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.

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...

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!

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........

B is for Bog Garden

Yesterday, we featured a bronze statue of Dr. Joe Christian. Today, we share a photo of his beloved Bog Garden at Benjamin Park. Dr. Christian dreamed of turning this formerly blighted parcel of land into a place for native plants to thrive is a natural setting. The wetland home is nestled on seven acres between Hobbs Road, Northline Avenue and Starmount Drive. The Bog Garden is open year round from sunrise to sunset. It has, numerous wildlife species, native plants, and a recirculating waterfall that Dr. Christian himself helped construct. The trails and boardwalk, visible in the upper left corner, allow visitors to travel through the natural bog, disrupting it minimally. This photo shows the Bog Garden at its brownest, most dormant time of year. However, without excessive foilage, one can get an idea of just how easy it is to explore the area. We were expecially curious about the duck in the middle which one little visitor dubbed "tuxedo duck" because it looks it is wearing a black tuxedo. The white strip if feathers on the inside of its neck and chest looks like a white dress shirt. This is the kind of creative expression that emerges when parents take their children out to explore nature. If you want to combat nature deficit disorder, head to the Bog Garden and explore!

For this round of our beloved ABC Wednesday  GDP's theme is "Go Green" Greensboro. Today is ABC Wednesday and B is for Bog Garden. We are delighted that Greensboro has natural areas for present and future generations to enjoy. Here's to keeping the "green" in Greensboro!

Dr. Joe Christian

Today's photo celebrates one of Greensboro's great naturalists, Dr. Joe Christian. Dr. Christian loved spending time outdoors whether hunting or exploring or just spending time with his family. He was instrumental in establishing Greensboro's Bog Garden. He helped reclaim the stream that was littered with garbage. He relocated over 16,000 native plant specimens to this natural space.

His bronze statue, featured above,  is located at the northwest corner at the intersection of Hobbs Road and Starmount Farms Drive. The statue is by South Carolina sculptor, Maria J. Kirby-Smith. She knew the humble Dr. Christian personally and dedicated the statue while Dr. Christian was still living.  Kirby-Smith depicted her subject with a shovel in one hand and a soon-to-be-planted alum plant in the other hand. Dr. Christian had so many talents, not to mention he was a well respected medical doctor who graduated from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine.

If you want to read more about the above statue, read here. You will learn that Kirby-Smith has sculpted many statues around Greensboro.  We also direct you to Dr. Christian's obituary.  The accomplished, Renaissance man died in 2011. Stop back by GDP tomorrow and we'll show you a view of Dr. Christian's bog garden in its tranquil, sleeping, winter state.

Winter Wonderland

Greensboro, NC got its first blizzard of 2013.

Last night, our city experienced thunderstorms during the snow storm. The evening sky flashed blue, almost like an explosion,  as the snow continued to fall. Many people were without power (may still be). Today, it is a winter wonderland outside. Schools are closed and people are home wondering what to do.  If it is safe for you to drive, consider heading to the local parks and seeing them in a blanket snow. The above photo was taken at the statue of Greensboro's namesake, Nathanael Greene, in Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, off of Old Battleground Avenue. If you click through here, you can see the 27 foot statue on a warmer day. The 1915 statue of the horseman stands as a reminder that our community has been strong since the days of the Revolutionary War. A little snow will not hold us back. Onward ho-- to the Martin Luther King weekend. Time for some community service and remembrance of Dr. King's great deeds.

Julian and Ethel Clay Price Park Needs You!

Well, if the weekend in Greensboro ends up being as beautiful as they say it is going to be, you will want to head OUTSIDE! The above photo is a picture of Julian and Ethel Clay Price Park off of Hobbs Road and New Garden Road. Price Park is 93 protected acres of land that was formerly part of the Jefferson-Pilot Club House Property. It was acquired by the Piedmont Land Conservancy in 1999. The property is now a City of Greensboro Park and Recreation Department property.

