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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
M A G A Z I N E
Alex McArtor Creating Songs Along the Peaceful Shores of Lake Cypress Springs
Bear Creek Smokehouse
TRIPLE N
Ranch & Winery
Regenerative Farming
Take a Hike Fall Film Fest Dairy Palace Poetic Journey Country Legends Edom Art Festival Stevie Ray Vaughan
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CONTENTS
FEATURES
8 Alex McArtor Writes Eerie Songs
31
While enjoying the peaceful countryside and waters of Lake Cypress Springs near Winnsboro, Alex McArtor writes songs In her favorite “Twin Peaks” fashion. By P.A. Geddie
12 Bear Creek Smokehouse
Family farm of 70 years now serves premium smoked meats and offering visitors a funfilled Texas experience. By Tracy Torma
16 Longhorns & Lone Star Hospitality Triple N Ranch & Winery near Cedar Creek Lake a offers relaxing rustic experience. By Lisa Tang
12
30
DEPARTMENTS 5 Editor’s Note
THIS TIME OF YEAR
28 Helen Hall, Robert Dennard, Holland Roden, Teresa Witherspoon, Coffee
LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT
38
24 Corvette Show, The Wall That Heals, Texan Art Bazaar, FireAnt Festival, Mineola Mini Train 25 Renaissance Under the Stars, Bowery Bazaar, Palestine: 175 Years 26 Take a Hike With Nature
ARTS & CULTURE 30 Edom Art Festival, Russian Ballet 31 The American West, Art & Wine Fest
FILM
16
county line
Upper East Side of Texas
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
M A G A Z I N E
Alex McArtor Creating Songs Along the Peaceful Shores of Lake Cypress Springs
33 Fear, Hope, Love: A Poetric Journey 33 Growing Up in the Lone Star State
34 Erin Kinsey, Mount Vernon Music, Country Legends 35 Celebrating Stevie Ray Vaughan
TRIPLE N
Ranch & Winery
Take a Hike Fall Film Fest
Regenerative Ranching
Dairy Palace Poetic Journey Country Legends Edom Art Festival Stevie Ray Vaughan The American West
Alex McArtor, Photo by Nolan Knight
SEE WEBSITE EXTRAS! www.CountyLineMagazine.com 4 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
LITERARY
MUSIC
Bear Creek Smokehouse
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32 Nacogdoches Flm Festival
FOOD & DRINK 36 Main Street Uncorked, Lindale Candy Company, Dairy Palace 38 Regenerative Ranching With Nature
EQDA
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MAGAZINE
Serving those living & playing in the Upper East Side of Texas
PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR P.A. Geddie
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lisa Tang CONTRIBUTORS Emily Harris Judy Peacock Tracy Torma Christine Martin Senetra Longo Larry D. Moore
EDITOR’S NOTES Dear Readers, With autumn right around the corner, we offer inspiring stories rooted in land and outdoor opportunities in this issue. From music to agriculture to art, people in communities all over the region are exploring the parks and downtown areas and attending open air events. We feature Alex McArtor, whose new album came to life while spending time outdoors at her family home near Lake Cypress Springs. The rustic retreat is featured in music videos of tunes such as “Wasteland” and “Bras and Jeans.” At Bear Creek Smokehouse in Marshall, Robbie Shoults expanded his family’s 70-year farm to build a restaurant, store, and entertainment venue. Writer Tracy Torma shares their story and what it means to him to carry on the tradition. We also introduce a unique destination known as Triple N Ranch and Winery in Trinidad where rustic views, wines,
and entertainment come together in a relaxing setting. Michelle Anderson is building her dream of hosting fellow wine aficionados on her parents’ longhorn ranch near Cedar Creek Lake. Explorer Judy Peacock takes us hiking through some of the region’s many state parks. She offers tips for beginners, seniors, small children, and people with disabilities to enjoy nature and physical activity on the trails. “The American West” exhibit at the Longview Museum of Fine Arts celebrates ranching traditions with paintings and sculptures of western landscapes, cowboys, and animals. With cooler weather on the way, there’s a new season of possibilities for venturing out into the fresh air and exploring farmers’ markets, craft fairs, and all the hometown fun found only in the Upper East Side of Texas. Lisa Tang
Nolan Knight
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Alex McArtor Enjoys Taking Fans to Eerie Places Peaceful Vibe of Lake Cypress Springs Gives Her Creative Room Along the shores of Lake Cypress Springs near Winnsboro, Texas, 19-yearold singer-songwriter Alex McArtor spent much of 2020 enjoying relaxing walks by the water, campfires, and the good feelings that come with escaping to life in the country.
she invited fellow songwriter Henry Brill (Maddie Medley, Phantogram, Jack Garratt) and producer/songwriter Owen Lewis (Willie Nelson, Mavis Staples, Lady Gaga) to join her in September and the three of them wrote six songs together forming her newest EP, Welcome to the Wasteland, that released a few weeks ago.
McArtor and her family usually live in Dallas but when the pandemic began, they packed up and moved to their lake house. In that inspiring environment,
Like two other Upper East Side of Texas performers, Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves, McArtor started writing at an early age.
Photo by Senetra Longo
By P.A. Geddie
“I started writing when I was in middle school,” she says. “I started producing music when I was in eighth grade and through high school. I would take my music and go record it. I play guitar and piano. Mostly I just love words. That’s where my interest lies.” She grew up around family members playing guitars and singing Americana tunes around the campfire. Other influences included ‘80s alternative music, Indie Pop, and filmmaker David Lynch. She’s produced two EPs before Wasteland, one is Spoken Word and another, Heart Talk. There’s a maturity heard in her songs you don’t expect from a teenager. The influencers are there: pop, alternative, and the eerie, nostalgic feel one would expect from a David Lynch fan. Some of her work could easily be soundtracks for his famous TV show “Twin Peaks.” Welcome to the Wasteland holds that same vibe, a bit hard to describe, even for McArtor. “It’s complicated,” she says. “It’s as if I was living in Twin Peaks.” Along with Lewis and Brill, the writing process took shape at Lake Cypress Springs. “It was great, awesome,” McArtor says. “Usually I like working alone. But I loved working with those two guys cause they got me. I had the songs already tucked away and they helped bring them to life. She said they would walk by the water a while, then write, then think about it, and come back to the house and write some more. “It was very free flowing. The environment was so beautiful and easy to write in. We’d been stuck inside a long time. Being in nature helped release bottled up emotions.” The EP was written as a story — as if it were a movie or a book. It has a start and a finish from the first song to the last. “It’s an ode to my teenage years and wrapping up memories into this re-
8 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
VIDEO
“Wasteland” (Official Video) is the title track on Alex McArtor’s new EP. The song kicks off a storyline of characters as they wander through a series of odd and eerie settings. McArtor is a big fan of filmmaker David Lynch (Twin Peaks) and it clearly infuences her work.
