time any such problems that may have existed will no doubt be ironed out. I spoke to some fairgrounds’ staff and they emphasized that every event there takes a couple of years to reach its potential and I fully expect that when the word spreads about the quality and scope of this show, the numbers will surely come. ‘Well done’ to all involved – hope you’ll do it all again next year…

On to the Public Service Announcements… #31 – Live music at the Navarro Store continues this weekend with another top draw act, The Subdudes, appearing on both Friday (Aug 6th) and Saturday (7th) in the Deep end, accompanied by Rogerwood and Friends, and Dave Dart, and of course, there will be affordable drinks and Pablo on the grill “putting the meat to the heat”… #32 – On Saturday (Aug 7th) at the regular gathering for the Boonville Farmer’s Market in the Boonville Hotel parking lot there will be the blackberry cook-off featuring recipes, tastings, and competitions. It goes from 9.30am to noon… #33 – It’s the second Tuesday of the month coming up (Aug 10th) and you all know what that means – Dinner and Bingo at the Senior Center in Boonville. At 6pm Cook Natalie will serve her ‘fish and chips’ dinner with salad and dessert and then at about 7pm it’s bingo time! You don’t have to be a senior to attend and I guarantee you will have a good time and may even win one of the cash prizes, but I can’t guarantee that of course, despite my ‘connections’!… #34 – Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the A.V Museum is open from 1pm to 4pm at the Little Red Schoolhouse on Hwy 128 just north of Boonville. As I said before, ‘this is the best little museum in the West!’ and you will not be disappointed…

Finally, #35, and also this coming Saturday, it’s the annual Lu’au Fund Raiser for our local public radio station, KZYX &Z, that will be held at the Boonville Fairgrounds. It will feature the Hawaiian Island sounds of Kevin Brown, Robyn Mahealani Knuebuhl, Kalae Miles and local favorites Hui Arago with a full on ono Lu’au dinner being served along with heavy pupus! Everything gets underway at 3:30 PM. A limited number of tickets are available for $45 in advance. You won’t want to miss this beautiful event and as it provides a big part of the station’s annual income, your attendance would be much appreciated, not to mention that you’d have a really good time of course…

Moving quickly on to a few of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley at a location known only to ‘those in the know’…

… The Boonville Saloon (formerly The Lodge) will definitely open really soon… As will the Ice Cream Shop… The Buckhorn is two months away… Now you know…

… While my own invitation was once again mysteriously lost in the mail, a couple of distinguished ladies of the Valley came by to tell me that the monthly gathering of the Independent Career Women (I.C.W.) took place at Freda Fox’s home last week and that the evening was a roaring success with delicious fried chicken, various salads, cup cakes, and a very competitive ‘white elephant gift-giving’ game. I can’t wait for the next one…

… An annoying member of the public came into The 3-Dot this past week and said he had nearly ended up in a ditch trying to avoid a large number of Turkey Vultures on Hwy 128 who were devouring a dead animal. Needless to say he was swiftly asked to leave after I explained to him the dangers of what we did on the highways and by-ways of the Valley in our brave efforts as nature’s garbage collectors. I went on to add that it’s not all glamour being a Turkey Vulture but that we do indeed get many compliments. I feel I should remind you all, once again, of my favorite one which came from no less an expert than Charles Darwin who said about us Turkey Vultures, “A disgusting bird whose bald scarlet head is formed to wallow in putridity”. Thank you for those kind words, Charles… And that’s the Quote of the Week…

I’m outta here; but first… With the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle… Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

p.s. Keep the Faith…

p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.n

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

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… The Anderson Valley Theater Guild will present its 2010 production over two weekends in the very near future. The play is entitled ‘Dearly Departed’, a comedy about a dysfunctional family gathering for a funeral and will feature thirteen of the Valley’s finest thespians. The shows will go on at 7pm both Friday and Saturday on the weekends of May 28^th/29^th and June 4^th/5^th and at this point the biggest concern is not over the quality of the show (my inside contact believes it is the Guild’s best presentation to date) but the health of Director, Rod Basehore. With that in mind, let’s offer up a collective Valley invocation to the heavens for both his recovery and the resumption of his indefatigable leadership of those ‘treading the boards’…

Continuing on this topic, for our Quote of the Week, I suggest that in Rod’s absence the actors follow these words of advice from two-time Oscar winner for Best Actor, the great Spencer Tracy, “Just learn your lines and don’t bump into the furniture.” I don’t think even Rod could put it more simply that that!

