The Red Hat

In the run-up to the creation of the American South's first-ever prince of the church, it was no small topic of conversation as to what gift Dan DiNardo would get in scarlet: a ten-gallon hat, or the boots.

Well, the H-Town paper's Cardinardo Chronicle reveals that one priest of Galveston-Houston went a step further, allowing the world to see what would happen if a cowboy hat and galero mated.

Ecco!

(Photo removed by order of the Houston Chronicle.)

..."ten-gallero," anyone?

* * *

On another appreciatory note, whilst reporting the church is no easy task for the mainstream press, distilling its sensual overload into snapshots can oft be tougher still.

The Houston media has outdone itself in its all-out coverage of these days. Special mention, however, must be made of the Chron's Smiley Pool, whose photojournalism this week has captured the vivid color, emotion, majesty and humanity of this historic event with a tremendous eye.

(Photo removed by order of the Houston Chronicle.)

The pilgrims have seen Pool "working his butt off," but their hectic schedule and sparse 'net access have been such that most still have yet to view the product.

Suffice it to say, they're in for a huge treat.

It wasn't easy to cancel my own pilgrimage at the last minute... Smiley's shots, though, made the tough call a lot more bearable.

So, as the natives say, "grazie mille" to him for a truly masterful job.

(Photo removed by order of the Houston Chronicle.)

SVILUPPO: As you can see, so much for fair use.

PHOTOS: Smiley N. Pool/(Removed by order of the) Houston Chronicle

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