History lessons aren’t often found at the bottom of a bottle, but at Belt Buckle Distillery, every sip tells a story. The name itself is a tribute to Abilene being the “buckle of the Bible belt,” said co-owner and founder Keith Sanders. “Everything we do revolves around Abilene and the Big Country,” he said. The gin is called ”Paint Creek” and is a tribute to the … [Read more...]
Tales of Sugar Plums: Candies by Vletas puts the Candy in Christmas
Every year right after Thanksgiving, the downtown section of North First Street is magically transformed into the North Pole, with Christmas lights and sounds and, of course, Santa’s Workshop. That may not be the official name of the store at 1201 North First Street, but anyone who has shopped at Candies by Vletas during the holidays will tell you that’s exactly what it is. … [Read more...]
Grieving Between the Lines
SISTERS WRITE CHILDREN’S BOOK ABOUT LOSING A PARENT “My Little Boy, Your heart is now learning to feel many new things…” The poignant beginning of a children’s book about working through grief sets the tone for what’s to come. It should also serve as a warning to grab a box of tissues before reading too far into it. The book, Love, Mom, was written and illustrated by … [Read more...]
Adding Rooms and Memories: A Look into Gary and Kristie Gragg’s Home Addition
As Gary and Kristie Gragg looked forward to Gary’s retirement and as their large family continued to grow, they began to envision more space, a place to entertain, and a spot that would keep their loved ones coming back time and time again. With five grown kids, four in-laws, eleven grandchildren and one on the way, there was plenty to consider as they started to look for … [Read more...]