Greensboro Daily Photo

Friends Homes Inc.

Friends Homes, catering to the 60+ demographic, was founded as a non-profit by the North Carolina Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends (Quakers). Friends Homes Inc. was chartered in 1958, in 1968, opened the New Garden Road facility and in 1993, opened Friends Home West. Both communities try to provide an affordable environment that fosters independence and a sense of wholeness in a secure environment* 

We chose this unit to feature because when we were out walking around, we loved the sense of individualism that radiated from the stepping stones to the dressed cement goose on the patio. If you head out that back door, you can be relatively removed from neighbors and all of the planned and structured events. If you head through the other door, to the interior hallway, you can be as connected as you want. Greensboro has plenty to offer for people at all stages of life.

*reference. 

Books of Knowledge

The Central Branch of the Greensboro Public Library is so much more than a place to check out books. It is a dynamic hub of activity, providing free access to media of all forms. Children use the library after school and on weekends. Young and old alike take advantage of the special programs like book clubs and story time. Two weekends ago, Friends of the Library held their book sale at the Central Branch. Last weekend, the library was involved with the "Día de los Niños" event.  On the May calendar, for next week alone, we counted 72 events in Greensboro's city library system. If you are not doing so already, you should visit the library nearest your house and see just how much they have to offer. While this week is teacher appreciation week, your librarian could use some words of appreciation. They are amazingly helpful people.

This photo shows just how warm,  inviting, and safe it feels in the children's section of the downtown library. Oh, and you can get a great cup of coffee there during your visit.

Bilingual Day of Children... El Día de Niños

Today, from 12:30- 5:00,  is the Día de los Niños Celebration at Festival Park in downtown Greensboro. This is the fifth year for the event for children and their families, especially those from Spanish speaking families or those who want to be in a bilingual atmosphere. Salsa dancers will perform, as will students from the Jones Spanish Immersion Program. The day is filled with dancing, crafts, poetry readings, art activities, music, and so much more.* As with so many of our festivals, IT IS FREE!

In this photo of a crowd scene, downtown, the child in red tennis shoes was entertaining everyone while his family looked on. We hope he is at the event this year, again winning the hearts of onlookers. Head on down and brush up on your Spanish and celebrate reading and literature.

 

 

*Here is the link to the schedule of events, if you are interested. Here is a photo from a previous year. Here is a great photo of the event.

P is for Plants

This past Saturday, an Edible Plant Sale was held in the Edible Schoolyard in the backyard of  the Greensboro Children's Museum. The Edible Schoolyard is a gem of a place that is fun for children and adults alike. As communities make more of an effort to eat local produce and to teach children how food grows from seed to plant to produce to table, events like the Edible Plant Sale bring children one giant step closer to their food source. Our regular readers know that we at GDP urge everyone to plant edible items in their yards and flower beds. Chard and lavender and rosemary make great bed fillers. Blueberry bushes are as beautiful and their non-berry producing counterparts. We hope that the Children's Museum continues to hold the plant sale every spring. They should have families come back late summer and bring their harvested vegetables to sell as a museum fundraiser. 50% to the children and 50% to the museum. The children could use their profits to purchase plants next spring. 

Today is ABC Wednesday, a favorite with many of our readers. "P" is for "plant" in our GO GREEN GREENSBORO series. May you plant many plants this spring and reap the fruits of your labor later this summer, possibly even turn some profit!  Plant, plant, plant.......

Get Fit Guilford

Get Fit Guilford, a service learning event from the Youth Council, was held this past Saturday at the Ragsdale YMCA on High Point Road. Attendees learned about healthy living habits from community resources like Earth Fare, the YMCA, the Children's Museum (with its Edible Schoolyard), and the Vitamin Shoppe. The GCS students involved did a fabulous job of making this event a success. We took this photo of the events in the gym as the day was winding down. By the time we arrived, the majority of the crowd had filtered through and already participated in the informational events and demonstrations. 

Congratulations to everyone who helped make this event a reality and congratulations to everyone who made the effort to attend. Service learning is an opportunity for organizers to learn from participants and participants to learn from organizers. Everybody benefits in service learning events. Guilford County Schools has an easy-to-use way for students to find out about service learning opportunities and to document their involvement online. Let's hope Guilford County just got a little healthier and we can hereby conclude that we got fit, are getting fit, will get fit, and will have gotten fit....

Follow the Turquoise and Orange Road

February 1st Place, a crossover street of Elm Street and stretching from Greene to Davie Streets, just got painted. This little section of street in downtown Greensboro is now a pop up promenade beside the International Civil Rights Museum. This will be a place for people to gather, enjoy food from food trucks and hang out from 6-11 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. The promenade was painted turquoise and orange, representing the seat colors of lunch counter chairs at Woolworth, where the sit-ins were held. Those iconic colors of the 1960's were also the colors of Howard Johnson Restaurants. Turquoise and orange are so old, they're trending again and just perfect for this outdoor gathering space.

What a great idea! We predict that this street will hold special events long after June. For now, follow happenings at Pop Up Promenade's Facebook page! Let's hope it remains a fun, safe place to bring the community together.  Downtown, at dusk, never looked better!

Baseball Town

For not having a professional baseball team, Greensboro has some great baseball viewing opportunities. In the above photo, we see a game in progress at UNCG's baseball stadium. They were playing Appalachian State on April 13th and UNCG won 6-5 after 11 innings. Needless to say, it was a nail biting game.

