Greensboro Daily Photo

Memorial Day 2023

The above memorial is located at the intersection of Summit Avenue and Lindsay Street, between the Flatiron and the Greensboro History Museum. Parts of the memorial came from the War Memorial Auditorium in the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. It was relocated to the above spot in November of 2014. We notices yesterday that some of the letters are missing from the part in the middle.* Everlasting Monument installed the letters. It would be nice for someone to hire them to come out and add the missing letters, as they would be able to match the font style and size. Along the top edge of the semi circular brick wall are eight plaques of names from World War II, one and a half from the Korean War, one and a half from the Vietnam War, and fourteen names from Operation Iraqi Freedom. That is over 600 names of Greensboro soldiers who lost their lives while serving. 

The inscription on the monument reads, "Greater love hath no man than this. That a man lay down his life for his friends. Dedicated 1959 to the memory of the men and women of Greensboro who gave their lives in the wars of our country."  In 1940, the population of Greensboro was just over 59,000 and we  lost about 200 soldiers from Greensboro during World War II. It is hard to believe that World War II ended 78 years ago. Every time we go past this memorial, we stop and read through the list of names. 

Memorial Day tends to be a day of picnic and family gatherings. It is also a good time to remember those who died while serving.

Missing letters: 2Ys, 2Es, and an O.

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church

In walking and driving around weekend, we've noticed how different some things look by day and by night. The above photo is of St. Paul's Catholic Church at the corner of Horse Pen Creek and New Garden Road.  That dramatic, triangular roof is a standout regardless of time of day. However, the lighting on the church at night accentuates the shape. Also, the the small pond in front of the church, adds yet another element. Last night, it was cool (in the mid- 50s) and breezy, adding a blur to the bottom third of the photo. However, the reflection serves to emphasis the greenery surrounding the church, something not nearly as noticeable by day. Also, St. Paul's has lined the parking lot with flags in preparation for Memorial Day tomorrow. None of this would have been noticeable had we not taken that closer look we suggested yesterday. 

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church was dedicated in 1976  to meet the needs of the growing Catholic community in Greensboro, especially in the northwest part of town. However, the above sanctuary was built and dedicated in 1993, again to accommodate growth in membership. On the church website, the last membership statistic they give is for 1998, a time when there were 1,900 families (over 5,000 members). Not visible in the above photo is the Parish Life Center, built in the early 2000s, adding space to provide a place for classrooms, a gymnasium, and a great space for special events like their ever-popular kids' consignment sale. 

Other Catholic Churches in Greensboro include: St. Benedict, Our Lady of Grace, St. Mary's, St. Pius, and St. Peter Yu Korean Catholic. According to this website, 49.6% of the people of Greensboro are religious and 3.8% of Greensboro's residents are Catholic. In preparing this post, we learned that Greensboro ranks 4th in churches per capita in the United States, making it easy for us to find a house of worship to post here on Sundays!

Happy Sunday! 

Larger Than Life

 

Yesterday, we featured poppies in a garden for National Poppy Day. Today, we give you a close up (macro) view of one of the poppies in the photo. The day we took the photo last week was overcast and windy in Greensboro, and several of the photos were blurry. We finally got a photo that shows you the intricacies of the inside of a poppy. Macro photography is about showcasing things larger than they actually are in real life. See HERE if you want to learn about the anatomy of a poppy.

Not only is this view "larger than life", but so is the backstory. Remember that through our friend, the current owner of the house and this garden, Kit Rodenbough, we learned that another friend, Julie Dameron formerly owned this house and is actually the one who planted this garden. This gives Kit the very important role of being the keeper of the garden. Well, to continue this great story, we learned that yesterday's post prompted a visit between Kit and Julie. Julie got to go see her garden again and left the visit so thrilled, hearing how much Kit loves the house AND the garden. The only thing that would have made this close up slice of life better would have been getting a photo of the two women together. Maybe that can be arranged at a later date. Also, just since yesterday,  we've had a few friends in Greensboro alerting us of their poppies we can photograph for next year!

If you have a cell phone, use the camera to take a macro photo of something. Seeing something up close, as opposed to from a distance, yields very interesting results. Share your macro photo with friends! Tell them you were inspired by Greensboro Daily Photo! With six degrees of separation, we're betting word will get back to us.

Happy Saturday!

National Poppy Day 2023

Today is National Poppy Day. In the United States, the red poppy  has been nationally recognized as a symbol honoring those who served and died for our country in war. On Sept. 27, 1920, the poppy became the official flower of the American Legion; in 1924, poppy distribution became their national program. In Greensboro, there are two American Legion posts. One is located at 1206 American Legion Street in northeast Greensboro. Post 53 is located at 529 Ridge Creek, near I-40 and Highway 220 in the southern part of the city. Perhaps the local American Legion, or the VFW will be selling poppies today.

