# 562 - 10th May, 2017

    Greetings one and all. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
    This coming Sunday, as I hope you all know, it’s ‘Mother’s Day’ - a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. Originally, in the 1870’s, it was a call for women to join in support of disarmament and it did not really become a celebration of motherhood until it was made an official national holiday (2nd Sunday of May) when President Woodrow Wilson made it such in 1914. The holiday eventually became so highly commercialized that many, including its founder, Anna Jarvis, considered it a "Hallmark holiday", i.e. one with an overwhelming commercial purpose… But, for all that, it does give us an opportunity to sit back and think about how appreciative we should be of our mothers - after all, where would we be without them?
    Anyway, for your Quotes of the Week, here are some words of wisdom on the subject… Let’s begin with a Jewish proverb that goes, “God could not be everywhere, so therefore he made mothers”… And another proverb – from Spain – “An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest”… From Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the American abolitionist and author of ‘Uncle Tom's Cabin’ comes the observation, “Most mothers are instinctive philosophers”… And from Honore de Balzac (1799-1850), the French novelist and playwright we have “The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness”… It was Florida Scott-Maxwell (1883-1979), a playwright, author and psychologist who said, “No matter how old a mother is, she watches her middle-aged children for signs of improvement” – I imagine quite a few of the Valley’s Mom’s were in her thoughts at the time she said that!... And finally, from the British actress and director, Janet Suzman (1936-?), comes a comment that is probably appropriate just about anywhere, “Motherhood is the most emotional experience of one’s life. One joins a kind of women’s mafia”… And there’s nothing wrong with that!...

    Let’s move on with the Turkey Vulture’s update on ‘Evening Dining in the Valley’… In geographical order, as you travel through the Valley on Highway 128, here is the latest on ‘The Big Eight Eateries’… Lauren’s Restaurant welcomes Libby (of Libby’s Restaurant in Philo fame) as the Guest Chef every Monday evening from 4.30-9pm, while their regular hours remain Thursday-Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm for lunch, and dinner on Tuesday-Saturday, 5-9pm… Lizbby’s, the Mexican Restaurant in downtown Boonville, is receiving many positive reviews and can be enjoyed every day except Sundays, serving breakfast (on Saturday) and lunch from 10am-3pm and dinner from 5-9pm… The Buckhorn is now serving weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-3pm serving Bloody Marys, Mimosas, Eggs Benedict, Pancakes, Biscuits & Gravy, and more.They are open weekdays at 11am and are closed on Tuesdays… The Boonville Hotel continues with their family-style, prix fixe menu and have now expanded their hours to Thursday thru’ Monday evenings. They cook by reservation so call (707)-895-2210… The Q and Aquarelle, formerly Aquarelle Cafe and Wine Bar, has a new ‘Santa Maria BBQ’ menu added to previous favorites. Open 4-8pm from Friday thru’ Taco Tuesday… The Redwood Drive-In just keeps on doing what they do, with reliable hours that everyone can remember and rely on (6am-8pm every day!) - don't forget to try the donuts!… Stone and Embers’ spring hours see them open from Noon to 8pm Friday-Sunday and Noon to 4pm on Monday and Tuesday, with new summer hours hopefully to be announced soon… Finally, down in the Deep End, The Bewildered Pig is open Thursday-Saturday, 4:30-9pm and Sunday 11.30am-7pm. They are closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. You can check out all of their “insane” offerings on their well-maintained Facebook page… And that’s it for now… Join us again next week as we once again travel along the Valley’s Dining Highway… Meanwhile, I encourage you all to eat, drink, and be merry at one of the above establishments whenever you can - remember ‘eating out is fun’…

