January 2023 County Line Magazine

PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR

P.A. Geddie

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Lisa Tang

CONTRIBUTORS

Lauren Wacaser

Katie Rose Watson

Rachel Gross

Stephanie Jennings

Judy Peacock

Tom Geddie

O. Rufus Lovett

Julie Chitty Hubbard

Susan Mitchell

Dorothy Miller Birdwell

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pa.geddie@countylinemagazine.com

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County Line Magazine eEdition is published every other month, 6 times a year in digital format. Material may not be reproduced without written permission. Opinions expressed in articles or advertising appearing in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Mailing address: P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754 Phone: (903) 312-9556. E-mail: info@countylinemagazine.com Website: www.countylinemagazine.com. Free listings are entered on a space available basis. Advertising space may be purchased by calling (903) 312-9556. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement we deem incompatible with our mission.

Dear Readers,

The month of January is named after the Roman god Janus whose two faces symbolize looking forward and looking back. County Line Magazine is taking on a similar countenance this month with a nod to our past and to the future.

Now entering our 23rd year, County Line Magazine has evolved into different forms of publications over the last two decades but one thing remains the same — our commitment to bringing our readers informative and entertaining stories about the people, places, and unique things in the Upper East Side of Texas.

Starting with this issue, County Line is moving from bi-monthly to monthly eEditions. That’s twice the opportunity for you to read even more of our meaningful articles and see bold and beautiful photographs in its flip book format, as well as eEdition Extras on our website each month. You’ll find more lifestyle and entertainment, arts and cultural events, music, books, poetry, and delicious recipes and food articles every month.

Find even more articles in the WEEKLY, a free newsletter emailed to subscribers every Sunday morning. Subscribing to the news-

letter and following County Line Magazine on social media are excellent ways to find out what’s going on in the region.

Keep up daily with additional articles on the website and fun and interesting social posts on our Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest pages.

Feel free to become a contributor to our publications! We welcome your article ideas, poems, book reviews, photos, letters to the editor, and your feedback on social posts.

Though many publications now charge readers for subscriptions, County Line Magazine continues to publish content for free because we are committed to promoting our region as a wonderful place to live, work, and play. Our promotional partners are travel professionals and small businesses throughout the region who join us in our work to spread the word about the good things the region has to offer.

Go to SUBSCRIBE on our website to sign up for notifications for each new eEdition and for the Weekly newsletter. Please share our articles and issues to let others know of the treasures we have in the Upper East Side of Texas. Make sure the good news shared by County Line Magazine is in your future.

Tang

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Lisa

Concert:

H O R S E F E A T H E R S

Cousins Open Art Gallery in Mineola

By P.A. Geddie

First cousins Karen Musgraves and Cathy Pegues grew up surrounded by creativity. As children they’d often go to their grandparents’ farm in the Golden community near Mineola. They’d spend their days building forts, enjoying the horses and cows, and finding fun things to do outside all day long until their grandmother Irene rang an old school bell for them to come in.

Their grandfather, Dr. Herman Benthul was a school administrator and a writer. He wrote several books including Wording Your Way Through Texas, a language

textbook emphasizing words, origins, and meanings in the state. Storytelling was in the air at the Benthul home and in Golden where the girls met interesting people like Sister Boy Duffy who inspired their imaginations with announcements on important things like “the spotted ticks are here.”

On the Golden homeplace, Grandmother Irene kept idle hands busy with rock painting and lots of other creative projects.

“She was crafty,” Musgraves says. “She made things out of lots of stuff we found. She’d also take rocks from places where

(opposite page) is one of Musgraves’ paintings.

she traveled. She’d paint the names of the places on the rocks and put them in her garden.”

After a while the names on the travel rocks would begin to fade, and Irene would have the grandkids repaint them. Pegues remembers her grandmother’s

Cousins Cathy Pegues and Karen Musgraves (above l-r) are ready to show guests around their art gallery in downtown Mineola. They feature traditional Western art, animals, famous musicians, and a variety of other topics and mediums. Photo by P.A. Geddie “Last Stretch”

creativity extending into all kinds of areas around the farm.

“Grandmother could create something out of nothing,” she says. “She built a treehouse. She could whittle. Anything creative was encouraged.”

The front porch of the farmhouse was a stage for the cousins to perform and they’d make their brothers be their audience — six of them for Musgraves, and three for Pegues.

“Some thought we might have been spoiled with all those brothers, but we had to pull our weight just like the guys,” Pegues says. “There was not ‘that’s a girl thing.’ We did just as much as they did.”

