March/April 2023 County Line Magazine

FEATURES

6 Ruthie Foster

Healing

By P.A. Geddie

10 Heritage Park of East Texas

Connect with the the past in Edgewood,

By Ann Bush

14 Longview Arboretum

Find peace and beauty along

By Lisa Tang

DEPARTMENTS

3

17

PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR

P.A. Geddie

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Lisa Tang

CONTRIBUTORS

Lauren Wacaser

Katie Rose Watson

Rachel Gross

Ann Bush

Tom Geddie

Ine Burke

Christine Gardner

Carrie Bennet Photography

ADVERTISING

pa.geddie@countylinemagazine.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

www.countylinemagazine.com/subscribe

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,

As the weather warms and the signs of spring return we look forward to spending time soaking in the beauty to refresh our spirits. Our travels also perk up as we search for the many joys the Upper East Side of Texas has to offer.

In this issue we share the highlights of the season along blooming wildflower trails, outdoor parks, art exhibits, and in lively concerts by accomplished musicians.

We’re looking forward to hearing fourtime Grammy nominee Ruthie Foster, who brings music from her new album Healing Time to Tyler, Marshall, and Corsicana this spring. The highly anticipated reunion of Uncle Lucius includes April concerts in Tyler and Dallas.

We also look forward to concerts by Max and Heather Stalling in Winnsboro, Queen of the Night in Greenville, and a March 30 concert featuring Asleep at the Wheel, Brennan Leigh, and Joshua Hedley at the renovated Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas.

The Red Dirt BBQ Festival in May is another anticipated event featuring Charley Crockett, Charlie Robison, William Clark Green, and three other performing acts amid lots of barbecue.

Outdoor sights to experience include the Heritage Park of East Texas in Edgewood and the Longview Arboretum. Our annual wildflower trails article offers a guide for finding the region’s best blooms.

Even rainy days can be fun with visits to the region’s museums and art galleries. Highlights include Childhood Shenanigans by Lee N. Smith III in Tyler, the new Gallery of Fine Art in Athens, PDNB Gallery’s Deep in the Art of Texas show in Dallas, and student art exhibits in Tyler, Longview, and Winnsboro.

For more inspiration come back and visit County Line eMagazine for articles and event listings. We’re always on the lookout for more great events and places to explore.

Lisa Tang

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By P.A. Geddie

The joyful energy coming off any stage lucky enough to hold Ruthie Foster wraps around audience members like a warm quilt on a cold and rainy day. Her passionate Texas blues and Americana vibe brings a sense of peace to listeners that makes them feel everything’s going to be okay.

Born in Mineola, Texas, on February 10, 1964, she was surrounded by musical talent from the beginning. Her family was the church choir — singers, musicians, gospel storytellers.

She moved with her mother to Gause, Texas, in Milam County near College Station before she started elementary school and spent much of her childhood in East Texas with her dad and extended family too. From an early age she was comfortable on the church stage with her relatives and learned to play piano, backing up the singers.

Spend ‘Healing Time’ With RUTHIE FOSTER

“I didn’t want to be the person up front,” Foster remembers. “But it’s a right of passage when you get a chance to solo and sing. Everybody else sang.”

Still she held back, preferring to accompany others on piano, then guitar. Her piano teacher’s husband played guitar, so she started taking lessons from him too and her joy in playing guitar led to her finding her voice.

“When my mother heard me playing guitar she said, ‘Now you just need to open your mouth and sing.’”

So she did. She was singing solo by the age of 14 and knew music was her calling. After high school she moved to Waco for community college, concentrating in music and audio engineering. She began fronting a blues band and playing on Texas stages.

Foster joined the Navy to see the world and during her tour she was the front

singer and played the keyboard with naval bands. She did big band music, pop, funk, and jazz hits across the country.

“Wherever the admiral went, we went,” she recalls. “We traveled to a lot of high schools, getting kids excited to sign up for the Navy. If we weren’t traveling, we were rehearsing. That experience set me up for what I’m doing today.”

After her tour of duty, she headed to New York City where she was a regular performer at folk venues. At least one record company approached her to “make her a pop star” but she wasn’t interested. Her commitment to Americana roots music kept her independent.

In 1993, Foster’s mother became ill and she came back to Texas to be with her. She worked as a camera operator and production assistant at a television stacontinued page 8

tion in College Station while caring for her mother until her death in 1996.

“I quit playing music full time. I moved home and I became my mother’s daughter again. I wanted her to be proud of me. I joined her church. I took her to spend time with her mother. I wanted to take care of what she needed.”

Foster lived in an apartment close to her mother. She performed at coffee shops, nursing homes, and churches while her mother cheered her on.

“My mother was a huge part of my shows,” Foster says. “She was a beautician and I let her do my makeup and hair. She couldn’t see very well and I’d come out with 60s puffed up style. I think she thought ‘the higher the hair, the closer to God.’ I’d calm it all down when I got to the venue.”

This precious time with her mother changed her life, Foster says.

“I got to know my mother, woman to woman. We got to kid around. I heard her love stories with my dad and about when they were courting. She would light up. It filled me with a peace I didn’t know I was missing.”

After her mother’s death, Foster walked through her grief with the warm memories she and her mother made together. She felt more like a whole person, she says, and ready to move on with her music and performing lifestyle.

“I bought a used truck, loaded it with equipment, and started touring.”

Her shows were different now. She felt her mother with her and she began to not only sing, but to find her speaking voice and relate stories of her family to the audience.

“My shows weren’t shows any more — they were an experience. It was a chance to speak for my mother, and for my grandmother Big Mama — strong, intelligent women who had your back. I was relaying their stories and their lives. My shows became real.”

She added more gospel and spoke more about women’s issues and her extended family as she continued providing authentic experiences for her audiences.

