Greensboro Daily Photo

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.

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....

31st International Festival at UNCG

Sunday's 31st International Festival, held on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, was such a community-building event. Over thirty-four countries had representations and cultural booths. It was possible to sample food from around the world, practice language skills, learn about cultures and interact in a safe and friendly atmosphere. For a few brief hours, we were a global village. International students could wear the clothing of their families and celebrate their respective ethnicities, as opposed to masking them.

The above group of dancers was comprised of young children. The tall white building in the background, just behind the leafing trees,  is part of Jackson Library. How symbolic that these young girls were facing the University's tower of knowledge, perhaps anticipating their academic futures as they danced for the rows and rows of onlookers. 

 

Battle of Guilford Courthouse

The Reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse is happening this weekend. If you are local, head over to the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park and see a living history event, FOR FREE. Everything from the music to the lectures to the battles to the talking to reenacters is educational and free to the public. The reenactors will be there rain or shine. People who like to reenact usually go to the same events as their uniforms are expensive and costly to maintain. If you have committed to outfitting yourself as a redcoat, likely you will play that role when and where you can. 

This year is the 232nd anniversary of a battle that was said to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War (see more here). Greensboro's namesake, Nathanael Green fought in this war. If you can't attend on Saturday, they'll be back on Sunday. As a matter of fact, they camp out in the park in tents that haven't changed much in the last two hundred years. We love the way, in the above photo, that the woman seems to be giving the men their marching orders.

Between ACC basketball and the battle, we don't know how we'll fit everything in! If you are out and about, please make our out of town guests feel welcome!

Centenary United Methodist Church

        Centenary United Methodist Church on Friendly Avenue is located on the northern edge of the Sunset Hills neighborhood, where the light balls are hoisted into the trees for all to enjoy. In the foreground, you see members of Centenary Church out caroling last Sunday evening. The voices were lovely and the carolers were as pleasant as could be. They thanked us for taking their photo and invited us to come to church. Tonight will be very different from the quiet streets with just the carolers and cars as thousands of people will descend on this part of town for the 5K run under the lighted Christmas balls. The streets will be closed to vehicles and the run is sold out. Fun will be had by all. The neighborhood's Christmas balls even have their own website.

        With Duke Energy's recent trimming of the trees in nearby Westerwood, Sunset Hills residents are running a little bit scared. The power company says that they need to trim trees to keep neighborhoods safe during inclement weather; however, we can't imagine Sunset Hills without their giant trees, with or without decorations. Let's hope that the trees of Sunset Hills don't suffer the same fate as the ones in Westerwood.

        Oh and to the youth group at Centenary Methodist, we bet that if you sell hot chocolate tonight, you will make LOTS of money to fill all of those empty stockings of the people you work so tirelessly to help. Here's to a great evening for the church AND for a great evening for Sunset Hills' giant, family-friendly fundraiser. Also, since Sunday is the day we reserve for something spiritual, we'd like to send condolences out to Billy Jones and his family. Billy Jones, East Greensboro's most vocal advocate on the blogosphere and frequent commenter on GDP, lost his son last week. Losing a child is never easy. Billy, our heart goes out to you and your family. Let's all pause for a few minutes of silent meditation and run a few steps for Jason Alan Jones....

                                                                          

Festival of Lights

First Friday and The Festival of Lights were both well attended last night. At first, is seemed like the rain was going to dampen the evening, but the skies cleared and fun was had by all. We walked from Center City Park all the way down Elm to Lee Street and back, enjoying the musicians, arts and crafts stands, artifical snow, ubiquitous, red, foam, News & Record reindeer antleers and all of the stores dressed in their holiday best. Most of all, we enjoyed seeing so many people out taking advantage of everything Greensboro has to offer. What a great sense of community one feels at these intergenerational events. From tired babies to teenagers to adults and seniors, everyone seemed to be happy to be part of the crowd. Facebook was abuzz with the new taco bar downtown. 

Now, it seems like December has arrived. Here's to a great weekend to all. Thanks to the News & Record and Grassroots Productions Limited for your sponsorship. These free (to the public) events were worth every penny. Maybe we can do something for New Year's Eve; perhaps get the "Joy to the World" ball to drop at the stroke of midnight? Maybe Hamburger Square could be our Times Square. Greensboro Daily Photo's first photo ever was of Hamburger Square. Greensboro Daily Photo will be four on January 2nd. Let's celebrate a couple of days early!