The park is a great place to get out and enjoy some open space, to walk your (leashed) dog, and to even stop in to the Kathleen Clay Edwards Library to check out some books or DVD's. Today, between the hours of 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, the Piedmont Land Conservancy will host a Weeds & Warriors workday here. Volunteers will clear out invasive plant species and prepare the meadow for spring birds and wildlife.* This lovely, hilly land down the road from Guilford Courthouse National Military Park was actually the site of the war reenactment in 2007.

Come out and help the Piedmont Land Conservancy keep the GREEN in Greensboro! Look how beautiful it is to see all of that open space.

*Read more here.

Z is for Zero, Ground Zero (27401)

The Fisher Park neighborhood was built at the beginning of the 20th century with most of the homes erected before 1940. The actual park, in which the above Genesis Marker is situated, consists of approximately 14 acres and is billed as Greensboro's "premiere civic open space" (reference).Today's photo of the Genesis Marker in Fisher Park was selected because genesis means "beginning."  The Genesis Marker is the "Ground Zero" for Greensboro; the beginning of the city, the geographic center of the county. From the Genesis Marker, the city radiates equally in all directions. We could actually describe our Greensboro neighborhoods in terms of their distance from the Genesis Marker. The marker is so unassuming, tucked in its little spot between North and South Park Drives and Elm Street to the west and Church Street to the east. Historian Jim McLamroch erected the Genesis Marker to honor and document the city's early history.

Since this round of ABC Wednesday, we focused on the neighborhoods of Greensboro and Greensboro doesn't have a Z neighborhood, we thought it would be nice to feature the Genesis Marker as Z is for Ground ZERO.

In case you are interested, here are the A-Z neighborhoods we have featured on the wonderful ABC Wednesday meme over the last 26 weeks: Adams Farm, Brown Town, The Cardinal, Dudley Heights, Eastern Shores, Forest Oaks, Guilford Hills, Hamilton Lakes, Irving Park, Jefferson Gardens, Kings Forest, Longview Hills, McAdoo Heights, NEW Irving Park, O. Henry Oaks, Pleasant Garden, Reedy Fork, Starmount, Tammanary Forest, (the end of the alphabet is nearly neighborhood-less) University Neighborhoods, (Green) Valley, Westerwood, Xtra Xtra News and Record for all the neighborhoods, Year 5 of GDP and our featuring your neighborhoods, and today's Z for Ground Zero! We hope you enjoyed these posts. We have thououghly enjoyed driving through so many of  Greensboro's neighborhoods over the last six months. 

Piedmont Winterfest

Piedmont Winterfest, outdoor skating in downtown Greensboro, is fun for young and old alike. Yesterday's below freezing temperatures made it seem especially appropriate to be downtown skating in our own little "Rockerfeller Center"- even if it is just temporary. If you are looking somthing family-oriented to do today, consider heading to the rink on Davie Street at Festival Park. The brighter the clothing you wear, the more fun you are guaranteed to have. As they say in the carols, "it's Christmastime in the city." Anytime you see families having this much fun and getting  exercise at the same time, you know the event is a good one.

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!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers. We are thankful for yet another year of being able to share photos of the people and places of the borough of Greene with you. We are approaching our fourth year of posting, daily. To quote Mr. GDP, "Daily comes around rather quickly." Currently, our laptop is in the shop, Time-Warner cable is out at the house and we are posting from a coffee shop on a borrowed computer. So, please bear with us if posts are late, poorly edited, or abbreviated. Please say yes if we knock on your door and ask to use your computer!

Today's photo takes us back to the early years of Greensboro via the recent living history of America's soldiers and wars; the event was held in Guilford Courthouse Military Park. The above scene is of civil war soldiers resting at their encampment. Today, we are thankful that our fifty states are at relative peace with one another now that the elections are behind us. We are thankful that slowly, the east coast is getting back to normal after the destructive weather event dubbed "Sandy." We are thankful to be with family and friends. In an odd way, we are thankful to be without Internet connectivity and television so that we can focus on fellowship. Maybe we will even play a game of checkers. Let us know what you are up to!

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.

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?