Just about two miles east, Greensboro has the Grasshoppers and a few miles east of that, NCA&T's team.  For the universities to the pre-collegiate crowd, Greensboro has some great baseball opportunities. From Summerfield to Pleasant Garden, to AAU to the Parks and Rec teams, there is baseball for just about everyone at all levels.

If you haven't been to a game in a while, look up the schedule of your favorite local team and head out for a little nostalgia, Americana, and a great evening of sports. The Grasshoppers are home from tonight through Tuesday and Friday night is fireworks night!

N is for Nature, Nurture, Natural

This past Sunday, the Yanceyville Farmers Curb Market hosted its first plant sale and earth day celebration. Unfortunately, many booths were unfilled and the normal rush of customers were not there. Perhaps attendance was low because it was the day before tax day; perhaps because people are not yet familiar with the event; perhaps because the giant arts and crafts festival was taking place at the coliseum complex; just maybe the event could have benefitted from more advertising. At any rate, we hope that the event continues becaue the plants offered were great and seemed to be a good money value. Plus, vendors were very knowledgeable. One farmer and his wife took the time to explain three different kinds of thyme to us.

We're using the above photo of the event to help with this week's ABC Wednesday post. Today is "N" day for "N" is for nature, nurture, natural. Natural produce helps keep us and the earth healthy and nature is our most important resourse. We must nurture it. From insects to trees and everything in-between, nature keeps us healthy. "N" is the second most commonly used consonant in the English alphabet; second only to "T".  We hope you are doing somethi-N to make today special. We hope the plant/earth day event will happen again next year. In the meantime, if you still need plants, consider the Herb Society's event at the Greek Orthodox Church this Thursday. Here is a write-up from four years ago.

L is for Light, Landfills, and Learning

Today, we bring you a Big Belly smart/solar trash can.*  The one photographed above is located on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in front of the student union. The can on the right, that opens like a mailbox, is the solar operated one. It compacts trash and sends an e-mail alerting the cleaning crew that it needs to be emptied. While the compactors cost about $5,000 per can, they can pay for themselves in labor costs saved by not having to be "checked" by humans. 

It is so wonderful that these cans are located on a university campus. Universities are a place to foment ideas. If we are going to transform education and prepare students to generate new ideas and products to enhance our quality of life, we have to surround them with innovation. Gone are the days when we teach for the future. Today’s expectations are that classrooms impact the present. It takes a blend of good teaching, student motivation, state of the art materials, and authentic, real-world projects to grow these great idea like the Big Belly solar trash compactor.  

We share this photo today as part of our ABC Wednesday, GO GREEN GREENSBORO series. L is such an important LETTER in the green world. L is for life;  living- with minimal environmental impact; lawns- and conserving water;  leaves- that Greensboro collects for mulch;  and land and landfills. Also, L is for LIGHT to compact trash and make it take up LESS space in the LANDFILLS. Finally, L is for the LEARNING that has to take place to make these innovative devices possible.

 

*Amanda Lehmert wrote an informative article about them for the News and Record on April 1st 2012 p. A1 & A6. Her informative article about the cans, located at the downtown greenway, sent us out in search of a smart trash can to photograph!

Food Truck at the Greensboro Children's Museum

Today, we're featuring the King Creole food truck. Yesterday, it was parked outside of the Greensboro Children's Museum, on Church Street, across from the Central Library. Allowing food trucks in downtown Greensboro has been controversial. People who own brick and mortar eating establishments are concerned that these meal mobiles will take away from their stationary eateries. What do you think?

Traffic was heavy all around Greensboro yesterday, perhaps because, for many, it is a three day weekend. Guilford County school students who are on a traditional calendar are celebrating spring break. People were out shopping for groceries and clothing. We hope that King Creole got enough business to make the day worth his while. It is nice to see businesses being successful, whether they are on wheels or solid foundations! The bright red truck sure does look festive in front of the already-colorful  museum.

K is for Kids

The above photo was taken at the tennis courts in Sunset Hills; last year, when it was warm at the end of March. The children look so unencumbered with their absence of shoes and winter garmets.  It is heartwarming to see children enjoying the out of doors. At first glance, you will see a trio of children. Look closer and find the fourth.

Yellow, blooming forsythia in the forground frame the photo and distance the children from the street. Forsythia are flowering plants in the Oleaceae or olive family. Befitting to photograph children with this plant, given the olive branch is a symbol of peace- dating back to the 5th century BC.  As Jews enjoy Passover and Christians prepare to celebrate Easter, let us hope that the world can become more harmonious and peaceful and that children and nature alike can be nurtured. Today is ABC Wednesday;  for this A-Z round, our theme is GO GREEN GREENSBORO and K is for KIDS, happy, healthy kids, playing outside and enjoying nature in all its glory. Peace...

Spring Delayed; Locals Impatient

            In Greensboro, the persistent rains kept many people inside on Sunday. However, on Saturday, a lot of people were out enjoying the day- even though a little snow tried to fall. The above photo captures a scene at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market on Yanceyville Street, a place that is sure to brighten your day and bring a little color into your life, regardless of what mother nature is doing outside.

