Kenny Chesney @ Flora Bama

We both remember our first visit to the Flora-Bama. BUT, we had different reactions to it.

Mine was = BEEN THERE DONE THAT.
WDS was = GOTTA DO THIS EVERY TIME WE COME TO THE BEACH.

Guess who won out ...

It is so good to see this video of Kenny's concert in August of 2014.

KENNY CHESNEY: LIVE AT FLORA BAMA

Our Trip to Branson, Missouri

We've been RVing since 2004, but this blog did not begin until April of 2007. We were reminded of a very enjoyable vacation we took before we even had an RV. It took place in 2001 in Branson, Missouri.

Branson is known for their many theaters and live shows to enjoy. We took in at least three of those shows, and I've found some photos from that trip to share.
Branson 2001

We did look much younger back then. After all, eleven years does make a difference.

While in Branson, we also spent a day at an amuzement park -- Silver Dollar City.

The most spectacular and most expensive show we saw was a dance show similar to River Dance. If you ever have a chance to see such a show, you'll never forget it.



Apparently Branson will be celebrating their 100th year next month.

Coastal Choral Snowbird Serenade

WHEN? Saturday · February 25

WHERE? First Baptist Church of Gulf Shores, Alabama

WHAT? Coastal Chorale

This afternoon's Snowbird Serenade performance featured many familiar songs along with several others I had not heard, and all were beautifully done.

The last song performed was "The Phantom of the Opera Medley" for which the scene was set at the beginning of the concert when all the members had on masquerade masks.

Perhaps you can get a feel for it by watching this video:
The Phantom of the Opera

I always enjoy seeing this group perform. This time, my friend, Roger, went with me, and it was his first time to attend one of their performances.

Final Coastal Choral Performance of 2011

WHEN? Sunday · December 4

WHERE? Spirit Center at Foley United Methodist Church

WHAT? Coastal Chorale Christmas concert

Reviews:

"Fabulous ... unbelievably good."
- maedeans

"In a class with Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians and The Ray Conniff Singers. They sing with a masterful blend of their voices."
- The Perpetual Vacationers

"Still wonderful entertainment - and still some funny stuff like "Chopsticks Theme and Variations" - like everything else, the price had to increase from $10 to $15"
- MDS

This afternoon's Christmas performance featured some familiar Christmas songs along with several others we had never heard, and all were beautifully done.

If you missed this last performance, never fear, they will perform again in February of 2012:
SNOWBIRD SERENADE

"The Music of the Night"

Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 7:30 pm
Friday, February 24, 2012 - 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 25, 2012 - 3:00 pm
Saturday, February 25, 2012 - 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 26, 2012 - 3:00 pm

(Serenade performances at First Baptist Church, Gulf Shores)

Their first number was an oldie from the 50's. Maybe this video will put you in the Christmas spirit. BTW, Santa Claus was there...

40th Annual Shrimp Festival

WHEN? Thursday - Sunday · October 13-16

WHERE? Gulf Shores, Alabama · find us on the map

WHY? 40th Annual National Shrimp Festival

This blog post must begin with our disappointment in this year's festival. It has to do with economics. We are retired and on a fixed income. With the price of everything going up, we will probably not attend anymore Shrimp Festivals.

It sounds good that there is no admission to the event, but the best way to attend is to catch a shuttle, so we parked in Bruno's parking lot in Gulf Shores. Then, our first surprise came. The price was $2 a person; last year it was $1 a person.

We had specifically arrived near lunch time to seek out the same meal we had eaten last year. We did not really find it, but one booth had what they called a Paella Dinner for $15 (for one person). Last year a similar meal that was better than this one was $8. We shared the one meal while listening to J.B. Melody on the East Stage.

Anything we saw to possibly purchase had higher prices. One jewelry booth told me they were paying more for what they were selling. So that is what it is about -- inflationary prices across the board.

To see the few photos we took, visit 40th Shrimp Festival of 2009 on Flickr.

As we write this, three more days are left to attend this annual festival in Gulf Shores.

Blue Angels at Devils Tower Revisited

Recently we have been reminded a couple of times about the Blue Angels visiting Devils Tower while we were there in 2007 as volunteers.

While we dined on the prime rib at American Legion Post 44 in Gulf Shores, Alabama last night, we noticed the above photo on the wall near our table.

Here's someone else's video taken of this awesome event.