High Point Rowing Club's First Regatta

The High Point Rowing Club is not yet a month old, but this past weekend, they participated in their first regatta. The event was held in Wake Forest, North Caroina on Falls Lake. The regatta, hosted by UNC Men's Crew, gave crews a chance to get their times before November's big rowing event, Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, TN.  Head of the Hooch is the second largest regatta in the USA. The HPRC team is ready and plans to participate. This is a wonderful opportunity for the team. In the above photo, High Point's two crews are seen getting ready for this past Saturday's race.

While this blog is Greensboro Daily Photo, we're glad High Point rowing has brought the sport of crew to the Triad. Currently, the team practices on Oak Hollow Lake. It would be wonderful if Coach Gene Kininmonth also started a rowing program on Lake Brandt or Lake Townsend. Greensboro has lots of young ladies (and even a crew of parents) ready to row. Maybe they could even get Greensboro's own Caroline Lind, gold medal Olympic rower, to come home and give the girls a few tips.

That would be simply OAR-some!

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

The weekend is upon us and Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (GCNMP) would be a fabulous place to spend time relaxing. The park, located at 2332 New Garden Road, is a good starting point for learning some of Greensboro's history. The park commemorates a Revolutionary War battle fought on March 15, 1781- The Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

The military park was established in 1917 (during World War I and the Russian Revolution) and remained a part of the War Department until it was transferred to the National Park Service in 1933. GCNMP is small, but that is part of its appeal. It is fun to bike on the established trails and fun to visit with a wagon full of children in tow. The park is especially enjoyable on the bustling days of reenactments and concerts when it is teeming with people; the way George Catlin intended parks to be and the way Georges Seurat painted them.

In the above photo, people are gathered around the statue of Nathanael Greene, a major general in the Continental Army for the Revolutionary War and the man for whom Greensboro is named. Did you know that the two North Carolinians who signed the Declaration of Independence (William Hooper and John Penn) are buried here? Did you know that GCNMP has a website to help teachers plan lessons centered around visiting the park? They also have materials to LOAN to teachers. Visit now and, teachers, book early.... school is about to start.

 

MUSEP @ Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

MUSEP with friends means fabulous summer fun. Local sponsors and the City of Greensboro bring music to the community each Sunday. The venues are mostly public parks and they are always free. Yesterday's concert was held in the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park off of Old Battleground Avenue& New Garden Road. The evening was one of country music with first, Katelyn Marks and then, Lisa Dames. It was as if Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline were in the park with us. The above photo was not our best at capturing yesterday's tremendous crowd. However, it captures the spirit of our city's great parks.

To the left, you see the 27' tall statue of Nathanael Greene, Revolutionary War hero and our city's namesake. In front of Greene is one of our giant oak trees; they sure help keep the green in Greensboro! The statue and the mighty oak dwarf the people en route to their seats. At the military park, being surrounded by trees enhances the acoustics and the seating area is great- plenty of shade and a gradual slope down to the musicians. The park should host more concerts.

Next Sunday at 6:30, the Greensboro Concert Band will play at Latham Park- a city park off of Wendover at Bessemer. There are four more concerts and then the concerts, and summer, come to a screeching halt!

Happy Monday, folks!

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).

MUSEP- Lindley Park

Sunday Evening Music in the Park this week was at Lindley Park and the event was extremely well attended. Sunday's MUSEP patrons had a double treat as two different blues, R&B, jazz and soul groups performed: Sweet Dreams and Knights of Soul. The weather was perfect and everyone seemed to be having a lovely time. As seen in the photo above, people brought picnic meals, blankets, children, pets, and positive attitudes. 

According to their literature, the MUSEP concerts are celebrating 33 years of outstanding concerts. If you haven't discovered them yet, it isn't too late. Next week's concert will be at Hagan-Stone Park, again a double header. Lindley Park will host another great event this upcoming Saturday, Summer Solstice. We think the landowner/horticulturist for whom Lindley Park was named, John Van Lindley, would be pleased to see people enjoying his former property.

