Silver Dollar City

After the boat show, we headed to one of my favorite places - Silver Dollar City.  As far back as I can remember, I've been going to SDC with my family.  David's first job out of college was at Silver Dollar City in sales, and though he was no longer working there when we met, he got a season pass after we started dating and we've been going there together since. My parents have given us passes for Christmas for many years now, and when my mom called to order the last year, the woman on the phone recognized David's name and used to work with him.  It's just a great place...and a small world! 

 Things do change at SDC - a new ride, a new building, an old building torn down.  But it happens slowly and carefully, so the change is hardly noticeable.  As one who is not a fan of change, I find that very comforting!  The picture above is a carriage waiting on the wedding that is taking place in the sweet little chapel in the background.

 I rarely take my camera in, but since I had it yesterday I decided to play tourist and take a few pictures.

 We joke about living in the park - in this house in particular!  It's a newer building there, and it is really cool. It's where they hold cooking classes, so the kitchen is huge and very neat.  On the back side of this is a long porch with 20 or 30 rocking chairs overlooking Echo Hollow Amphitheater where they have evening shows.

 David is likes to watch the cooperage, Doug Bratcher.  I'll have to admit that I'm fascinating by all that snow white hair.  Here's his website if you'd like to check it out:  http://www.bratchercooperage.com/

 Violet Hensley is an Ozarks treasure.  She has been a craftsmen demonstrator at SDC since 1967 and is still going at age 96.  I found this great article about her life:  http://www.stateoftheozarks.net/Cultural/Peoples/VioletHensley.html

 This is another place at SDC that I'd love to live.  It currently houses the basket and apple butter store, but has been many things over the years.  Each time we go, I stand in there and plan out where I would put things if we were to live there. :)

 This man seemed to be finishing up for the day when we were there in the late afternoon, but he takes the round logs and turns them into square logs for building log cabins.  He uses only hand tools and lots of muscle and energy.

 We had a great day at the boat show and Silver Dollar City, and finished up with s'mores over our own little campfire on our patio.  I couldn't have asked for a better first day of fall!