God and Country

Thalia the bug went to her first rodeo last night, the FFA fundraiser at the fairgrounds in Comer. She saw calf-roping and -tying, steer-wrastling, and a parade of 4-H cowgirls on horseback wearing rhinestone-studded costumes and carrying huge Confederate flags. So much for 4-H.

I can safely say that this was the only Baby Björn at the rodeo.

She also saw a calf scramble, in which dozens and dozens of kids ran around the ring chasing a calf with a ribbon tied to its tail. The winner—the oldest-looking under-twelve-year-old in the bunch—got a free cowboy hat. We turned the bug around in her carrier to face the front for the first time. Her head still isn't quite ready for it, but it seemed to work okay while her dad was sitting down holding her steady. That way she could see everything—the sky, the bright lights when it got dark, the pink thunderheads in the distance . . .

Speaking of Thalia's perspective on the world, I was curious to see what her mobile looked like from her vantage point in her crib, so I took a picture.


Today as part of our all-meat diet we cut two rock Cornish hens into quarters, rubbed them with spices, and grilled them. Delicious and rich. But now all I want are steamed green beans with a side of steamed broccoli.

Grilled Cornish hens: Make a paste with crushed whole cardamom seeds, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, hot red pepper flakes, minced garlic, salt, a pinch of sugar, and olive oil. Rub it all over hen pieces; marinate in fridge for an hour or so. Grill.