Bird’s Eye View (July 5, 2017)

Mission implausible. (n.b. When referring to Donald Trump, an asterisk will accompany the word President* for reasons that are surely obvious at this point). Lost in the inevitable and justified furor over the thuggish and uncivilized comments by Trump about MSNBC anchors Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough was the recent visit to the Middle East by Trump’s unqualified envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Early in his term, Donald Trump said solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be “the ultimate deal,” a term that I and many others find disturbing when used to discuss one of the world’s most difficult, sensitive, and intractable political/cultural/historical problems. Our bullish President* needs to realize that this is not just another business deal. Anyway, the American president’s* “senior advisor” on this topic, Kushner, visited Israel, supposedly signaling the seriousness of the administration’s peace efforts. The 36-year-old real-estate entrepreneur has no diplomatic experience, though his parents are long-time friends of the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu. The administration has yet to issue details of any new initiative, but it has held back on Mr Trump’s campaign promise to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. a particularly confrontational move in the eyes of the Palestinians. Meanwhile, Israel last month celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War, which began the occupation of the West Bank and last week it started building a new settlement there. The region’s deadlocked diplomacy has defeated the world’s wiliest diplomats for decades and Mr Kushner is so far out of his depth he will no doubt soon be wishing he was simply in negotiations for another apartment complex. Oh, and just to finish off this week’s examination of “How not to be Presidential,” I read with no great surprise that when playing at a golf course in Florida recently, admittedly one that Trump owns, our “leader” drove his golf cart on to the putting green. a fundamental error by any golfer at any level. Obviously Trump thinks himself above rules and etiquette in just about every walk of life. How long will this mess go on?

“Evening Dining in the Valley.” Work continues on a new restaurant going into the building in the heart of Philo that until recently had been the home of Libby’s Restaurant. The kind of eatery has yet to be announced (but rumors abound about a quality breakfast/diner establishment that the Valley sorely lacks at this point). Meanwhile, another evening dining option, the Valley’s ninth, has opened. This is the brightly colored, high-end food truck owned and operated by Brooks Schmitt, the young gentleman who was the driving force, in its better days, of Bite Hard Cider. Brooks is presenting a constantly-changing menu featuring a range of cuisines from Vietnamese to Israeli street foods, with the weekly menu information spread by social media. At this point, the truck will be moving between the AV Brewery Visitor Center (Friday and Sunday, noon to 7pm), the Boonville Hotel (Wednesday, noon to 8pm), and perhaps a spot in Philo on Thursdays.

Here are the other “Big Eight Eateries.” Lauren’s Restaurant sees Libby (of Libby’s Restaurant in Philo fame) as the Guest Chef on Monday evenings from 5-9pm, 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, can be enjoyed Monday to Saturday from 10am-9pm, serving breakfast on Saturday, closed on Sunday. The Buckhorn is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-Midnight, serving weekend brunch each day from 10am-3pm. They are open weekdays at 11am and are closed on Tuesdays. The Boonville Hotel continues with their family-style, prix fixe menu Thursday thru Monday evenings. For reservations call (707)-895-2210. The Q and Aquarelle, formerly Aquarelle Cafe and Wine Bar, has a “Santa Maria BBQ” menu, 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!). Stone and Embers in The Madrones is open from Noon to 8pm five days in succession, Thursday-Monday, and, for one more week (July 11), noon to 4pm on Tuesday. In the Deep End, The Bewildered Pig is open Thursday-Saturday, 4.30-5.30pm Happy Hour with supper served from 5.30-9pm, and then on Sundays, brunch from 11am-2.30pm followed by dinner from 5.30-9pm. Check out their “insane!” offerings on their Facebook page.

Public Service Announcements. Calendars and pens at the ready. #545. The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have two visits this month to the AV Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo. on July 13 and 27. #546. The Mendocino Bookmobile returns to the Valley next Tuesday, July 11. Phone 463-4694 for confirmation. Alternate Tuesdays 45 minutes at: Navarro Store 9am (for just 30 minutes); the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. #547. The AV Museum and Historical Society’s annual open house and meeting is Sunday, July 23. Details to follow. Meanwhile, the Museum is open every Saturday and Sunday from 1pm-4pm in The Little Red Schoolhouse next to the Elementary School on AV Way, a place to visit when you have a couple of hours to spare on a weekend afternoon. “The Best Little Museum in the West.” #548. The Boonville Farmers Market continues Saturdays 9.30am-Noon, at the Boonville Hotel parking lot. Cindy at 895-2949. #549. The AV Grange second Sunday Pancake Breakfast is July 9 from 8:30-11am. Prices from $5-10, kids through hungry folks, for a delicious, locally-sourced breakfast. Pancakes (gluten free available but gluten extra is not), eggs, and bacon, with a choice of juice, tea or coffee included. Apparently if you “entertain” folks at the open mic at this gathering you will get a free breakfast. Can it be so? Anyone barely able to pluck a guitar and sing like a dying cat can get fed some of this delicious food? Seems unfair! Just sayin’. #550. The monthly meeting of the “Preparation for the Rest of Our Lives” group is at Lauren’s Restaurant at 4pm on Sunday, July 9 discussing the options available to all of us at some point. #551. From July 28-30 at the Fairgrounds in Boonville this year’s Not-So-Simple (Actually-Quite-Difficult) Living Fair will take place. Check out notsosimple.info for more details.

Here is the menu for the Community lunches and dinners next week in the Senior Center at the Veterans Building in Boonville. $6 from seniors for lunches and dinners and charges $7 for Non-seniors for lunches and $8 for the dinners. Tomorrow, Thursday, July 6, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes with Birthday Cupcakes for dessert. Next Tuesday, July 11, the 6pm evening meal will feature Spaghetti with Meat Sauce followed by Tiramisu for dessert. As this is the 2nd Tuesday of the month, the dinner will be followed by Bingo at 7pm. 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! On Thursdays the Center offers a Diabetes Workshop. in English from 1-3pm and in Spanish from 5.30-7.30pm. Hosted by the AV Health Center. To register call 707-895-3477. Tuesday and Thursday 9-9.45am is “Young at Heart Exercise” with Linda Boudoures and Tai Chi with Karen DeFalco. Thursdays at 11am, is Kathy’s Easy-stretch Yoga class, part of the Active Life Club from 10am-2pm featuring games, crafts, and music. The Senior Center Community Bus goes to Santa Rosa on the first Wednesday of the month. Sign up early, 489-1175. ALL ages are welcome!

I’m outtahere. Gotta see a man about a sheep. Be careful out there; if you break a leg don’t come running to me; stay out of ditches; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; show love to your pets, they will be faithful and true to you,  please remember to keep your windows cracked if you leave them in your vehicle; 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. A final request, “Let us prey.” Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture, still wallowing in the honor of having the 2^nd tallest tree (343.6 feet) in Hendy Woods named after me and my ilk. Contact me through the Letters Page or at turkeyvulture9@gmail.com. PS Keep on humming, Hummingbird. Missing the Venerable Pheasant. On the sheep, Grace.