cord,” she says. “It’s very cohesive, going from one scene to the next, a beginning and an end.” Her website notes that Welcome to the Wasteland “unfolds like a surreal and spellbinding movie in music form. With her hypnotic voice and lavishly detailed lyrics, (McArtor) follows her sharply drawn characters as they wander and stumble through a series of strange and desolate settings: empty highways, strip-mall parking lots, the wild expanse beneath a blood orange moon. When matched with the EP’s shapeshifting sound, the result is an enthralling portrait of isolation and longing and selfsalvation, at turns heartbreaking and fantastically joyful.” The first song is “Wasteland” and it is an introduction to the story with many underlying symbolisms. “It sets up my relationship with the world around me,” she says. Next is “Bras and Jeans” concerning the over sexualization of young girls in the media and her own experience with that. “(‘Bras and Jeans’) turned into a song about society’s infatuation with exploiting girls as they transition into womanhood, at a point when they aren’t fully
aware of their sexuality—which is then imposed on us before we’re ready. A woman’s sexuality and power belongs to her; it’s not something there for the taking by the voyeurs of the world.” “Stranger,” “Broken Bone,” and “Doe” follow keeping the thread of the storyline going, and finally ending with “Baby Don’t Cut Your Hair.” On the EP’s closing track, McArtor shares an anthem of inclusivity, gently offering encouragement to anyone who feels painfully stifled in their selfexpression. “It’s a song about feeling trapped in a toxic place, where you feel like you can’t be who you really are,” she says. “Sometimes we need someone else, a friend or even a stranger, to give us some sort of love or understanding. It’s about living our truth, especially when we’ve been trying to hide it from ourselves and from others.” Recorded in Nashville and produced by Lewis, Welcome to the Wasteland infuses elements of everything from dream-pop and post-punk to outlaw country and psych-rock. “One of the things I’m setting out to do is to find a world between bands like Echo & the Bunnymen and those
classic country artists like Townes Van Zandt,” notes McArtor on her website, who’s also deeply inspired by the brooding balladry of Chris Isaak. Although the storyline threaded throughout Welcome to the Wasteland is largely the product of her unfettered imagination, McArtor also tapped into her experience living in a suffocating Dallas suburb in her early teens. “I was sort of an outcast there and just wanted to get out, and I definitely brought that emotion into these songs,” she says. On the EP-opening “Wasteland,” for instance, McArtor presents a gorgeously sprawling and nearly symphonic meditation on emotional displacement. Although decidedly difficult years, she’s grateful for the experience and where that led her. “I became a writer. You can’t be creative if you’re too comfortable. You’ll become lazy and everything becomes too easy and that’s not good.” McArtor is eager to do live shows again. For now, she’s doing some live-streaming shows and her music is on Spotify, Sound Cloud, Apple Music and her YouTube channel and website, www. alexmcartormusic.com.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 9
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We at Winnsboro Center for the Arts in Winnsboro established a relationship with P.A. Geddie and County Line Magazine over five years ago. They worked with us then in developing an advertising plan and continue to work with us now on ad content and direction. CLM has always been responsive with the changes and edits that are a part of the changing needs of advertising and promotion. The staff at CLM has a passion for promoting the Upper East Side of Texas and all of the many events, concerts and activities in it. They have created a truly excellent magazine and it's not unusual for folks to tell us that they saw us in County Line Magazine. Jim Willis Director of The Bowery Stage Winnsboro Center for the Arts County Line Magazine is our “go to” publication for marketing Mineola, Texas, to our target audience in the North by Northeast Texas area. We know that County Line Magazine will present our entertainment and leisure information in the best light possible with attractive ads and interesting articles that its readers will notice and enjoy. Visitors to our city often comment that they saw our information in the County Line Magazine. Fast response on ad proofs and changes make working with staff a pleasure. We love County Line Magazine. Lynn Kitchens Director of Marketing Asst. Director Economic Development City of Mineola
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County Line has always been and continues to be a significant partner to our community. The magazine is beautifully laid out, filled with relevant information, and reaches our most important target market — the Northeast Texas drive market. The County Line Team is always very professional and the magazine is a great asset to the entire area. Kevin Banks Manager, Greenville CVB P.A. Geddie and the County Line are a tremendous asset for us at Four Winds Steakhouse. We have worked together for about 14 years. Through the years I have seen the publication grow and consistently get better. It has been a great local tool for our business and its reach continues to grow. They do a great job putting our ads together and I enjoy working with P.A. Frank Rumore Four Winds Steakhouse
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Bear Creek Smokehouse A Fun-Filled Texas Experience
By Tracy Torma Bear Creek Smokehouse in Marshall, Texas, started out more than 70 years ago as a family farm where nearby residents bought fresh turkeys. Today, it is a premium smoked meats mail-order enterprise and on-site family fun experience. Visitors shop for smoked meats and cheeses and unique gift items, take in spectacular views, feed live farm animals, and eat some of the best barbecue around. Robbie Shoults and his family are continuing a legacy started by his greatgrandfather, who bought more than 2,000 acres of land in the Bear Bottom area of East Texas, 10 miles from Marshall. There he grew cotton and corn to make a living off the land.
Carrying on Family Traditions After the Great Depression, Robbie’s grandfather and mother, Hick and Nellie Shoults, added cattle and hogs to the mix to supplement the farm income. Soon they built two big chicken houses to raise turkeys.
“My granddad had a great uncle who was an agriculture teacher who told him he could get more profit n on a turkey than on hogs and cattle,” Robbie says. The first year, he bought 640 turkeys and sold most of them live. “Ladies would bring their roasting pans and look to see which turkey would fit into it to make their selection,” he says. “He did so well that first year he decided to stick with it and business grew.” They eventually built a facility to process the turkeys, adding onto the building seven times over the course of the years. Working with Texas A&M University, the Shoults family came up with a good recipe for smoked turkeys. “A lot of people wanted the smoked turkeys because they were ready to eat. People enjoy spending time with their family on holidays and less time cooking turkey,” Robbie says. In 1972, the Shoults family built a new
12 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
Bear Creek Smokehouse, located at 10857 State Highway 154 in Marshall, features 43,000 square feet of fun, with a general store for smoked meats, food products and gifts and an event center for large gatherings. Photos by Tracy Torma
processing plant for their farm-to-table operation, but eventually decided to grow their smokehouse business, buying turkeys already freshly dressed and smoking them in their own special way. Today, Bear Creek Smokehouse ships smoked meats to all 50 states. Its mail order catalog has a circulation of 325,000. “The smoked turkey brought us to the dance and it is still one of our most popular products,” Robbie says. “But we have so much more to offer: smoked hams, sausage, chicken, pepper pork tenderloin, bacon, the list goes on. We have an extensive selection of cheeses, crackers and honeycomb. We’ve got everything you need for holiday meals.” Bear Creek Smokehouse also has a wholesale division that processes 2 million pounds of pork a year for major grocery store chains, including
Walmart, Kroger, Publix Super Markets, Brookshire’s, and HEB. The smoked meats and a variety of other food products and gifts, from cookbooks to t-shirts to jarred goods and soups, are available via the company’s website, www.bearcreeksmokehouse. com, as well as at a new 43,000–squarefoot general store and event center.
Making Dreams Come True In the fall of 2017, Robbie and his father, Bobby, went on an elk-hunting trip to Wyoming, where Robbie sketched on a notepad his idea for expanding the company’s small store. Sadly, his father fell ill and died shortly after that. Grief-stricken, Robbie decided he needed a project and turned to his expansion idea. “I decided to go ahead and build a store. I felt like my dad was working through my hands during this project,” he says of the endeavor.
A year later Bear Creek Smokehouse opened the first 10,000 square feet of space, where the Shoults sell a variety of gift and food items, including their smoked meats. It was also used as a wedding or special event center.
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. On Saturdays, Robbie fires up his “atomic smoker” a 30-foot-long meat cooker and customers can choose their meat hot off the grill.
“When we had a wedding, we had to move all the merchandise out in order to hold several hundred people. That’s when I decided to add on to have a dedicated spot for weddings and corporate events. It’s been a rodeo ever since we opened this place,” he says of the event center, which can seat up to 350 people.
