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Tag: offbeat

Author Interview: 4 Questions for Teal L. Gray about “Reading the Unwritten”

Multi-talented author releases her 4th book: My buddy, Teal L. Gray, has a fascinating new book out called Reading the Unwritten which Amazon recently named a “Hot New Release” in the “ghosts and hauntings” category. This is a book that’s been in the work for several years, and Teal’s fans have eagerly awaited its release. It’s hard to keep up with Teal because writing books is just one of her many talents. She’s also an award-winning quilter, ordained minister, and podcast host, among many other things. As the “Lavender Crow,” Teal developed a line of home grown nature products infused…

Author Interview: 4 Questions with Offbeat Traveler, David C. Kravetz

Planning a Road Trip? Check out David C. Kravetz! Like me, David C. Kravetz loves road trips to offbeat and overlooked places. By sharing his playful travel and nature photos online, this self-proclaimed “selfie king” spreads cheer everywhere he goes. I truly admire David’s eagle eye for quirky goodness. Anyone who enjoys offbeat and overlooked road trips needs his “Less Beaten Paths” series. If you’ve visited my site before, you may already be familiar with David C. Kravetz. He wrote an excellent guest post (All About Jackalopes), and I interviewed him when his first book, Unique Town Names, was released. David’s also featured on…

Cemetery Symbols: J is for Jesus …in Cowboy Boots!

Jesus in Cowboy Boots? I had such a hard time coming up with a good cemetery symbol for the letter J that I decided to re-post my entry for the 2013 A to Z blog challenge, in which my theme was Quirky Texas. That was my first year, and I didn’t yet realize that A to Z posts are meant to be short and sweet. This is a fun one, though. Enjoy! How to leave a comment on this post Please comment about this post on Tui Snider’s Facebook. Leave your link in the comments, and I’ll drop by your…

Venice Enchants – Even During Flood Season

High Tide in Venice Italy Venice is known for seasonal flooding called Acqua Alta. This “high water” is especially strong when wintry high tides coincide with a Mediterranean wind called a scirocco. Normally, I would avoid traveling to a city during a flood, but Venice is different. Acqua Alta is something Venetians have dealt with for centuries, and visiting the city during this time makes you feel like part of some ancient rhythm. As you can see in the photo below, they sell rubber boots for travelers who show up unprepared. I like how they made that W, too. Does…

X is for Xanthic Sky & Rainbow

Phronistery is Phun for Word Nerds While hunting for words that start with the letter X, I came across a nifty site: Phronistery. It’s a website dedicated to unusual words. It’s well-organized and gives concise definitions. Fun! I’ve bookmarked it ‘cuz I’m a word nerd and I bet a bunch of you all are, too. :D Xanthic Means… …yellow! The word “xanthic” means “yellow,” so today’s post features a trio of pictures I snapped after a dramatic hail storm we had last month. I live in Tornado Alley, so I do more than just marvel at the sight of a…

W is for World’s Smallest Skyscraper

The World’s Smallest Skyscraper Built in 1919, the Newby-McMahon Building in downtown Wichita Falls (701 La Salle, Wichita Falls, TX) is more commonly referred to as “the world’s smallest skyscraper.” J.D. McMahon was an engineer and oilman from Philadelphia who proposed adding a high-rise section to the original building to that it could house more office space. McMahon quickly raised $200,000 (a fortune for that time) to construct an office building according to plans he drew up. At a glance, it appeared that the finished building would stand 48 stories high, and McMahon never said otherwise. Unfortunately for the investors,…