Greetings one and all. If you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin. It’s that time of year when I leave these parts for the Annual Turkey Vultures and Lesser Birds of Prey Convention at a secret location many miles from here. You will no doubt be pleased to hear that I shall once again receive a Special Vulturanitarian Award for my continuing services to the Birds of Prey Community of Northern California, to go along with yet another (my fifth) Carrion-Eater of the Year Title (AV Region). Thanks to everyone who has made these awards possible, particularly Hummingbird, my fellow Vultures, and the noble carcass-providers. My ability to write this column may be jeopardized during this time. Please prey for me.
Public Service Announcements. #544. The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have one more visit this month to the AV Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo: Thursday, June 16 from 2-3.30pm. They try to keep to a first and third Thursday schedule and they should be back on July 7 and 21. #545. The “Second Wednesday Drumming Circle” at The Grange is tonight, Wednesday, June 8 from 7-9pm. To confirm, perhaps call Andy at 895-3020. #546. The Mendocino Bookmobile returns next Tuesday, June 14 (alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes) at: Navarro Store 9am (30 minutes); the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Phone 463-4694 for further details. #547. The AV Museum is open Saturday & Sunday 1pm-4pm in The Little Red Schoolhouse near the Elementary School on AV Way, a perfect way to spend a couple of hours spare on a weekend afternoon: “The Best Little Museum in the West.” #548. The AV Grange is having its regular Second Sunday Pancake Breakfast, June 12 from 8:30-11am. $5-10, kids through hungry folks — a delicious, locally-sourced breakfast. Pancakes (gluten free available although gluten extra is not served), eggs, and bacon, with a choice of juice, tea or coffee included.
Here’s the menu for the Community lunches and dinners next week in the Senior Center at the Veterans Building in Boonville. $6 donation requested from seniors for both lunches and dinners and $7 for Non-seniors for lunches; $8 for the dinners. Tomorrow, Thursday, June 9, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Citrus Cod with Triple Lemon Dessert. Next Tuesday, June 14, the evening meal at 6pm, will feature BBQ ribs, and Cherry Crisp for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal; maybe the best value of the week! Tai Chi is available every Tuesday at 11am. Thursdays is Easy-stretch Yoga, also at 11am, part of the Active Life Club from 10am to 2pm with games, crafts, and music. ALL ages are welcome!
Topics and Valley events discussed at The Three-Dot Lounge — “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley.
…Following last week’s “Most often heard in the Valley” discussion about commonly repeated local phrases, the 3-Dot regulars decided to discuss what sights could be deemed “Most often spotted in the Valley.” The final selections: A dog running along the road, clearly lost and without a collar. Many different local people gathered in groups of two or three having conversations outside local stores and post offices, a very nice thing to do. Silver-haired men driving sports cars with a much younger blonde woman in the passenger seat pretending to listen to what the old guy is saying. Motorcycle “gangs” of lawyers and accountants dressed in hardly-worn leather biker gear, trying to look menacing, but failing miserably. Slow-driving tourists refusing to use the many turnouts despite a long gaggle of cars behind them. Schoolkids walking in small groups through downtown Boonville, each staring at an iPhone and ignoring their companions (this can be almost as common as adults doing the same while sitting in restaurants — not a sight unique to AV of course). Wine-tasting visitors becoming visibly more inebriated and hence more glib and silly as the afternoon progresses. Tourists along the side of Hwy 128 picking raspberries, often completely unaware that they are also standing among vibrant bushes of poison oak.
…New science rooms at the high school? A swimming pool? Are these really among the best ways to spend money at the school? Some would say, “Yes.” Anyway, that may be the result if the new bond issue passes. How about a chalkboard, some stimulating two-way conversation between teachers and students, a little extra sprinkling of discipline and a modicum of student accountability, and homework assignments and tests completed with passing grades? Most seniors at the high school have managed this and will receive deserved congratulations at their graduation ceremony this week. They have partaken in video games, boy/girl friends, texting and social media, playing sports, goofing off… all of which are part of the school experience in these times of course, but the graduates have partaken in such activities without excess and have shown that there is still plenty of time for academics. This is a school after all.
…Here’s an old chestnut worth repeating before I head out: the overuse of the word “awesome.” The word is expressed far more often than warranted; one cannot help but question whether everything referred to these days as “awesome” is really as awe-inspiring as the way the word is defined? Much of what is so described is, if the truth were to be spoken, “especially good,” “very tasty,” “quite pleasant,” “particularly interesting,” “very well done,” “most impressive,” etc. Things that are actually awe-inspiring and earn the description “awesome” could also equally be referred to as being breathtaking, magnificent, overwhelming, stunning, sublime, and wondrous. So come on, was that burger actually “magnificent,” or was it “very tasty”? Just wondering, trying to keep it real.
I’m outtahere. I’ve got see a far off 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. Remember to keep your windows cracked if you plan to leave them in your vehicle even for just a few minutes; think good thoughts; Keep the Faith; and may your god go with you. A final request, “Let us prey.” Sometimes poking, often stroking, yet almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture. Contact me through the Letters Page or at turkeyvulture9@gmail.com. PS. Keep on wagging that tail, Fred. Hi, Silver Swan. behaving yourself? Hopefully not! Keep up the good work, Round-eyed Robin.
I say yes.