What Customers Enjoy Most
Today, the massive storefront, which sits atop the hill with the original family home still in view, attracts thousands of people to its doors each month. “People come here to get a Texas experience and we give it to them,” Robbie says. Located at 10857 State Highway 154, Bear Creek Smokehouse is open from
“They love the view No. 1,” he says about the 100-foot-long Texas-sized front porch that offers a panoramic view of the hilly East Texas countryside. “They love the hospitality and the food. We raise longhorns and have a big steer out front named Bull’s-eye that people can feed. They can also feed chickens and turkeys.” The family’s pig, Wilbert, who is featured in Bear Creek Smokehouse commercials, is there, too. Besides providing off-site catering for groups as large as 1,500, Bear Creek continued page 14
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 13
BEAR CREEK continued from page 13 Smokehouse hosts weddings and large corporate groups on-site. It also has a number of special events, from car shows and chili cook-offs, to music concerts held in the pasture. Musicians have included the Bellamy Brothers and Asleep at the Wheel. The next concert on October 2 features country music singer Darryl Worley, with proceeds going to Hannah House, a faith-based maternity home for young women. Tickets for a barbecue dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the concert at 7:30 p.m. are available www.stubwire.com. Word about the expanded general store and event center has spread quickly. It’s also helped that Robbie was a guest judge on the Food Network, cooked barbecue twice with Rachel Ray on her television show and appeared on the Today Show with Al Roker. In April, he pulled his smoker to Nashville for an appearance on the Huckabee Show at Trinity Music City. “We showed them how barbecue is done in Texas,” he says. “We have a lot of other big things we’re working on,” Robbie says. “I don’t know where the stop on this journey will be.” His dream is to one day turn the land located about a mile away — where his dad and grandfather had an old dairy barn — into a Shoults family farm tour. And what would his late father think if he could see the place now? “He would be amazed,” Robbie says. “We’ll do as much business just in the month of December this year than we would have all year long at our original little store. We love having people come here from all over. We pride ourselves on giving the best service with the friendliest staff serving the best food. It’s the best experience anyone can have. I think he’s looking down smiling right now.” TOP to BOTTOM: Bear Creek Smokehouse Owner Robbie Shoults with the “atomic smoker,” which is fired up on Saturdays so customers can select their meat hot off the grill. The view from the front porch overlooking the beautiful East Texas countryside is one of the highlights at Bear Creek Smokehouse. The general store has the original “Smoked Pork Sausage” sign that Robbie Shoults’ grandfather put out on the roadside to attract customers to the family’s smoked meats. . Photos by Tracy Torma 14 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
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Longhorns and Lone Star Hospitality Triple N Ranch & Winery Offers Relaxing Rustic Experience
By Lisa Tang Just south of Cedar Creek Lake’s marinas, lakeside villas, and aquatic wildlife lies an upscale winery oasis known as Triple N Ranch & Winery. The 12-acre winery is home to a herd of longhorn cattle, a vineyard, and Triple N wines. It’s also part of a destination experience that offers a first-class tasting room, food pairings, concerts, and special events. Triple N’s name comes from the three generations of women who own it — Nan Dee Creel, her daughter Nan Michelle Anderson, and granddaughter Nan Christina. Nan Creel has raised purebred longhorns on the Henderson County ranch since 1983. The Creels also own a curated wine cellar with 2,000 bottles. Wine enthusiast and eighth-generation Texan Michelle Anderson wanted to do something more with her parents’ beautiful longhorn ranch — a place she loved to visit and longed to share with others. After several visits to wineries in the Texas Hill Country, her inspiration for starting Triple N began to take shape. The family set apart space for the winery in the longhorn pastures of their 140acre ranch. They transformed the ranch’s original barn into the winery’s center-
piece as a sophisticated tasting room, serving area, and event center. Word about Triple N spread quickly since its opening in 2020. The venue draws hundreds each weekend for wine tastings and outdoor concerts. Guests enjoy wines with brick-oven fired pizzas, charcuterie trays, Italian-style salads with fennel and arugula, panini sandwiches, baked cookies, and s’mores pizzas. Triple N occasionally partners with chefs who pair the wines with multi-course dinners. Dinner events encourage guests to sample varieties that complement appetizers, entrees, and desserts. The venue seats 120 guests indoors and 100 on the outdoor patio — the ranch’s former horse stables — and offers plenty of room for social distancing and outdoor service, even during cooler months. There’s room for hundreds more on the lawn behind the building where guests can spread out at picnic tables to hear concerts while enjoying wines with a simple meal. During warm weather months the ranch hosts tribute concerts on weekends. Guests enjoy lawn games and see longhorns, which gather in a pen behind the lawn for feeding when cued by the music.
16 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
“We have indoor and outdoor seating with a lot of area to spread out,” Anderson says. “We have covered patios that are also heated and lawns with firepits.” Triple N’s priority is production of excellent wines. The ranch’s managing partners are Michelle’s husband Richard and their son Richard Jr. All three are passionate about wines and recently completed viticulture and enology courses at Grayson College in Denison, Texas. “We want to make excellent Texas wines and we want to share them with people in the region,” Michelle says. Though Texas has more than 500 wineries, many are struggling to gain acceptance within the state. “Still most of the wine that’s consumed continued page 18 ABOVE Concert goers enjoy an evening on the lawn at Triple N with wine, charcuterie, and brick oven pizza while the longhorns look on. OPPOSITE PAGE TOP TO BOTTOM: A refurbished rustic barn with two large outdoor patios entertains hundreds of guests for wine tastings and concerts. Three of Triple N’s wines received medals from the American Wine Society. Servers bring orders to attendees at a recent outdoor concert. A view from the barn’s hayloft shows the indoor bar and dining facility.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 17
TRIPLE N continued from page 16 in Texas is from California, so it’s about getting people to try and drink Texas wines,” Richard Sr. says. “We’re aiming for people to come and enjoy the wines and have a great experience.” The expert who makes Triple N wines is Michael McClendon of Sage’s Vintage Custom Crush Winery in Nacogdoches, Texas. He creates wines according to the Anderson family’s tastes and high standards, fashioning varieties that few other Texas wineries offer. Triple N’s newest wines include Tannat (2019), Malbec (2019), Viognier, and Blanc du Bois (2019). Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Roussanne, and the Tuscan Longhorn Blend are other varieties not usually available from Texas vineyards. Varieties of wine at Triple N range in flavor from sweet to dry and bold to complex to satisfy the wide range of tastes among Texans. “Being Texans, we are very diverse in what we do and don’t like,” McClendon says. “Texas truly is the Wild West of the frontier of wine making and production. We’ve been able to have success in converting people who have very high expectations who are not accustomed to drinking Texas wines.” Three of Triple N’s wines recently won awards at the American Wine Society competition. The Voignier and Tannat varieties won silver medals and the Tuscan Longhorn Blend won a bronze. The Voignier and Tuscan also won silver medals in the Lonestar International Competition. The Triple N experience is also about its patrons, who share in enjoying the wines and participating in events. The wine club is one way the winery encourages a sense of community among guests. The upstairs tasting room is open to wine club members. It sits in the barn’s former hayloft above the serving and dining areas and offers a beautiful view of the ranch and the longhorn cattle. Joining the wine club is free to members, who enjoy discounts on wine purchases, benefits, and invitations to special events such as gatherings in the tasting room and special pricing on wine and food events. Wine club members are moved 18 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
off the waitlist for concerts, receive discounts on bottles, and are notified first of new releases. The vine sponsorship program also encourages participation. Patrons can sponsor their own vines at the spring planting and attend a planting party celebration. They can also add a name plaque in their section. Participation can also include pruning and harvesting the vineyard, having the first option to purchase wine made with the grapes once bottled, and visiting the vines each step of the way and attending a bottling party. “I’m very proud of the vineyard that we planted,” Michelle says. “I feel like I have 560 children I have to check on.” After grapes are harvested in the fall, the wine-making process begins. The summer concert series also winds down but wine club members can continue to attend tastings and enjoy views of the ranch. Some visitors will partake in wine-paired holiday dinners; others may attend book talks by seasoned literary critics or participate in fundraisers that support local causes. Membership is open to everyone, plenty of space is available, and more additions to the winery are on the way. “We’re planning more events, tastings, and parties,” Michelle says. ”I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.” As for the longhorns? They’re almost always ready for more company — and more music. Triple N Ranch is open 4 to 7 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Visit the ranch’s website to stay current with special events such as concerts, dinner events, and fundraisers or subscribe to their email list. Reservations are required for most events and can be made by calling (361) 8679463. The ranch is located at 5220 Key Ranch Road, Trinidad, Texas, 75163. Visit online at www.triplenranchwinery.com. OPPOSITE PAGE TOP TO BOTTOM: The barn's second story hayloft is now a tasting room for wine club members. A family observes the ranch's longhorns in the pasture behind Triple N's concert lawn venue. RIGHT TOP TO BOTTOM: Triple N's cabernet sauvignon. Riley Thompson of Mabank performs country-western tunes at a recent open-air concert at Triple N. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 19
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Emory, TX Let us lure you
“The Land Between the Lakes”
Emorya great place to shop while he goes fishing!
