Things I Love...My Disreputable Garden Hat

The picture may not be flattering, but the hat is the cat's meow to me! I burn really easily and I definitely don't want my ears to fall off in my old age from too much sun exposure, so I almost always wear a hat when puttering around the yard. As a bonus, the open straw weave is very flexible and allows good air passage, so I don't get as hot as I do in the canvas hats.

This particular hat is so old I don't even remember the year in which I bought it. It has to be at least 10 years old and could very well be as old as 15 years. Amazing, isn't it?

But all good things come to an end and this, my beloved floppy hat, is reaching that point. You may not be able to see it in the picture, but it is coming unraveled in places and a tear is forming where my ponytail always presses on the back. For the last year I have been actively searching for the new perfect garden hat and have had no luck. A good straw hat is just hard to find, I guess.

Enough of hats! There are gorgeous Beagles that are much nicer to look at. And here they are; Gigi (front) and Boscoe enjoying their "Memories of Chicken" Water. When I cook their food, I save the broth that the chicken and veggies were cooked in, let it set in the refrigerator until it is like jello, then wrap individual spoonfuls in plastic wrap and freeze them. To make chicken water, I unwrap one, cut it in half and put it in a bowlful of water.

On hot days, chasing the chicken ice ensures they get lots of water after a run. On cold days, I melt it in the microwave and add it to water, giving it a slight warmth after a freezing walk.

Now if you want to amuse yourself a bit, sing the tune to the duet "To All the Girls We've Loved Before" and substitute Chickens and other appropriate verbiage and you have their song.