Fun at Dollywood

Ken's annual company picnic was held at Dollywood on Saturday. Ken loves hats and his co-workers are always watching to see which one he will wear next. When the picnic shirts were distributed at work, he told them he had a hat to match it and he would wear it the day of the picnic. They enjoyed a good laugh when they saw him! When Ken had his pic taken for his season pass, the lady waited for him to remove his hat saying, "Yeh, you look just a little too green with it on!" I have to admit, however, finding him throughout the day was pretty easy.


For what seems like 3 out of 4 times, the Kingdom Heirs are "out of town" on the days we visit Dollywood. Well, looking over the schedule beforehand, we were excited to learn that Saturday would be a "1 in 4" time, because they would be there!! After leaving home just a little later than we had planned, then parking in Lot G and waiting in line to ride the third tram, we barely arrived at Showstreet Palace in time for their last performance of the day at 12:30 PM.

Ken hoped to get his pic taken with some of the guys. He took one look at them on stage before groaning, "Well, our shirts sure aren't going to match!" (Exactly what shirt did he expect was going to match the neon wonder--other than fellow employees, of course?!)

Ken was amazed to find out what a tall guy Steve French (baritone singer) is!

And Arthur Rice (lead singer) too!


We always enjoy James Rogers' show. I think we have attended his show every time we have visited Dollywood. (One visit we attended his show twice!) He recently recorded a CD featuring "Hymns of Faith & Inspiration" which we would have liked to take a look at, but we had to leave in a hurry after his show so we wouldn't be late for the picnic!


Each year at the company picnic, raffle tickets are handed out to each attending employee. In past years, Ken has won a Dollywood souvenir cup, some tickets to an event in which we had absolutely no interest and, at other times, nothing at all. When the raffle began, Ken was listening for number 2157. They called out 2156, 2158, 2154, 2159, with some other numbers thrown in too. I said, "I think they've called all the 215_ numbers they're going to call." About three seconds later we heard, "2157!" (Interestingly enough, 2155 was later called.) Ken won a Kodak digital camera!! (Realizing that people probably wouldn't want to schlep their winnings [items from coolers to HD TV to laptop to plasma TV] all over Dollywood the rest of the day, the company gave out vouchers, and winners will pick up their loot at work on Tuesday.)

James Rogers has spoken/sung out for the cause of the Bald Eagle. Dollywood has an amazing eagle program in the park. We must have stopped longer on this visit to watch the eagles because I don't remember seeing so many in the aviary as were there this time. We counted 12-14 eagles sitting on this branch and that stump, but they were all too far away for me to get a good clear pic.

We wandered the big loop of the park to see all the new stuff. We shook our heads at the Mystery Mine ride... flinging around upside down isn't for us.

Neither was spinning around on the falling Timber-r-r-r ride.

Or zipping around on the all-wooden Thunderhead...

We had a beautiful, enjoyable Saturday! Now it's back to "working for worms" (see placard left of Ken, or in next photo)...

.