Our previous blog posts about this amazing flight demonstration squadron may be read at:

• Angels above
• Pensacola Air Show
• Second Visit To Pensacola Air Show

Choir Concert at Marlow Church

The flyer above tells it all. The vacation came to us today in three large buses required to transport the choir and their chaperons. Yes, when the young people comprising the choir have completed the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades, chaperons are necessary, and we were so happy to have them all with their talent to entertain and inspire us.

We noted they were taping the performance as well as taking photos, and we do hope they have some of both that we can purchase to enjoy and inspire us whenever.

The Sonshine Choir was a treat deluxe!

---

When I visited the Brentwood United Methodist Church website, I was surprised to learn this church is one of five others chosen to have a concert by Libera, a boys choir from England, on their Summer 2010 Tour in the United States.

This made me want to move the vacation to Brentwood on August 4. The places the choir will perform while in the United States are:
August 1st ~ Dallas, Texas
August 2nd ~ Fort Worth, Texas
August 5th ~ St. Louis, Missouri
August 4th ~ Brentwood, Tennessee
August 10th ~ Atlanta, Georgia

We first learned about Libera in November of last year when a friend shared a video by the choir, and I blogged about it on LIVING...MAEDEANS STYLE Blog at that time with a title of simply Libera.

---

After posting this, I found a YouTube video of this choir which I have added.

Jimmy Buffett Concert for the Gulf

WHEN? Sunday · July 11

WHERE? Gulf Shores, Alabama · find us on the map

WHY? "Jimmy Buffett and Friends" concert

"It's Five O'clock Somewhere" has become one of my favorite phrases, so it is only natural that after all this time of having my favorite performers, I finally really discovered Jimmy Buffett. I think I read somewhere that five o'clock was when the live performance at Gulf Shores today really got underway. And, it was definitely the time to have the typical beach atmosphere kick in and the crowds at the beach for the live concert to move into high gear.

For many of the concert-goers, today was an all-day affair with the first shuttles arriving at the concert site around 11:00 AM. It is good that many people parked quite some distance from the site, roughly located between Lifeguard Station #3 and #5. Since I wasn't there, I'm really guessing, but the 90-minute concert I viewed on CMT showed enough of this beach we have frequented for me to make a somewhat educated guess.

Since the Mobile Press-Register reporters and photographers were at the concert, let me refer you to Lawrence F. Specker's article they had online:

Jimmy Buffett brings joy: Son of a son of a sailor returns to Gulf Coast to promote tourism 7/12/2010

The above article mentioned several details I did not know, such as remembering the concert's other performers, but I will assure you Jimmy Buffett was on stage the entire 90 minutes of the CMT performance.

Buffett let several others take turns in the spotlight: Mobile native Will Kimbrough, Mississippi songwriter Jesse Winchester and New Orleans composer/songwriter Allen Toussaint.

He also made a point of dedicating "Come Monday" to Mobilian Milton Brown, who "kind of discovered me, all those years ago."

After a short break, what we didn’t see on the 90-minute televised portion was a 40-minute second set that focused less on Buffett's own music. Selections included Kimbrough's "Piece of Work"; "Southern Cross", a song made famous by Crosby, Stills and Nash; and Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl", his last tune of the night.

Speaking of last tunes, I encourage you to sit back and enjoy Buffett's final televised performance of the evening. Superb!

When The Coast Is Clear

www.cmt.com/videos/misc/536045/When-The-Coast-Is-Clear.jhtml

• I really like this video because I think it has some very infectious elements to it that may infect you, like it did me, with the kind of music and performance he gives his many fans, referred to as Parrotheads.

  One Particular Harbour (Live from Anguilla)
  
  

• Since Alan Jackson was unable to perform at last night's concert because it was postponed from July 1st, I have included Alan Jackson: It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (with Jimmy Buffett)

Filipino Inmates Learn Dance

WHEN? Tuesday · January 26

WHERE? The Philippines in Southeast Asia

Here's the first thing we saw this morning on Yahoo:

Michael Jackson's Choreographer Teaches
Dancing Filipino Prisoners 'This Is It' Routine

This reminded us that we did not share with you some of the good activities we enjoyed on the Carnival Fantasy Fun Ship on our recent cruise. One of the things we never miss on these cruises are their evening shows in the main theater. They have a group of performers that are very entertaining. Our favorite shows were nonstop dancing and singing. The last one was a tribute to The Beatles. These were young people. They had to be to perform the way they did. About the time we thought they would surely slow the pace because of exhaustion, they'd crank it up again.

