Wendy Grove Kedzierski

The Winchester Star • 30th June 2023

Boxwood blight is a big problem for boxwood lovers

It’s official name is “Calonectria Pseudonaviculata,” but it’s more commonly known as “boxwood blight” and it is a big problem, according to Virginia Extension Master Gardener Kate Reed. “It is a fatal fungal-driven disease and there's absolutely nothing you can do (to save it) if your boxwood contracts the blight. That boxwood is toast and it will be gone.” A dire prognosis for a state that loves its historic properties which are traditionally surrounded by lush, mature boxwood.

The Winchester Star • 13th June 2023

Ovoka Farm invites guests to experience top-quality Wagyu beef and farm life

“Farming is the best career in the world,” says Karen Way, local farmer and self-proclaimed cowgirl. Way’s specialty is Wagyu, the high-quality beef that diners have been seeing pop up more and more on restaurant menus and even in the freezer section of grocery stores. But Way didn’t start out as a farmer. After 10 years practicing law in Chicago, Karen Way and her husband moved to Paris – Paris, Virginia, that is — and purchased Ovoka Farm, one of the oldest estates in Blue Ridge hunt country.

The Winchester Star • 18th May 2023

Lucketts Spring Market will feature 200 vendors with 'vintage hip' vibe

BERRYVILLE — Are you looking for unique decor to spice up your home or business? Is vintage hip your vibe? Lucketts Spring Market may have just what you’re looking for when you don’t really know what you’re looking for. So many uncommonplace items can be found at the open air affair, May 19-21, at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in Berryville.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 21st December 2022

How to Keep up with Your New Year’s Resolutions

Let’s face it: New Year’s resolutions are renowned for failure. Studies show that between 50 and 80 percent of these well-intended self-promises are abandoned within months. You’re probably aware that there’s a gym membership spike in January, but did you know that there’s actually a “Fall Off the Wagon Day” (typically in February) when resolutions are notoriously abandoned and fast food restaurants see an uptick in visits?

Middleburg Life • 18th January 2021

Paradox of a Painter

“I’m nearly deaf. I’m nearly blind. And I’m an artist.” – Tim Chambers It’s late summer in the Shenandoah Valley, and landscape and portrait artist Tim Chambers heads out of his studio at sunrise, armed with paint and canvas to record the morning light. The foreground is golden sunlight glistening on 19th-century silver metal roofs; the background is pure pink sky met by blue-gray Blue Ridge Mountains.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 5th December 2022

10 Ways to Stay Busy and Active this Winter

As the weather turns, it can be challenging to stay active — especially with the short days and busy work schedules. In 2023, we suggest committing to an ideal without strict rules, manifesting good intentions over rigid guidelines. Create your own list of achievable gains, or refer to ours. But remember: this goal can be reached in many different ways. Stay positive, and keep track of your wins!

The Journal • 19th January 2021

Mountain Stage: Where the musicians come to play

West Virginia’s Larry Groce has a knack for pickin’ em. Artists, that is. Musical talents with true star quality. And he’s able to find a star early in its formation, when the pressure and temperature and gravitational pull of the body is so strong that it begins to glow, eventually becoming large, bright and hot. Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Counting Crows.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 2nd November 2022

10 DMV Charities to Donate to This Holiday Season

The season of giving is upon us, and the options for choosing which charitable organizations you will donate to are practically limitless. November and December are the busiest times of the year for philanthropic giving, often motivated by fundraisers’ requests for bequests on Giving Tuesday (the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday) and the tax breaks for those who itemize their deductions.

Project HOPE • 9th July 2021

Humanitarian Work Is Where My Heart Is

“I’m not sure whether I follow wars, or wars follow me,” says Project HOPE’s president and CEO, Rabih Torbay. His reference is to the light-hearted banter that his friends engage him in as they have observed his career path. They tease him, but in reality, they all realize the seriousness of the circumstances in which Torbay has lived and worked.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 29th August 2022

How to Choose a Real Estate Agent: 15 Questions You Should Ask

When you’re looking to buy or sell a home, it’s important to have an expert real estate agent by your side. Most people will commit to the first agent they talk to, but that’s not always wise. Remember, this transaction will be one of the most important financial decisions you’ll make.