            For the last two years, spring was in full swing by this time. Not this year. At the moment, winter is lingering and making Ms. Spring wait patiently. She is unable to flaunt her spring greenery, which is almost always breathtaking in Greensboro. A few bold plants such as the pastel flowering hyacinth, golden daffodils,  and milk white pear trees are starting to  blossom. If we are lucky, blueberries and other edibles will a wait a week or two before they start opening. 

            Everyone is anxious for spring to arrive and tired of being cold. Before you know it, we'll all be complaining about the heat. Let's be patient, now. Happy Monday, dear readers.

Diana Al-Hadid at Weatherspoon Art Museum

The above bronze sculpture, by Diana Al-Hadid, is currently on exhibit at the Weatherspoon Art Museum on the campus of UNCG. The photo features Syrian-born, Ohio-raised Al-Hadid's statue of a Florida coed having been melted.

Yesterday, New York art critic and curator Gregory Volk spoke about Al-Hadid's art at the Weatherspoon. This was a culminating event after his meeting with UNCG art faculty and students earlier in the day. Volk says that Al-Hadid's work is mobile in time; looking as if it were unearthed three hundred years ago while at the same time the drippy bronze looking as if it is left over from a post-future catastrophe. Volk says Al-Hadid brings motion to static work. The art represents her state of in-between-ness, between the Middle East and mid-West; with a sense of freedom and a sense of woundesness. He says her art merits repeated viewing; something deeper and more meaningful emerges each time.* The 32-year-old Al-Hadid is in Utah at the moment; however, she was here in February at the opening of the exhibit.

Because Greensboro is a community with many institutions of higher education, we have access to many events free and open to the public. If you get a chance, stop by the Weatherspoon and see what you think about the Al-Hadid exhibit. Some people find it inspiring; some find it depressing.  Go and form your own opinion.  We have the feeling that the next time we see Al-Hadid's work, it will not be at a free museum in our own back yard!

*all loosely quoted.

Knights of Columbus on St. Patrick's Day.......

For today's Sunday-religious post, we're featuring The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal service organization that was founded in Connecticut in 1882. Worldwide, there are nearly two million members of this men's club. The clubs, from local to international, are very involved in philanthrophy; however, at their core is support for the church and its members. When someone dies, the men don full regalia and are there from death to grave to pray for the soul of their departed brother and to assist and console the family*

The Knights of Columbus were founded by an Irish-American Catholic priest, Father Michael J. McGivney. In addition to their rituals, oaths, and prayers, they form a great support system for each other and value their fellowship together. Their motto, "In service to One, in service to all." Social events provide the earthly bonds that stay with members until their transition to the other world.

The above building is the Knights of Columbus branch at 2780 Horse Pen Creek, near St. Paul's Catholic Church. We're betting since today is St. Patrick's Day, there will be a few Irish Catholics hanging around there sporting green outfits. Maybe they'll even find something green to drink. Perhaps, they'll make Horse Pen Creek flow as emerald green as the Chicago River. Today, we'll leave you at the Knights of Columbus and with the following quote by Adrienne Cook, "St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time- a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic. Happy transforming .......

*reference and more informaiton here &  here.

 

 

Warnersville Center

Today's photo was taken at Warnersville Recreation Center, 601 Doak Street, overlooking the community swimming pool. Pools always look so tired and desolate in the wintertime as we look at them, longing for the months when the water will be crystal clear and children will be splashing with delight. Almost everyone can remember where they were when they first learned to swim and we're betting that many children have learned to swim here.

Warnersville Center is located behind Jones Elementary School, in the heart of the Warnersville neighborhood. The center, maintained by the city, offers an afterschool program and many recreational opportunities for the community. Preservation Greensboro reminds us that Warnersville is a community with a deep history, yet they don't have many historic places. They also point out that Warnersville was Greensboro's first suburb when it was established in 1867. The historically African-American community got its start when local Quaker Missionary, Yardley Warner, purchased the land to be subdivided for African American families who had been freed from slavery. In 1965, this neighborhood became the first federally-funded urban renewal project in North Carolina. As African-American history month enters its last week this year, let's wish this historic, historically-black neighborhood a good rest-of-the-year, decade, century........

E is for Education and the Environment

This weekend, we were at Bur-Mil Park and stopped by the Frank A. Sharpe, Jr. Wildlife Education Center. It is conveniently located on the edge of the greenway and along the birding trail. The center is a great place to step in out of the elements- not to mention a place to get a drink of water and use the bathroom. In addition to being a great rest stop, they offer wildlife education programs for people of all ages. Two free classes, particularly relevant to this post, are Growing the Green Way and Living the Wildlife.

The renovated barn, that houses the above education center, was originally owned by Julius W. Cone and was known as the Owl's Roost Farm and Poker Club (reference). Julius was the brother of Clarabel and Etta Cone and son of Herman and Helen Cone. His stepdaughter's husband was local architect Edward Loewenstein. So, yet again, a facet of Greensboro's history takes us back to the prominent Cone family.

If you get a chance, stop by Bur-Mil's Wildlife Education Center. It is a fine example of a free, resource available to all. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our GO GREEN Greensboro, "E" is for 'Education and the Environment'.

