Junkin’ In Jefferson JEFFERSON- Some junkies say, it’s the love of the hunt and the adventure it brings… That’s the real treasure! At least that is what they tell themselves while they scour through dusty, dirty heaps of who knows what. All it takes is one find. Just one precious little jewel that other eyes have […]
Category: in the pines with dana goolsby
Blood Sucking Chupacabras, Mutants, and Mangy Coyotes- Oh My!
Blood Sucking Chupacabras, Mutants, and Mangy Coyotes- Oh My! By Dana Goolsby East Texas- The mythical blood-sucking beast from Mexico known as the chupacabra has been roaming the Pineywoods since 2004. Some say the hideous vampire beast is nothing more than a mangy coyote. Others think the beast is a mutant result from the 2003 Space Shuttle […]
Historic Concord Baptist Church and Cemetery
Historic Concord Baptist Church and Cemetery Montalba- The rolling hills of Montalba, located approximately 11 miles north of Palestine in Anderson County, is some of the most beautiful countryside in the Pineywoods. If you visit the area you will certainly understand why the brave pioneering family by the name of Fitzgerald was inspired to move […]
Pie Heaven
Pie Heaven Oxbow Bakery & Antiques By Dana Goolsby PALESTINE- Texas born humorist Jack Handy once said, “When you die, if you get a choice between going to regular heaven or pie heaven, choose pie heaven. It might be a trick, but if it’s not, mmmmmmmm, boy.” But you don’t have to wait until you die to […]
Holy Atomic Pile, Batman!
Holy Atomic Pile, Batman! By Dana Goolsby Palestine- Downtown Palestine is home to some of the oldest buildings in the State of Texas, second only to Galveston. These historic buildings are so grand and impressive they have attracted sightseers from near and far, but also thousands upon thousands of Mexican freetail bats. While the bat […]
Recycled Wine Bottles
Recycled Wine Bottles By Dana Goolsby I recently came into possession of 200-plus wine bottles. A friend of mine recently moved to West Texas, leaving the Pineywoods and her lovely back yard behind. I have always admired her back yard. I especially loved her flower beds edged in recycled wine bottles. Just a few days […]
Vintage Glamping In The Pines
Vintage Glamping In The Pines By Dana Goolsby ETX- Vintage campers are making a comeback. It is not unusual to see a 30 or 40 year old tin can in tow behind a modern day vehicle headed to a state park in Texas. This 1967 Avion cabover was spotted at Crip’s Camp in Uncertain, Texas last […]
East Texas Fall Foliage Routes
East Texas Fall Foliage Routes ETX- The shorter days are bringing cooler weather, a chill is in the air, and wild things are putting on their winter coats. All the while, a silent explosion of amazing fall colors is transforming East Texas. It isn’t necessary to travel to New England to see the glorious colors of […]
Psychic Persimmons
Psychic Persimmons By Dana Goolsby East Texas– With fall in full swing and winter approaching people are curious about what Mother Nature has in store. If the Doppler radar bores you or if you enjoy a bit of folklore, there are other ways to predict the weather. Persimmon trees grow throughout Texas and the U.S. […]
Lick Skillet
Lick Skillet BETHANY- “Lick Skillet” is not just something you did when the grub was good, although, it was most certainly something you did when the grub was good if you didn’t have a biscuit to sop it up. It is a name deeply rooted in East Texas culture. For over a century, Lick Skillet […]
Squirrely East Texas
Squirrely East Texas Everything from Squirrel Removal to Squirrel Dumplin’s By Dana Goolsby East Texas- East Texas has historically been a stronghold for squirrels. The Pineywoods are home to millions of the furry critters. Some might think squirrels are cute, fluffy little creatures that are fun to watch as they frolic in the trees or in […]
Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road?
Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road? East Texas- Why did the turtle cross the road? Most likely because he had to! It’s that time of year again, when we begin to see turtles on roadways. Turtles are mostly seen crossing roads between April and October. In the spring, male turtles are looking for females and […]
First Monday Pickin’
First Monday Pickin’ By Dana Goolsby CANTON- Every collector, craftsman, artist, and treasure hunter in East Texas worth his weight knows that First Monday Weekend in Canton is the treasure chest of the Pineywoods. My friends and I go pickin’ and treasure hunting almost every weekend, and Canton is one of our favorite places. We […]
Springtime Past Time
Springtime Past Time By Dana Goolsby It’s blackberry pickin’ time in East Texas! Pickers have been out and about, scouring fence rows and pastures for at least two weeks. Wild southern blackberries and dewberries that grow in the Pineywoods will be picked by the gallons along East Texas highways and back roads from now until […]
A Taste of New Orleans In Longview
By Dana Goolsby LONGVIEW- New Orleans (NOLA) has an incredible and distinctive regional food tradition, but you can have a taste of NOLA in the Pineywoods. New Orleans-style creole cuisine is on tap at Johnny Cace’s Seafood & Steakhouse in Longview, Texas. For over 60 years, the Cace’s have been carving out their creole niche in East […]
Plum Wild Wine
Plum Wild Wine Wild East Texas plums are small and tart, but always real treat. Some may be no bigger than a marble but most get no larger than a golf ball. These small native plums are a meager offering for a snack, but their flavor explodes in a bottle of homemade wine. The Chickasaw […]
A Piece Of Palestine’s History Partially Collapses
A Piece Of Palestine’s History Partially Collapses Palestine- Just before noon on Tuesday, October 18, Downtown Palestine rumbled and shook as the nearly century-old Ivanhoe No. 15 partially collapsed. It wasn’t long before the Palestine police were getting calls as a cloud of heavy dust started to settle. Some thought there had been an explosion. […]
Grapeland Gathers For Goobers
Grapeland Gathers For Goobers History of the Peanut Festival / 2011 Event Schedule By Dana Goolsby Grapeland-Texas Festivals are a dime a dozen, as Texans seemingly find reasons to celebrate. Festivals in the state are held in the name of flowers of all kinds, practically any kind of fruit you can think of, rattle snakes, chiggers, […]
The Pour House
The Pour House Historic Home Finds New Life By Dana Goolsby LUFKIN- The Pour House Grill and Garden is situated in a nearly-century-old home in the “old” downtown Lufkin area. Over the years, the house has served as everything from a frat house, antique shop, a chiropractor’s office, a daycare and now as a restaurant and live […]
East Texas Fall Foliage Road Trip Ideas
East Texas Fall Foliage Road Trip Ideas East Texas- As summer’s grip finally gives way to fall and temperatures begin to change, the green Pineywoods of beautiful East Texas begin to shout with color. Autumn in East Texas is bright and magnificent with yellow Oak trees, orange Sweet Gum trees, and deep red Maple trees dappled […]
Giant East Texas Aquatic Plant Gives Cancer Patients Hope
Giant East Texas Aquatic Plant Gives Cancer Patients Hope- The Pineywoods of East Texas may hold the secret to effectively inhibiting the growth of human cancer cells, with minimal risk of damaging healthy cells. Recent research findings conducted at Stephen F. Austin State University’s (SFA) National Center for Pharmaceutical Crops (NPCP) in Nacogdoches, suggest that […]
Autumn Arriving in East Texas
Autumn Arriving in East Texas East Texas- The knowledge that summer is gone and winter is coming is everywhere now, on the northern half of Earth’s globe. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you can easily notice the later dawns and earlier sunsets. The shorter days are bringing cooler weather, a chill is in […]
Love’s lookout
Love’s Lookout Jacksonville- If you are in East Texas, take a moment to enjoy the view from Love’s Lookout! Love’s lookout is perched alongside U.S. Highway 69 north of Jacksonville and offers a grand, 35-mile view of East Texas countryside. For over a century this peak in the Pineywoods has been attracting visitors. The ridge, […]
Tombstone Tourist
Tombstone Tourist By Dana Goolsby East Texas- A few years ago, when my love for East Texas history, ghost stories, and photography began to merge, I started spending a lot of time in old historic final resting places around the Pineywoods. Since I began my journey with MYETX I have visited cemeteries, burial grounds, grave […]