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #545 - 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, twice next month - Thursdays, June 1 and 15… #546 - I believe that the Mendocino Bookmobile returns to the Valley next Tuesday, May 16. Phone 463-4694 for confirmation. They are usually 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.… #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, visiting the Museum is a perfect thing to do in the Valley when you have a couple of hours to 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 May 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 but gluten extra not), eggs, and bacon, with a choice of juice, tea or coffee included… #549 - The monthly meeting of the ‘Preparation for the Rest of Our Lives’ group takes pace at Lauren’s Restaurant at 4pm on Sunday, May 12. This is a gathering at which this important but so often avoided topic, and the options available to all of us at some point, will be discussed amongst Valley folks… #550 - The Boonville Farmers’ Market has moved from its winter location at The General Store and taken up residence across the street at the usual spot in the Boonville Hotel parking lot with their new summer hours 9.30am-Noon. For more info, call Cindy at 895-2949… #551 - Need a burn permit? Well starting this month the Fire Department no longer issues them and you have to go to the Cal Fire Buildings at the far south end of town, beyond the gravel pits and behind the San Quentin-esque style fences…
    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, May 11, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Citrus Cod with Triple Lemon Dessert… Then, next Tuesday, May 16, the lunch will feature Joe's Chili followed by Raspberry Whip 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, on Tuesday and Thursday from 9-9.45am the Center offers ‘Young at Heart Exercise’ with Linda Boudoures and Karen DeFalco… 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, my favorite gathering place in the Valley, is closed for a few days… I couldn’t possibly explain why, suffice it to say that Señor Pacifico and Mr. Jameson paid me an extended visit… My apologies to those of you who enjoy the words of wisdom shared each week from the home of “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors”… Even our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, a very good friend of Mr Jameson and yet a very conscientious contributor to the column whatever his condition, is incapacitated at this time, although he does offer these wise words, “I have nothing of any interest to anyone to say at this point, so I will say nothing”… (Why can’t more folks be like that?)…
    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 - 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!… How lovely to see you, Round-eyed Robin…

# 561 - 3rd May, 2017

    Greetings one and all. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin… First, I must point out that almost everything below is true, probably around 99%. However, the whole truth is withheld because, as a wise Valley man known as Deekin' once said, “If I told you the whole truth then you’d be as smart as me”… I like your thinkin,’ Deekin’…

    A boon in Boonville? Debatable… Well, the 21st Annual Anderson Valley Brewing Company’s Beer Festival in Boonville has come and gone with plenty of fanfare and thousands of visitors - and like most years, virtually every one of them was well behaved despite many being somewhat inebriated. And why wouldn’t they be? It’s a beer festival for god’s sake… However, something significantly different this year was the fact that due to the many vendors now serving food inside the Festival at the Fairgrounds, the usual very busy night enjoyed by our local eateries following the Festival’s Saturday afternoon of imbibing simply did not happen. In fact, coupled with the fact that most locals stayed away from town believing it to be a crazy scene, Saturday night saw downtown Boonville more like a regular Thursday, with most of the Festival attendees off the streets and in their campgrounds by 7pm… I realize that the Festival very generously donates thousands of dollars to local charities and organizations, but, just like the Sierra Nevada Music Festival, these events are now effectively self-contained and certainly do not provide the windfall, or should I say boon, to local eateries that some people would have you believe… Just sayin’…

    Staying with local restaurants, let’s move on with the Turkey Vulture’s update on ‘Evening Dining in the Valley’… In geographical order, as you travel through the Valley on Highway 128, here is the latest on ‘The Big Eight Eateries’… Lauren’s Restaurant welcomes Libby (of Libby’s Restaurant in Philo fame) as the Guest Chef every Monday evening from 4.30-9pm, while their regular hours remain Thursday-Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm for lunch, and dinner on Tuesday-Saturday, 5-9pm… Lizbby’s, the Mexican Restaurant in downtown Boonville, is receiving many positive reviews and can be enjoyed every day except Tuesdays, serving breakfast (on Saturday and Sunday) and lunch from 10am-3pm and dinner from 5-8pm… The Buckhorn seems to have been pretty busy since reopening a few weeks ago. They are open every day at 11am (10am at weekends), and closed on Tuesdays… The Boonville Hotel continues with their family-style, prix fixe menu and have now expanded their hours to Thursday thru’ Monday. They cook by reservation - call (707)-895-2210… The Q and Aquarelle, formerly Aquarelle Cafe and Wine Bar, has a new ‘Santa Maria BBQ’ menu added to previous favorites. Open 4-8pm from Friday thru’ Taco Tuesday… The Redwood Drive-In just keeps on doing what they do, with reliable hours that everyone can remember and rely on (6am-8pm every day!) - don't forget to try the donuts!… Stone and Embers’ spring hours see them open from Noon to 8pm Friday-Sunday and Noon to 4pm on Monday and Tuesday, with new summer hours soon to be announced… Finally, down in the Deep End, The Bewildered Pig is open Wednesday-Sunday, 5:30-9pm - you can check out all of their “insane” offerings on their well-maintained Facebook page… And that’s it for now… Join us again next week as we once again travel along the Valley’s Dining Highway… Meanwhile, I encourage you all to eat, drink, and be merry at one of the above establishments whenever you can - remember ‘eating out is fun’…

