The Abilene Zoo is an oasis in the zoo desert of Texas. The closest zoos are located in Fort Worth, San Antonio, El Paso and Oklahoma City. In the Big Country, the zoo adds education, entertainment and memory anchors for our entire region. The 60th Anniversary celebrates 60 years since the opening of the Abilene Zoo in Grover Nelson Park, but the love of zoos has been part of … [Read more...]
Patriotic Snow Cone Cupcakes
It's nearly America's 250th birthday, and you've got to have cake to celebrate a birthday! I decided to go with making patriotic cupcakes, and since Texas summers are so hot, I thought it'd be fun to make the cupcakes look like one of my favorite summer treats - snow cones! These snow cones are easy to make, but you do need one special tool - a silicone mold for the … [Read more...]
At the Table with the Founding Fathers
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, flags seem to wave a little higher, traditions feel a little deeper and it’s only natural to reflect on where we’ve come from. Anniversaries like this have a way of bringing the past into sharper focus. Not just the major moments memorialized in history books, but the atmosphere surrounding them. It makes you … [Read more...]
Pasta 3 Ways
Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad My niece, Trudi Henry, shared this recipe with me as we planned a family summer get together. Luckily, I had all the vegetables fresh from the garden. This Vegetable Pasta Salad is light, versatile and full of fresh flavor. Perfect for a backyard barbecue or any warm weather gathering. SALAD INGREDIENTS: • 1 pound pasta - rotini is a classic … [Read more...]
Abilene Author: Stephanie Ellison
As a child, Stephanie Ellison struggled to dream about a bright future because her world was so dark. If she had, her dreams probably wouldn’t have been as good as her present reality–a solid marriage with five children, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, founder of a nonprofit to encourage others with similar experiences, community involvement and a gift for writing. It all came … [Read more...]