Pleasant Garden Drug Store

Continuing with the "sign" theme of Greensboro Daily Photo this week, for today's installment, we bring you Pleasant Garden Drug Store. In business since 1952, they bill themselves as "a modern pharmacy with a small town feel." This family pharmacy is one of those places that seems trapped in the mid-twentieth century. Do not be fooled, one look at their website will tell you that they can fill your prescription online. And, their prices are said to be the lowest in southeast Guilford County. This store, like a hometown hardware store, is one of those places where you can get little odds and ends that you can't find anywhere else. You can probably find some of the old-timey items like eye wash cups and netie pots to vaporizers and Greensboro's own Vicks VapoRub. You can also get state of the art products, too. Best of all, you get great advice from their three pharmacists. And, usually a little neighborhood news is available. It has been a while since we've seen a store sign that said nothing but-- DRUGS.

Welcome to Elon University's Elder Law Clinic

Elon University Law School has been so successful in downtown Greensboro that it is expanding into more buildings. Above is a photo of what has been for years, Clemmons Florist beside the West Market Street United Methodist Church. Now, the building is Elon University Law School's  Elder Law Clinic.  The clinic provides free legal counsel and services to low income residents of Guilford County ages 60 and over. The building is less than a block from the courthouse and very easy access to the main building of Elon Law School.

By the way, Clemmons Florist is still going strong, on Battleground Avenue, across from T.J. Maxx and near Rice Toyota. Likely, a lot of their business is phone and Internet based and the move won't negatively affect them. However, for many, it sure was convenient to walk in and order flowers at Clemmons.

Old Battleground; Old Greensborough; Old Year

As 2012 draws to a close, we leave you with a view of a little bit of open space, Greensboro's version of big sky country, on Old Battleground. The white clouds hover above the old, leafless trees. Down the road is Guilford Courthouse National Miliatry Park. Just beyond is the Yadkin-Atlantic Greenway. This view has remained unchanged since Greensboro became a city in 1808. However, behind us is a new apartment complex and the Battleground/Horse Pen Creek Harris Teeter parking lot. The beauty on the ridge butts up against encroaching modernity. Through programs like the Piedmont Land Conservancy, we are finding ways to preserve land for future generations while building facilities to enhance our city. 

One of the biggest changes to downtown in 2012 was the infill development of 4.2 acres on the edge of Fisher Park. The Greenway Apartments opened on property that had been an auto dealership for the last five decades. Deep Roots Co-op should open in 2013, bringing a much-needed grocery store downtown. Locally, 2012 was also a growth year for the building that several mini-businesses under one roof. Hopefully, the News and Record will feature one of their year-in-review articles.

Thank you for your faithful readership in 2012. Please continue to read in 2013. As you ring in the new year tonight, do not drink and drive. If you see someone who has been drinking, insist they take AAA up on their free Tipsy Tow service. AAA will get you and your vehicle home, members and non-members, as long as you are 7 miles or less from home. Happy New Year's Eve!

Toboggan Time

Downtown at Winterfest, not only do they have ice skating, but also they offer toboggan rides. On the stage side of Festival Park, a small (100 ft.)  ice slide has been added. As seen in the photo, families wait in line to  the sled ride. For many, the incline is too big, for others, it is too small. For many, the ride is "just right." And for those at the just-right age, this little activity is quite a memory maker.  Disc rental is included in the price of the skates.* If you haven't been down to skate yet, today would be a lovely day. From the looks of the scene, secondary colors are all the rage. So, don your best purple, green, and orange gear and come on down!

*more here.

Xtra Xtra, Read All About It

In 1982, a newspaper known by the name News & Record was first delivered to the Greensboro community. However, Greensboro's print journalism history was first made in 1890 with the printing of the Daily Record. The Daily Record was owned at one time by Juilan Price, the man who at one time also owned Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company, making Mr. Price one of the most influential men in the Piedmont during his day. In 1809, the Greensboro Daily News was founded, giving our community a morning and afternoon newspaper. From 1982-1986, the Greensboro community supported two newspapers. In 1986, competing newspapers were gone and The News & Record emerged as the sole daily newspaper for the community. The above facility, a city block of newspaper history, past, present, and future, was completed in 1976, on the site of the old King Cotton Hotel.*

Today is ABC Wednesday and, for this round, we've been featuring neighbohroods. For X, in the absence of an X neighborhood, we're featuring the newspaper. Two-hundred East Market Street, at the corner of Davie St.,  is the "x marks the spot' place from which news radiates to ALL the communities of Greensboro.The newspaper is in every community- in print and digitally.  Thick or thin, the News & Record is an invaluable clearninghouse of news, information, events, and ideas. A newspaper is more than ink, paper, and coupons. It is a community's shared discourse. Papers give communities a common frame of reference and tell us what others deem important and newsworthy. Without a common source of printed information, a community struggles to define itself. As the younger generation goes digitial and seeks out their own, disparate news sources, we need to find a way to keep them informed about what is actually happening in their own community and from the perspective of people in their community- even if they disagree with the views presented. A local paper, printed or digital, grounds us to each other. The News & Record is more than the sum of its parts; it is Greensboro's ANCHOR.

Today is ABC Wednesday and, X is for X-tra X-tra read all about it. We're asking you for a one day moratirium on saying "I saw on FACEBOOK...," and  to use as your conversation starter, "I read in the News & Record, that......"

* reference, here.

See our ABC Wednesday A-W neighborhoods of Greensboro, here.

