Tirouge

It was Chase’s turn to show. He had a hog too but it didn’t make weight so he couldn’t show it. Chase’s heifer, Ti Rouge, is older than most calves. Most youth choose younger calves since they are easier to show and handle. Chase chose a Santa Gertrudis. The two of them looked good out in the ring. Showing a calf is new for him.

It was tense waiting while the youth paraded their calves before the judge.

Chase looked so proud as he led Ti Rouge around the ring.

The judge put the calves in reverse order so we waited as the calves were ruled out one by one. Chase’s face lit up when the he was left in the ring with only two other youth. He got third place which was really good! He placed fifth on his scrapbook. Chase won a belt buckle for being fifth all-around calf scramble participant. 

Hog Heaven

There were so many hogs here at the livestock show, that you would swear we were in hog heaven. There were Chester White, Duroc, Hampshire, Poland China and other breeds that we never heard of before. It was Ty’s turn to show his hog, a Duroc.

At first we thought his hog was camera shy because we couldn't get a good picture of him. 

The grandkids put a lot of work into their animals. They raise them and get them ready to show. Often they get attached to them knowing that they will give them up at the end of the show. Ty didn’t place this year but he got  fourth in his class last year.

Our oldest grandson, Chase, set up the display for his heifer. He participated in the calf scramble at the Houston Rodeo last year. He was one of the winners so he was given money to purchase a heifer to show  this year. All the winners from last year set up a display with their heifer. Chase chose a Santa Gertrudis calf. His late Paw Paw helped him name the heifer, Ti Rouge (Little Red in French). They will be judged on their display and a scrapbook they made. He will show his heifer tomorrow.

Space Center Houston

We took a day off from the Livestock Show to show the grandkids some of the attractions in the Houston area. Ty and Rebecca had a great time at Space Center Houston.

They have a lot of play activities as well as educational activities and displays. The grandkids took advantage of the opportunities.

 

We took a tram tour to see the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility Training Center at NASA. This building is huge. It is large enough to contain life size mock-up models of the International Space Station, several of the Space Shuttle, and various other modules used in the space program.

This is a mock-up of the Space Shuttle minus the wings. Astronauts can practice actions that they would take while in space. Technicians even use the mock-ups to plan and even walk astronauts through procedures to fix problems while in space via video.

Astronauts can practice using this model of the Space Shuttles articulating arm to maneuver loads. The model is made much stonger than the one on the shuttle. Since the actual arm works in weightless environments, it cannot even pick itself up while on Earth.

Another tram stop displayed early rockets and engines that were used in the early era of the space program.

Ty and Rebecca had fun climbing around on this rocket and launcher.

 

Inside this building  is an actual Saturn V rocket used in the Apollo program that put early astronauts in space.

In 1968 I saw an actual Saturn V rocket while on a tour of Cape Canaveral with Air Force ROTC. Of course it was vertical rather than horizontal. We were able to go up into the Saturn V assembly building which could house up to four of these huge rockets. It was awesome to look down and up at a rocket from a platform midway up inside the building. I still remember the thrill of looking at an actual rocket that would soon be launched into space.

It must be awesome to travel into the heavens and see God’s handy work up close.

“God made  two great lights – the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and night, and separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:16-18

Houston Livestock Show

We are currently in Houston, TX at the South Main RV Park. It is close to Reliant Stadium where our Texas grandchildren are showing livestock this week. The park is also close to the renowned cancer hospital, M. D. Anderson,  Texas Children’s Hospital and other hospitals. The park is full of people here for the two weeks of rodeo and livestock shows and those here for treatment at the local hospitals.

 

Here at Reliant Stadium and Exhibition Hall, our granddaughter, Rebecca, was the first to show her animal. Yesterday afternoon she showed her hog, Rocky, which is a Chester White.

We were nervous but hopeful as she entered the part of the ring where the prejudging takes place. We were so excited when she was selected to go to the section of the show ring where only the top hogs in the class would be judged. Elation turned to concern when we realized that a dozen hogs had been selected rather than the usual ten. That meant two hogs would have to be culled.

Once her hog was penned we knew she was OK. Her hog got ninth in its class. To be in the top ten is really great. The students whose hogs didn’t make the top ten will only get market price for the animal they have pampered and labored over. The top ten will be sold at a special auction where they will be rewarded for their labors.

They lured her away while her hog was led away by telling her she could play with a friend’s new puppy.

The next few days will be rough for Rebecca. She has gotten very attached to Rocky, her show pig.

We ended the day by cooking a sauce picante made with pork sausage for all the family here. Luckily Rebecca didn’t think about what goes into sausage!