Life + Culture

Adoptable

Nonprofit of the Month Sponsored by Artisan Masonry & Granite Article by Valerie Merrick | Photography by Photography Courtesy of Adoptable Many people share the sentiment that a house isn’t a home without the presence of the people you love. But what happens when you’re unable to grow your family the traditional way? That’s what Emily Vrzak—local Rockwall resident, founder, and executive director of Adoptable—found herself thinking about back in 2018 when she was diagnosed with infertility...

Life + Culture

Good Human of the Month

From Pom-Poms to the Heimlich: A Teen’s Quick Thinking Saves a Toddler’s Life Article by Valerie Merrick | Photography by Photography Courtesy of Tyra Winters It was 2019, the day of the Rockwall High School Homecoming Parade, and the cheerleaders were nearly finished with their route. People were cheering, candy was being thrown. In the words of Tyra Winters, a 17-year-old Rockwall High School senior and cheerleader captain at the time, it was a bit chaotic. Tyra recalls, “Suddenly, my...

Home + Design

Rock Your Personal Home Style!

Transform Your Space with Natural or Engineered Stone Countertops Article by Kat Hough | Photography by Photography Courtesy of Artisan Masonry While masonry is the craft of giving shape and structure to a building using brick or stone and mortar, it’s often the stone we find inside that we notice most. Valued for their inherent beauty and durability, stone countertops are a central feature in any home design. While materials such as granite or marble are timeless options, quartzite and quartz...

Home + Design

DIY—Or Not

Knowing When to DIY Your Home Project Versus When to Call in the Experts Can Make All the Difference Article by Fatima Durrani | Photography by Photography Courtesy of Rustic Renovations Ever start an exciting home project with all the vigor in the world? You buy new tools, ask ChatGPT for finished images of your dream vision, and proceed full steam ahead. Then somewhere in the middle, you realize you don’t have the capacity nor the knowledge to undertake it all. We asked Michele and Glenn...

Home Services

Blowing Hot Air

Tips to Avoid Being Taken Advantage of by HVAC Companies Article by No Sweat Experts | Photography by Photography Courtesy of Allison Amores Photography Heating and air-conditioning systems are essential to home comfort, but they are also complex and expensive. Unfortunately, that can make homeowners vulnerable to dishonest practices by HVAC contractors. Some pressure customers into replacing entire systems when a simple repair would suffice, claim that parts are unavailable, or repeatedly...

Life + Culture

Boy Meets Cow

A Local Farmer’s Kindness Creates a Priceless Memory Article by Deborah Dove | Photography by Kacey Borrman: Top Knot Photography When Amanda Ravetta posted on Rockwall’s Facebook page asking for recommendations on where to love on Highland cows, she hoped to find a farm experience she could buy as a Christmas gift for her 12-year-old son, Eli, who has Down syndrome. “Eli has loved cows since before he could walk,” Amanda says.  “His entire room is cow themed, and his first sentence was ‘I...

Home Services

Local Experience

Discover local gems, create memories, and embrace authentic community experiences. Article by Deborah Dove Elite Diamond Cleaning – (214) 300-9875 or elitediamondcleaning.com/ Treat your home to a professional and detailed spring clean to get all those hard-to-miss areas that accumulate dirt over time. Nothing says spring like sparkling bathroom fixtures, a freshly deep-cleaned kitchen, and spotless floors. The AB Effect – (972) 849-5324   Do messy drawers, disorganized closets, and...

Arts + Culture

Rockwall County Historical Foundation

Nonprofit of the Month Sponsored by Artisan Masonry and Granite Article by Valerie Merrick | Photography by Photography Courtesy of the Rockwall County Historical Foundation Tucked inside Harry Myers Park, the Rockwall County Historical Foundation Museum offers visitors something increasingly rare: a chance to slow down and connect with the stories that shaped the place they call home. Operated by the Rockwall County Historical Foundation, the museum is a living reminder that local history is...

Arts + Culture

Artist of the Month

An Inspirational Conversation with Children’s Author Janette Wold Article by Ayesha Durrani | Photography by Andrea Carr: Andrea Elizabeth Photography WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS? Children’s books were my first doorway into possibility. They were colorful, comforting, and full of messages that stayed with me even as I grew up. I wanted to write stories that feel the same way for today’s kids—playful, wise, and full of heart. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR THE...

Finance + Legal Services

A Love Letter of Care

Protecting the Ones God Has Entrusted to You Article by Wesley Davis | Photography by Adeline Merrick: Merrick Multimedia When I became a husband and, later, a father, I began to understand love in a new way. Not just the emotional side but the kind that looks ahead, prepares, and quietly protects your family long before they ever know they need protecting. Estate planning, for me, has become one of the clearest ways to live out that kind of love. It’s not dramatic or glamorous. No one...