“I’m giving you a part of my family, a piece of East Texas and next to the Brazos River. There’s Big Mama, PawPaw, Aunt Sugarlump, and my mother they called Puddin’. My heritage. I bring everybody with me. I’m a better songwriter, better overall performer, and better person because they are with me on stage.”

Foster began releasing albums in 1997 and continued to make records every few years to the delight of her growing fan base. Awards include four Grammy nominations and numerous wins from a wide variety of music award competitions.

Her most recent record is Healing Time, her ninth studio album. It is a collection of 12 powerful songs that provide a guide for how to move through the world with compassion and resolve. She contributed more to the writing process than she did on any of her previous albums, refining her own song craft in the process.

FOSTER continued from page 6

Work began on the album during COVID lockdown. She enlisted previous collaborators Gary Nicholson and Grace Pettis to pitch in during the writing process as well as every member of her band.

“This album is about what we all went through during and coming out of the lockdown. It’s about flying with my fellas. It’s about sitting in a room together and spending healing time — coming to a place where it’s time to be who you need to be for yourself and your family. It’s about soul searching and trying to bring the world together and figuring out how to get along.”

Healing Time is a work that explores what being human often brings to the surface, reminding listeners that even when they feel like they’re at the top, they’re ultimately still finding their way, and that’s okay.

Foster is touring the country with the album and has several shows in the Upper East Side of Texas before jetting off to Athens, Greece, this summer. She’s at The Palace Theatre in Corsicana on March 30, Memorial City Hall Performance Center in Marshall on April 1, and returns to Liberty Hall in Tyler for an April 22 show.

“I’m proud of my ties to East Texas,” Foster says. “It’s been really interesting learning more about my family the older I get. Learning about more of them that were singers and traveling gospel musicians. I’m quite proud of that.”

Foster performed in February for a Black History Month program in Mineola. As much love as she holds in her heart for her roots there, America’s racial divide is part of her story.

Her father talks about many good aspects of growing up in Mineola, she says, and sometimes quietly speaks about the indignities of the past as well.

The esteemed Beckham Hotel in downtown Mineola served the railroad industry and other travelers beginning in the 1920s for several decades. Those of African descent were not allowed in the building, except perhaps as servants. After two devastating fires, the Beckham closed and the building remained empty for many years.

In 1989, music teacher John DeFoore purchased the building. For almost 20 years he taught guitar and songwriting in studios on the ground floor and held concerts on the second floor.

During those years, one well attended concert featured the talented Ruthie Foster. In the hours before her show, she visited with her dad and he went with her to the Beckham for a sound check.

“Walking up the stairs, my dad’s walking behind me, and he stops halfway up,” Foster says, asking him what’s wrong.

“He said, ‘I need a minute. As a Black man, I was never allowed to go up these stairs.’”

This struck a chord with her as the reality of racial divide so close washed over her.

“That was the first time hearing my dad talk about it,” she says. “Here’s my dad telling me about the real history from his eyes of this particular building.”

The music that DeFoore filled that building with all those years gave it a bit of much needed “healing time” and in recent years it’s been restored as an elegant

hotel and ballroom welcoming people from all walks of life.

Perhaps that is true also of Liberty Hall in Tyler where Foster’s father tells her of other injustices he experienced years ago. He worked there running the film projector but wasn’t allowed to sit in the theater seats. Now, with his daughter on center stage, he gets the best seat in the house.

Remembering one of her last gigs at Liberty Hall, Foster said she always makes sure having a number of seats for her family is part of her agreement with the venue. This time, someone sold her extra seats in error.

“I’m not playing until my dad has a seat,” she firmly told them.

Thankfully, some generous fans gave up their balcony seats for her dad and her “beautiful-like-my-mom” stepmother.

“I called his name and he waved like he was King of the Universe.”

To purchase Healing Time and learn more about Foster, visit www.ruthiefoster.com.

Getaway to the Past

History Lives Year-Round at Heritage Park Museum of East Texas

Photos and Article by Ann Bush

A visit to the Heritage Park Museum of East Texas in Edgewood is the perfect setting for learning about the region’s past. The museum includes more than 20 historic buildings in a three-block village that is complete with an extensive antique artifact collection dating from the 1800s to the 1920s. Visitors can easily find it on FM 859 after crossing US Highway 80 just one block from downtown Edgewood.

The nonprofit museum was founded in 1976 as a Bicentennial ongoing preservation project. Over the decades the Edgewood Historical Society has collected, restored, and moved buildings to the park. It is operated by members and funded by donations, grants and park fees, with the

mission to preserve and promote the cultural and architectural heritage of rural East Texas through authentic exhibits.

Most visitors wander around this beautiful park on their own and often remember seeing similar objects at grandma’s house.

A highlight of the park is the train depot. The original Murchison train depot is painted a golden yellow and includes crates and suitcases piled high ready to be loaded. A caboose and box car wait patiently to roll down the Cotton Belt Route named so because it crossed the heart of cotton country through Texas and Arkansas. Within the last few years, a model train display was added and it’s fun to watch the trains chugging along mountains and hills on a large table.

The Heritage Park Village is the final home for two log cabins in remarkable condition — both furnished with bits and pieces of the past. Adolphus Spradlin bought land in the Van Zandt County community of Small, Texas, in 1898 and built a dogtrot cabin. The style is common in East Texas because the breezeway in the middle was perfect for working and sleeping during the hot, sultry, dog-days of summer.

The Scott cabin with hand-hewn notched logs was built in 1874 on the Sabine River by James Scott, who lived continued page 12

The dogtrot Spradlin cabin (above) and the Scott cabin (opposite page) contain furnishings that help visitors experience how many people lived in their homes in the late 1800s.