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #545 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have one visit this month to the Anderson Valley Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo, - that is tomorrow, May 4, from 2-3.30pm. They will be here twice next month - June 1 and 15. 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!… #546 - The monthly Barn Sale at The Big Barn next to the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way, just north of Boonville, takes place on the first weekend of every month so the next such event is this coming weekend, Saturday/Sunday, May 6/7 from 9am to 3pm each day… #547 - This Saturday, May 6, sees the Boonville Farmers’ Market move from its winter location at The General Store and take up residence across the street at the usual spot in the Boonville Hotel parking lot with their new summer hours 9.30am-Noon. For more info, call Cindy at 895-2949… #548 - Need a burn permit? From 11am-3pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays you can get one from the Firehouse in Boonville. Call 895-2020 for more information or stop by and you will be efficiently served with a smile - trust me on this… #549 - The A.V. Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open Tuesdays from 1.30-4.30pm and Saturdays 2-4pm at The Fairgrounds in Boonville… #550 - The County Dump is open from 9am-4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Dump Executive Director, Mike Mannix, rewards good customers with a star but will be very harsh with anyone thinking they can leave 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, May 4, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Beef and Broccoli followed by Birthday Cupcakes. Then, next Tuesday, May 9, the evening meal served at 6pm, will feature Tamale Loaf with Wendy’s Oatmeal Bars 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, on Tuesday and Thursday from 9-9.45am the Center offers ‘Young at Heart Exercise’ with Linda Boudoures and Karen DeFalco… Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays at 11am-Noon 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, 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, is closed this week but hard-working investigative reporter, The Old Buzzard, never sleeps and so here is another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “I recently read with great interest an article about America’s prisons in The Economist weekly news magazine - in my experience just about the most objective read one could hope to find. Among the many statistics that were presented in what was a very informative piece, a couple of very basic ones stood out… With less than 5% of the world’s population, the U.S. holds roughly 25% of it’s prisoners - that is more than 2.3 million people, including 1.6 million in state and federal prisons and 700,000 in local jails and immigration pens. Per head, the incarceration rate in the land of the free has risen seven-fold since the 1970s and percentage-wise it is now five times Britain’s, nine times German’s, and fourteen times Japan’s… Some 49,000 Americans are serving life without the possibility of ever being released. In England, with almost a sixth of America’s population, there are just 55. And the cost to U.S. taxpayers is typically $68,000 per inmate each year… Something must surely be done, but with so many prosecutors and judges elected via ‘tough on crime tickets,’ the continuing of state and federal ‘mandatory minimum’ sentences and ‘three strike’ rules that compel courts to lock up even relatively minor repeat offenders for most of their lives, plus the gun lobby remaining so prevalent and strong, and the basically lost war on drugs continuing, reform will be slow… And that can only mean that the Apocalypse will be upon us even sooner than we thought…”

    Thanks for another downer, Buzzard, although a dose of reality is often a good thing to the many of us up here in the bucolic bubble that is Anderson Valley…Ok, 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…

