2023 August 27-31, Trip to Hollister, Point Lookout, Ridgedale, Branson, MO., Searcy, Arkansas, Dyersburg, TN (5 Days)

Top of the Rock, Lost Canyon Cave, Ridgedale, MO 

 Sunday, August 27, Day 1: 

Today, we left the house around 6:30, arrived at the Robertsons, loaded their luggage into our car, and began our journey to Branson.

Our first stop was for breakfast at Jack's in Tuscumbia, AL.

I ordered gravy with sausage biscuits and a soda. 

After breakfast, we began our journey west on Highway 72 toward Iuka, MS.

We traveled through several small towns, entering the interstate in Memphis. 

We crossed the Mississippi River into West Memphis, Arkansas, stopping at the Welcome Center.

Our next stop was to meet friends at Western Sizzlin's in Searcy, Arkansas.

There, we enjoyed a lovely lunch while enjoying the company of old friends and making new friends.

After lunch, we headed north toward Missouri, stopping at South Mountain Scenic Overlook, where you can see Bryan Mountain Elevation 1760, McCutcheon Gap Snowball, Bear Creek, Searcy County Airport, Point Peter Elevation 2040, Round Mts., Buffalo National River, Boat Mountain Elevation 2221, Marshall, St Jo, and Harrison, Arkansas. 

It's a great place to stop and take pictures. 

We arrived at Paradise Point Resort in Hollister, MO, checked into room 9404, and took the elevator up to our room. We had three bedrooms, a kitchen, three bathrooms, a living room, and a pool room with a view of the White River. 

We unpacked and headed outside, walking alongside the swimming pool, hot tub, and floating pool. 

We were all too full to eat dinner, so we just snuck on some snacks.

Arkansas Welcome Center 

Standing near the Swimming Pool 

Monday, August 28, Day 2: 

We ate breakfast at the Hungry Hunter Restaurant, where they served substantial portions of food. 

The pancakes would cover a huge plate. The bread made for French toast was homemade and served with two huge slices. 

Eggs, Ham, and hash rounds were also served. Great place for a hungry man. I could not eat all of my French toast. 

In Ridgeland, Missouri, we took a golf cart that holds four people down into the canyon for a 22.5-mile-long tour of caves and waterfalls. We would park the golf cart and explore several areas. 

Inside the cave was a snack bar where you could purchase snacks and drinks. 

After we finished the tour, we took the shuttle to the Top of the Rock, where we toured the American Museum of Natural History. The museum was filled with artifacts from the Woolly Mammoth. 

After the museum tour, we were told to return around 7:30–8 P.M. for the sunset, which would feature bagpipe playing and cannon firing. 

We rode to the historic part of Branson, stopping at B's Ice Cream Parlor for a strawberry cheesecake waffle Cone. We rode to Bass Pro Shop and then took a short trolley ride around the historic part of Branson.  

We walked along the River Landing and saw several new restaurants, fountains, and fire-spitting pipes. 

We ate lunch at World Famous White River Fish House, where I ordered 3 shrimp tacos. I could not eat all of them, so I just ate the shrimp.
We shopped at Elks but didn't buy anything. 

We rode back to the Top of the Rock to see the sunset, tour the old church, and watch the canon being fired.

We came back to the condo, showered, and went to bed. 

Sunset at the top of the Rock, Ridgedale, MO 

French Toast 

Tuesday, August 29, Day 3: 

We ate a cinnamon roll for breakfast. 

We rode to College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, MO, where we toured the War Memorial at the Keeter Center. 

We ate lunch at Dobyn's Dining Room at the Keeter Center. I ordered steak soup with rolls and butter. 

We toured the East End Mill, where I bought a handcrafted basket. 

Next, we toured the Ralph Foster Museum, which housed artifacts on three levels. 

This included musical talents from Missouri, musical instruments, Quilts, dishes, dolls, a circus, cars, and animals (taxidermy), such as polar bears, Grizzly Bears, Lions, tigers, buffalo, elk, and deer. 

It included butterflies and birds of every kind, as well as an incredible amount of information, all contained within this one building. 

At 7:30, we boarded the Branson Belle for a dinner cruise and show.

The show was great. It started a little slow, but finished with a bang.

