On Wednesday we took the canoe onto the suburban´s roof and headed off south to Arkansas again. Some of the rivers already ran out of water, so we asked others by phone and went down to the Buffalo River at Pruitt, to float there through the Buffalo Ozarks, with its highest bluffs. I didnt see any of the armadillos, roadrunners or scorpions, opossums, bobcas, beavers, but some of the 66 species of clearwaer fish and some (partly poisonous) mokassin snakes and water turtles. The bluff shelters had once been occupied by the Archaic Indians. So on some of your several stops we stopped and went for a quick arrowhead hunt. Derek finds them right away, they are several thousands of years old and very often in one piece, measuring from 1cm to 20cm. I didnt find any, and was bothered by the ticks, getting on me, which carry the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and the Lyme Disease.
We had several swimstops, where the water had pools, and as well got a bit stuck in the lower parts. Nearly no others people around, nothing than nature around us, bright blue sky with nice sunshine and breeze, surrounded by the sound of singing birds only.
Finished our daytrip early in the evening in Hasty, where someone had driven our car against a fee of USD 20,-, very practical indeed.
Thursday was a hectic day, since we wanted to start after the kids school finished, to go over to Fort Osage for the weekend for a knap-in. Getting to buy food, a bag for me (for all my shoppings), other things done before the weekend. When we went to pick up the RV (= Recreational Vehicle/motorhome) from the neighbours, D. showed me how to ride the ATV (= All Terrain Vehicle), the little 4-wheeler. After I got used to the kind of stiff manoeuvering, we went for a fast tour around the neighbourhood, where all gates where just made atv-wide-enough.
Coming back, I started to pack, pull off the sheets from my guest bed. When I was just ready and wanted to take all stuff over to the RV, D. announced a change-of-plans: we were not going to start in the afternoon, since there was rain coming up and they didnt want the 6 kids we were taking (his two with 2 friends each) have to set up their tents in the rain. Instead, we wanted to leave before sunrise next morning.
I used the spare time for a nap, before going out for a birthday dinner. Ran into a group, or lets say 10 busloads full of retired people for the surrounding shows, which Branson is famous for. Branson has about 5.000 inhabitants, but in summer they have about 100.000 guests visiting all kinds of music and theater shows (kind of cheesy actors, according to the posters).
Coming home, a thunderstorm started and right as we pulled off all cables from the electric items, the blackout started. We had forgotten to pick up a t-shirt D. had have specially printed for me so had to go out with the car again, which sounded kind of risky due to the storm and heavy rain. Empty and dark streets around.
Early wake up call at 4am, jump in the RV, where the 6 kids had been sleeping the night and left for Fort Osage, East of Kansas City. Arrived there about 4 hours later to set up the flintknap space with tent. Since for the first time there was no fix plan for the next hours, I went up on the RVs roof for a long and deep sleep, while the kids played inside and took photographs of me. Waking up, I found about 30-50 stands from all flintknappers. Some presented stone to buy, some their handmade arrowheads, D. was selling his beautiful calendars, as well as special t-shirts, caps, stickers and some arrowhead-necklaces or shadow-framed ones. Was interesting to look around and watch everybody flintknap. Lots of people knew each other from other knap-ins. Actually, looking into one of the magazines, which goes with this hobby, there are events like this all over the US every day/week. They would sit together, visiting each others stand, sit under the sun/rain tent together in a round and flintknap. Then there were blanket trades, where there´s a round of people sitting together around a blanket, one putting something in the middle of it, that he wants to trade. The others around then put on the planked sides, what they would give. If it´s not enough the beginning person can say „sweeten the pot“ and in the end decide for one of the offered artifacts. A nice game also was the „goat“: fintknapping in a circle at one´s place, one hit each person (the arrowheads are mostly made with mousse horns or copper, the stones vary a lot in colour and origin, even glass is treated. Colour can be achieved by burning the stone – which the Indians didnt do for their work artifacts – ) until it is finished – or most often brakes. The person who brakes it is the goat, then.
In the evening we sat down at the fort for sunset, looking onto the Missouri River.
Saturday we were picked up for shopping in Kansas City. I wasnt really too keen on going, since I didnt have anything to buy but knew I would buy, if I was going…The shopping area was supposed to be very nice, so Pat and I went. It was nice, lots of shops alonge several streets. Nothing special to us, except for that it looked all so clean and new. To the Americans it was old and also very special, because in the country, there are only shoppingmalls and large supermarkets without any flair. I made several good deals (the Abercrombie & Fitch shirt I wanted, GAP-backpacks for USD 1,99 on sale (!) and we all had a great time, also sitting out in a nice street café for lunch, with several fruit smoother cocktails (no alc).
In the evening, people started to tear down their places, since it looked like rain for the night and nobody wanted to pack everything wet the next morning. Also, the visitor´s day was Saturday only, so the event got to an end.
But not without the secret Ooga Booga ceremony! I promised to the chief and the society not to tell anyone about it. Just imagine, while it was getting dark, to hear voices from one corner of the field, shouting out a loud and deep „ooga booga“, and someone invisible answering from another part of the site with another „ooga booga“. People got dressed up in beautiful Indian clothes. The new to-be members had to wait away from the fireplace, facing away. Then our spirits were checked, we were given names (mine is Spirit Gardener) and went to the very impressive ceremony, I cannot talk about. It was to take serious, otherwise punishmens followed and made it harder, to become a member of the society.
Sunday my week with the family was already over and we had to say goodbye. It was a very intense week and I have seen the best, Missouri has to offer, going caving and canoeing. I was integrated in lots of family events and came at the right time of the year, everything still being very green, before the hot and dry summer would come and burn everything.
People in America in general, but in Branson particulary are extremely friendly. The cashier at Wal-Mart asks how my day was, and says goodbye and thanks for shopping when leaving. Everyone around smiles, says „hi“, doesnt just look away, and talks to each other. That makes the day much nicer, I wish everyone (including me) would act like that in Germany, or at least a bit more like that.
