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LOVE LANGUAGE ❤️

SUNDAY February 1, 2026

LOVE LANGUAGE

The Power of a Poem

A few East Texas writers submitted poems for County Line’s January/February issue which came out at the end of December. One of our readers, Stan Speed, who lives with his wife Sue near Kerens, Texas, sent us a note on how one of those poems in particular inspired him. With his permission to share, here’s what he said:

“Thank you for including “The Waltz” in your recent County Line Magazine Love Poems, and please convey our thanks to Toni Stratton for creating it.

“On New Year’s Day I put Norah Jones on to play “Come Away with Me” (video above) and my wife and I did a slow waltz to that music. When the song finished, I held my wife’s hand and read “The Waltz” to her. It was a very special day. Thank you for making that day possible.” — Stan Speed

Read “The Waltz” and several other Love Poems HERE.

BACKYARD BIRDS

Citizen Scientists Plan for Great Backyard Bird Count

Citizens are invited to join the world in connecting to birds for four days each February, when people of all ages and backgrounds participate in one of the largest global citizen scientist projects in the world — all from the comfort of their backyard.

From February 6 through the 13, bird enthusiasts of all levels watch and count birds they find in their backyards and report the statistics to the Cornell Lab. Participants can watch the video on their website to learn more about the count. Universities plus environmental and avian organizations use these observations to help scientists better understand global bird populations, migrations, trends, and future threats to the bird’s existence. PHOTO: Bluebird, Lake Holbrook, by Lisa Hilbers. READ MORE

FREEDOM
Pleasant Hill Quilters Demonstrate Undertold Stories

Clad in colorful handmade bonnets and aprons, the Pleasant Hill Quilters of Linden, Texas, work to decode and preserve a cryptic fragment of history, explaining how multitudes of illiterate people escaped slavery.

Through meticulous quilting patterns and robust song performances, they offer a glimpse into a classified American past.

 

Pictured is Flo Stevenson pointing to the North Star pattern, one of several codes shown on this sampler quilt during a presentation in Emory. Find more about the Pleasant Hill Quilters in the County Line archives. To schedule a presentation, call (903) 826-2495. Photo by Pamela Edwards

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Parsons Dance performs on February 7 at the Cowan Center in Tyler.
February 3

A Taste of Greenville. A delicious evening with local restaurants, popular food trucks, esteemed caterers, and talented cottage food vendors, all offering generous samples of their very best and most delectable dishes. Fletcher Warren Civic Center. travelgreenville.com

February 6

Retro Rewind: The Ultimate Mixtape. Greenville Municipal Auditorium. www.showtimeatthegma.com.

CelloVoci. Marshall. A dynamic classical-crossover trio featuring the renowned cello and vocal duo Branden & James, joined by powerhouse vocalist Effie Passero of American Idol and Postmodern Jukebox fame. Memorial City Hall Performance Center. memorialcityhall.com

Bonnie & Clyde. Sponsored by Book Club Cafe. Rockwall Community Playhouse. rockwallcommunityplayhouse.org

February 6-8

Mardi Gras Upriver. Jefferson. Activities include parades, bands, food, vendors, carnival, frosty beverages, and beads. Downtown Jefferson. mardigrasupriver.com

February 7

Saturdays on Main. Palestine. Enjoy a day full of special shopping and dining opportunities surrounded by public art, murals, and sculptures. Ready for a bite to eat, drop by any of the small locally owned restaurants nestled in downtown. visitpalestine.com/mainstreet

Mardi Gras Parade. Palestine. Featuring the joyous spirit of Mardi Gras with a Texas twist. Includes a vibrant and colorful parade featuring lively music, dazzling floats, and a festive atmosphere buzzing with excitement and family fun. visitpalestine.com

Parsons Dance. Tyler. Known for its energized, athletic and joyous style, Parsons Dance is internationally renowned for creating and performing contemporary American dance. Their bold ensemble work and movement has solidified them as one of the world’s leading dance companies. Works like the iconic Caught exemplify this company’s innovation and huge audience appeal. Cowan Center. cowancenter.org

February 7

Duck. Duck. Moose! Plus One. Longview. Community Connections Auditorium. theatrelongview.ludus.com

Freeze Your Fanny. Longview. Bike Ride First Saturday in February. https://runsignup.com

Pat Byrne. 7:30 p.m. The Bowery Stage. winnsborocenterforthearts.com

February 7-March 7

From Tyler to the Trenches. Tyler. The exhibit features stories and souvenirs of Company C, 133rd Machine Gun Battalion, artifacts belonging to men from Smith Co. and the Tyler area. Goodman-LeGrand Museum. visittyler.com

February 13-14

Danny Jolles. Tyler. Rose City Comedy Club. rosecitycomedy.club

February 14

Vita Brevis: Mozart and Boulanger. Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon Music Hall. mountvernonmusic.org

February 14

Hachie Gras. Waxahachie. A full-day festival featuring a lively parade, beads, bands, krewe-style energy, and plenty of local flavor. waxahachiecvb.com/events

 

Mid-February – Early March

Mrs. Lee’s Daffodil Gardens. Gladewater.

WHAT ELSE WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
International Exhibition on Display at Meadows Gallery

Doo Wop Project Comes to the Whatley Center

TVCC is Headed to Carnegie Hall

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County Line Magazine, PO Box 705, Winnsboro, TX 75494

Phone: (903) 312-9556

pa.geddie@geddieconnections.com

www.countylinemagazine.com

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