She who has the last straw laughs best

Friday morning, as I have almost every day for the past three years, I drove across the U.S. 70 bridges over Del Rey Boulevard and I-25. Usually the only things to look for are the occasional cop, the people who are still traveling 55-60 after the speed limit drops to 45, and other drivers' license plate frames that say things like "Ask me about slumber parties."

Today, though, I glanced at the side of the road and saw a battered straw hat with a bright green hatband.

I wondered where the hat might have come from, and who wore it last.

Was someone driving a Jeep or convertible and the hat blew off? Had someone tossed it in the back of the pickup and it flew out? It was the perfect kind of hat for a scarecrow.

Who might wear such a hat? It was ideal for doing yard work on a sunny southern New Mexico day. Or for laying bricks. Or reading out on the patio at midday. Whatever it would be, it struck me you couldn't ever wear this hat and be angry.

For whatever reason, I found myself fixating on this floppy straw hat. I hadn't seen one in quite a while.

About four hours later, at lunchtime, I was driving south on Alameda Boulevard between Madrid and Picacho.

And there was another floppy straw hat. This one was darker, and the hatband may or may not have been a dark green.

And it was atop someone's head.

It was a lady, maybe a girl, walking on the sidewalk. With the floppy hat and big sunglasses, her age was indeterminant. She could have been anywhere between 16 and 36.

If you were out Friday, you know what a beautiful day it was. Perfect temperature. No real wind.

The floppy hat girl was walking not one, but two smallish dogs. The other thing that stood out was the large, contented smile on her face.

And really, how could you not be happy. On such a beautiful day, dogs underfoot and a big floppy hat overhead.

The high was 42 degrees in Denver this day. Denver: stocking cap, late-winter frustration. Las Cruces: floppy hat, early spring bliss.

One of many reasons it's great to be here.