Anne Ortiz's (anneortiz) Blog

After a long winter for many of us, Spring is lurking in the not too distant future.  Gardening is one of those warm weather activities that brings relaxation and beauty to our lives.  However, a gardening task for the dormant season is pruning.  Care and proper maintenance of trees and shrubs is...

It may not be Hollywood, but Cobb County Georgia will host a night of fanfare and glitz - and all for a very good cause.  On Sunday, February 27, The Center for Family Resources (CFR) will host Atlanta's only officially-sanctioned Oscar Night® America party. The fundraiser will return to Cobb Ene...

I hate to break the news to Northerners, but this week in Georgia has been glorious.  With daytime temperatures hovering between 60-70 F., I have actually been able to walk my otherwise frozen beagles in Kennesaw National Park.  The trails are many and packed with both two and four legged hikers....

It was refreshing to see optimism in a statement issued by the National Association of Home Builders last week.  Nationwide housing affordability during the fourth quarter of 2010 rose to its highest level in the 20 years since it has been measured, according to the latest National Association of...

What can compare with sitting in front of a crackling fire while sipping a warm beverage on a cold winter night with friends or family? Many of us have and will continue to enjoy this experience for the last few weeks of winter.  To avoid unexpected and unwelcome mishaps that could ruin such a ga...

With ever-rising energy costs, it makes sound economic sense to determine where you can cut energy consumption for your home.  Many parts of the country are experiencing an especially cold winter, so it pays to evaluate your home for energy leaks.  Review these points to uncover possible areas fo...

Considering all the precautions we take to keep our homes safe and our families healthy, one of the most dangerous threats to our well being is often undetected.  Many homes contain unhealthy levels of radon gas. Radon is an odorless, colorless radioactive gas, which is formed by the natural brea...

Priced to Sell - Gorgeous Upgrades - Inside I-285 - $259,999 Shows like a Model and Priced Well Below Appraisal! Eat-In Gourmet Kitchen with Stainless Steel Appliances and Granite Countertops is Open to Fireside Family Room. Relax in the Inviting Master Suite with Spacious Sitting Area. Upstairs ...

As the home buying season approaches, thoughts turn to those repairs, upgrades and aesthetic improvements that will give a home an edge in this competitive market.  Yes, fresh paint, carpeting and furniture arrangement can help to capture buyers.  Why not take it a step further by getting a home ...

    Although the groundhog predicted an early Spring, we still have over a month of winter left.  So far the season has been unusually cold and snowy across much of the nation.  Exposure to extreme elements of nature such as this can take a toll on your home.  That impressive formation of ice alo...