Rhonda Vincent and the Rage

Rhonda Vincent is a 'hometown girl' and we sure do love her music.  She and her band, the Rage, are incredibly talented.  But as I mentioned in an earlier post, Rhonda is also kind and gracious - a winning combination.  When we heard that she would be performing at Bluegrass and BBQ Festival at Silver Dollar City we scheduled our trip around her dates.  We were not disappointed in the least... she is a consummate entertainer.  We saw three shows while we were there and all were different and equally entertaining.

Sally, Rhonda, and Carolyn - 3 generations

I love this photo of Rhonda and her daughter, Sally

Brent Burke (married to Rhonda's other daughter) playing Dobro 

Rhonda and Mickey Harris

Brent Burke

Hunter and Sally Berry
Sally's husband, Hunter, is one of the best fiddle players anywhere!

Josh Williams and Aaron McDaris

Love this 'family photo'
Sally, Hunter, Rhonda, Carolyn

Carolyn was there so came onstage to sing at 2 shows - wonderful!

Rhonda and her Mama, Carolyn Vincent

Mickey Harris, Josh Williams, Aaron McDaris

You can see an album with more photos at this link...  https://www.flickr.com/photos/williscreekranch/sets/72157683865683845

Bluegrass and BBQ Festival

Mama, Daddy, Marvin, Jonathan, and I packed up the campers and headed to Branson recently.  We camped at Table Rock Lake and attended the Bluegrass and BBQ Festival at Silver Dollar City.  Although we go to SDC often, this was our first time to attend this particular festival.  The primary reason we went was because Rhonda Vincent and the Rage were scheduled to perform.  They were so fantastic I am going to talk about them in a separate post!  :)

We are such creatures of habit.  We have a little restaurant that we like to stop at on the way to and from Branson.  It is about halfway and it has a huge parking lot that makes it easy to stop with two trucks and campers.  However, we found out just before we hit the road that they would not be open on Mondays from now on.  So, we decided to pull off there anyway and just eat our lunch in the campers.  It worked just fine.  (and we stopped on our way back home a few days later and ate in the restaurant!)  :D

having lunch in the parking lot of Tonka Hills Restaurant

I was sure excited about Jonathan backing the fifth wheel into the site at Table Rock Lake!  We had never been in this site before and we won't reserve it again.  It was awkward to get into for a number of reasons.  And once we were in, the site was uneven in bizarre ways that we couldn't compensate for... so we just sat a bit 'kerwhoppered' on this trip.  We also think there might have been a slight issue with the electric at that site.  We had a minor issue while we were there that we don't seem to have here at home.  So, note to self... don't get site #132 anymore!  :)

We spotted this huge building under construction at SDC and wonder what it will be.  It is down next to Echo Hollow Amphitheatre.  There were no signs indicating what it will be.  Later I overheard employees saying that they don't even know what it is going to be - that it is a huge secret that will be revealed sometime in the fall.  So we will stay tuned!  :)

I love this picture of Daddy with Rhonda Vincent after her first performance of our trip.  She is a 'hometown girl' and we sure do love her music.  She is also very kind and gracious.  A winning combination.

We knew it was going to be a busy day at Silver Dollar City when we found ourselves waiting in line to board the tram in the parking lot to go up to the city!  :)

(doesn't dear Jonathan look thrilled?)  :)

I do love this place

Homestead Pickers are a long time favorite.  We enjoy sitting and listening to them every trip.

Jonathan and Marvin going to get one last Arctic Lemonade 

beautiful entry at Silver Dollar City

End of the day - on the tram back to the parking lot

Table Rock Lake was still high from the recent
flooding rains.  They still had the dam wide open.

These three fellas I love so much - figuring things out!  :)

You can see more photos from Bluegrass and BBQ Festival at this link.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/williscreekranch/sets/72157680713896494

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Branson November 2016

After the wonderful trip to Oklahoma to meet Ann Voskamp, we headed to south Missouri to Branson for a weekend retreat with family.  It was a wonderfully relaxing time spent with people that I love so much.  A blessing.  And while the weather was warm (especially that Friday) we all found ourselves getting into 'the Christmas spirit' during the weekend.