PARK continued from page 10

with his wife and seven children — all born in the cabin. It is the oldest structure in the Heritage Park Museum.

Near the cabins is a log barn full of hay and corn huskers. As farmers began to dot the rural landscape, a blacksmith’s shop was crucial to repair farm equipment and horseshoes. Sunshine streams in from cracks in the walls to reveal a wagon wheel lying on a table near a wall of tools. A well-worn saddle sits quietly in the corner, its past revealed by nicks and tanned patches on soft leather. Nearby a smokehouse stands. This was essential to preserve venison or hog meat to survive a winter.

A schoolhouse was needed once the first homesteaders started families so the Heritage Museum added a one-room schoolhouse from the community of Myrtle Springs. The school is complete with restored wooden desks, books, flags, maps, and pictures of George Washington and Abe Lincoln. The school shows the stark difference of how children learned 100 years ago compared to today. One unexpected lesson learned at the school is why there are so many windows – to let in light before electricity was invented.

A rural community in Texas is not complete without a church. The Edgewood Methodist congregation built the enduring white church in 1897 and used it faithfully until 1923. Lovingly referred to as the “Little Church in the Wildwood,” it was moved to the current location in 1926 by the African American Community of the Bethlehem Baptist Congregation who used it as their spiritual center for 67 years. The polished pews and a

continued page 14

The blacksmith shop (top) is a good place to learn about that much-needed service of the times. The grocery store (middle) is filled with food items, dishes, and sewing materials, and when people had an extra penny or two they would buy hard candy. The oneroom schoolhouse (bottom) has wooden desks, photos of presidents, and plenty of windows to let in light as they did not have electricity. Gilliam Grocery (opposite top) added gas pumps when the automobile replaced wagons. The golden yellow train depot is a highlight of the park reminiscing about the railroad industry. A model train display adds to the experience.

PARK continued from page 12

restored elaborate organ stand proudly in this white steepled church that sits gracefully near fragrant pink rose bushes along a whitewashed picket fence.

Sunday services brought people from all directions together and soon a small village grew over time from the need for shops and trades. The old Scott’s General Store is filled with food items, dishes, rolls of cloth, and colorful spindles of thread used by farm wives to sew their families’ clothing and a few luxury items such as hard candy.

Near the train depot is a large carriage house full of antique cars and horsedrawn wagons. Not too far away is Gilliam Grocery, a former feed store which added gas pumps for the automobile that replaced the wagons. Bright orange Gulf Oil pumps rise high in the front and the inside is stocked with everything imaginable necessary for farming and that new fancy tractor.

A bright red and white candy cane sign

beckons visitors toward the barber shop with faded red barber chairs — one with a child’s seat. Farmers gathered here for the latest news that was also spread throughout the sparsely populated rural community through a newspaper created in the print shop a short walk away.

A favorite place to sit and pause is in Tom’s Café. The green walls and red and white checked curtains remind visitors of cafés that once dotted Texas. In 1932, Tom’s Café was located along the newly built US Highway 80 with the hope of attracting hungry customers roaring down the road in a new car. A tattered newspaper clipping on the wall tells the story of the notorious Bonnie and Clyde duo who once stopped for a soda and hamburger.

The museum’s education program is designed for third and fourth grade students and includes guided tours of log cabins and businesses as well as different modes of travel. The sessions present a glimpse of the past and may include demonstrations by docents attired in period clothing. Guided tours are scheduled in the

spring in March, April, and May; fall tours occur in September and October.

During the Edgewood Heritage Festival held on the second Saturday in November, the village museum comes alive with volunteer guides dressed in period clothing performing tasks in various buildings. It is rumored that Santa Claus visits and can be found in the Spradlin Dogtrot Cabin.

When You Go

Main Street is the best place to park for an easy walk to the village located on Elm Street. Museum and gift store hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon. Admission is $10 for adults or $25 for a family of five. A shaded area between the school and church includes a few picnic tables and adequate bathroom facilities. For information call (903) 896-1940 or visit www.heritageparkmuseumofetx.org.

A view of the village (below) shows shops and services people would find when they “went to town.” A far cry from today’s kitchens, visitors strolling through this meager room (opposite page) learn how pioneers cooked with very few amenities.

Walk With Nature at the Longview Arboretum

The Longview Arboretum and Nature Center is a masterfully designed 26-acre garden near the city’s convention center complex. The grounds feature several lovely settings with a variety of landscapes with terraced gardens, waterfalls, and arbors among thousands of blooming native plants.

Visitors find lovely bronze sculptures and natural sanctuaries along the trails that beckon them to explore, relax, and even commune with nature.

The beauty along the paved walkways includes a variety of flowering shrubs, trees, and blooms in an array of pleasing colors. The park’s tall East Texas pines are likely its most striking feature. Native trees soar above the gardens offering respite from the sun on hotter days.

The elegant gazebo is situated high above the gardens on a hill that serves as a focal point for visitors as they wind along the walkways. The gazebo sometimes hosts outdoor ensembles such as the Longview Symphony Orchestra. A platform above the large pond also accommodates contemporary musical performances with several scheduled this spring.

Animals such as squirrels, birds, and flying insects live among the manicured gardens and add interest to the landscape. Art is also part of the arboretum’s landscape which is adorned with bronze statues. The Nature Center’s main room serves as a gallery for local artists whose works focus on nature and metal sculptures dot the grounds as a complement to the natural setting.

The arboretum’s striking scenery is popular among photographers who enjoy taking portraits and nature photos. Visitors often see professional sessions for bridal or quinceañera photos in progress. The facilities are both kid-friendly and accessible to seniors. Children have plenty of room to enjoy running over bridges and down hills, while parents can appreciate the wide view of the grounds. Educational facilities for children’s sum-

continued page 18

Photos by ann bush

ARBORETUM continued from page 17

mer camps are located inside the Nature Center and a beehive is visible through a window in the gift shop.

Wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers have no problems rolling over the concrete paths where visitors can usually comfortably explore the grounds without worrying about vehicle traffic, loose stones, or muddy patches. Seating is plentiful on

benches along the walkways and some shaded arbors.

The Longview Arboretum opened in 2019 but is still growing into its 26 acres that lie between the city’s convention complex and the Grace Creek Tributary. Thanks to a broad master vision, new gardens, trails, and gathering spots are still being added to the grounds.

Visitors should plan to spend a couple

of hours walking through the grounds to explore the landscape and read placards that describe the plants and sculptures. Maps of the property are available at the Nature Center where guests pay $5 admission.

The arboretum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays year round. For information call (903) 212-2181 or visit www. longviewarboretum.org.

Photo by ann bush

St. Paddy’s Day Dash Offers New Course

The St. Paddy’s Day Dash has kicked off the St. Paddy’s Day Parade festivities on Greenville Avenue in Dallas for nearly three decades. For the first time, this year a new course is offered for participants to walk, jog, run, and dance on the parade route.

Along with the new route, entrants compete for the largest cash prize ever offered by the run. Top runners can win up to $750 furnished by race partner Guaranty Bank. Off the race course, people get into the competitive spirit with the annual St. Paddy’s Day Spirit Tutu Contest and a donut-eating contest.

After the race and before the parade, participants start the day-long party at Energy Square with music from DJ Dame and an awards ceremony. The after-party features food, drinks and a Yuengling Flight

Beer Garden. Event photos are free and shared on Run Project’s Facebook page.

Run Project is Texas’ and the southwest’s premier race series. Run Project represents the top two percent of running events that are locally owned and operated in the Texas area.

“The Dash Down Greenville is by far the most iconic race in our Run Project series and it’s thanks to the enthusiasm and spirit that our participants bring to the event,” said Run Project Owner Tanna Wood. “The streets turn green thanks to their festive outfits, tutus, and costumes. While the race offers big prizes for serious competitors, participants of all paces end up winners thanks to all of the fun.”

The race raises funds for Friends of the Katy Trail, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit orga-

nization that operates and maintains the Katy Trail for the benefit of Dallas citizens and visitors. The group raises the funds needed to maintain and enhance the landscaping, provide lighting, water for people and pets, daily security patrols, and amenities such as benches on the Trail.

The St. Paddy’s Day Dash Down Greenville 5K is one of nine races held by the Run Project across North Texas. The events attract thousands of runners from across the metroplex, the state, and the nation, and raises tens of thousands of dollars for local charities.

To register or learn more information about St Paddy’s Day Dash Down Greenville and the Run Project race series, visit www.RunProject.org.

Laugh with Pat Hazell at Memorial City Hall

Pat Hazell is an original Seinfeld writer who uncovers his permanent record in a confessional night of humor, heart, and humanity at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 11.

In a performance titled Pat Hazell’s Permanent Record, he presents a humorous view of his own permanent record and expounds on how everyone’s secrets can mold their future.

From his early addiction to card tricks — up to three packs a day — to his recent divorce living happily ever after, Hazell opens the vault to his memories with anecdotes and poignant humor.

He has more than three decades of experience as a writer, director, and producer and now is an acclaimed playwright, a contributing commentator to National Public Radio, and producer of the Creativity in Captivity podcast.

Tickets are $30 to $40. For information call (903) 934-7992 or visit www.memorialcityhall.com.

Exhibit Features Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Discovery Science Place (DSP) in Tyler is featuring a hands-on children’s exhibit with Nickelodeon’s iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles through Sunday, May 21. Secrets of the Sewer features various puzzles, mazes, and obstacles where families learn about teamwork, collaboration, and problem solving.

Discovery Science Place, a University of Texas at Tyler center, features more than 20,000 square feet of hands-on exhibit space, a 12,000-plus square-foot annex to house traveling exhibits and diverse educational programming designed to ignite curiosity in young minds through exploration. Founded in 1993, DSP is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. More than 60,000 guests visit each year.

Secrets of the Sewer exhibit tickets are $10 each for both adults and children. The museum is located at 308 North Broadway in downtown Tyler. For more information visit www.discoveryscienceplace.org or call (903) 533-8011.

Have a Bloomin’ Good Time on Wildflower Trails

In spring Mother Nature dresses the land with her finest colors as eager sightseers set out to explore the region. Numerous trails and festivals this time of year celebrate these blooming displays, beckoning travelers to enjoy the blanketed fields while driving into town.

Driving trails around Linden and Henderson are calicoed with color; Ennis lies among seas of bluebonnets; and Tyler’s streets are jeweled with azaleas. Further south, Nacogdoches boasts gardens with acres of bright blooms; and Palestine’s dogwood trails show off delicate blossoms that appear like falling snow.

Almost any time the sun peeks through the clouds makes for a beautiful day of viewing the abundant wildflowers and blooms in the region.

Linden, Avinger, Hughes Springs

The Wildflower Trails of Texas Festival occurs April 28-29 and celebrates the Northeast Texas wildflower blooming season. The trails include Highways 49, 155, and 11 between Avinger, Hughes Springs, and Linden. The festival celebrates thousands of varieties of wildflowers that grow naturally in the area. For information visit www.wildflowertrailsoftexas.org.

Avinger hosts Wildflowers & Wine from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 28. The event includes a wine tasting, a canine beauty pageant, a kids’ fishing hole, a prize raffle, an art and photography show, and a parade. The exhibit opens Friday, April 27 and includes an adult and youth competition with cash prizes and a treasure hunt. For information visit www.avingertxchamber.org.

