I had a panic attack when I couldn’t find El Mission San Antonio de Valero de Tejas Aggie Ring. Then I remember he really liked the three new hat racks I just mounted for my six Stetson Open Road non-cowboy hats. I walked over to the door that goes into the garage and found him chillin’ with the newest Open Road that just came into his care a couple of weeks ago.

“The road goes on forever and the party never ends!"

This is not the story of one of those $700.00 Stetson Pure Open Roads. I’m not wealthy and can’t afford one of those.

I assure you. If I spent over $700.00 on a hat, I’d either loose it, or someone would steal it from me at a bar.

This, my fourth Open Road, is a modest $280.00 Open Road Royal Deluxe. It mocks me in a scornful, or sometimes contemptuous way. You see, I live in Central Texas and it’s so darn hot, I can only wear it maybe three weeks out of the year. I have a high body temperature and I can sweat out a straw or hemp Open Road when it’s close to freezing outside. When one sweats (like a woman of easy virtue in church), a felt hat gets salt stains and smells. I just spray my straw Open Roads with Febreze to remove the smell.

Even now, where I keep the temperature in my home 72 degrees (22 C), my head was sweating when I put it on after taking this photograph.

So… I’m reduced to wearing one of my 4 or 5 other Open Roads when I venture out into the Central Texas sun.

Although I can’t really wear this particular Open Road often, it knows how to pick the oldies stations on the 1940s AM radio. And, it knows how to figure out which vacuum tubes to order on Amazon when they burn out.

Every Open Road has its own musical key the one in this photo plays in Concert C.

Open Road says, “You can go to Hell. I’ll stay in Texas!”

Stetson is all ivied over

Shooting Sled Island as a volunteer on the photo crew. These are from the Stetson.

www.sledisland.com

You can see photos from all of the Sled Island photographers here, including more of my own:

www.flickr.com/photos/sledislandphoto/

Sitting on the doorstep watching all the girls go by....

Part of the reenactment of a Jesse James robbery.

(Liberty, Missouri - Liberty Heritage Festival 2007)

K-i-s-s-i-n-g!

2/3/09: Stetson is a 1 year old male black/brown Rottweiler mix found tied to the Shelter gate. It is unknown if he was left there by his owner or by someone who found him. He's a young, energetic guy who can be sooooo lovable!

2/2009: Not available

Picture by Malinda Chambers

Stetson for Blogtor Who