It was another long day, so we went off to bed.

Keefer Center at College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, Mo  

This little fellow will greet you with a loud growl!

Wednesday, August 30, Day 4

I ate a bowl of instant oatmeal for breakfast, and then we were off.

Today, we are going to Silver Dollar City, Branson, MO, for a fun-filled day of shows.

We will also enjoy a train ride into the woods, only to be stopped by train robbers.

Then we will enjoy a hamburger and onion rings at the Lumber Camp Restaurant.

Today was the hottest day yet, and after all that walking, we were ready to leave the park. 

Train Robbers 

On our way back to the condo, we stopped at Little Hacienda in Branson, MO, where I enjoyed a Margarita on the rocks and a Churro with Ice Cream. 

Hubby ordered a burrito supreme. 

We were all very full when we left the restaurant.

I took a shower and went straight to bed, not waking up until 2 A.M. Everyone was asleep, so I took out my journal and wrote for about an hour and a half, then went back to bed.

Thursday, August 31, Day 5

The last day of the month and our last day in Branson, MO.

Packed our bags, loaded the car, and were on our way around 6:30–7 A.M.

We stopped to fill up with gas in Black Rock, Arkansas. 

We didn't stop for lunch until we reached Dyersburg, Tennessee

We stopped at The Bus Stop Restaurant, where I enjoyed a half-turkey sandwich with pasta, which was very good. We sat outside, for it was a very nice, excellent day.

We dropped our friends off and stopped at the car wash to wash off all the bugs that we had accumulated on the highway.

We were home by 5 P.M.

We had a great trip, but I'm glad to be home in my own bed.

Our next trip is a cruise unless we decide to take a day or overnight trip to the beach. 

2018 Shoals Front Porch Storytelling Festival

I spent the last three days attending different functions of the Storytelling Festival.
May 17,18,19, 2018

On Thursday, I attended a free concert at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame featuring Kate Campbell. 

Kate played guitar, sang, and told stories. (3:00–4:30 P.M.)

One of the stories/songs was about Tomatoes and Jesus Coming Soon. 

The special guest was Spooner Oldham. Kate has made many recordings with Spooner. 

Later that day at Florence Library,  I enjoyed listening to Josh Goforth tell stories about his tobacco-chewing PawPaw. 

Josh played the banjo, Fiddle, and guitar. He can play as many as ten instruments. Very talented young man. (5–6 P.M.)

Josh Goforth playing the banjo 

On Friday, I was joined by three friends at the storytelling festival held at the Shoals Theater from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. 

The Movie Projector at Shoals Theater is displayed in the lobby

We enjoyed lunch at Legends, which is located across the street from the theater.
We listened to Bil Lepp tell funny stories. 

Josh Goforth sings, tells stories, and plays the banjo, guitar, and Fiddle. 

Tim Lowry's long program featured him dressed as a Southern gentleman from South Carolina. 

After lunch, we listened to Donald Davis, Dolores Hydock, Bill Lepp, and Josh Goforth. 

There was a dinner break, and we all went home. 

Saturday, I was joined by one friend, and we listened to Tim Lowry tell a story about attending an AME church in a Confederate Soldier Uniform. 

We listened to Donald Davis, Kate Campbell, & Josh Goforth.

Delores Hydock's long program was about a woman who worked for Loveman's Department Store, "In her own fashion." 

Bobby Horton played guitar while Dolores told the story of Ninette Griffith & Loveman's Department store. 

My friend and I enjoyed a meal at City Hardware. I ordered a red, white, and blue salad with chicken. 

Red, White, and Blue Chicken Salad 

At 5 P.M., the storytelling stopped for a dinner break.
My friend and I both went home. I would have loved to have stayed until 9 P.M. for the rest of the show, but I was just too tired.

I was between Dolores Hydock and Tim Lowery at intermission. 

Dauphin Island Environment Marine

Energy from the Sands of Time

ExxonMobil, one of many oil companies operating in Alabama waters, operates the platform east of Dauphin Island. These platforms extract natural gas (methane), a clean-burning petroleum product. The platform lies in 11 feet of water, dripping operations to depths of over 20,000 feet. Once natural gas is found and brought to the surface, it is transferred via an underwater pipeline to processing plants on the mainland. 

