County Line Magazine

county line UPPER EAST SIDE OF TEXASTM

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NOVEMBER 2012

M A G A Z I N E

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Kacey Musgraves

GOLDEN GIRL

YAMATO Tyler THREE CROWS Lodge VETERANS Memorials Ragtime’s SCOTT JOPLIN Travis TRITT East Texas SYMPHONY WESLEY Pruitt TREASURE Trash EDGEWOOD Heritage Yesterland FARM Hospice VOLUNTEERS Canton IMPROV COMPLIMENTARY COPY TO SUBSCRIBE SEE PAGE 5

ART • MUSIC • PLAY • POETRY • FILM • BOOKS • HOME • WELLNESS • FOOD

Open Nov. 1-4 Nov. 29-Dec. 2 Jan. 3-6 THURSDAY-SUNDAY BEFORE THE FIRST MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH!

Enjoy the Christmas spirit with over 200 arts & crafts booths, along with food vendors, kids activities, entertainment, classic car show, quilt show and much more!

Saturday, November 17, 2012 10:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.

Downtown Crockett, Texas “On the Square”

Booth space still available For more information contact The Crockett Area Chamber of Commerce (936) 544-2359 2 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

❧B E N W H E E L E R❧ •

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BOOK FAIR A Celebration of Authors in the Upper East Side of Texas

Saturday, December 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Elwood School House behind Moore’s Store

Featuring More Than 20 Authors

General and Historical Fiction, Christian Mystery And Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Western, Romantic Mystery, Humor, Inspirational/Self Help, Poetry, Short Fiction, Music Criticism, Essays, Romance, Detective, Children’s Fiction And Poetry.

10-11:30 a.m. Joe Nick Patoski The Dallas Cowboys: The Outrageous History of the Biggest, Loudest, Most Hated, Best Loved Football Team in America Nationally Acclaimed New Book. Plus books about Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Selena, and more.

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Joe Lansdale East Texas “Mojo Storyteller.” 2012 inductee into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. Edgar Award, 8 Bram Stoker Awards, Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, British Fantasy Award, and many others Sponsored by

Arts & Historic District foundation

county line M A G A Z I N E

For more information call 903.963.3788.

NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 3



VOTE FOR BEST OF 2012 on Page 11 or go to www.countylinemagzine.com

CONTENTS

Deadline is December 1.

DEPARTMENTS 5 Editor’s Note Letters 6 ACROSS THE COUNTY LINE Tyler. Rockwall. Canton. Caddo Lake.

Corsicana. Grand Saline.

CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT 18 Calendar of Events

12

FILM 21 TV Shows Hit the Small Screen

By Jeremy Light

FOOD & DRINK 36 Reviews: Tyler’s Yamato and Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant

THE ARTS 22 Art News. Events. Workshops. Bonham.

Terrell.

38 Food News. Events.

ON STAGE 24 Stage News. Events. Longview. Quitman. Jefferson.

25 It’s Our Line Anyway, Isn’t It?

By Tom Geddie

10

FEATURES

10 Musgraves Called Country Music Future With a new debut single Kacey Musgraves is gaining national media attention.

By Tom Geddie

12 Veterans Memorial Parks Enhance Region Numerous tributes to fallen heroes dot the landscape of the Upper East Side of Texas.

MUSIC 27 Music Notes Greenville. Longview. Travis Tritt, Guy Forsyth, ET Symphonic Band.

28 King of Ragtime Scott Joplin

By Tom Geddie 30 Music Listings 32 CD Review: Wesley Pruitt LITERARY SCENE 33 Reviews: Telegraph Avenue, The Future of Us, and Having Decided to Stay: Collected Poems by Bryana Johnson.

35 Poetry & Prose 35 News. Events.

By P.A. Geddie

15 Country for Our Country A photo review of an event and a poem to honor soldiers.

COVER: Kacey Musgraves

by Kelly Christine Musgraves

By P.A. Geddie

16 Edgewood Celebrates Cultural Heritage Discover life at the turn of the century at this 36th annual festival.

16

By Harold Burke. Photos by Ine Burke.

SEE WEBSITE EXTRAS! www.CountyLineMagazine.com 4 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

38 STAY 39 Secluded Getaway in Rusk

By Patti Light PLAY 40 Canton’s YesterLand Farm

By Alia Pappas

SHOP 42 Trash or Treasure

By Joshua Phillips 42 Shop Talk. Events.

LIVING ROOM 44 Home: An Expression of You

FEEL GOOD 46 Hospice Volunteers Improve Lives

By Carmel Orren 47 Notes from the Other Side of 70

By Edward H. Garcia

county line Since 2000

MAGAZINE

PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR P.A. Geddie ADMINISTRATION Lori Easley eMARKETING Leah Lynch

CONTRIBUTORS Blue Ribbon News Amy Bott Ine Burke Harold Burke Jill Cummings Robbie Gunn Patti Light Jeremy Light Edward H. Garcia P.A. Geddie Tom Geddie Kelly Christine Musgraves Carmel Orren Alia Pappas Joshua Phillips Michael W. Pocock SALES P.A. Geddie

DISTRIBUTION Chris Beverage Pam Boyd Bombyk Beckey Flippin David Michelina Billie Ruth Stanbridge

WEBSITE: Geddie Connections County Line Magazine is published once a month, 12 months a year. It is available free of charge in the Northeast Texas area in select businesses, limited to one copy per reader. Subscription costs: $18 per year in Texas, and $22 per year outside Texas.

Bulk rate postage paid at Ben Wheeler, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to County Line Magazine, P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754. Contents COPYRIGHT 2012 County Line all rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without written permission. Opinions expressed in articles appearing in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Mailing address: P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754 Phone: 903.833.2084 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 903.833.2084.

Serving the Upper East Side of Texas

EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Readers, I think this is the third cover we’ve featured Kacey Musgraves on over the years.

That’s because she keeps amazing us year after year and because her sister Kelly takes such great photos of her! Kacey’s new single “Merry Go Round” is making people take notice all over the world. We are so proud of this Golden/Mineola girl.

This issue holds a special place for our soldiers and veterans from the Upper East Side of Texas. Many people in the region have gone to great lengths to honor them with statues and entire parks where visitors can learn more about the men and women who sacrificed their lives so that others may live with freedom.

Also featured this month is the amazing Edgewood Heritage Park, the backdrop for their 36th annual festival held this month. Besides festival fun, the 21 historic buildings are well worth the time to explore and think about the pioneers who came before that helped make our world a better place to be.

One person that made this world a better place for so very many was Vern Dai-

VERN DAILEY: 1929-2012

ley who was our cartoonist for about 12 years. He passed away October 4, just shy of a year since his buddy Jerry Haynes/ Mr. Peppermint passed. It was Vern’s wish to be buried with Muffin and the family honored that wish. I like thinking about the three of them together continuing to create their magic.

As we enjoy this beautiful season in the Upper East Side of Texas on our own “merry go round” let us remember those who made our lives better and are no longer with us and embrace the people we still have with us cause, “where it stops nobody knows.”

I hope you all have the best, most meaningful, magical November ever.

P.A. Geddie Publisher & Managing Editor

LETTERS We are very pleased with our tourism ad in County Line Magazine — we are seeing positive results with it. There’s even a bus tour coming to Wood County in November because of the ad they said they saw in the magazine!

Thank you so very much.

C.G. Willis Executive Director

Wood County Industrial Commission

Thank you so much for running the stories on the Retirement Recertification and the Fall Foliage Trail for Athens in this month’s issue (October) of County Line Magazine. They look great. And, thank you for also listing our events. We greatly appreciate your support. Thank you.

Sherri Skeeters City of Athens Department of Tourism

I really appreciate all you do for Emory — we love your magazine.

Keeley Roan

City of Emory Development Corporation

Well, what do you know? Another article (Matthew Davidson) from Texas!

Thanks to County Line Magazine. We appreciate you.

Ella Davidson, Shreveport

Let us hear from you!

Please feel free to send us your comments.

County Line Magazine P.O. Box 608 Ben Wheeler, TX 75754 email: info@countylinemagazine.com Find us on Facebook or Twitter.

Go to LETTERS on www.countylinemagazine.com.

NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 5

ACROSS THE COUNTY LINE Tyler Awarded Honor As Community of Year

The City of Tyler has been named Community of the Year by the American Association of Planners Texas Chapter for the city’s Industry Growth Initiative plan launched in 2010.

The awards program recognizes individuals, organizations, and communities for outstanding contributions to planning in Texas. The Community of the Year award is given to a town, city, or county for providing an outstanding contribution to planning.

Tyler City Council and several community boards formally adopted the shared vision for Tyler’s strategic economic growth in the next 20 years.

Boards include Smith County Commissioner’s Court, Tyler Independent School District, Tyler Junior College, the Tyler Metro Chamber of Commerce, and the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. Also represented at the meeting were members of the Leadership Roundtable including the University of Texas at Tyler, UT Health Science Center, Texas College, East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, the Tyler Economic Development Council, Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics, and others.

“I don’t know of another time in Tyler’s history that so many of its elected boards held a joint meeting to adopt a single measure,” said Mayor Barbara Bass. “This level of support demonstrated the need for the entire community to speak with one voice and work cooperatively for the sake of Tyler’s economic future.”

In early 2009, the mayor and Sen. Kevin Eltife brought together a group of community leaders to discuss shared issues facing the city and region. One of the first items that was raised by this Leadership Roundtable was the need to market Tyler and to determine the industries that made the most sense for Tyler to pursue given our unique assets. The resulting re6 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

Canton EDC director Mercy Rushing welcomes Texas Higways’ magazine publisher Charles Lohrmann who came up from Austin to help judge the barbecue cook-off during Autumn Stroll. Photo by Ine Burke.

port recommended primary building blocks focused on higher education, healthcare and bio-med, tourism, arts and entertainment, 21st century energy, retiree, infrastructure, graduate education and 21st century transportation.

“We can’t focus solely upon traditional manufacturing for our economic vitality. We want to continue our efforts to diversify our economic base while preparing ourselves for the evolving global economy,” said Mayor Bass.

“Significant progress has been made in the last two years through the collaborative efforts of many volunteers and businesses in our community,” added Mayor Bass. “We have taken great strides in each of the building blocks; everything from a compressed natural gas station, to a heart hospital, the launch of a committee to explore rail to Dallas, to new graduate education programs. By working together and speaking with one voice, we are achieving our vision of an innovation economy.”

ETCOG ‘Hits the Spot’ With Marketing Guides

East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) took home a first place

“Hit the Spot” award for its Regional Mobility Guide and a second place award for its Basic Training brochure at the South West Transit Association Spotlight Awards.

The Regional Mobility Guide provides comprehensive information about all forms of transportation available in the 14-county area, including GoBus, public transportation, taxi, inter-city bus, and rail. The guide was developed to enhance awareness of the mobility options available to East Texas residents.

The Basic Training brochure is a travel guide that supports the EasTexConnects event promoting access to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex healthcare and recreational locations for East Texas veterans.

Both pieces were designed by Moore & Associates, Inc., a California-based consulting firm specializing in public transportation marketing and planning.

ETCOG is a voluntary association of counties, cities, school districts and special districts within its 14-county East Texas region. ETCOG helps local governments plan for common needs, cooperate for mutual benefit, and coordinate for sound regional development. Established in 1970, ETCOG, either directly, or through its contractors, provides programs and services for East Texas seniors, employers, and

Rockin’ at the Harbor in Rockwall was loads of fun with a circus theme, progressive drinks, food, and entertainment. l-r are Karen Straughan, Stephen Straughan, Stewart Storms, and Dana Macalik. Photo by Blue Ribbon News.

job seekers. ETCOG and its contractors also build the 911 emergency call delivery system, provide peace officer training and homeland security planning services; and deliver rural transportation services, business finance programs, and environmental grant funding for the region.

Bright Ideas for Success Shared at Tyler Event

Nationally renowned professional speaker and author Paul Vitale is guest speaker for the Bright Ideas for Success Conference November 9 at the Green Acres Lighthouse Center in Tyler. Known for his enthusiasm and magnetic personality, Vitale challenges those in attendance to maximize their potential to the fullest.

New Website Helps Fight Invasive Species in Lakes

A new website, www.invasiveswatch. org, has been launched to provide public information and promote cooperation and communication among governmental agencies, groups, and individuals dedicated to protecting area lakes from giant salvinia and other invasive aquatic species such as alligator weed, hydrilla, and water hyacinth.

People unable to attend the entire conference are encouraged to attend the luncheon and/or supersession conducted by Vitale. Lunch is from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Major sponsors and partners include United Way, Abegg Willis & Associates, Fourth Partner, The Robert M. Rogers Foundation, Express Employment Professionals, Ms. Lucy Stringer, County Line Magazine, and Tyler Morning Telegraph.

For more information, 903.581.6376 ext. 201.

call

The website was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wetlands Research Center for the Caddo Lake Institute under a grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.

A unique feature of the site is a map tracking tool that the public can view to monitor recent chemical and bio-

The website focuses on Caddo Lake

continued on page 8

The Merry Merchants of Historic Mineola present

Founder of Vital Communications, Inc., Vitale travels worldwide speaking to organizations about the importance of a positive attitude, a strong work ethic and other concepts vital in today’s society.

The Bright Ideas for Success Conference is hosted by the Nonprofit Development Center of United Way of Smith County. Attendees learn new nonprofit best practices and emerging trends, find opportunities for networking and collaborating with others, and share ideas and resources. Nonprofit professionals, businesses and public attendees are asked to register at www.brightideasforsuccess.com.

and Lake O’ the Pines in Northeast Texas and Lake Bistineau, Black Bayou, Cross, and Wallace lakes in Northwest Louisiana. The tool is expected to be expanded to the other lakes.

Opening November 22

Twelve Days of Christmas Outdoor Drive-Thru Mineola Historical Museum

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 6 - 10 p.m.

Christmas Gala. Mineola Civic Center

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Shop Mineola for the Holidays!

Landmark Tour of Homes 1-4 p.m.

FREE Carriage Rides @ Gazebo 3-5 p.m.

Bank Texas Share Store @ Museum 3-5 p.m.

Great Shopping 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Twilight Christmas Parade 6 p.m.

MINEOLA HISTORICAL MUSEUM followed by Tree Lighting Ceremony 114 Pacific St (Hwy. 69) and visits with Santa at the Gazebo.

Thu–Sat 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Free.

MINEOLA NATURE PRESERVE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15 7a.m. until sunset 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 903.569.6983 AMTRAK TEXAS EAGLE Santa House @ Mineola Historical Museum Designated Daily Stop. Tickets: 1-800-669-8509

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Acoustic Music on the Street 11 a.m. Johnson Street Gazebo

Experience Fine Dining, Shopping, & Lodging In Historic Mineola!

1.800.MINEOLA • www.mineola.com

NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 7

AROUND continued from page 7 logical treatments and the observations of volunteer weed wardens.

The site is the centerpiece of the Great Raft Invasives Program, a public information and education effort to reach residents and visitors to the six principal lakes in the region. Giant salvinia and other invasive aquatic plants and animals are known to travel from lake to lake on the boats, trailers, and equipment of anglers and others enjoying outdoor recreation as they move from one lake to another.

Corsicana, Eastex Team Win Award for Video

Corsicana Main Street recently collaborated with Eastex Productions on a new downtown revitalization video for Corsicana. The three-plusminute video features footage of public projects from this past spring including brick street repair, sidewalk reconstruction, disability -compliant ramp installations plus private rehabilitation projects on several historic commercial buildings. In on-camera interviews, local investors, contractors, residents and business owners describe downtown Corsicana as a great place to invest, set up shop and live.