Fire Station #1

    Here we see the Church Street fire station facility. This is "ground zero" for the fire department.  Fire Station #1 and #2 are both on North Church Street.*  Also, firefighters practice putting out fires in this historic part of town, the area of many of Greensboro's mills and mill villages. In the back, you can see the smokestack for Revolution Mill on nearby Yanceyville Street. Greensboro has over 33 fire companies and 23 fire stations located throughout Greensboro.

    Wintertime is a busy time for firefighters. We all need to be extra careful. Between heating fuel and Christmas decorations, firefighters are kept busy this time of year. If you are a fire station or history buff, you must read this website about Greensboro's former firehouses. In Greensboro and Guilford County, we value our fire fighters, paid as well as our volunteers. The training process is grueling for these everyday heroes.

    Here is our photo of the old central fire station. Here is old firestation #5 on South Mendenhall, built in 1897. Here is the current #5 in all of its glory; #49 on Friendly Avenue; and #17 on Old Oak Ridge Road.

    *If you want to search what city amenities are located where, this map with a drop down menu makes it possible. 

203 South Elm Street

For folks who have lived in Greensboro for a while, a step inside 203 South Elm Street is a trip down nostalgia lane. Above, we see the central staircase of the Elm Street building that was constructed in 1949 for Ellis-Stone, a locally-owned department store. After about eight years (in 1957), Ellis-Stone sold the building to Talheimer's Department Store. Talheimer's also opened a location in Friendly Center, in 1958, and by 1975, the department store era ended downtown and other businesses occupied this building. Now, Elm Street Center is owned by investors who have converted the space into two ballrooms.

Recently, an arts and crafts market was held here and we had a chance to photograph the interior. It looked especially festive with the chandeliers polished, poinsettias well-placed, and the brass railings and marble staircase shiny and polished. Somehow, ascending a staircase seems so uplifting and hopeful. As convenient as it is to shop the new malls, the old ones have so much character. With the success of Elm Street Center, this piece of Greensboro history remains a vibrant and dynamic place- open to the public. If we could gift wrap memories, we would give them for Christmas presents.

My FOX 8 (and Friends) Taping Chanukah Festivities

Local media were out covering Chanukah festivities in Center City Park on Sunday. Above, photojournalist Brian Rainey works diligently taping the event. We were so impressed at the demeanor of the all the camera people from the different news chanels. They found a way to get their needed footage, yet making room for all of the amateurs (like us) wandering through the crowd. Hats off to the journalists, photo/video/print, who keep us informed and help maintain a sense of community. Speaking of hats, the man in the background, wearing the Menorah hat, is Ivan Saul Cutler, a local journalist and blogger. His plush Menorah brought quite a smile to children and adults alike.

At the top, as if overseeing everything, is the Lincoln Financial Building (formerly Jefferson Standard & Jeferson Pilot) blinking the time and temperature at sunset. We didn't see Brian's final footage on Fox 8 this week; however, we want to thank him and his co-workers for covering these community events. It makes a difference.

Happy Chanukah

Yesterday was a busy day of Chanukah festivities in downtown Greensboro. Above, a children's group from B'nai Shalom Day School was singing Chanukah songs at Center City Park. Chanukah began Saturday evening and will end the evening of Sunday, December 16th. Between now and then, families will be busy lighting another branch of the Menorah each night and remembering their religious history with a mixture of communal and family-based activities. Fried foods are eaten to show the importance of oil. Some people play dreidel games and exchange small gifts; however, Chanukah is not a "Sabbath-like" holiday and most people continue to go to school and work.

Yesterday's event in Center City Park followed one at the Heirloom Chanukah Menoras Lighting at the Greensboro Historical Museum, an event sponsored in partnership with the Greensboro Jewish Federation. Families scrambled to finish up the festitivies in the museum to make it to the park in time to continue the festivities.

Since the arrival of Jewish families in the late 1800's, Greensboro's Jewish community has played a prominent and significant role is making our community the great place it is today. Greensboro seems to aspire to respect the inherent worth and dignity of all citizens. If you were to listen to a family lighting the Menorah during Chanukah, likely, you would hear the following: 

1. Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.

1. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai Eh-lo-hei-noo Meh-lech Ha-olam A-sher Ki-deh-sha-noo Beh-mitz-vo-tav Veh-tzi-va-noo Leh-had-lik Ner Cha-noo-kah.

2. Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.

2. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai Eh-lo-hei-nu Meh-lech Ha-olam Sheh-a-sa Nee-sim La-avo-tei-noo Ba-ya-mim Ha-hem Bee-z’man Ha-zeh*

Let's hope the light continues to shine for a very long time.

* http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/603798/jewish/Chanukah-Guide.htm

 

Downtown Greensboro Makes Ready

To make ready to do something is an expression commonly heard from the older generation, especially those speaking the dialects of rural North Carolina. Well, downtown Greensboro is making ready to celebrate First Friday and the Festival of Lights this evening. From 6-9 pm, the city will be wall to wall people ushering in the holiday season. Many streets will be open to pedestrian traffic only as the event is so well attended. Here is our photo from last year's lighting of the city's holiday tree. The above photo (camera phone, sorry) features WXII Chanel 12 News getting ready to feature Elm Street on the news.