These photographs demonstrate the porous quality of millions of-year-old sandstone. Ten percent of the sandstone's volume is natural gas compressed within it. 

Pores to a pressure between 10,000 and 20,000 pounds per square inch. 

The natural gas field found within Mobile Bay and the Alabama Water is the largest field discovered in the continental United States. Concerned citizens, scientists, and state regulators worked with the oil companies to implement an environmentally safe, clean operation with a zero-discharge policy. This policy prohibits the discharge of drilling fluids, petroleum products, and treated sewage from the platform into state waters. Instead, these materials are offloaded and taken to the mainland for proper disposal. 

Mr. Sand and his friends Part II

The grains collect and grow into dunes. Even as they grow, they move as the wind blows them. 

Shifting and growing, the dunes stabilize once dune grasses, like sea oats, start sprouting. The plant's roots help anchor them, encouraging further dune growth. And the more due growth, the more plant growth —- a friendly relationship.

These stabilized dunes attract even more plants, like wax myrtle, yucca, and, eventually, the majestic live oak. 

These rooting plants add moisture and shelter and promote even more plant colonization. 

More and more animals are attracted to plant growth, from plant-eating insects to insect-eating beach mice to owls, hawks, and raccoons.

Thriving with plant life, a dune will continue to grow. 

But the bigger it gets, the more exposed it becomes to aeolian (wind) and marine (water) forces, like erosion. 

Mr. Sand and his friends, Park III

During autumn and winter storms, sand is blown offshore. Someday, it will be carried back onshore to build new dunes. 

So, as the seasons change, do the dunes. With gentle wind and waves, sand heaps onshore in the spring, forming new dunes. In the summer, sea oats and plants help them grow. In the stormy winter, the dunes erode (wear down).

Susceptible to strong onshore winds, Mr. Sand and his friends tend to move inland, covering everything in their path. 

We must help Mr. Sand and his friends by not walking or driving on the dunes. Many places have boardwalks built over the dunes and plants to protect them. 

Sand fences, like boardwalks, are another way of protecting dunes. They serve as obstructions so the grains can collect and form new dunes. Planting grasses like sea oats can also help in exposed areas and along pathways. 

These conservation practices can only help if we cooperate. Mr. Sand and his friends, along with the forces of nature, form dunes and beaches for you to enjoy. 

Let's take care of them in the future. 

Mr. Sand and his friends Part I

Come let Mr. Sand guide you through the life of a dune. Learn how to protect the sand dunes, Mr. Sand, and his friends who live with him. 

Once upon a time, about 250 million years ago, bedrock was formed. The hot molten rock formed granite and emerged as the Appalachian Mountains. As the granite and other rocks eroded from the mountains, they formed grains of sand. This sand washed down to the Gulf of Mexico and was deposited onto beaches and dunes now underwater. 

Waves and currents washed Mr. Sand away from these old deposits, and he and his friends moved onto the beaches we see now. 

The more Mr. Sand and his friends wash along the beach, the more they wear down. They become rounder and more uniform in size and texture. 

Away from the mainland, underwater mountains of sand grow grain by grain, becoming "offshore bars." Some can grow so much they emerge above sea level and become "barrier islands." 

Dry grains of sand are susceptible to wind, drifting until the wind speed drops.

Once Mr. Sand and his friends land, they collect on the "lee," or sheltered side of obstacles along their flight path.

Marine Debris: A Silent Killer

Marine debris Timeline

What is marine debris?

Marine debris is the name for trash that litter our coasts and oceans.

It includes all the objects found in marine and coastal environments that do not naturally occur there. Marine debris is not only a hazard to ships, divers, and beachgoers but also creates a serious threat to our precious marine life. 

Marine debris consists of articles made by people and deliberately discarded or accidentally lost. In most cases, it results from careless handling or disposal of solid waste items, including liquid waste containers; it can also be materials lost at sea in bad weather, like fishing gear and cargo.

Marine debris consists mostly of snowy, degradable waste made of persistent materials such as plastic, polystyrene, metals, and glass from a wide variety of different sources.

(thrown or lost into the sea): brought indirectly to the sea with rivers, sewage, stormwater, or winds, which are left by people on beaches and shores. 