“We hope the video will catch the eye of potential investor-developers, restaurateurs, retailers, entrepreneurs, and residents,” said Corsicana Main Street Director Steve Dieterichs.

The video has received accolades from downtown professionals across the state, after being distributed via the Texas Downtown Association and Texas Main Street list-serves.

“I think it rang a bell with a lot of communities which are seeing a similar uptick in redevelopment activity,” Dieterichs said.

According to numbers provided by the Texas Main Street Program, the first two quarters of 2012 found im8 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

A large crowd gathered at the first Great American Peanut Butter Festival in Grand Saline to watch volunteers set the world record for the largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich, weighing in at 1,342 pounds. Photo by Tom Geddie

pressive reinvestment in the 83 Texas Main Street districts of $43.4 million including $21.2 million in 488 private rehabilitation projects, more than $9.2 million in new construction, and almost $13 million in the sale/ purchase of 87 downtown properties.

Public projects totaled $79.6 million for the same period.

Dieterichs said reinvestment in downtown Corsicana during the first two quarters exceeded the annual totals for both 2010 and 2011, and there is no sign of a let up for the rest of this year.

Eastex Productions is owned by Logan Harris, a Longview native and current film student at the Art Institute of Dallas. The downtown revitalization video is available on the Corsicana Main Street Program’s Facebook page, Vimeo, and YouTube. For more information, go to www.corsicanamainstreet.org.

Great American PB Fest Looks for World Record

The third annual Great American Peanut Butter Festival is scheduled for Saturday, November 10, in downtown Grand Saline, and once again will benefit the East Texas Food Bank.

“The festival is a great way to kick off the holiday giving season,” said Grand Saline Main Street Board Chairman Keith Parsons. “Lots of families need help around the holidays and peanut butter is a wonderful staple for any family.”

The feature event of this year’s festival will be another world record attempt, this time for the world’s largest peanut butter cookie. In the festival’s inaugural event back in 2010 Grand Saline Main Street and Nutty’s Peanut Butter set the world record for the largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which weighed 1,342 pounds.

“This year’s record cookie attempt should be a lot of fun” Parsons said.

The festival begins at 8 a.m. with a peanut butter pancake breakfast followed by a 10 a.m. parade. Another featured attraction this year will be what’s called the world’s largest inflatable slide, measuring almost four stories tall, 48 feet wide, and 120 feet long and weighing nearly 5000 pounds. Other activities will include a pet contest, David Wonders the Magician, and dozens of vendors from all over the country.

For more information, call 903.962.8172 or email keith@nuttyspeanutbutter.com.

Winnsboro Wild West Days

Discover the East Texas Oil Fields of the 1930s

November 10 & 11 • 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Hosted by The Legends of Crossroads

• Western Arts/Crafts/Food and Fun for All Ages • Historic Reenactments/Shootouts

by The Legends of Crossroads • Music by Silver Strings on Saturday and Tammy Carlisle on Saturday & Sunday • Medicine Show with Red River Regional Steampunk Expeditionary Society Saturday & Sunday • Belly Dancing, High Tea Duels, and More

High Tea Duels are sponsored

by Art & Espresso

903-342-1300

www.thelegendsofcrossroads.com

The East Texas Oil Museum is located on the campus of Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas. This fascinating museum houses the authentic re-creation of oil discovery and production in the early 1930s from the largest oil field inside U.S. boundaries.

MUSEUM HOURS Tues-Sat 9am - 4pm April-Sept 9am - 5pm Sun 2-5p.m.

Hwy. 259 at Ross St, Kilgore, Texas On the Kilgore College Campus, 903.983.8295

www.EastTexasOilMuseum.com

NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 9

Musgraves Called Country Music Future

By Tom Geddie Is Kacey Musgraves, the Golden girl from the Upper East Side of Texas, the next big thing in country music?

Golden, in this case, is where Musgraves grew up, near Mineola in Wood County.

Billboard wrote that Musgraves “knocks it out of the ballpark with her debut single,” a co-write with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne that combines traditional sound with modern lyrics. “The lyrics – which concern not living up to other people’s perceptions of success – are hard-hitting, and the chorus is especially inventive,” Billboard wrote, calling it “the most surprising sound to come out of Nashville in 2012.”

Rolling Stone, where the national debut song quickly popped into the top 30 this fall, gave it four-star thumbs up.

This national attention is sudden, even more meaningful than her brief appearance on “Nashville Star” in 2007.

The song is “Merry Go ’Round. The chorus proclaims: Mama’s hooked on Mary Kay Brother’s hooked on Mary Jane And Daddy’s hooked on Mary, two doors down Mary, Mary, quite contrary We get bored so we get married And just like dust we settle in this town On this broken merry-go-round The single’s release is a common marketing ploy that, certainly in this case, seems to be working. Musgraves hasn’t even released her first big-label – Mercury, an imprint of the giant Universal Music Group – CD yet, and doesn’t know for sure even what 10 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

Photo by Kelly christine Musgraves.

Here is what Jody Rosen wrote for Slate: “Until last week, I’d never heard of Kacey Musgraves. Today, I’m tempted to call her the future of country music—or, at least, to hope that she is.”

it will be named, although, speculatively, there’s a good chance it will be, because of the name recognition, Merry Go ’Round. There’s also a good chance the CD will be released next spring.

Musgraves turned 24 in August and already has had some success as a songwriter. She wrote “Mama’s Broken Heart” for longtime friend Miranda Lambert’s 2011 CD Four the Record and has placed cuts with artists including Martina McBride, Lee Ann Womack. As a performer, she toured this summer with Lady Antebellum and opened for Alison Krauss.

The Golden girl has good taste in songwriting influences, citing John Prine, Willie Nelson. Patty Griffin, Mindy Smith, Buddy Miller, Chris Knight, Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, and others.

I just love songwriters,” she said.

What counts in a song – whether it’s the product of a single mind or of, as is common in Nashville, a team effort – is simplicity, which isn’t often an easy thing to find.

“I think you just say it like it is. If there’s a bowl of oranges on the table, just say that there’s a bowl of oranges on a table; don’t try to write it like it’s

something elevated, but just write it from your heart,” Musgraves said. “It took me a long time to get past what you think you should write because you hear it on the radio. The more time you spend with it, you figure out how to say things in different ways, and simple ways. The simple music is the hardest to write.”

Musgraves co-wrote all the songs on what will be the new CD, drawing on “a couple of years worth of inspiration and just personal ups and downs and everything in between, honing in on a sound.”

Success, assuming the ascendency continues, has not been “overnight.”

“It doesn’t feel overnight to me,” she said. “It’s just doing your thing and then somebody comes across it and it takes off like wildfire.”

Musgraves has been writing and singing since she was eight or nine years old, and has been making a living with music since she moved to Austin right after high school and then to Nashville. As a pre-teen, she performed on “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America.”

She’s honed her skills since her 2007, self-titled debut that she co-produced with Wes Hendrix at Rhandy Sim-

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The UppeR eaST SIDe Of TexaS

What Musgraves likes in music is what’s “real” to her.

“I love all different kinds of genres.

The common thread is that it’s simple and sometimes layered. That’s hard to explain. It’s got to be real, and every genre has that. It could be Marty Robbins or Glenn Campbell or 1990s hip-hop,” she said. “I love catchy music that you can sing along to, but I also love substance. The line between commercialism and being an artist is probably the hardest balance to find.

I want to appeal to the niche fans, too. I don’t need a million fans, but 10,000 who really like what I do.”

The reality is surely somewhere in between 10,000 “maniacs” and a million fans.

Wherever that settles, Musgraves is both busy and excited.

She co-produced the anticipated album last spring, toured Europe with Lady Antebellum for three weeks, got home in late July and three days later began a month-long radio tour with “Merry Go ’Round.

“I’ve never been so busy in my life.

Sometimes we went to three cities a day, and were flying so much that I was physically worn out. But it was awesome. The radio response has been really positive.

“I’m excited and happy. I get to do what I want to do. It was a good springboard to grow up around the Texas scene, especially our area where people always kinda believed in me and supported me. That means a lot.” n

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SUMMaRY NORTheaST TexaS, DaLLaS, aUSTIN, hOUSTON, aND BeYOND Print Circulation: 20,000Texas.

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“Musically, I’ve always liked the same type of songs and music, and I guess I’ve just gotten more confident as a writer,” she said. “I am able to say what I want to say; that just comes from spending all possible time writing, writing, writing.”

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mons’ Siesta Ranch Recording Studio in Gilmer. That one, featuring 10 of her own songs plus a cover of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” and Luke McDaniel’s classic “You’re Still on My Mind,” made famous by George Jones, is likely a collector’s item by now.

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NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 11 NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 11

Veterans Memorial Parks Enhance the Region

The Hopkins County Veterans Memorial fits beautifully on the courthouse plaza grounds in downtown Sulphur Springs. Granite walls with veterans names, etched picture of soldiers deboarding a troop train during World War II, waterfalls, a soldier statute, commemoratiave benches, and even a kiosk where visitors can learn more about the veternans add to this unique display to perpetuate the memory of fallen soldiers. Photos by Ine Burke.

By P.A. Geddie All over the Upper East Side of Texas communities pay tribute to veterans with statues of granite and stone, markers, plaques, flag poles, and more in grateful appreciation for their service to America.

High schools dedicate plaques to former students killed in service, cemeteries erect monuments to fallen soldiers all the way back to the Civil War, and county courthouses have scrolls of names of soldiers that once lived in their towns.

“America’s Most Decorated Soldier,” Audie Murphy, is commemorated in his hometown of Greenville with a 10-foot tall bronze statue by Gordon Thomas. Behind that are granite tablets listing the names of residents of Hunt County who gave their lives in World Wars I and II. 12 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

Hawkins in Wood County has a Veterans Memorial Park dedicated to residents who served in the armed forces in conflicts dating back to the Revolutionary War. A memorial wall lists their names. On a pole in the center of a nearby small pond is an AH-1 Cobra helicopter that served in Vietnam from 1970 to 1973.

Van Zandt County has three veterans parks — one in Grand Saline, one in Wills Point and the newest and largest is in Canton.

The Van Zandt County Veterans Memorial Park in Canton was created with landscaping, winding sidewalks, and a pavilion for events, making it an inviting place for family members and other visitors to spend comforting time paying tribute to their fallen soldiers.

Paris, Texas, is home to the Red River

Valley Veterans Memorial dedicated to all from a five-county area who have died as a result of their military service. Still under construction the memorial garden is set to have 12 granite-clad tablets inscribed with soldier’s names encircling the central flagpole.

One outstanding Veterans Memorial Park in Northeast Texas is in Sulphur Springs. It shares the downtown grounds with the Hopkins County Courthouse, an award-winning building designed by J. Gordon Riley and built in 1894 and restored in 2003.

A statue of a soldier and several benches were placed on the grounds about a decade ago. Then, a group of veterans and other citizens began talking about the need for a memorial park to honor veterans. Those talks went on for some time and then continued page 14

NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 13

VETERANS continued from page 12 one of their beloved sons, 24-year-old U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Michael “Chad” Lloyd, was killed in Iraq in 2006.

“That propelled us on,” said Clayton McGraw, chairman of the Hopkins County Veteran’s Memorial Committee. “Now’s the time.”

McGraw approached local engineer Don Roundtree with Tandem Consulting who brought in TBG Partners in Dallas as the architects. It’s been a work in progress for about seven years now and although there are still a few finishing touches to do, the park today is a stunning display of granite walls, etched pictures, flags, 12-foot waterfalls, and even a kiosk where visitors can learn more about the veterans.

It’s statement of purpose is ““To perpetuate the memory of our veterans who have served their country with honor: That their dedication, deeds, and sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishment and patriotism.”

The seven granite walls, each weighing about 40,000 pounds, McGraw said, contain the names of veterans and at the top of each is a single word: Freedom, Honor, Service, Sacrifice, Valor, Respect, and Courage.

Seven flags represent five branches of the military, POW-MIA (prisoner of war, missing in action), and a Texas flag.

Dallas-based artist Eliseo Garcia is set to have a sketching done by Veterans Day, November 11, on the back wall of the memorial, McGraw said. The likeness comes from a photograph of actual soldiers getting off a troop train during World War II. It includes the depot on Church Street and will have a soldier depicted of every branch of the military.

McGraw said the committee has one more piece they want to add to the park.

“After the first of the year, we will have an eternal flame at the end of the back wall,” he said. “It will be black granite and 90 inches high so kids can’t get to it.”

The memorial committee is holding a special event at 11 a.m. November 11 at the memorial. General Charles Wilson will speak and the General Tommy Franks traveling museum will be on hand. For more information, call 903.439.7410. To learn more about Sulphur Springs go to www.visitsulphurspringstx.org.

PHOTOS: Top to bottom: Audie Murphy statue and veterans memorial in Greenville. Photo by Michael W. Pocock. Freedom granite wall in Sulphur Springs. Photo by P.A. Geddie. World War II memorial wall in Wills Point. Photo by Ine Burke. Warused helicopter and jet at the Hawkins and Van Zandt County memorials. Photos by Tom Geddie.

14 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

14 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

Country for Our Country Honors Soldiers Hundreds of people braved unusually cold, windy weather in early October to pay tribute to local soldiers and veterans at Villa di Felicita in Tyler. The event included live entertainment headlined by Rodney Atkins, delicious food catered by Dakotas, a live and silent auction, and an 80 percent scale traveling replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Pictured above are some young soldiers in attendance, some who have already been in service in the Middle East. l-r Amber Patrick, William Patrick, Miri Niedraner, Elizabeth Niedraner, Brian Copps, Cody Smothermon, Scotti Smothermon, Jerry Holland, and his friend Dixie. Center: Gail Millard from Austin and Valerie Smith of Tyler find a comforting fire to sit next to while they eat. Bottom left: Visitors reflect on the thousands of names on the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall. Bottom right: The beautiful Villa di Felicita is available for weddings and other special events. Photos by P.A. Geddie

POETRY WINNER

Congratulations to Jill Cummings of Tyler for winning our poetry contest. We asked our readers to write about “What a Soldier’s Sacrifice Means to Me” and she won four tickets to Country for Our Country and a place in County Line.

For Doyce Miller i thought of him one summer day as i watched my own young son at play running and playing, he ran so happy and so free i remembered Doyce Miller a soldier i had never seen i was just a little girl a child does not know that war breaks a world i went to school one morning and i will not ever forget a beautiful, sweet and sad young face it was his sister and she said “I didn’t do my math homework but I don’t think the teacher will get mad because yesterday, my brother died in Vietnam” oh Diane, I was too young at the time to know the pain and sacrifice

of a soldier’s young life but it stayed with me throughout the years i recall when i looked at my son that day I could not imagine the anguish and the years of pain I never met you Doyce but i won’t ever forget your name or the pain in a young sister’s face I wish that I could thank you, and, i thought of you, one summer day In memory of a soldier that I never met, but that I will never forget, Marine Lance Corporal Doyce Miller, killed in action in Vietnam in March 1969, brother of Diane Miller, my classmate at Rice Elementary School; not forgotten. Thank you for your sacrifice, so that we might be free.

Jill Cummings Tyler NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 15

Edgewood Celebrates Cultural Heritage ARTICLE BY HAROLD BURKE. PHOTOGRAPHY BY INE BURKE. What does “heritage” mean, and in particular, “cultural heritage?” It is defined as the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society, most notably their collective man-made heritage of traditions and customs inherited from their predecessors.

way across town, to the barber shop, where some of the ladies’ choir’s husbands are playing dominoes. Judge Thatcher is down at Tom’s Cafe having a cup of coffee and reading the Edgewood Enterprise newspaper as he awaits his wife, the soprano, and Becky.

