Duckie was privileged to tag along to the Peterson Family Reunion in Branson, Misissouri. Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s.
Branson has long been a popular destination for vacationers from Missouri and neighboring areas. The construction of music theaters by nationally-known performers along Highway 76 has increased Branson's popularity as a tourist destination. Branson now draws visitors from all regions of the country, mostly by car or bus.
Making Whoopie on your way to Branson!
The three "sticks" stand for LAND, WOOD, and WATER.
"The Live Entertainment Capital of the World"
- The Presley family became the first to move their show to Highway 76 in 1967 (which would become known as the "strip"), followed a year later by the Baldknobbers. This area would eventually grow to more than 50 theaters – most of them located on Highway 76.
Duckie in Canada! Thanks to his gracious host and fellow duck supporter, Marilyn Reichert!
Duckie arrived for his visit today as I was heading out for
a walk along the beach with my girlfriend. So we decided to take him along with
us. Crescent Beach (south of Vancouver) has been one of my favorite walking
places for the last four decades (oh, that sounds so weird!). About 30 minutes
from where I live, it’s a good place to go and gorge yourself on fish and chips
and walk and think upon life… as long as you go on a weekday like today.
Weekends – this place is packed with people and pets!!
Taking
in the view from Crescent Beach on the eastern shore of Boundary Bay which lies
between BC and the peninsula of Point Roberts USA, a small patch of America
that Americans can’t get to unless they travel through Canada. Whoever thought
of those boundary lines?!?!
Sitting on one of the jetties that were built along the
shoreline to help prevent erosion. You can tell the tide is out a little
because otherwise, this would be under water.
Getting into the tidal salt-water of Boundary Bay. Just a
tad chilly today, even though it’s the end of May. The weather has been
unusually cold and rainy lately but I’ve been told that summer’s just around
the corner and then this place will be packed out with lots of sun bathers and swimmers.
When the tide is all the way out, the water’s edge is way far off in the
distance and you can walk on the sand flats for hours discovering sand dollars,
sea shells and crabs in the tidal pools.
The walking trails along the beach are all well cared for.
I stopped to chat with a friend along the way. You can see
that the house in the background is pretty colorful. There are a lot of
beautiful (expensive!!) houses along this beach trail.
Watching the seagulls on the jetty and a crab fisherman on
the pier.
The
view from the pier looking back along a section of the beach that faces towards
Mud Bay where it joins Boundary Bay. A good view of the wooden jetties that
were built to help prevent erosion.
Looking down the pier at the crab fisherman. We went to see
him but he said he didn’t catch anything today, just some small ones that he
had to throw back in.
Looking the other way from the pier, facing east into Mud
Bay where the Serpentine and Nicomekl Rivers
join the bay. When the tide is out – this is just a big mud flat with a dredged
channel (look at the two posts in the water to the left in the picture) where
boats can get out. This is where my hostess learned to sail years ago. If you
didn’t get it just right, you beached on a sandbar… and she did that a few
times apparently!!
Blackie Spit Park is one of the best bird watching areas in
Canada with 200 species of birds recorded in a calendar year. The park is a
wildlife conservation area. Today we just saw seagulls.
Looking east over Mud Bay.
While we were walking along the beach trail, these two young
ladies asked us to take some pictures for them. So I asked for a picture of me
with them! Note the clothing on the right… she was recreating pictures of her mom
that were taken back in the early 70’s… it made me chuckle because my hostess used
to dress exactly like that to go to work in the early 70’s. Twiggy and hot
pants… it was all the rage!!
Looking over Mud Bay where it begins to join Boundary Bay.
Taking a rest along the way on one of the many benches
provided. The posts in the water behind mark the dredged channel that boats
must go up in order to avoid the sandbars in Mud Bay.
Can you see me just above this sign? In the summer time,
there is swimming at Crescent Beach, but at this point, where Boundary Bay
meets Mud Bay, there’s a very strong current and every year someone drowns here
so they finally put up this sign.
Heading back along the trail (on the left shoulder).
All good walks end with a latte and dessert, don’t they??
Before the trip to Canada, Duckie made a pit stop at the Lindale Rodeo, thanks to Shannon and Vangie!
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the
working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United
States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills
required of the working cowboys, in what today is the western United States,
western Canada, and northern Mexico. Today it is a sporting event that consists
of events that involve horses and other livestock, designed to test the skill
and speed of the human cowboy and cowgirl athletes who participate.
