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Tag: featured post

Historic Cemetery Symbols: What does *this* boat mean?

Thank you, readers! If you’ve been following my series on the meaning of historic cemetery symbols, then you know each week I share a quick explanation for that week’s graveyard symbol. In the book that I’m writing, however, which is a Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism, I dive much deeper into the meanings behind each symbol. I also learn a lot from the conversations that each of these posts spark – either from blog commenters here, replies on Twitter, and the emails that I’ve been getting. So, I wanted to give a hearty shout out to all the readers out…

Historic Cemetery Symbols: What Weeping Willows Mean

Inspired by a Newsletter Subscriber! This week’s historic cemetery symbols post was inspired by an email from Bill Dodds, a reader who subscribes to my weekly author newsletter. Like me, Bill enjoys traipsing through historic graveyards and taking photos of interesting headstones. Bill lives in Massachusetts, and he had a question about the symbolic meaning behind Weeping Willows: “As far as i can tell it started to appear on stones in the 1820’s and had about a 50 or 60 year run before it more or less disappeared again.” What do weeping willows mean on a headstone? I’m still researching…

My Exciting News & the 2015 Langdon Review Weekend in Granbury, Texas

What is the Langdon Review Weekend? Each September, during the week following Labor Day, Tarleton State University hosts a festival called the Langdon Review Weekend at the Dora Lee Langdon Center in Granbury, Texas. Attendees each receive a copy of the Langdon Review of the Arts in Texas, a literary journal that highlights poetry, fiction, essays, film, photography, art, and music from all over the Lone Star State. Throughout the Langdon Review Weekend, fans of writing, music, film, and art attend live performances, gallery showings, book signings, film screenings, and more. It’s a whole lot of fun! Art, Poetry, Picnics…

Review: Motown the Musical in Dallas, Texas

Crowd Pleasing Motown Hits in Dallas, Texas There was no second guessing needed to tell if the Dallas, Texas audience enjoyed Motown the Musical. From the moment the curtain lifted, people were clapping, whooping, and dancing in their seats. Based on a 1994 autobiography by Motown founder, Berry Gordy, this jukebox musical is chock full of toe-tapping nostalgia. With everything from “Baby Love” and “My Girl,” to “Brick House” and “Super Freak,” Motown the Musical packs in well over 50 major hits from the past 50 years. The show includes all the songs you remember, plus a few you may…

Jefferson, Texas: Simple Pleasures, Ghosts, & Bigfoot in the Little Easy

The following is an adapted excerpt from Unexpected Texas – my best-selling travel guide to quirky, offbeat and overlooked places near Dallas and Fort Worth. Check it out if you enjoy learning quirky facts, or are looking for offbeat road trip ideas in north Texas. Jefferson, Texas aka the Little Easy With its brick streets, horse drawn carriages, wrought iron railings, and abundance of Greek revival architecture, a visit to Jefferson, Texas can make you feel like you’ve stepped onto a movie set for New Orleans in the late 1800’s. This town’s resemblance to the “Big Easy” is no mere affectation, but a genuine…

Paris Texas Day Trip – Visit the Other Eiffel Tower

The following is an adapted excerpt from Unexpected Texas,my fun travel guide to quirky, offbeat and overlooked places near Dallas and Fort Worth. Check it out if you are looking for fun road trips in north Texas. Also, for a *FREE* 50-page guide to ghost hunting groups and haunted history tours in north Texas, sign up for my infrequent-but-interesting newsletter by clicking here: Why Take a Day Trip to Paris Texas? While several Texan towns share names with European cities (London, Athens, and Dublin to name a few) what makes Paris so special is how the town plays up its…