First, not far from the McAllen airport, sits a nature oasis. Settled around a traditional adobe house, and an attraction for birdwatchers around the world, the gardens of Quinta Mazatlan aim to bring people back to nature with native plants that attract a rainbow’s varitety of birds. Then, Bob and Jody Freeman, the “flute couple of Marathon, TX”, have been handcrafting wooden flutes for several years. After crafting model trains for decades, Bob pivoted after hearing the sounds of a wooden pipe for the first time. Finally, the only business for miles around, the Shelby store has been around since 1948 with little change – loyal customers can even still keep a running tab. Carolyn Breunning not only keeps her family store going, but, selling food, hardware, and feed, keeps the town of Shelby going as well.