Let me put up a disclaimer for the other vacationer associated with this travel blog. This probably would not interest him in the least. He may not have a box in his brain to even cover this subject. However, he does enjoy shows like the ones we saw on the Fantasy. We are moving into our Netflix mood again now that some of the TV sports we watch are about to wind down for awhile. We need some recommendations for music and documentary videos to watch. If you've seen any really good movies, those would interest us as well. Forget the action movies, we're interested in stuff like Forrest Gump and Driving Miss Daisy.

Here's those videos that came with the Yahoo article:

Second Visit to Pensacola Air Show

WHEN? Saturday · July 11

WHERE? Pensacola Beach, Florida · find us on the map

The photo at the top of this blog post came from the Pensacola Beach Website. We were way too far away to get a photo like this. This photo must have been made from the air anyway. We weren't in the air.

Organizers of the annual Pensacola Beach Air Show have had many years of experience and definitely know how to plan for a crowd, and a crowd of folks coming by foot, boat and various kinds of motor vehicles was there. The traffic jam was not what we expected and we even considered just going back home, but we drove all the way to Navarre and picked up some snacks and headed back where we came from until we found a place to park and access the far eastern side of Pensacola Beach. One of the requirements for where we parked was that it have at least one portapotty. With that having been found, we brought our beach gear out on a very beautiful, uncrowded beach and spent two or three hours mostly under our newest and best beach umbrella we have ever owned. It put all the others to shame, even if I do say so myself — and I just did.

The difference between this year's and last year's air show is hard to say because our vantage point was way far away from where the show was staged. The good side was we sat on a beach some people dream of. It was likely as uncrowded as it was because so many tourists had crammed into the areas of Pensacola Beach where the air show took place. We can only guess that the show was very similar to the show last year.

Since our photos are not all that good and just prove we were there, we are referring you to a website that has some great photos of the Blue Angels:

Blue Angels at Bent Bay

Our own photos are located on Flickr:

Blue Angels Air Show at Pensacola Beach in 2009

Here's the Blue Angels 60th Anniversary show in 2006:

Christmas Hallelujah!

WHEN? Sunday · December 14

WHERE? First United Methodist Church, Arlington, Texas

WHAT? Gloria by Vivaldi ~ Christmas Music Program

This classic music was performed in Latin. The two videos below provide a taste of this splendid program:

• Gloria by Vivaldi
• The program concluded with Vivaldi - Gloria (RV 589): Cum Sancto Spiritu

Holiday Fruitcakes

WHEN? Saturday · December 13

WHERE? Theatre Arlington

A very funny and entertaining show! We had front row seats, right beside the pig that blew up. That's because we have a "pure heart".

From Artistic Director B. J. Cleveland:

Fruitcakes is a celebration of Jamie and Jack who, during a Christmas season of confusion, hurt, and loneliness, find in each other the strength to reach out to those they love the most. The story also touches on how chance encounters change our lives -- change them as much as a visit from a mystical angel might change them. As Miss Alice notes in Act Two, "Perhaps we're all angels."

Dancing Dames Christmas Show at O.W.L.S.

WHEN? Tuesday · December 9

WHERE? First United Methodist Church in Arlington, Texas · find us on the map

WHAT? Taps 'n Tunes Dancing Dames Christmas Program

My sister Ella is a member of a church ministry called the OWLS (Older Wiser Laughing Souls), and invited me to join her at their December luncheon. This month's event included an outstanding performance by the Dancing Dames, an area group dedicated to providing entertainment to the community. The Dancing Dames are in high demand by Ft. Worth and Arlington audiences, and at least two of their annual performances are dedicated to area seniors and physically challenged.

OWLS member Ron White's photos of this event can be seen on flickr:

Dancing Dames Christmas Show at O.W.L.S.

Coastal Chorale

WHEN? Sunday · November 23

WHERE? Spirit Center at Foley United Methodist Church

WHAT? Coastal Chorale Christmas concert

Recent reviews:

"Fabulous ... unbelievably good."
- maedeans

"In a class with Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians and The Ray Conniff Singers. They sing with a masterful blend of their voices."
- The Perpetual Vacationers

"Wonderful entertainment - even a little comedy thrown in - all for only ten bucks apiece!"
- WDS

This afternoon's Christmas performance featured many familiar Christmas songs along with several others we had never heard, and all were beautifully done. Although several numbers were performed without accompaniment, pianist Kayla Dowling and percussionist David White were like a fabulous two-person orchestra.