Both women learned the beauty of art at young ages, not only at the farm but in their own homes and the world at large. Their mothers — sisters Barbara Taylor and Joyce Terrell — were artistic as were other family members. Taylor was a busy nurse with a hectic schedule for many years, but when she wasn’t working she was sewing, painting, and making other things at home. Terrell taught high school art classes and became involved with the Mineola League of the Arts. The sisters owned a needlework finishing company in Dallas, working there at different times, and including their young daughters in creating canvas patterns for them.

The families always had animals including bunnies, chickens, and parrots, and more unusual pets like a raccoon, monkey, and even skunks. Terrell became involved in raising llamas and sheep and used their fleece for weaving and knitting.

With all these creative influences in their lives it’s no surprise the cousins became artists.

“I don’t remember a time when art wasn’t a thing for me,” Pegues says. “It was all around me. I learned to paint before I could write my name. Everything was art in my life. I just assumed everybody lived like that.”

Same for Musgraves, who says she doesn’t ever remember a time when she wasn’t interested in art. She does recall a couple of things she created in Mrs.

Gregory’s class in second grade that stand out in her memories.

“She told us to draw something we were thankful for,” Musgraves says. “I painted my legs and feet.”

She won an award for that bit of creativity and seems to recall there may have been some Oxford shoes and bobby socks that had her gratitude that day.

She’s grateful today for that class and her inspiring teacher.

“That was a big stepping stone.”

Mrs. Gregory introduced her to another medium later — paper mache.

“I created a six-foot-tall giraffe and won first place,” Musgraves says. “I had it a long time until my brothers tried to ride it and broke it.”

Musgraves and Pegues absorbed their family and childhood influences and developed their own artistic styles as they became adults. Pegues’ traditional western pieces often feature animals.

“We both have a tendency to paint animals,” she says. “We love horses and cattle. You start with what you like and expand.”

Musgraves’ art is more eclectic and it’s hard to pinpoint a style. She confidently compares her art to a pop phenomenon named Sybil, who was portrayed as having multiple personalities in a book and in film in the 1970s. Unlike easily recognized art styles, such as those of Picasso or Van Gogh, Musgraves is happy to keep art critics on their toes.

“My art looks like Sybil with 18 different personalities,” she says. “I jump around in styles and mediums. I’ll go from detailed cowboy boots to abstract. There’s nothing specific or consistent enough about my work where you can say ‘that’s a Karen Musgraves piece.’”

She and Pegues both say they are branching out into more contemporary art as they inspire each other over the years. Between the two of them, besides painting, they do fiber arts, sculpture, and collage, among other mediums. The

two joined forces in business many years ago as they traveled together to art shows and festivals.

“We work well together,” Pegues says. “We pick on each other so people think we’re sisters. That’s okay with me. Karen is the most talented person I’ve ever known. There’s no limit to her art. We push each other and challenge each other to step it up.”

In their early business years together, they opened an art gallery in the historic Reneau Building in downtown Golden called Belben Nest, named after a book their grandfather wrote. They opened a gallery in Fredericksburg as well for a short time. After those galleries closed, the two continued to do shows every now and then as they kept creating art and needed a place to distribute it. Tiring of hauling the art from place to place, they began thinking about opening a gallery

again in the last few years. With Mineola’s tourism growth, the cousins decided recently it was time to set up shop.

Finding a perfect spot next to the historic Beckham Hotel across the street from the active train station in downtown Mineola, they filled the space with their art and call it Horsefeathers, inspired by their love of horses. It features paintings, sculpture, mixed media, handmade jewelry, and pottery, and inviting places for classes and reflection.

Because Musgraves’ art is so eclectic in style, the gallery has the feel of art by many artists. Most all of the art in the gallery is created by Musgraves and Pegues with a couple of exceptions. The cousins don’t do pottery — at least not yet. Horse hair potter Cindy Fuqua and Raku potter Les Mitchell are the only other artists represented in the gallery.

“Dolly” (opposite page) is a painting by Musgraves and “The Bull” (above) is by Peques.

Pegues says people coming in are seeing something different and things they can relate to.

“We do a lot of animals,” she says. “It touches a familiar note in their lives. That’s what I hope they feel.”

She’s heard customers point at paintings and say things like, “I always wanted a horse like that.”

Musgraves loves when people come in and find the perfect piece for their home and when other artists come in and are inspired by their work. They feel good about contributing to the town’s growth.

“I hope it’s good for downtown Mineola,” Musgraves says. “As it keeps growing there’s room for more art and more music.”

