Painting from preschool to high school and onward Her mom first took notice when her daughter painted a beloved cartoon character and her best underwater bud: Flounder and Ariel — a.k.a. The …

Fond childhood memories of the pumpkin patch at Sinkland Farms propelled Taylor Anne [Plunkett] Soulerin to choose the venue for her wedding many years later. “I grew up in Roanoke until middle …

Engagement photos mark the beginning of … the beginning “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as …

The year 1959, when “The Battle of New Orleans” and “Mack the Knife” topped billboard charts, was the final year for the Chevrolet Task Force truck series. Its light-duty model, dubbed the …

For the armchair observer, a myriad of scientific jargon can often be combined into simple layman’s terms, whether or not the classification is strictly correct. A prime example of this is so-called …

It’s a common encounter that will stop most of us in our tracks. You’re casually milling about life when you suddenly catch a whiff of something — something good, something familiar — …

Forget gift buying stress and shopping mall rushes. This year, avoid getting in a rut for your loved one’s stocking stuffers and gifts – spring for some of the intriguing and unique …

As the aroma of roasted turkey and pumpkin pie fills the air, Thanksgiving beckons us to pause and give thanks. Beyond the feast, this holiday taps into the powerful human emotion of …

Sears was launched in 1886 as a watch and jewelry mail-order business. The following year, Roebuck partnered with Sears, and the iconic catalog expanded. The first department store opened in 1925, and …

In writing about entrepreneurship across decades, I made my own list of the high fives for running a business:   – Common sense – Organizational skills – Passion – Leadership – Integrity  …

DECA has given me the chance to meet many new people, not only at school, but also in the professional world. I’ve learned how to think critically under pressure and express my …

Limestone has been used to construct Virginia Tech buildings since 1899 and is colloquially known as “Hokie Stone.” The regional Appalachian limestone is one-of-a-kind in color variation, mined just a few miles …

David Mabry, a retired gent and big high school football fan, was wandering around Narrows High School when he stumbled on hundreds of old 16mm football films. “This discovery led me down …

A Southern girl from Alabama, who spent part of her childhood back and forth to Louisiana, Margie Redditt fully expected a career in interior design, having graduated from the Art Institute of …

Teresa Hall- Sleep and Family Teresa Hall’s advice for retirement is “have a plan”, and “make sure you are financially sound.” Sleep, family and travel played into her strategy. “My first thought was …

There are many things worth the wait. Autumn. Football games. A puppy. Warm cookies from the oven. Vacation. Christmas morning. A Ford Bronco? Most wait times can be measured in minutes, hours, …

What could bring the enthusiastic sounds of spring, a jaunty fiddle, a peppy piano, and folks brigading around in the dead of winter as though it was the middle of May? No, it …

After decades in careers which took them across the country and around the globe, Jessee and Debby Ring left California and city life behind for a 5-acre plot in Radford in 2005. …

Two years ago, Adam Songer could barely run a mile. But this past fall, Lauren Songer cheered with pride for her husband as he crossed the finish line at his first marathon. …

One might credit the tiny house movement with a new minimalist lifestyle, but the Scandinavians have embraced, elevated and perfected the small, sleek essentials for cozy living for millennia. Finland has been …

There’s dunking yourself in cold water. There’s getting stuck with a bunch of tiny needles. There’s climbing naked into a chamber of liquid nitrogen. There’s succumbing to a deeply meditative state. There’s …

With modern day luxuries like air conditioning, the internet and streaming services, it can be difficult convincing kids to put their screens away and play outside during a hot summer day. While …

It all started with senioritis. No, no, not the AARP kind, the kind that plagues graduating high school seniors toward the end of their grade school tenure, when the pencils are dull, …

Quietly settled along Wysor Road in Draper is a hidden gem — literally. Three years ago and 177 years after the Gold Rush in California, David Stowers opened Appalachian Gem and Gold …

In just under 200 years, a series of blades assembled around a cylinder, based on a tool which uniformly cut carpet, has evolved into a superb 4-wheel driving machine with gigantic mowing …

I got one Christmas card in my life from my late brother-in-law, Owen Nagel. Somewhere in the family grapevine, he apparently learned that I got a horse, if late in life. He …

The Kilgore Law Office in Gate City and The Mitchell Law Firm in Blacksburg recently combined their legal practices, in an effort to become the “go-to” firm serving Southwest Virginia.“We have completely …

Whimsical, vibrant, playful and timeless – Blacksburg’s kiddos have a bookstore in town. With a finger on the pulse of the market and an undying love for books and children, Melissa Wood …

His affinity for bowling almost killed Terry Stike. Once an employee of the old Triangle Lanes in Christiansburg, he was told to change out a dead light bulb in the outside sign. …

In late September 2024, communities across the Appalachians fell victim to devastating flooding and destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Claytor Lake, a haven for outdoor lovers and wildlife enthusiasts, …

The allure of a farmer’s market is in the unique blend of nostalgia, sustainability, heritage, fresh-from-the-farm food, community connection, creative crafts and functional artifacts. The newly launched Draper Village Heritage Market promises …

Maybe they’re a bit like gravy. Or cheese. Or ranch dressing. When life hands you the flooring equivalent of meatloaf, replete with questionable bits and bumps, cover it with a rug! However, …

Americans own about 85 million backyard chickens. For many, it represents a taste of homesteading. Montgomery County residents Rick and Susie Weaver have made chickens their own backyard dweller.The Weavers live on …

