Posts published by “Turkey Vulture”

So it’s that time again. The County Fair comes to Boonville! Let’s start with some intriguing questions that were raised at the Three-Dot this past week with regard to this weekend’s activities. Will the attendance be an increase on the recent year’s disappointing numbers? Will the infamous “Large-breasted Boonville Flasher” once again expose herself to Sheriff Tom Allman as he rides in the Parade? Will the Varsity Football team put a “big hurt” on Mendocino in The Apple Bowl and the AV High School Soccer team hammer the Potter Valley Bearcats in the Apple Cup? Will there be any sheep wounded at the Sheep Dog Trial? Will Pickles the Clown scare any small children? Will any teenage girls run off with a Carny? (See Quiz below).

So that was it. With the Labor Day weekend over, summer has officially been and gone, although the desperately needed rainfall is still some way off, assuming we get some!? The holiday weekend saw the usual influx of tourists, many of whom were polite and respectful, but some found the need to treat our roads like racetracks and I saw several instances of their “footprints” in the form of the above average amount of road kill.

This coming weekend will see the annual Labor Day festivities, which have taken place at this time as a Federal holiday since 1894 and viewed by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. This event celebrates the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers, so in these days of decline in the power of the unions perhaps I should remind you why you will be enjoying your beers and BBQ this weekend by referring to the influence and importance of labor unions with some appropriate Quotes of the Week.

I must sadly report the passing of one of the best herding dogs to ever come out of this Valley. Ten-year old Bren of Yorkville, who with owner Kevin Owens was the winner of the Mendocino County Fair Sheep Dog Trial for the past two years, died recently after a short illness. To compound the sadness, her daughter Meg, potentially a champion in her own right, was the victim of a fatal rattlesnake bite in the middle of the night just a few days later. Kevin and those close to him, myself included, who had known both dogs and seen them work the sheep in the Yorkville Highlands many, many times, are inevitably greatly saddened at this loss. It is the passing of an era that saw some of the finest displays of a working dog’s relationship with man, and the deep and enduring mutual love and respect that this kinship so often produces.

Bill Sterling, a keen and pro-active supporter of the Valley’s well-being and progress, writes, “At the CSD board meeting at 5:30 pm on August 20th, I shall make a presentation about the STEM project for which George Lee and I are fund-raising. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Over the next three years the High School will introduce new science electives into the curriculum that utilize custom-designed hardware and software that will enable students to conduct hands-on experiments as an integral, essential part of courses in biology, earth sciences, chemistry and physics.

This week, Sunday August 10 to be precise, is the 85th Birthday of my Mother, the Venerable Vulture. While a little unsteady during flight, mentally she remains as sharp as ever and will not hesitate to point out to folks who assume, because of her advanced years, that she might be a little absent-minded, “I am old, not stupid!” She and my father, also 85, recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and received a telegram acknowledging this achievement from the Queen of England! Imagine that. I expect the Queen will be inviting them for tea and scones at The Palace for their 70th anniversary. It would be rude of her not to, wouldn’t you say? Many Happy Returns, Mom!

What a mess! Outside the bucolic bubble that is Boonville and not far beyond, the world seems to be almost spinning out of control. We have increasingly tragic events, some of which are being considered as war crimes, in regions such as the Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Libya, and others; the spreading Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the crashing/shooting down of civilian airplanes; the continuing despicable acts by Boko Haram in Nigeria; thousands of children being held at the Mexican/US border after fleeing their drug-cartel dominated countries; and now here in California we are starting to see some large and out-of-control wildfires amidst terrible drought conditions.