Our Visit to the Farm

While Sam was helping Brent with the harvest in South Dakota, I enjoyed visiting with family and friends.  One day I went to town and visited with Joyce Wilson, another day I went to Mission and visited with Patti Busch and Michelle Allen.  We got to see Roy and Barbie before they left for Arizona, and I had a nice visit with Barbie one afternoon.  We also got to watch one of Rachel's volleyball games.  

Two days while we were there, Brent, as a member of the REA board, was involved with interviews for candidates applying for the position of director.  On Thursday, Brent went with Tauna to Rapid City where she had a hernia surgery and her tonsils removed.  They came home the same day.  The incision for the hernia was small and didn't seem to bother her very much, but her throat was extremely painful afterward from the tonsillectomy. 

The weather was nice and warm during our week at the farm.

We also enjoyed our visit with Scott, Kristine, and Shannon in Denver 
and with Bill and Karen in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, 
on our way to the farm.

Photos taken on our way to Denver on I-70
October 29

Eisenhower Tunnel

The tunnel is the longest mountain tunnel and 

highest point on the Interstate Highway System. 

* * * * * * * * * * * *

At the Farm
October 31 - November 6

Leaving the house on a four-wheeler,

Sam is ready to harvest corn.

Sam getting the combine ready to go to the field.

(Sam and his brother, Roy)

 John Deere combine.

 These are some of the photos I took on my walks at the farm.

 Road leading to the calving shed.

It wasn't calving season, 

but there were some cows in the pasture.

Corn and grain are stored in grain bins 

and also in plastic bags like the one shown here.

More plastic storage bags.

 Grain bins and an auger.

 

 Filling the bin from the grain truck.

 Several sizes of grain bins.

 Hauling sunflowers from the field to the bins.

Hay bales and a pile of ground hay for feeding the cattle.

 

More round hay bales.

Blackbirds resting on the power line

after coming from the corn field.

The shop where equipment is worked on

and a small office has a radio system

providing helpful market and weather information.

 The "graveyard" for obsolete machinery

and an interesting old car. 

Brent and Tauna's house behind the trees.

On our return trip to Utah, we went across Wyoming instead of through Denver.  

 We enjoy our visits to the farm, but we don't like 
traveling in the car for the 12 hours it takes from SD to Utah.  
Stopping for gas on the way is usually our only stop, 
but this time we did take a couple of short breaks 
to get out and walk around to stretch our legs.   

Final Days in October

We always appreciate and enjoy visits with friends and family. 

Chris and Greg Shepard, our dear friends,

have moved from Dallas, TX to Cedar City, UT

and came to visit us October 26-28.

(Sam, Narene, Chris, Greg)

 

It was nice to meet Elena and Denis Smogluck

who joined the Shepards and us for a visit.

We went out to eat and then came

back to our home for more visiting.

Denis worked for the church in Moscow

and met the Shepards there.

He is now working on an advanced degree at BYU.

(Elena and Denis Smogluck, Greg and Chris Shepard)

Once again we enjoyed visiting 

the Springfield Museum of Art

with the Shepards

where paintings by Minerva Teicher were being featured,

including her

Christ in a Red Robe.

Our Empty Nesters group typically meet

on the first Monday evening of the month

and frequently meet in our home,

but occasionally we meet and visit interesting places

or do other activities.

At a craft boutique, I bought this sunflower for our yard.

 Our front entrance with seasonal decorations.

We have had nice weather this fall.

 Chrysanthemums in bloom

The new look to our front entrance

with the fence now completed.

Another view.

 

 

Shannon in her costume for the Halloween party at the church.

We were in Denver on Halloween

with Scott and Kristine's family,

where we stayed overnight and went to church the next day

before leaving for South Dakota.

 We stopped on our way to the farm

for a visit with Bill and Karen in Scottsbluff.

Mississippi River Cruise - Part 5 - Branson

We opted for an extension to our Mississippi River Cruise, which was four days in Branson, Missouri, going to three shows each day except on Thursday when we had the morning free and only two shows that afternoon.  We were pleased that our son Jeff and two of our grandchildren could come to Branson from their home in Gravette, Arkansas, to spend Thursday morning with us.  They took us to Dick's 5 & 10 and then to Silver Dollar City.

Looking out the window from our hotel in Branson.

October 18 - Branson

 Rich Thomas Illusionist Show

The Rich Thomas Illusionist Show

was in the Andy William's Moon River Theater.

Memorabilia of Andy William's was displayed

in the theater's store.

This is one of the dogs Rich Thomas had in part of

his illusionist show.  They were very gentle.

(Narene) 

 * * * * * * * * * * * *

 Dixie Stampede Dinner Show

I liked the Dixie Stampede show better than I did the last

time we were in Branson

when I was disappointed with the entertainment.

They serve too much food, including a whole chicken;

but they are efficient serving the very large crowd.

There are some good looking horses in the show, 

and most people seem to enjoy it.

  A nice musical scene during the

Dixie Stampede Dinner Show. 