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. 

                                                                          

 

Methodists at the Christmas Parade

Yesterday, the Jaycee's 35th Annual Christmas Parade was held in downtown Greensboro. The weather was shockingly warm, probably almost seventy degrees. The above photo is the parade entry by Christ United Methodist Church. Church members surrounded the vehicle, interacting with the crowd along the way. Behind the vehicle was a small trailer with a living nativity scene. Also behind were church members carrying  an inflatable candy cane balloon. In the background, a few parade entries back, peeking out from the Statue of Liberty inflatable, is the steeple of the West Market United Methodist Church. Methodists have been holding services in Greensboro since the 1820's and, West Market Street, the church in the background was built in 1851.*Compared to West Market Street, Christ United Methodist Church, organized in 1956 is young.

Both church maintain quite a visible, positive presence in Greensboro. Here's to almost 200 years of methodism in our city. Here's to three and a half decades of Christmas parades and to a community that has something for everybody. We hope you are enjoying your weekend in Greensboro as much as we are!

 

*If you are interested in more of the history of West Market United Methodist Church, read this historical timeline written by Greensboro historian Gayle Fripp, here. See a close up of West Market Street Church here.

Veteran Cone at the History of the American Soldier Event

Veteran Cone, standing to the left of the flag with 48 stars, fought in the Korean War and in the Vietnam War. In the Korean War, he earned a purple heart for being wounded in combat. He recovered, stayed in the military and went on to serve in Vietnam. The Army taught him enough Vietnamese to interpret at military briefings. He said he did just fine unless the conversation turned to something personal. On Saturday, soldiers and historical interpreters were very generous with their time, answering questions for visitors to the History of the American Soldier Event, held at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. Wars with American invovlement, dating back to the Revolutionary War, were represented. The event is held annually, the Saturday right before Veterans Day. It is a wonderful way to learn about history, war, weaponry, and the life of a soldier.

Hats off to Grimsley High School for sending so many students to photograph and interview the volunteers. Speaking to the soldiers from the later wars was extremely meaningful as most of them had served. We think we'll make attend this event annually. After spending a couple of hours talking to Soldiers Church, Cone, Smith, and the likes, you start to feel like you know them personally. Today we are extending a heartfelt thank you to all these veterans for serving, then, and sharing their stories, now.

Pets in Halloween Costumes

Greensboro is head over heels in love with contests for pets in Halloween costumes. This weekend was full of such contests, one of which was held by Greensboro's own News & Record. Featured in our photo today is Taco the Chihuahua who is sporting an outfit hand made by the man he is pulling around on a leash- Tony. Taco has his master Tony wrapped around his little paw. Actually, watching the duo in action, it is obvious that the affection is mutual. Taco loves hanging out with his owner almost as much as he likes the attention he gets for his costumes. 

Taco took Best of Show yesterday at the doggie costume contest sponsored by Golden Antiques on Highway 220 in Summerfield. His owner made the costume out of leather purses purchased from a Goodwill Store. For a great detail, he added the saddle blanket, and, in the saddle pouches you will find miniature candy bananas. Many dogs had great costumes; however, the level of detail in Taco's costume, combined with the confidence with which Taco wore his costume, made him the undisputed winner.  Halloween in Greensboro has so much to offer for humans and pets alike.

(If we by chance don't post this week, you will know we are without power due to the storm. We'll try to work ahead. We already have our neighborhood photos, but still need to upload them. Keep your fingers crossed. Hoping everyone is safe).

Session House of Bethel Presbyterian

Today, we take you to the session house at Bethel Presbyterian, way out in the eastern end of the county. Above, we see the small facility that dates back to 1875. On the outside, the white wooden structure resembles a one room school house. As you can see, on the inside, it looks a lot like a one room schoolhouse, too.

Here is where the church archives documents relevant to the history of the church. For example, there are receipts showing where people had paid for the priviledge of sitting in the same pew for the year.  There are many photos of church leaders and members over the years housed here. The white, hanging lights at the back wall came from the sanctuary of Bethel. Archiving documents and maintaining a history is particularly important to a church like Bethel that not only has a 200-year history; it also has church members whose families date back to about the founding of the church. To these members, documenting the history is priceless. The little building that houses these memories is priceless, too.