381 W. Lennon Dr. 903-473-0061
1026 E. Lennon Dr. 903-473-2022
www.emorytx.com
VISIT HENDERSON, TEXAS
The Only Folk Life Festival in East Texas
Black Gold
Stampede Rodeo Oct. 15-16, 7:30 p.m.
Rusk County Expo Center 3303 FM 13 W. Henderson
www.blackgoldstampederodeo.com 903-658-4404
32nd Annual
HERITAGE SYRUP FESTIVAL November 13, 2021 www.VisitHendersonTX.com 1-866-650-5529
SAVE THE DATE
The Magic of Christmas on Main Street Hallmark Style
Sugar Cane Syrup Making Antique Cars and Tractors Folk Art Demonstrations Music, Shopping, and More
Nov. 5-8 Enjoy a unique shopping experience. www.VisitHendersonTX.com
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 21
THIS TIME OF YEAR OCTOBER 20, 1927
Helen Hall Was a Regular on ‘Big D Jamboree’ Country and rockabilly singer Helen (Minnhinnette) Hall was born October 20, 1927, in Navarro County, Texas. She learned how to play guitar and sing at an early age and developed a powerful voice. She married Maurice Hall in 1944 and the couple had one daughter, Delores. Helen became a regular performer on the Big D Jamboree, a musical television show that aired every Saturday from the Sportatorium in Dallas. Maurice usually played bass on the same stage. During those years Helen gained many fans who claimed she was their favorite female singer. She performed on the same playbill as Elvis Presley, Charline Arthur, Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Bob Luman, and Ronnie Dawson. She also performed on a few episodes of the Bewley Barn Dance hosted by Pat Boone during part of its run. The show aired on WBAP television in Fort Worth. Unlike most singers at the jamboree, Helen wrote and performed her own songs — mostly about personal tragedy and lost love. Fans enjoyed her humorous yet raw
lyrics that expressed frustration with Maurice’s marital infidelity. In the tune “Have it Your Way Baby,” she sings ruefully: “You told me you could get another gal in a minute / You opened your mouth and put your big foot in it / Well all right...woo-hoo-hoo... all right.”
VIDEO
Helen recorded singles for Coral Records and producer Jim Beck in Fort Worth in the 1950s. With catchy lyrics and wry humor, her other famous songs include “Wasted Life,” “What Else Does She Do Like Me?” and “Honky Tonk Husband.” Helen’s career faded after she ceased performances at the jamboree and settled into married life. Her last recording occurred in 1973. She received recognition later in life when some of her hits were re-released as part of a new album, The Gals of The Big D Jamboree by Dragon Street Records in 2001.
“Hello baby….You made a little mistake. / Now we’re together — what a great pair we’ll make. / With the stars above I’ll be a slave to your love / I’ll never love no one but you.”
“Hello Baby,” became Helen’s bestknown song when it was picked up as the soundtrack of a Chevrolet commercial that aired the same year. The track features her booming voice and quick wit as she belts out the chorus to a catchy beat:
In her later years, Helen frequently sang at First Baptist Church in Fairfield, Texas, in Freestone County. She died of lung cancer in Oakwood, Texas, September 24, 2006. She’s buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Corsicana.
SEPTEMBER 5, 1932
Terrell Native Helped Spur Computer Industry Inventor Robert H. Dennard was born September 5, 1932, in Terrell, Texas. An engineer, Dennard invented the one-transistor cell for dynamic randomaccess memory (DRAM) and developed scaling principles that led to improvements in the performance of mini integrated circuits. These innovations spurred three decades of growth in the computer industry.
worked on memory and logic circuits, data communication, and microelectronics.
Dennard studied electrical engineering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and received a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in 1958. He joined International Business Machines (IBM) the same year. At IBM, he
Dennard received the National Medal of Technology and Invention in 1988 and joined the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1997. He lives in Yorktown Heights, New York, where he continues leading research in microelectronics.
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The DRAM contained only one transistor, which was a major improvement over other types of computer memory. Dennard received a patent for the DRAM in 1968, one of four dozen patents earned during his 50-year career.
OCTOBER 7, 1986
SEPTEMBER 4, 1999
Weatherspoon Still Remembered for ‘The Shot’ VIDEO
Happy Birthday to the Queen of Scream Actress Holland Roden was born October 7, 1986, in Dallas where she attended the private all-girls Hockaday School and graduated in 2005. She later attended the University of California at Los Angeles. The petite auburn-haired beauty considered studying pre-medicine in college but decided instead to continue her acting career. She completed a degree in women’s studies at UCLA in 2009 while acting in a pilot production. Roden is best known for her role as Lydia Martin in the successful MTV series Teen Wolf (2011-2017). She credits the show’s success — a remake of the same ‘80s series starring Michael J. Fox — to her fans and social media following. In 2016 Variety reported that #AskHolland peaked at the fourth most popular topic on Twitter. Social media allows Roden to be close with her fans who send her positive vibes. She won the Young Hollywood Award in 2013 and the Teen Choice Award in 2017 due to her popularity among fans. Roden’s other well-known roles include Zoë Woods on Syfy’s Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block (2016-2018) and Bridget Cleary in Amazon Prime Video’s Lore (20172018). Both are characterized as horror anthology series. Roden has appeared as a guest on dozens of television programs. Primetime appearances include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2007), Grey’s Anatomy (2012), MacGyver (2018), and Mayans M.C. (2021). At age 35 Roden’s film career is gaining traction with starring roles as Erin Isaacs in the thriller No Escape (2020) and as Rachel in the July 2021 action film Escape Room: Tournament of Champions. Her large hazel eyes and expressive facial features make her a natural for dramatic roles.
On September 4, 1999, the fledgling Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) experienced a legendary moment.
BA’s twentieth anniversary. She later coached for Louisiana Tech University — where she had played college basketball.
Playing for New York Liberty, Teresa Weatherspoon of Pineland in Sabine County, Texas, sank a shot at half court with 2.4 seconds left on the clock to win (68-67) against the Houston Comets.
Weatherspoon began coaching for the National Basketball Association’s New Orleans Pelicans in 2019 and now serves as an assistant coach for the team. At least 11 women now serve as head or assistant coaches in the NBA. Weatherspoon is respected by the male athletes as a legend of the WNBA.
It was only the second year of the WNBA’s existence. The lasting image of the moment, now known as “The Shot,” was of Weatherspoon falling over on the floor smiling as her teammates mobbed her from the bench.
VIDEO
Dubbing the shot “One of the most amazing finishes in the WNBA,” the announcer’s comments vividly highlighted the action. “Liberty out of timeouts. They’ve got to go the length of the floor. Weatherspoon at the buzzer a three ... OHHHHHHHHHH! She put it in! She put it in! And the Liberty win game two! What a finish! Unbelievable!” Weatherspoon continued with the New York Liberty for seven seasons and played on for the Los Angeles Sparks until retiring in 2004. She held the distinction of starting 220 games in her career and was named one of the league’s top 20 players in 2016 during the celebration of the WNSEPTEMBER 29
Try These Creative Coffee Shops Top This: National Coffee Day is September 29, but don’t wait until the end of the month. Try the brews at the region’s most creatively-named shops: The Pony Expresso in Canton, Sippy’s Coffee Drive-Thru in Henderson, Joe Pine Coffee Co. in Marshall, Rooster Roast Coffee Company in Sulphur Springs, Java Jacks Coffee House in Nacogdoches, Coffee Love in Gun Barrel City, Big Shot Coffee House in Tyler, Coffee & T’s in Longview, The Cactus Bean in Corsicana, Speakeasy Coffeehouse in Quitman, Brewsters on the Boulevard in Texarkana, and Filtered in McKinney. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 23
LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT
Check the County Line eMagazine for extensive list of events and things to do.
www.countylinemagazine.com
Corvette Enthusiasts Gather in Sulphur Springs
Pesky Fire Ants Honored at Annual Marshall Festival The 2021 Sulphur Springs Corvette Club’s annual show — dubbed “Corvette Show and Shine” — occurs 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., September 25, at Celebration Plaza. Roughly 200 ‘Vettes are expected to line up along Main Street and pop their hoods for spectators in front of the Hopkins County Courthouse.