That pretty much “nails” what the Edgewood Historical Society is preserving in their efforts the past 36 years with the annual Edgewood Heritage Festival. Visitors who attend year after year find something new each time, some fresh, authentic, interesting, and fun.

This scenario isn’t just one visitor’s daydream. After witnessing a blacksmith pound a glowing iron rod into a horseshoe, or watching as corn is ground into flour in a 100-year-old grist mill, most visitors gain a better appreciation of how cultural heritage has been preserved and maintained with pure voluntary work and love by members of the Edgewood Historical Society.

Many are interested in the classic car show, the antique tractor show, the quilt show, the dog show, and the must-see armadillo races. There are activities for all ages.

The favorite interest for most are the things that really highlight the heritage of Edgewood and Northeast Texas, such as the 21 historic buildings, some going back as far as the early 1870s, that have been lovingly and painstakingly restored. The buildings are well maintained, and the grounds beautifully manicured.

Sitting on a wooden bench outside Scott’s Country Store, one can imagine the town’s children sitting attentively in the rows of wood and iron desks in the old Myrtle Springs schoolhouse. Or imagine Becky Thatcher reading aloud from “McGuffey’s Reader” as young Master Sawyer, sitting in the back corner of the one-room schoolhouse, quietly dissects a June bug with his pocketknife. Huckleberry waits down by the Murchison Train Depot, as workers ferry blocks of ice from the ice house to cool the peaches and plums from local orchards on their trip to Dallas and beyond.

Meanwhile, down at the 1897 Church of the Wildwood, the ladies’ choir is having its weekly rehearsal. Strains of “Amazing Grace” can be heard all the 16 •• COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM •• NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 2012 2012 16

This year, the 36th festival is dedicated to American veterans and will also recognize the Girl Scouts of America, a group celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The fun starts with the opening ceremonies at 8.45 a.m. with performances by local children, and continues all through the day. All proceeds from the festival go to the maintenance and future development of this priceless asset of Northeast Texas. For more information and the festival schedule, go to www.edgewoodheritagefestival. com.

PHOTOS: Top right: Some of the directors of the Edgewood Historical Society gather in pioneer attire in front of the Murchison Depot at the Edgewood Heritage Park Museum. l-r: Stephen Goode, Jonnie Miller, Jo Poynter, Alice Bomar, David Musslewhite, Pattizo Humphries, Torie Walker, Carol Williams, Linda Clark, and Bobby Poynter. Other photoes include hanging out in front of Scott’s Country Store, a model train exhibit, colorful woven baskets, an artist on the grounds, classic car show, children’s square dance, and children discovering the antique typewriter.

NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 17



CALENDAR OF EVENTS County Line makes every effort to ensure accurate information. However, pricing, dates, and/or hours could change. Please call ahead before making plans. For more listings or organizations and activities and for a list of annual events in and around East Texas, visit countylinemagazine.com.

Every Saturday

Historic Tours of Tyler. Tyler. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Adults $20, 12 & under $10. Brisk walk around the downtown area to learn about Tyler history: historic movie theaters, county courthouse, famous shootouts and jail breaks, The Glass Onion antique store and other retail, downtown dining and entertainment, decades spanning term of Sheriff J.B. Smith, The Haunted Salon Verve, Cotton Belt Depot Museum. Tyler Chamber of Commerce. 315 N. Broadway. 903-245-6535. www.toursoftyler.com.

Through November 3

Corsicana Main St. Pumpkin Harvest Festival. Corsicana. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free.

Focus on kids. Fundraiser concludes with Main Street’s first-ever pumpkin harvest craft show Saturday, November 3. Craft-

Check out the NEW eMAGAZINE www.countylinemagazine.com for our extended event listings.

ers of high quality, handmade Texas items will exhibit at the visitor center all day under tents and trees. Music and car exhibit next door. Proceeds benefit Main Street projects. Corsicana Visitors’ Center/Allyn Park. 301 S. Beaton St. 903-654-4850. www. corsicana.m.ainstreet.org/pumpkin-patch. html.

Through January 1

Attack of the Bloodsuckers. Tyler. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $8 adults; $6 children 2 and up; $6 seniors; $5 military. Biological wonders of sanguinivores (creatures that eat blood) through encounters with live species and interactive exhibits. Discovery Science Place, 308 N. Broadway. 903.533.8011. www.discoveryscienceplace.org.

Through January 5

Haunted Tours of Tyler. Tyler. 6:30 p.m.midnight. Adults $15, kids (12 & under) $7. Flashlights provided as some of the tour takes place outside at night. The late tour is not recommended for children. Bring cameras and digital recorders. Many unexplained things have happened on these tours (formerly known as Jerichos Ghost Tours, a highly rated tour

among ghost adventurers). Chamber of Commerce. 315 N. Broadway. 903-245-6535. www.toursoftyler.com.

November 3

Iron Horse Heritage Day Festival. Mineola. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Free. Food, vendors, train exhibit, chili cook-off, classic car show, T-shirts, train creations contest, entertainment, beer and wine garden.

Downtown. 903.569.2087. www.mineolachamber.org.

Festival of Flight. Bonham. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Free. Jones Field Airport. North of Bonham on Hwy 78. 903.583.4811. www.bonhamchamber.com.

Grand Street Fall Festival. Whitewright.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Live music all day, upwards of 100 vendors of all kinds, festival food, firefighter chili cook off sanctioned

by CASI (proceeds go to participating volunteer fire departments), wine tastings, classic car show, kids’ activities including pony rides, rock wall, bungee trampoline, train rides, and more. Downtown.

903.364.2000. www.grandstreetfallfestival. com.

Visit

...a straight shot to Cedar Creek Lake

• Dining • Shopping • Lodging

• Boating • Fishing • Skiing

• More...

We AIM

to please!

903.887.1087 www.gunbarrelcity.net www.gunbarrelcityfestivals.net

18 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

November 8

Ladies Night Out. Kilgore. 6-10 p.m. $60; VIP tables available. Texas National Guard Armory. 1807 Stone Road. 903-984-5022. www.kilgorechamber.com.

November 9

Bright Ideas for Success Conference. Tyler. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. $129 for conference; $29 for lunch only; $49 for the lunch and super session. Full-day conference for nonprofit leaders, staff, volunteers, and board members. Break-out sessions, exhibit area, and luncheon with keynote speaker Paul Vitale. Business and community leaders who are not involved in nonprofit work may attend the luncheon (“Energize the Enthusiasm that Exists Within”) and super session (“It’s Your Life, Dominate It”) with Vitale. Green Acres Baptist Church, 1607 Troup Hwy. 903-581-6376 x201 www. brightideasforsuccess.com.

November 10

Honoring Our Veterans Heritage Park • Downtown Edgewood

Redneck Play Day and Punkin Chunkin.

Mount Vernon. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free admission. Chicken or beef stew crock pot cook off and trades day. Alamo Mission Museum.

1714 CR 4105. 903.588.2442. www.thealamomission.com.

Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. • FREE Admission

24th Annual Heritage Syrup Festival.

Henderson 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Adults $3, 55 and older $2, 12 and younger $1. Depot Museum and downtown. 514 N. High.

903.646.5440. www.visithendersontx.com.

★ Stage Entertainment ★

Edgewood Heritage Festival. Edgewood.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Classic car show, antique tractors, armadillo races with Sparky Sparks, tours of antique buildings, pinto bean cook off, pet show, and live music throughout the day. 102 E. Elm. 903-8964358. www.edgewoodheritagefestival.com.

★ Vintage Buildings Tours ★ ★ Vendors Galore ★ ★ Exhibitors ★ ★ Scrumptious Foods ★ ★ Pet Show & Competition ★ ★ Much More! ★

Bird and Nature Walk. Athens. 9-11 a.m.

Park admission $5.50 adults, $4.50 seniors, $3.50 children ages 4-12. Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. 5550 FM 2495.

903-676-2277. athenstx.org/things-to-do/birdand-nature-walk-november-2012.

Holly Berry. Van. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

Holiday bazaar includes vendor booths and pictures with Santa (bring your own camera), JuJubile’s face painting, and food court with all proceeds going to Van Community Ministries. Van United Methodist Church. 304 W. Main. 903.963.5051. www.vantexas.com.

November 10-11

Wild West Days. Winnsboro 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Free admission. Downtown Market and Elm streets. 903-342-1300. www.thelegendsofcrossroads. continued page 20

★ Classic Car Show ★ ★ Antique Tractors ★ ★ Armadillo Races ★ ★ Talent Show ★

★ Huge Quilt Show ★ ★ Kids Carnival ★

For more info, call

903-896-4358 www.edgewoodheritagefestival.com NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 19

CALENDAR continued from page 19

Shopping, food, and more including tours of lofts. Downtown, Main and Kilgore streets. 903-988-4117.

November 15

Christmas in the Oil Patch. Kilgore. 6 p.m.

Free. Oil derricks all over town are lit for the holiday season, plus entertainment for families. World’s Richest Acre, downtown.

903-984-1333. www.khpf.org.

November 27

Annual Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade. Kilgore. 6:30 p.m. Free. Downtown, Kilgore and Main streets. 903-9845022. www.kilgorechamber.com.

November 17

November 29-December 8

An Evening of Food and Fun. Wills Point.

6:30 p.m. $20. Fundraiser, dinner, and live auction with skits. Talent Box Theatre, 244 N. Fourth. 903-856-1665. thetalentbox.org.

30th Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes.

Jefferson. 3-9 p.m. $15. Historic homes decorated in fresh greenery, flowers, fruit, and candlelight. Free music concerts. 903665-7064. www.historicjeffersonfoundation. com.

Christmas in Crockett. Crockett. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. More than 200 arts and crafts booths plus food vendors, kids’ activities, entertainment, classic car show, and more. Downtown square. 936-544-2359 www.crockettareachamber.org.

December 1

Christmas in the Plaza. Nacogdoches.

Noon-6 p.m. Free. Children’s activities, entertainment, food and more. Downtown. www.nineflagsfestival.com.

Holiday in the Park. Chandler. 5-9 p.m.

Free. Celebrate the arrival of the 2012 holiday season. Winchester Park. 601 S. Broad. 903-849-6853. www.chandlertx.com.

December 8

Lighted Christmas Parade. Canton. 4:30 p.m. Free. Downtown. 903-567-1849. www. visitcantontx.com.

McClendon Treasures: An Arts, Crafts & History Event. Tyler 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

The McClendon House. 806. W. Houston.

214-621-6071. www.mcclendonhouse.net.

Look for more events in Arts, Stage, Film, Music, Literary, Food & Drink, and Shop Sections and on www.countylinemagazine.com.

November 24

Mingle & Jingle. Kilgore 6-10 p.m. $10.

county line

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903.833.2084 WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM

Harrison & Son K N I F E S M I T H

World renowned knifesmith Dan Harrison presents a large selection of handcrafted hunting, collector, and custom knives for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike.

FM 279

Downtown Ben Wheeler, Texas Open Tuesday thru Saturday

903.714.5911

KNIFEMAKING CLASSES Learn to make custom, handmade knives from a master knifesmith.

Gift Certificates Available!

www . harrisonknives . com

20 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012 20 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012



 FILM New and Returning Shows Hit the Small Screen

By Jeremy Light It’s that time of year again. It’s a time for casinos, physics, Sherlock Holmes and cupcakes. It’s time for the new Fall TV lineup. And all of the aforementioned — that’s just on CBS. After the doldrums of summer repeats and (mostly) lackluster movie offerings, it’s refreshing to see some new blood and some old. For starters, CBS features Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis as a rancher and a mobster fighting a turf war in 1960s Las Vegas. From the same writer that brought us Casino and Goodfellas, this has the potential to be the next Mad Men with Vegas. And then we are up for a sixth season sure to be as funny as the last The Big Bang Theory.



The Old Firehouse Cinema Presents

November 10: Magic of Belle Isle • December 1: 2 Days in New York 7 p.m. $8. Downtown Edom . 903-852-2781. www.theoldfirehouse.net

Sheldon, Leonard, and crew have managed to keep the laughs for five straight seasons despite the show’s relative predictability.

Sherlock Holmes returns for yet another on-screen appearance. Following on the success of the BBC’s Sherlock, Jonny Lee Miller stars as the sleuth set loose in modern day New York City after a stint in rehab. His new partner is Joan Watson (yes Joan) played by Lucy Liu. Rounding at my other favorite offering this year is 2 Broke Girls, last season’s surprise hit starring Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs as struggling waitresses trying to start their own cupcake business. Absolutely a riot.

CBS certainly does not have the market on interesting new and returning shows. ABC will offer up the supernaturally intriguing 666 Park Avenue.

Last year’s surprise hit drama Revenge returns for a second season. Castle and Beckett heat up the screen for the Castle’s fifth season. I’m a little wary of the next

musical drama Nashville. It could be a counteroffer to Glee or it might be a tired rehash of Robert Altman’s classic film of the same name. Hope springs.

If not eternally, at least for this season.

The only network that seems like it is just out of ideas is Fox. The Mindy Project looks fairly tame and predictable, and if history is any indication, sitcoms with the word project in the title seem to be a tough sell. Ben and Kate? Sorry, can’t even pretend to be interested. At least they still have Bones, one bright spot.

The only show with some potential, it seems, is The Mob Doctor. With a stellar cast and an interesting premise, I will certainly give it a shot. But it is trying to fill the same shoes as the now completed House series. Good luck with that one.

These are just a small sample of networks and shows starting this fall. Some will return next year, others will become denizens of the “Johnny we hardly knew ye” pantheon of defunct TV shows. n

633 Squadron (1964) Dance of the Jesters Il Bersagliere March Symphony: The Wind in the Willows America the Beautiful Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms Where Eagles Dare (1968) Phantom of the Opera (1986) When the Saints Go Marching In Yagi Bushi

903.738.9442

www.etsymphonicband.com NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 21



THE ARTS

Check out COUNTY LINE ONLINE for our extended coverage of art news and events. www.countylinemagazine.com

ARTS EVENTS Every Second Tuesday

4-6 p.m. Marshall Visual Art Center, 208 E. Burleson. 903.938.9860, www.marshalltexas.net/Departments/Visual_Arts.

Red River Photo Club. Bonham. Photographers of all skills and experience meet to improve skills and share photographs and experiences. Annual membership $24; $36 family; guests welcome. 6:30 p.m. Creative Arts Center, 200 W. 5th. 903.640.2196, creativeartscenter.us.

Through November 2

Every Thursday

The Wyeths Across Texas. Tyler. Paintings

by N.C., Andrew, and Jamie Wyeth primarily from Texas collections. Group tours available with reservations. Adults $10; students and seniors $7, members free.

Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m. Tyler Museum of Art, 1300 S. Mahon.

903.595.1001, www.tylermuseum.org.

Art & Wine. Tyler. Showcase for a local artist every Thursday, Wine & cheese & fruit platter specials, full menu. Free admission. 5-9 p.m.

Caffe Tazza, 4815 Old Bullard. 903.581.6601, www.caffetazza.net.

Every Second Thursday

Northeast Texas Fine Art Alliance. Terrell.

6:30 p.m. Free. Program/demo by a North Texas artist at each meeting. Members can learn, participate in shows, workshops, and field trips. Terrell Heritage Museum. 207 N. Frances Street. 972-427-6511. clubnetfaa.com.