The family creative gene continues in Musgraves’ and Pegues’ children. They each have two daughters. Musgraves is mother to Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Kacey and to Kelly Christine, a talented photographer in Dallas. Pegues’ daughter Mary Catherine owns The Good Art Company in Fredericksburg. Daughter Anne is an on-air radio personality for KMOO in Mineola and is raising two new little creatives in the family, Vivian and Maverick. Five-yearold Maverick is very detailed in his drawings according to his proud grandmother.

“It’s all trucks, cars, airplanes, and rockets,” Pegues says.

Her granddaughter Vivian is nine years old and has big ideas.

“Vivi is my inspiration,” Pegues says. “She’s always coming up with ideas and they are wonderful.”

Pegues’ painting of a horse with feathers along its back was Vivian’s idea and helped lead to the naming of the Horsefeathers Gallery.

Art is at the forefront for the cousins, both inside and outside the gallery.

“There’s art in everything,” Pegues says. “That’s how I see things. I look at an object and see its possibilities. It’s how I look at the world — instead of seeing a piece of junk, it could be a sculpture. I would be bored to tears without art.”

Horsefeathers Gallery is located at 121 East Commerce in Mineola. It is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They offer a variety of workshops in painting, rug tufting, and other mediums. For more information, visit their Instagram and Facebook pages or call (903) 262-8068.

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Reach those Living & Playing in the Upper East Side of Texas

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

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

Check the County Line eMagazine for extensive list of events and things to do. www.countylinemagazine.com

Shop World’s Largest Flea Market

First Monday Trade Days in Canton takes place the weekend prior to the first Monday of each month. This time of the year those dates are December 29 through January 1 and February 2 through 5.

The market hosts more than 5,000 vendors selling a wide variety of items including antiques and collectibles, furniture and home decor, arts and crafts,

jewelry and vintage clothing, plants, yard art, and so much more. The vendors are open from sun up until sun down, rain or shine.

There are ample places to grab a bite to eat on the First Monday grounds and nearby restaurants.

For more information, visit www.firstmondaycanton.com or call (903) 5676556.

‘Don’t

Let

the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical’

Dallas Children’s Theater presents Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical based on the book by Mo Willems from January 28 through February 23 at Rosewood Center.

The Pigeon is having a bit of an identity crisis — he never gets to do anything, and people just want him to “fly off.” Everything changes when the confident, cool Bus Driver rolls into town, and the Pigeon finds himself with a brand new goal: drive the bus.

Learn more on www.dct.org.

Get Nostalgic on Fannin County’s Barn Quilt Trail

Established in 2012 with more than 100 squares and counting, the Fannin County Barn Quilt Trail is the largest of its kind in the country. Images that look like quilt patterns are painted on wood or metal squares and displayed in Bonham and throughout the county countryside.

The Bonham Visitor Information Center provides a printed map for a self-guided tour. Contact them at (903) 583-9830 and learn more on www.visitbonham. com.

See Dinosaurs Live!

Through February 20 visitors to Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney can let their imagination run wild as they travel back in time along a half-mile nature trail with 11 life-size animatronic dinosaurs. The exhibit also offers interesting facts about both herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs. Children and the young at heart will also have the opportunity to play on stationary baby dinosaurs, a photoop Tyrannosaurus Rex and a photo op Pachyrhinosaurus.

Get more information on www.heardmuseum.org. Photo by StePhAnie JenninGS

Rural Texas Offers Best Seats for Winter Stargazing

During the clear, crisp nights of winter, there is no better time to bundle up and head outdoors to take in the spectacular star-dotted skies of the Upper East Side of Texas.

Because the atmosphere during colder weather is usually calm, the stars at night appear even brighter than normally seen during the more turbulent summer.

While stargazing in just about any rural backyard is a prime seat, those who enjoy exploring the night sky with seasoned astronomers have a few choices.

One group of devoted star gazers is the Astronomical Society of East Texas

(ASET). They regularly hold free activities including family-friendly star gazing parties around the region. Find their schedule and learn more about them on www.asetexas.com.

The Center for Earth and Space Science Education (CESSE) at Tyler Junior College features monthly Star Party Saturdays on February 4, March 4, and April 1. Guests can join their experts at telescopes for viewing and find astronomy buffs to help them navigate their way through the starry night. The CESSE planetarium also has sky talks during the events. Admission requires adanced online reservations through their website.

Events Honor Martin Luther King Jr.

Special events honoring civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. are planned for Saturday, January 14 and on the official federal holiday Monday, January 16. Born on January 15, 1929, King sacrificed his life for justice, human rights, and dignity, and stood for love, compassion, non-violent change, and freedom for all.