Since 2005 this annual outdoor event has been a must-see for car enthusiasts. The nonprofit car club of about 80 members supports causes for local seniors, including summer fan drives and blanket drives in winter months. For information visit www.ssvetteclub. com.
Make Plans to Visit The Wall That Heals The Wall That Heals is coming to Sulphur Springs November 4-7. This is the only town this year in Texas or surrounding states to display the Vietnam Veterans Memorial traveling exhibit and Mobile Education Center. This is an opportunity to honor veterans who lost their lives in the war and their families, who can view their names engraved in the wall’s panels. Find more information on www.thewallthatheals-sstx.org.
Marshall, Texas, celebrates its 39th FireAnt Festival Saturday, October 9. The festival features a parade, an outdoor concert around the steps of the historic Harrison County courthouse, festival food, and unique product vendors. Activities for all ages include children’s inflatables, TourDeFireAnt long distance bike ride, FireAnt 5K, Toddler Trot, Kids K, FireAnt Festival parade, Diaper Derby, Gurning contest, Chicken Chunkin’ contest, Kids Dance Contest, FireAnt Cupcake Battle, and a Scavenger Hunt. The one-day event is sponsored by the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce. Go to www. marshalltexas.com for information.
Art Bazaar Coming Soon Take a break from the heat at the Texan Theater in Greenville from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 18, and enjoy live local music and local art vendors selling handcrafted items at the second Texan Art Bazaar. Live music includes Matthew Key, Brandon Callies and High on Honey. Food and drink will be available in the lobby for purchase. Call (903) 259-6360 or visit www.texantheatergreenville.com for information about this free event. 24 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
All Aboard. Free Mini Train Rides on the Harry Meredith Special, a 15-inch scale model train from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the second and fourth Saturdays in September near Iron Horse Square in downtown Mineola, Texas. The park is located on Front Street and includes a unique playground and walking trails. Visit www.mineola.com or call (903) 569-6183 for information.
Renaissance Event Features Celtic Fiddler Mairead Nesbitt Photo by Larry D. Moore
Palestine Celebrates 175 Years Palestine celebrates the anniversary of its founding as the seat of Anderson County 175 years ago Friday, October 15, through Sunday, October 17. The city will celebrate its rich cultural and architectural heritage which grew significantly after the International-Great Northern Railroad arrived in 1872.
Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with a special evening “under the stars” with magical Renaissance festivities Saturday, September 25, at the Winnsboro Civic Center. Attendees are encouraged to wear Renaissance attire as they gather for dinner and appetizers and fun activities including an outdoor marketplace, ale and wine garden, fortune teller, and other 16th century entertainment. Live music fills the air topped off with a concert by Emmy and Grammy-nominated Celtic fiddler, Máiréad Nesbitt, one of the founding members of the world-renowned group Celtic Woman. As the featured violin soloist on 11 Celtic Woman albums, each title achieved the coveted #1 slot on the Billboard World Music Chart. Ticket prices range from $25 to $5,000. On the low end of the pricing spectrum, guests can enjoy the outdoor Renaissance market and garden from 5-7 p.m. Other levels kick in from 7-10 p.m. including dinner and entertainment. Find all ticket levels and more information on www.RenaissanceUnderTheStars.com.
During the railroad’s heyday the city competed with Dallas and Galveston for prominence as a cultural center. Today Palestine ranks second only to Galveston with roughly 1,800 historic landmarks. The celebration features tours of the Anderson County Courthouse and courthouse square, historic churches,
a cemetery, and the historic Howard House. Opening ceremonies are at 9 a.m. Saturday at Reagan Park with a performance by the area’s high school drumlines, a proclamation by the mayor, storytelling, living history demonstrations, and old-fashioned games. Other events include Dancing Through the Decades in The Redlands Hotel parking lot and a community picnic at Reagan Park on Sunday. Places of interest include the Railroad Heritage Center, Palestine Farmers Market, and the Pilgrim Church, a replica of the state’s oldest Protestant church. For information visit www.visitpalestine.com or call (903) 723-3014.
Bowery Bazaar Returns for Fall Visit The Bowery Bazaar to find arts, crafts, live music, and food trucks 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Thursday during September and October on Carnegie Street in Winnsboro, Texas. For information visit The Bowery Bazaar on Facebook or call (903) 440-5392.
Game Room & Store Video Games • Board Games • Pool • Foosball
Toys & Collectibles • Snacks • Game Tournaments Available for parties and special events 218 Market Street • Winnsboro, TX • (903) 347-1055
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 25
Take a Hike and Enjoy Nature at Texas State Parks
By Judy Peacock Hiking in Texas state parks offers a refreshing look at nature and great exercise. Even beginning hikers can explore the parks’ accessible trails and enjoy the colors of fall as many of the beautiful deciduous tree leaves change to yellow, red, orange, and purple. The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife website offers many details. It’s also easy to drive to a park and visit the park headquarters or visitors center where friendly staff can direct hikers to a good starting place and answer any questions. State parks have well-marked hiking trails for visitors hiking up to three or four miles. Shorter trails are available for people new to hiking or with disabilities or small children. From the detailed park and trail maps provided, novices can choose smaller portions of the longer trails to keep the distance manageable.
Points of interest are marked along the trails and on trail maps, such as scenic overlooks and observation blinds, wildflower fields, beaver dams, particularly old or unique trees, waterfalls, and good fishing spots. The trail in Lake Tawakoni State Park marks the spot where one of the largest spider webs ever recorded was located. Placards along the hiking trails identify trees and flowers, and maps identify different species of birds, fish, and other wildlife found in each park. An easy starting trail for beginners is the Lakeview Loop at Lake Bob Sandlin State Park. This 0.6 mile loop has parking near the trail entrance and takes the hiker around fairly easy terrain with pretty views of the lake. There is a wildlife viewing station on the loop for birdwatching and a wooden blind to observe birds and other animals that visit a small pond beside the trail.
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Rather than stay on the short loop, more adventurous hikers or those wanting to cover more ground can take a fork in the trail to continue on a much longer hiking and mountain biking trail. Some state parks offer accommodations and trails for horseback riding. Cooper Lake State Park’s South Sulphur Unit has the 10.5 mile Buggy Whip Equestrian Trail which crosses nearly 600 acres of shaded forest and thick vegetation. The trail goes down hillsides and through creek gulches and has some challenging parts. At the trail’s edge is an equestrian camping area where horses and their humans can camp. There are regular hiking trails at Cooper Lake State Park too, including a short one-fifth mile circular trail surrounding a wooden amphitheater where hikers can rest while youngsters or outgoing hikers can put on a show. Another state park with great trails is Cad-
do Lake State Park. Along with traditional hiking trails, this park also has a more heavily wooded Caddo Forest Trail, onequarter mile of which is ADA accessible. The most unique trails in this area are paddling trails. Visitors can explore the twists and turns of Caddo Lake by paddling in a canoe rented in the park, in their own canoe or kayak, or by sitting back and enjoying a guided boat tour. The tall bald cypress trees with Spanish moss draping off them line the water trails, leaving a maze of open waterways that are laid out like city streets. There are even signs in the waters marking the trails to help people find their way through. Alligators live in Caddo Lake State Park and the surrounding areas, so review the park’s alligator safety tips before visiting. Texas state parks also offer virtual tours with Interactive Trails Maps. To access, download the trails data in a Keyhole Markup Language Zipped file — or KMZ — and open them with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) compatible software such as Google Earth, ESRI ArcGIS, or a similar app with mapping capabilities. With these, one can click on a trail segment for information on that trail. Dogs are allowed on hiking trails in most state parks with six foot or shorter leashes. Check before going for specific park restrictions on pets on trails or primitive areas. In addition to hiking, state parks offer fishing, swimming, picnicking, boating, paddleboarding, water-skiing, biking, nature study, playgrounds, stargazing, geocaching, and more. Many have pavilions, cabins, and shelters that can be rented for family or group events. Park and trail maps are handed out to park visitors upon check-in and can also be found online. For more information and a complete list of parks in the Upper East Side of Texas on tpwd.texas. gov/state-parks.