Every Friday

Art Talk. Marshall. Informal gathering of artists and art lovers to share, critique (if desired), and even work on art. Free admission.

Portals and Passageways. Marshall. Paintings, sculpture, and more by Mary Norvell and Mary Ruff. Marshall Visual Art Center, 208 E. Burleson. 903.503.8928.

Through November 11

Through November 17

Women in the Arts Exhibit. Winnsboro.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Winnsboro Center for the Arts. 200 Market Street. 903. 342.0686. www. winnsborocenterforthearts.com.

November 2

Black & White. Bonham. 6-8 p.m. Free.

Opening reception. Creative Arts Center. 200 W. 5th. 903-640-2196. creativeartscenter.us.

Artist Nuray Fuller was selected artist of the month at Legend Bank in Bonham, where her work is on display, as a project of the Creative Arts Center, which is also showing her work.

November 3-December 1

Beginning Row by Row Quilt Class. Mineola. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each Saturday. $20-25.

Taught by Nancy Gibson. Supplies: two yards for lining and border, 10 fat quarters that are comfortable together, and thread.

Use your own sewing machine or MLOTA’s.

Mineola League of the Arts. 200 W Blair. 903569-8877. www.mlota.org.

November 8- 9

Painted Floor Cloth. Mineola. 10 a.m. $3545. Joyce Terrell will demonstrate. Advance registration requested. Mineola League of the Arts. 200 W Blair. 903-569-8877. www.mlota. org.

November 10

Pastels Workshop. Winnsboro. 9:30 a.m.3 p.m. $50 includes materials. Winnsboro Center for the Arts. 200 Market. 903.342.0686. www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com.

November 10-December 11

Best in Show Series #2: Art Exhibit. Tyler.

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.6 p.m. Thursday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday. Free. Winners of the best in show award for the second half of the 2012 show more of their work in this invitational exhibition.

Light refreshments and live music. Gallery Main Street. 110 W Erwin. 903-593-6905. www.downtowntylerarts.com.

November 10-December 29

Julie Speed Paintings: Eye of the Beholder. Longview 7-9 p.m. Members free, visitors $5. Tuesdays-Fridays 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays noon-4 p.m. Longview Museum of Fine Arts. 215 E. Tyler. 903.753.8103. www. lmfa.org.

22 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

LONGVIEW MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

Members of the North East Texas Fine Art Alliance painted this 16-by-32-foot original mural and installed it on the side of a building on E. Moore Avenue at N. Frances Street in Terrell. The mural represents the British Flying Training School which was located in Terrell during World War II. NETFAA donated the design and labor; the work was done at the BFTS museum, and local businesses donated funds and discounts on materials. Courtesy photo.

November 20

Paper Mache Pull Toy. Mineola. 1 p.m. $10-15. Nancy Gibson teaches how to make a paper mache pull toy. Mineola League of the Arts. 200 W Blair. 903-5698877. www.mlota.org.

December 7

Art Walk. Longview. 5-8:30 p.m. Free admission. Downtown along Tyler Street.

903.753.8103. www.artwalklongview.com.

ArtsView Christmas Open House.

Longview. 7-9 p.m. Free. Performances of “Home For Christmas” plus open house.

ArtsView Children’s Theatre. 313 W. Tyler.

903-236-7535. artsviewchildrenstheatre.com.

December 15-January 15

Fine Arts Jury Exhibition. Tyler. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Thursday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday.

Gallery Main Street. 110 W Erwin. 903-5936905. www.downtowntylerarts.com.

EXPERIENCE EDOM Where Art Comes to Life

www.VisitEdom.com POTTERS BROWN

STUDIO & GALLERY

BLUE MOON GARDENS

Perennials. Herbs. Garden Art. Gift Shop Open 9-5 Thurs-Sun 903.852.3897 www.bluemoongardens.com

Original Handmade Stoneware 903.852.6473 www.pottersbrown.com

ARBOR CASTLE BIRDHOUSES

DRAGONHEAD RETREAT

Birdbaths

The Lodge Outside Living Room Cedar Cabin Camping Areas

Garden Sculptures 903.852.7893 www.arborcastlebirdhouses.com

801 VZCR 4929 903-520-2069 www.dragonheadretreat.com

“War Bride” November 10 - December 29

JULIE SPEED SNUG HARBOR

Nov. 3 Day of the Dead Art Nov. 7 Artists Brainstorming & Critique Nov. 10 Eye of the Beholder Nov. 14 Artists Brainstorming & Critique Nov. 15 Ladies’ Night - Textured Painting Nov. 21 Artists Brainstorming & Critique Nov 28 Artists Brainstorming & Critique Dec. 1 Breakfast with Santa 215 E. Tyler St., Longview, 75601 903-753-8103, www.LMFA.org Open Tues-Fri 10:00 am-4:00 pm Open Sat noon-4:00 pm Closed Sun-Mon $5 for non-museum members

NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 23



ON STAGE

Check out www.countylinemagazine.com for our extended STAGE news and event listings.

ArtsView Seeks Entries For Playwright Contest

ArtsView Children’s Theatre in Longview is looking for original works from entrants, ages kindergarten to adult, for its 2012-2013 playwright contest. The theme this year is galaxy quest: space stories that are out of this world.

The setting of a submitted play should be somewhere in outer space and can be fact or fantasy, space travel, or another planet.

Winning plays will be brought to life by participants in the Original Works camp, receiving either fully staged productions or staged readings, and will premiere to the public during the summer of 2013. Area authors, schools, teachers, and home school communities are encouraged to participate. At least one winner will be recognized in each of five different age categories.

24 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

Mark your calendars now to attend Quitman Community Theatre’s next production, “Hats, the Musical.” Performance dates are November 2,3,4 at the Carroll Green Civic Center. “Hats the Musical” is a witty, poignant, and sincere presentation of the stories and emotions that are the underpinnings of the wonderful ladies of the Red Hat Society. QCT’s talented cast for this show includes singers/actors/musicians (l-r) Vicki Shaw, Ulna McWhorter, Cindy Holbrook, Jeannette Peel, Ann Norris and Cora Beaty. For more information contact Becky Hibbard at 903-967-2164.

Deadline for play submission is November 9, by 5 p.m. To download a contest packet, for contest details, or information about ArtsView’s Performing Arts Theatre School, go to www.artsviewchildrenstheatre.com.

Opera House Players Share Ephron Screenplay

Jefferson’s Opera House Theatre Players have announced casting for the upcoming comedy, continued on page 26

It’s Our Line Anyway, Isn’t It?

ary 2011, definitely fits into the amateur category, she said, and serves as timekeeper, rather than onstage participant, for the scenarios.

Blanchard, who writes novels, may be responsible for the meetings in the first place.

By Tom Geddie

It sounds like fun. It sounds just a little bit scary. That’s the first two thoughts that come to mind in any beginner’s discussion of the Canton Improv.

Nope. It’s not a comedy club, although comedy certainly mixes prominently into the routines.

Nope. It’s not a class. No formal teaching or learning is involved. It’s just a bunch of people who get together on the second Friday evening every month to exercise their imaginations and their creativity.

For fans of the TV show “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?,” the concept, if not the execution, of improvisation is simple. That bunch of experienced actors makes it look easy.

Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s not. Easy or not, it’s always fun.

“Of course it’s fun,” said Marie Bailey of Athens, who is kinda the host, or hostess, of the second-Friday events at the Canton Connection Center. Nobody seems to want to be too much in charge, because it’s a group thing to stand up in front of the audience and let yourself loose.

“It’s a great way to socialize,” Bailey said.

“You don’t have to get up if you don’t want to, and if you do want to it’s kinda like no pressure. Some people are always ‘just audience,’ and sometimes everybody wants to do something.”

The Free Dictionary defines improvisation as inventing, composing, or performing something extemporaneously.

The process generally is facilitated through a series of games or scenarios.

For example, a game might involve a series of movements loosely called “stand, sit, bend,” although leaning, crawling, and other movements may bleed (gently) into the action. Another game is called “one syllable,” where participants

“I was maid of honor for a wedding on New Year’s Eve, and also was the photographer,” she said.

“My sister planned a party that night. I came home 10 minutes before the Members of the Canton Improv exercise their creativity and imagiguests began to show up. nations. Courtesy photograph.

And my sister said, ‘Kelly, you’re doing the games.’ quickly create a long sentence with evThe only games I could come up with ery single word being one syllable. were improvs because I watched ‘Who’s Line Is It, Anyway?’” We had a blast.”

A scenario might involve a man proposing to his girlfriend in front of her That led to some meetings at Come Tomother, or reacting to being stuck in an gether Trading Company in Canton, elevator with a favorite actor or characwhich led to the move to the Canton ter, or a cast of characters – perhaps a Connection Center’s bigger, more open science fiction fan, a government conspace. spiracy theorist, and a computer geek – having to fix a flat tire in the middle “Sometimes you need to just laugh, to of nowhere. make fun of life situations and just have a good time,” Blanchard said. “It also Aside from fun, benefits of learning and makes you quick on your feet, makes you practicing improvisational skills include start thinking quickly. If you’re bored in increased confidence, improved public some social gathering, you can turn a speaking skills, more comfort in social conversation into an improv game.” settings, improved brainstorming abilities, improved listening and observation Although the Canton Improv setting skills, and more. isn’t a class, regulars are willing to help newcomers develop skills.

For the mostly but not entirely young audiences at the Canton Improv, play The meetings usually last an hour or and relaxation are part of the mix. so, and run longer if “we’re having too much fun,” Blanchard said.

“Lots of times, it’s a good way to release steam from school,” said Bailey, who Anywhere from 15 to 30 or so people studies nursing at Tyler Junior College show up for the meetings, the youngest and has acted with the Henderson Counperhaps 13 years old and the oldest genty Performing Arts Center. “It’s good to erally in college. Older adults seem a bit laugh and have some time with friends reticent. you get to know pretty well, and to get “We encourage adults to do it, but they outside our comfort zones a little bit.” don’t really want to,” Blanchard said.

While some of the participants are the“The more people we can get, the better. ater students, most are amateurs.

It’s a clean, family-friendly thing.”

Kelly Blanchard, who turned the semihosting, or hostessing, duties over to Bailey after the meetings began in Janu-

For more info contact Marie Bailey, 903.275.3006, or Kelly Blanchard at kellannetta@gmail.com, 903.343.4791. n NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 25



ON STAGE

2012 Fall Calendar of Events OctOber 4 at 7pm

 George A. Romero’s Night

of the Living Dead (1968)

OctOber 5 at 8pm

Uncle Lucius CD Release STAGE continued from page 24 2012 Fall Calendar ofOctOber Events 6 at 2pm OctOber 4 at 7pm The Man Who Planted Trees  George A. Romero’s Night Children’s Theater “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” a readof the Living Dead (1968)

November 1 at 7pm The Third Man

ing play written by famed film writer and novelist Nora Ephron and her OctOber12 4 at at 8pm 7pm November 2 Who atPlanted 7pmTreesOctOber The Man  George A. Romero’s Night sister Ephron based on the bestGirls Night Out! Comedy Show (18 & Delia up) Children’s Theater of the Living Dead (1968) Ruby Nelda Perez OctOber 18 at 7pm selling book

by Ilene Beckerman.  Dawn of the Dead (2004) OctOber 5 at 8pm  OctOber 5 at 8pm

Uncle Lucius CD Release

OctOber 11 at 7pm

Calendar of Events 2012 DawnFall of the Dead (2004)

OctOber 6 at 2pm

OctOber 11 at 7pm

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) OctOber 12 at 8pm Uncle Lucius CD Release OctOber 19 at 8pm Girls Night Out! Comedy Show (18 & up) OctOber 6 atof 2pm The Deep Magic Joshua Cast Lozoff in the newly released off-BroadOctOber 18 at 7pm The(1974) Man Who Planted Trees  Texas Chainsaw Massacre OctOber 24-27 way play are Evie Mims, Andrea JohnChildren’s Theater OctOber 19 at 8pm  Main Street Film Festival

November 8 at 7pm Double Indemnity (1944)

son, Denice Wilson, Heather Manly, November 15 at 7pmHalloween Dawn of the Dead (2004)  Main Street Film Festival (1978) and Rachel Clifton. All the actresses Movie and candy – dress up if you dare! The Maltese Falcon (1941)  Halloween (1978) Girls Night Out! Comedy Show will(18play & up) multiple roles as women The Deep Magic of Joshua OctOber Lozoff 11 at 7pm OctOber 24-27

OctOber 31 at 8pm

OctOber 12 at 8pm

OctOber 31 at 8pm

at 7pm of Events 2012 Movie and candy – dress NOvember up if youFall dare!1Calendar NOvember 1 at 7pm

 The Third Man

NOvember 2 at 7pm

Ruby Nelda Perez

OctOber 18 Man at 7pm  The Third who relate the most important – and OctOber at 7pm  Texas4Chainsaw Massacre (1974)  George A.2 at Romero’s NOvember 7pm Night sometimes seemingly trivial – subjects OctOber 19 at 8pm ofNelda the Living Ruby PerezDead (1968) The Deep Magic of Joshua Lozoff

NOvember 8 at 7pm

OctOber 5 8 atat 8pm NOvember 7pm OctOber 24-27

NOvember 15 at 7pm

OctOber 6 15 at at 2pm NOvember 7pm

of their lives.

UncleDouble Lucius Indemnity CD Release (1944)   Double Indemnity (1944)  Main Street Film Festival

The New York Times called the show

OctOber at 8pmTrees  The Maltese Falcon The (1941) Man Who31Planted 

Maltese(1978) Falcon (1941) The Halloween Children’s Theater “funny, compelling,” and sometimes

Linda17 Davisat and8pm Friends Movie and candy – dress up if you dare!

November sad.

Linda Davis Friends  Dawn of and the Dead (2004) Sunset Boulevard (1950) Linda Davisand Friends  The Third Man NOvember 17 at 8pm NOvember 29 at 7pm

NOvember 17 at 8pm OctOber 11 at 7pm NOvember 1 at 7pm

NOvember 29 at 7pm OctOber 12 at 8pm 53 NOvember 2 at 7pm

Boulevard The Fourth Wall and Card GirlsSunset Night Out! Comedy(1950) Show (18 &play up)

 will be performed for three NOvember 30Perez at 7pm Ruby Nelda december 8 at 2pm & 7pm November 29 at 7pm OctOber 18 at 7pm nights at the Knightlight Theater Magic Lantern Theater Fourth and 53 (1974)  NOvember 8 atCard 7pm TexasWall Chainsaw Massacre Sunset Boulevard december 6 at 7pm (1950) in Jefferson, Nov. 1,-3 beginning at 8 at 2pm  Double Indemnity (1944) OctOber 19 at 8pm & 7pm  A Christmas Story december Magic Lantern Theater The Deep Magic of Joshua Lozoff 7:30 pm each night. Tickets are $10 NOvember 15 at 7pm december 13 at 7pm Holiday 30 atInnproud 7pmdecember 6 at 7pm  The Maltese Falcon (1941) OctOber 24-27 BroughtNovember to you by these sponsors... each.