Does your church (or other religious institution) have its history in order? If not, no better time than the present. Happy Sunday, everyone!

New York Pizza on Tate Street

    New York Pizza on Tate Street has been serving the UNCG area since 1977. In thirty five years, they've seen a lot of changes, watched a lot of people grow up, and even had college students bring their children back for a slice of nostalgia. One thing is for sure, the pizza hasn't changed; same good, classic, NYC, traditional pizza. According to their website, NYP is the "longest established family-owned pizzeria in Greensboro. They make their own dough and sauce in-house- impressive. We love the firey red hair of the woman who waited on us at and the rest of the outdoor crowd during the Tate Street Festival last Saturday. We also love the mural they painted last week on the Walker Avenue side of the building.

 

     NYP opened another location on Battleground Avenue last year; however, according to our waiter at the other location (last week), they no longer have the same ownership. We love supporting locally-owned and just may head to NYP in-between the Liberty Antiques Festival and the Spirit event at Elsewhere.... unless we get side-tracked and end up at another great eatery in Greensboro. Here's to another great, photo-filled weekend in Greensboro, and beyond!

Turtles of North Carolina

We've seen more turtles in Greensboro this summer than we have in recent years- mostly, when they were crossing the road. We found the above turtle quite a while back, but were reminded of it when we saw a man stop right in the middle of Liberty Road to "relocate" a turtle. Such a tender moment out of a burly man in a big truck on a rural road.

If a turtle is in danger of getting hit only consider helping it if you are in a position to stop your vehicle without being at risk of causing an accident. Save human lives first; turtles second. It is wise just scoot them off the road in the direction they are traveling. They know where they are going!  They have an instinctive homing ability and usually spend their whole lives in a 2-4 acre range (reference). Also, if you do touch them, wash your hands immediately as they have been known to carry salmonella. 

 Here is a great web page outlining the turtles of North Carolina and their habitat.

Speaking of Liberty Road, we'll be heading down to Liberty this weekend to enjoy the Liberty Antiques Festival- one of the finest events of its kind in the southeast. Head on down if you get a chance. Oh, and do watch out for critters in the road.

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.

 

114th Central Carolina Fair

As of yesterday, it is Central Carolina Fair Time at the Greensboro Coliseum Grounds. This is the 114th year for this grand event. We suggest heading over as soon as possible to see all of the exhibits while they are still fresh and newly judged. Who will have grown those blue ribbon vegetables? Who will have the best chili? Who will the judges be? Will the rainbow rooster be back? What will be new this year? Here is a list of the exhibits. The Charlie Daniels Band will be playing on Sunday.

The fair will be going strong until 11pm tonight and for eight more days, closing at 8pm on September 23rd. This is such a great family tradition, we suggest you give it a try. Who knows, Mr. Zuckerman and his famous pic might even be there.

Walkerfest 2012 (Year II)

Walkerfest 2012 was fabulously fun this past Saturday (Year II). The annual neighborhood event is a combination music and arts and crafts festival intended to build community in the Walker Avenue/Elam area, seen in the photo above. Unfortunately, temperatures were over 100 degrees and the sun was relentless. In the above photo, you see an attendee walking through a water sprayer to cool off. 

The music was "live, original, and local" and many of the crafters looked like people we'd seen selling at other Indie events in the area- great wares. We were there mid-day. Hopefully it got busier later in the afternoon when all of the familes participating in the city swim meet had a break between morning and afternoon swim sessions. However, we're not sure it ever really cooled off.

It would be nice if every neighborhood had an annual festival. It is a great way to get out and meet new people. We can't wait to pick up the latest edition of the Lindley Park Gazette to read about the highlights of Walkerfest, from the locals' perspective.

X is for Signing on the Dotted Line

Since it is so close to the Fourth of July, we've decided to post an exploding firework today. Today is ABC Wednesday and we're using the fireworks for X for several reasons. First, this is the a photo from 2010, the last year Greensboro's fireworks display was to be held at Grimsley High School. The school got X-ed as a venue and we now gather at the Coliseum complex on High Point Road.

Also, X can serve as a signature on a document as proof of identity and intent.* Recently, there has been press about Greensboro's non-profits being overwhelmed for the need for food. Local non-profits are stretched financially with so many children out of school and needing food, other basic needs,  and activities to keep them busy. Please consider putting your X on a check and donating immediately to your favorite local charity.

