Texas was inspiring and humid. I came back home to my first copy of Roundup Magazine, a bimonthly printed periodical published by the Western Writers of America. I applied to join their organization a few months back in order to gain access to a network of writers aligned to my favorite writing subject, horses. It was exciting to see myself listed among the new members section of Volume XXXIII. Their next convention will be located in Reno. I hope I can attend.

Side Note on Straw Hats

My bio in Roundup magazine is a photo of me in a Love’s Truck Stop hat. A Love’s truck stop hat is a good hat to wear in the field. I don’t mind beating it up, throwing it anywhere in the truck, or even shoving in my pack. I’ve enjoyed scooping up river water and putting it on my head for a good cool down many times. Because of everything I have listed, I have been through a few of ’em. Luckily, they are inexpensive to replace. My next straw hat is a Charlie 1 Horse. It took me awhile to gain the courage and funds to purchase a straw hat that didn’t come from a gas station. However, it is not a “cowboy hat”. It has a fashionable wide brim and a cute band. I don’t like to work in it, but I have worn it enough to put stampede strings on it so I never lose it. I recently got my Charlie 1 Horse hat signed by Craig Cameron when I rode with him for a horsemanship weekend. Now, I just got my latest straw hat while in I was Fort Worth, Texas from The Best Hat Store. It’s a real “cowboy” hat made by the American Hat Company. It was shaped for me in the store by a mustached cowboy who gave it a cattleman’s crease and pinched the sides up. It is the most expensive hat I own. It’s sturdy, shaped, and looks real sharp at rodeos. This hat was fun to get during my latest trip to the Lone Star State because Texas was busy with international travelers for the World Cup. Many people flew home in June 2026 with an AHC cowboy hat, myself included.

I love all my hats, but only one em is signed by a hall of fame cowboy, for now anyway.