Nacogdoches

Nacogdoches is the Garden Capital of Texas and offers a guided walk among nearly a mile of trails through dozens of azalea beds that bloom in March and April. The garden features tall loblolly pines that rise high above the shrubbery and offer ample shade on hot days.

The beautifully curated Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden occupies 11 acres along University Drive near the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University. Collections of other flora — namely camellias, Japanese maples, and hydrangeas — bloom during other times of the year. The nearby Gayla Mize Garden also offers beautiful scenery and a portion of the university’s walking trails. For information call (936) 564-7351 or visit www. visitnacogdoches.org.

Palestine

Palestine’s Davey Dogwood Park features miles of driving trails in addition to an open area where guests can park and enjoy the outdoors on foot. The dogwood blooms are spectacular when seen from the road but viewing them up close is also a treat.

Palestine holds its 87th annual Dogwood Trails Arts Festival to draw visitors to see the dogwoods’ beauty in person during the last two weekends in March and the first weekend in April — this year from March 17 to April 2.

The festival features fine arts events, a parade, fairy gardens, and other activities. For information call (903) 723-3014 or visit www.visitpalestine.com.

Tyler

Tyler features more than 10 miles of historic homes and residences along its brick streets in the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail March 24 to April 9.

Visitors see an abundance of azaleas, wisteria, tulips, and dogwood blooms along the city’s historic homes in late March and early April.

The Tyler Rose Garden also features the world’s largest variety of roses and is open year-round.

Both the trails and gardens are free and open to the public. For information call (903) 593-6905 or visit www.visittyler. com.

Davey Dogwood Park in Palestine (above) features driving trails and a park with walking trails. Photo by Christine gardner

The Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden in Nacogdoches (opposite page) covers 11 acres along University Drive near the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

Photo by ine burke

“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

ARTS + CULTURE

See Smith’s ‘Shenanigans’ at Tyler Museum

Childhood Shenanigans features colorful paintings inspired by the childhood memories of Lee N. Smith III through April 23 at the Tyler Museum of Art.

The artist takes viewers back to a time when nights were full of fun and foolery with school friends in the back yards of suburban neighborhoods.

Smith’s paintings feature vibrant compositions and colors. The bright blues, greens, and oranges light up his characters’ young faces in mischievous and other-worldy hues and cast a dream-like quality on each painting.

Smith was born in 1950 in New Orleans and grew up in Dallas. His student art exhibit was at the University of Texas at Arlington and was selected to show in the internationally-acclaimed Venice Biennale art exhibition in Italy. His works are part of collections in the Dallas Mu-

The Tyler museum’s exhibit draws Smith’s works from the 70s, 80s and 90s from public and private collections

For information call (903) 595-1001 or visit www.tylermuseum.org.

Athens Gallery of Fine Art Opens

Bruce Peil’s landscape paintings have shown across the Southwest for 30 years. Recently he and his wife Stacey opened Athens Gallery of Fine Art at 317 North Prairieville Street in downtown Athens.

In addition to Peil’s paintings, guests find works by other local artists including Kaye Franklin, Beverly Boren, Diane Frossard, Richard Thompson, and Mary Hortman.

The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday as well as by appointment by calling (903) 681-1542.

“Sound Stealers” is one of the childhood-inspired paintings by Lee N. Smith. His work is on exhibit at the Tyler Museum of Art through April 23.

seum of Art and the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art.

across Texas. The exhibit is supported by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

PDNB Gallery Celebrates Diverse Texas Talents

PDNB (Photographs Do Not Bend) Gallery in Dallas celebrates the diverse talents of dozens of Texas photographers in the group exhibit Deep in the Art of Texas through March 25. The artists’ subjects vary from landscapes to portraits and feature styles that are representational and documentary to abstract and conceptual. Each artist presents his or her own vision so the works present no common theme or subject matter. The result is an eclectic exhibit with lots of variety that represents a range of time periods — from the 1940s to today.

Photographs from Don Netzer’s recent body of work Killer Cartridges — a series on mass shootings in America — are also on display. New artists included in the exhibit include Nitashia Johnson, Norm Diamond, Dan Sellers, and Cathy Spence. Other artists include Stuart Allen, Jeanine Michna-Bales, Ida Lansky, Barbara Maples, Keith Carter, Peter Brown, Earlie Hudnall Jr., Don Netzer, Jack Ridley, Philip Lamb, Don Schol, Pam Burnley Schol, Paul Greenberg, Janis Hefley, Bank Langmore, Paul Sokal, George Krause, and Chris Regas. For information call (214) 969-1852 or visit www.pdnb.com.

Regional Venues Host Student Art Exhibits

Arts organizations offer young artists opportunities to compete and display their art in galleries and museums around the region. The exhibits are part of the organizations’ strong partnerships with local schools and provide an opportunity for students to express their creativity and gain experience in presenting their art to the public.

Tyler Museum of Art holds a high school art exhibition in one of its main galleries from March 26 to May 21. Roughly 70 young artists in the 11th and 12th grades from more than a dozen local high schools participate each year. Local art professors judge the works on makership, cultural connection, and use of media. The judges award one Best of Show and three Merit of Honor awards.

The event is open to the public and members of the community are invited to vote for the Viewers’ Choice Award presented at the show’s end. For information call (903) 595-1001 or visit www.tylermuseum.org.

Longview Museum of Fine Arts’ 63rd Student Invitational is open to students from 18 schools in the surrounding area. Students can submit art in one of 10 categories. This year’s exhibit is from March 13 to May 18. For information call (903) 753-8103 or visit www.lmfa.org.

Winnsboro Center for the Arts hosts Art in the Gallery — a High School Art Competition and Exhibit April 1 to 29. The exhibit is open to students from several surrounding high schools. A re-

ception and awards ceremony at 2 p.m. on April 16 honors competitors with cash prizes. For information call (903) 3420686 or visit www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com.

