Greensboro Daily Photo

Brown-Gardiner in the Snow

Brown-Gardiner bills itself as "The Place to Be", an old-fashioned pharmacy and soda fountain that has served Greensboro for over 59 years. Part pharmacy, part restaurant, part social gathering place, indeed, Brown-Gardiner is an Irving Park institution. When you enter, depending on the time of day, you either smell bacon frying or that subtle medicinal scent of the pharmacies of yesteryear.

Congressman Howard Coble was known to eat here.  When in his Greensboro office, all he had to do was cross the street for lunch. It is highly likely that a lot of community input came his way over the lunch counter. While, unfortunately, Congressman Coble is no longer living, there is every indication that Brown-Gardiner will be around for a very long time. The building at 2101 North Elm Street, with its Carolina blue brick and awning, is even more prominent after a snowstorm. 

 

Frosty the Snowperson

Somebody built a snowperson on Olive Street in Fisher Park, at Bessemer Avenue. It is heartwarming to see people out enjoying the snow. In addition to the work that snow brings, by way of shoveling sidewalks and digging out one's vehicle, it is nice to make time for fun; finding that special sled riding hill, making snowmen, or even having a tame snowball "fight."

If you've ever built a snowman, you know that it is not that easy. First, the snow has to be just the right texture to stick together. Second, you have to get the snow while it is fresh and clean. Third, if the snowman is big, you may need someone to help lift the middle section. The stars aligned on Olive Street and this delightful icon of winter even survived the last two days where temperatures rose to nearly 40 degrees in Greensboro. The super creative part is its eyes. They used tootsie pops!  After all, coal isn't that easy to come by any more.

Digging Out

Yesterday, it was hit and miss with respect to businesses being open in Greensboro. There were probably more businesses closed than open. Even within corporations, it was hard to know which stores were open. The Chick-Fil-A on North Battleground was open with the drive-through snaking around the building. The Chick-Fil-A near Guilford College was closed. Some Starbucks were open; some closed. A lot had to do with safety and the ability to get parking lots shoveled and de-iced. In the above photo, the crew at Battleground Tire was busy digging out from the mountains of snow left behind by snowplows on Battleground Avenue.

Main roads are clear, side roads remain messy, and subject to black ice, as temperatures drop in the evening. Everybody is working hard to get the city fully functional again. Listening to the news, it is nice to hear that people have been offering to buy coffee and doughnuts for workers, bellringers, public servants, news crews, etc. Inclement weather is the perfect time for random acts of kindness, especially this near the holidays!

Schools are closed at least through Wednesday. For those who can, it is best to stay put! 

12-14" of Snow and Flags at Half Mast

President Trump has ordered that all flags fly at half mast for 30 days to honor former President George H. W. Bush. The above photo was taken last night at Greensboro's Piedmont Triad International Airport. With 14 inches of snow and the winds holding the flags erect, the flags stood out at eye-level for travelers. While the airport wasn't closed, very few flights made it in or out yesterday.

With 12-14" of snow falling yesterday, it was the 3rd snowiest day on record in Greensboro. According to WFMY 2 News, and as measured at PTI Airport, yesterday, as of 3pm, it had snowed 12". On March 3rd, 1927, 20.3 inches of snow fell and on December 17th 1930, 14.3 inches. With local schools and many businesses closed, Greensboro will be pretty much at a standstill today. If ever you were going to make a snowman, read a book, or clean house, today would be the perfect day to do so. Stay put! You will have the rest of the month to go to the airport to see the flags at half mast.

Centenary UMC

Centenary United Methodist Church, located at 2300 West Friendly Avenue, is decorated for Christmas. This year, they have their annual creche on the Friendly Avenue side of the building, and they have added some of the round, chickenwire balls of light, extending the Sunset Hills display. 

Church services at Centenary were cancelled last night, in anticipation of the snow of 2018! Church members here could probably use a day of rest, anyway. Yesterday, they held a fabulous, free, community breakfast from 8-10 am which also included a clothes closet. This past Wednesday, they held a health screening at the church. These days, houses of worship work hard for the community. Let's hope the weather is agreeable enough for members to attend Christmas services. Happy Sunday; stay warm!

Tiny Gallery on Bruce Street

Tiny is the new BIG, and today from 11:00 am- 4:00 pm, six very talented Greensboro artists will feature their artwork for sale at the Tiny Gallery at 125 Bruce Street. The above photo features two of the artists, Vicky Johnson and Perry Boswell. Perry is selling his paintings and some of his naughty and nice Christmas cards. Vicki also has cards and jewelry. (You still have another week or so to mail cards and have them arrive on time).

Bruce Street is a tiny street between Spring Garden Street and Oakland Avenue. If you are heading east on Spring Garden, it is the first right, just after Elam. Regardless of whether you visit Bruce Street, or one of the many other artists' events in Greensboro today, there is no reason to buy something mass produced, when there is so much local talent. Please support local artists. As you plan your day, with the looming threat of a giant snowstorm, make your list and check it twice: Bread, milk, candles, batteries, and LOCAL ART!

Thistle and Broom

Yesterday, we featured shipping containers in Greensboro, to show the one end of consumerism; specifically, items being brought in from all over the world. Today, we feature the opposite end of the spectrum, a locally owned store, Thistle and Broom. The proprietor, Deborah, imports some items, but also works hard to locally source items. She loves mixing new and vintage.  Thistle & Broom has been open for two years now. In her previous career, Deborah was a school teacher in Guilford and Randolph Counties.

Deborah, who relocated to Greensboro from Siler City when she was 19, absolutely loves spending time in her shop arranging items. She compared staging the shop with painting a picture. You don't always know where you will end up, but is always fun seeing the finished product. Hats off to Deborah for working hard to provide so many cute items that add to the hygge feeling of coziness we all crave this time of year. Stop by and see her soon at 1940 Spring Garden Street, between Adelaide's and Spring Garden Bakery.

 

Horse & Fog

This past weekend was extremely foggy in Greensboro. As long as the foreground is visible, fog can really enhance a photo. Such was the case with this horse, spotted at the corner of Pleasant Ridge Road and Stanley Huff Road. Greensboro is entering one of those time periods where just about every possible weather event will be experienced within about a week. From fog, to warm sunny days, to the likelihood of snow and ice. Are you ready? This beautiful horse is. Rolled bales of hay were delivered last night and there is enough to last through the most tenacious  of snowstorms.

If you love horses, there are plenty of stables around Greensboro. If you own horses and want a horse farm, horseproperties.net often has property listed in the area. Around Greensboro, conditions are good for riding, most of the year.