In preparation for National Poppy Day, we looked for poppies to photograph in Greensboro. We had already photographed the beautiful field of poppies across from Lindley Elementary School, so were on the hunt for another source. Our friend, local businesswoman Kit Rodenbough, mentioned how much she is enjoying her poppies this year. We asked to photograph the poppies in her garden. Kit lives in the neighborhood between Irving Park and Kick Back Jack's and has a lovely backyard garden. When we arrived, she mentioned she had recently purchased the house from Julie Dameron, a retired nurse who recently moved to Friends Home West. We not only recognized the garden Julie planted, but also the garage room where Julie had her art studio. She is an accomplished painter, often taking inspiration from her garden. Also, she always kept bouquets of fresh flowers from this very garden. Julie left behind not only her poppies, but also a lovely rose garden. However, Julie is cultivating a rose garden at Friends Home West. Today, she can now see that the lovely poppies at her previous home are bringing joy to Kit. Such is the nature of gardening; an initial investment of time and effort yields benefits that can last for generations. If you see Kit or Julie, compliment them on their poppies.

Today, when people are wearing a red poppy on their lapel,  you will know the story. Ask them if their poppy is from the garden of Kit and Julie, the garden across from Lindley Elementary School, or from a garden we need to know about so we can photograph it for next year! If someone approaches you to purchase a poppy for your lapel,  you will know the backstory.

Finally, we have a dear friend and reader who requested we share the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae. This is the poem that inspired the use of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance. Our friend remembers having to memorize the poem in 6th grade.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

 

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.

Krispy Kreme Doughploma

Yesterday was the first day for graduations for Guilford County Schools. They day started with the graduation of the Early College of Guilford, Greensboro College Middle College, The Middle College at UNCG, Kearns Academy, and the Academy at Smith. High School graduation ceremonies will continue through June 11th (see schedule here). The above photo; however, features "dough-ploma" day at Krispy Kreme Donuts. Yesterday, any student who could verify they are graduating this year received a dozen original glazed donuts for FREE from Krispy Kreme. This tradition started during Covid and has been so well received, that it continues today (read HERE). No purchase was necessary.

The above photo was taken at the Krispy Kreme on Battleground Avenue. When we stopped by around 6:00 pm. the store was so busy, some students had to wait in a line outside. When we drove back by at almost 9:00 pm, the line was equally long. It was only one day, but as quickly as information spreads with teens through social media, the word got out quickly. How wonderful they offer these doughplomas. We're wondering what other businesses do something so generous. This was not just one doughnut, but a whole dozen. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

Happy Thursday!

True Family Home; 507 Chapman Street- Gone, But Not Forgotten!

As of yesterday afternoon, just before 5:00 pm, this was all that was left of the little blue house on Chapman Street, the place where Jack True made holidays come to life for generations of Greensboro's children.*  His years of playing Santa Claus on the porch were epic. Now, with only signs of the foundation remaining, you can see that this house had a tiny, tiny footprint. Built in 1935, it had two bedrooms and one bathroom. According to Zillow, the lot is .19 of an acre and it sold on 2/23/23 for $79,000. Unless it was rezoned or additional property acquired, it will accommodate a single family dwelling of 3,529 square feet.

This is a very desirable neighborhood between Lindley Park, Sunset Hills, and UNCG. It will be interesting to see what gets built. There are those breathing a sigh of relief that the house with only a wood stove for a heat source and a leaky, tarped roof is gone. A new structure will serve to improve this corner of the neighborhood. However, there are those who know that sometimes houses with the tiniest of footprints are home to people with the biggest hearts. Such was the case at 507 Chapman Street.

* see here, a Greensboro Daily Photo of the house when it was still standing.

Northern Roots Coffee Shop

Northern Roots is a coffee shop downtown near Scuppernong Books and on the same side of the street. This past weekend, they celebrated their one year birthday. While they are known for their coffee and tea drinks, they do have some sweet and savory croissants and bagels. People especially enjoy sitting in the cozy seating, especially at the windows. When we stopped by this weekend, they were 5 minutes from closing, so we grabbed a coffee to go and snapped this photo. The store is much busier early in the day. Coffee shops become our third spaces, a sort of home or business area. This is a "palate cleansing" coffee shop with the relaxing and neutral colors. Elm Street now has several coffee shops. It would be fun to start the day at Dolce Aroma at 233 North Elm Street, and work our way to Common Grounds at 631 South Elm Street, visiting everything in between How much caffeine would be that in all of the establishments in those 8 blocks?

Happy Tuesday!

Greensboro Bound Literary Festival

The Greensboro Bound Literary Festival has come and gone, but oh what a wonderful festival it was and we look forward to having it return to Greensboro next spring. The festival is always a combination of North Carolina authors, as well as authors from across the United States. This year, there were 55 authors participating. Presenters were as local as the poet laureates from 14 Guilford County high schools.

The above photo features the three co-presenters from the "This Is Your Brain On Poetry" session at Scuppernong Books on Saturday afternoon. They are, from left to right, Filipino-American poet and author Janine Joseph (Stillwater, OK), Maureen Sherbondy (Raleigh, NC), and Crystal Simone Smith (Durham, NC). Topics of their writing often include issues related to social justice. We forgot to ask the trio how they came together for their session, but they seemed to be a perfect fit.

Finally, it is always fun to see the worker bees, behind the scene making our festivals run seamlessly. We saw Lynn Witherspoon working logistics, dashing around on a golf cart, probably going between the literary festival and the blues festival.