For more information, call 20 at 7pm AMain Christmas Story Street Festival NOvember 17 Film at 8pm Fourth Walldecember and CardLife 53  It’s a Wonderful 903.665.3895. december 13at at8pm 7pm OctOber 31 Linda Davis and Friends  Halloween Holiday Inn NOvember 29(1978) at 7pm Movie and candy – dress(1950) up if you dare! december at 7pm  Sunset20Boulevard NOvember 1 at 7pm Life  It’s a Wonderful NOvember 30 at 7pm  The Third Man Card 53 Fourth Wall and NOvember 30 at 7pm



NOvember 2 at 7pm december 8 at 2pm & 7pm

Ruby PerezTheater MagicNelda Lantern NOvember 8 at 7pm december 6 at 7pm

STAGE EVENTS

November 1-3

 Indemnity Double A Christmas Story(1944) december 8 at 2pm & 7pm Love, Loss and What I Wore. Jefferson.

7:30 p.m. $10. Knightlight Theater. 202 N.  Maltese Falcon (1941) Magic Lantern Theater The Holiday Inn NOvember 15 at 7pm december 13 at 7pm

Walnut. 903-665-3895. www.knightlighttheDavis and Friends  It’s a Wonderful Lifeater.com. december 6 at 7pm Linda NOvember 17 at 8pm december 20 at 7pm NOvember 29 at 7pm

A Christmas Story Sunset Boulevard (1950) November 3 NOvember 30 at 7pm

december 13 at 7pmFourth Wall and Card 53Tommy Drake. Paris. 9 a.m. $20. From “Last Comic Standing.” LMAO Holiday Inn Magic Lantern Theater NBC’s Comedy. 12 First St NE. 903-785-LAFF. www. december 8 at 2pm & 7pm december 6 at 7pm

 A Christmas Story december 13 at 7pm

 Holiday Inn

december 20 at 7pm

 It’s a Wonderful Life

december 20 at 7pm

It’s a Wonderful Life

a departmeNt Of the city Of tyler

Downtown Tyler • 110 W. Erwin • Tyler, Texas 75702

For ticket information call

(903)595-7274 or LibertyTyler.com 26 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

lmaotexas.com.

November 4

Hats! The Musical. Quitman. 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. $10 adults; $5 age 12 and under. Presented by the award-winning Quitman Community Theatre as a funny, insightful look into the personalities and emotions of the ladies who belong to the fun-loving Red Hat Society. Carroll Green Civic Center. 602 McAllister Street. 903-9672164. www.qctheatre.org.

November 10

Satisfaction. Texarkana. 7:30 p.m. $32; $28; half price students in the balcony.

Rolling Stones tribute show. Perot Theater.

321 W. 4th.903-792-4992. www.trahc.org.

November 14

Shrek the Musical. Longview. 7 p.m. $50$65. Belcher Chapel & Performance Center.

2100 S. Mobberly. 903-233-3080. www. belchercenter.com.

November 15-18

Annie. Longview. Classic orphan story.

Advance $8, door $10. Thursday-Saturday 7 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 2 p.m.

ArtsView Children’s Theatre, 313 W. Tyler.

903.236.7535, www.artsviewchildrenstheatre. com.

November 29-December 2

A Christmas Carol. Mineola. 7:30 p.m.

Adults $15; students $7. Select Theater, 114 N. Johnson. 903.569.2300. www.lakecountryplayhouse.com.

November 30-December 9

Scrooge. Winnsboro. 7 p.m. $10; $5 for students under 12. Winnsboro Center for the Arts. 200 Market. 903.342.0686 www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com.

December 7-9

Peter Pan 2: Hook Returns. Longview.

7:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. $13-$48. Presented by Longview Ballet Theatre with a cast of 50 featuring New York City principal Daniel Ulbricht as Peter Pan. Belcher Center. 2100 S. Mobberly. 903.233.3080. www. belchercenter.com.

December 13-16

‘Twas the Lights Before Christmas. Tyler 5:30-9:30 p.m. $5. The East Texas State Fairgrounds are transformed into a Christmas village complete with visits with Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus serving snacks, a living nativity, and thousands of Christmas lights. Candy Land will feature amusements like gingerbread house making for young and old and a festival of trees will feature decorated trees from area businesses and non-profits. Local choirs, schools, and dance groups perform nightly. East Texas State Fairgrounds. 2112 W Front St. 903.597.2501. www.twasthelights.com.

December 13

Cirque Dreams Holidaze. Texarkana. 7:30 p.m. $52; $47; $38; half priced students in the balcony. Wonderland of fantasy and disbelief. Perot Theater. 321 W. 4th. 903-7924992. www.trahc.org.

Check out www.countylinemagazine.com for our extended STAGE news and event listings.



MUSIC NOTES Tritt, Forsyth Headline Threadgill Concert Series

Travis Tritt brings his national acoustic tour to Greenville November 10, headlining the final installment of the 2012 Kenneth Threadgill Concert Series.

Popular Austin singer-songwriter Guy Forsyth opens the concert at the histor-

Check out www.countylinemagazine.com for our extended MUSIC news and event listings.

ic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Greenville.

Tritt was one of the leading new country singers of the early 1990s, holding his own against Garth Brooks, Clint Black, and Alan Jackson. As the only one not to wear a hat and the only one to dip into bluesy Southern rock, he developed a gutsy, outlaw image that distinguished him from the pack.

Tritt is currently traveling the country on his solo acoustic tour and giving audiences an intimate experience playing his songs and telling stories in a rare and intimate experience.

Forsyth is known for dazzling live shows and his rich Americana roots sound.

Forsyth (vocals; acoustic, electric, and slide guitar; harmonica; ukulele; singing saw), brings a unique mixture of

styles such as folk, rock, blues, country, and Tin Pan Alley to create a diverse sound.

Series coordinator Larry W. Green Jr. said the November concert is a new direction for the Threadgill series.

“Travis Tritt is a popular national touring artist who has a unique sound. The GMA is a perfect venue for an acoustic concert by Travis Tritt. This will be a rare opportunity to enjoy a Nashville hit maker in an acoustic setting.”

Tickets for the concert can be purchased in Greenville at Cavender’s and downtown at the Greenville Municipal Building, the Magic Bubble, and the Calico Cat. Tickets are also available online at www.ShowtimeAtTheGMA.com. A limited number of seats are available in the platinum and gold reserved sections. n

East Texas Symphonic Band Kicks Off Season 25

The East Texas Symphonic Band in Longview is kicking off their 25th season this month. The band was organized in 1988 by Dr. James Snowden to raise awareness and appreciation of wind band music in the East Texas area.

They present both formal concerts and informal celebrations of “the people’s music” and provide motivation for and encouragement to young musicians to continue making music a part of their lives.

The band is made up of about 50 volunteer musicians, some in high school and college, and many are band directors from area high schools. Dr. Snowden continues to direct the band.

The East Texas Symphonic Band’s 25th season includes three shows featuring historic motion picture themes.

The first is November 5 and is titled “Drama, Conflict, and Suspense.” It kicks off with 633 Squadron (1964), followed by Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Jesters, then II Bersagliere March, and a symphony, The Wind in the Willows. Other songs include America the Beautiful and Phantom of the Opera. The evening ends with Yagi Bushi, a Japanese folk song.

On February 11, 2013, the band jumps in to “Conflict, Comedy, and Tragedy” with Defying Gravity, Gettysburg (2004), Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better, Ti-

tanic, El Bimbo, and others.

The April 1, 2013, show is “Adventure, Dance, and Drama” with Into the Raging River, True Grit, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Italian Rhapsody to name a few.

These shows take place at the S.E. Belcher, Jr. Chapel and Performance Center in Longview beginning promptly at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $1 for adults and students get in free.

They also do a “Pops in the Parks” concert in May. For more information on the East Texas Symphonic Band go to www.etsymphonicband.com. n NOVEMBER2012 2012••COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM ••27 27 NOVEMBER

King of Ragtime Scott Joplin Remembered

By Tom Geddie Scott Joplin grew up in humble surroundings in Linden and Texarkana to become the “King of Ragtime,” and he died more than 50 years after his music earned an Academy Award and the opera he composed won a Pulitzer Prize.

Ragtime, in this case, has nothing to do with the rags of poverty, but the infectious dance music that features, as indicated by the name, syncopated, or “ragged,” rhythms that grew, at least partially, out of John Philip Sousa marches combined with African rhythms. Joplin did not create the music – which researches said began in dancehalls in St. Louis and New Orleans – but quickly became its royalty.

The bare bones of Joplin’s biography are simple.

He was born as the second of six children of Florence Givins and Giles Joplin near Linden on, by most accounts, November 24, 1868, the first of several well known musicians from the town including bluesman Aaron “T-Bone” Walker, rocker Don Henley, and Richard Bowden, who’s been called – perhaps by himself – America’s most famous unknown entertainer.

When he was seven years old, the young Joplin moved with his family to Texarkana. He was already playing banjo and was just beginning to learn to play the piano that would make him famous.

Joplin’s mother cleaned homes and he practiced his music on pianos in those homes. His mother, who also played banjo, and father, who helped lay rail tracks and played fiddle, bought him a piano in 1882 and he received free lessons that gave him a well-rounded knowledge of classical music form.

By his teens, Joplin was part of a minstrel troupe in Texarkana and then played in 28 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

dancehalls, saloons, and brothels across the Midwest.

Grammy and lead to the music’s use in “The Sting.”

He settled in Sedalia, near St. Louis, in the early 1890s, where he studied music composition at George Smith College and honed his already considerable skills into a national touring act with his eight-member Texas Medley Quartette.

It was Joplin’s publication in sheet music of “The Maple Leaf Rag” – with its melody lines, harmonic progressions, and metric patterns – in 1899, followed by other popular songs, that brought the music to the bigger public’s attention until the growth of jazz, which, in the way of one form of music superseding another, often incorporated ragtime. Both ragtime and jazz are sometimes called American forms of minuets

by Mozart and other European classical music. Some “hillbilly” – as country musicians were called at the time – string bands and folk-blues musicians also incorporated ragtime.

In 1911, he moved to New York City where he produced his own opera, “Treemonisha,” said to be the first grand opera composed by an AfricanAmerican. He staged the opera himself at great personal expense but it was performed only once during his lifetime, in 1915.

Joplin died on April 1, 1917, in Manhattan State Hospital after a long illness, and is buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in the Astoria section of Queens.

His most famous compositions, perhaps, include “Maple Leaf Rag,” “The Chrysanthemum,” “Elite Syncopations,” “The Entertainer,” “Eugenia,” “The Ragtime Dance,” and more including “Treemonisha.”

Ragtime music began to wane in popularity about the same time as Joplin’s death, although it lived on in the music of Jelly Roll Morton, Eubie Blake, and a number of others including classical composers Igor Stravinsky and Claude Debussy.

The music – most commonly played on piano – had a renaissance in the 1970s because of the Marvin Hamlisch score of Joplin’s songs in the Paul Newman/ Robert Redford movie “The Sting.”

That score won an Academy Award and then the revived opera won the coveted Pulitzer Prize in 1976. In 1983, the Postal Service released a commemorative Joplin stamp.

The Pulitzer and the other honors became posthumous awards for an artist who persevered to be taken seriously.

Students at The New England Conservatory of Music recorded “The Red Back Book,” a collection of Joplin’s rags, in 1973; that collection won a

Texarkana’s public radio station, KTXK 91.5 FM, plans to honor Joplin on his 144th birthday celebrations with a 2-3 p.m. program on Saturday, November 24. Steve Mitchell, the station’s general manager, will air excerpts of an interview conducted by Swiss filmmaker Dr. Luis Perez-Bayas during filming on his 3D documentary about Joplin.

The station’s music director, Frank Miller, will play a selection of Joplin’s recorded music.

Also included will be excerpts from the Scott Joplin Support Group’s 1998 celebration at the Perot Theatre which featured two grand pianos onstage and performances by Scott Kirby, Jay Hamilton-Douglas, and Vicki Al Dubais.

Although that is a small tribute, Joplin’s presence is all over Texarkana museums. There’s also a historical marker, a mural, a city park, and a National Register of Historic Places designation for the Orr School he attended.

Descendents still in the Linden area, in the Coves Springs suburb and one of the other famous sons, Henley, owns the land where Joplin’s family lived when he was born.

For more information, the quickest simple place to check is Scott Joplin Support Group on Facebook. n

Shoji Tabuchi Christmas Show

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! LIVE LOCAL MUSIC 6-9 P.M. HAPPY HOUR 5-6:30 P.M.

Every Friday Night*

MILL CREEK RANCH RESORT 2102 N. Trade Days, Canton Texas *Closed Nov. 23 for holiday

Exceptional view with light bar foods, cocktails, beer and wine November 2 David Bradshaw and Joel Marsh presented by

November 9 Matt Bradshaw November 16 THE FM 19 Back Porch Band November 30 Kimberly Torres CHECK OUR WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION

Piney Woods Fine Arts Association

LIVE MUSIC 903-567-6020 millcreekranchresort.com

Sat.

Friday, December 14 Crockett, Texas

936.544.4276 WWW.PWFAA.ORG

th 2012 NOV 10th

PM 7:30PM

t rav is tritt Special Guest

Window Tint • Bedliners • Lifts Brush Guards • Tool Boxes Goose-Necks • Fifth Wheels Nerf Bars • Wheels/Tires Car Audio/Video

guy forsyth

WOODY’S ACCESSORIES & OFFROAD TYLER • 903-592-9663 WWW.WOODYSTRUCK.COM NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 29



MUSIC LISTINGS

Check out www.countylinemagazine.com for our extended MUSIC news and event listings.

Every Saturday

Beatles tribute band. Lago del Pino. 14706 CR 1134. 903-561-LAGO. www.lagodelpino. com.

Bluesman Craig Wallace. Ben Wheeler. 3-6 p.m. Free. The Forge, 1610 FM 279. www.benwheelertx.com.

Brad Ward & 69 South. Ben Wheeler. 8 p.m. $7. Moore’s Store. 1551 FM 279. www.benwheelertx.com.

November 1

Kirby Kelley. Ben Wheeler. 7 p.m. Free. Guitar Center’s 2009 King of Blues. The Forge.

1610 FM 279. 903-833-5970. benwheelertx.com.

November 11

Some Enchanted Fall Evening. Kilgore. 7-9 p.m. $60-$150. Trios Concerts Dans Trois Maisons by Bill Holda and Penni Mitchell.

2490 FM 2276. 903-757-1015. operaet.com.

Piano Quartets. Mount Vernon. 3 p.m. $15; $10 for MVM members; students free; $5 for college students with valid ID. Mount Vernon Music Hall. 402 Leftwich.903-563-3780. www.mountvernonmusic.org.

November 2

November 15

Trios Concerts dans Trios Maisons.

Longview 7-9 p.m. $60-$150. 200 Turtle Creek. 503-757-1015. www.operaet.com.

David Bradshaw & Joel Marsh. Canton. 5-9 p.m. Free. The Creek at Mill Creek Ranch Resort.

2102 N. Trade Days. 903.567.6020. www.millcreekranchresort.com.

Heather & Randy Lindsay. Pittsburg. 8 p.m.

No cover. Barefoot Bay Marina. 5244 FM 1520.

903-856-3643. www.barefootbaymarina.com.

November 3

Brian Howell. Longview. 7 p.m. Free. Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281. 903295-1195. vinesandfriends.com.

Lady Chazz and the Tramps. Tyler. 9-midnight. $10. Lago del Pino. 14706 CR 1134.

903-561-LAGO. www.lagodelpino.com.

Finding Shade. Ben Wheeler 8 p.m. $7.

Moore’s Store. 1551 FM 279. benwheelertx.com.

November 5

East Texas Symphonic Band. Longview.

7:30-10 p.m. $1; students and children free.

Belcher Center, 2100 S. Mobberly. 903.297.0845. etsymphonicband.com/schedule.html.

