Bird’s Eye View (May 18, 2016)

Greetings one and all. Are you are sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin.

The Unpresidential Race for the Presidency. Part 10. The next six months of political discourse in this country promises to be very ugly. Even if Donald Trump’s demeanor becomes slightly more presidential (it could hardly be any less so), he will no doubt continue to provide us with many bizarre and baseless pronouncements that seem to give many of his followers great delight despite frequently provoking harmful conflict and often come without any regard for the facts. His misogyny and racism will remain not far from the surface even if he tones down the crassness, and his ideas on economics and foreign policy continue to cause concern for informed economists and those abroad who are dismayed by his geographical and diplomatic ignorance. He will need to win about 65 million votes to become President and surely there are not that many people here who can make such a blunder. However, his likely opponent Hilary Clinton is no stranger to criticism among many of her own party and its followers. She will be called a crook and a liar many times in the next few months and, as any student of history will know, if something is said often enough many people start to believe it. She is not loathed by as many people as Trump is, but the share who view her unfavorably is far higher than is usual for presidential nominees. It is a far from satisfactory situation for the voters and, in a two-horse race, the chances of a close finish are well above zero.

Public Service Announcements. Calendars and pens at the ready. #556. The Independent Career Women is a splendid organization, and certainly here in the Valley one of the most powerful; their annual Open House will take place next Wednesday, May 25. This will be held at the AV Brewery Visitor Center at 6.30pm. Small plates/hors d’oeuvres will be served and all Valley women are welcome, current members and otherwise. Males are not invited for reasons that remain unclear. #557. The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have just one visit this month to the AV Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo. That is tomorrow, Thursday, May 19 from 2-3.30pm. To avoid a line perhaps go 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. They will return on June 2 and 16. #558. The Elder Home’s Community Garden started construction at their plot behind the Elder Home yesterday, Tuesday, May 17, and it continues today. They will have raised beds and in-ground plots available by the end of the month. Plots are open to all in community and are available for the small annual fee of $20. This is a joint effort with AV ElderHome, AV Food Shed, and NCO's Garden Project. Contact AVEH 895-3889 or AVEH@pacific.net for further information. #559. The annual AV Pinot Festival is on Saturday/Sunday, May 21/22 throughout the Valley. #560. Do you enjoy live music of high quality? Then get yourself to the show by Yorkville’s Rockin” Shepherd, Kevin Owens, and his band Reverb, at The Buckhorn, starting at 8pm, on the Friday night of Memorial Day weekend, May 27. #561. Also on Memorial Day weekend, on Sunday, May 29, it’s the Elder Home/Senior Center Fundraiser hosted by the AV Lions Club. This will feature a Tri-Tip and Chicken BBQ from 4:30-7:30pm in the Redwood Grove at the Fairgrounds. In addition to great food (including a vegetarian option) and a big silent auction, music will be provided by The Ukeholics & The Tiny Orchestra of Boonville. Tickets, available at AV Market, All That Good Stuff & Lemons Market; $18 at the door, $15 in advance, $12 for kids & seniors. #562. The Boonville Farmers Market continues every Saturday in the parking lot of the Boonville Hotel, 9.30am-Noon. For more information, call Cindy at 895-2949. #563. If you need a Burn Permit, the AV Fire Department is no longer offering them but you can get one from CalFire on just south of Boonville at the prison-like complex past the gravel pits. #564. The Unity Club’s AV Lending Library is open Tuesday and Saturday at The Fairgrounds, Tuesday 1.30-4.30pm and Saturday 2-4pm. #565. The County Dump is open from 9am-4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Remember, no dead animals!

Here is the menu for the Community lunches 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 19, the lunch, always served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Ham or Turkey Sandwich with Peach Cobbler dessert. Then, next Tuesday, May 24, the lunch will feature Beef Tacos and Buried Treasure Cake for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal; best $7 you’ll spend all week! Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays it is Easy-stretch Yoga, also at 11am. ALL ages welcome! Hope to see you there.

Topics and Valley events from the Three-Dot Lounge: Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley.

…Pat Hulbert, very knowledgeable Valley historian and Keeper of the Flame at the Hulbert Ranch, informed us that her bone cancer has returned and she may have to have her hand amputated. I suggest that Pat, a woman of faith who prays for the Valley’s well-being and that of many of its residents, is now in the prayers of many of you, to whatever god is of your choosing. Meanwhile, Pat shared her thought of the day, informing us that if you start walking every day you can at 70, this will add enough minutes to your life to enable you at 85 years old to spend an additional six months in a nursing home at a cost of $5,000 per month. Thanks for the wisdom, Pat.

…Adult soccer has returned to the Valley. The AV School board voted unanimously to allow them to return to playing home games at the school field after the ban on such matches was imposed last year following an incident that involved a different team to the one now reinstated. Justice was done and hopefully such unsavory events will not be repeated. Go Laguneta!

…Talking of sports in the Valley, many folks are no doubt sending their best wishes to former high school football coach Danny Kuny for his speedy recovery from the serious accident that the long time expert logger suffered while working in the woods in the Sierra foothills. Danny is as strong as an ox and a very healthy man and these factors apparently played a big part in restricting the injuries to various broken bones, serious though they are. It could have been much worse. Here at the The Nest we wish the Coach the very best on the comeback trail and hope to see his smiling face sometime soon.

…From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series: “Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching.” Buzzard reports, “While this topic may not meet the apocalyptical levels of some of my reports, for those who like to wine and dine in the Valley, and for those who provide the locations to do so, this is getting to be an issue. With the addition of a number of new eating establishments in the Valley over the last few months, a problem being faced to varying degrees among them all is staffing. The owners are all very talented and in the opinion of most customers they are providing excellent food up and down the Valley. It is a very tasty situation indeed for those locals who enjoy eating out, myself included, and for Valley visitors too, of course. For a few years now there has been a distinct shortage in the number of reliable and conscientious restaurant workers available for hire in the Valley, and now with the new eateries opening this problem is causing significant concern. In fact, I hear from some restaurateurs that with an expected busy summer almost upon us, a point will soon be approaching where finding enough staff is so difficult that any “warm body” will be hired. It would appear to be a classic case of too many chefs and not enough indians.”

I’m outtahere. I’ve got see a man about a sheep. So “please take me drunk, I’m home.” 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 remember to keep your windows cracked if you leave them in your vehicle for any amount of time); think good thoughts; “Keep the Faith’; and may your god go with you. A final request, “Let us prey.” Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture. Contact me through the Letters Page or at turkeyvulture9@gmail.com. PS. Missing the Venerable Pheasant everyday. On the sheep, Grace. Keep on humming, Hummingbird.