A march is planned in downtown Sherman on Saturday.

Dallas is holding a week’s worth of events culminating with an annual scholarship and awards gala.

Other towns that traditionally hold MLK events include Tyler, Longview, Nacogdoches, Marshall, Mineola, Gladewater, Kilgore, Crockett, Palestine, Winnsboro, and Jacksonville.

Contact city offices for details for these towns and others throughout the Upper East Side of Texas.

Those wanting to honor King and his message of peace for humanity from home can tune in to numerous online events including the Day of Humanity Zoom taking place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Find notifications on their Facebook page.

Texas Celebrates 100 Years of State Parks

First Day Hikes Get the Party Started

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is celebrating 100 Years of Texas State Parks this year. The parks provide recreational opportunities for generations of Texans and promote habitat and wildlife preservation.

Texas state parks were established in 1923 when Governor Pat Neff persuaded the legislature to create the State Parks Board. He later regarded this as his most important achievement as governor.

The Centennial Celebration officially kicks off statewide January 1 with First Day Hikes. The state’s 89 parks are offering special events, including rangerguided walks and hikes. TPWD encourages visitors to share their first-time park experiences on their social media pages. Regional state parks offering first day hikes, bikes, runs, and even boat trips include Cooper Lake State Park (both South Sulphur Creek and Doctors Creek

Units), Lake Tawakoni State Park, Martin Dies, Jr. State Park, Eisenhower State Park, Cedar Hill State Park, Tyler State Park, Caddo Lake State Park, Lake Bob Sandlin State Park, Martin Creek Lake State Park, Atlanta State Park, Bonham State Park, Daingerfield State Park, and Purtis Creek State Park.

The TPWD Public Broadcasting (PBS) series features centennial programming throughout the 2023 series, and up-todate information is available on the new Texas State Parks 100 Years website and Texas State Parks app.

The Centennial is also commemorated with The Art of Texas Parks exhibit at several museums across the state, starting in January at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. The exhibit is a visual arts survey and features 34 parks by some of Texas’ best contemporary artists. Art and parks fans can also see the works in a new book by the same

title written by Andrew Sansom and Linda J. Reaves.

One highlight of the year is the soft opening of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, the first state park to open in North Texas in more than 20 years. The project is supported by donations from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and H-EB, which pledged $1 million in 2022 and offers a range of park and environmentfriendly outreach events in 2023.

The 5,000 acre park lies 75 miles west of Fort Worth and features rolling hills with 1,400-foot peaks, a 90-acre lake, two creeks, and a variety of native trees. Recreational activities include hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Fundraising for the new park is ongoing. Information is available at www.tpwf.org.

For information about the centennial celebration visit the new website at www. tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/100years.

Daingerfield State Park is one of the locations participating in First Day Hikes. Photo by Judy Peacock

Mystery Solved at Gregg County Historical Museum

Enjoy a virtual visit to the Gregg County Historical Museum in a new short film titled Mystery at the Museum. The entertaining half-hour video is styled after the Night at the Museum films starring Ben Stiller. Mystery offers a unique mix of modern-day video gaming fun while teaching about local history.

The film opens with Sam playing video games in his mom’s basement. He falls into a deep sleep and wakes up as Sam Security inside the Gregg County Historical Museum. Sam meets a cast of historical characters while attempting to solve a mystery involving a missing doll.

Josh Mandreger plays Sam Security, the funny and over the top museum security

guard. His performance in Mystery is energetic and enjoyable. He is an actor and musician who is passionately pursuing his goals and dreams of acting to express his desire to entertain people. Other characters in the film include East Texas oil baron J.M. Dad Joiner, banker Lafayette Johnson Everett, a Kilgore Rangerette, and a Caddo Native American.

Meet the infamous Bill Dalton played by actor William O’Bryant. O’Bryant has performed in the museum’s Dalton Days Wild West Show for the past seven years. He is also an avid wild west re-enactor for other groups and community events.

Click HERE to watch the video and visit www.gregghistorical.org for more.

Between County Line eEditions, read more about the people, places, and things that make the Upper East Side of Texas the best place to live, dream, and explore. Includes events, attractions, articles, food, drinks, arts, culture, lifestyle, entertainment, people profiles, and more.

Go to www.CountyLineMagazine.com and click on SUBSCRIBE to find the WEEKLY or email your address to info@countylinemagazine.com with WEEKLY in the subject line. For assistance, call (903) 312-9556.