“We’ve lived in the same place for 20 years, and I’ve only seen two,” Giles County resident Philip Vaught comments on an elusive, opportunistic creature, one few New River Valley residents may …

We live in this world in order always to learn industriously and to enlighten each other by means of discussion and to strive vigorously to promote the progress of science and the …

Nothing restores the soul after a cold, hard winter more than the first blossoms of spring on trees and bushes. Royal star magnolias, saucer magnolias, and the iconic flowering cherries are some …

The Town of Blacksburg and surrounding New River Valley are known for vibrant communities, picturesque landscapes, and a unique local culture. Although the town thrives in many ways, like other small towns …

Charlie needed a date for the junior prom at Christiansburg High School. Lindsey attended Radford High School, and her best friend, Clare, knew Charlie and suggested she be his date. “My parents …

Coach James Lofton is offering something unique to the New River Valley ~ high-level strength and conditioning training for young athletes. Focusing on athletes ages 11 to 22, Lofton offers training tailored …

On an old blog post from 2017, she reflects on the “art of noticing” as essential to the process of becoming an artist. And to take in any of Leana Fischer’s paintings, …

Every little girl dreams of her wedding. Visions of the church, the dress, the first dance. Then we grow up, and maybe the church image gives way to swaying palms; the veil …

In 1923, the 3-position traffic light was patented, and Calvin “Silent Cal” Coolidge became the 30th U.S. President. “The Great Gatzby” was published. The Reverend Charles William Stone and his sons of …

Four women. Decades of experience. And a mission to take their expertise in the language of music to their community. The result? Music that touches the heart and soul as talented musicians …

Larry and Linda Harry of Giles County have an abundance of creative juices flowing in their lives. Larry has always enjoyed woodworking. Linda learned the basics of sewing in high school, but …

This is a love story. One very talented beach babe connected her heart and soul to one extremely skilled, guitar pickin’, country cowboy. Linda grew up in Virginia Beach. Larry hails from …

“There is a bit of serendipity involved in used bookstores,” says owner Ken Vaughan. “A lot of the time, the book tends to find you.” Serendipity was certainly involved when Ken and …

As it turns out, this decades-established New River Valley staple for nautical fare is dichotomously named after a beloved landlubbing pet – the late Indigo Iris, a blue/brown-eyed Dalmatian. Sweet mascot Indigo Iris …

Here is a new way to think of CHIP – not a chocolate chip, not a chip off the old block, not really a chip at all, but an acronym for a …

The Knowltons moved to the New River Valley the same year that General Motors launched the first electric car and Mariah Carey topped the charts with “Always Be My Baby” and “One …

Bob Ross, the fluffy-haired, bearded, soft-spoken television painter said that “anyone can put a masterpiece on canvas with a little practice”. His PBS TV show, The Joy of Painting, ran for 11 …

The motorcycle bug touched this mother and son riding duo early. Cindy Schiffer started with small mopeds as a child, moving on to dirt bikes and dual sport bikes. Her first bike …

Like your family tree, owning property gives you roots, but renting gives you wings. Is it better to rent or buy after age 65? Well, isn’t that the $64,000 question? The short answer …

People will try anything to improve their health. In fact, 2024 lifestyle trends are marked by an increased interest in everyday practicality and outdoor adventure. Start Simple For many, practicality and the outdoors go …

When it comes to curious tennis scoring rules, it’s an odd fact that “love” equals zero. While so many funny analogies can be made from this (it’s also played on a court!), …

Youth is impressionable. At the age of 6, David Reynolds attended the New York World’s Fair, which covered 646 acres at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. More than 51 million people turned out …

 You can “go places” you never dreamed of, “meet people” you never thought about, “learn skills” you never practiced before, reduce your stress level, sleep better, advance your career, grow your imagination, …

Who hasn’t heard of AARP, the American Association of Retired Persons, founded in 1958? The organization has 38 million members age 50 and up nationwide with many local AARP chapters. Most operate …

Nothing says summer like sunflowers. These sun worshipers’ cheerful, round, daisy-like faces rotate to follow the sun all day. When darkness falls, they turn again to face east, awaiting the morning sun. …

In 1864, the International Red Cross was founded in Switzerland, Jules Verne published “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, and Abraham Lincoln was re-elected President of the United States. In the same …

Determined to make a buck, my kids have set up shop in our front yard and sold everything from lemonade to hot cocoa, seashells and even spools of yarn. Cashing in on …

While to the introvert, taking refuge in your mental shell is a coping mechanism, to others – specifically small, green, shelled reptiles – it’s literally a home.  Turtles in southwestern Virginia are …

Karen Wadovsky of Christiansburg has always loved to drive and appreciates classic cars. As a teen, she’d drive her dad’s dump trucks and large moving vehicles. But it was “Papa”, her grandfather …

It too often carries a negative connotation: To “slap a coat of paint” on something means going for the quickest, easiest spit-spine. Maybe you’re covering up prodigious crayon masterpieces. Maybe those picture-hanging …

Dogs are wonderful for myriad reasons, muddy paws and all, and playing with them is a bonding experience that strengthens the relationship. Those who spend time training their dogs and participating in …

The neckline of the bride’s dress is one of the most prominent visual features, as the human eye is naturally drawn from one’s head and face to the shoulder and upper chest …

Nancy S. Moseley is Blacksburg-based writer. To say she was starstruck during interviews is a gross understatement. Who needs the magic of Hollywood when you have the magic of collegiate sports in …