Moby Grape

A band who should have been much more appreciated, harmonies that matched or exceeded Byrds, Beach Boys, CSN, three great guitar players, one of the first and best acid country rock bands but sadly mostly unnoticed...

New Mexico 2026

'twas a long trek, about two weeks in duration. Starting to blur a bit so excuse the abbreviated run down. Bit tired and used up.

It was a great two weeks, profits far exceeding my earlier pessimistic expectations. Always expect disaster and then be pleasantly surprised...

So last you heard I had narrowly averted said disaster, finding myself in Winslow with no money, credit cards or identification and not a prayer of getting home.

Found the wallet finally and was on the road again.

Thank you Bill.

But losing things turned out to be a continual theme the whole trip. 

Lost my phone once and it turned out it was in my hand. That was a trip.

Lost a rare weaving, caused a real kerfuffle. Losing it, man. Of course I found everything eventually.

Set up was non eventful. I had a lot of merch, used up about every inch of space. I have the whole setup thing pretty down by now after thirty five years practicing.

Thought I had 16' more of wall, they say they told me, I sure don't remember if they did. 

I rented a quarter of my booth out to my friend Steve. 

It worked but let's just say we have a different type of situational awareness, I could probably have used the room in the final analysis. 

We definitely had a different type of aesthetic but viva le differencé.

His clothes rack did bring more young people and gay men shoppers into the booth.

Didn't help me much but he made some sales. 

Found a really good Vietnamese place, Viet Pho, which was good because the place I liked on Louisiana closed down.

Had a great meal with Mark B. at a nice joint downtown, Antiquity.

 Great branzino.

J.F.

Saw some cool faces. The guy next to me is Stan, owns a guitar shop, friend of John Feldman.

Sold some paintings, sold steady, had a real good show.

Finished up the show, found out I didn't have a hotel for the night and extended.

Next day went up to Santa Fe and saw my buddy Ron, bought some pots and hung out.

He and his wife Lisa and I went to Paloma for dinner and had a nice talk.

Went to Tad and Sandras Tuesday morning and had brunch with a bunch of smart folk. 

Wednesday I set up for what is thought of as the better show.

I brought some very high powered art and sold a high dollar painting right off the bat.

Was good because allowed me to coast a bit but business actually stayed steady the next three days.

Was a good week for food, new chef at Santa Cafe, amazing lamb dinner. Phenomenal hamachi crudo with melon balls appetizer. Elk carpaccio. Lobster rolls.

Best I have had in years there. I like Santa Cafe because not only is the food consistently delicious, I am claustrophobic and like to eat outside.

Next night was another great meal at Geronimo. 

I had the elk, which was good but I think the previous night's food was a smidge better. 

Did have two great bottles of Caymus.

People were great at the show, always see old friends there. Lots of no shows this year, not sure why. 

I met a tibetan man, told him I had been through initiation ceremonies with Kalu fifty years ago and gave him my tibetan name and secret handshake.

He said my third eye opened up then and there. Could have been, I was looking in the other direction.

I bought some great things, hung out a lot with Barry at our normal breakfast haunts.

I liked his hat, make america gracious again...

The best part of the show for me was when Emily, the late Chris's daughter, came up and hugged me and we shared a tear over her mother's passing. My memorial blogpost evidently really touched her. I also got a brother and sister who normally don't speak to share a picture and laugh together.

The important shit.

I bought a collection of wonderful baskets Monday morning, my friend Rick gave me a good lead.

Drove to Flagstaff, which had been hit by a flash flood.

The next day I headed home in the monsoon rain. Took the 66, all the way to Kingman.

At exactly 8:05 the song 8:05 by Moby Grape started streaming on the radio.

I looked up at the heavens and laughing said, "You've got a hell of a sense of humor. What happens at 8:06?"

 Back home now, all good.

I love you

Lost week

I am in the middle of my two show swing to New Mexico. I would like to give a quick recap to a very frenetic week. It has been mostly good but intermixed with a moment or two of terror.

I drove to Flagstaff first day, through 112° heat and high winds in Kingman. Three days before I embarked on the trip I received a recall notice on the van. Turns out the cooling fan relay could melt or catch on fire, starting an engine compartment fire.

I found a dealership in Temecula that could fic it, a five hour job Tuesday. They also informed me that there was another recall, a parking brake problem that was a two day fix, requiring that they drop the transmission.

I guess I will deal with that later. Had to fix the fan deal, didn't want to be driving in intense heat with uch a problem. 