“People would stand in line for days and pay hundreds of dollars if there were a pill that could do everything for a child that reading aloud does. It expands their interest in books, vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and attention span. Simply put, it’s a free ‘oral vaccine’ for literacy.”

Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook

LMFA Offers A Long View of 21st Century Abstract Art

The Longview Museum of Fine Arts (LMFA) features the exhibition Towards a 21st Century Abstraction through February 11. The exhibit includes works by American artists Brad Ellis, Connie Connally, David Bailin, Jeri Ledbetter, Katherine Chung Liu, Sammy Peters, and Wosene Worke Kosrof

Each artist paints two-dimensional abstract art in a language all their own and each offers a distinct style and interpretation of the genre, presenting novel concepts in abstraction.

The exhibit is curated by art critic Peter Frank of Los Angeles who selected works that both challenge and define the boundaries of abstract painting.

LMFA Director Tiffany Jehorek says the works challenge viewers to contemplate the nature of abstract art.

“We invite the entire community to experience this exhibition and ask, ‘What is abstract art?’” Jehorek says. “That is what truly sets this exhibition apart.”

The exhibit has traveled to museums in Oregon, California, and Texas over the past two years and is described in a full-length catalog by the same title.

For information call (903) 753-8103 or visit www.lmfa.org.

Garden,” 2018, 36x36, oil on canvas, by Connie Connally

“Maroon

Texas Photographers Featured at PDNB

Photography by Texans Keith Carter and Earlie Hudnall, Jr., is currently featured at PDNB (Photographs Do Not Bend) Gallery in Dallas through February 11. Carter’s solo exhibit features photographs from his new book Ghostlight, a collection of recent stunning photographic journeys into the Big Thicket National Preserve in Southeast Texas.

He describes the Big Thicket as a “biological wonderland,” with “over 113,000 acres of dense tangled forests, angry water moccasins, and amber waterways.”

Ghostlight is published by the University of Texas Press. Carter’s photographs of Texas span 50 years and reveal intimate views of nature. His most popular books include From Uncertain to Blue (1988), The Blue Man (1990), Mojo (1992), and Bones (1996).

Carter was born in Madison, Wisconsin, but has photographed around the world. Ghostlight features images of his adopted Texas homeland.

Several museums own Carter’s original works, including the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, the Dallas Museum of Art, J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, George Eastman House in Rochester, New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.

The solo exhibit of Hudnall’s works celebrates his recent Lifetime Achievement award from the Art League of Houston recognizing Hudnall’s documentation of life in Houston’s Third and Fourth Wards, which began in the 1970s when he studied art under muralist John Biggers and Thomas Freeman at Texas Southern University.

Hudnall has also photographed communities in Africa, England, Haiti, and his hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Many institutions have collected his photographs including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Menil Collection, the Amon Carter Museum, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York, and the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. For information call (214) 969-1852 or visit www.pdnbgallery.com.

“Wheels, Third Ward,” 1993, by Earlie Hudnall (top left); “Atchafalaya, Study 1,” 2021, by Keith Carter (bottom).

Mitchell Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

By P.A. Geddie

Arts!Longview holds their first Honors Gala this month at the Longview Community Center, a historic building with art deco features. The classic Hollywood glamour-designed event comes with valet parking, a red carpet entrance, live music, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and champagne. Taking center stage is Pat George Mitchell as the recipient of Arts!Longviews first Lifetime Achievement Award for Artistic Excellence.

“The Honors Gala is an opportunity for Arts!Longview to highlight and recognize the accomplishments of individuals like Pat George Mitchell, who have made outstanding contributions to the Longview artistic community,” Arts!Longview Executive Director Christina Cavazos says. “Her work over the past 50 years exemplifies the mission of Arts!Longview.”

Arts!Longview is a nonprofit organization that manages the 343-acre state-designated Longview Cultural District with a mission to spark a love of the arts, history and culture for the community.

Mitchell founded the Longview Ballet Theatre in the district in 1972 and for 50 years she taught thousands of ballet students and brought incredible ballet productions to East Texas.

Many of Mitchell’s alums went on to prestigious programs including New York City Ballet, School of American Ballet, the Martha Graham School of Modern Dance, the San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School, American Ballet Theatre, North Carolina School of the Arts, Boston Ballet, Texas Ballet Theatre, and the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia.

Perhaps her most famous student is Beckanne Sisk, who started with Mitchell at the age of five. Sisk went on to perform with Ballet West and was featured in the TV show, Breaking Pointe. She often visits her hometown and her first teacher and sometimes performs for the community. She is now living back in Texas and working with the Houston Ballet.