Whether you are alone or with a passel of friends, you will not regret getting out and seeing our city donning its Sunday best. Musicians will line the streets, galleries will have great art and snacks to share, restaurants will have great specials. Rumor has it that the folks at Design Archives are donning their over-the-top Christmas sweaters. You really, really should consider wearing one yourself. They are GREAT conversation starters. We'll be roaming the streets in search of the perfect holiday photo. So, S-M-I-L-E and say "Greensboro" and, with your rounded, open mouth, you'll look like you are a caroler, caught mid-song!  We're READY.

Finally, our unique, original, treasure of a theatre, Triad Stage, is in need of a little holiday "greenery." If you get a chance, drop a little in their virtual bucket. Or, if you happen to walk by, consider stopping in and giving them some holiday cheer-- and get a tax deduction while you are at it. 

                                                                          

 

Happy 85th Birthday, Carolina Theatre

Last night, hundreds of people braved the winds of Hurricane Sandy to watch and celebrate the premiere of Paula Damasceno's documentary film about the Carolina Theatre. Carolina 85 features the glamourous as well as the rocky history of the theater. At the time it opened on October 31st, 1927, the 2,200-seat Carolina Theatre was the showcase of the Carolinas. In the documentary, one patron called it, a "palace for the poor." People could go and bask in the "light of the dark" to enjoy a movie. Damasceno documents the theater's transformation from a seggreated venue to one one that embraces diversity. The film documents the theater's many other obstacles, including surviving the decline of downtown Greensboro, financial struggles, structural setbacks, and extensive fire damage. 

The above photo features the reception and partaking of the birthday cake onstage, at the conclusion of the documentary. All were invited to the afterparty, a befitting gesture appropriate for Damasceno's humble demeanor. She made it clear that, for her, "The community, who support this theater, make it beautiful." Thank you, Paula Damasceno, and all involved, for documenting the history of one of Greensboro's cultural treasures. In the above photo, Damasceno, second from the left, has her right arm extended in conversation with an attendee (quite possibly the youngest) who was extremely interested in film.

                                                                    

Sailing on Oak Hollow Lake

    We wonder how we've lived in the Greensboro area for nearly two decades and never known about the local sailing and boating scene. We've spent a great deal of time around Greensboro's Lakes Higgins, Townsend, Brandt, and Jeanette; however, somhow we haven't spent much time on the water near High Point. Last week, we were at Oak Hollow Lake just marveling at all of the people on the water with sailboats. The sight was breathtaking and a photographer's dream. 

    

    The 850 acre lake is next to a 1,500 acre park with a marina that has been open to the public since 1972. There is golf, a picnic area, fishing, sailing classes, and so much more.  The Oak Hollow Yacht Club is a public club and they hold regatta's the third weekend of every month. We must have been in the midst of the boat launching for the regatta when all of these beautiful sail boats (above) started dotting the shoreline. The yacht club held their first annual "Soak at the Oak" Regatta this past may. Perhaps we can all train and be ready for the one next spring. There is even a local radio control and model yacht sailing club that uses Oak Hollow Lake. If you are local, you will want to head down to Skeet Club Road and take advantage of this great, public recreation facility. 

    For our language loving friends, we found an A-Z dictionary (actually A-Y) of sailing/yachting terms. Why don't you click through and see just how many you know....... abaft, coaming, gunwale, lazarette, nautical mile, thwartships, tiller... tempted yet?

Food Truck Festival

Greensboro's Food Truck Festival, held yesterday on Spring Garden Street, was a giant success. The above photo shows only a small corner of the festival and, as you can see, it was truck-to-truck people waiting patiently in line to sample some of Greensboro's delicacies served out of windows. From tacos to turkey to crêpes, there was something for everybody.

Since it was the first time the festival was held, the city must not have known how much traffic to expect. The area could have benefitted from a closed off street or two- like Saturday's nearby Tate Street Festival. Also, the event could have used more places to sit and another dozen or so food trucks- as the wait in line was extremely long. Of course having the cooperation of Mother Nature, as well as the Central Carolina Fair and the Hispanic Heritage Celebration both right around the corner, likely contributed to the turnout. Additionally, social media breathed great life into Greensboro's inagural Food Truck Festival.*  In addition to enjoying the food, attendees seemed pleased to explore this end of town. Lets hope the local brick and mortar shops will continue to see increased business once the food trucks have pulled back their awnings and rolled on home.

Spring Garden @ Chapman has a lot to offer!

*Follow the blog for Greensboro's food trucks, here.

 

Guilford College Woods

The sign, labeled Guilford College Woods, greets visitors and residents of Jefferson Gardens. This is the sign and view as you enter the limited-access neighborhood featured on GDP earlier in the week. Herein, you will find the bucolic home of Mr. Crow and Mr. Turkey. The historical marker says it all about a part of Greensboro that has been making history since the early 1700's. 

North Carolina's historical marker program is one of the oldest in the United States. The first marker to be put in place through the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program was in Granville County in 1936. Now, the markers are in every county; in all, over 1,400 are in place.* We like the above marker because there is ample opportunity to get out of your car and read it. Some markers are alongside such traffic-dense areas that you would risk your life if you stopped to read them.  Do you take the time to read historical markers? Do you have a favorite one? Here is one on the other side of the Guilford College campus.

Well, the weekend is upon us which means we get to go out exploring Greensboro again. Who knows, we just may pull up in your neighborhood. If only we could be like the Publishers Clearinghouse Prize Patrol and show up with a million-dollar check!

