What booklover doesn’t love a good book sale? The Friends of the Houston Public Library are putting on their terrific annual book sale event this week. If you love books and haven’t been to this sale, this is a must addition to your bucket list.

Gas prices are soaring, money is tight, but summer is right around the corner. Are you thinking of canceling your summer vacation plans?

Instead, why not take a staycation? A home vacation is a great way to save money and still get the value of a vacation. You’ll get to know your home city in new ways and even lighten some of the stress that seems to accompany annual vacations. Why not take a staycation?

See Houston with “new” eyes

For Houstonions, that means exploring the city and making new discoveries. Most people don’t look at their own city or town with “new” eyes. Houstonians are no different. They’re steeped in their daily life, rushing from task to task, living in cars and air-conditioned homes. Houstonians tend to be “in” the city more than “out and about” the city. They’re rushing from one point to another, often evading the heat, and missing much of what Houston has to offer. How do I know? Because I was once the same way.

It’s rodeo time in Houston again. The trail riders have made their way into Houston. The kids have groomed and raised their animals and are ready for the shows and auctions. The midway is in full swing and Houstonians are smelling sawdust, watching rodeo events and hearing A-list performers in the nightly concerts. The year’s event runs from March 1st – March 20th. That’s 3 weeks of rodeo mania with trail riders, BBQ, chili cook-offs, auctions, carnival rides, rodeo events, and concerts.

What are my Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show memories? If I’m not mistaken my daughter, who would probably rather be dead than admit it, had to go see Donnie and Marie Osmond one year. My favorite part of the livestock show is the children’s petting zoo. It’s not unusual to see llamas, emus, and the usual calves, ponies, and piggies.