Public Service Announcements…. #93 – It’s that time again, well not quite because normally the Barn Sale is the last weekend of the month but with that being Memorial Day Weekend it is going to be Saturday and Sunday, May 22^nd and 23^rd instead. You know the deal – it’s at The Big Barn at The St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way just north of Boonville from 9am to 3pm both days. The bargains await and the bbq will be open!… #94 – The Bob Ayers Big Band will be playing at Lauren’s on Saturday May 22^nd after dinner at 9pm… #95 – The ‘Live Music in The Deep End’ starts its summer run this coming Sunday afternoon (May 23^rd) with the Hansen and Raitt Band. Pablo will be on the grill, the beer and wine will be inexpensive, and the music will be special. See you there…

Moving quickly on to some of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley at a location known only to ‘those in the know’…

… Regulars at the The Three-Dot gave rave reviews for the Spaghetti Dinner and Bingo night at the Senior Center last week. Joe Hansen, using the ‘top secret’ Pardini Spaghetti Sauce recipe, showed why he is the Pasta King and the Bing session was a big success, particularly for winners Bingo All-Pro Pat Hulbert and Supervisor Candidate Dan Hamburg. I’m sure if the event had a beer and wine license, which it may well do in the future, he’d have bought the house a drink! They’ll do it all again with another guest cook on Tuesday June 8^th…

… The annual Pinot Festival took place this past weekend here in the Valley and from what I hear there were some truly exceptional wines that were enjoyed by some very wealthy people along with some not quite as wealthy people, all of them imbibing and pontificating amongst undoubtedly beautiful surroundings. Same as every year then – not that there is anything wrong with any of that, of course…

… Something not the same as last year is the list of live music playing in The Deep End this summer, dropped off at The Three-Dot by live music impresario and Navarro Store owner Dave Evans… As mentioned above in the P.S.A.’s the summer starts off with the Hanson and Raitt Band this Sunday, then in two weeks time, over the whole weekend of June 5^th/6^th, it’s the ‘Rainbow Beat on the Mountain’ event featuring all sorts of entertainment, including a variety of Mendocino’s finest musicians and headlined by the incomparable Willie G on the Saturday night at 7pm… More updates for The Summer Series of Live Music next week…

… A real wisenheimer at the Lounge asked if The A.V. Chamber of Commerce was the Valley’s best-kept secret. Some customers laughed at this harmless comment, some humorless types leapt to the defense of The Chamber, and some simply nodded knowingly. I didn’t know what group to join…

… After the recent blockbuster news about the new bar(s) possibly opening in the Valley (at the Buckhorn Building and The Lodge), may I just point out that the landlord at the former Lodge location will continue to be David Johnson of Sonoma, who, after sitting on a vacant building for five months, has greatly reduced his rental demands so that they are now in keeping with what former tenant Tom Towey and The Boonville Lodge might very well have been prepared to pay if given the chance. Has anyone fed those wild pigs on Ornbaun Road recently? Just wondering…

Oh, dear, have I upset somebody? - I’ll get my coat and leave shall I?… With the hot weather almost with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle… Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking wherever necessary, and as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…Keep the Faith…

p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

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

p.p.p.s. On the sheep, Grace…

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Given Tom Smith’s previous powers of recovery from the several near-death experiences in his past, many Valley folks are still shocked at the passing of the long-time high school soccer coach and veteran of the Variety show. On this occasions however, his injuries from the head-on car collision were so many and severe that, when septicemia (bacteria in the blood) set in, Tom just could not pull through. His wife Val writes “there will be a memorial at the Philo Grange on Saturday June 19th from 12-4pm for all who knew and loved him. Please bring stories and memories and a dish to share. He is and will be sorely missed. This will be a non-alcohol event”…

Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… #315 – The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be making their monthly visit to the Valley next Thursday, June 17^th when they will be at The Farm Supply north of Philo from 2pm until 3,30pm… #316 – Many of the Soccer World Cup matches will be shown at The Redwood Drive-In over the next month. Schedules are available at there and the big game on the opening weekend is U.S.A. v England 11.30am Saturday, June 12^th… #318 – As a final P.S.A. this week, I would like to pass on the names of just some of the live music acts that will be appearing thru’ the summer at The Navarro Store in the Deep End. The performers will include The Hansen-Raitt Band (up next on June 19^th), The Dave Nelson Band featuring members of The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Starship; The Boris Garcia Band; Walter Trout; Guitar Shorty; The House of Floyd; The Sub-Dudes (two shows over one weekend); The Roger Wood Band featuring Pilar Duran and Christy Wells; David Hayes, Gene Parsons; Asleep at the Wheel from Austin, Texas; Roy Rogers and It’s a Beautiful Day; and Pablo Cruz…

And here’s a special P.S.A. that may help many of you… Needless to say, it would appear that the computer will become our priority mode of communication with 
the world in less than ten years and we will need high speed Internet access 
to reach most websites. To help the cause, those Valley and coastal dwellers with Dial
-Up, DSL, or Satellite (none of which are considered Broadband by the FCC) can register their physical address with the FCC as a “Broadband
 Dead Zone”. At least 50% of
 us are NOT served and yet apparently the data they currently have shows our
 areas as 81-95% served with Broadband. If they think that is true we
 will not be on the list to get the funding we need. No funding = No
 Broadband. I am told it’s as simple as that. 

