Darby--Texas

Remember this picture? From April '04, it's one of my favorite pictures of my grandkids.



Well, Darby's growing up and hanging out at the lake. That hat is still with her. Cool, huh?

Byrtle--Missouri(?)

Sue, aka Mom, sent me this picture of her mom, taken in 1945. She was ready for church. On the back of the photo is only says, "Byrtle's Hat." It was a proud Sunday morning, I'm sure.



What did your mother/grandmother wear to church—on her head? Lemme see.

Darby and Mari--Texas and Missouri

Darby and Mari went to Disney World together last summer.



I love my darlin' granddaughters! In a few days I'll love my other darlin' granddaughter!

After that I'll love my darl--er, grandsons.

Brandon--All Over

One hot afternoon recently I was exiting from the freeway and saw a man down by the stop sign. He hurried across the street in a pretty nifty hat. I had to drive a half a mile before I could turn around and look for him. I found him, too, up under the freeway, sitting in the shade.

I parked and ran across traffic and climbed up there with him. I asked if I could take his picture. "Sure, go ahead," he said. I have such a good new camera that he never knew when I tripped the shutter. "I just came up here for a little rest and a cigarette."

We talked for about 10 minutes. He told me he was from "All over!" He had walked from Belton, Missouri, to this spot since 7 a.m. That was about 8 hours and 14 miles ago, and "I've still got 12 miles to go." He was on his way to "...see about gettin' a job down on Front Street."

The best part of our whole meeting was, "I sure do appreciate you stopping and talking with me. Nobody ever does that. Thanks a lot, man. A picture of my hat, huh? I've had it for two years. Worn it everywhere." I got blessed by this homeless and sunburned young man and I hope I see him again someday.

Elsa—Missouri

There’s a new employee where I work who has a new baby girl. Her name is Elsa.

“Elsa!?” I exclaimed. “I just finished writing a story about a girl named Elsa.”

“Really?” New Employee asked with a big, wide smile. “There aren’t too many Elsa’s around.”

I gave him a copy of the story (and it’s a good story) and he took it home to his wife—and little Elsa. Not long after that there was a pretty picture of Elsa on his desk. I asked him for it for my Hats! blog. He gave me three pictures of Elsa. Welcome her. She’s only been here a few months.

Elsa (with the Hat) and her mom, Rebecca.
It's her first time at a swimming pool.


Elsa snoozing


Elsa. Her hat is a skew and her door is a jar.

Cowboys--Idaho

What do you do on a peaceful evening in Emmett, Idaho? You rope wild women and you kiss pretty horses. Or you could go to a rodeo.

"Doods"--Missouri

I couldn't resist taking a picture of these "doods." They were at the National Bike Rally, a motorcycle rally featuring about 40,000 people in Kansas City, MO. While they're not really wearing hats, I'm willing to make an exception this time. Of course, they're not really people, either.

Matthew--Kansas

Matthew was in line ahead of me at the supermarket deli. Lunchtime. I asked if I could take his picture and he said, “Sure.” He called his hat a “Tam O’Shanter, but without the button up here in the middle.” I thought it was a beret, but he knows better than I.

“Do you wear it a lot?” I asked.

“All the time! I used to have a wool one, but I wore it out, so I just got this a little while ago.”

We talked some more while we waited for our orders. Lo and behold! We work in the same industry; we used to work in the same building; and we have a couple of mutual friends. They don’t wear hats, though.

Vicki--Missouri

Vicki and her retired friends faithfully play tennis every weekday from 10 till noon in one of the prettiest neighborhood parks around. Vicki is the ringleader. Actually, they let anybody play—retired or not. One of the friendliest people I ever ran across, Vicki never met anyone she didn't like. Her smile and her face define her: lots of character; lots of integrity; lots of friendliness, lots of "vim and vinegar." Her visor defines her morning activities. (July 2007).

Herb--Colorado

Hats off to Herb who was the first person to send a picture after reading the rules. Thanks Herb. He said that his daughter took this photo. She sure made him look good, eh?

Two interesting things about Herb: first, not only was he the first person to send a picture, he was also the first person to see my new blog. And he found it sorta by accident, liked what he saw and sent his picture. "I like hats!" he exclaimed. Second, I think he's a preacher or a youth pastor.

He has a nifty blog that all good people should read and enjoy. Stop by and tip your hat to him.

By the way, just today I bought a hat like his.

Tracey—Washington

Aren’t these hauntingly beautiful photos? They’re of Tracey, who wears many hats.

I’ve been reading her blog almost every day for several months, and I recommend it. It's well-written, wholesome, family-friendly, educational… Her hat is a requirement because she spends a lot of time in the great outdoors. She and her City Boy foster wild mustangs and get them ready to ride and adopt. She loves her horses. She also loves her sheep. She’s a cowboy, a shepherd—huh? Oh, okay, cowgirl, and she's a lady, too. She knows what to do with the business end of a camera—I mean, she does!—and is remarkably skilled at not photographing her full face.

See what I mean? Here she is wearing a safety helmet the first time she [carefully] sat on Jet, a wild mustang. It took that horse six months to allow this brief moment. But Tracey's special.

Alvan--Kansas

You meet the neatest people in the mall. I spotted Alvan one Saturday morning and asked if I could take his picture. He didn’t seem to understand and so I found his adult daughter and asked her. Well, no wonder he didn’t understand: he wears a Cochlear implant. I guess I didn’t make myself clear. Alvan also has damaged legs, which explains his wheel chair. He’s awfully proud of his hat. “My daughter gave it to me,” he finally said. Then he posed with that pleasant smile. (July 2007)

Rosemary--In the Park

Rosemary is 16 months old and is already a "big sister." I met this little darling when I was walking through a city park. Her dad said I could take her picture, but she didn't want to have anything to do with me. (Don't talk to strangers?) And she wanted to protect her patriotic ball. I asked her dad about her hat. He said, "She just likes to wear it."



And this is her dad trying to coax Rosemary to come a little closer. He wears some kind of hat/cap on his head all the time, too. (July 2007)