The Armentrout homestead in the New River Valley is a testament to the past, a model for present and ideal for the future. Preserving the legacy of his father and both of his grandfathers has been a driving force for Mark Armentrout and his wife, Karen, since moving in three years ago. The Past Mark’s grandfather, Mark Kirby, after whom he is named, owned this land with his wife, Ruth, and owned the local pharmacy, Radford Drug. An avid horseman, …
One dictionary definition of “vision” is this: the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom. While it is often used in corporate circles regarding a business plan, …
As outdoor spaces are being cleverly transformed into casual living areas, New River Valley homeowners are raising the bar on furnishings, cooking options and accoutrements. Once a concrete slab patio, now multi-level …
Chances are high that you need a new roof if you are catching a drop – or more – in a bucket – or buckets, but most of the time, the signs …
Springtime is the season commonly associated with cleaning, upkeep and repair of your house and yard. As you stand outside appraising the lawn or seeing where the house exterior needs to be …
When his father passed away, Clem Carter was the natural choice among his siblings to take on the property near Luster’s Gate outside Blacksburg that his father loved so much. Work began …
A man in Illinois was tearing down a 150-year-old barn and selling the hand-hewn beams on eBay. Bob and Mary Menees of Pembroke bought the entire load. A winery owner was only …
Kelly Rowland patiently waits until Nov. 1 to secretly begin listening to Christmas music in her car and pull out her decorations. “The first week of November, I unpack and place the …
Like most serious Christmas decorators, Nancy Wilmina Alexander begins placing out her Christmas collection the day after Thanksgiving. Her daughter, Kay, always comes from North Carolina to assist, and together they lovingly …
The glow of the flame…the roar of the fire…the muscle feel of splitting logs. These – and more – are reasons folks use wood to heat their homes. The biggest driver of …