Azalea Paraphernalia Azaleas are one of my favorite flowering bushes since their bloom time runs from April into July depending on the type, and even longer now with Encore varieties that bloom up until frost. They are nature’s version of a surprise party, one minute they are hiding in the background, the next they pop…
A Fine Line Don’t you hate those people who tell you about something great, but it’s too late to enjoy it? (Sorry). Early Saturday morning I was taking a walk through Carytown and noticed a line of people waiting for Plan 9 Music to open. Quite the mix was there, young and old, kids with…
Closet Curation Life is like underwear. Change is good. But why does it always creep up on you? In March I was completely focused on getting ready to sell my house so every free minute was devoted to organizing, cleaning, painting, and primping the old girl for her market debut. Outside of a massive rainstorm…
Get a Move On Ever get some advice, and while helpful, your internal dialog is snarking; “Easy for you to say Buddy, you should try it yourself sometime.” Or when someone, let’s hypothetically say a real estate agent, suggests your closets should be thinned down to about 25% of what’s currently jammed in there, you’re…
Eat Your Heart Out With Valentine’s Day coming up, nothing says love like a gift of good meat. (Ok perv, get that thought out of your head, this is a family newsletter.) I’m talking about a fine cut of grass fed Angus Beef grown on a farm in the lovely Shenandoah Valley. My friend Libby…
Teen Angst Have you seen all the retractions and apologies from the meteorologists who predicted a warm winter with little snow a few months ago? Yeah, funny thing, me neither. I love my old house, but when it dips into the teens my boiler has to work overtime just to keep the house in the…
Hearts Inquire As we coast into my least favorite month, I’m a little hard pressed to point out any creative bright spots in February. Oh look! There’s a holiday in the middle of the month where couples can stress over their miserable attempts at communicating their love accurately and succinctly on one day, and singles…
For The Time Being The big news in Richmond has been the discovery of a time capsule, two actually, as the Robert E. Lee pedestal was being dismantled. Based on historical documentation a capsule was rumored to be in the northeast corner of the pedestal, but after weeks of searching in that area, nothing was…
Home Is Where The Smart Is Smart home technology started in the 1980’s, and it’s used to increase the comfort, security, and energy efficiency of a home. Things have evolved over the years, and I’m often asked by clients what makes a smart house a smart house. Adding a Ring doorbell or a learning thermostat…
Savin’ Some Simoleons I have mixed emotions about January this year. Normally it feels like a big period at the end of the sentence of the last chapter of Holidays Gone Haywire, a novel you pick up in November and can’t put it down until the day after New Years. When it’s over you can’t…
