HOSPICE
GARDENING IN CONTAINERS
ADVERTISING
LOVING HANDS PODIATRY
Author by Lauryn Forbes
Photograph by Tracey M. Connor
For Dr. Lavergne Andre, Loving Hands Podiatry is more than just a name. As a dedicated podiatrist of almost four decades, her innovative and personal model of care has touched many. Inspired by a course in her schooling that focused on community podiatry, she endeavored to pursue community-based care, foregoing the typical office life of a physician.
Through the years, Loving Hands Podiatry’s mission has remained clear: to keep people walking and comfortable. “Our goal is to keep people walking, or if they’re no longer walking, just to make them comfortable,” she says. As a onewoman operation, the practice handles a wide range of podiatric needs, from thick or ingrown toenails to bedsores.
While her practice caters to a broad age range, the elderly make up a significant portion of her patients. “Currently, my biggest clientele base are elderly people. I have seen people from a child that was one year old, all the way up to people that are 108,” she notes. Despite the focus on the elderly, she emphasizes that her services are for anyone. “When people hear house calls, they think, ‘Oh, I have to be elderly. I have to be bedridden. I have to be wheelchair-bound’ But no, that’s not the case,” she says.
Loving Hands Podiatry is also at the forefront of using advanced, non-invasive treatment techniques to manage conditions that can otherwise significantly impact quality of life. The practice offers innovative therapies like laser treatment for conditions such as neuropathy, a condition that can cause numbness, tingling, and even lead to serious injuries if left untreated. “Neuropathy is a condition in which the peripheral nerves, or the nerves that are on the skin, die, and a person is no longer able to feel where they are walking,” she explains. These laser treatments offer a safer and more effective solution.
One of the key differentiators of Loving Hands Podiatry is the time and attention given to each patient. “I’m not one of those people that goes in and spends 5, 10, minutes, 15 minutes on a patient. I make sure everything is done. I take my time. It’s whatever the patient wants done. I make sure that’s taken care of,” she emphasizes. “I make sure that when I leave, my patients not only feel better physically but also have peace of mind knowing that they’re receiving the best possible care,”
Gardening in CONTAINERS
The secret is out. Container gardening is fun, easy and rewarding. Think of all the creative possibilities!
Container gardening is the perfect way to exercise your green thumb whether you live in a house with a yard, a patio home, or a condo with a balcony.
Think beyond garden beds and create captivating containers, filled with lush color and fascinating texture.
• Create a traffic-stopping pot of color to place by your front door.
• Hang baskets of billowing blooms from the balcony or around the patio.
• Fill a window box to enjoy as part of your kitchen window.
Container gardening lets you add visual interest anywhere you want to draw the eye or direct traffic. Container gardens provide focal points that grab attention and screen the unsightly.
More than likely, every gardener, no matter how large or small the garden plants containers of some kind. For some people their entire garden is containers. Proven Winners® is known for having great combination planter ideas and there are hundreds of container garden recipes available for browsing on our website. However, you may also want to design your own container gardens. This is one of a series of articles on designing container gardens.
The first thing to consider when you start designing your container garden is color. There are a number of different ways to combine colors in a combination planter. I will cover the main categories of color combination, in this article.
The easiest container to design is the mono-crop or mono-culture container. This is simply choosing a single variety for your container, although more than one plant may be used to fill the pot. It couldn’t be simpler and it doesn’t have to be boring. Mono-culture plantings are great for highlighting a great piece of pottery or creating a solid pop of color. When planning a mono-culture it is important to choose a plant that has staying power and will fill your container well.
Spire Architecture, a dynamic local architectural firm, has been creating unique and thoughtfully crafted spaces for the past 12 years. As a dedicated team of five, they’ve successfully completed a wide range of residential projects, from small renovations to employing the high-level engineering required to build waterfront homes. Co-founders Craig Martin and Kurt Shepard, both experienced professionals with independent firms before founding Spire Architecture, bring their complementary skills and passion for design to every project, large or small.
From the start, Spire Architecture has aimed to offer more than just basic design services. The firm’s projects span the residential spectrum, with a notable focus on mid- to high-end homes. It may seem easy to do a cookie-cutter design as quickly and as cheaply as possible, but what Spire Architecture focuses on is much more meaningful.
“These spaces are places where you’re going to have a family and raise your kids”, Craig says.
“These are spaces where life happens.”
Their customer base is diverse, with clients ranging from those needing a simple garage addition to those seeking a complete home redesign - even constructing from the ground up. “We like to consider ourselves open to any client, any size project,” Craig says. This flexibility combined with their connections as well as an openness to working with a variety of budgets and project types set Spire Architecture apart in an industry often dominated by larger and more selective firms.
In addition to their work in residential design, Spire Architecture has also worked on several small commercial projects, including various Annapolis restaurants as well as a church. However, residential design remains their primary focus.
