hat racking
v.— «The freeze was severe enough to cause some defoliation and twig die-back or death of the ends of some limbs. But it added that the tree damage wasn’t as bad as in 1962 when there was widespread hat racking, which is the death of all but the largest limbs of the trees.» —“Florida Growers Put Heat on Jack Frost; Result Is Uncertain” by Bill Paul in Haines City, Florida Wall Street Journal Jan. 21, 1977. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Carmen in Jacksonville, Florida, was told she was pretty as a speck of puff. The more common simile is pretty as a speckled pup or cute as a speckled pup. This is part of a complete episode.
Related
Sarah in Fleming Island, Florida, is curious about the saying sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you, which suggests “it’s a dog-eat-dog world,” or “eat or be eaten,” or more gently, “you win...