After the intermission, director Don Dowling made the most of Spirit Center's multi-stage design by leading the choir out on either side in almost total darkness, guided by a single light. He then told us to just close our eyes and listen as they sang Silent Night acapella before returning to the center stage. It was a unique and moving experience.

And you can bet I won't dare miss the Coastal Chorale's Snowbird Serenade next February.

Honorable mention:

Advance tickets for this popular event's Sunday afternoon performance sell out quickly, but chorale manager Lee Timberlake made special arrangements for us to purchase the last two available tickets at the door in honor of my birthday. What a treat!

Pensacola Air Show

WHEN? Friday · July 11

WHERE? Pensacola Beach, Florida · find us on the map

Organizers of the annual Pensacola Beach Air Show know how to plan for a crowd, and its performers sure know how to please one. Although the show is held on a Saturday afternoon each July, we attended its Friday dress rehearsal ... and congratulated ourselves for doing so! Saturday's 50% chance of rain forecast turned into a windy downpour that interrupted the show and prevented the Blue Angels from performing that afternoon. But the show must go on: The Angels quickly scheduled a same-time/same-place performance for the following day — and you betcha their fans returned to whoop and holler at it.

Outstanding performances:

= Opening number: Fat Albert, a Transport C-130 hercules aircraft that's permanently assigned to support the Blue Angels

= Aerobatics::

• Gary Ward's state-of-the-art MX2
• From Columbus, Mississippi: Ken "K9" Appezzato in his VORTEX Eagle
• The AeroShell Aerobatic Team

= Helicopter rescue demonstration by the U.S. Coast Guard

= Grand finale: The Navy’s famous flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels

The planes' white con-trails resembled roller coasters in the clouds, and were oftentimes the only photo I ended up with. Since their lightning-speed* maneuvers were more challenging to my amateur photography skills than I'd bargained on, I recommend Pensacola News Journal's Blue Angels full dress rehearsal photo gallery.

*And speaking of lightning ... according to local reports, four of Saturday's spectators ended up in a local emergency room for lightening-related injuries.

See more of today's photos:
Pensacola Beach air show on flickr

And if this looks sorta familiar ...
The Blue Angels have ended up on our travelblog several other times since last summer:

• Angels above 7/27/2007
• Return of the Blue Angels 10/25/2007
• Home of the Blue Angels 1/21/2008

Native dance

WHEN? Saturday · August 18

WHERE? Devils Tower Amphitheater

WHAT? Devils Tower Cultural Program Series presents Little Sun / High Eagle Drum and Dance Troupe

Arapahoe and Lakota natives of all ages performed traditional tribal dances. Can you tell there was a whole lotta shakin' goin' on?

See more Drum and Dance photos on flickr

Buffalo Bill came out tonight

WHEN? Friday · July 20

WHERE? Devils Tower Amphitheater

WHAT? Devils Tower Cultural Program Series presents

Buffalo Bill Boycott

Weekend entertainment by cowboy poet and storyteller William Frederick Boycott as Buffalo Bill, who sang to the tunes of two different guitars, a mandolin, fiddle, and banjo.

See more Buffalo Bill photos on flickr

The 26th President

WHEN? Thursday evening · July 5 (today's second post)

WHERE? Devils Tower Amphitheater

WHAT? Devils Tower Cultural Program Series presents
An Evening with Mr. Theodore Roosevelt

After spending the afternoon working alongside Wendell in the Visitor Center to promote his upcoming show, historical impressionist Gib Young recounted President Roosevelt's dedication to conservation and stewardship.

Wendell ended up participating in the evening program, posing as the bear whose life Roosevelt spared. At the end of his presentation, Young presented certificates to several Junior Rangers.

See more Gib Young photos on flickr

Preserved Melodies

WHEN? Saturday · June 9

WHERE? Devils Tower Visitor Center and Amphitheater

WHAT? Native Flute Presentation

After a morning presentation by traditional flute maker and performer Wolfs Robe, Mae Dean and Wendell attended his evening concert featuring the haunting sounds of the Native American flute.

LIVING ... MAEDEANS STYLE:

Sacred Music 12/3/2007

More Sacred Music 6/14/2008