Beyond Abilene’s city limits, small towns in the Big Country can have a lot to offer. And since you may not have time to do a weekend trip to a metro area, why not consider a day trip to a nearby town? Albany, Texas is a 36-minute drive away, and features entertainment, shopping, and restaurants for a family getaway or girls weekend. Follow our schedule for the perfect Day Trip … [Read more...]
Capturing the Wild: Abilene Couple Photographs Their Love of Animals
One of the Delony’s first dates was Scott taking Brandi Jo on a rattlesnake catching adventure at night. “That was when I knew she was the one,” Scott said. He had grown up catching snakes and keeping small critters as pets outside of Houston. Brandi Jo grew up in Abilene, obsessed with horses from a young age even though she didn’t have one. Their love of animals … [Read more...]
Refugees Grow Fresh Produce on Abilene Farm
The thought of plucking fresh veggies out of the ground or off the stalk brings a big smile to the face of Cyprien Kilulu, a refugee from the Congo who resettled in Abilene in 2010. Thanks to the generosity of Paul Thomas and Gayla Fullerton and their Grapevine Farms, Kilulu and other refugees in Abilene can look forward to eating fresh produce this summer, including plants … [Read more...]
Steering the NCCIL: Director Blends Work and Play with Love of Stories
Molly Bellah and her children have found their “happy place,” and it’s the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature in downtown Abilene. The children’s picture book museum has captured their hearts. “Long before I was hired, my kids and I loved visiting the NCCIL,” Bellah said of her twins, Greer and Ford, 8. “They love immersing themselves in books and … [Read more...]
Seeds of a Legacy: How Bluebonnets Came to Buffalo Gap
Mesas in the background, Perini Ranch Steakhouse on the outskirts, and bluebonnets everywhere–it’s undeniably Buffalo Gap, Texas. Just as Mother Nature can lay claim to the mesas, and Tom and Lisa Perini created the steakhouse, Mabel Reynolds can at least take some credit for the bluebonnets. A plaque at the entrance to Buffalo Gap Cemetery, just west of town, pays tribute … [Read more...]