So I get to Flagstaff after about nine hours driving Wednesday, I can't help it, I drive slow. Van ran fine, air conditioner worked, hallelujah. Stayed at the Hyatt, doordashed crappy pizza, which I mostly left in the room. Weird but post chemo have had little appetite.

I take off early Thursday, to mmet Bill and Shirley at the La Posada in Winslow when disaster struck.

I get our of the van and reach into my back pocket and there is no wallet there. I checked the cab and behind the seat for half hour. I call Bill and he comes out and checks too. 

Nothing.

I am freaking at this point. No money, no credit cards, no i.d.. Bill gives me a hundred bucks but I can't even get back home on that in gas. I called the Hyatt and they checked my room and the parking lot. Nada.

I was thinking about just cancelling my shows and going home, what choice did I have.

Bill and I decided to go through the van one last time.

I had paintings against the side door and we pushed them forward and opened it. And there, wedged, below the bottom box and the door was my wallet.

Hallelujah!

I am telling you it was salvation. I gave him his money back, or well, at least a dollar of it and had a mini epiphany. No matter what happened on the rest of the trip, I would be happy and grateful because I want to tell you, I had hit bottom...

to be continued...

Stills

Hits just keep a comin'

 

Fifteen million hits and change on the blast as of this morning. Thanks for reading and being on this journey with me.

Eva

JRAD

Quick Sunday ramble

Are you getting bombarded with money raising pleas on YouTube from the Democratic Senatorial candidate in Texas, James Talarico?

 I am. 

I can't stand his opponent, Ken Paxton and would never vote for the GOP candidate if I lived in Texas but there is something really nauseating about Talarico too, his hand gestures seem forced and disingenuous.

Sick of him asking me for a dollar.

Ossoff I like, I will send him a dollar.

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Another phenomenon I am not quite ready for is the shuffle dance. I see it on YouTube shorts, mostly from Electronic Dance Festivals.

Looks like a hell of a cardio workout but exactly what drugs are these people on?

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More than 1 million children lost access to food benefits after Trump bill passed - way to go starve the children and fire all the food inspectors until everybody else is shitting themselves.

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Robert Reich - Sunday thought: When the sleeping giant dances

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Trump and the narcissistic collapse

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Two people I am pretty sick of at this point, Bill Maher and John Fetterman. The final straw with Maher is him championing Bari Weiss, the CBS head who asked her reporters to lie and create false narratives so that the network can go full Maga.

Fetterman is a capo for sure, there is nothing democrat about the guy whatsoever. Independence is one thing but he prides himself on screwing his party members, much like the departed Senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin. Total dinos, love to be the turd in the punchbowl.

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Ever notice how the Fox empire, specifically the New York Post, runs article after article denigrating California? So scripted. I have friends from back east, all worked about the sorry golden state. News for you, we are doing just fine. Don't like it here, move, we won't miss you.

Manassas

Progressive perfidy

 
I read the headlines today at the NYT, Democratic Socialists Are Winning Big. Now They Want Action.The Democratic Socialists of America, after a string of election victories in New York, is eager to tax the rich and enact anti-Israel policies.

The left has a new whipping boy, Israel and its supporters. Jews in general are advised to keep their heads down and kippahs off because they are getting attacked, killed and beaten by many people who don't bother to query them regarding their views on Israel and Palestine.

The only thing that scares me as much as the far right is the far left and it's pretty even steven at this point.

I don't Facebook but couldn't resist the urge to post this comment on Linked In.

Sentiment in the column ran against me on this point about twenty to one. No big, I got it off my chest. When Hamas kills it is a sudden terrorist event or righteous liberation, Israelis are of course always guilty of genocide. Now I am the last guy to be an apologist for Netanyahu or the Israeli far right but how about some fairness here?

No, instead the left mostly glorified October 7th as mere collateral damage. Israel had it coming and Israeli kids were saved the opportunity to become genocidal Israeli adults. Alahu akbar.

Two nights ago this Islamic terrorist drove his vehicle into a Pride parade in Berlin, killing one and wounding many. Abdel Ballout tried to join Islamic State and ended up taking his displaced wrath out on a bunch of poor gay people.

What do you hear from the far left progressives regarding this foul act? Those people so fervently concerned with human rights?

Basically crickets.

You would think it would be roundly condemned. But no. It is a fact, the Islamic world is one of the most homophobic cultures on the planet but it doesn't fit the progressive narrative so we won't talk about it. You want to throw your lot in with Abdel here, well be my guest. You won't be breaking bread with me. And I won't be voting for you.

