The Fort Worth Stock Show happens every year, but despite having lived here for seventeen years, I don't think I've ever actually been to it until now.
Basically, it's your typical carnival + lots of animals + lots of cowboys + the rodeo. Unfortunately, we didn't get to go to the rodeo because it was sold out, but we did get to play with lots of cows and horses and goats and llamas and alpacas and ducks and chickens and rabbits.
Yeah, we were the only adults in the Petting Zoo.
It turns out that baby goats look and act just like puppies. Adorable.
I really liked this alpaca. His teeth gave him such personality. We named him Nigel.
This was the first time I've ever seen an automated milker. I stared a little longer than was natural.
I think I was more fascinated with watching the people at the Stock Show than the animals. Even though I live in Texas, it's not in a very Texan area. All of the people at the Stock Show came from smaller Texas towns and are legitimate cowboys whose rugged farm clothes put my friend and I's dress cowboy boots and skinny jeans to shame. It was such a different world to me that I felt like I was sight-seeing on vacation as opposed to spending the afternoon a half hour from home.
As my friend said to me at one point, this is what everyone in Amsterdam will think of when I tell them I'm from Texas. Rodeos, cowboy boots, deep southern accents and the sharp aroma of manure.
Well, I don't know if they would think of that last one. The smell of farmer's fuel is something so often left out of picturesque notions of the West. One thing I do know, however, is that I will not be seeing anything like the Stock Show in The Netherlands. So, I was glad to get in a bit of hometown culture before departing to a completely foreign society.
Only in Texas.
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