A SEASON OF MUSTARD & THE MOODYS

SPECTACULAR COLOR
   

       Wet winter and spring conditions have provided what long time locals are calling

a bumper crop year for wild mustard.

       The Central Coast country side is a quilt with yellow splashes everywhere.

        It is reminiscent of the work of impressionist painters.

       Even woodlands are dotted with pastures of the gold.

       The Pacific Coast Highway is painted with mustard, making it difficult to keep your only on the road.

       It seems ubiquitous, even growing out of abandoned stretches of the old coast highway.

Last year was a season for lupine, oxalis and poppies. This year the California poppies are sharing their glory with the gold of mustard.


GREAT MOOD

       We had the good fortune to see the Moody Blues in the Cohan Center at Cal Poly last night.  It had been a couple of decades since I've seen them live. They are still

an incredible band and play and sing with virtuosity.  Hayward and Lodge remain superb vocalists as well as players.  The crowd, an interesting cross section of demographics, was in rapt attention and adoring.  The Cohan is not a large hall, but a great venue with 

remarkable acoustics.  The young British woman sitting next to me in the ninth row said the concert was a surprise to her and that she was not familiar with the music, except Nights in White Satin. By intermission she was hooked.  Another generation made fans.

           We had all access passes so after the show our pal Mike, himself a veteran of the

the rock and roll road, took us backstage for a visit with another old friend who is managing the tour.  He said the touring company is like a family and the band members are great guys.

           "As close to the Beatles as I'll ever get," Mark observed.  Having such a great relationship makes the ardor of a rock tour go a little easier. 

         If the Moody Blues come to your area, I recommend you see the show. The feeling is great both on and back stage.

See you down the trail.