For this whole round of ABC Wednesday, we've featured  ABC causes and non profits of Greensboro. X is for those 'xploding fireworks and letting the sky (and your financial resources) be the limit on your donation of money, food, or time to the non-profit of your choice. 

 

* reference.

Boston Terrier with Wings

In Greensboro, we LOVE our pets and this Boston terrier loved being paraded around in wings by his owner. Clippety clop over the troll bridge in Lindley Park he came during the Summer Solstice 2012 Festival this past weekend. We were greeted by his intelligent gaze and could not help but notice how well he obeyed his owner.

The Boston terrier was the first American breed of dog recognized by the American Kennel Club-- in 1893. The breed's distinctive colors and markings are key features-- both present in the dog above. Notice the beautiful blaze. The breed was originally developed for hunting rats in garmet factories. (Wonder if any of the local mills had them)?

If you like this breed of dog, locally, we have an organization called Boston Terrier Rescue of North Carolina. They currently have about 30 adoptable dogs, ranging in age from 2 (Maddie)-14  (Gretel). So, if you want to provide a new, loving home for a dog that has lost its owner due to unfortunate circumstances (including death), consider adopting a Boston terrier. Who knows... maybe by next June your Boston will be ready to don fairy wings and walk you around the solstice festival, too.

Greensboro's Summer Solstice Event

Greensboro's Summer Solstice Event will be in full swing today from 2-10pm and Lindley Park. Vendors will start setting up at noon and the selling and shows officially get underway at 2pm. The whole day will be filled with everything from jewelry and crafts to food and homeopathic remedies; massage tables, musical instruments, you name it. The above photo shows the colors and textures that will be all around. If you bring out your inner playfulness and dress up a little, you will have a lot of fun. The event is family friendly. Well behaved dogs that love tolerant of wearing costumes are popular too. Fire dancing, the final event of the evening, begins just after dark. Bring a blanket, snack, and a potitive attitude and stop by. 

Here is a link if you want to know more about the performers.

U is for United Way

Today is ABC Wednesday and U is for The United Way Agency of Greater Greensboro. Above, we share another photo of Saturday's Mosaic Festival in Festival Park on the northern edge of the Davie Street Cultural Arts Center. Even though the festival was not a United Way event, per se, it is highly likely that the lives of many people in attenendance have been touched by the United Way. 

The agency is committed to to ensuring that the youth of Greensboro have a successful school experience. They work hard to help with the basic daily-living and educational needs that help with the achievement gap. The United Way provides families with affordable, quality child care. The United Way also helps with financial stability and health care, making it an agency that serves people from cradle to grave. The United Way tries to keep individuals and families from experiencing crises and they are a key point of assistence when a crisis does arise.  With summer vacation starting on Friday for most of the Guilford County school students, we know the United Way funded summer programs are well positioned to help Summer 2012 be fun and productive! U is for the unbelieveable, unbeatable, unyielding UNITED WAY!

Mosaic of Children 2012

Greensboro's 2012 Mosaic Festival was held this last weekend. Mosaic is an annual food, music, art, and dance festival that builds community among the diverse ethnic groups in Greensboro. The event is a place for people of all ethnicities, races, ages, socio-economic groups, political beliefs, and educational levels to come together for an afternoon. This past Saturday, the weather was beautiful. From university professors to bare-footed toddlers, fun was had by all. The venue, Festival Park at 200 North Davie Street, was perfect. The above photo of children playing in harmony captures the spirit of the event. For an afternoon, people focused on similarities; not differences. It was beautiful. 

Almost 5,000 people were in attendance. Church World Services, the events host, organzied a Kickstarter project for the festival. The project did not receive full funding and they are still accepting pledges. How about paying it forward and making a little donation to the project (here). They need about $1,200 more dollars by Wednesday to reach the 2,500 goal for the project. Kickstarter is "all-or-none." Without the additional funding, they lose it all. If you are local, your donation will help our community. If you are not local, consider donating and then using this project as a template for a multi-cultural project in your own community. Donate here. 

UNCG's SALSA Group

Today, we're featuring S.A.L.S.A., the Spanish American Latino Student Association, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). The group was performing at El día de los niños at Center City Park on Saturday.