You can help the effort to get access in these ways: 
 1. Register yourself on the www.broadband.gov website - look in the middle
 column for ‘Consumer Broadband Test’, then look at the bottom of that section 
for “Report a Broadband Dead Zone”… 
2. If you cannot do this on dial up (which some have said they 
cannot), e-mail your physical address (not PO Box) with zip code to either carol@oakgrove.com or sfreriks@mcn.org and give them your permission to enter
 your data. I just thought you should know…

Moving quickly on to a few of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge starting with the latest updates on the local business scene…

… Mosswood Market has changed ownership and the new person in charge is former employee Pilar. Best wishes to her and the business, and of course to Sharon, who did such a wonderful job at The M.M., for her future plans… The Zub Zub ice cream parlor was thought to be heading for a corporate takeover by Clover-Stornetto of Petaluma with a local ice cream ‘aficionado’, who was also interested, missing out. Now it appears that neither will get the store and that landlord Johnny ‘Two Scoops’ Schmitt, of Boonville Hotel fame, will take over himself and install a reliable staff that keeps regular business hours. Sounds good to me – ‘two scoops of vanilla chocolate chip in the sugar cone, please, Johnny’… The renovations at The Buckhorn Building continue and hopes of finding a new tenant remain high, with some interest currently being shown… The location formerly known as The Boonville Lodge is to re-open, licenses etc permitting, in late July under the new name of The Buckhorn Saloon, with former bartender/owner Shelly in charge along with business partner and friend Michelle… The attached restaurant section is also creating some interest and I shall keep you posted on developments there as soon as I have any news…

… One of the Valley’s most distinguished senior citizens, Ross Murray, is recovering at home from knee replacement surgery. Ross is 91 years old but knowing him to be a very determined young man, and with wife Joyce at his side, it would not surprise me to see him up and about in a relatively short time; although his dancing days in the chorus lines behind the likes of Fred Astaire, Betty Hutton, Shirley Temple, Eleanor Powell, Olympic ice skater Sonja Henie, not to mention the Andrews Sisters, are probably over…

… A.V. High School Ag Class teacher Beth Swehla stopped in at The Three-Dot to report that the two Canada Geese who have been ‘hanging out’ at the pond in Bill Hill’s Big Hole alongside Hwy 128 opposite Breggo Cellars, have become the proud parents of several goslings. When this news broke, it was drinks all round!…

Speaking of Beth Swehla, I feel it’s time to remind you that the fresh organic eggs available through her Ag Class are some of the best you are likely to find anytime, anywhere. During the summer months, with the school closed, these delicious eggs will be available at Gowan’s Oak Tree on Hwy 128 to which Beth and some of her students will deliver them on a regular basis. Whether scrambled, poached, or fried, they are as tasty as it gets and the vivid color of the yolk is just as an egg supposed to be, as I remember back in ‘the good old days’. Of course, if served soft-boiled and in an egg cup with buttered toast ‘fingers’ to dip into that delicious yolk, then the whole experience reaches orgasmic levels of culinary delight…

Well, now I think it really is time to take my leave… Be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

p.s. Keep the Faith…

p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net

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

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… The live music at Dave Evans’ Navarro Store is up and running for its third successive year but unfortunately I’ve been unable to attend the first two events so cannot give my usual hack-writer observations and report. Two weeks ago it was the Hansen-Raitt Band but I was at the very wonderful and moving Tom Smith Memorial, then last weekend when the Dave Nelson Band along with assorted Grateful Deads and Jeffersons were performing I was fortunate to be at the Schoeneman’s Farrington Vineyards for the lovely wedding of Sarah Schoeneman and Guy Pacurar of Brewery Gulch Inn fame in Mendocino. Oh, well, two apparently excellent concerts missed for good reasons but I hope to be sipping the inexpensive beer, devouring the delicious bbq off Pablo’s grill, and dancing under the stars for many of this summer’s upcoming special nights in The Deep End – how about joining me? It’s a good Valley night out – trust me on this and thank me later!

