Rodeo day . . .

. . . or not. With a few new cases of the Corona virus in the greater Houston area, the remainder of this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has been canceled. Today is the day we had planned to spend the day at NRG Stadium.

Besides the usual viewing of livestock, eating junk-food Texas style, seeing the exhibits, cowboy events and evening concert, the Main Event for our family was to watch granddaughter Mikala and her boyfriend Blake in the Calf Scramble. Click HERE for a video of last year’s event.

Thirty FFA and 4-H members chase 15 calves released in the arena, trying to catch one and drag it to the designated area. Those who succeed are awarded a $1750 certificate to purchase a heifer or steer of their own to raise next year. Mikala is a junior this year so this would have been her last chance to catch a calf. We are all regretting not being able to attend — but Bill is still stuck in the hospital so he would’ve missed it anyway.

Thanks to a generous friend of hers, Mikala will still be able to raise and show a heifer next year, but how much better to actually earn one for herself!

One of the former owners of the small farm we live on performed in barrel racing events. There is still a practice setup in the south horse arena (where we’ve now planted fruit trees). And the cast iron skillet art shown in the above sketch hangs on the front porch. Bill wants to hang it on our patio after our barndominium is built.