S.A.L.S.A. was founded at UNCG, Spring 1992 by five students. While the organization has grown considerably, it remains true to its purpose of providing a place for Hispanic/Latino students at UNCG to come together for fellowship and to celebrate their heritate, to enhance the UNCG community's understanding of the Hispanic/Latino cultures, and to be of service to Hispanics/Latinos living in our area.* As soon as the above members were finished performing, they invited the audience up to dance with them.  It was great to see so much fun and positive energy as they moved around the stage. Don't let the name S.A.L.S.A. fool you. They do so much more than dance! While the organization may be winding down as their school semester comes to a close, you can stay in touch with S.A.L.S.A. through their facebook page.

*reference.

El Día de los Niños

Center City Park will be brimming with families today. The Greensboro Public Library and Casa Azul are bringing us another great day in the park from 12- 6 pm. Mexican children's author and illustrator Marcos Almada Rivero will be reading over the course of the weekend. His books look like so much fun, rather like Maurice Sendack's Where the Wild Things Are meets Indiana Jones....full of adventure with a message-- delightfully illustrated.

There will be salsa dancing, art activities, food, face paining and more. Likely, the library will have their fancy bus open for perusal. This is the fourth year of the event that celebrates the diversity in our community and to brings people of all ethnicities together.

See a photo from the first year of the event here and another photo of the event here and read more about the event here. Head on out and let us know what you think!

Onward, Christian Soldiers

Last month, when we did a photo shoot at Guilford College United Methodist Church, we thought these two children with their foam filled batons, were precious. As we stood and watched them, an old church song came to mind: Onward, Christian Soldiers. The 19th century English hymn is taken from New Testament references about Christians being soldiers for Christ. As an example, the following verse, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Christ (II Timothy 2:3 (KJV). Onward, Christian Soldiers was played on the battleship HMS Prince of Wales in 1941, with Churchill and Roosevelt onboard. It was played at the funeral of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The hymn no longer appears in the hymnal of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and efforts have been made to ban it elsewhere.*

Consider the lyrics, "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus, going on before. Christ the loyal Master leads against the foe; forward into battle, see his banners go." Young, American Christians of the 1950's were armed to battle not only with their Communist enemies but also with their spiritual ones.

Doubtfully, he children in the above photo know any of this history, or have even heard the hymn sung, but they sure do look like they are having fun on the inflatable battlefield! Happy Sunday, dear readers.

*read more from our Wiki reference here.

2012 Reenactment Fun

Today, we share a lighthearted photo from the 2012 Reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Just as these troops were about to go into battle, this attractive young woman came over and asked to have her photo taken with the soldiers. The man on the left dropped to his knees and proposed to the young woman. To our knowledge, she did not respond before the men headed on to battle.

Dressing for the event adds a whole new dimension to your experience. You go from taking the photographs and being an observer to being in the photographs and interacting with the reenacters in a more personal way. It is never too early to start planning your costume.  As for the humor, even the promotion for the event infused a little humor into their campaign this year (here).

Renaissance Plaza on North Elm Street

Renaissance Plaza at 230 North Elm Street is proof positive that Greensboro has a skyscraper. The plaza is 19 stories tall with a 2-story atrium lobby and nearly 300,000 square feet. The exterior of the building, built in 1989, is polished granite (possibly Mt. Airy granite?). Greensboro Beautiful has given the Renaissance Plaza an award for its landscaping and the maintenance of the landscaped areas. One of the main businesses in the building is United Guaranty. We took this photo at 8pm on Wednesday night and, from the looks of it, several people were working overtime. If you have not toured the building, you owe it to yourself to have a look. The interior has a "big city" feel. Do we really know Greensboro if we have not explored not only the horizontal but also the vertical nooks and crannies?

You may also want to head to Country Park today and watch people setting up for this weekend's reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. This is THE weekend of the year in Greensboro for reenacters and Revolutionary War historians. Let's hope Thursday's intense afternoon shower didn't make the ground miserably wet. Canvas tents don't mix well with soggy ground.

We're posting this photo on Skywatch Friday so that the whole world can appreciate the night sky over Greenboro.

