“I was the world in which I walked, and what I saw

Or heard or felt came not but from myself;

And there I found myself more truly and more strange."

Poet Wallace Stevens, Perennial Earth

Many gardeners prize perennial plants and often select them for landscaping projects. The word perennial indicates that something can last year after year and offers hope for the Earth's future.

A new book titled Perennial Earth pairs the art of UT Tyler's Alexis Serio with poetry by Wallace Stevens. Her abstract landscapes show our planet's endless beauty in spite of change. Meanwhile a video from Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison offers a glimpse of how its residents are surviving in extreme temperatures. 

These are two of the many inspiring stories from the County Line 

eMagazine. Find more things to do in our calendar and Live Music section. — Lisa Tang

PLEASE SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH YOUR FRIENDS

"Toucan II" acrylic on canvas 48 x 48 inches by Ingrid Horner of Tyler is on display at Gallery Main Street in Tyler through September 5. Read more.

Artist's Passion Flows Beyond Hometown

Alexis Serio recently released a beautifully illustrated coffee table book titled Perennial Earth: Poetry by Wallace Stevens and Paintings by Alexis Serio. 

The book began as a pandemic reprieve project by the artist and her father, John N. Serio, and progressed to an 85-page book featuring 34 oil paintings paired with poetry by Wallace Stevens (1879-1955). Stevens is known as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. READ MORE.

Erwin Smith Captured the Cowboy Way in Early Texas

Erwin Evans Smith became a celebrated photographer who captured the cowboy life of the American West in the early 1900s. He was born in Honey Grove near Bonham on August 22, 1886.

The Fannin County Museum of History in Bonham offers an exhibit of his life and photography and the bulk of his works are part of the collection of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth. READ MORE.

LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

Black Beauty Ranch Residents Beat the Summer Heat

Tigers, bears, kangaroos, and all of the other residents are staying cool in the brutal Texas heat at the 1,400-acre Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison. With big shade trees, pools, fresh watermelon and extra special icy treats, the nearly 800 residents at the sanctuary are pretty cool. READ MORE.

Markwardt Celebrates Western Swing in Third Album

Award-winning singer and songwriter Steve Markwardt releases his third album at the Cowtown JAMboree Friday, August 26, at National Hall in Fort Worth. Markwardt is a native of Quitman, Texas, in Wood County, and a resident of Fort Worth. He is passionate about reviving the genre of Western swing. READ MORE.