November 5-15

East Texas Pipe Organ Festival. Longview. $1-$2. Features the life and career of concert organist Alexander Boggs Ryan (1928-1979) with special recordings, presentations, and memorabilia. Gregg County Historical Museum. 214 N. Fredonia. 903-753-5840. www. gregghistorical.org.

November 8

Travis Tritt. Longview. 7 p.m. $30-$45.

Belcher Center. 2100 S. Mobberly Ave. 903-2333080. www.belchercenter.com.

Amy Pruitt. Longview 7 p.m. Free. Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281. 903-2951195. vinesandfriends.com.

Boston Brass. Tyler. 7:30 p.m. $30. Caldwell Auditorium. 300 S. College. 903-592-6266. www.tcca.biz.

30 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

Michael O’Neal opened for Susan Gibson (Wide Open Spaces) recently at LMAO Comedy cCub in Paris. The venue brings in a variety of entertainment from dueling pianos to Kinky Friedman in addition to comedy shows. See more of their line up at www.lmaotexas.com.

Photo by Robbie Gunn.

Jason Elmore. Ben Wheeler. 7 p.m. Free.

The Forge. 1610 FM 279. 903-833-5970. www. benwheelertx.com.

Wesley Pruitt. Ben Wheeler. 7 p.m. Free.

The Forge. 1610 FM 279. 903-833-5970. www. benwheelertx.com.

November 16

FM 19 and the Back Porch Band. Canton 5-9 p.m. Free. The Creek at Mill Creek Ranch Resort. 2102 N. Trade Days. 903.567.6020. www.millcreekranchresort.com.

Lisa Pevey. Longview. 7 p.m. Free. Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281. 903-2951195. vinesandfriends.com.

November 9

Matt Bradshaw. Canton. 5-9 p.m. Free. The Creek at Mill Creek Ranch Resort. 2102 N. Trade Days. 903.567.6020. www.millcreekranchresort. com.

American Jenny. Ben Wheeler. 8 p.m. $5.

Moore’s Store. 1551 FM 279. www.benwheelertx. com.

Donna Henderson. Longview. 7 p.m. Free.

Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281.

903-295-1195. vinesandfriends.com.

Jazz Band Concert. Marshall. 7:30 p.m. $5. Annual East Texas Baptist University student and faculty concert. 208 E. Burleson.

903.935.4484.

November 10

Heather Little & Matt Bradshaw. Ben Wheeler. 7 p.m. Free. The Forge. 1610 FM 279. 903-833-5970. www.benwheelertx.com.

Andrew Plan. Longview. 7 p.m. Free. Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281. 903295-1195. vinesandfriends.com.

A Hard Night’s Day. Tyler. 9-midnight. $10.

Willie Nelson signed autographs for young fans at the edge of the stage after an outstanding one and half hour concert at Caldwell Auditorium in Tyler recently. He’s back in Texas in Austin, Arlington, and New Branfels in November and performs with Austin City Limits at The Moody Theater New Years Eve. Willie turns 80 next April 30. Photo by P.A. Geddie

Taylor Heard. Ben Wheeler. 7 p.m. Free.

The Forge. 1610 FM 279. 903-833-5970. www. benwheelertx.com.

November 17

Namoli Brennet. Edom. 7:30 p.m. $12 advance, $15 door. Acoustic. The Old Firehouse, 8241 FM 279. 903-852-2781. theoldfirehouse.net.

Cirque de la Symphonie. Tyler. 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. $10-$55. East Texas Symphony Orchestra joined by jugglers, aerialists, and acrobats. Cowan Center. 3900 University. 903526-3876. www.etso.org.

Donald Burton. Longview. 7 p.m. Free.

Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281.

903-295-1195. vinesandfriends.com.

MUSIC • FOOD • FUN

Happy Thanksgiving! Bring your family and friends to town for great live music throughout the season!

Heather Roberts. Ben Wheeler. 7 p.m. Free.

The Forge. 1610 FM 279. 903-833-5970. www. benwheelertx.com.

November 20

Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group. Fort Worth. 7:30 p.m. $44-$132. Bass Hall. 4th and Calhoun streets. www.basshall.com.

November 23

Baby Alligators. Ben Wheeler. 8 p.m. $5.

Moore’s Store. 1551 FM 279. www.benwheelertx.com.

Menu features award-winning burgers with house-fried potato chips, daily plate lunches (Tuesday-Friday), veggie wraps, salads and crispy, hand-made “fried” pies. Beer and wine available. Open Sun., Tues., Wed., 10:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m., Thur. 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri..-Sat. 10:30 a.m.- 11 p.m.

Kitchen closes 10 p.m. 13 & up welcome with an adult after 8 p.m. Fridays 6-7 p.m., burger-and-a-beer $7. 903.833.5100.

LIVE MUSIC 8-11 P.M. *

Delicious sandwiches, handmade pizzas, soups, salads, and more. To go orders welcome. Full bar.

Open Wed. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thurs. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Fri./Sat. 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m., Sunday Noon - 4 p.m.

For info, call 903.833.5970.

LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC, 7 P.M. No Cover

Heather Little & Matt Bradshaw. Ben Wheeler. 7 p.m. Free. The Forge. 1610 FM 279. 903-833-5970. www.benwheelertx.com.

James Bland Photography

Joe Buck & Luanne. Longview. 7 p.m. Free.

Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281.

903-295-1195. vinesandfriends.com.

November 24

East Texas Jazz Orchestra. Ben Wheeler.

7-10 p.m. $15. Moore’s Store. 1551 FM 279. www.benwheelertx.com.

Darby Warren. Longview. 7 p.m. Free. Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281. 903295-1195. vinesandfriends.com.

November 28

Lisa Pevey. Longview. 7 p.m. Free. Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281. 903-2951195. vinesandfriends.com.

November 29

Andrew Plan. Longview. 7 p.m. Free. Vines & Friends Wine Bar. 1014 W. Loop 281. 903295-1195. vinesandfriends.com.

November 30

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat. Ben Wheeler.

8-11 p.m. $7. Moore’s Store. 1551 FM 279. www.benwheelertx.com.

Kimberly Torres. Canton. 5-9 p.m. Free. The Creek at Mill Creek Ranch Resort. 2102 N. Trade Days. 903.567.6020. www.millcreekranchresort. com.

NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 31

11/2 11/3 11/9 11/10 11/16 11/17 11/22 11/23 11/24

11/30

F

A

R

M

Ben Lowery & Texas Express (Country Dance) $5 Finding Shade (Country/Texas Country) $7 American Jenny (Americana/Country) $5 Brad Ward & 69 South (Country/Rock) $7 Ben Lowery & Texas Express (Country Dance) $5 Group Therapy (Country/Classic Rock) $5 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Baby Alligators (Blues/Rock) $5 East Texas Jazz Orchestra (Big Band/Jazz) *7 p.m. to 10 p.m. $15 Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat $7 Karaoke Thursdays 6 p.m.

R

O

A

11/17 Heather Roberts

11/2 Meredith Crawford

1 1/23 Heather Little & Matt Bradshaw

11/3 Jimmy Bailey & Chris Manning

11/22 HAPPY

THANKSGIVING!

11/8 Jason Elmore

1 1/24 Ben Lowery & Wes Hendrix

11/9 Byron Haynie

11/29 Clay Thrash

1 1/10 Matt Bradshaw & Heather Little

11/30 Mike Acoustic

11/15 Wesley Pruitt 11/16 Taylor Heard

EVERY SATURDAY 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Bluesman Craig Wallace

D

 ◆

11/1 Guitar Center’s 2009 King of Blues: Kirby Kelley

◆

  EDOM TO BEN WHEELER, TEXAS

Art Jam: Nov. 10 & Dec. 8

Artists, galleries and more all along 279... the perfect chance to shop for one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts!

Ben Wheeler Arts & Historic District Foundation NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 31 www.benwheelertx.com • 903.833.1070

MUSIC CD REVIEWS



Pruitt Releases Prolific, Solid “Line ‘Em Up” CD Line ‘Em Up Wesley Pruitt Self-released

Reviewed by Tom Geddie Line ’Em Up is from Wesley Pruitt Jr., who fronts a popular, crowd-pleasing gig band in Northeast Texas with a mix of driving blues-rock and changeof-pace country ballads amidst a wide range of styles. Pruitt shares eight originals and two covers, one from old-time bluesman Willie Dixon and one from recent Americana semi-icon Pat Green.

Most of the songs on the Cantonbased Pruitt’s CD deal with hardhearted men, cheating women, and, whether self-imposed or not, hard times.

“Cocaine and Whiskey” is a sad tale of a man who’s got an empty bottle of sleeping pills by his bed, a bottle of Jack Daniels to his left and a tin of white powder to his right. His woman has left him and he knows he needs to move, but he’s not ready yet.

The CD closes with a 14-minute, 45-second tribute, “Song for Tracy,”

Photo by Tom Geddie

“Thief in the Night” is a back-road song about a man who warns fathers and mothers to hide their daughters well because he’s coming for their souls. in remembrance of a loved one who has died.

Written by Pruitt and his bass player Calvin Sheffield “Song for Tracy” begins as an a capella hymn, segues to a conversation between Wesley and Calvin — I am aware of the combination of names, since John Wesley was a Cal-

World-class music. No big-city hassle.

Joel Schoenhals, piano Jeffrey Hood, cello Ute Miller, viola Mark Miller, violin Exquisite music for piano quartet by Fauré and Mendelssohn Sunday, November 11 at 3 PM Love great music? Join us! Mount Vernon Music is your local source for outstanding live performances of the world’s greatest music. Visit www.mountvernonmusic.org or call 903.563.3780 to learn more about us, our exciting lineup of events, and how you can play a part in the beauty of Mount Vernon Music.

32 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

vinist, or darn close to it, and the relationship fits the tribute — and then visits other hymns and sounds. It’s not the kind of song that often appears on albums; it’s also very moving.

Despite the dark lyrics on some of the songs, this is not a downer CD at all.

Pruitt co-produced with Drew Hall at Rosewood Studios in Tyler and played lead guitar in addition to doing the vocals. He used his own band — Sheffield on bass and Chris Oliver on drums, both adding backup vocals — plus Milo Deering on fiddle and Dobro and additional guest vocalists on “Song for Tracy.” It’s all nicely played and well rounded.

On Line ’Em Up, Pruitt emerges as a more prolific, solid songwriter.

Check out his website for more on Pruitt and the July 2007 County Line Magazine archive.

 BOOKMARKS handling of dialogue threatens to derail his riveting narrative, but it is not an issue that makes a reader want to put it down. Rather, it serves as a minor speed bump for the fluidity of Chabon’s prose.

I do not think Chabon could ever craft a sentence that is uninteresting. That is one of the joys of reading his work. Although there may be minor lapses and the quite rare gaffe, all are tolerable when a writer knows his gift and is confident enough to push on even if the narrative may sag.

Telegraph Avenue

By Michael Chabon Harper ISBN-13: 978---71403349

Reviewed by Jeremy Light Certain books take on a life of their own and others take on the voice of a generation. Michael Chabon’s new master work, Telegraph Avenue, fulfills both. Possibly the finest American writer today, Chabon consistently cranks out ethereal prose that is simultaneously accessible and astonishingly deep. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author has successfully captured the voice of Americans here.

Archy Stallings and Nat Jaffe, longtime friends and business partners, co-owners of Brokeland Records, purveyor of solid gold hits trapped forever in vinyl, have fallen on hard times in 2004. Their struggling business is threatened with closure when a music megastore is set to open nearby. Further complicating matters are their wives, Gwen Shanks and Aviva Roth-Jaffe. These two women operate their own business, Berkeley Birth Partners, and face their own unique challenges and setbacks. The professional and personal obstacles provide for palpable dramatic fodder. What could easily become commonplace and prosaic in lesser hands becomes a finely woven tapestry of ambition, personal loss, and aspiring — if sometimes failed — ambition in the hands of a remarkable writer.

Chabon’s voice is true if at times not 100 percent convincing. Occasionally, his

The story does tend to lapse into a heavy sleep about halfway through, but this is barely perceptible given the quality of writing. Other circumstances may give readers some pause; for instance, when a parrot flies around the neighborhood viewing the activities of the central players. Such a conceit might be off-putting to those expecting a standard, linear story. However, for me, this fantastical and whimsical digression adds a flair that takes the reader on an imaginative jaunt.

I suppose this type of scene requires willing suspension of disbelief. If you are willing to let Chabon drive, he will take you to places you may never have the chance to see anywhere else.

someone who works with young people, is Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why. It was his first young adult novel and struck a chord in millions of readers. This profound experience is what led me to my review this month of his new project, The Future of Us, with Printz Honor writer Carolyn Mackler.

The story revolves around lifelong teenage friends Emma and Josh, and is set in 1996. Emma just got a new desktop computer and Josh’s mother gave her a free AOL trial disc. I remember when those were the most coveted piece of mail in college. A free month of AOL and email was a way to make you light years ahead of your friends. Light years is definitely what it makes Emma.

On her new AOL disc, she also finds an icon for something called Facebook.

This is a Facebook page set 15 years in the future for her. Emma and Josh become obsessed with their futures. They alter who they will marry, what they will become, and mistakes their family and continued page 34

Telegraph Avenue comes to readers courtesy of the writer who has released such works as The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, Wonder Boys, and The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. I eagerly anticipated this novel for the past year and I am proud to say that Chabon does not disappoint. If you are approaching this remarkable wordsmith for the first time, you are in for a world of pleasant surprises, authentic character development, and a voice of the most original style. You can take my word for it that the lives examined in this work are worth the look. Or you can believe the parrot. He is also reliable..

The Future of Us

By Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler Razor Bill of Penguin Press ISBN: 978-1-59514-491-1

Reviewed by Patti Light There are books that stay with you and in some cases haunt you. In the past five years, the book for me, as a reader and NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 33

LITERARY

continued from page 33

friends make. It is a riveting tale of what we would do if we knew the future now.

Asher writes Josh’s chapters and Mackler writes Emma’s. They change from chapter to chapter as they navigate the current day of 1996 and the problems they face and deal with in the realities of their lives 15 years in the future. Emma says it all when she proclaims to Josh,” I am not happy with my life.” He assumes that she means the future life. But, I began thinking what 17 year old is happy with his or her life? Asher and Mackler do a grand job of showing the core of teenage worry and angst.

The questions filling most young adults minds are heavy these days. Emma and Josh show this in every chapter. Where am I going? Who do I love? Who do I trust? Each deals with questions of trust, college, family, morals, sexuality, and relationships.

I was particularly blown away when Emma discovers that she can alter the future of her best friend, Kellan. She makes the mistake of having unprotected sex with her boyfriend and in Emma’s glimpse into the future she sees her best friend as a single mom. She makes the decision to both dissuade and protect Kellan from that future by not changing the night it happens, but giving Kellan the chance to make that change.

The authors have great voices for teens and tweens. Putting two best-selling au-

thors in the young adult fiction world together on a project has been a recent trick of publishers. It is not always successful. Last year’s Will Grayson, Will Grayson was so disconnected most readers gave up. The Future of Us, however, is a great success. I do feel like sometimes Asher has more to say as Josh, but holds back and Mackler’s Emma does tend to bogart the conversation. The chemistry is great and the friendships true.

In the end, they leave us with more questions, which a great author always will.

If you could see the future would you change it?

If you have a young person in your life or would like to look at the youth of today, I also highly recommend Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why. Having Decided to Stay

By Bryana Johnson Ethandune Publishing ISBN: 9780615680699

Reviewed by Tom Geddie The poems by Bryana Johnson in Having Decided to Stay are sure, assertive without yelling, filled with clear imagery, and are, as most good poetry is, original.