 

Center City Fountain & Summer Events

Woo, hoo! It is time for summer fun. Here we see a family enjoying the fountains at Center City Park. We've featured the park several times (see here, for example); however, it is just so fabulous to have this community resource available for all to use-- for FREE.  They just keep expanding the schedule of events that take place in the park. Activities include: fitness by the fountain on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-7. This Monday will be Zumba. First Fridays, they have music. Third Fridays are movies. Wednesdays offer Tunes at Noon.

Last night, they held the fourth annual Summer Supper in the Park. This fundraiser helps support programming and advertisement. Let's hope the event went well. The weather was perfect. It has been quite a while since we've offered a black and white photo. Usually, we are in search of bright COLORS; however, the backlighting and intense sun just seemed perfect for black and white. We like the way the water seems to be frozen mid-stream. If you are looking for a place to get some interesting photos, try Center City Park. Hope to see you there!

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. 

Our Glorious Center City Park

Happy June 1st! The above photo was taken in Center City Park around one of the much-loved fountains. Adults and children alike love the spouts of water- especially on a hot day. The trio of sibilings and the mother-daughter duo spent a lot of time entertaining themselves at the fountain. You can see the Cultural Arts Center peeking through to the right above the green umbrellas.

Since today is the first Friday of the month, downtown Greensboro, along Elm Street, will be buzzing with activity. From Center City Park to Elsewhere Living Museum to the Indie Market to everything else in between, there is so much to do on First Friday. Businesses make sure that their shelves are well-stocked for this great event. If you have been wanting to visit downtown, there is no better time than First Friday. Hope to see you there.

 

Happy Memorial Day

This photo was taken last year at the Memorial Day service at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Greensboro. A service was held there yesterday. Hopefully, it was well attended. We're trying to find events today, but a google search did not produce many results. It appears that nearby Thomasville is having  a parade and wreath laying ceremony (more here) and the Stratford Retirement Community in High Point is having an event. We hope that the flag raising ceremony will take place at Friendly Center; however, we can't find it advertised. Speaking of advertisement, there is no shortage of announcements for Memorial Day sales in retail stores. If you know of an event remembering the hard work of our veterans, do let us know.

In the meantime, happy summer, dear readers. Children are chomping at the bit to be finished with school. Teachers are scrambling to figure out how on earth they are going to get their end-of-year checklists completed. In the midst of all this consumerism and closing out of the school and haralding in of summer, let's do set aside some time to thank our veterans.

Sunday in the Park at the Opening of the Downtown Greenway

We had the good fortune of spending Sunday afternoon in Morehead Park at the grand opening of the hub of the Downtown Greenway. This section of the greenway is inviting to pedestrians and bikers alike. From humans to leashed canines, fun was had by all. In the above photo, you see two of the gates inside the 1928 underpass of a railroad trestle that has been abandoned since the 1970's. The gates, have LED lights that change color before your eyes. Between the colorful light show and the diverse patterns in the art-deco inspired gates, the space is a visual feast. Jim Gallucci designed the gates, finding inspiration in the Southern Bell office building located, nearby, in downtown Greensboro. Scott Richardson is the brilliant designer of the interactive lighting effects.

Above, you see several people involved with the event. They are listening to the very inspiring speech of Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), who was praising Greensboro for its public art. The project was partially funded by an NEA grant.* Mayor Pro Tem, Yvonne Johnson is seated in the purple suit. Artists Jim Gallucci and Scott Richardson are immediately to the right of the photographer (with Jim wearing a hat). Churk Cornelio is in the front row wearing a red shirt. He served as speaker and emcee. Mr. Cornelio is an executive at Lincoln Financial Group, one of the major donors for the project. To his left is Linda Carlisle, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.

If you get a chance, make this park one of your weekend destinations. We hope organizations will continue to use this space and hold events here. Parking is readily available and it is a great way to bring the community together. Greensboro......... come on down!

*read more here.

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!

Center City Park

Here is a view of our glorious Center City Park by night (by day here). We know we feature it often (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 to show a few) but it really is the heart of the city; a nice open space for residents to gather. Tomorrow, the Greensboro Public Library will hold events related to El Día de los Niños in this very spot and the place will be brimming with fun activities for children and adults alike.

