Like harvest and hunting seasons, “Felt Hat Season” arrives with the chill of fall. It's the time of year when you swap out your straw hat for the warmth and weight of a good beaver-fur felt.

I was recently reminded of the cultural shift taking place in the Bitterroot Valley when, in a recent conversation with some newer residents, the term "Bitterrooter" was unrecognized. Its use was received with a quizzical look and the question, "Bitterrooter? What's that?" Good question, one that will likely lead to a series of articles, but let's try to unpack it in just this one for now, shall we?

As autumn settles across Montana, cattle shipping season brings a familiar rhythm to ranch country. From sorting and loading calves to gathering neighbors and friends, this annual tradition reflects the hard work, heritage, and enduring culture that define life in the Bitterroot Valley and across Montana ranchland.

As a kid I loved to drive the truck while my dad bucked bales and stacked the hay in our barn. He always made sure there were steps for us girls to climb onto the stack and a pile of loose hay to jump into. I remember my Grandpa Corky and how he taught me the perfect way to stack small squares.

Well, have you? Have you ever actually seen a cowboy? I silently posed these questions on the ski slopes one day when a coworker opted to criticize my "fancy scarf" saying he'd "never seen a cowboy wear a scarf like that".