Get your Texas on!
Rob and I missed SXSW last weekend, but we did something even more Texan – we went to the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show. We really weren’t planning on going, but we met these people at a restaurant who convinced us to go. We were discussing the rodeo and the wacky things that get deep fried these days, and they told us about the wonderment of macaroni and cheese on a stick. On a stick! Seeing such a thing in the wild is worth the price of admission alone.
I’ll cut to the chase and say that we did not find the elusive mac+cheese on a stick. Trust me, I searched. How disappointing! However, we had no problem finding turkey legs, various sausage products on a stick, or $7.50 beers.
We did pay extra to actually see the rodeo, in our requested Cheap Seats.
The rodeo was ok. I have no idea how the bucking animal things are scored, but 83 is the score to beat. There were also timed horse racing things where the time difference between competitors was within tenths of a second. Rob’s favorite moment was when the announcer called someone “A Mountain of a Man.” We now refer to Silver as A Mountain of a Cat.
My favorite part was all the animals. There were your standard cows and horses, and tons of bunnies! We saw a sleepy one and this hairy guy:
Sheep! This guy was very chill and let Rob rub his super-wooly head.
Does anyone know what breed of sheep this is?
I was in search of alpacas and llamas, but they weren’t in their designated area. This was the last weekend of the rodeo, so they probably got to go home early. I did ask someone from the Contemporary Handweavers of Houston if she knew where I could find an alpaca, and she was full of local spinning information – I may have found a local connection for renting a spinning wheel.
Naturally, there was knitting. I totally geeked out and knit while watching the rodeo.
Astute readers will recognize Nate’s dear Koigu. This is a swatch for the Leyburn sock pattern from pepperknit. I think this is a really cool pattern – it’s really simple and suits the subtley-variegated Koigu well. I’m not in a huge rush to make socks right now (it’s been in the high 70’s here), but I’m definitely putting these on my to-knit list (along with the sculptural Twisted Flower pattern, swoon!).
ETA: The colorway is P335, for all you Koigu diehards out there.
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Oh, TEXAS. Home of everything-tastes-better-on-a-stick. And hooeee, does it ever.
It is possible to make fried mac & cheese on a stick in one’s own home by the way. The secret’s using day-old mac & cheese that’s been congealing in the fridge overnight. Yum!
I like the stitch pattern. it suits the koigu very well!
I love the rodeo. I do not however love the prices. I’m told that the draft beer is cheaper though ($5 range) – good for future trips.
I was at the rodeo this weekend too! We didn’t go into the actual rodeo part, just the shops/exhibits. The bunnies were really cute. There were a couple of alpacas in the kiddie side, in the petting zoo. You also had the option of taking your picture on a real (probably drugged) longhorn steer.
At some point in the next year or so I’d like to find out about these local spinning connections. It would probably be better if I waited until after August (school stuff), but yeah, I really want to get in on the spinning.
mac and cheese on a stick – hmmmmm – like the deep fried snickers bars at other festivals – elusive….
that swatch is great – i printed out that pattern for future reference – my sock list grows!!!!!
so you’re already way more Texan than I am. We’ve been living in the Houston area since 1999 and have yet to go to the rodeo or even consider going there. You’ll be buying big belt buckles soon.
Minty is one of my bestest blog buddies! Have fun with her sock pattern.
dood! that stitch pattern rocks!
and the yarn is a great choice too!
augh, i can’t wait to see how the FO turns out!
it already looks fab and it’s just a swatch! :o)
I am so impressed that you swatch for socks! Your Koigu is so purty. If I had it I’d start the socks right away.
I can’t believe such goodness as mac ‘n cheese on a stick actually exists somewhere. Do let me know if you ever encounter it! Thanks for sharing the rodeo goodness and the Koigu.
Hoo wee, this post actually makes me nostalgic for Houston. I loved the rodeo. The trail rides used to come by my elementary school and we’d all go outside and wave. And somewhere in the depths of my parents house there’s a picture of little me standing next to some kind of giant cow at the livestock show crying my head off because it slobbered on me. Ah, good times.
And love that sock swatch!
I’m sorry- I HAVE to ask- which Koigu colorway is this? It’s AMAZING.
I’m totally envious of your rodeo-going (even though the fried M&C wasn’t to be found!)
and your swatch is gorgeous!
Wow, that sock swatch is stunning!
I hope I’m not committing an unforgivable blog faux pas by posting a comment on an old post, but I just came across your blog yesterday and since then I have been driving myself crazy trying to match the picture of your Koigu to the *teeny tiny* little thumbnails on every website google can point me to that sells Koigu (even ebay!)
“Since yesterday” might not sound that impressive, but I have been up for almost 30hrs already doing unrelated research for my thesis (and it’s still only noon!), so there has been a lot of time invested.
Would you pretty please reveal the supersecret colourway of your Koigu yarn so I can decide I actually don’t like it so much and get on with my life? It would save me a lot of eyestrain (I’m having trouble keeping them open as it is!)
Thanks, and your knitting is lovely! I’m glad I found you. I hope I’m not making you sorry I did!