*go here to learn more about North Carolina's historical marker program.

The UNCG Community Gardens

Saturday was a work day at the University of North Carolina Greensboro's Community Gardens on McIver Street. The gardens were established Fall 2010. The garden started with about 18 raised beds and has grown to around fifty. While each plot is a mere 4X8', with careful planning, a great deal can be planted. Susan Andreatta, Associate Professor of Anthropology, and Guy Sanders, Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life, oversee the project. Dr. Andreatta brings twenty five years in the study of farming systems and work with community gardens to the project. UNCG's Garden Club members are also very involved in this initiative.

Noteworthy is the involvement of UNCG's Dining Services employees at the UNCG Community Garden. They maintain nine of the nearly fifty plots and have actually been able to use harvested items- especially herbs, chard, watermelon, mixed greens, and cherry tomatoes-  for special events. 

Saturday's workday brought a great mix of people from the UNCG community. From faculty and staff to students, from people who have a specific plot to people who simply wanted to give of their time to some folks who were "doing" time for course requirements, there were people from all walks of life. Even those who were initially less than enthusiastic gained a greater appreciation of working together to provide a local food source.

Hopefully, all of the cold weather greens that were planted on Saturday will like this rain we've had in Greensboro and produce vegetables soon. It's still not too late to get some cabbage and mixed greens in the ground. And, if you have as little as a square foot plot of soil, you can grow produce.

Read more here.

Latin Roots at Earthworks Gallery

Last Friday was hopping at First Friday in Downtown Greensboro. The above photo was taken at the opening reception for the exhibit "Latin Roots" at Earthworks Gallery. The exhibit celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month. Last week's music and the month-long exhibit are made possible in part by Casa Azul, an organization that is the catalyst for many great events celebrating Latino culture in the wider Greensboro area. Earthworks Gallery, the event's host, is located at 500 South Elm Street, just across the tracks from the Cascade Saloon Building- the one that has been so much in the news lately.

The man on the left side of this photo, Jim Rientjes, is one of the proprietors of Earthworks. Jim is a very talented potter and he works day and night to ensure that the potters, jewlers, and other artists at Earthworks are represented well. We own pottery made by several of the artists represented here.

If you get a chance, stop and show your support for Earthworks, Casa Azul, and the artists involved in the Latin Roots Exhibit. Items are available for purchase at all price points. Look for the display with the papel picado.  And, as for getting all that visual stimulation- priceless.

Latino Credit Union

North Carolina has a thriving Latino population. Since the 1980's, our Latino population has grown from less than half a percent to almost 8 1/2 percent and we have more more agricultural guest workers than any other state in the US. As of May 2012, there were nearly 100,000 registered Latino voters in North Carolina.* Is it any wonder that there is a  COOPERATIVA LATINO Credit Union in North Carolina? Our branch office is located at 2410 Randleman Road, in the southern, more rural, end of the county.

The above photo was taken at Greensboro's festival for children last April, "El día de los niños." The event attracted families of many different ethnicities. Most people from elsewhere don't realize the diversity of the population in our great city.... in our great state. The number of languages, spoken in homes here, is approximately 180.

That the 2012 Democratic Convention was held in Charlotte sends indicates that politicans realize the importance of the ethnic minorities in our state. That we have a credit union to help Spanish-speaking residents save, borrow, and transmit funds is evidence that Greensboro is trying to meet the needs of all residents.

Today is First Friday. Consider taking a little bit of cash out of that Cooperativa Latino Credit Union- or wherever you bank- and heading downtown.....

 

* reference here.

End Polio Worldwide

The above sign, "End polio worldwide," is sponsored by Rotary District 7690 (Piedmont area, Rotary Zone 33). If you read their website, District 7690 seems really involved in fostering world peace and in helping young people become more globally minded. The polio campaign is particularly poignant in Greensboro as we had a polio hospital in the late 1940's (featured on GDP here & here). While there are vaccines against polio, once contacted, there is no cure for this crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease. The World Health Organization spearheads the Global Eradication Initative; however, organizations, like our local Rotary chapter, are also involved. While polio is much less of an issue worldwide than it was at the height of the epidemic in 1952, it still occurs in other parts of the world. In 2012, there were 1,352 reported cases. We're getting there......

We have a closeup of the above sign that is easier to read; however, we love the way you can see its location along West Market Street, heading toward town. West Market Street is so built up and commercial, it is easy to forget that Greensboro still has a lot of "green" and probably looks fairly lush to those who live in areas of drought. If you stay on Market Street for the several miles to town, then continue on it through town, and then drive a few miles down East Market Street, you will find yourself very close to Greensboro's old polio hospital.

 

GTCC on East Wendover at Burlington Road

If you haven't been out East Wendover Avenue lately, you won't believe how it has changed. Gone is that rural feel of being way beyond the outskirts of Greensboro, and the area continues to get more built up. In the above photo, you can see the East Wendover campus of Greensboro Technical Community College (GTCC) in all its glory. The campus is comprised of four buildings on 69 acres. This campus provides many useful trade programs: architectural technology, machining technology, manufacturing technology, industrial systems technology, turfgrass technology (just about "technology" everything); plus, paralegal studies, plumbing, residential carpentry, and so much more.