 * * * * * * * * * * * *

New Jersey Knights

with music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons

October 19 

The Brett's Show

is a popular morning show in Branson

by a talented family. 

The Bretts are one of the several 

LDS entertainers in Branson.

 * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Hughes Brothers IT Show.

"The world's largest performing family" is a favorite Branson Show.

The Hughes are also an LDS family.

Five brothers, five wives, and 36 children (and counting.)

 * * * * * * * * * * * *

Acrobats of China

Their show features classic Chinese dance, aerial ballet,

hoop diving tricks, drum juggling, plates spinning,

pole climbing, silks, human juggling, the group bike, and more.

 Acrobats of China

One of several paintings of

Yakov Smirnov in the theater

bearing his name where the

Acrobats of China had their show. 

  

October 20

"Silver Dollar City"

Jeff, Austin, and Kate

We wish the rest of the family could have come, too; 

but we had a good time

with the part of the family who came

to Silver Dollar City 

when we had free time on Thursday morning.

 We did miss Rochelle, Zack, Jamon, and Miles.

Kate and Austin

Austin, Jeff, and Kate 

ready for their ride on the Giant Barn Swing. 

Giant Barn Swing

Sam went with Jeff on the Outlaw Run,

but I am glad I chose to take their picture instead.

(back seats:  Jeff and Sam) 

 They survived the Outlaw Run.

 (Jeff and Sam)

Sam, Kate, Austin, and Narene

 The Powder Keg

 Austin and Jeff enjoyed their ride 

on the Powder Keg.

 The Moses Show

 Sight and Sound Theatre

where we saw The Moses Show,

an epic musical on a huge panoramic stage, including live animals.

 

 

Statue of Moses inside the foyer of the Sight and Sound Theatre.

We were not permitted to take photos of the production, though.

 * * * * * * * * * * * *

 The Six Show

The six brothers are "an orchestra of human voices" 

singing a cappella and making the instrument sounds with their voices. 

 Six

 It is amazing what they can do with their voices.

They are another LDS group.

  The cars belonging to the Six musicians

are parked in front of the theater.

Each car is the color of the jacket worn by its owner.

Six perform at the Mickey Gilley Theater.

Their six Corvette cars are parked out front.

   

 October 21

The Red Hot Blue Show
Songs from the 1940's big band sounds of swing, 
to disco from the 70s, and all the way up to hits from today.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

 The Duttons

They perform a wide range of music from bluegrass to classical music.

Their show features a variety of instruments, including violin, guitar, bass,

viola, banjo, mandolin, keyboard, harmonica, and drums.

The Duttons are another LDS family

who perform in Branson and are

very talented and entertaining.

 

 A favorite musical number the Duttons do is to

play on the instrument of the one standing next to them;

and the one at the end of the line then moves to the head of the line,

so each musician plays the others instruments.

It was a fun surprise to see Kristine's parents

(our son Scott's inlaws)

across the aisle from us at the Duttons show.

They were there with friends and

had just gotten to Branson that day.

It was their first show to see.

(Sam, Narene, Kathryn and Gary Judd)

* * * * * * * * * * * *

 The Clay Cooper Show

  Matt Gumm impersonating Donald Trump

on the Clay Cooper Show was funny.

 Clay Cooper Show

A young vocalist singing a Patsy Cline song.

  Clay Cooper 

His show included singing, dancing, and comedy.

It was entertaining, but not one of our favorites.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

We did think Fun For Less Tours had selected a
good mix of enjoyable entertainment.  

Some we had seen on previous visits to Branson,
but we enjoyed seeing them again.
Dixie Stampede Dinner Show (liked better than before),
The Brett's Show (enjoyed seeing again),
Hughes Brothers Show IT (more variety than previously; a good show);
Acrobats of China (impressive);
Six (another favorite);
The Dutton's Show (a favorite; very talented family)
 
New to us on this visit to Branson were:
Rich Thomas Illusionist Show (recommend it),
New Jersey Nights (liked some songs better than others), 
The Moses Show (recommend it),
Red Hot Blue Show (enjoyed the music from our era),
Clay Cooper Show (variety; probably would not choose again)

* * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Liberty Jail

 Our last stop before flying home from Kansas City

was visiting the Liberty Jail in Liberty, Missouri.

This is a reconstruction of the original Clay County Jail

on the same site of its initial location.

Joseph Smith is the one depicted at the left.

He and the others were imprisoned from December 1, 1838 to April 6, 1839

during the Mormon War.

Latter Day Saints sometimes described it as a "prison temple" 

because of revelations received 

during Joseph Smith's imprisonment there, 
which are now recorded as sections 121, 122, and 123 

of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Our flight from Kansas City to Salt Lake City was nonstop.

As with other trips we have taken with Fun For Less Tours,

we enjoyed our Mississippi River Cruise and the Branson extension.

Having Hal and Christy Smith as traveling companions 

and Michael Wilcox as our tour educator

added to our enjoyment.