As the team looks to the future, Spire Architecture has over 70 active projects in the work including some exciting waterfront properties. Whether they take three months or three years, these projects will be a testament to the firm’s patience, craftsmanship, and approach to creating spaces that not only meet clients’ needs but also reflect their lifestyles and values.
Spire Architecture prides itself on making highquality design accessible to a broader audience, dispelling a common misconception. “Architecture is not an investment only for those with a lot of money,” Craig says. “We want to be the architect for everybody – if they want good design and live authentically, we can help.”
For those considering a renovation, their advice is simple: have a vision and get an expert opinion. “One of the things that we do early in our process without a whole lot of financial commitment is look at a project together,” he says. “What is your vision? What do you want to achieve, and how can this be achieved?” He asserts that it’s important to explore all options and ideas before making a financial decision. For this reason, they offer a consultation service.
With their diverse and personal approach to design, Spire Architecture continues to shape the landscape of residential architecture in Annapolis and beyond, making it clear that great design is for everyone.
BUILDING LEGACIES: THE MISSION OF REAL LEGACY REALTY
REALTOR DERRICK NORRIS HAS SERVED DC, MARYLAND, AND VIRGINIA SINCE 2015, OPENING HIS OWN BROKERAGE IN 2019 TO HELP THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY CREATE THEIR OWN LEGACY THROUGH REAL ESTATE AND GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
Article by Alyson Turner
Photography by Tracey Connor
When it comes to real estate, it’s more than buying and selling homes—it’s about building something far greater: a lasting legacy. As the founder of Real Legacy Realty, opened in 2019, Derrick Norris has woven this philosophy and a deep commitment to community into the very foundation of his business.
A LEGACY ROOTED IN FAMILY AND EDUCATION
“My father was a realtor,” Norris says, “He said to me while I was in college, ‘Son, this real estate thing is going to be wonderful.’ It wasn’t just about transactions for him; it was never about sales. It was about the experience he offered people.”
Taking his father’s advice to heart, Norris pursued his real estate license after college, quickly discovering his love for the process. “I am a process person,” he says. “If I can do something and understand the first, second, and third steps of it, I know I can help others do the same.”
Real Legacy Realty was born out of this passion, as well as the deep respect Norris had for his father, who had inspired him to take this path. “I named my brokerage Real Legacy Realty because of the legacy my dad left for me and my family,” he explains. “I strive to help others earn generational wealth. I want to help others build real legacies—not just for themselves, but for their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren [and beyond].”
MORE THAN JUST A TRANSACTION
For Norris, helping a client buy a home isn’t just about securing a piece of property—it’s
about securing a future. He asks each client, “‘What vision do you have for your family or yourself?’ It’s not just about how many bedrooms or bathrooms you need. I ask additional questions: Do you want privacy? Do you want to entertain your friends or your neighbors? What kind of environment do you envision? I meet my clients where they are, reassuring, motivating, and inspiring them along the way.”
One client experience that stands out to Norris is that of a single mother who reached out
Hospice of cHesapeake
This philosophy not only applies to patients but also extends to caregivers, who often experience stress and even health challenges while supporting their loved ones. Miller stressed that their commitment is to care for life throughout the entire journey with illness and loss—not just at the beginning or end but through every stage. The “hope and healing” initiative is a way to make this journey as positive and supportive as possible for everyone involved. Miller, who has worked in the non-profit sector of hospice and palliative care for the last 25 years, was first introduced to hospice care as a patient care volunteer, caring for a woman in her 80s who was dealing with extensive cancer. Through this experience, Miller grasped the importance of connecting with your patient at a human level and understood that she could make a difference in their lives. “These are everyday people who are dealing with extraordinary circumstances,” she said. “Why would I not help?”
As a former volunteer, Miller recognizes the role that volunteers play in hospice care. “The volunteers always have been, and always will be at the heart of the hospice care.” The organization has hundreds of active volunteers who help with the operations of the hospice including patient care, administrative work, integrative arts, outreach and fundraising. With the help of these volunteers, the organization offers various integrative programs—such as pet therapy, Compassionate Touch, aromatherapy, reiki and music therapy—that help to alleviate anxiety and provide comfort and peace. The goal is to bring a compassionate, whole-person approach to care, helping patients understand their illness’s progression while empowering them and their families to focus on what truly matters. Through these supportive services and the involvement of volunteers and community members, the Hospice of the Chesapeake clinical team can focus on patient-centered care that honors their wishes, their hopes, and what they envision as the best ending to their life.
seeks to encourage people to seek care earlier in their illness’s journey, allowing for a longer period of support that can foster healing—even if a cure is not possible. “Everyone can heal, even if they can’t be cured,” Miller said, highlighting that healing encompasses emotional, psychological, and even spiritual growth, as much as it does physical care.
In every interaction, the Hospice of the Chesapeake strives to fulfill its mission by offering the tools, guidance, and compassionate care that help patients and their families find moments of peace, comfort, and resilience. “We’re here to care for life throughout the journey—not just at the beginning or the end, but all the way through, with hope and healing at the center,” Miller said.