Attend the 231st Guilford Courthouse Event This Weekend

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse took place on March 15th, 1781-- 231 years ago today. Major General Nathanael Greene commanded the American forces at Guilford Courthouse. His army consisted of around 4,500 Continentials and militia. The British forces of about 1,500 were led by Lt. General Cornwallis. While the British won the battle, it was really the turning point for the Revolutionary War and seven month later, Cornwallis surrendered to the combined American and French forces under General George Washington (reference here). The reenactment takes place in Greensboro this weekend. If you want to spend a few hours walking through the late 18th century, come out for the festivities.

Go here for a schedule; see musicians here, soldiers here, the campsite here and here, mother and son here, and a family walking here. After seeing our photos, if you think you are going to attend, watch this You Tube animated map of the battle and this live-action short video clip. Finally, Sunday morning, you can enjoy a church service down by the lake. This may seem like a laundry list of click-throughs; however, it is nice to have an idea of what you will be seeing. If you live nearby, the reenactment festivities is such a fabulous event, so accessible, and FREE; it is a delightful way to learn about life in Colonial America.

Finally, the grave in the photo is of an American soldier who lost his life during the battle. His last name is TATE. 

Blueberry Buds

The blueberry bushes in our backyard are starting to show signs of life and Greensboro is a great place to grow them. These perennial flowering plants belong to the same genus as cranberries, which is why the word arándano serves for both in Spanish. Blueberries are actually native to North America and are available in both wild and cultivated varieties. The North Carolina blueberry council has produced a four minute You-Tube video on blueberries in North Carolina (here). If you are interested in the plant at all, watching it will be four minutes well spent. 

The 9th annual blueberry festival will be held in Burgaw (Pender Co.), NC on Saturday, June 16th. Pender is one of our southern coastal counties so it is a long drive from Greensboro. However, the festival is a non-profit, civic event that sounds like it is a lot of North Carolina fun. What a way to kick off the summer. Attend the festival and head on to the beach! In the meantime, we suggest you consider planting some blueberry bushes in your own yard. Not only will you have a bush that provides interesting color from March-October, you will be planting something edible. It doesn't get any more local than your back yard!  NC State will walk you through the planting process here. Let us know if you plant any bushes.

New Millennium & Temple Emanuel

Today, we bring you not one but TWO religious offerings. Originally, we stopped to read Temple Emanuel's banner advertising today's Jewish Festival. However, while standing on the Fisher Park property of Temple Emanuel, near the First Presbyterian Church, we noticed a service concluding at the church across the street. The New Millennium Christian Center, located at 424 Fisher Park Circle, has recently opened in this neighborhood. The New Millennium congregation seems very involved in helping the local community. They are having a caregiver workshop today. Also, they are also very generous with providing clothing and help for the needy. From the photo, you can tell the church has a intergenerational congregation.

Temple Emanuel is having a Jewish Festival today from 11-5 pm at their 1129 Jefferson Road facility. The festival will offer a wide array of food, music, singing, and dancing. They will even have Jewish Folk and Bluegrass. Biblical characters will come to life, recreating Biblical life from 5000 years ago. There is a replica of the Kotel (Western Wall). Prayers that are written and left at this makeshift wall will be collected and taken to the real wall in Israel. Don't be shocked if you see Moses, Joseph, or King David walking along Jefferson Road. 

Greek Festival

Greensboro's Greek Festival is upon us! It will be held all day today and tomorrow at the Dormition of the Theotokos Church at 800 Westridge Road. If predictions are correct, 13,000 people will visit the festival that has been going strong since 1974. Music and dancing will be available all weekend. There is a Greek Market (The Agora), a Taverna with food, food, food, and RAFFLES galore. Last year, the church sponsored a session of "Orthodoxy 101" and taught guests about the orthodox faith. We're sure Father Newlin would love to answer your questions about his church. 

In addition to the many other activities in Greensboro, The Tate Street Festival is also happening this afternoon. Next weekend the Liberty Antiques Festival will be held. There is so much to do in mid-late September in Greensboro. We can't wait to get more photographs to share with you! Have a great weekend and start practicing your Greek. Google translate is a great place to start. Learning a few words from someone at the festival is even better.

Greensboro Fire Rescue on Elm St.

According to their website, "The Greensboro Fire Department operates 33 fire companies from 23 fire stations strategically located throughout the City of Greensboro."  Firemen are an important and much-needed part of any community. They not only cover fires, rescues, and hazardous material incidents, they are first responders for all medical emergencies. In their non-emergency work times, firemen make every effort to interact with the community. Above, they have a ladder truck and water to share in the Fun Fourth festivities on Elm Street. 