Between hanging out in Center City Park and visiting the Liberty Antiques Festival, and a few other events, like Earth Fare's Doggy Wash and Burgers for Bucks, we're going to be busy from morning to night. One of the biggest events is the U.S. Masters' Spring Nationals for swimming at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. If you haven't seen our new aquatic center, this is the weekend to stop by. Breathtaking. And swimmers may be setting records as you read. Finally, Leann Pizio is featuring a Keep It Local art event with multiple artists on her Oak Ridge property.

Please call a friend and see what a great time you can have in Greensboro this weekend. It will be a great weekend for adventure AND photos. Happy Skywatch Friday.

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).

Battle of Guilford Courthouse-- Reenactment 2012

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was reenacted at Country Park this past weekend. Thanks to The Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department, the volunteers, the Guilford Battleground Company, the reenactors who came from all over, and the sponsors, the 2012 event was a huge success. By day, the weather was cooperative; however, when asked if the weather bothered her, a sutler (non-miliatry participant) smiled and said, "It doesn't bother me. It is always wet at Guilford". Soggy ground and mud did not dampen the spirts of the enthusiastic participants.

The purpose of the reenactment it to teach attendees about life in the colonial period, specifically in Guilford County. To be invited back, participants wares and demonstrations must be authentic; they must interact well with visitors and other participants; and they must obey site rules and guidelines. There are three categories of participants: Military, sutler (non-military), and craftsmen/demonstrators.

When the above photo was taken, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse was well under way and the Redcoats were just up the hill. The reenactment site is tucked neatly behind the Spencer Love Tenis Facility, in the location where Pow-Wow is held. We feel sorry for anyone who was out walking or driving nearby who didn't know the event was a reenactment. Cannons and guns firing made quite a ruckus. If you did not attend this year, put it on your calendar for next March. Stop back to GDP and see more photos of the event over the next few days.

.......... Alas, it is back to the 21st century for our family!

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.

E is for the Environment

The vacant 1.3 acre lot at the corner of East Lee and Arlington Streets is a diamond in the rough, waiting to become a park under the dutiful watch of the Piedmont Land Conservancy. Musikgarten founders, Lorna and Herman Heyge donated the land to Greensboro's Parks and Recreation Department. You see the Musikgarten building peeking out in the upper right corner. An easement to Piedmont Land Conservancy will ensure that the park remains a natural setting with paths, benches, and a children's garden with a water feature. 

While the land looks a little scruffy in its "limbo" state, at least it has been cleared and is ready to be converted into a park. If you are local, perhaps you recall the time an old gas station was located here. D.H. Griffin helped clear the land by hauling away 80 dump-truck loads of old concrete and road material from the property (for free!). We hope the park will become a reality soon. Perhaps the pink survey strips surrounding the property are a sign that something is about to be done with the property. When this property becomes a park, the entrance into Ole Asheboro will have quite a facelift and the environment will be improved aesthetically and conserved in a way that benefits all of Greensboro's citizens. 

Today is ABC Wednesday and E is for Environment and an organization helping with that effort if the Piedmont Land Conservancy.

Swan Song for Winterfest 2012

Piedmont Winterfest 2012 officially closed yesterday. The above ice-skating rink will be drained and, hopefully, like Frosty the Snowman, come to life again next year. The postcard-perfect, Winterfest was a successful, public-private partnership involving many local entities*. It was located in Festival Park on Davie Street near the Greensboro Central Library. We're not sure how the unseasonably warm weather impacted attendance; however, on the days we visited, there were many skaters.  Yesterday, many children were out trying their hardest to master skating. One of the most determined children was a little boy who was out there all afternoon. You can see him in the middle of the rink, next to the girl with blue pants. We're hoping next year's rink can be even bigger.

If you still want to ice skate in Greensboro, you can head to the Ice House off of West Wendover Avenue. They were one of the sponsors of this event and will be more than happy to see you on their home turf...ice. Skating is great exercise. Happy last-Monday-in-January, dear readers.

*read more here.