# 560 - 26th April, 2017

    Greetings one and all. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
    Let’s begin with the Turkey Vulture’s update on ‘Evening Dining in the Valley’… Exciting news - Libby is back! The former owner of Libby’s Restaurant is taking on a new challenge - for one night a week (Monday’s) she will be cooking at Lauren’s Restaurant, starting next Monday, May 1 from 4.30-9pm… Now moving on… In geographical order, as you travel through the Valley on Highway 128, here is the latest on ‘The Big Eight Eateries’… Staying with Lauren’s Restaurant, the popular ‘Natalie’s Sunday Supper’ is coming up this Sunday, April 30 from 4-8pm and will feature comfort dining in a cozy atmosphere - Fish and chips, Beef and Onion Pie, Fried chicken and mashed potatoes - just some of the many homestyle meals Natalie will be presenting… Lizbby’s, the new Mexican Restaurant in downtown Boonville, is receiving many positive reviews and can be enjoyed every day except Tuesdays, serving breakfast (on Saturday and Sunday) and lunch from 10am-3pm and dinner from 5-8pm… The Buckhorn has re-opened and, not surprisingly given the six month long bar-free world we have been enduring, it seems to have been pretty busy almost every night since. They are open every day at 11am (10am at weekends), and closed on Tuesdays… The Boonville Hotel continues with their family-style, prix fixe menu and have now expanded their hours to Thursday thru’ Monday. They cook by reservation - call (707)-895-2210… The Q and Aquarelle, formerly Aquarelle Cafe and Wine Bar, has also re-opened with a new ‘Santa Maria BBQ’ menu added to previous favorites. Open 4-8pm from Friday thru’ Taco Tuesday… The Redwood Drive-In just keeps on doing what they do, with reliable hours that everyone can remember and rely on (6am-8pm every day!) - don't forget to try the donuts!… Stone and Embers’ spring hours see them open from Noon to 8pm Friday-Sunday and Noon to 4pm on Monday and Tuesday, with new summer hours soon to be announced… Finally, down in the Deep End, The Bewildered Pig is open Wednesday-Sunday, 5:30-9pm - you can check out all of their “insane” offerings on their well-maintained Facebook page… And that’s it for now… Join us again next week as we once again travel along the Valley’s Dining Highway… Meanwhile, I encourage you all to eat, drink, and be merry at one of the above establishments whenever you can - remember ‘eating out is fun’…

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #544 - It’s the A.V. Brewing Company’s 21st Annual Beer Fest this coming Saturday afternoon at the Fairgrounds in Boonville. If you are attending I suggest you drink reasonably sensibly and within your limits, and if you can’t do that then don't drive or annoy others with your antics - simple guidelines for a good time that have served ‘proper’ beer drinkers like myself and others very well for many years… #545 - 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 May 4. After that they will not be back until June. 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!… #546 - I believe that the Mendocino Bookmobile also returns to the Valley next Tuesday, May 2. Phone 463-4694 for confirmation. They are usually 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.… #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, visiting the Museum is a perfect thing to do in the Valley when you have a couple of hours to 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 monthly Barn Sale at The Big Barn next to the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way, just north of Boonville takes place on the first weekend of every month so the next such event is on Saturday/Sunday, May 6/7 from 9am to 3pm each day… #549 - And finally this week, I am reliably informed by the Yorkville Master Shepherd that this coming Saturday, April 29, in the beautiful setting of the Fig Tree Field, about a mile up Hulbert Road opposite the Yorkville Post Office the Kevin Owens’ Classic sheepdog trial will take place. The always fascinating battle in a natural setting of pastures and hills, featuring Man and Dog versus the Ornery Sheep begins at 10am and everyone is welcome to attend…   
    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, April 27, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be ‘Breakfast for Lunch’ with Cinnamon Roll Cake for dessert… Then, next Tuesday, May 2, the lunch will feature Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes with Boston 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, on Tuesday and Thursday from 9-9.45am the Center offers ‘Young at Heart Exercise’ with Linda Boudoures and Karen DeFalco… Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays at 11am-Noon 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…

