Welcome to the #UnexTex Unexpected Texas Book Release Blog Tour Welcome to the #UnexTex Unexpected Texas Book Release Blog Tour! My quirky travel guide Unexpected Texas officially launches today, which means it’s now available as both a paperback and eBook on Amazon. To get the word out, I organized a week-long book release blog tour. Each day this week, my book Unexpected Texas will be featured on a different blog. These are all fellow writers who inspired and helped me along the way. What’s the #UnextTex hashtag for? If you use Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media platform where…
Tag: quirky
Here in Texas we have everything from an official state cooking vessel (Dutch oven) to an official state dinosaur (Pauluxysauras Jonesi.) We don’t yet have an official state vehicle, but if we did, it would surely be the pick-up truck. One in four Texans owns a pick-up truck, and they are often customized. Pick-ups aren’t just for macho men, either. In my neighborhood, I sometimes see a bright pink one with “Daddy’s Girl” emblazoned across the back window. My favorite local customized truck, however, sports a purple and green Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme. (Every time I see it drive…
What is a Jackalope? Jackalopes are mythical rabbit/antelope hybrids that frequently appear in folk tales from the southwestern United States. Why is there a Jackalope in Fort Worth, Texas? In the 1980’s, Fort Worth artist Nancy Lamb was commissioned to create an eight foot tall jackalope sculpture for a garden and pottery shop. Rooftop Jackalope Address Although the Jackalope Store has since gone under, its unique mascot remains on the roof of what is now a car dealership. I always keep an eye out for it when driving through town. If you’re ever in north Texas and would like to…
Aurora Cemetery With over 1800 graves, Aurora Cemetery claims more inhabitants than the town itself, with its population of 376. As you might imagine, not much happens in Aurora, Texas. There’s no courthouse, no historic town square, no central shopping area at all. There’s so little to this town that it’s nearly impossible to tell you are there. Bizarre Incident Mentioned on its Historical Marker Even so, Aurora Cemetery attracts a steady stream of curiosity seekers. They come to look for the grave of a space alien who allegedly crashed there in 1897. The bizarre incident is even mentioned on…
I’m not much of a sports fan, but I did grow up in Washington State, so I can’t help but feel excited that the Seattle Seahawks made it to the Superbowl this year. That’s why, for this week’s world travel post, I’m posting a photo of the Space Needle along with ten unusual facts about the Emerald City’s famous icon. I hope you enjoy it: Ten Quirky Facts about the Space Needle The Space Needle was originally called the Space Cage During the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, the Space Needle was topped with a 40-foot high flame which burned…
For today’s Friday Photo, I’ve decided to post the most popular photo from my 2013 Instagr.am feed. (If you’re on Instagr.am follow me, @TuiSnider, and say hi. I will definitely follow you back!) Here’s the story behind the picture: My husband and I were on a tour of the Caribbean island, St. Maarten, when our group decided to stop by the seaside. As we stepped out of the van, the driver warned us that part of the area was clothing optional, so if we were offended by this, we should pay close attention to the signs. I’d never been to…