Pat George Mitchell (above) founded the Longview Ballet Theatre 50 years ago and is honored by Arts!Longview this month. Mitchell and former student Beckanne Sisk (opposite top) catch up as often as possible. Wide-eyed young dance students in 2012 admire memorabilia and success stories of the Longview Ballet along the walls of the Studio for Creative Arts.

P hoto by o . R ufu S L ovett

During the Longview Ballet Theatre’s 50 years, Mitchell led 50 ballet productions. She choreographed more than 150 ballets and taught more than 1,000 dance students in her career. She also brought professional guest artists from New York, Miami, Salt Lake City and more to the local stage in Longview.

She is quoted as saying, “When you dance, you are living a moment of complete freedom, of focusing on nothing other than the movement, the breathing and the energy. And, if you allow it, embrace it — it can become a way of life, a different way of looking at the world, viewing life as a beautifully choreographed dance as opposed to a random series of events.”

After 50 years of helping little girls see the world in a beautiful way, Mitchell directed her last performance in March 2022 and held her final class last May. As of yet, no one else has come forward to continue the program, so the fate of the Longview Ballet Theatre and new ballerina hopefuls is unknown.

“I feel my old job is done here, and I am about to embark on what my new job might be,” Mitchell says. “However, I do know I have given everything I have to develop a dream and because of that, I am okay. This life of ours just simply goes by too quickly when you have fallen in love with the music of your heart and the dance of your life.”

Mitchell recently released a book detailing her time with the Longview Ballet. 50 Years for an Oscar (de la Renta, that is): The Dance of My Life, A Memoir, is available on Amazon. The book recounts her journey as a classical ballet teacher in rural East Texas. It is filled with memories, photos, moving stories, and the passion, heartache, and uncompromising drive it takes to become a dancer. It is the story of Mitchell’s humanitarian need to teach and help others live their dreams.

The Arts!Longview Honors Gala takes place at 6:30 p.m. January 28 in the 259-seat auditorium at the Longview Community Center. Formal attire is requested. Tickets are $100. Go to www. artslongview.org for more information and to purchase tickets or call (903) 7381865.

hoto by t om G eddie P hoto by t om G eddie

Austin Legend Takes Bowery Stage

Enjoy Classic Tunes From Twitty & Lynn

Marshall celebrates the dynamic Country Western music careers of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn in a performance by Twitty & Lynn at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, January 28, at Memorial City Hall. Tribute artists Twitty & Lynn perform the duets made famous by the two country mega stars.

The duo includes Tayla Lynn and Tre Twitty — grandchildren of the memorable stars. The elder Lynn and Twitty are “Memaw” and “Poppy” to the younger performers, who sing their hits, share memories of their grandparents, and recall their experiences on and off the stage. The unique tribute performance frequently sells out in venues around the country.

Songs made famous by the original duo include “After the Fire Is Gone”

and “Lead Me On” (1971), “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man,” (1973), and “As Soon as I Hang Up the Phone” and “Feelins” (1974). They won a Grammy Award for “After the Fire” and were named Vocal Duo of the Year four years in a row by the Country Music Association. Later hits include “God Bless America” (1976), “Lovin’ What Your Love Does to Me” (1981), and “Makin’ Believe” (1988).

The group’s performances are described as “high-energy and heartfelt” and their tours around the country frequently sell out. Their local performance is sponsored by Davis Chemical Services of Marshall.

Tickets $30 to $40 and are available online at www.memorialcityhall.com. For information call (903) 934-7992.

Master singer and songwriter Bob Livingston performs on the Bowery Stage at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 28. His live performances captivate audiences with unique storytelling and folk country songs.

Livingston helped create the music that earned Austin the title of Live Music Capital of the World and in the 1980s he traveled the globe as a music ambassador for the US State Department to India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Africa, Vietnam and the Middle East. He was later named the state’s Ambassador of Goodwill and “Austin’s International Music Ambassador” by the city of Austin.

Tickets are $25 to $35. For information call (903) 342-0686 or visit www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com.

Oak Ridge Boys Perform in Greenville

The distinctive harmonies of the Oak Ridge Boys fill the Greenville Municipal Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, January 13. The quartet’s legendary music career has produced many popular country music hits over the past five decades and they’ve earned many awards and fans with upbeat performances.

The group includes lead singer Duane Allen, bass Richard Sterban, tenor Joe Bonsall, and baritone William Lee Golden. The group’s more than 30 top hits

include “Elvira,” “Bobbie Sue,” “Dream On,” “Thank God For Kids,” “American Made,” “Fancy Free,” and “Gonna Take a Lot of River.”