Fire departments have been affected by the economic downturn and are spread thin. Many districts are depending more and more on volunteers. Next time you see a fire fighter, thank him/her. Our city wouldn't be the same without them. For August 1st, the City Daily Photo theme around the world is "Postcard Worthy." Since the whole world could be clicking through today, we wanted to share a scene of people out having fun in our community and a photo with the word "Greensboro" on it. 

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

We dedicate today's post to our blogging buddy, Abe Lincoln, over at Brookville (OH) Daily Photo whose testimonial will remind you why you should never smoke and will reaffirm what we have said above about responders to medical emergencies!

Step Right Up!

Step right up and take advantage of all Greensboro has to offer! The Bellemeade Parking Deck, managed by the City of Greensboro, is located on the corners of Bellemeade, Elm and N. Greene Streets. The location is convenient to Center City Park, the ballpark, and just about anything in the northern end of downtown. Parking is free there if you are summoned to jury duty! Donald O. Tice was the architect of the the open-air, concrete and granite structure. The 8-floor deck was built on part of the property that was part of the original O.Henry Hotel. There are 1,276 spaces in the deck (reference). 

We call this photo "step right up" in honor of the endless stairs in the center of the photo and the carnival-like atmosphere of the Fun Fourth event. One day a year, we have our own little Coney Island with the parking deck as a backdrop. We are in funnel cake and hot dog heaven. Brides are frequently seen having bridal photo shoots here. Also, the structure's geometry and muted cement-color put all focus on the beaming brides.

Breathing Fire and Feeling the Heat!

With temperatures close to 100 degrees in Greensboro, it feels like we are all breathing fire! July tends to be our hottest month; however, for July 2011, Greensboro is about 10 degrees above average! The above photo was taken during the grande finale, fire act portion of the summer solstice event last month. Flames emerging from the man's mouth illustrate how much of the nation has felt this month!

In our effort to find the hottest day on record for Greensboro, we only saw the hottest day on record for North Carolina-- 110 degrees; on August 21, 1983 in Fayetteville. In the meantime, we found other numbers that we decided were "must knows" for Greensboro. The city is 131.75 square miles. The elevation is 897 feet. The population as of 2009 was 260,083 (reference). Our thought for the day, or thought for the photo: "Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability." Roy L. Smith

In the above photo the flame of the "human BIC lighter" shines in the night sky and we are sharing the scene with Skywatch Friday.

 

Mr. Fourth of July

Mr. Fourth of July was spotted at the Greensboro Arboretum at the Summer Solstice event in June. He was last seen talking to his special, fairy-winged lady. Hopefully the couple will make an appearance at the Fourth of July events in Greensboro. He is a human bumper sticker, in full Fourth-of-July regalia and displaying "USA" on his forearm. 

This year, Greensboro's fireworks have been moved from Jameison Stadium (Grimsley High School) to the White Oak Amphitheatre at the Coliseum Complex. Let's hope the move will be a good one for the community.  This is the photo we published from last year's display and are optimistic that display at the new location will be as beautiful.

What is the most patriotic you've ever dressed? Why don't you dress up today, have someone take a photo and send it to us. We'd love to feature a reader or two! 

Summer Solstice 2011

Greensboro couldn't have asked for a more perfect way to kick off the summer (and to celebrate Father's Day) than the Summer Solstice Festival 2011, held yesterday at the Greensboro Arboretum. Fun was had by all at this intergenerational event. From toddlers to great-grandmothers, people donned brightly colored clothing, fairy wings, tulle, and glitter and hula-hooped the hours away. We don't have the attendance figures, but we're guessing that this year's event was the largest yet. The weather was perfect and adults, children, and pets were on their best behavior. Hats off to Greensboro for another safe, FREE event in a public space. 

We're gearing up for Greensboro's next big event, Fun Fourth, which will be held downtown and will culminate with the Fourth of July fireworks display at the Coliseum. Time to hang up the tie-dye and to bring out the red, white, and blue attire. As seen in the photo above, dressing for the events adds so much to the ambiance.

Greensboro Summer Solstice 2011

This Sunday is not only Fathers Day, it is also Summer Solstice Day at the Greensboro Arboretum (at Market Street near Lindley Park). While the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere officially begins on June 21st at 1:16 pm EDT, all of Greensboro comes out to celebrate on Sunday the 19th when families and venders are more able to get away from their weekday work commitments. We're slipping in this photo from last year just to generate a little excitement and to start planning our attire. It will be hard to beat last year's "best of show."