    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…
... A regular at the Three-Dot informed me of some very important news from abroad last week - German police are trying out a new weapon in the fight against crime - Turkey Vultures, who as you know, that can find hidden corpses. just about anywhere. Three feathered detectives – appropriately named Sherlock, Miss Marple and Columbo - are being trained in northern Germany to do this. Police are using three of my German cousins because we vultures prefer to roam big areas as a group and our keen eyesight and acute sense of smell makes us as skilful as our fictional namesakes. Furthermore, we are better than sniffer dogs at finding bodies when a large area has to be searched and the terrain is difficult. However, apparently the experiment has now raised ethical concerns because of the risk that some of us might start pecking at a dead body when we find them... Err, yes, we might, but we surely there has to be some perks to the job?…
... Thus week’s ‘Inquiring Minds like to Know’ question posed by our bar-dwellers was, ‘Does a Book Club need to serve wine at its gatherings?’ I personally believe to get to the heart of the book, its very essence, and its author’s intentions and message, then wine should most certainly be served. But I could be wrong, of course...
… Here’s a couple of my ‘objective’ selections for various Valley honors that were shared with 3-Dot regulars over the past week… The Valley’s Worst ‘Hobby’ – letting your dog run alongside your truck as you drive along the backroads – sadly, the somewhat inevitable result has occurred too many times… The Valley’s Best draft Guinness – The Buckhorn… The Most Pleasing Valley phrase – “If there is anything I can do to help, let me know”…
… As we begin to approach summer I always like to give an update each year of the current Tasting Room Count… We have lost a few over the last year and my research leads me to believe we currently have 26 tasting rooms between Yorkville and Navarro, not counting several that are by-appointment only… As an occasional wine-sipper and friend of many folks in the industry at various levels, I sincerely wish each of them success… I have previously expressed concern that the density of tasting rooms will work against all of them surviving over time and, as mentioned above, some three or four have closed in the last year… But that’s a discussion for another time…
… From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, apologized on television after making an ill-judged comparison between Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and Adolf Hitler. He had said in a press briefing that even Hitler “didn’t...sink to using chemical weapons”, leaving journalists stunned; many of the 6m Jews killed by the Nazis died in poison-gas chambers. Mr Spicer admitted the reference was “inappropriate” and “insensitive”… This idiotic clown must go…
     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’; 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 - 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…

# 559 - 19th April, 2017

    Greetings one and all. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
    Let’s begin with the Turkey Vulture’s update on ‘Evening Dining in the Valley’… In geographical order, as you travel through the Valley on Highway 128, here is the latest on ‘The Big Eight Eateries’… Lauren’s Restaurant continues with their regular hours of lunch on Thursday-Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm, and dinner on Tuesday-Saturday, 5-9pm, closed Mondays, with the always special ‘Natalie’s Sunday Supper’ coming up on the last Sunday of the month, April 30 from 4-8pm… Lizbby’s, the new Mexican Restaurant in downtown Boonville, is open every day except Tuesdays, serving breakfast (on Saturday and Sunday) and lunch from 10am-3pm and dinner from 5-8pm… The Buckhorn has re-opened and, not surprisingly given the six month long bar-free world we have been enduring, it seems to have been packed every night since. They are open every day at 11am (10am at weekends), closed on Tuesdays… The Boonville Hotel continues with their family-style, prix fixe menu served Friday thru’ Sunday… The Q and Aquarelle, formerly Aquarelle Cafe and Wine Bar, has also re-opened with a new ‘Santa Maria BBQ’ menu added to previous favorites. Open 4-8pm from Friday thru’ Taco Tuesday… The Redwood Drive-In just keeps on doing what they do, with reliable hours that everyone can remember and rely on (6am-8pm every day!) - don't forget to try the donuts!… Stone and Embers’ spring hours see them open from Noon to 8pm Friday-Sunday and Noon to 4pm on Monday and Tuesday… Finally, down in the Deep End, The Bewildered Pig is open Wednesday-Sunday, 5:30-9pm… And that’s it for now… Join us again next week as we once again travel along the Valley’s Dining Highway… Meanwhile, I encourage you all to eat, drink, and be merry at one of the above establishments whenever you can - remember ‘eating out is fun’…

