Greetings one and all. If you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin. And what better start than to mention the excellent event that I attended on Sunday at the Navarro Winery as part of the movement to “Save Hendy Woods State Park”! A crowd over 200 (about 70% local) gathered to enjoy fine food and wine, live music, a silent auction, and an afternoon of socializing with like-minded friends and acquaintances, all with the common goal of keeping the park open.
For your Quotes of the Week I must inevitably turn to some that have trees as their subject matter. Let’s start with this from Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) the Indian Bengali prophet and literary figure who said, “Trees are the Earth’s endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.” And how about these words from American poet Lucy Larcom (1824-1893): “He who plants a tree plants hope.” Of course there are always those less enlightened figures who have to say something stupid and narrow-minded, and one of those is most certainly former US President Ronald Reagan, whose resurgent popularity in recent times can only be regarded as a mystery and indicative of how short society’s collective memory can be. Anyway, this is what “The Great Communicator”(??) famously and unforgivingly once said, “If you’ve seen one redwood tree, you’ve seen them all.” What a clown!
We must end the quotes on a positive note, so here are three such comments on the almighty tree. First some wise words from William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878), the American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post, who observed, “Groves of trees were God’s first temples.” Next is this from Seneca the Elder (28BC-39AD), the Roman rhetorician and writer, who said, “When you enter a grove peopled with ancient trees, higher than the ordinary, and shutting out the sky with their thickly inter-twined branches, do not the stately shadows of the wood and the stillness of the place strike you with the presence of a deity?” And finally, from Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), the Lebanese-American artist, poet, philosopher, come these words, which I believe perfectly sum up the need to keep Hendy Woods open for one and all, “Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.”
Public Service Announcements. Calendars and pens at the ready. #114. The annual AV Theatre Guild production, under the directorship of Marcus Magdalena, begins its two weekend run this coming Friday and Saturday. This year’s play is “Cocktails with Mimi,” “a comedy for all ages,” featuring a dozen talented local thespians. It will run for two consecutive weekends, Friday and Saturday, April 27/28 and May 4/5 at The Grange with a curtain at 7pm every night. Oh, and there’s Alicia’s delicious tacos available before the show and during the intermission at every performance! #115. The Barn Sale returns on the final weekend of the month for the first time in 2012. This will take place at The Big Barn at The St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on AV Way, just north of Boonville, from 9am to 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29. And the always enjoyable Barbecue will be open on the Sunday! #116. The AV Unity Club presents its Annual Wildflower Show at The Fairgrounds in Boonville this coming Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29 from 10am to 4pm each day. It is fun and free! Call Robyn at 895-2609 for further details.
Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge — “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley.
…A number of our local regulars were very pleased to hear that Steve Sparks will shortly be resuming his “Lives and Times of Valley Folks” series of interviews, the first of which will appear in this newspaper in May. After doing 146 of these in 155 weeks, Steve took a few months off and now feels reinvigorated enough to get going once again. He tells me he has many names on his list of potential interviewees and it is just a matter of getting people to agree to do them. He also asks for any suggestions and wants to assure all subjects that they always have the final word on what appears in print.
…Many regulars and I were full of praise for the special lunch put on by Lauren and her staff at the restaurant in Boonville last Thursday from 1pm to 3pm. The guests were primarily Valley innkeepers/lodging owners and winery owners/managers, who were all treated to a delicious and eclectic feast featuring the many dishes on Lauren’s menu. With wine also provided and a fun atmosphere of meeting and greeting, I imagine the already symbiotic relationship between Lauren’s Restaurant and the Valley’s various hosts would have been strengthened even more.
…As you may already know, this month’s Guest Chef Dinner at the Senior Center on Friday 27th has sold out. The next one is on June 1st with Maple Creek Winery’s Tom Rodrigues as the Guest Chef. I shall keep you informed about the menu and ticket details but this too will sell out, I’m sure.
…Talking of the Dinner this Friday, I shall not be in attendance as I plan to be at the opening night of the Theater Guild’s play. A tough decision, but Hummingbird is involved in the play and so that’s where I’ll be. Even though the dining event was sold out, the Signal Ridge Quail and her flock had arranged to provide me with a dinner but now this means that the lovely gesture has to be declined. Nevertheless, it was much appreciated anyway.
…A couple of disgruntled high school students swung by the 3-Dot for after school snacks and a few beers, sorry ice teas, and were bemoaning the fact that the “lunchtime lockdown” was still in effect at the school. You may recall that following a “fight club” lunchtime episode a few months ago, the whole student body is not permitted to leave the school during the lunch break. The rumor is that this will be continued into the next school year too and this is creating even more dissatisfaction on campus. It does seem a little excessive wouldn’t you say?
I’m outtahere. So, until we talk again, ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you. One final request, “Let us prey.” Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture. PS. Contact me with words of support/abuse through the Letters Page or at turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net. PPS. Hi, Silver Swan. Behaving yourself? Hopefully not! PPPS. Get well soon, Jamal.
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