Beyonce covers the July 2011 issue of
 Essence magazine. Check out the cowgirl-inspired photo shoot and interview excerpts.
  On the rodeo: “It was like the biggest family  picnic; there was laughter and music everywhere and everyone dressed in  their Texas finest. I love watching all the people. We’d eat fried  Snickers, funnel cakes, and fried turkey legs; the smell was the best  mixture of spicy and sweet.
On her mother: “Tina Knowles was my first example of  what a powerful woman is. She shaped my thinking not so much by what  she said, but what she did. My mother taught me the principles of hard  work, setting my own goals and visualizing my future.
On visiting the pyramids: “Egypt was the best. When I  visited the pyramids, I had an experience I’ll never forget:I started  singing “Ava Maria” inside the pyramid. The depth of the tomb was  incredible. I’ve never heard acoustics so clear. My voice sounded so  pure. It was inconceivable. I could have stayed in there forever.
On taking a break: “After the tour ended in Trinidad  in late February, at last I focused on taking some time off. I had  talked about taking a vacation before, but always ended up in the studio  after two weeks. This time, though, I was serious. I was going to give  myself a year to do all the things I never get to do. Simple things like  play with my nephew, pick him up from school, visit museums, go to  concerts, see some Broadway shows, learn to cook a meal and spend time  with my husband.
(via globalgrind.com and brownsista.com)