Don your floral headband, brightest tie dye, fairy wings, glitter, face paint, diaphanous skirts with leggings and spend the afternoon among performers and vendors. There will be people strolling in costume as well as children with their faces painted and pets all gussied up. You will have more fun if you dress for the event. There will be performers of all genres and the grande finale will be a fire show at 9:00 pm. Our community puts a lot of time and effort into this event. Please come out and support our community on the longest day of the year.

What is unique about this photo?

 

Well....we see four right hands (including the one in the tapestry) and no left hands.

 

Mother's Day 2011

Today is Mother's Day; hopefully, you are celebrating the day with your mother-- either in person or in spirit. The above photo of a mother and her children was taken at the Revolutionary War reenactment in Country Park this past March. The mom walks with her sons tethered to her side. (During the colonial era, little boys wore loose gowns until they were potty trained). Leading the way, her daughter walks confidently a few paces ahead. The picture represents motherhood at its best-- a rewarding, uphill, hike, enjoying your little miracles of life every step of the way. 

In honor of all the moms out there, we'd like to share a few Sacred Sunday quotes:

Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living ~~Genesis 3:20

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all of my life. ~~Abraham Lincoln

If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been. ~~Robert Brault.

I miss thee, my Mother. Thy image is still the deepest impressed on my heart. ~~Eliza Cook

                                                                                                                        (more quotes here).

Liberty Antiques Festival Next Weekend

The Liberty Antiques Festival is this upcoming Friday and Saturday (April 29-30, 2011). The bi-annual event attracts over 400 dealers from at least 25 states. People come from miles around to peruse the stalls on a 100-acre farm in Liberty, NC, just about 30 minutes south of Greensboro. Equally fun will be the miles of yard sales strung along the highway to and from Liberty. Even for people who don't collect anything, the event is a great way to enjoy a little slice of rural North Carolina, to eat BBQ and funnel cakes, and to see what the treasures in your attic might be worth. We've featured this fabulous festival in previous years here, here, and here because we love, love, and love it-- there, there, there! We're doing a little spring cleaning weekend in the hopes of making room for something special.

Additionally, the Antique Car and Tractor Show will be in full swing on Saturday in Downtown Liberty. The more we prepare posts for GDP, the more we realize just how much there is to do in the Greensboro area. While time and money may be constraints; things to do is not!  We picked this photo for today so that we could share it with James and the Weekend Reflections gang. 

You Can Always Go......... Downtown

Today is First Friday and the Indie Market will start up at 4pm. Restaurants and visual arts venues will come alive early this evening. Downtown will be door-to-door fun. While all is quiet in the above photo, the Bellemeade/Greene Street view combines several interesting buildings in Greensboro. The low, one-story building with all the color is Riva's Trattoria, a small family-style Italian Restaurant with great food. Chef Tracey purchases most of the food locally at one of the farmers' markets. Riva's may be quiet on the outside but inside, they are busy preparing exciting meals for you. Next, the round structure is a parking garage, a hub of activity during business hours. The tall, rose colored granite structure in the background is the headquarters for mortgage lender United Guaranty, a company established in Greensboro in 1963.

If this week's weather has you a little down or work has been stressful, being with people can help lift your mood. Petula Clark said it best, "When you're alone and feeling lonely, you can always go downtown ... the lights are much brighter there. You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares. So go downtown, where all the lights are bright. Downtown-- waiting for you tonight. Downtown-- you're gonna be all right now."  Today is not only Skywatch Friday but also theme day for the City Daily Photo Community and April's theme is "edges." 

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants  

Enjoy three minutes "Downtown" here.  

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Here we see a singing quartet at First Friday in Downtown Greensboro on December 3rd. What a great way to ring in the holiday with people singing carols. The first known Christmas carols date to fourth century Rome and the tradition has many interesting facets (read more here). Caroling quartets with their a capella, vocal harmonies, bring the holiday season alive. We wish we knew the name of this festive, costumed  group singing on South Elm Street. They were fabulous.

Merry Christmas Greensboro. The best Christmas present for us would be to let us know what we can post for you in the upcoming year.