    Talking of traveling, for your Quotes of the Week here are three of my favorites on this subject. First up, it’s these words from Richard Burton (1925-1984) the Welsh actor nominated seven times for an Academy Award (without ever winning) who said, “Travelers, like poets, are mostly an angry race”… And then there is this comment from Paul Theroux (1941-?) the American travel writer and novelist – “Travel is glamorous only in retrospect”… Finally, how about this from Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) the Irish writer and poet who typically remarked, “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on one’s travels!”…

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #542 - For the month of April, a Diabetes Workshop will be offered by the A.V. Health Center at the Senior Center on Tuesdays in Spanish from 10am-Noon and on Thursdays in English from 1-3pm. To register please call 707-895-3477… #543 - Historical theater, in the form of the Mendocino County Museum's Road Show, comes to the Anderson Valley Grange in Philo on this Friday, April 21 at 7:30 pm. Step back in time and experience life in Mendocino County during the 19th century through story and song. This year's Museum Road Show tells the true stories of the Frolic shipwreck, and the birth of the lumber industry; schooners and stagecoach lines; the truth about the Mendocino Indian “Wars"; Grace Hudson, her paintings, and her love for the Pomo; and the scandalous and comical tale of the Cattle King of Round Valley and the Fraud Queen of Spiritualism! Advance tickets are $18 Adults; $14 Seniors & Students. For more information visit www.MendocinoMuseum.org. … #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 is tomorrow, Thursday April 20. 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!… #545 - The 3rd Annual Anderson Valley Goat Festival will be held from 10am-4pm at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville on Saturday April 22, in conjunction with the Wildflower Show - which continues on Sunday too. This fun and informative event  focuses on "everything goat" - workshops on goat care, as well as cheese, yogurt & kefir making; a tour of Pennyroyal Goat Farm and Creamery; a best dressed goat parade; a birria cook-off (spicy goat stew); music by Joe Blow, and more!… #546 - The Boonville Farmers’ Market continues with its Winter location and hours for a couple of more weeks at The Boonville General Store, on Saturdays from 11am-1pm. They will move to the summer venue at the Hotel parking lot in May. For more info, call Cindy at 895-2949… #547 - Need a burn permit? From 11am-3pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays you can get one from the Firehouse in Boonville. Call 895-2020 for more information or stop by and you will be efficiently served with a smile - trust me on this… #548 - The A.V. Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open Tuesdays from 1.30-4.30pm and Saturdays 2-4pm at The Fairgrounds in Boonville… #549 - The County Dump is open from 9am-4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Dump Executive Director, Mike Mannix, rewards good customers with a star but will be very harsh with anyone thinking they can leave dead animals!… #550 - And finally this week, I am reliably informed by the Yorkville Master Shepherd that on Saturday, April 29, up on Hulbert Ranch Road, opposite the post office in Yorkville, the Kevin Owens’ Classic sheepdog trial will take place. The fascinating battle in a natural setting of pastures and hills, featuring Man and Dog versus the Ornery Sheep begins at 10am and everyone is welcome to attend - hope to see you there…
    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, April 20, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Parmesan Cod followed by Strawberry Lemon bars… Then, next Tuesday, April 25, the evening meal served at 6pm, will feature Sausage in ‘Vodka’ sauce and the fixin’s with Chocolate Amaretto 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, on Tuesday and Thursday from 9-9.45am the Center offers ‘Young at Heart Exercise’ with Linda Boudoures and Karen DeFalco… Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays at 11am-Noon 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…