Talking about weddings, for our Quote of the Week, let me offer these words from Aeschylus, a very wise man from Ancient Greece, who said, “When a match has equal partners, then I fear not for its future togetherness.” Perhaps he had Sarah and Guy in mind! Best wishes to you both…

Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s) – #92 – The Olde Time 4^th of July Celebration takes place at The Fairgrounds in Boonville from Noon to 4pm featuring a parade, games, music, food and drink, and the all-important A.V. Tug O’ War. Last year in this important Valley spectacle, not only were The Poleekos and Deep Enders victorious over the Boonts and High Rollers in the women’s event and under-sevens, but the Men’s team, ably coached by Christie Clark and anchored by yours truly, won for the eighth year in a row! Will it be #9??… #93 – The new ice cream shop is opening tomorrow (July 1^st) at the location formerly occupied by Zub Zub Ice Cream in the heart of Boonville. The owner is landlord, Johnny ‘Two Scoops’ Schmitt of Boonville Hotel fame, and I’m sure it will be done ‘right’ with business-like hours that people can truly rely on to go with ice cream of the finest quality. Good luck to one and all involved… #94 – Lauren’s Summertime Lunch, Thursday thru’ Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm, is a perfect example of her motto – ‘Good Food; Good Times’. Enjoy…

Moving quickly on to a couple of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley at a location known only to ‘those in the know’…

… Several regulars have commented on the fine job done by those involved in the production of the new and always useful Valley Phone Book. It’s a fine looking publication and seems to be a very comprehensive effort indeed. Some fine photography too, particularly in the ads on pages 48 and 104 for the businesses of the handyman ‘Cheerful’ Bob Sites and the entertainer ‘Mr. Eleven’ respectively, showing that these two guys are not only worth hiring but that each of them is also particularly photogenic…

… A regular came up with the Quote of the Week when referring to the ‘good deeds’ of former Brewery owner, ‘King’ Ken Allen. He quoted the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who once observed, “No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he’d only had good intentions. He had money as well”… A cynical point of view some might say. ‘Realistic’, is a description I would lean towards… On a related note, and as a second Quote of the Week, Ken might well be missed now that we “don’t have him to kick around anymore”, as another controversial individual, President Richard Nixon, said upon his own departure from ‘office.’ In both cases, it should be pointed out, these two Machiavellian characters did quite a bit of ‘kicking’ themselves…

… A regular at The Three-Dot informed us that the cameras were filming a recent adult soccer game at Tom Smith Field in Boonville because the record-breaking goal-scoring performances of star player, Sergio Gutierrez, who will begin his senior year at the high school in September, have come to the attention of Seattle University, a fine academic institution and a Division 1 soccer school. The coach up there, Brad Agoos, wanted to see film of Sergio playing and, with the assistance of coach Steve Sparks and film class teacher Mitch Mendoza, student Dylan Beatty was on hand to record the highlights of Sergio’s efforts on film. In their final week at school the senior film class edited the footage before sending it to Seattle. With Sergio’s grades in the high 3’s and his parents, Anastasio and Laura, both very keen on their boy going to a top four-year college, hopefully he gets accepted, funding gets found from somewhere, and the dreams of a fine young man might well come true…

It’s time for The Wine of the Week… Well, on this celebratory weekend, how about sipping any wine made from grapes grown in the Valley or at least ones sold by a locally owned vineyard – there are still quite a few remaining, believe it or not. So many of these wines are excellent, whichever varietals you prefer, so for a little casual wining and dining, whether you live here or are visiting, why would you buy anything else?

Whine of the Week… Fast-driving tourists, particularly ‘Mr. Convertible Sports Car’ in his mid-sixties with the Twenty-Something Blonde in the passenger seat, who would probably rather be at a beauty/tanning salon, and certainly wouldn’t spend a minute of her time with the boring guy sitting next to her if he drove a pick-up. These are the types who get drunk, talk loudly, and tip poorly; the kind that speak only of themselves, interrupt others, and try to tell a story that ‘beats’ the one told by the previous speaker. We’ve all met them before and now it’s the season for their appearance in the Valley. I suggest we all try to smile and walk away. I’ll do my best, but if it gets too much I know I can rely on your help to get them to the Hanging Tree on A.V. Way before dropping them off for the hungry pigs on Ornbaun Road!