Where is marine debris found:

. Marine debris is found everywhere worldwide, in marine and coastal environments.

.Marine debris can be blown around and is found floating on the water's surface. Almost 90% of floating marine debris is plastic. 

. Marine debris is mixed in the water column, from the surface to the bottom of the ocean.

.Marine debris is found on the seabed. As much as 70% of all marine debris sinks to the bottom of the seabed, both in shallow coastal areas and deeper parts of the ocean. 

.Marine debris is found lying on beaches and shores. 

How does marine debris harm wildlife?

. Entanglement 

Common items like fishing lines, strapping bands, and six-pack rings can hamper marine animals' movement. Once entangled, animals have trouble eating, breathing, or swimming, all of which can have fatal results. Plastics take hundreds of years to break down and may continue to trap and kill animals year after year. Smaller marine creatures get stuck inside plastic and glass containers to die slowly. 

Ingestion

Birds, fish, and mammals often mistake plastic for food. Some birds even feed it to their young. With plastic filling their stomachs, animals have a false feeling of being full and may die of starvation. Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, one of their favorite foods. Due to its durability, buoyancy, and ability to absorb and concentrate toxins present in the ocean, plastic is especially harmful to marine life. 

Other threats to wildlife 

The seabed is smothered, toxic substances accumulate and disperse, environmental changes are caused by invasive species, and habitat disturbances are caused by mechanical cleaning of marine debris. 

How does marine debris harm people?

.Contamination of the beaches and harbors creates health hazards to people

.Marine debris also endangers the safety and livelihood of fishermen and recreational boaters. Nets and monofilament fishing lines obstruct propellers, and plastic sheeting and bags block cooling intakes. 

Where am I?

Dauphin Island is at the junction of Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound, and the Gulf of Mexico. It is the easternmost in a series of changing barrier islands that form the southern boundary of Mississippi Sound. 

Mobile Bay is 53 kilometers (35 mi) long, 16 kilometers (10 mi) wide, and averages 3 meters (10ft) deep. It is a drowned river valley that was once deeper and extended farther north. About 6,000 years ago, the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta formed as Mobile Bay became broader and shallower. Mobile Bay has the seventh-largest river discharge in North America (219 to 13,977 cubic meters per second or 5 to 322 billion gallons per day) and is the third-largest in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Most ocean waters that enter the Gulf of Mexico come through the Yucatan Channel between Mexico and Cuba. 

These waters form circling currents that move across the continental shelf and mix with the freshwater from the land. The water exits the Gulf of Mexico through the Straits of Florida between Florida and Cuba. 

Life in a Salt Marsh

A real partnership 

Black needle rush and smooth cordgrass areCordgrasst grasslike plants of Coastal Alabama salt marshes. They provide oxygen to organisms that live below the salt marsh surface and refuge for many animals. 

Decomposing plant matter in an environment without oxygen produces the "rotten egg" odor familiar to marshes. However, Cordgrass and Needlerush root systems are spongy and porous, allowing oxygen into the waterlogged soil. This will enable organisms below the surface of the marsh to survive. 

Fiddler Crab (Uca  spp) 

Fiddler Crabs and other small mud crabs burrow into the marsh surface, feeding on the plant matter. Their aquatic larval stages contribute significantly to the food chain.

Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora)

Smooth Cordgrass forCordgrasser along the edge of the open water, below the average high tide line. Cordgrass has flattened leaves and a light green color. 

Black Needlerush (Juncus roemerianus)

The Black Needlerush comprises the largest vegetated zone of Alabama's salt marshes and is near and above the average high tide line. 

Needlerush leaves are round with pointed tips. 

Marsh Periwinkle (Littorina irrorata)

The Marsh Periwinkle is a small snail that inhabits shallow bays, ponds, and tidal marshes. It is often seen climbing Spartina stalks to feed on algae and avoid predators. 

Ribbed Mussel (Geukensia demissa)

The Ribbed Mussel attaches to mature plants at the mud surface and hardens the marsh, helping it resist erosion. These mussels filter a gallon of seawater an hour for food, fertilize the marsh with their waste, and are food for crabs, birds, and mammals.