Once a Year

The Fort Worth Stock Show began today with the parade downtown this morning.  Husker and I were guests at Grace, sitting on the curbside patio overlooking Main Street.  We were treated to our choice of coffee or hot chocolate, plus breakfast burritos like only a top tier restaurant would make.  Thank you, Adam. 

This is the time of the year that -- if you got 'em, wear 'em -- your boots, of course.  And jeans, hats, fringe, bling.  It all comes out of the closet for the Stock Show and Rodeo and the parade.  The parade is as much about the horses, wagons, bands coming down Main Street as it is about the folks wearing their western finery.  Except me.  I am a native Texan and don't have any boots!

The parade is the world's largest unmechanized/unmotorized parade in existence.  Wheels are okay as long as the power is four-legged.  There was a lot of that ranging from miniature horses pulling small single seat buggies up to teams of horses pulling restored trolleys, wagons, and buggies.  Plenty of cowboys and vaqueros, marching bands, riding clubs, and one-offs just wanting to be in the parade on their horse.  There were a few donkeys, and there is usually a longhorn steer or two.  Yes, you can ride a steer.   260 official entries in the parade. 

May I brag about the Parks and Recreation Department?  Always, always -- they follow behind the last parade participant and scoop the manure and sweep the street so that -- literally -- you can't tell that anything has happened.  They are finished within minutes of the parade's end.  They are so well organized!

I wore my blue Tuva hat and Just Enough Ruffles scarf to ward off the morning chill (40's), but had to lose the fleece jacket by mid-parade (low 60's).  Sunny, no wind.  Perfect parade day to sit on the patio on comfy sofas with our feet up, hot coffee and burritos in hand and watch the parade pass us by.