“ZZ Top, Humble, Texas” (1993) by Michael O’Brien.

“Windows,” 24 by 27 inches, graphite on paper by Mario Barrios of Cumberland Academy won Best in Show at the Tyler Museum of Art’s 2022 High School Exhibition.

Check the County Line eMagazine for an extensive list of events and things to do.

www.countylinemagazine.com

Max and Heather Stalling Perform in Winnsboro

The instrumental and vocal duo Max & Heather Stalling perform on the Bowery Stage in Winnsboro at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 11. Nowadays the couple travels around Texas and the nation playing gigs to many sold-out audiences that dig their traditional folksy style. Stalling and his band also perform at the Texas Theater in Waxahachie at 8 p.m. on April 15.

Fans may remember the Stallings from their “We Ain’t Drinking Alone Wednesday” performances on Facebook during the pandemic, which carried the motto, “Thanks for joining us! We may be isolated but we don’t have to be lonely.” The mantra continues to market many of their shows and is now a brand for their first Margaritaville-style destination event. “‘We Ain’t Drinkin Alone” — Belize!” is scheduled for July 26 to July 30 at the Victoria House Resort & Spa in Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Max and Heather are seasoned musicians who performed independently before joining forces. Max is a songwriter and guitar player whose influences include Texas music greats Guy Clark, Robert Earl Keen, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Steve Earle, and Townes Van Zandt.

Heather learned to play the fiddle at an early age. As a teen she played professionally in Branson, Missouri, as a member of the “The Texas Gold Minors.” She later played with touring musical acts before she put together the blacktopGYPSY project in 2005 with her friend Andie Kay Joyner, which released two full length studio albums.

Max and Heather married in 2007 and have since played in duo performances and on tours with Max’s band. Tickets to the show are $35 to $45. For information call (903) 342-0686 or visit www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com.

Queen of the Night Comes to Greenville

Hear a powerful tribute to Whitney Houston at 7:30 p.m. on April 28 when “Queen of the Night” comes to Greenville Municipal Auditorium. The show performs Houston’s soulful music that dominated the charts for years.

Houston is the only artist with seven consecutive No. 1 hits. Her awe-inspiring voice also found success in the film industry and earned her starring roles in The Bodyguard, Waiting to Exhale, and The Preacher’s Wife. She won many awards during her career, including six Grammy Awards, two Emmys, 16 Billboard Music Awards, and 28 Guinness World Records.

The entertaining, high-energy performance is a triumphant dedication to Houston’s life and legacy performed by all-star musicians. For information call (903) 457-3179 or visit www.showtimeatthegma.com.

Historic Longhorn Ballroom Reopens

Renovations at the Longhorn Ballroom near downtown Dallas are complete and the historic music venue reopens with shows this spring. Asleep at the Wheel headlines at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, with musicians Brennan Leigh and Joshua Hedley.

Other acts scheduled for this spring include: Old Crow Medicine Show with special guest Joshua Ray Walker at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 31; Morgan Wade and Lucero and Kaitlin Butts at 7:15 p.m. on

Saturday, April 1; and Emmylou Harris at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 22.

The ballroom was built in 1950 for Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and was originally named Bob Wills’ Ranch House. It closed temporarily for renovations in 2019 after seven decades of constant use. The indoor ballroom can house concerts with room for 2,000 people while the outdoor space has room for thousands more. For information visit www.longhornballroom.com.

Athens Old Fiddlers Reunion Returns

Fiddlers of all ages descend upon Athens, Texas, at the end of May each year. Kicking off the festivities for the 92nd Annual Athens Old Fiddlers Reunion is a dinner and dance Thursday, May 25, at the Texan Theater. Friday, May 26 features live music, food vendors, and a cornhole tournament on the Henderson County square. The fiddling contest, car show, street dance and fair take place around the square on Saturday. For more information visit www. athensoldfiddlers.com.

Tyler Hosts Red Dirt BBQ Festival

The ninth Red Dirt BBQ Festival is organized by Townsquare Media and combines two Texas favorites — country music and barbecue — beginning at 12 p.m., Saturday, May 6. The downtown Tyler festival held on the square at 100 north Broadway Street has sold out tickets ahead of time each year and once again lives up to its claim as the “Best Food + Music Event.”

Six musical acts take the stage while visitors enjoy fare and spirits from two dozen Texas barbecue outfits. Headlining the event is Country Western musician Charley Crockett (“I’m Just a Clown.”) Other acts include Shane Smith and the Saints, William Clark Green, Charlie Robison, Mike and the Moonpies, and Kaitlin Butts. Three ticket tiers are on sale. Guests can purchase VIP tickets for $180 for admission at 12 p.m.; general admission tickets for $90 for admission at 1 p.m.; and afternoon access tickets for $65 for concert viewing at 3:45 p.m.

General admission and VIP ticket holders can sample food from all 25 food vendors. Barbecue joints from Tyler and the Upper East Side of Texas as well as from around the state serve up the festival’s fare.

The festival is produced by Townsquare Media, which owns KNUE 101.5 of Tyler. For information visit www.reddirtbbqfest.com.

From left: Brennan Leigh, Asleep at the Wheel, and Joshua Hedley perform at the reopening of the Longhorn Ballroom at 8 p.m., Thursday, March 30.

Charley Crockett headlines this year’s Red Dirt BBQ Festival.

Photo by Carrie bennet PhotograPhy

Kevin Galloway and Uncle Lucius Realign

By Lisa Tang

After Uncle Lucius disbanded in 2018 they had no expectations of reuniting but it’s happening this March nonetheless. Frontman Kevin Galloway — a Big Sandy, Texas, native — recently made the announcement.