TOP OPPOSITE: A mom and her little one discover small wonders along the trails of Tyler State Park. RIGHT TOP TO BOTTOM: A mom and her children enjoy exploring the Rustling Leaves Trail at Daingerfield State Park; One can view the bald cypress trees dripping with Spanish Moss along the trails at Caddo Lake State Park; children enjoy the view of Tyler State Park Lake after a hike with their family. Photos by Judy Peacock SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 27
f&
SAT & SUN 10-5
OCT 9& 10 2 DAYS of ART, MUSIC, FOOD & WINE!
49th ANNUAL
EDOM ART FESTIVAL
EDOM TX | EDOMarts.COM
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Sidetrack in Mineola! presents
2021-2022 Season
Enjoy Nature, Shopping, Dining & Entertainment in Historic Mineola, Texas
WAYS FORWARD Sunday, September 12, 2021 2:30 pm
Shelley Carrol Jazz Quartet
IRON HORSE SQUARE
Playground, water tower, benches, train watching 200 West Front Street
MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET Every Saturday May-October 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
HISTORIC SELECT THEATER First run movies, plays, band concerts 114 N. Johnson. (903) 569-2300 www.lakecountryplayhouse.com
MINEOLA NATURE PRESERVE 7:30 a.m. until sunset
MINEOLA HISTORICAL MUSEUM 114 Pacific St (Hwy. 69) (903) 569-2631
◆
RAILROAD MUSEUM
Saturday, October 16, 2021 7:30 pm
Restored 1906 Mineola Depot 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. 7 days a week. FREE
Reflection: What Makes Us Strong American music by Chick Corea, Philip Glass, Till Meyn, Mason Bates, and more.
AMTRAK TEXAS EAGLE Designated Daily Stop 1-800-669-8509
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www.VisitMineola.com 1.800.MINEOLA
Red Barn Treasures Vendor Mall with Gifts, Handcrafted Items, Vintage Treasures & More
903.563.3780 WWW.MOUNTVERNONMUSIC.ORG
Also shop online auctions Northeast Texas Antiques & Auctions
827 S. Main Street, Winnsboro (903) 975-1209
www.netxauctions.com
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 29
ARTS + CULTURE
Edom Art Festival Returns for Its 49th Year Roughly 60 artists are displaying their works for the 49th annual Edom Art Festival the weekend of October 9-10. Artists set up tents in the meadow behind the art studios of downtown Edom. Since 1972 the event has grown to one of the region’s largest juried art festivals and is known for the quality of its work. This year’s event is themed Celebration of Art and Life and includes painting, photography, mixed media, pottery, jewelry, fiber arts, wood, glass, and metallurgy. Pen and ink artist C.J. Bradford created the piece pictured (left) and will be at the festival with many of his whimsical “visual conversations.” Thousands of visitors are expected in the quiet town of less than 400 people. Delicious food and local wines are available at the festival and admission is free. Kids can create their own art at a creation station and everyone can enjoy the live music. The event also features demonstrations by blacksmith Lonnie Robinson and clay raku firing by Randy Brodnax. The festival is sponsored by the Edom Area Chamber of Commerce. For information visit www.edomarts.com or call (903) 258-5192.
Tickets Now On Sale for Russian Ballet
Discover the Treasures of 211 Gallery display gallery. exhibits. classes. art shows. 211 North Palestine Street, Athens, TX ArtGallery211.net • ( 903) 292-1746
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The Russian Ballet Theatre presents their new production of Swan Lake, 7:30 p.m., March 19, 2022, at Greenville Municipal Auditorium. Pre-Sale tickets are now available. Visit www. showtimeatthegma.com for tickets and read more in the County Line eMagazine.
Experience The American West in Longview The American West Exhibit on display at Longview Museum of Fine Arts July 17 to September 25 includes more than 50 paintings and sculptures by contemporary western artists. The stunning display includes a range of styles belonging to two collectors from the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. Visitors can see paintings by Xiang Zhang, Teal Blake, Sophy Brown, Harry
Jackson, Paul Ginkel, Raymond Everett, Alexander Hogue, Otis Dozier, and Perry Nichols. Hogue, Dozier, and Nichols were three of the famed “Dallas Nine.” Visit www.lmfa.org for information on this stunning display of Western art. Read Lisa Tang’s extended article in County Line eMagazine to learn more about The American West exhibit. PHOTO: Sophie Brown’s “Logan Upscaled.”
Art & Wine Festival Set for November With more than 45 artists and 11 wineries the Winnsboro Art & Wine Festival takes place in the heart of the town’s Cultural Arts District. Art mediums include jewelry, woodwork, pottery, paintings, metal art, and more. One of the artists is Joel Wright whose watercolor is pictured (left). See many other talented artists, enjoy local wines and brews, and delicious food from onsite vendors and local restaurants. Get all the details on www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com or call (888) 559-4333.
November 12 & 13 Historic Downtown Winnsboro, Texas A Texas Official Cultural Arts District
Artists Wineries Craft Breweries Specialty Foods Cigars Friday: 1p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Unwind with art and wine on the renovated Market St!
Sponsored by Patrons of the Arts
The
American West On Display Until September 25
Sherry Giryotas
“Seeking Space” • Beginning October 9
215 E. Tyler St. Longview, TX 75601
903.753.8103
LMFA.org
Admission is Free for Members, $5 for Guests. Visit the website for exhibit details.
WinnsboroCenterForTheArts.com
888-559-4333
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 31
FILM Film Lovers Get Set for a Fall Fest in Nacogdoches By Emily Harris Spooky movies, fall foliage and high school football define the typical October in the Piney Woods. This year the month shares the spotlight with a few creative minds in Nacogdoches who are competing for a little fame in the world of filmmaking. The 2021 Nacogdoches Film Festival is back for its 10th year after Covid-19 canceled it entirely in 2020. As with so many other events, it does come with some noteworthy changes. The typical three-day festival has been condensed to just one evening of film workshops and competition. But this year no tickets are necessary. The night is free to attend. The fun kicks off at 7 p.m., Saturday, October 23. As in years past, the historic Fredonia Hotel and Conference Center on 200 North Fredonia Street is hosting the occasion. Emceeing the event is actor, musician, and filmmaker Brad Maule. Maule is also a faculty member at Stephen F. Austin State University. Competition categories are also condensed. Short film categories for high school students and for all filmmakers are the two options for contestants this year. The top five films from both categories will be selected by judges before they are shown at the festival, but an audience vote makes a final call on the best films. Winners walk away with a $100 gift certificate for the Fredonia Hotel and a plaque to commemorate the occasion. Filmmakers can submit their work through the platform “FilmFreeway. com.” Submissions are open through October 1. Entry fees are $10 per film. Short films can run a maximum of 10 minutes and can be a narrative, animation, or documentary. The Fredonia Hotel is reserving rooms for those attending for a discounted rate. Attendees should contact the hotel and ask for the Nacogdoches Film Festival room block before October 1.