Project HOPE • 26th April 2019

A ‘Proper Degree’ Saves Babies

The Ebola outbreak of 2014 decimated the already fragile health system in Sierra Leone – many doctors and other health providers died, and others left the country in the wake of the epidemic. Today, there are fewer than 250 doctors serving a nation of 7 million people. This lack of trained health professionals has a devastating impact: Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and infant mortality is approximately 82 per 1,000 births.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 24th August 2022

Celebrate Labor Day Weekend at the DMV’s Favorite Go-To Beaches

For those of us who live in the DMV region, the Atlantic Ocean is our playground. Just a drive away and we can experience spectacular sunrises, fresh seafood, and tons of fun ranging from nature walks to nightlife. While the DMV includes portions of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, the other “DMV” geographic grouping is Delmarva – the East Coast peninsula formed from parts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia where life primarily revolves around the beach.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 15th August 2022

Home Renovations that May Help (or Hinder) Resale Value

Want to get the best bang for your buck when deciding which home projects and renovations will be worth the pay off when it’s time to sell? Choose your projects carefully. Not every home improvement project will boost value – or even get you anywhere near the money you’ve put into it. Some “improvements” may even hinder resale.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 10th August 2022

How to move with a pet

We all understand that moving to a new home is stressful, but for a pet – who just doesn’t understand – moving can be extremely confusing and riddled with anxiety. There are ways, however, to help the process of moving go considerably smoother for your four-legged friends, from choosing a new pet-friendly home to transporting them, and more.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 3rd August 2022

Things to Do in August in the DMV

Celebrate food and fairs and big-time Broadway this August in the DMV area. Events abound in your town or a short drive away. Here are some tourism highlights so you can experience all the nightlife, nature, music, and culture that our region offers.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 17th August 2022

Relocating? Ways to Save Money When Moving

Moving to a new house is exciting, but it can also be stressful, with many moving parts, requiring advanced planning and plenty of checklists. If you’re a homebuyer who has never moved an entire household before, you also might be surprised at how expensive it can be. No matter how you look at it, moving your home’s contents to a new location costs money.

Valley Homes and Style • 18th January 2021

CUT! Costume and the Cinema

Featuring 43 costumes depicting five centuries of style, “Cut! Costume and the Cinema” is on view for the first time in the mid-Atlantic region. Costumes in the exhibition are borrowed from the renowned British costume house Cosprop Ltd. Six of the films featured in this selection have received Academy Award nominations for Best Costume Design.

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 18th July 2022

Best Happy Hour Spots In and Around D.C.

When it’s time to unwind from a stressful workday, our region is teeming with Happy Hour haunts that will brighten your spirits! Some offer a unique venue vibe paired with similarly-themed menus. Some just have downright good deals. Even the most high-brow establishments tend to have special Happy Hour pricing to draw patrons looking kick back after a hard day’s work. Here are some great options, whether you’re wanting to wind down or paint the town!

CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty • 1st August 2022

5 Things Every First Time Homebuyer Needs to Know

So you’re ready to buy your first house? Owning a place of your own is an exciting – and wise – prospect! But the road leading to homeownership can seem daunting: twists and turns and mountains to climb before you’re comfortably settled into “home, sweet home!”

Project HOPE • 27th December 2018

A Grandmother's Journey in Namibia

63-year-old Nora Thomson makes her monthly five-mile walk to the local hospital. She is going blind and takes the tiring trek with 14-month-old great-granddaughter Pemai strapped to her back, but she has little choice. She travels dutifully to secure the life-saving antiretroviral therapy medication (ART) that is essential for her and her grandson, 13-year-old Santi. Both are HIV-positive, so without this medicine they would face sickness and eventually a slow, miserable death.