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

When the winter weather is nice in Greensboro, nothing beats heading to one of our parks or the greenway for a bike ride. Here we are at the entrance of Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. The signage marks the 2 1/4 mile bike trail, clearly.  

Next month will be time for the reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. We recommend riding the trails this month to learn the lay of the land, so that on reenactment weekend, you will be able to move from point A to point B efficiently. Greensboro has many active cycling groups, check with one of the bike shops if you want to find a group of cyclists at your level. Have a great weekend everyone. Hope to see you out on the trail. 

To Pilot Mountain and Beyond

From First Friday downtown to the Fall Festival at Bur-Mil Park on Saturday to Sunday's Italian Festival in Festival Park, Greensboro is packed with things to do this weekend. However, the mountains are also calling. From now until the end of October, it is possible to see peak leaves somewhere in North Carolina. You just have to find the right elevation.

The above photo of the iconic Pilot Mountain, just north of Winston-Salem, was taken last year later in the season. Pilot Mountain is a geological landmark that rises 1,400 above sea level and is the centerpiece of Pilot Mountain State Park. If you like the outdoors, Pilot Mountain is non-stop fun. Nearby Mt. Airy was the inspiration for Sheriff Andy Griffith's TV show about Mayberry. It is a quintessential small North Carolina town of yesteryear with 21st century updates.

Consider making a day trip from Greensboro to the mountains soon as this year is supposed to be good for fall foliage. We hope that you have a wonderful weekend; you are healthy and happy and, at some point, you visit Pilot Mountain, Mt. Airy, and beyond. (We're sharing this post with Skywatch Friday).

Hearty Orange Tree in the Arboretum at Lindley Park

After all the research we did for yesterday's post on John Van Lindley, we're not quite ready to drop the topic. By chance, on Sunday, we were sitting on a bench at the Arboretum in Lindley Park listening to Scotty Walker's band. Looking up, we noticed these spikey/thorny branches above us. Intrigued that some of the branches had leaves and others did not, we leaned over to see what kind of tree we were near. According to the sign, this is a hearty orange tree. How fitting that an orange tree is growing on land that formerly belonged to John Van Lindley who was an expert with fruit trees. The branch of botany that studies and cultivates fruit trees is pomology. Lindley was an expert pomologist. 

Down the road from Lindley Park is the Pomona Park neighborhood of Greensboro where Lindley had Pomona Nurseries and where his business, The Pomona Terra Cotta Works was located. In the same neighborhood, at the end of the 19th century, the Pomona Cotton Mill opened. In 1905, Pomona Baptist Church was built and soon thereafter, the nearby Pomona Cemetery opened.  Since Pomona is the ancient Roman goddess of fruitful abundance, we're thinking Lindley had his hand in getting all of these places named "Pomona."

Today, Pomona Drive has no houses and its surrounding area is gray.... full of businesses and industry. (See here for a photo).  We are especially thankful that Mr. Lindley left so much green space for us to enjoy today. We are thankful that organizations like Greensboro Beautiful and our master gardeners work so hard at planting and keeping things green. For a very long time, we hope to enjoy tranquil vantage points like the one in the photo. We suspect Lindley would be pleased upon seeing this orange tree thriving in a place for all to enjoy.

The Great Orator......

This young boy was entertaining himself on a stump in Westerwood Park as his dad played basketball just to the right of this photo. The little boy was so focused, as if he were practicing his student council speech. Eloquence in public speaking is part gift, part learned. Additionally, success of a public speaker is partially attributed to the effect of dialect on the ear of the listeners. We didn't hear what this young boy was saying but his every gesture and action made us want to take pause and listen. Unfortunately, we were just passing by; saw, but did not hear. It is amazing how much fun he was having climbing and jumping from that stump. It looked like a scene out of The Giving Tree. This tree continues giving enjoyment, even when it is nothing more than a stump.

Weekends, Westerwood Park is busy, non stop, with groups playing pick up games of basketball while joggers and bikers pass by. Parks are good not only for for physical health but also mental health! They are great for the imagination!  "Joggers, bikers, hoop-shooters lend me your ears...."