Actor Brad Maule is emcee for the 2021 Nacogdoches Film Festival. Maule is a professor at Stephen F, Austin State University in Nacogdoches and played Dr. Tony Jones on General Hospital from 1984 to 2006. Courtesy Photo
The Nacogdoches Film Festival is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit group focused on supporting Stephen F. Austin State University students in their film-making goals. Money raised at the festival goes toward scholarships. The group also works closely with the university to promote its Summer Feature Film project. Ron Johnson, Chair of the Nacogdoches Art Alliance, emphasized the importance of keeping the brand alive, after cancelling the festival in 2020. He says the outreach it does for young people is crucial to growing the industry, adding that around 90 percent of film students
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who graduate the SFA film program get a job in the field of filmmaking. Creativity through communication is one of the most important tools a person can learn in a lifetime. The Nacogdoches Film Festival strives to foster this through the moving picture, in a fun but challenging avenue. So, if Nightmare on Elm Street or pumpkin carving is not hitting the spot this year, an evening of homegrown creativity might be a perfect opportunity for an autumn excursion. For more information visit online at www.nacogdochesfilmfestival.com.
LITERARY Judy contributed a few stories in County Line many years ago but it is her poems that won her First Place two years in a row in the County Line Poetry Contest and she continued to contribute her beautiful words for several years.
photographs. Jeff had beautiful photos of Judy that paired well with her words. All of these components came together for Fear, Hope, Love: A Poetic Journey, The Writings of Judy Gottesman that Jeff self published just a few weeks ago.
A friend read one of those winning poems at Judy’s funeral.
The book weaves together much of Judy’s life in poetry and in letters she wrote to herself and others. A victim of incest as a child, she suffered through multiple marriages and abuse, and always managed to hang on to the beauty in the world. She finally found peace when she married Jeff and they had about 10 good years together until Alzheimer’s took hold. She was just a few days shy of 61 years old when she died.
Give me silence and a sunrise, a shifting mist above the water, an egret at its bank. Skim my soul across the surface, set thoughts adrift upon the current to dart away, like fish. Exhale words and wait for wisdom floating out along the breezes, rippling the trees.
FOR JUDY By P.A. Geddie Former County Line Magazine contributor Judy Gottesman died early this year after a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s. Her husband Jeff began the grieving process. Past the funeral and weeks of condolences from friends and family, his time grew quiet and he began thinking of ways to memorialize his Judy. She loved animals. They were a source of comfort for her in an often turbulent life. One of the first things Jeff did to honor Judy this year was to donate a bench in her name for the SPCA dog park in Tyler. Then, he named the stage for her where the two of them hosted many musicians over the years at The Old Firehouse in downtown Edom, Texas. The Judy Gottesman Memorial Stage will hopefully hold musicians for audiences in the near future and for years to come. Jeff also made a donation to Pets Fur People in Tyler in her name and the nonprofit no-kill animal sanctuary responded by naming one of their buildings for Judy. The Judy Gottesman Receiving Center is where lost pets find comfort and care until they are united with their forever families.
As Jeff moved through his grief, he began sharing more of Judy’s poems every now and then on his social media. I approached him about compiling them in a book and off we went. He spent weeks gathering her poems and letters and
As the title states, the book takes us through fear, hope, and finally to love. Her story reminds us to do whatever it takes to live our best lives and never give up hope. Purchase the book on Amazon or directly from Jeff on his site, www.theoldfirehouse.net.
Texas Raising Helps Shape Extraordinary Lives and Careers Growing Up in the Lone Star State: Notable Texans Remember Their Childhoods By Gaylon Finklea Hecker and Marianne Odom University of Texas Press
By P.A. Geddie Marianne Odom, a coauthor of this long-awaited book, was one of my college journalism instructors. I can tell you from first-hand knowledge how thorough she is and you can bet she and Gaylon Finklea Hecker left no stone unturned as they researched information for Growing Up in the Lone Star State: Notable Texans Remember Their Childhoods. Working together since 1981, Finklea Hecker and Odom devoted a professional lifetime to collecting the memories of accomplished Texans to determine what, if anything, about growing up in the Lone Star State
prepared them for success. Their absorbing reflections are stories of good and bad, hope and despair, poverty and wealth, depression and inspiration, which would have been different if lived anywhere but Texas. Read more in the County Line eMagazine.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 33
MUSIC
Always call ahead before taking off across the County Lines. Make sure noted events are happening as scheduled.
Erin Kinsey Creates Buzz in Nashville
Mount Vernon Music Focuses on Healing in New Season A big country western voice is rising from Texas’ smallest county. Singersongwriter and instrumentalist Erin Kinsey from Rockwall, Texas, is striking a chord among country music fans with two releases this year. Kinsey released “Drunk Too” in April and “Just Drive” in August ahead of the scheduled release of her new extended play collection. Both were featured in sneak peek videos on Tik Tok, surprising Kinsey with 2 million-plus TikTok views and inspiring her to record both and release them early. Read more in an extended article in the County Line eMagazine.
Mount Vernon Music premieres several musical events this fall as part of its 2021-2022 season themed, “Ways Forward.” The nonprofit is continuing its mission of bringing live classical performances by professional musicians to rural communities.
“Challenge and Endurance” in May; and a children’s concert in June.
The season kicks off September 12 with the Shelley Carrol Jazz Quartet. In October, “Reflection — What Makes Us Strong” premieres with an all-American musical score featuring strings and woodwinds. The November program titled “Remembrance” features high voice, strings, woodwinds, and piano. At least four more programs are planned for 2022: “Challenges and Opportunities” in February; “Faith” in April;
“How can we process what humanity has been through since early 2020? We are all scarred by loss, fear, grief, and division, even as we all turn our eyes to see a brighter future,” Miller says. “We invite you to an understanding beyond words in an extraordinary new season of themed programs.”
Director Mark Miller says the new season focuses on healing communities with guest performances by professional musicians from Texas and around the nation.
To learn more about MVM’s upcoming music season read an extended article in County Line eMagazine.
Country Legends Set to Perform in Greenville Johnny Rodriguez (pictured) performs at 7 p.m., Saturday, September 11, at Greenville Municipal Auditorium (GMA). Almost 40 years after he started in Nashville, Rodriguez continues performing his brand of honest country music. The native Texan often receives standing ovations during performances and has the distinction of singing for three US presidents: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George Bush. John Conlee performs at 7 p.m., Fri34 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
day, September 17. A respected vocalist from the urban cowboy era, John Conlee is known for his taste in material and melancholy voice. His widespread acceptance began in 1978 with the single “Rose Colored Glasses,” which rocketed him into the country Top Five. GMA features Moe Bandy October 9 and Mickey Gilley October 16. Get all the details and order tickets on www.ShowtimeAtTheGMA.com or call (903) 457-3126.
Fans Are Still Celebrating Stevie Ray Vaughan By Lisa Tang Governor Ann Richards proclaimed October 3, 1991, Stevie Ray Vaughan Day in Texas 30 years ago — the year after he was killed in a helicopter crash. Stevie Ray’s tragic and unexpected death shocked fans and the music world. His fame spanned only seven years of his lifetime, but his mastery of traditional blues music with the electric guitar brought an unmatched swagger to the genre and defined him as one of rock n’ roll’s greatest musicians.
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Stevie Ray Vaughan was born October 3, 1954, in Oak Cliff in south Dallas. He learned to play guitar at an early age, teaching himself on the Fender guitar his older brother Jimmie left him upon moving out. With no formal lessons Stevie Ray became a music prodigy, spending hours playing along with older blues records and learning to express his emotions through music. After leaving high school Stevie Ray initially played with bands in Dallas but left for Austin in 1972. He followed Jimmie who eventually formed The Fabulous Thunderbirds (“Tuff Enuff”). Though they performed in different bands the Vaughans enjoyed more artistic freedom in the Austin nightclubs.
TOP: A memorial statue of Stevie Ray stands near Towne Lake in Austin, the site of his last concert there. MIDDLE: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble: From left: drummer Chris Layton, Vaughan, and bassist Tommy Shannon. BELOW: The Vaughan brothers, Stevie Ray and Jimmie, collaborated on the critically-acclaimed Family Style album released in 1990.