Let's look at the facts: gays are routinely hung in Iran, women are beaten for showing their face or touching a man in much of the Islamic world, honor killings of daughters are rampant in Arab society, homosexuality is a criminal act in Gaza and much of the Islamic front.

On 18 September 1936, the criminal code of Mandatory Palestine, British Mandate Criminal Code, which drew from Ottoman law or English law, was enacted. Section 152(1)(b)(c) of the code states that any person who "commits an act of sodomy with any person against his will by the use of force or threats" or "commits an act of sodomy with a child under the age of sixteen years" is liable for imprisonment up to 14 years, while Section 152(2)(b) states that anyone who has "carnal knowledge" of anyone acting "against the law of nature" is liable for a prison term up to 10 years.

The Islamist militant groupHamas took control of the Gaza Strip in June 2006, and has controlled the territory since then.[22] In Gaza, Hamas has criminalized homosexuality, and LGBTQ+ individuals risk incarceration, torture, and execution.Gaza under Hamas offers no possibility to live a queer life: lashings and "honour" killings point to the aggressive enforcement of anti-LGBTQ+ policies.

The left, once again turns a blind eye. 

And it is not only in the middle east, the first thing the all muslim mayor and city council did in Dearborn last year was outlaw gay pride flags. 

It seems like the progressive left's concern for human rights is somewhat selective, doesn't it?

Sharia is great, until it comes for you.

Don't say you weren't warned.

Rose Royce

God save us from the capitalists

Here's an interesting one. New Jersey is the third state to ban surveillance pricing, which allows a store to use personal online data and an algorithm to charge different people different prices for the same product.

Could a grocery store charge you more for the same gallon of milk because of data collected about your shopping habits?

New Jersey shoppers will be protected from that practice, known as “surveillance pricing,” under a new law signed Thursday afternoon by Gov. Mikie Sherrill. Sherrill signed the Fair Price Protection Act, which prohibits grocery stores and third-party grocery delivery platforms from using a consumer’s personal data to determine or vary the prices of food products.

The first-year Democratic governor said the law is intended to stop businesses from using information such as online activity, location data and purchasing history to charge different prices for identical products based on what an algorithm predicts a shopper is willing to pay.

Supporters of the measure say the practice could result in different shoppers seeing different prices for the same products.

Of course, business groups oppose the measure.

I wonder if local gas stations are on to this algorithm. Why is gas a dollar cheaper in Escondido, a mere twenty minutes away? Let's pillage those rich folks up in Fallbrook.

Djon Maya

Scottish pal Pat from England sent this along. I only went to one Womad show but it was great, Peter Gabriel and the Stereo MCs. Love the feedback from across the pond. 

Howdy Robert Speaking of voices of angels… The other day Victor popped up on one of my playlists… saw him once at a Womad festival… sublime And I rather like the fact I have no idea what he is singing about. It would only spoil it to know. I’m off to another Womad festival today for the weekend. Looking forward to seeing and hearing many bands I’ve never heard of and have little clue what they are saying. But I’m sure they will have some English or French to give me some pointers. Sounds like the best fun…. Rock on! Px

 

New avocado diversity

Interesting article for those of us in Fallbrook and the avo growing region. New avocado varieties discovered in Central America.

The researchers extracted and analyzed DNA from 47 native avocado landraces, 32 of which came from Nicaragua. They then compared the DNA from the various landraces with previously published genetic data from more than 200 other avocado lineages.The findings, published in the journal Plants People Planet, showed that the avocados sampled in the lowlands of Nicaragua were genetically tied to avocados found further south, including populations along the coast of Colombia, rather than north in Mexico.

This revealed that many local landraces in that part of Central America are planted from fruits originally grown in South America.

Mr. Wann believes the trove of avocado diversity preserved in Central America’s lowlands could help protect commercial avocados from the fate of other clonal crops such as bananas, which have been devastated by fungal pathogens in the past.I have lived in the avo region and grown avocados for much of my life. Once upon a time I wrote for California Grower magazine and traveled around the world doing avo research.

We lived on an old avo ranch on Fuerte drive as a kid in La Mesa. 

Later I had a bacon zutano ranch in Rainbow before my present ranch which was filled with fuertes when I bought it. 

I cut them down to build a horse pasture and save money on water.

I only have a few trees left.

My favorite avos were always Reeds and Fuertes but Hass eventually took over the market, easy to ship and pack. Now it is practically the only fruit out there and ripe for a biological pathogen, like the cavendish banana.

The problem in the old days was the phytophera cinnamoni fungus, or root rot. You couldn't step into a yard in Fallbrook back then without stepping into a pan of white power to kill the fungus. People were very strict.