Summer is Winding Down

For the children of Guilford County, summer is quickly winding down. Classes begin on Thursday, August 25th and from that point on, it will be 180 days of academic rigor. We've already had our tax free weekend for buying back-to-school clothes and other necessities. Children are trying hard to save their shoes and new outfits for those first days. Students are scrambling to finish their summer reading lists. If you have European History this fall, you are learning that Portugal is next to Spain is next to France is next to Germany is next to Poland... the Genesis of map skills. We encourage all to take a few days and commit to some unadulterated summer fun. Follow the lead of the children above and hula hoop, twirl ribbons, and run aimlessly squealing in delight. 

The above photo was taken back at the Summer Solstice Event in the Greensboro Arboretum. Before you know it, this very spot will be hosting girl scouts setting up for their December Candlefest. Enjoy what is left of summer. You won't regret it! If you have suggestions for family fun in Greensboro over the next couple of weeks, leave your ideas in the comment section.

Labyrinth Walking in Center City

The children walking the labyrinth were just precious. The little child in the forecround was as diligent and determined as the older children. The young boy in the orange shirt, near the center, walked the labyrinth many times and ran through it a few. Previously, we featured the labyrinth at Holy Trinity Church (here). Labyrinth facilitator, Vicki Longhofer Copeland was instrumental in getting the above temporary labyrinth installed in Center City Park. The paper stars were completed by children and were tied to the labyrinth, vesting more people in the project.

A labyrinth has a single, non-branching path to the center. Enter. Walk. Pause. Stop. Reflect. Walk. Arrive at the center. Turn around. Repeat the process. Return to the beginning. A labyrinth is a microcosm of life's path, reminding walkers that some facets of walking through life are shared with others although, ultimately, each life is a unique journey. Labyrinths are starting to be more common in the Greensboro area. The cancer centers at High Point Regional Hospital and the one at Wesley Long Hospital in Greensboro have labyrinths on their outdoor grounds. In addition to Holy Trinity Episcopal in Greensboro and St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem have a labyrinth. If you have never seen/walked a labyrinth before, the one at Holy Trinity, located at 607 North Greene Street, on the street-side of the church and pretty much always available. Or, as we see from Vicki's example, you could make one yourself!

Let the Show Begin

Laurencio Carlos Ruiz, visiting artist/puppeteer at Elsewhere Artists Collaborative, unleashed these paper balloons on the lawn at Center City Park in front of the Davie Street Cultural Arts Center. If you look above the rightmost balloon, you can see the roof of the Cultural Arts Center peeking out. Part of July's First Friday activities, the balloons were located on the very spot where many of the Fun Fourth festivities will take place over the next three days. One person commented that they looked like something out of a Roald Dahl novel. A Kindergarten teacher said they reminded her of colored pencils. At any rate, children and adults alike enjoyed running between the balloons, peeking inside them, letting their imaginations run wild around them, and having their photo taken with the festive display. Let this be another example of why one should never sit home alone on First Friday with so much happening in downtown Greensboro.

Same goes for Fun Fourth, this community celebration that has been taking place in Greensboro since 1975, is another opportunity to get out and enjoy downtown. The event schedule can be found at the previous link here.

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.

Camberly's Garden

Today's post takes us to Camberly's Garden at the Tanger Bicentennial Garden off Hobbs and Holden Roads. The above photo is fairly indicative of what you will see in Camberly's Garden-- foilage, sculptures, and flowers; beauty all around. If you spend time in this tranquil place, you start to feel the energy and emotion of this memorial garden dedicated to Camberly Holliday, daughter of former Mayor Keith Holliday and his wife Cindy.

Camberly died unexpectedly in 2002 of a brain aneurysm. Camberly was one of those young women who had a full, well-rounded life: music, dancing, Girl Scouts, academics; she loved and brought joy to her family, friends, church, and community every day of her fourteen short years on earth. We are so grateful that Greensboro has this garden where we can go to reflect, hope, and dream. With each wilting flower or new bud, Camberly's Garden reminds us that life is precious, yet fleeting.

This is our post for Skywatch Friday.