“The tide has transferred and the forces have realigned. Uncle Lucius is once again making music. After a five year hiatus, the band will be bringing their methods of soul, joy, and thunder to select stages across the country.”

The Austin-based band’s reunion is scheduled for March 18 and 19 on the Gruene Hall stage in New Braunfels, kicking off a tour that includes two performances in Tyler at 8 p.m., April 7 and 8 at Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ, and at 7 p.m. on April 21 at the Kessler Theater in Dallas.

Galloway recently explained circumstances surrounding the welcome but surprising announcement. While playing music and talking on Live From Norfolk Street — a show recorded in Houston and also known as McGonigel’s Mucky Duck YouTube channel — in December Galloway said Uncle Lucius’ top song achieved widespread fame when the television show Yellowstone played it in 2020.

“Keep the Wolves Away” struck a nerve nationwide when it played on the hit series starring Kevin Costner and earned the band some royalties. More importantly its success proved that Uncle Lucius possessed the talent to make it in the recording industry so the forces began to realign.

The reunion is welcome among fans who enjoy the band’s deep rock and blues traditions. Uncle Lucius’ ability to appeal widely to general audiences is proven by the number of shows along the tour that are already sold out as fans scramble to buy tickets.

A quick rewind through the band’s other hits performed over its first 13 years proves their mettle. Their broad repertoire includes tunes with a variety of rhythms and moods that show originality — from upbeat boot scootin’ tunes to romantic slow ballads to cry into your beer blues.

Galloway’s strong voice rises above the band’s carefully orchestrated instrumentals. His bluesy baritone belts out remorseful yet poetic lyrics in nearly every song.

The front man’s realignment with Uncle Lucius is fortuitous, as the two are better together. Each band member brings his own qualities to the voluminous sound. Mike Carpenter plays lead guitar with swagger. Other instrumentalists include drummer Josh Greco, and keyboard player Jon Grossman.

“Everybody Got Soul” is a foot-tappin’

sing-along homage to the blues genre and proves the band can own the stage with a variety of rhythms.

The upbeat and humorous “Ain’t It the Same” is a get on your feet dance number. “I called on my preacher but there was no one there / I drank another pint of whiskey and fell down the same damn stairs / They cut my hair last winter / Ain’t it the same?”

The band’s slower tracks dig deep into the blues tradition of exploring the soul’s depths with slower melodies such as “My Gun Can Burn,” and “Pick Your Head Up.” In that number the band takes turns playing their own riffs on guitar and piano.

During the tour this spring Uncle Lucius is likely to repeat performances of “Keep the Wolves Away” and other hits but they’re also likely to try out new tunes that set a stake in their future success.

VIDEO

Members of the realigned Uncle Lucius band include, Mike Carpenter, Kevin Galloway, Josh Greco, and Johnny Grossman.

Read Across Texas Promotes Empathy in Communities

The Texas Center for the Book (TCFB) invites libraries and readers statewide to join in its 2023 reading campaign. “Read Across Texas: Empathy” kicks off in March, with libraries signing up to facilitate reading and discussion opportunities on what empathy looks like in their communities.

The program offers libraries a blueprint for encouraging groups to explore and discuss issues that can encourage empathy. Sharing literature helps individuals discuss their own stories to build understanding and support.

The Texas Center for the Book is pleased to announce a partnership with BookPeople — an Austin-based bookstore — and the Texas Library and Archives Foundation for the event. Both organizations are contributing to a grant program that funds 10 copies of one of four titles for use by Texas libraries.

Author Naomi Shihab Nye who is wellknown for the poem “Kindness” is featured in an in-person event at 7 p.m. on

February 25 at BookPeople in Austin. Nye is the author of one of this year’s featured titles, Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners.

The four chosen book selections that give communities a platform to engage in challenging, insightful, and transformative conversations include: Milo Imagines the World, a picture book by Matt de la Peña; Remarkably Bright Creatures, a novel by Shelby Van Pelt; and Truth Worth Telling: A Reporter’s Search for Meaning in the Stories of Our Times, a memoir by 60 Minutes broadcast journalist Scott Pelley.

“These four titles provide a wonderful jumping-off point for communities statewide to explore this year’s theme of empathy through literature,” says Gloria Meraz, Director and Librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. “This is a fantastic opportunity for libraries to be sites of community, empathy, and transformation through the power of reading.”

Participating organizations may conduct programs any time throughout the spring and summer when a brief report on the program is requested. Book group leaders can access an online step-by-step facilitator toolkit that includes materials such as a how-to guide, additional recommended titles, digital resources, and links to empathy-specific discussion questions.

Texans can also support the program by donating to the Texas Library and Archives Foundation at www.txlaf.org/ giving. For information visit the Read Across Texas website at www.tsl.texas. gov/readacrosstexas.

Enjoy This Edamame Salad With Fresh Herbs

By Lauren Wacaser

As we move away from the brief chill of winter, spring begins to sprout her tasty greens. This light recipe is not only flavorful but visually stunning with its vibrant colors from the fresh ingredients. The crunch of the cucumber and crispness of the roasted asparagus hold up beautifully with the tangy lemon vinaigrette. Marinated artichokes, edamame, and cannellini beans make it robust enough to serve alongside any main dish.

If preparing for a large crowd, note that precooked noodles and more vinaigrette can be added to make a satisfying pasta salad.

This stunning salad is a favorite springtime side to bring to any event. It can be made the night before and will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. It’s best enjoyed fresh with a light shaving of fresh parmesan cheese or a beautiful crumbling of feta.

