the flea market

 Every Saturday there is a flea market here. Saturday market, eat your heart out. Booth upon booth of Indian jewelry for sale. Some good, some from China. And sandwiched in between are booths selling local baked goods and food booths selling mutton stew, mutton sandwiches, corn stew, and fry bread. And rabbits. Live. And used tires. Lots of CDs and VCR tapes. You can also get just the used printer you have been looking for. Or maybe some tools. Or a parakeet. Maybe some bread fresh from an outdoor Zuni oven. Or a new grill for your car. And across the street you can buy bales of hay off the back of a truck. And I thought parking lot scenes were only good for veggie burritos and grilled cheese.

Tonight was the big rodeo finale. Bull riding, bareback bronco riding, barrel racing, and mutton busting'. What, you ask, is mutton busting'? Little kids, in chaps and helmets, riding, you guessed it, sheep. Bucking sheep. Mean sheep. Cowboy clowns and all. And it's no joking around. The purse for the winner? $1900!! A new saddle, custom chaps, a bunch of other stuff, and $400 in cash. These kids are 7 yrs old!!

The setting was incredible. In Red Rock State Park. Surrounded by huge shear walls of red rocks. A small version of Denver. And I had my first, and last, Frito pie. When in Rome.....