March 24, 2026 – Ann is in OurLittleCorner today
Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
I’ve always loved cowboys.
So it’s a little surprising how much I also love this 1978 song sung by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys. “
Mamas’ don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don’t let ’em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
Let ’em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas’ don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys
‘Cause they’ll never stay home and they’re always alone
Even with someone they love
The song’s first verse begins: “Cowboys ain’t easy to love and they’re harder to hold.”
The political analyst we read, Heather Cox Richardson, recently wrote about “cowboy individualism” and its impact on our politics, beginning with Barry Goldwater. She also pointed out Rush Limbaugh’s 2003 comments regarding President George W Bush’s actions in Iraq:”Cowboys in white hats were always on the side of right, and that was their might. I am glad my President is a cowboy. He got his man! Cowboys do, you know.â
A funny aside: there is a Hong Kong hat store with a website entitled TheManInTheHat.com. Their website comments that “it is common practice for US Presidents to connect with American history by wearing a Cowboy Hat. A few were born to it. For others, itâs a marriage made in heaven. For the rest, itâs just a quick fling.“
If you look at the photos below, I think you’ll agree with me that both Republicans and Democrats have embraced the visual power of cowboy hats!
Our recipe for today is perfect. PERFECT! Cowboy Caviar has its roots in Austin, Texas, and dates back to around 1940. Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, was President then. You can read more about Cowboy Caviar in this Southern Living article.
Cowboy Caviar
- 1 (15-ounce can) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce can) black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 c chopped fresh tomatoes (about 3/4 lb)
- 1 1/2 c sweet corn, defrosted from frozen or fresh off the cob
- 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 large avocado, diced (optional)
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (optional; if you’re using it, add slowly and taste to avoid too much heat)
- 3/4 c red onion, chopped
- 1/2 c fresh cilantro, chopped
Add the black beans, black eyed peas, tomatoes, bell pepper, avocado, jalapeno pepper, red onion, and cilantro to a medium mixing bowl.
Dressing
- 1/3 c olive oil
- 4 T fresh lime juice
- 1 T red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar or honey or maple syrup
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp Diamond kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, sugar, garlic, salt, chili powder, and black pepper.
Pour the dressing over the cowboy caviar and stir together. Refrigerate for several hours before serving – for the best flavor. Cowboy caviar will keep several days in the refrigerator – but don’t add the avocado until you’re ready to serve it.
Serve as a dip with tortilla chips or as a salad. Fry some ground beef or chicken or pork and top it with the caviar and use it for a burrito or taco.
Love that song! Yes i remember pistol Pete. But then i am oldđł
Andy here: I also love that song and remember pistol Pete, even though I’m not old – despite the fact that I look and feel old and was born in 1943.
Mmmmmm, that sounds delicious, Ann. Definitely going to add it to the rotation. And will also try adding ground beef for soup!
Andy here: it tastes even better if you wear a cowboy hat when you make it (:
Pistol Pete still scares me to this day when the lights are off in the basement
I get how he can look pretty scary in the dark, but the guns he’s toting are not loaded.
We recently changed ISP from Xfinity cable to ATT fiberoptic (which saved money and gave us faster speed). Part of the process involved setting up an account, and choosing a password and âsecret wordâ in case we needed to recover the password. The charming 25-year-old sales rep suggested that I use the name of my favorite super hero. I first told her I knew of none such, but she insisted and I finally told her, âRoy Rogers.â (Who wore a white hat, which explains why Iâm commenting.) She had never heard of him. I was horrified. Then at Sunday family dinner I told my grandchildren. They had never heard of him. I began a rant about their faulty educations. Then they began to ask me about all manner of supposedly famous persons. I had never heard of any of them. I tried to tell them about Gabby Hayes, but they werenât listening. đ˘