Ingredients

1 package edamame, cooked (lightly salted)

5-6 asparagus, roasted to preferred doneness (I like a little bite)

1/2 English cucumber, diced

1/2 jar marinated artichokes

1 can cannellini (white beans), rinsed, drained, and patted dry

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon, squeezed

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt/pepper to taste

*Optional: fresh parmesan shavings or crumbled feta

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

Photo by Lauren WaCaser

Recipes From the Rose Table Say You’re Irish With Potato Nachos

By Katie-Rose Watson

What is this Irish lass eating on Saint Patrick’s Day? Irish nachos. Crispy homemade potato chips are the base for this incredible dish, which can be customized to your heart’s desire. My favorite combo is crispy thick-cut bacon and flat-leaf parsley. It’s one perfect potato plate that makes this Irish girl’s heart swoon.

You can do this just as easily in a pan on the stove but you need to cook the potatoes in a single layer so I prefer to use my electric skillet since it’s much larger than a fry pan. I find the potatoes crisp up the nicest in shortening but I still add a little butter for flavor. If you want to make more than three potatoes worth of nachos, remove the finished potatoes to a cooling rack and start again. You don’t want to stack them early or they’ll lose their crispiness.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp shortening

1 Tbsp butter

3 Yukon gold potatoes

1/4 cup Irish cheddar cheese

2-4 strips of bacon

1/4 cup Italian parsley and/or chives

Directions

Thinly slice Yukon gold potatoes. Preheat electric skillet to 350 degrees. Melt shortening and butter in an electric skillet. Layer potato slices evenly throughout the skillet.

Let cook for 7-10 minutes. While the potatoes are crisping up, cut bacon into small pieces and cook in a nonstick skillet until crispy. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

Flip potatoes (I like tongs but you can use a spatula) and cook an additional five or so minutes until crispy on both sides. Sprinkle with Irish cheddar and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese melted.

Top with crispy bacon, parsley and/or chives. Serve with sour cream and enjoy.

Katie Rose-Watson is the author of the cookbook The Rose Table and the cooking and entertaining blog, www.therosetable.com. Her imaginative Disney Dinners have been featured on national news media outlets.

Feel the Blush of Spring With a Delicious Dragon Fruit Smoothie

by Katie-Rose Watson

I have a fascination with dragon fruit (or pitaya it’s also called) because I love beautiful food and few things are as vibrantly stunning as this exotic pink-purple fruit. This smoothie recipe only has three ingredients. Dragon fruit is so delicious, it needs little help.

Dragon fruit is crazy good for you. It’s low in calories and high in nutrients. It’s high in antioxidants, vitamin C, iron, and fiber. Plus it’s as delicious as it is beautiful. It tastes a bit like a kiwi-pear-strawberry hybrid, which is why you don’t need to add a lot to make a delicious smoothie. Dragon fruit already has a complex flavor palate.

Many of our supermarkets now carry frozen pink dragon fruit in the freezer

section. There’s no added sweetener in this smoothie because pineapple juice is naturally sweet. There’s no need to thaw dragon fruit before putting it in a smoothie. Keep some in the freezer and you’ll always be able to whisk yourself off to a far off beach through a straw at a moment’s notice.

Ingredients

1 cup frozen dragon fruit/pitaya

6 oz pineapple juice

1 large spoonful plain Greek yogurt

Directions

Blend frozen dragon fruit, pineapple juice, and Greek yogurt until smooth. Serve immediately. Garnish with a mint sprig if desired.

P hotos by k atier ose W atson

Vetoni’s Offers Best Italian in Cedar Creek Lake Area

By Lisa Tang

Vetoni’s Italian restaurant is local, family-owned, and a favorite dining choice In Gun Barrel City for more than two decades. Not many restaurants stay in business that long but Vetoni’s has found success serving traditional Italian entrees that are tasty, fresh, and appealing in a relaxed atmosphere.

Vetoni’s cozy dining area offers a variety of seating choices with some tables on raised platforms that create more privacy and distance between diners. Many upscale restaurants have tile floors that resonate voices but my party found that the carpeted floors subdued the usual noise and it was possible to hear our own conversation.

The family-owned restaurant offers a variety of hearty entrees that are full of flavor and fresh ingredients. Many patrons comment on the warm, soft, and buttery garlic rolls served before the meal. Pasta

entrees are also thoroughly enjoyable. I chose the Chicken Marsala which features mushrooms and chicken cooked in a Marsala wine sauce and served on a bed of pasta. This dish is often too salty when I order it at other restaurants but I enjoyed Vetoni’s version, which offers a delicate blend of sweet and savory flavors.

My partner enjoyed the Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo, which also offers a delicate savory taste with fresh cream, tender shrimp, and soft fettuccine noodles. Most of the pasta dishes are offered at reasonable prices. Pasta entrees start at $8.99 and up. Most pasta dishes with shrimp or seafood are also priced affordably at $12.99 per plate.

Other popular choices are the Chicken Parmigiana and the Pizza Pasta, which has the toppings of both but without bread or pasta. The latter is popular among guests following low-carb diets.

Entree prices do not include salads, which are available separately for $4.99 to $7.99 each. We decided to forego the salad and enjoy dessert instead.

Vetoni’s offers four varieties of cheesecake, a rum cake, and a house-made Tiramisu. I’ve enjoyed this traditional Italian dessert in many restaurants, and I couldn’t resist trying Vetoni’s, whose version is especially light and creamy.

Restaurants are also usually judged on their service, which was prompt and friendly. We decided we will definitely return to Vetoni’s to enjoy the delicious food and the pleasant dining experience.

Vetoni’s does not serve alcoholic beverages but they do allow clients to bring their own bottles for a set-up fee of $1.

Vetoni’s Italian Restaurant is located at 428 North Gun Barrel Lane in Gun Barrel City. For information call (903) 8875846 or visit www.vetonis.com.

From top left, counterclockwise: Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp, Chicken Parmigiana, and Tiramisu. Photos by Lisa tang