Old Hats

For Memory Monday I would like to tell you a little bit about one of my old Hats. I was pushing some watusi cattle with my Grandpa in tamarack trees on the river. At the time of year the tamarack were dropping their seeds, and were really sticky. Our saddle pads, coats, and felt Hats were covered in the sappy thorns.

The good thing about a broken down felt Hat in this type of country is that the brim can fold down over your ears and cheeks to protect you from the thick, sappy, thorns. The tamarack was so thick, the cows would go lay in it, and we would have to get off our horses and crawl underneath the brush to push the cows back onto the trail. As we were crawling under the tamarack we would come across dead calf carcuses that were half way eaten by cougars. After seeing these dead, half eaten calves I never wanted to get my job finished so quickly!!! I wasn't sure if I should be loud to scare the cougars, or just sneak my way through the tamarack and find the hiding cattle. Finally we were able to rope the cows and "persuade" them back to the other side of the river where they belong!

It was a good thing I was wearing one of my old Hats that day. If it weren't for that Hat, I wouldn't have the ears and cheeks I do now!! After that day, my Hat was never the same. It did it's job, and had to be retired!