Allen is a native Texan born near Paris in 1943. Before he joined the band he was a DJ at KPLT radio in Paris. He attended Texas A&M University at Commerce.

Tickets are $29 to $99. For information call (903) 457-3179 or visit www.showtimeatthegma.com.

VIDEO

Mount Vernon Music Explores Nature

In a program titled “Nature in Music,” Mount Vernon Music (MVM) presents compositions inspired by the natural environment at three venues in January. Natural sounds from rural life, birds and animals, rivers and oceans, and even the passage of time provide inspiration for music written by American composers Zhou Long, Richard Danielpour, Bernard Hermann (composer for Alfred Hitchcock films) and more.

“Natural Connections is the title of MVM’s 2022-2023 music season and its correlating associations in time, space, and nature,” says MVM President Mark Miller, describing the interconnectedness of music and the natural world.

“Great works of art shine a light on the underlying unity of our existence and are a reminder of our common purpose,” he says. “With this in mind I invite you to join us for Natural Connections, a series of programs of music from around the world linked by time, perspective, and circumstance.”

Performances occur at 7:30 p.m. January 13 at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas; 7:30 p.m. January 14 at MVM Association Hall; and 4 p.m. January 25 ay Finney Concert Hall at Texas A&M University Commerce.

Performers include Ivan Petruzziello, clarinet; Evan Mitchell, piano; Mark Miller and Marina Dichenko, violins; Ute Miller, viola; Laura Ospina, cello.

Tickets are $20 and $10 for members; college students $5 with a valid ID; children free. For information call (903) 5633780 or visit www.mountvernonmusic. com.

Cowan Center Welcomes the Doo Wop Project

Audiences can tap their feet and clap their hands to a high-energy performance by the Doo Wop Project at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 24 at the Cowan Center of Performing Arts in Tyler. The group delivers tribute music in their own upbeat style that recalls Motown, Pop, and Rock and Roll hits from the 1960s and 70s.

The entertaining program traces the evolution of the Doo Wop genre from its beginnings by groups such as the Crests,

Belmonts, and Flamingos through the vocal artistry of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Seasons.

They also perform original versions of modern hits by Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, and Sam Smith. The Project’s performers include stars from the Broadway hits Jersey Boys, Motown: The Musical, and A Bronx Tale.

Three Texans Dominate Country Grammy Nominations

For information call (903) 566-7424 or visit www.cowancenter.org. three categories. All three are nominated for Best Album and Best Country Solo Performance.

Nominees in other categories include Grand Saline’s favorite son Chris Tomlin for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “Holy Forever” — written with Phil Wickham — and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Always.

Texas artists once again dominate the Grammys’ Country categories in the Sunday, February 5, ceremony beginning at 6 p.m. Central Time on CBS. Miranda Lambert and Maren Morris are two previous Grammy winners from the Upper East Side of Texas receiving multiple nominations this year. Central Texas country icon Willie Nelson — who previously won 10 Grammy awards — challenges both with nominations in

Other regional artists winning nominations for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album include Pentatonix for Evergreen, Norah Jones for I Dream of Christmas, and Kelly Clarkson for When Christmas Comes Around. Metroplex-based Jazz duo DOMi and JD Beck were nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album and Best New Artist.

For complete list of nominees visit www. grammy.com.

New Book Inspires Rural Texas Travels

Title: Upper East Side of Texas: Small Towns & Cultural Districts

Author: P.A. Geddie Publisher: Speckled Crow Media

By Lisa Tang

Local residents and travelers alike will enjoy strolling through the pages of Upper East Side of Texas: Small Towns and Cultural Districts by P.A. Geddie. The County Line Magazine publisher spent two decades discovering and exploring treasures along the region’s backroads and byways and now lovingly shares them in this beautifully illustrated collection of essays.

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Geddie is a seasoned magazine editor who focuses on the arts, culture, and lifestyles of the region. The experience gives her insight for describing how each small town carves out a niche along the landscape with its own events, festivals, and history. The text is supplemented with works by talented artists and stunning photography of the region’s iconic landmarks.

Small Towns is both a travel guide and a journey all its own. It opens with essays that balance the most poignant facts and outstanding attractions of each featured town while inviting readers to explore them on their own time.

Opening descriptions add their own significance to each town like “In the beginning was Nacogdoches” and “In Henderson it’s all about time.” These intriguing statements are carefully balanced with visual elements and white space on each page, offering readers a chance to pause and reflect on their significance.

