Our home in central Texas

Who and what is Cactus Hill?

It’s 3 wooded acres in central Texas about 25 miles east of Austin. It’s been our home since we bought the raw land in 1983. The house was built in 1985, followed by numerous modifications, additions, and outbuildings. 

And it’s our personal website. It’s a chronicle, a diary, a history, a tribute…whatever we want it to be.

This web is also my favorite learning tool. When I started my web in 1997, web design was very different from today’s methods. Now at almost 80 I’m still learning new ways of doing things, how to put together the many pieces that go into producing a website. I’m counting on this kind of stimulation to take me through a good many more years. 

I’m Chris (for Christine) Born-Long. I was Chris Long, and I met my husband Ed Born in the Tall Club of Austin, where tall singles who were “born long” could mix and mingle. We both hyphenated our names when we got married on Valentine’s Day 1983. Ed is gone now, but I’m far from alone. In 2011 our daughter Emilie moved here from Colorado, and I do mean here. We built a sweet little cottage for Emilie just adjacent to the house. So in my golden years I do have some strong young(er) family to share the load and help me out. And we love it!

Grab our vibe! Take a look at this slideshow of life around Cactus Hill, past and present.