Trees were planted on steep hillsides as they needed drainage to hold the disease off. 

I think that a lot of that was alleviated with the new g7 rootstocks that were fungus resistant. I honestly haven't kept in touch with the market. 

When I visited groves in Israel I was dumbfounded that they grew on flat earth. Their problem was not drainage it was keeping nutrient levels up, their land drained too well.

I remember lots of other varieties of avos in my youth, queens, dukes, gwens, pinkertons. One of my favorites were the little black topa topas that you could sometimes find on old rootstocks. They had paper thin skin, which you could eat right through, looked like a superball. Loved the little young fuertes that looked like a small rounded cucumber, so delicious.

I hope that the new discoveries are planted and that we find wonderful new additions to our table. 

NIck Lowe

Pump it up

 

Pretty as you feel

Be a better neighbor

One thing that you learn when you live in the country is to not pick fights with your neighbors. They may do something you don't love, they may feel the same way about you, but you let things go. Most of us just want to be left alone. Things work out better this way.

I don't agree with the President on most things, it is true, but his alienation of a good neighbor like Canada makes no sense. Why make an enemy out of a good friend?

Okay, we are getting hit with smoke. That sucks. But it's not like they did it on purpose. And these people send their firefighters a long way to fight our fires, even down here in Southern California. Let's face it, our reliance on burning fossil fuels has definitely helped heat things up globally. 

I appreciate the people of Canada and think they are great tourists and also contribute to our national economy in a big way. Love them, from Gordie Howe to Gordie Lightfoot. But they have soured on us of late and you know why.

Canadians’ net favorability rating of the United States stood at +13 points before Trump returned to office. Now, however, it has plunged to -33 points. 

So, as far as I am concerned, the AI images Trump created recently of Canada as our fifty first state is just an incomprehensible own goal, it serves no purpose except showing the world once again what a dick our President is. Canada bad, North Korea, Russia good.

And lets not forget our farmers depend on their potash fertilizer. Our builders use their lumber.

Now we have new 50% tariffs. Even Republicans don't understand this one, it will hurt the contiguous states greatly.

Senator Susan Collins, who is in a tough reelection campaign in Maine, told Politico Tuesday that she has “voted repeatedly against the Canadian tariffs.”  

“Maine and Canada’s economies are very intertwined. A lot of our blueberries, our potatoes, our lobster, our lumber are harvested in Maine, processed in Canada and then come back. I don’t want to see the tariffs on the books,” Collins said.

The verdict is in: Canadians hate America thanks to Trump 

Canadian confidence in the U.S. has plunged to a new low thanks to Donald Trump, according to an opinion poll.

Seventy-nine percent of Canadians currently say they have no confidence in Trump’s leadership, compared to just 20 percent in favor, according to Pew Research Center data cited by CNN analyst Harry Enten.

May saner voices prevail. This crap should have never happened. I love you Canada, from Banff to Nova Scotia, may we remain eternal friends. This too shall pass.

Back home boogaloo

I had a decent show up in Santa Barbara. 

It was a struggle at times but I pulled it out at the end and made it happen. 

I'm really glad I stopped the chemo when I did.

The shows would have been near impossible.

I tried to take more affordable material, don't think it made a difference. 

People either bought or they didn't, a couple of my regulars either passed or never showed up.

Still I sold some paintings and have some strong decorator be-backs so we will see.

Bought a lovely washoe basket at the show.

I love California and Nevada baskets.

A dealer friend rented a gorgeous 20's era Spanish Revival home and let me rent a room.

The owners were obviously world travelers and it was filled with lovely ethnic antiquities.

We had a barbecue on Saturday and it was pretty outrageously fun.

Had some good meals in town. Went to Maestra with my old friend Steve Pedroff and caught up on the last thirty years or so.

And an awesome ahi benedict at Chad's.

Superb!

After eating ahi omelettes in Kauai, I am a big believer in fish and eggs. 

This could not have been better.

Packed out Sunday night, too tired to drive home, I got a marginal motel room in Camarillo.

Dinner there was a fiasco I will try to forget.

So I am back and it is freaking hot.

Getting ready for the next leg of my journey.

Things are okay on the home front although neither of us feels good at present.

I was happy to see that my bougainvillea is finally taking root and intertwining the fence. Because my wife takes care of everything and doesn't let anything die.

We have never had luck with the plant. Too cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

But this one might survive.

Looks like it will be a great fuerte avocado set this year too.

I bought a half interest in a low mileage cub cadet mower from my friend Tom. 

Should really help around the ranch.

Have to run. 

Later.