    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…
… Along with a couple of other 3-Dot regulars, I made my first visit to the  ‘new’ Buckhorn last Friday evening. Business was brisk and apparently even more so later on… The draft Guinness was excellent and from the reduced menu the spicy wings were at the high standard of the location’s previous ‘incarnation’… The new owners have made some small but positive changes and plan to introduce their full menu this week… I humbly believe that a community needs such a gathering place and many, many Valley folks are hoping for the success of this establishment in what has always been a great location…
… Rain, sun, rain, sun, rain, sun - I wish whoever was in charge of this stuff would make their mind up and let’s all move on…
... This week’s 3-Dot discussion point - ‘Is Yorkville in Anderson Valley?’... Well technically and traditionally ‘Yes’. However, geographically there are over ten miles  and several significant hills/ravines/small valleys in between ‘the High Rollers and the rest of us’.’ Not to mention the fact that ii is clearly not physically in the same Valley as Boonville, Philo, and Navarro. So maybe it shouldn’t be part of the Valley. This may a good or bad thing depending on your perspective. I know of several Yorkville folks who believe that they are not included in the overall Valley’s mindset – some of whom are annoyed by that fact and yet some who are quite pleased about this situation... To be discussed further...
… From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “A couple f weeks ago, Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood, spoke at the Women in the World Summit in New York. These are tricky times for the biggest provider of abortions in America. Last month it had a narrow escape when the government pulled a health-care bill that would have stopped federal funding for family-planning clinics that provide abortions. Now pro-life lawmakers will be looking for another opportunity to strip the organization of government cash. If, as expected, Donald Trump approves a bill restoring states’ right to block access to federal grants for family-planning centers that provide abortions, clinics may close. But the big push will be for a new bill that “defunds” Planned Parenthood nationally. Federal money that flows to clinics cannot be used specifically for abortions, which in any case make up only a small part of Planned Parenthood’s services. Preventing poor Americans from getting the rest of the organization’s family-planning services seems a bad way to fight abortion, but as the Apocalypse approaches in a world that seems to be teetering on the edge, perhaps we should not be surprised…”
   
    Strange and disconcerting times, indeed, Buzzard. Thanks for your latest thoughts on impending doom and gloom… Meanwhile, 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…
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…
   


   