They are serious, sometimes thought provokingly universal and personal, and ultimately deeply human with their unexpected combinations and just enough mystery.

Johnson is 19 years old and lives near Klondike; she wrote some of these at least as young as 17. Of the 40 poems, 14 were first published in literary journals, some of those as competition prizewinners.

She is well read, as the poems indicate, and, at least in her writing, follows the advice of C.S. Lewis, which she quotes: “Don’t use words too big for the subject; don’t say ‘infinitely’ when you mean ‘very;’ otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.”

In “Never Never Land,” she combines the unexpected: a James Baldwin quote — “Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war, love is a growing up.”

— with the fanciful concept of James Barrie’s “Peter Pan,” the adventurous

34 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

youngster who never wanted to grow up.

In “The Grudge,” she finds God sitting in a back-alley puddle at 3 a.m. and asks him questions including, “What of the kids that line our night-time streets / and sell themselves because they have to eat?” She reports that God smiled at her questions, and replied, “And in that one igniting of His eyes / was life and death and sunset and sunrise.” And, in the three-plus-page poem, He finally asks her a question about the crucifixion: “Would you have spared the blood within that heart? / And left the children crying in the dark?”

It is fitting that there is, in that poem, no resolution to the questions.

In “The Knowing Tree,” Johnson writes: Take me back to the Knowing Tree, for I have grown haughty of heart and I have forgotten our common fate as wanderers in the dark.

Sit me down at its tumid base, tucked into its gnarled roots, swollen and tangled these ten thousand years – give me the bitter fruit.”

When I see this sort of talent from someone so young — and I’ve seen it, oh, a dozen or more times, mostly in musicians, an art more rapidly grabbed, perhaps, and occasionally in writers, an art with stricter conventions to learn — I can’t help wonder if it will burn brighter or burn out. Always, I am inspired by it.

LITERARY NEWS

Local, Regional Authors Share Works at Book Fair

Meet and support local and regional authors at a December 8 book fair in the emerging arts community of Ben Wheeler as part of the Second Saturday 279 Arts Jam. The event is a good opportunity to do some Christmas shopping for the literary set.

Authors represent a wide variety of genres, including general fiction, historical fiction, Christian mystery and fiction, mystery, suspense, western, romantic mystery, humor, inspirational/ self help, poetry, short fiction, music criticism, essays, romance, detective, children’s fiction and poetry, and more.

It’s called, simply, Local and Regional Authors Book Fair, and hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Elwood School, 5475 FM 858 behind Moore’s Store. This is a beautifully restored old school building that also includes, in an adjoining room, the Ben Wheeler Children’s Library, a joint project of Half Price Books and the Ben Wheeler Arts & Historic District.

All of the galleries and shops in Ben Wheeler and Edom will be open on Saturday, too, as will the restaurants.

There will also be live music in town during the afternoon and evening.

County Line Magazine, Half Price Books, and the Ben Wheeler Arts and Historic District are event sponsors. For more information, call 903.963.3788.

Lansdale Among Inductees To Literary Hall of Fame

“Mojo” storyteller Joe Lansdale from Nacogdoches has been inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. With more than 30 published books, he’s been called “an immense talent” by Booklist and “a born storyteller” by Robert Bloch. The New York Times Book Review declared Lansdale has “a folklorist’s eye for telling detail and a front-porch raconteur’s sense of pace.”

POETRY & PROSE

Carole Nelson Douglas, Robert Flynn, Leon Hale, Steven Harrigan, Rosalyn Story, and Jane Roberts Wood.

Living Room Chair

Founded by the Friends of the Library in 2004, the Texas Literary Hall of Fame honors authors whose body of work enhances Texas’ literary heritage, is original, was first published in this country, and has already been recognized for its literary significance.

Among its earlier honorees are J. Frank Dobie, Horton Foote, John Graves, Elmer Kelton, Larry McMurtry, Katherine Anne Porter, Sandra Cisneros, Dan Jenkins, William Owens, and Bud Shrake.

I have my first cup of coffee in my living room chair By the east facing window, near the front porch stair Watch the sun rise through old wavy glass Crystallized prisms of frost on the grass Reflections on wood floors, patinaed with age Remind that today is a gift, to write a new page There’s an old church steeple just down the hill It’s beautifully framed by the jams and the sill Not a prettier picture, you could buy in a store The kind of view that makes the soul soar Call it contemplation, meditation or prayer Whatever you name it, I don’t really care Not the future, the past but just right there I start my day in that living room chair Jeff Campbell Jefferson Lansdale has won 16 Bram Stoker Awards, the Grand Master Award from the World Horror Convention, a British Fantasy Award, the American Mystery Award, the Horror Critics Award, the Grinzane Cavour Prize for Literature, the “Shot in the Dark” International Crime Writer’s Award, the Golden Lion Award, the Booklist Editor’s Award, the Critic’s Choice Award, and a New York Times Notable Book Award.

One of his most popular series of novels – sometimes violent, often humorous and insightful -- features friends Hap Collins and Leonard Pine, who live in the town of Laborde, Texas, and find themselves solving a variety of often unpleasant crimes.

Lansdale, who was born in Gladewater, is writer in residence at Stephen F. Austin State University. He also teaches at his own Shen Chuan martial arts school and is a member of the Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Other 2012 honorees are Sarah Bird,

LITERARY EVENTS Every Third Friday

Poetry Reading. Winnsboro. Local poets.

Free admission. 6 p.m. Winnsboro Emporium, 316 N. Main. 903.342.6140, www. winnsboroemporium.com.

Through November17

Lincoln: The Constitution and The Civil War. Sulphur Springs. Traveling exhibition organized by the National Constitution Center and the American Library Association explores Lincoln’s struggle to resolve basic questions that divided Americans at the most perilous moment in the nation’s history. Sulphur Springs Public Library, 611 N. Davis. 903.885.4926.

November3

Authors’ Showcase. Winnsboro. Features a bevy of East Texas talent. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Free. Winnsboro Center for the Arts, 200 Market. 903.342.0686. www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com.

November 3

Authors’ Showcase. Winnsboro. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Winnsboro Center for the Arts, 200 Market. 903.342.0686. www. winnsborocenterforthearts.com.

November 13

Literary Club of Cedar Creek Lake. Seven Points. 9:30 a.m. Free. Library at Cedar Creek Lake. Hwy 334. 903.432.2399. www.cedarcreeklake.com.

December 8

Ben Wheeler Book Fair. Ben Wheeler. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. More than 20 local and regional authors from the Upper East Side of Texas, including 2012 Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee Joe Lansdale, sell and talk about their books, and talk about the writing process. Elwood School. 5475 FM 858. 903.963.3788. www.benwheelertx.com.

NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 35

FOOD & DRINK Yamato

2210 WSW Loop 232 Tyler 903.534.1888 www.yamatooftexas.com

Review and photos by Patti Light Great sushi is hard to find if you do not live in a metropolitan area with a large Japanese population. I have tried many of the hibachi and sushi mainstays in East Texas, but Yamato in Tyler is by far my favorite. Fresh, spicy, and hand-rolled all describe the sushi at Yamato.

Centrally located on Loop 323 by Mercado’s Mexican Cantina and across from Cavender’s, Yamato is a great location for a fun night of dining, drinking, and friends.

ready at anytime, a party can come for the drama of trained chefs and the savory promise of grilled rice and spiced shrimp.

Yamato offers a traditional dining area, small bar seating, and hibachi seating around huge and very hot hibachi grills. With no less than six grills

The sushi selection at Yamato is amaz-

Best of the Upper East Side of Texas 2010 - 2011 Best Steaks and Best Restaurant

Tuesday & Wednesday DINNER SPECIAL Mixed Green Salad Choice of Fresh Fish of the day, Ribeye Steak, or Filet Mignon Served with Whipped Potatoes and Green Beans $24.95

Located in a beautiful lakeside lodge at 21191 FM 47 in Wills Point, one block north of Interstate 20, Exit 516 Open Tuesday - Saturday 5pm. to 10pm.

Available for Special Events

Reservations Recommended 903.873.2225 www.fourwindssteakhouse.com 36 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

ing. Feast on traditional crab stick or yellow tail tuna. The sashimi and sushi menu is a study in global tastes.

For those wanting to partake in yummy rolls, they come in abundance at Yamato. California rolls are just the beginning and offer a big variety. On the hand rolls menu, try the Bahamas roll with cooked shrimp, asparagus, avocado, and spicy mayo or The Alaska roll with fresh salmon, cucumber, and avocado. All the fresh ingredients will keep your chop sticks busy for under $9 each.

Chef’s specialty roll menu is where the artistry is evident for those who love sushi and spice. These can be a bit pricier, but the portions are huge.

Try the Texas roll, which is deep fried with spicy tuna, cream cheese, avocado, spicy mayo, and eel sauce inside. For those looking for a classic roll, you cannot beat the Rainbow roll which is a California roll topped with raw sliced fresh fish.

Yamato is so much more than just a sushi mecca. The menu is packed with great food from the grill. You Open 24/7 • Full Menu Breakfast Anytime!

Hwy. 19 near I-20 in Canton

“World Famous Hamburgers”

903-567-6551

www.dairypalace.com facebook.com/dairypalace

chi chefs try and have guests catch scrambled egg in their mouth. Come for the fun and leave with the experience.

Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant

1327 E. Front Tyler 903-593-5954 www.margaritasmexfood.com Open Sun-Fri 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

Sat. 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Review by Jeremy Light can choose from Teriyaki grills in chicken, steak, shrimp, scallops, or salmon all served with miso soup and rice. The fried rice from the grilled is so worth the $2 extra to any meal. It is prepared with craftsmanship, flare, and drama including a literal flame.

For lunch, I love to order a bento box. Bento boxes were introduced to me by my aunt and grandmother who lived in Honolulu for a few years and dined on these small meal boxes frequently for lunch. The box is served with portions of soup, salad, protein of choice (chicken, steak, shrimp, scallop, salmon, garlic sea bass, grilled eel), California roll pieces, rice, and fruit. All of that for $20 and under is a great find in this class of dining.

The shrimp tempura at Yamato is panko flaked and deep fried with crisp crunch; it is a crowd favorite.

Last but not least is the hibachi menu.

It is my weakness. I love to watch the chef cook and offer moments of flare and flash with his knives and instruments as my steak and chicken sizzle away.

It is always a pleasant surprise to hear about a restaurant in existence for some time, but I’m not familiar with.

What makes that even better is discovering I love everything about it: the location, the atmosphere, the food, the whole enchilada. So to speak.

crafted rolls, and then some hibachi. If you add the happy hour drink special, your bill can get above $100 quickly for a party of four but the portions are huge. We have leftovers for at least a day.

Yamato is open for lunch and dinner and has happy hour from 4:30-6 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and then again 9 p.m.-close with great drink and appetizer specials. Join them for karaoke each Saturday night or bring the kids for a great treat as the hiba-

Tyler has more than its fair share of Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants, and there are a few standouts. Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant is one of those. continued page 38

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Dinner at the hibachi is more expensive, ranging from $14 for the chicken dish to $35 for lobster. Dinner includes the clear onion soup, salad, rice, vegetable, and entrée. My suggestion is pay the $2 more for the ribeye if you are getting steak; the ribeye comes out much more tender than the New York strip.

My family’s favorite meal at Yamato begins with the tuna tataki in ponzu sauce, a generous selection of handNOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 37

FOOD/DRINK continued from page 37 My wife and her close friend told me about the place, and I was delighted with my own trip. Located on Front Street comfortably away from the hustle and bustle of Broadway, Margarita’s looks and feels like a private home refurbished into a restaurant.

The atmosphere is cozy and vibrant, with vivid colors and interesting murals decorating the walls.

The real test of any restaurant, naturally, is the food. I enjoyed scrumptious guacamole salsa as an appetizer.

This simple dish is a test for any Mexican restaurant. If this fails, likely what is to follow will be disappointing. I was pleased with both the appetizer and the meal.

where. However, this is an extremely small point given the quality of food.

I hesitate even writing this review for fear that those who have yet to eat here will start coming, thus ruining the quiet joy of Margarita’s. Oh, well.

I like to share food pleasures with others. I hope to see you there.

FOOD & DRINK EVENTS dish. Success with the taste and temperature are key indicators. Check.

Since one visit was not enough, on my return trips I sampled the perfectly balanced fish enchiladas and the sizzling tacos al pastor. If there is a fault to be found with the food, I have not found it.

Lunch specials — a good selection to help keep the wallet in tact — are served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Service is friendly, prompt, and unobtrusive. More than once I have turned to look out the window, drink empty, only to turn around and find it full.

Service like this is obviously a definite plus for any establishment.

Another keystone of Mexican restaurant quality is the beef enchilada dinner. Almost all have this simple

The only minor drawback is that there does not seem to be much on the menu that you cannot get else-

Ice Cream Parlor Homemade Flavors

Every Saturday

Historic Longview Farmers’ Market.

Longview. 8 a.m.-noon. Free. Downtown, 105 W. Cotton. 903-746-2708. www.historiclongviewfarmersmarket.com.

November 8

East Texas Oilman’s Chili Cook-off. Kilgore.

Taste all the entries and vote for your favorite in the chili cook-off benefitting the East Texas Treatment Center. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $5. World’s Richest Acre, downtown. 903.984.5571.

December 14

BBQ for Kids. Canton. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $10. Benefits the ABC Room & The East Texas Crisis Center. Bring a Christmas toy for families in Van Zandt County. Farm Bureau. 281 Hwy. 243. 903-368-1923. www. etcc.org/outreach.html.

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 STAY Secluded Getaway Offered at Rusk’s Three Crows Lodge

Justin, whose full-time job is with the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife, has worked hard to keep the natural state of the property. The recent drought hit the trees at the lodge hard and many have died. He and his family have diligently replanted many they have lost. These dedications make staying at the lodge a welcome retreat to the roots of East Texas.

By Patti Light As Highway 84 heads west out of historic downtown Rusk, the shade of the trees gives way to the yards of the Texas State Railroad. Right before the old train car yard to the left is FM 1248. Taking the left on this blacktop county road for three miles leads travelers to a fork in the road at CR 2107 with a small sign that reads “Three Crows Lodge, one mile ahead.”

One mile ahead is blissful quiet and a lodge filled with all the things that make home comforting.

Three Crows Lodge is owned and operated by a young couple, Justin and Angela Rhodes, who grew up in the area and dreamed of making this section of woodland East Texas home.

“We always said that if this house and acreage came up for sale we would like to buy it,” Justin said. His family has owned acreage adjacent to the house since the mid 1980s, and he and his wife bought more than 65 acres 10 years ago. The nest was the house, a 1890s home that sat on the square in Rusk until the late 1960s when it was moved to the remote location by the late owners. The Rhodes acquired the house and land surrounding it about five years ago.

The house with its four bedrooms provides sleeping arrangements for as many as 10 people, and can be reserved for less than $200 per night.

The innkeepers have worked hard to make a comfortable home for guests.

The accommodations are perfect for families, with one bedroom outfitted in bunk beds and an air hockey table.

The master bedroom is breathtaking with powerful mahogany furniture hand carved and dressed with rich

The front porch of the main house welcomes visitors with added rockers and a swing. It’s the best seat in the house, the couple said.

wine and gold linens. The fireplace in the bedroom has candles waiting to be lit for a romantic evening and seclusion that offer a great getaway.