Both brothers’ musical style was heavily influenced by older blues musicians and legendary Dallas guitarist T-Bone Walker (“Goin’ to Chicago”) who adapted the blues to electric guitar. Stevie Ray frequently performed opening acts for blues legends B.B. King and Albert King at a club Called Antone’s in Austin over several years in the 1970s. Stevie Ray’s path to stardom began when he became the front man and lead singer in his own band Double Trouble with drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon. As front man he sang his own blues lyrics while entertaining audiences with complex blues riffs and rhythms. While Texas bands like ZZ Top and The Fabulous Thunderbirds were topping the charts with popular rock n’ roll hits, the younger Vaughan’s career stalled because major record labels were not interested in signing blues artists.
A major breakthrough occurred when David Bowie invited Stevie Ray to play on his Let’s Dance album which featured his guitar solos in “Let’s Dance” and “China Girl.” After the recording Stevie Ray turned down the chance to tour with Bowie to finish recording his first album with Double Trouble and they finally grabbed the national spotlight with Texas Flood in 1983 and continued through the end of the decade. In 1984 Stevie Ray received the Blues Foundation’s Entertainer of the Year Award. He released three more albums and received two Grammy Awards during his lifetime. The last was Family Style, a joint production with Jimmie in 1990. Stevie Ray is often compared to Jimi Hendrix for his similar rock n’ roll style and because he performed covers of Hendrix hits such as “Voodoo Chile” and “Little Wing.” However the Texan’s distinct style lends an unmistakable twang to the bluesy hits. In a 1985 interview with Lone Star Cafè Stevie Ray discussed his music and the Austin scene. He often credited other performers and their influences on his style, especially brother Jimmie, whom he described as his greatest influence. Vaughan died unexpectedly August 27, 1990, in a helicopter crash with four others after a Chicago concert in West Troy, Wisconsin. The news stunned the music world and especially fans in his adopted hometown of Austin. After Jimmie gained control of his brother’s intellectual property he continued releasing Stevie Ray’s unpublished music and video performances after his death. The additional releases added to Stevie Ray’s growing legend and his lasting influence on the music world. Many honors — including four more Grammy Awards — were awarded posthumously. The Blues Foundation Hall of Fame inducted Stevie Ray in 2000 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him in 2015. In 1993 the city of Austin erected a memorial statue of Vaughan near Towne Lake, the site of his last concert there. For his resting place, he came home to Oak Cliff where he’s buried in Laurel Land Memorial Park.
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FOOD & DRINK Dairy Palace Offers Specialty Burgers With Taste-Tempting Combinations
Sulphur Springs Main Street Uncorks Main Street Uncorked Wine and Music Festival takes place at 1 p.m. October 9. It features Texas wines from local wineries, shopping, and live music by local artists in Sulphur Springs’ Celebration Plaza. Cost is $10 for a wine bag, souvenir glass, and a tasting bracelet. Each winery offers tastings for $1. Wines are also available for sale by the glass, bottle, or case. Participating vineyards often include Phinessé Farms, Wall Street Winery, Della Terra Farms, Texas SouthWind Vineyard and Winery, Red Road Vineyard and Winery, Maydelle Country Wines, and Canyon Creek Vineyard. For information go to www.VisitSulphurSpringsTX.org or call (903) 885-5614. Courtesy photo
Candy Company Celebrates 75 Years Lindale Candy Company originally opened in 1946 but entered a new era when Jeremiah and Kaitlin Cagle became its proprietors in 2019. The Cagles added specialty chocolates and more space to the original factory and store and are celebrating the company’s 75-year anniversary this fall. Their newly-expanded facilities house separate kitchens and viewing areas for peppermint and chocolate making. Look for more information on LCC in October in County Line eMagazine. For information call (903) 730-1050 or visit www.lindalecandycompany. com. 36 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
The Ranch Hand specialty burger is big enough to satisfy hearty appetites with a half-pound 100 percent beef patty, barbecue brisket, onion rings, and pickles. Courtesy Photo
The Canton landmark restaurant known for wholesome fast food and tempting cool treats is now offering three new specialty burgers. The tempting flavor combinations add an upscale appeal to the Dairy Palace menu. The Ranch Hand satisfies barbecue cravings with a handmade half-pound chuck 100 percent Angus beef patty, tender barbecue brisket, crispy onion rings, pickles, and Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce on a hamburger bun. Breakfast lovers will spring for the Texas Sunrise — a combination of popular breakfast items in a tasty specialty burger. The half-pound Angus beef patty is topped with a sunny-sideup egg, three bacon strips, hash browns, and grilled onions on a hamburger bun. Tex-Mex aficionados will enjoy the Quesadilla Burger. Two thin patties of Angus beef — also a half-pound — are served between two flour tortillas dressed with tasty south-of-theborder extras: melted Monterey jack cheese, grilled onions and peppers, guacamole, and a chipotle lime dipping sauce. Signature burgers are available at Dairy Palace any time the store is open and go down well with its world-famous sweet tea. Check out Lisa Tang’s recent REVIEW to learn more about Dairy Palace. To contact Dairy Palace call (903) 5676551 or visit online at dairypalace.com.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 37
Regenerative Ranching Works With Nature By Christine Martin I strongly believe in using regenerative agricultural practices which focus on working with, rather than against, nature. Scientific data show these practices can do much to heal our current environmental and social issues. I chose the name The Regen Ranch because my agricultural practices focus on regeneration of the land and people’s health through natural ranching techniques. I became convicted of these principles when I healed myself of health issues by changing the way I ate. The food found in the supermarket, fast food restaurants, and many chain restaurants is not food that nourishes the body by providing it with the minerals and vitamins it needs to stay healthy and keep the immunity strong. Without this nutrition, our bodies struggle and develop illnesses. By eating food that has been produced using practices that mimic nature rather than working against nature, we can support our bodies with the minerals and vitamins it needs and thereby live a healthier life. The COVID pandemic has made many aware that our food chain is flawed and that they have a choice in sourcing their food. There are many local ranchers and farmers that are producing healthy and nutrient-dense food that is available much fresher and healthier than what can be found in the supermarket and restaurants. My fellow ranchers and producers corroborate the increased customer base and are all planning on increased production to meet this new demand. We know that once a customer eats our meat and eggs, they taste and feel the difference. When a customer continues to eat clean meats, they report having more energy, better sleep, less brain fog, fewer food cravings, and generally better health. It’s been scientifically proven. Now my customers think twice or three times before they go back to how they used to eat before.
The COVID pandemic has hopefully steered the lives of many towards nutrient dense food and cooking from scratch that will lead to healthier bodies and better immune systems. The Regen Ranch is here to support those who want a healthier body and
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life, as are many other regenerative ranchers. Visit The Regen Ranch online at www.theregenranch.com for delicious recipes and information about where to buy my nutritious meats and eggs. It is my hope and passion to share the benefits of eating clean meats with you and your family.
Cast Iron Lamb Loin Chops With Garlic and Cognac or Brandy Butter Sauce Lamb loin chops are a protein powerhouse with more than 3 grams of protein and a great source of iron, zinc, B12, 2 omega-3 and CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid. This recipe is healthy, tasty, and quick to prepare. It takes l onger to bring the loin chops to room temperature than to cook them. Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 5-10 minutes Ingredients: 4 grass-fed lamb loin chops 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup extra light tasting olive or avocado oil 2-3 tablespoons grass-fed butter or ghee ¼ cup cognac or brandy Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 1. Remove loin chops from the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before cooking. Season liberally with sea salt and pepper. 2. In an 8- to 9 -inch cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil or avocado oil on high until hot. Add the garlic then place the loin chops in the skillet and cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes. It’s important not to touch or adjust the lamb so the sides can sear in the skillet. Flip and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. 3. Add the butter or ghee, cognac or brandy, to the skillet and swirl or stir until fully melted. Simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, occasionally turning the loin chops in order to soak up the butter sauce. For medium rare, the lamb is done. Sear for an additional minute for each additional minute for each level of doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes for medium or medium-well. 4. Remove from heat, place on a plate and drizzle with butter sauce. Garnish with butter and fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately. Serves two to four people depending on the size of the lamb chops. Recipe by Christine Martin, The Regen Ranch, Oakwood, Texas SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 39
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