# 558 - 12th April, 2017

    Greetings one and all. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
    Let’s begin with the Turkey Vulture’s update on ‘Evening Dining in the Valley’… Aquarelle Cafe and Wine Bar re-opened last Friday with  a new menu featuring Santa Maria BBQ dishes such as half-chickens and ribs to accompany popular items from their previous menu. Their opening hours for now, which may well change, will be Friday to Tuesday, from 1-7pm each day… The Buckhorn’s long-awaited re-opening, after a number of last minute delays, is tonight - Wednesday, April 12!. The bar will be fully stocked with beer, wine, and liquor, and the kitchen will be serving burgers and wings for three days until the full menu is introduced beginning on Saturday. Hope to see you there… Now to the other options, in geographical order as you travel through the Valley on Highway 128… Lauren’s Restaurant (895-3869) continues with their regular hours of lunch on Thursday-Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm, and dinner on Tuesday-Saturday, 5-9pm. And their pop-up ‘Natalie’s Sunday Supper’ is on April 30 from 4-8pm - not to be missed if you like Fish and Chips, and other such home-style goodies… Lizbby’s, the Mexican Restaurant in downtown Boonville, is open every day except Tuesdays, serving breakfast (on Saturday and Sunday) and lunch from 10am-3pm and dinner from 5-8pm… The Boonville Hotel continues with their family-style, prix fixe menu served Friday thru’ Sunday… The Redwood Drive-In just keeps on doing what they do, with reliable hours - every day from 6am to 8pm, serving breakfast until 11.30am, and don’t forget to try the donuts!… Stone and Embers’ spring hours are from Noon to 8pm Friday-Sunday and Noon to 4pm on Monday and Tuesday… The Bewildered Pig! is open Wednesday-Sunday, 5:30-9pm… And that’s it for now… Join us again next week for another culinary cruise along the Dining Highway… Meanwhile, I encourage you all to eat, drink, and be merry…
    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready - lots of ‘stuff’ this week… #542 - For the month of April, a Diabetes Workshop will be offered by the AV Health Center at the Senior Center on Tuesdays in Spanish from 10am-Noon and on Thursdays in English from 1-3pm. To register please call 707-895-3477… #543 - Historical theater in the form of the Mendocino County Museum's Road Show comes to the Anderson Valley Grange in Philo on Friday, April 21 at 7:30 pm. Step back in time and experience life in Mendocino County during the 19th century through story and song. This year's Museum Road Show tells the true stories of the Frolic shipwreck, and the birth of the lumber industry; schooners and stagecoach lines; the truth about the Mendocino Indian “Wars"; Grace Hudson, her paintings, and her love for the Pomo; and the scandalous and comical tale of the Cattle King of Round Valley and the Fraud Queen of Spiritualism! Advance tickets are $18 Adults; $14 Seniors & Students. For more information visit www.MendocinoMuseum.org. … #544 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have two visits this month to the Anderson Valley Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo - tomorrow, Thursday April 13 and then again next week on April 20, from 2-3.30pm each time. 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!… #545 - Gardeners, Farmers and Produce Growers of all kinds, please remember Food Bank days (3rd Tuesday of every month) as a place to donate your extra produce. That’s next week, Tuesday, April 18. The food bank has added new hours. They are always open from 8-10 am on the 3rd Tuesday of every month; they are also open on the Monday evening before, from 4-6. Please drop off on the Monday, behind 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… #546 - I believe that the Mendocino Bookmobile also returns to the Valley next Tuesday, April 18. Phone 463-4694 for confirmation. They are usually 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.… #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, visiting the Museum is a perfect thing to do in the Valley when you have a couple of hours to spare on a weekend afternoon. It is not without reason that it is generally regarded as ‘The Best Little Museum in the West’… #548 - Following it’s winter break, the monthly Barn Sale at The Big Barn next to the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way, just north of Boonville resumed in April and will now take place on the first weekend of every month - the next one is May 6/7… #549 - The 3rd Annual Anderson Valley Goat Festival will be held from 10am-4pm at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville on Saturday April 22, in conjunction with the Wildflower Show. This fun and informative event  focuses on "everything goat" - workshops on goat care, as well as cheese, yogurt & kefir making; a tour of Pennyroyal Goat Farm and Creamery; a best dressed goat parade; a birria cook-off (spicy goat stew); music by Joe Blow, and more!… #550 - And finally this week, I am reliably informed by the Yorkville Master Shepherd that this coming Saturday, April 15, the first local sheepdog trail of the year will take place at The Fairgrounds in Boonville. Called The Spring Trial the fascinating battle featuring Man and Dog versus the Ornery Sheep will begin at 10am and everyone is welcome to attend…
    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, April 13, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Sweet Mustard Chicken followed by Cocoa Revel bars… Then, next Tuesday, April 18, the lunch will feature Stir Fry Beef 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 get all week!… Meanwhile, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-9.45am the Center offers ‘Young at Heart Exercise’ with Linda Boudoures and Karen DeFalco… Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays at 11am-Noon 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, where “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley are shared with readers, is closed this week as most of the customers are enjoying a draft beer and a shot of Jameson’s Irish whiskey at the newly re-opened Buckhorn. However, former world-class alcohol imbiber, and 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, is not one to let such momentous occasions stop him from sharing the truth and so here comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “Lets go straight to ‘The Trump Thing,’ or as it had been known for almost 250 years up until now - The U.S. Presidency… This time let me focus on some statistics… According to Politifact, an independent study group, 69 percent of the president's statements are to some degree false. A third are outright false, while 16 percent are "pants on fire” lies… Meanwhile, perhaps an even more disturbing fact is that just 58 percent of eligible voters showed up in 2016, despite the campaign being one of the most fraught, controversial, and engaging of any in recent memory. That's actually up from some presidential years, like 2000, but slightly down from 2012. Compared to other industrialized democracies, this is absolutely disgraceful. Why is it so? Because folks here simply don’t want to, perhaps. But surely voting isn't something you do because you want to. You don't look at it like, what do I want? What do I feel? It is a right but also a duty. You don’t say that the candidates are both bad and not bother at all. You say: What will happen if I don't? And what will happen if I do? That's called being an adult, and the sooner folks in this country realize that then the more hope we will have of avoiding the Apocalypse…”

    Can’t argue with that, Buzzard… Meanwhile, 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 - 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!… Hope all is well south of the Border, Round-eyed Robin…