The room once hosted orange shag carpet that the new innkeepers removed, laboring for weeks to bring the natural pine wood floors to back to life.

“We have done most of the renovation ourselves and keep working each month,” Justin said.

The house also offers a separate cottage called “Potter’s Shack” for guests at less than $100 per night. The brick cottage comes equipped with a soft queen bed piled high with soft linens facing an electric fireplace. A comfortable leather couch offers guests a sitting nook for watching TV or reading. The Rhodes completely gutted the shack and redid the interior in clean lines and neutral tones.

The shack is neighbor to the lodge’s animal residents (a large pig and a handsome llama).

The wooded seclusion also offers nature lovers a chance at some amazing bird watching, and an abundance of wildlife may wander by. Deer ramble in the woods and love the shade of the oaks near the house.

Both innkeepers love to sit on the porch and have a morning cup of coffee as they watch the day awaken or their daughters play in the yard. These simple joys are the goal they have for guests at Three Crows Lodge.

The Rhodes family has worked hard to make the lodge a home escape for guests.

“We really want people to have the escape we wanted,” Angela said. The couple hopes to one day retire to the land. They enjoy letting people gather, relax, and make memories in their home away from home.

The lodge offers ample outdoor space for play and gathering. The addition of a fire ring with log benches beckons guest to make smores and sit outside on a crisp fall evening. The lodge also provides two grills and a full kitchen for guests. The lodge has become a welcome place to rest for families wanting a retreat for a reunion and travelers on the Texas State Railroad, which is minutes away. It’s an ideal place to stay when travelling on the Polar Express this holiday season.

“We want to make this a destination for those who want to retreat.” Justin said.

For more information visit www. threecrowslodge.com. n NOVEMBER 2012 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 39

PLAY

YesterLand Farm is Good Family Fun

By Alia Pappas Little giggles and squeals pierce the air as Santa’s runaway sleigh miniature rollercoaster zips around on the track, blurring the rows of stately Christmas trees behind its metal frame. Near the coaster, the joyful sounds reach the ears of families choosing a pumpkin to take home and decorate. The smell of delicious country cooking wafts between the lighted amusement rides as children of all ages enjoy an evening on a nostalgic, old-fashioned farm.

YesterLand Farm, owned by Chuck and Kama Bozeman in Canton, is a classic amusement park combined with the family friendly atmosphere of a pumpkin patch and country Christmas tree farm. What began as an ambitious family growing and selling Christmas trees became a family fun destination that also supports a worthy cause.

“YesterLand Farm, as you see it today, is much different than when it first started out many years ago,” Kama said.

“Actually, it used to be known as the Christmas Tree Farm.”

Kama and Chuck started the farm about 1994.

“Our first year, we planted Christmas trees. That was our goal; just to sell a few trees and use the land for something productive,” Chuck said.

Simply using the land for something productive quickly evolved when the Bozemans decided to expand their original plans due to the competition between fresh Christmas trees and artificial trees sold at grocery stores.

“We had the idea of putting pumpkins in a pumpkin patch, and that’s what started the crazy mess that we know today,” Chuck said. “We had the brilliant idea that we would buy an amusement ride. One amusement ride is now 15 amusement rides. Most of them are antique. That’s our concept. That’s where the name YesterLand Farm comes in.”

40 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2012

The amusement rides were installed to entertain guests from out of town.

Chuck said that people driving from cities such as Rockwall, Longview, Dallas, or Marshall “wanted some things to do” along with purchasing a pumpkin or Christmas tree. Activities now include campfires for roasting hot dogs or s’mores, pony rides, daily pig races, games, and the aMAZEment Park.

“We have an antique miniature train that’s new this year from 1953,” Kama said. “It is totally refurbished.”

Another renovation to YesterLand Farm is its involvement with the East Texas Angel Network, a charity that aids families with children suffering from life-threatening illnesses. Chuck and Kama support this foundation because they know all too well the hardships families with sick children face on a daily basis.

“The East Texas Angel Network is kind of dear to our hearts,” Chuck said.

“Our son, when he was seven years old, spent five weeks at Children’s Hospital.

He had an illness that he had to just battle and get over and by the grace of God that worked and everything is good. But I can remember being in the hospital. We didn’t ask for help. We didn’t think to ask somebody for help, but the church up here bought us parking passes to park our car. Just that little offering of 50 passes for us to be able to get in and out of the parking lot was huge. So that’s why the charity worked out so beautifully for us.”

Country musician Neal McCoy visited YesterLand Farm in September to see

the corn maze created in his likeness and to discuss the farm’s support of East Texas Angel Network.

“We appreciate y’all being involved,” McCoy said.

McCoy and his wife founded East Texas Angel Network 18 years ago to help children in the East Texas area with lifethreatening, serious conditions.

“We’re kind of trying to do what we call ‘fill in the cracks,’ little things like that parking pass, we help with things like that,” he said. “From the smallest things from giving them gas money where they can be there (at the hospital with their child) or helping them with wheelchair lifts, trying to equip them if they have a handicapped child, just make their lives a little easier. We’ve had a lot of support from East Texas over these last 18 years.

It’s been a great effort. We can’t thank East Texas enough for supporting the way you have.”

YesterLand Farm is open to the public on weekends and open on weekdays for privately booked field trips. The “old-fashioned fall festival” will remain open until November 11. YesterLand Farm will re-open on Friday, November 23 for the “Christmas wonderland” season.

For more information, go to www.yesterlandfarm.com. n

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SHOP Trash or Treasure?

unit is what you bid on. Rather than bidding on individual items inside the unit, you’re actually bidding on the entire unit.

In 2012, there is virtually every type of reality television programming we can imagine, from a Louisiana backwoods billionaire to aspiring chefs competing to see whose skills exceed the rest, to housewives who have nothing better to do than argue amongst themselves.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll find something amazing inside, but you might be surprised what you could find.

By Joshua Phillips

Then there are the programs about selfstorage auctions or auction houses, such as “Storage Wars,” “Storage Wars: Texas,” and “Auction Kings.” Both “Storage Wars” and “Storage Wars: Texas” are on A&E and “Auction Kings” is on the Discovery Channel. Check your local listings for time and channel information.

Those interested in attending a storage auction, need to know that bidders get about three minutes to look into a unit.

No one is allowed inside the unit or allowed to touch anything inside the unit.

What you can see from outside of the

The cast members of the two A&E shows each have their own resale shop.

Now I don’t know how many readers have their own store fronts, but it’s safe to assume that we all have either a computer or driveway. You can sell your findings on the internet (e.g. Craigslist, EBay) or through a garage sale.

If you’re thinking, “I don’t want an entire storage unit of stuff; I’d rather have a cool addition to my home,” then check out Debra Chapman’s auction house at 14986 Highway 64 in Tyler.

Chapman holds auctions twice a week, every Thursday and Saturday evening at 7 p.m. Viewings for both auctions begin at 5 p.m. the same day. Whether you’re

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looking to purchase an item or consign an item to appear in the auction, Debra can handle it. From fine antiques to furniture to jewelry and home décor to general household items, Chapman Auctions has a wide selection at the auction house.

For more information, go to www.chapmanenter.com.

SHOP TALK

Come Together Holds Grand Opening

Come Together Trading Company will hold a Grand Opening for their new store in Bergfeld Center in Tyler Friday, November 23. For more information call 903.5955559 and visit www.cometogethertrading.com.

Cotton Shed No. 11 Opens Canton Location

The home décor store Cotton Shed No. 11, a longtime fixture at Canton’s First Monday Trade Days, now has a presence on the downtown square in addition to its First Monday pavilion location.

The 2,200-foot store is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. every Thursday and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday during First Monday weekends, plus 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays on those weekends.

“Our passion is to design not just a house, but a home; and we find that incorporating the customer’s vision is always the best starting point,” said Jackie Devine Carlson, who owns the parent company, Simply Devine Décor, with her husband,

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Jack. “We do this through interviews and ongoing discussions to ensure your style, not ours, is meeting your expectations.

Carlson began by rearranging furniture at home when she was eight years old.

She began the company in 2001, with most of her business coming from referrals.

An interior designer for 13 years, she also does holiday decor for Marriott hotels including Courtyard and Springhill Suites nationwide and staged the home studio for the Hallmark holiday TV special with singer Jewel and other celebrities.

Customized services include residential interior decorating, one-time consultations, space planning, material and product specification, accessorizing interiors, lighting design and consulta-

tion, furniture design, window treatments, floral design, staging for quick sells, seasonal and event decorating, and more.

November 17

The new store is at 150 E. Dallas on the square in Canton. For more information, go to www.simplydevinedecor.com.

November 28

SHOPPING EVENTS November 1-4 & Nov. 29-Dec.2

First Monday Trade Days. Canton. Free. The oldest and largest flea market in the world.

The ultimate shopping experience. Wander 300 acres of antiques, arts and crafts, and hand-made articles. First Monday Trade Days Grounds. 877.462.7467. visitcantontx.com.

November 3

Ladies Night Extravaganza. Longview. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Maude Cobb Convention & Activity Complex. 100 Grand. 903-240-9710. www.ladiesnightextravaganza.com.

Snowflake Fantasy. Quitman. Free. Holiday extravaganza. Carroll Green Civic Center. 602 McAlister. 903-768-2497.

Sweets, Spirits & Sparkles. Bonham. 3-7 p.m. Free. Creative Arts Center, 200 W. 5th.

903-640-2196. www.creativeartscenter.us.

December 1

Holiday on the Square. Athens. 4-6:30 p.m.

Free. Decorations, story time, holiday market, arts and crafts for children, and more including Santa visits and Christmas tree lighting hosted by Light Up Athens. Downtown square. 100 W. Tyler St. 903-675-7691. athenstx.org/things-to-do/holiday-on-the-square.

December 4-7

Southern Living Holiday Tea Room & Marketplace. Longview. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $25.

Longview Museum of Fine Arts, 215 E. Tyler.

903.753.8103. www.lmfa.org.

December 7-8

Open House and Arts Market. Texarkana.

10 a.m. Free. Local artists and artisans will have their creations on sale throughout the first-floor gallery spaces. Regional Arts Center.

W. 4th and Texas Blvd. 903-792-4992. www. trahc.org.

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LIVING ROOM: HOME. GARDEN. REAL ESTATE. Home: An Expression of You

Room design by Amy Bott: Space Lift Interiors.

Our homes are a reflection of who we are, one of the canvases we use to express ourselves.

What’s in your home that when people see it they say, “That’s so you!”

Send us photos of areas in your home that you feel most express who you are. Then tell us a little bit about you and how the space is a reflection of you. Email your information and high resolution photos to info@countylinemagazine.com. n

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FEEL GOOD Hospice Volunteers Improve Lives

By Carmel Orren Hospice volunteers truly are the heart of hospice. Volunteers are not merely a desirable supplement to the professional staff; they are a crucial part of the hospice concept.

More than 25 years ago, a group of volunteers who saw the need for community-based hospice started Cypress Basin Hospice in Paris. These volunteers formed a board and raised the funds to start taking patients.

I recently asked one of our volunteers who has served this organization for more than 23 years what, if anything, had changed in the volunteer landscape over all those years. His answer was this, “In my role as a Cypress Basin Hospice volunteer I have been chairman of the board, a board member, and then I was promoted to volunteer. I believe the main change is in the type of patients we meet. We see younger patients on our service than we did 20 years ago, patients from all walks of life and backgrounds. I believe our roles haven’t necessarily changed, but evolved as the hospice mission has evolved.”

Hospice volunteers are exceptional people. They choose to volunteer during a very difficult time in a patient’s life and in the family’s life.

I asked my group of patient volunteers

recently what words come to mind when they think of the phrase hospice volunteer. Responses ranged from trusted friend, confidant, listener, spiritual presence, neighbor to neighbor, and non-judgmental.

Our volunteers go in with no agenda.

They are there simply to serve the patient and the patient’s family. The patients gain a respect, trust, and bond with our volunteers very quickly. Our volunteers meet many courageous people and get to share so many special moments, hear amazing life stories, and be involved in a way that other volunteer opportunities simply don’t allow.

Whether it’s hearing about a decorated veteran’s service, listening to a grandmother brag on her grandchildren, or taking a gentleman out to enjoy his favorite fishing hole, our volunteers are making a difference.

A fundamental goal of the hospice philosophy is to preserve the tie between the patient and the community, so that the patient and the family are not further isolated during the last phases of illness.

Volunteers serve in many ways and duties vary, but volunteers are usually counted on to listen to concerns, keep the patient company, provide a link to the hospice staff, be supportive, assist around the house, run errands, and any other thoughtful and creative ways they can serve.

sin Hospice. We also need volunteers to assist with health fairs, sing at facilities, paint fingernails, work at our bereavement camp for children, and many other areas.

To learn more about volunteering with Cypress Basin Hospice go to www.cbhospice.org or call 903.577.1510.

WELLNESS EVENTS November 10

Mayor’s Walk. Canton. 8:30 a.m. Free.

Walkers and their canine companions encouraged to attend. Cherry Creek Park, 800 Cherry Creek. 903-567-1849. www.visitcantontx.com.

November 10-11

Rama Jyoti Vernon Yoga Workshop. Edom.

1:30-4:30 p.m. $135 all 3 workshops; $100 for2; $55 for one. One of America’s first yogi teachers will present her unique approach to teaching yoga postures and the art of breathing in three workshops on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Edom Community Center. VZ CR 4800. 903-2927033. www.theyogainstitute.net.

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Notes from the Other Side of 70

By Edward H. Garcia I know it’s not necessary, but is there really anything wrong with looking at the tube of toothpaste you’re squeezing in the morning and thinking, “Someday — and it could be any da — I will squeeze a toothpaste tube for the last time”? And the tube, no matter how new, will be thrown away by whoever has the bad luck to have to go through my “stuff” and dispose of it. Maybe that someone will feel sentimental about my hairbrush with the wispy white hairs entwined there, but no one will want to finish off the toothpaste.

Thoughts like that — and I have dozens of them every day — get me criticized for being morbid. I have noticed my wife rolling her eyes when I say things about being a short timer in this life. Even my friend Bill, who also lives comfortably on the slippert side of 70, encouraged me to leave out some of the “depressing” poems

and use more love poems in the book we were working on. So I have decided to throw my critics a bone and talk about some of the good things about having turned 70: 1. You get to invent ages that 70 has become the new version of, as in “70 is the new 50.” Not to be negative, but I remember being 50 and 70 is not even close. I’ll give you “70 is the new 68.”

2. You are not going to die young, tragically before your time.

3. You will not be the victim of early onset Alzheimer’s. Dodged that bullet.

4. Fewer people will ask you to help them move. I would have said that no one asks, but my friend Bill recently asked me to help him move some things out of storage.

5. People will generally consider you innocent until proven guilty of all crimes except being old and dotty.

When my grandmother turned about 60, she quit buying “expensive” shoes — expensive would have been her word — the rest of the world would have said “Sears or JC Penney.” Her reason was, she said, “I’m not going to live long enough to get the good out of them.” She lived into her 80’s and wore out dozens of pairs of cheap shoes that practically fell apart on her feet, but I don’t think she was wrong.

The obvious moral of her story is to live life to the fullest to the end and not worry about left over toothpaste or shoe leather. But I’m beginning to “get” my grandmother and see a different moral: live life aware that it can be taken at any moment. You don’t have to be depressed about it — she wasn’t — but don’t get cocky and imagine that anything beyond this minute is promised. Unfinished toothpaste tubes are not a problem; unfinished business is something else.

And that’s what it looks like from this side of 70. n

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