The book first focuses on 30 towns in the

region — one town at a time. The journey begins in Nacogdoches in the east, north to Texarkana, west to Paris, south to Rockwall then south again to Corsicana before turning back east to Palestine and Jacksonville. Each town is discussed so thoroughly and distinctly that few can mistake their individuality after reading about the character and unique histories of each.

The second section describes the surrounding areas of each community

packaged into 12 districts. “Star Struck” is about towns that sprang up in Rusk, Gregg, and Upshur counties after Dad Joiner struck oil near Kilgore in the 1930s. Similarly, “Whistle Stop” lies along lines of the historic Texas State Railroad and ties Anderson and Cherokee counties.

Readers and travelers alike will discover new journeys in Small Towns & Cultural Districts and find that each becomes more memorable and meaningful. The book is available on Amazon.com.

J’y Suis, J’y Reste

(Here I Am, Here I Remain)

Where do I go from here? The winds of change blow north And thus I follow.

But where is my heart? If it is split in two, how will I survive? My love will be true to both I fear. And thus my days will be spent In faithfulness to where I am With a longing and heartache

To be where I have been. But that is where I am now.

Frost was sorry he could not travel both at once And be one traveler. But I have traveled both and am Back where I began with miles to go. So where do I go from here?

Julie

Chitty Hubbard, Canton

Hands of a Poet

Your hands put into words the bruises and bones of twilight when day and its rhythm slip into night’s blueblack soul and everything is possible when a star-freckled sky laughs like a child and winks one bright eye in conspiracy.

Your hands remember reckless, cold, sweet speed and being seventeen with money in your pocket. Keeping time to music heard over your shoulder, so loud you could lean against it.

Your hands remember the first time they held your children and the last time they waved good-bye.

All of you is there. Every glance, every curse, every leaf, sigh, season, scar and whisper is there waiting to be wrung into words that someone might read and know the gift you hold in your hands.

Susan Mitchell, Edgewood

Old Cowboy

He’s just an old cowboy Out of step with the times, Time and change passed him by While he stayed the same Clinging to ways of his past.

He remembers wide open spaces, No fences to get in the way, Dusty trail drives and round-ups Crooning night riders, stampedes And sleeping out under the stars.

Now, in this crumbling old line shack Perched out on the edge of nowhere, He’s just a lonely old cowboy Alone with his songs and memories Of his days in the old wild west.

Weeping Mary

scarlet-bodied and scarlet-winged, Mary weeps for her creator for her justice for her own birth for freedom from notions of wickedness

the evening valleys of her eyes challenge the soul of the morning star

Dorothy Miller Birdwell, Chandler

Tom Geddie, Ben Wheeler

Start the Year With Crazy Good Collard Greens

By Lauren Wacaser

My mouth is watering just thinking about these greens. This recipe is addictive, satisfying, and just down-right crazy good. In the words of my distinguished father, I’m sure these collard greens would even make a preacher cry. Serve with buttery, rich cornbread to soak up the infamous collard pot liquor.

Substitutions are okay for this recipe. Substitute one teaspoon of Liquid Smoke for the bacon or leave out the sherry if desired. Feel free to add and/ or combine any other greens like turnip, mustard, spinach, and kale.

The prep time is 10 minutes and the cook time is five to six hours to enhance the flavor and allow the greens to soften.

Ingredients

3 bunches collard greens, washed and de-ribbed

3 strips thick-cut bacon, finely chopped

1/2 white onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tomato bullion, chicken flavored

1 quart water

1/4 cup sherry wine

Directions

Heat a deep, large pot over medium-low heat. Add bacon, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes and render until bacon starts to brown and crisp.

Increase heat to medium-high and add onion. Sautè for two minutes and deglaze the pan with sherry wine. Be sure to scrape the bits and browns at the bot-

RURAL ROCKS!

tom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add collard greens and sautè for two minutes. Add vinegar and lemon juice and cook an additional minute.

Add one quart of water and bring to a boil. Add the tomato bullion, stir, and reduce heat to a simmer. Slightly cover the pot and let simmer for about five to six hours, stirring occasionally.

Find more recipes and videos by Lauren Wacaser on her Facebook group “Let’s Eat Well.”

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We specialize in creating strategic communication plans that work through a multi-channel approach including eEditions, newsletters, websites, blogs, guides, email, and social sites. Let us help you choose the most costeffective, results-oriented promotion campaigns for the success of your business. CALL TODAY. (903) 312-9556. PA.Geddie@COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM

Regional Magazine for the Upper East Side of Texas