Our first stop of the weekend was at the Dixie Stampede.  We have been here a few times for their regular show, but this was our first time visiting during the Christmas season.  The boys always loved this place when they were younger - I think they primarily liked the fact that they got to eat dinner with no utensils!  :D  But, I have to admit that it is pretty hard to beat eating a yummy meal while watching a show with horses.  The added nativity scene for the Christmas season was very nicely done.  Plus, they offered gluten free meal options for Candace, Hannah, and Susanna.  Great evening.

walking by the horse stalls on our way into
the Dixie Stampede

Jonathan, Marvin, Candace, Susanna, Mama, Daddy, Hannah

Marvin, Laura, Candace, Susanna, Mama, Daddy, Hannah

I have been blessed with this view my
whole life.  Daddy and Mama

We all thought this was interesting.  The pre-show is a juggling/magic act in the Carriage room of the Dixie Stampede.  While we definitely enjoyed this fella, we were especially touched to hear a story that he led up to throughout his performance.  Turns out that his Dad was the plate spinning guy on the Ed Sullivan Show all those years ago.  His parents are now retired and live in Las Vegas, but he brought the plate spinning show out of retirement and does it here in Branson to honor his father.  It is, apparently, the very same apparatus that his Dad used.  Very neat.

ready for our meal and the show

The nativity scene was beautifully done, complete
with a dove being set loose to fly to the angel.

we came outside to see the Christmas lights all lit up

Dixie Stampede in Branson

The rest of the weekend was spent at Silver Dollar City for Christmas Fest.  You know how much we love Silver Dollar City!  Although we didn't make it down for Harvest Fest this year, we were happily there for opening weekend of Christmas Fest.  Silver Dollar City is such a fun place and a great destination for families of all ages.

view from our condo rental of Table Rock Lake

Hannah took this stunning photo of the train before we climbed on board for a ride at SDC.

Frisco steam train at SDC

standing in the station as the train comes in

Laura, Jonathan, and Marvin on the train

Hannah, Candace, and Susanna (with Marvin behind)  :D

During the other festivals, a train ride will find you out in the woods where the train is 'robbed' by some friendly (and dumb) hillbillies.  :D  During the Christmas Festival, the train stops to hear 'Grandpa' tell the Christmas story, complete with light adorned nativity figures to accent the story telling.  Very nice.

We gathered in the Main Square around 6:00 to witness the lighting of the big Christmas tree followed by the parade.  (Side note - Saturday evening this all happened an hour later than it did the following day... because of the time change that occurred that weekend.)

Carolers in the Main Square before the lighting ceremony

Love this!

Laura, Candace, Hannah, and Marvin

Mama and Daddy in Hannah's Ice Cream Parlor

Silver Dollar City is known for having over 5 million lights during their Christmas Festival.  It is simply stunning.

Wilderness Church

This was a beautiful decoration and we
loved the perfect reflection in the lake below.

so many lights!!  :D

Nativity

Candace noted the realism in the way the
shepherd boy of the nativity is
holding that sheep.  Made us chuckle.  

Jonathan refused to participate in this group photo,
but he did agree to take our picture.  :D
Hannah, Marvin, Laura, Candace

Sunday morning in the condo

We had a neat occurrence here at Molly's Mill restaurant.  A stranger paid for Marvin's meal our first day in the park.  He asked that we not be notified until he had left the restaurant so he could remain anonymous.  However, I believe I know who it was and looked for him the rest of the day, but didn't find him to thank him in person.  What a very thoughtful thing to do.  (He saw Marvin's Purple Heart cap.)

lunch at Molly's Mill

Listening to the Homestead Pickers inside the
Mahaffie Homestead

After their show, Hannah and Candace went up to visit with the pickers.  They definitely remembered them from last spring when Candace stole the show playing the part of a rooster during a song.  But we all laughed when a lady in the audience (this time around) recognized Candace and said 'I've seen you on YouTube'!   :D   ha!!

Hannah and Candace with the Homestead Pickers

We enjoy the talent of all the performers at Silver Dollar City.  During the Christmas Fest they put on two top notch musicals.  I was excited to see their version of It's a Wonderful Life (in Red Gold Heritage Hall), since that is one of my all time favorite movies.  It was outstanding!

Clarence (with his wings) and the rest of the cast of
It's a Wonderful Life

However, I have to say that my favorite is still SDC's version of A Christmas Carol (at the Opera House).  The set is incredible and the songs chosen to make it a musical are perfect; often hauntingly.  The man who plays Ebeneezer Scrooge is among my favorite SDC performers and is showcased to perfection in this play.  His wife, another favorite, is hilarious as the Ghost of Christmas Present and then just knocks us over with her rendition of Ave Maria in a scene as an angel.  SUCH a great performance all around!  We saw it twice and would have gone again had we stayed another day at the park.

ready for A Christmas Carol to begin...

Scrooge with the Ghost of Christmas Past

Scrooge with the Ghost of Christmas Present
(who is played by his wife)  :D

Marvin, Jonathan, and I went on another train ride, this time after dark so we could better enjoy the lights from the train.

We then met up with Hannah and Candace to see The Living Nativity in the Riverfront Playhouse.  It was also wonderful.  A nice way to end our time at Silver Dollar City this time around.

final scene of the Living Nativity

our last view of Silver Dollar City 

You can see an entire album of photos and videos from the weekend at this link...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/williscreekranch/albums/72157674886388082

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