I’m outta here… But before I go, let me mention that with the hot weather now with us, finally, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle… Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

p.s. Keep the Faith…

p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at <turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net>

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Due to unforeseen circumstances I was unable to attend The Olde Time 4th of July Celebration but Hummingbird was there, in Stars and Stripes t-shirt and Lions Club apron, serving up some delicious tri-tip sandwiches along with many others from the always-giving A.V. Lions. The bad news, at least for Poleekos (Philo folks) and Deep Enders (Navarro dwellers), was that for the first time in nine years, the Men’s Tug-of-War was won by The Boonts (Boonville ‘city slickers’) and High Rollers (Yorkville mountain people). To add insult to injury the city slicker chicks and mountain girls also won the Women’s event! I suppose it was their turn, and more importantly, perhaps, was that the community as a whole had a wonderful afternoon. Thanks to all the organizers who gave their time and efforts in true A.V. style…

With this in mind, for the Quote of the Week, I offer these words from Morgan Scott Peck, an American psychiatrist and best-selling author, best known for his first book, ‘The Road Less Traveled’, who wrote “There can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community.” Sounds like he may have been on that victorious tug-of-war team!

Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… #162 – The live music in the Deep End resumes this coming weekend on Friday (9th) evening at the Navarro Store with the wonderful Blues guitarist, Walter Trout… #163 – the annual Boonville Art Walk will take place on Saturday, July 10th and you are encouraged to take a stroll around town from 3-6pm admiring the many exhibitions… #164 – Laughing Dog Books in downtown Boonville has the paintings of young Hannah Newcomer (daughter of Shelly and Jay) on display throughout the month of July. Opening hours are Friday thru’ Monday, 9am to 7pm each day. Buy a book, admire some art – what’s not to like?… #165 – Last, but no means least, it’s time to remind you of next week’s Bingo and Dinner Night (July 13th) held on the second Tuesday of every month at the Veterans Building in Boonville to benefit the Senior Center. Dinner will be served at 6pm with Bingo to follow at about 7pm. It’s a great Valley night out, starting with Gloria’s salad bar, followed by a tasty dinner, freshly prepared by Natalie Matson, and featuring spinach and sausage lasagna with zucchini and real garlic bread, with homemade carrot cake for dessert; not to mention lots of prizes to be won at bingo, and you don’t have to be a senior to enjoy it all – everyone is welcome! ($7 for dinner; $5 suggested donation by seniors)…

Moving on to a few of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley at a location known only to ‘those in the know’…

… It’s almost a done deal at The Buckhorn Building! Former Boonville Lodge owner, Tom Towey has just about reached an agreement with landlords Gary and Ginny Island to open a pub/restaurant in the space that has been empty since Feb. 2008. More details to follow as I get them but Tom has indicated that the pub will have a similar menu to that he offered at The Lodge, with a broad selection of draft beers and Valley wines, plenty of outside seating as well as the newly renovated restaurant and bar space inside, and his wonderful Brunch, that was so popular down the road, served at the weekend. It all sounds good to me…

… It has come to my attention that the recently formed ‘Gentlemen Only Book Reading Organization (G.O.B.R.O.) – Military History Section’ in the Valley has been criticized in some female quarters for not allowing women members. The group apparently consists of eight gentlemen, with membership closed at this point… So let me understand this - we have the Independent Career Women (I.C.W.) for women only; the Sassy Ladies – for ladies only; the Women’s Dinner Group – for women only; the Unity Club – not officially for women only but when I last checked a few months ago there were no men involved; the ‘Girls Night Out’ evening at Lauren’s Restaurant - for ‘girls’ only; and two very successful and long-standing book clubs that to my knowledge are for women only. These are no doubt all very lovely gatherings. I think it’s great to have these women’s fellowships with shared interests and aims, and long may every one of them continue. So why the criticism of this new group on grounds of sexism? This group is not sexist; it’s simply a group of men getting together to discuss military history with other men. A healthy thing for one and all, I would venture to suggest. Nothing more, nothing less. Isn’t it time for some of those around here who take political correctness to it’s narrow-minded extremes to realize that their stance is frequently a restriction on truth, free speech, and thought, and that they have become a vigilante force that imposes its views while accusing others of intolerance if you don’t agree with everything they say. Get over it and form your own book club, I say!…

… One regular echoed the sentiments of many others with a mini-rant about the parking of visitors in downtown Boonville. Through the summer months it is true that we have many people pulling in and parking at 90 degrees to the sidewalk, not parallel, as is the custom around here outside our stores and businesses. Along with many others he has even seen locals commit this ‘crime’! Come on folks, we can’t be doing that – we have our ways, they work, let’s not forget where we are…

Well now I think it’s time to take my leave. Meanwhile, with the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle… Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…

p.s. Keep the Faith…

p.p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net