The main building, featured in this photo, is GTCC's first LEED-certified, "green" building. It is 45,000 square feet of total energy efficiency.  Watch this short little video clip if you want to take a peek inside. Greensboro is very proud of GTCC as it provides such an important community service. It is a way for people to continue their postsecondary education affordably and without having to leave home. If you peek at the street signs at the top of the photo, you can see that this campus of GTCC is located at the precise point where Wendover Avenue "changes" to Burlington Road.

Fire Station Number 17

While visiting the Cardinal neighborhood last weekend, we noticed Fire Station # 17, located at the corner of Old Oak Ridge Road and Murfield Drive. We thought for sure it would be called Cardinal Station. However, upon closer inspection, we noticed that it is the Guilford College Station. We learned quickly, Greensboro does not name fire stations for neighborhoods. They have numbers.* (Although we did have the old central station).  As we commenced researching this post, an interesting story followed.

From 1946- 2001, Greensboro Fire Department and Guilford College Fire Department were two separate entities**  and Guilford College was one of North Carolina's first rural fire departments. Previously, the above station was part of the Guilford College Fire Department and it was located elsewhere. In 2000, this station was relocated, for the FOURTH time to its current facility at 6405 Old Oak Ridge Road. This last move was made necessary with the construction of the Fed Ex facility. In 2001, it merged with Greensboro Fire Department. If you are interested, the facility has several plaques on the front of the station documenting names and dates. How wonderful that Station #17 has archived its history, in bronze no less.

If this firehouse forum is correct, the Greensboro Fire Department was the first to earn a class 1 rating in the US. Not many, paid or volunteer, have this designation. They say, for those who are person enough, it is a GREAT place to work! 

* see number 5 here.

** more local fire department history here and  here and State fire department history here.

Kids Path

Today, we are featuring another rainbow. The above mural adorns the wall of the children's activity room on the main floor of Kids Path. Kids Path was founded by Hospice and Pallative Care in Greensboro as a place to care for seriously ill and grieving children. They provide supportive services for children and their families, helping them cope with illness and loss. The facility, open since 2001, is located at 2504 Summit Avenue. On the outside and inside alike, the atmosphere is soothing and visually appealing. 

Artists Hannah Mathis and Mike Gaydon painted the above mural and it is even more beautiful in person that in this photo. The more you look at it, the more details you see. Exactly four months ago, GDP reader Nita Fleming asked if we would feature the above mural. Nita, thank you so much for making us aware of, not only this beautiful artwork, but also this community resource that provides such an important service for our community.

The rainbow is a spectrum of light that connects earth to the heavens, not unlike the work of the very dedicated staff at Kids Path. 

Delta Airlines @ PTI in GSO

Here we see a McDonnell-Douglas 88, the last variant of the MD-80 series. This Delta Airlines plane is parked at Lindley Field in Greensboro (GSO). Likely, this 155 seater is headed to Atlanta, Delta's main hub. Since Northwest Airlines and Delta merged, we see a lot more of the latter in Greensboro and the "old redtails" have been repainted. US Air transports the most people to and from Greensboro and Delta is second in passengers carried.

In the background, on the top right, you can see TIMCO Aviation Services peeking out from behind the jetway. They have a 600,000 square foot aircraft maintenance facility in Greensboro. TIMCO, established in 1990, is headquartered in Greensboro. Along with TIMCO and FedEx, DELTA, USAirways and all of the other carriers provide great resources for Greensboro. 

This photo reminds us of Delta's old advertising campaign. "We love to fly and it shows." 

Widening Highway 220

This is the view of the point where the Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway comes to a screeching halt.... for now. Once the widening of Highway 220 is complete, the greenway will extend under 220 to the north of the old railroad bed, just north of Summerfield Elementary School. It will continue on NC Highway 150 West. For now, the best a trail-user can do is to turn around and enjoy the greenway in the opposite direction. When we were on the greenway (on the Fourth of July), this location was a birdseye view of the current construction process. We were enjoying a federal holiday; the construction workers were working tirelessly to meet completion deadlines.

With protected watershed areas nearby, this project has been a complicated one. Great care is being taken to ensure that the lakes are impacted minimally. Greensboro, while known for being green, doesn't have large lakes and is without a major river.*  We value every drop of water that we DO have. If you are local and want to take a drive the weekend, head up North Battleground on Highway 220. You just might not recognize it! Happy Friday, dear readers.

*read about the Haw River here and the tiny Deep River doesn't have a Wiki site (yet).

Ode to Joy

This photo was taken during MUSEP at Guilford College last Sunday. Dougherty's organic installation of sticks twisted into a maze of little rooms creates hours of endless summer fun for children and adults alike. You need to see it to believe it. The mountain of sticks looks different from every angle (see a different view here and here). These girls were running in and out squealing in great delight. Today's title, "Ode to Joy" seemed so appropriate for the moment. 

Ode to Joy, is a lyrical verse written by German author/scholar Friedrich Schiller in 1785. He wrote it to celebrate the brotherhood and unity of all mankind- inspired by a friendship he held dear.* We know Ode to Joy best as the final movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, completed in 1824 and used for many purposes since then. The girls, blurry from being in motion and playing tag, remind us that nothing matters more than friendship and the love of family and friends. We hope that your summer, whether you are in Greensboro or beyond, is nothing short of an ode to joy!

*reference.