Greensboro Daily Photo

Downtown Greensboro: View from the Baseball Stadium

This is one of the views from the Newbridge Bank Park as you leave the baseball stadium and head toward Eugene Street. Yes, Greensboro has tall buildings but in a city without much altitude change and no river views, skylines are hard to photograph. Eventually, we'll capture one to share. For now, two tall, flat buildings and a parking deck will have to suffice for seeing the northern end of downtown. The repeating rectangles do add some visual interest. The photo was taken at dusk as light was fleeting and shadows began to creep in, as seen on the right side of the photo.

Today, we're participating in the "My World" Tuesday theme day.

               

A Fold of Kyloes

If you are from Scotland, you will know that the animal in this picture is a breed of cattle developed in the Scottish Highlands and western isles of Scotland. These cattle, known as kyloes, have thick, wavy pelts to protect them from windy, cold winters. Their beef tends to be lean since they rely on hair, as opposed to fat, to keep them warm. A group of them is known as a fold, as opposed to a herd. The fold in this picture lives in Greensboro, in northwest Guilford County.  Our goal is to interview the farmer and find out just how he came about raising this breed of cattle in North Carolina!

Today' we're participating in Monochrome Monday, even though color photography is really our strength!

               

Power for Living Tabernacle Church

This church is located at 544  S. Mendenhall in the College Hill neighborhood, almost at Spring Garden Street and a block away from UNCG and Greensboro College. At first, we didn't even realize this was a church. While snapping shots of the brick store and then the Pepsi sign next door, the man in the photo pointed out his church and asked me to photograph it. He talked about it and about the wonderful pastor T.J. Patterson, Jr. In the three months we've been out getting pictures for this blog, we've met many great people and have learned so much about Greensboro and North Carolina living in general. Have a great Sunday.

               

The Mellow Mushroom: Great Addition to Downtown Greensboro

The Mellow Mushroom, 609 South Elm Street, is a great addition to downtown Greensboro. It opened on December 22, 2008 and already has quite a following. The building has been restored and decorated, maintaining the integrity of the old brick building and playing off the nearby art and antiques galleries. The inside has a cathedral theme with many stained glass windows, mosaic tile mirrors in the bathrooms, and vintage chandeliers EVERYWHERE!

While the cathedral theme is a nice backdrop for this family oriented business, the flamelike colors in the bar area warn of the devilish aspects of imbibing excessively. If you are looking for something to do this weekend, you might want to consider eating a special pizza at the Mellow Mushroom. Our personal favorite is the Mega-Veggie.

On another note, if you are looking for something to do on Tuesday, March 31st, head on over to Aycock Middle Schooll and support the visual and performing arts. They will have some great art items that, likely, will sell for very reasonable prices. They have paintings, wild aprons, some photographs, jewelry. Aycock Middle School has been educating children in Greensboro since the 1920's!

               

Inverted Peace Symbol against (almost) Carolina Blue Sky

We absolutely love this curious tree and photographed it just east of Greensboro. The shape, resembling an inverted peace sign, was irresistible against the (almost)  Carolina blue sky.  By the way, the use of light blue (and white) at the University of North Carolina dates back to 1795-- almost as long as the US has been a nation. Regarding the tree, does anyone know what kind of tree this is?  Finally, thank you Mr. Daily Photo, you outdid yourself on finding compatible books for today!

Please follow along on the Skywatch Friday tour. Photo #1 (by Scotty Graham in Indonesia) is breathtaking! Alternatively, click on the books below and see where they take you. May you have a PEACEful weekend.

               

Gate City Auto Parts

Back alley ways and side streets can yield some interesting views. This scene, taken from East Lewis Street downtown looks like it could have been lifted from the 1978 musical "Grease." Perhaps John Travolta will be jumping out of the car at any minute. Does anyone know the year, make, and model of this car? 

               

Horses on Alcorn Road

We did a photo shoot in Northwest Guilford County last week so many of our photos this week were taken between Greensboro and Oak Ridge. As stated in a previous post, Guilford County has the most horses of all 100 North Carolina counties. The horse farm above has not only beautiful animals but also an amazing amount of new white fencing. The two horses in the picture above seemed to be posing for the camera, first looking up, then, simultaneously, bending back over to continue grazing.

               

Springtime in Greensboro

Greensboro is one of those typical southern towns that come to life in the spring as the forsythias bloom and fruit trees blossom. Next dogwood trees and azaleas will display their colors. This picture was taken last week from the IHOP parking lot between Battleground and Westover Terrace. 

One thing this blog has taught us is that beauty is found where one least expects. The view from the IHOP parking lot is not exactly the most beautiful in Greensboro. Vehicles swoosh by, cars are parked in the Irving Park strip malls, office buildings and Hardee's parking lot are nearby. However, as we waited for traffic to pass and crouched below power lines, this beautiful slice of spring emerged into view. There it was, hiding and waiting for someone to take the time to celebrate it. As a community, we seem to be making an effort to fight for and value our green space. So here's to you, little hideway at the corner of Green Valley and Westover Terrace. 

               

Old Mill of Guilford

Old Mill of Guilford is one of the most photographed places in Guilford County. It is located on Highway 68, just north of the church featured on GDP yesterday.  The Old Mill of Guilford is a fully-operational, water-powered, 18th century grist mill. According to their website, it was "founded in North Carolina on Beaver Creek in 1767 to grind grain for the early settlers in what is now Guilford County."    The stone-ground, all-natural corn meal, grits, and flour are just a few of the many items available for purchase on site. 

In the 1970's Heidi and Charles Parnell bought the mill and restored the structure and machinery, retaining the historic features. Mr. and Mrs. Parnell died a few years ago and the mill is under new ownership. Hopefully, in the spirit of the Parnells, the mill will retain a sense of community and tradition and continue to provide good grain for healthful living.

               

Save This Church..... Please

Salvation is  reciprocal process. Churches save us and we save churches. This church, located at the corner of Alcorn Rd. and Highway 68 is a glimpse of a rapidly-disappearing, rural North Carolina. The simple, white country church, with a graveyard at its side, at one time was the center of spiritual and social activity for its members. A sign posted on the property asks us to "Save this Church." While it is tragic for the roof to be caving in, the blue tarp gives the abandoned building the appearance of a Christo and Jeanne-Claude project. 

Wonder what this land will look like a year from now? Will there be a church here?  Other properties in the area have become housing developments with names representing what used to be on the land. Perhaps a housing development here could be called "Lone Church Hill." Save this church..... please.

              

School is Out for the Weekend

Schools are colorful and dynamic places when class is in session. Lights off, without teachers and students, schools can be hauntingly still. The lack of color, other than blue, makes this empty classroom look even colder. The rectangles within rectangles, within rectangles, evoke geometric rigidity.

This picture could have been taken anywhere; however, if you are from Greensboro, you can guess in which of the 22 Guilford County middle schools this view was captured. Leave us a comment and we'll give the answer after everyone's had a chance.

               

Greensboro Historical Museum: Up on the Rooftop

The Greensboro Historical Museum is undergoing a multimillion dollar renovation, outside as well as inside. Here we see two roofers finishing their working day on the museum's rooftop. We were impressed at how hard the men were working and how safety conscious they seemed to be. Renovations will take over a year, but will be well worth the wait! The museum remains open to the public and, as always, is FREE!

While the sky wasn't actually white on the day this photo was taken, it appears that way in this black and white photo.   Thank you for stopping by our website on your Skywatch Friday tour!

               

The Gate City

The Gate City is a nickname given to our town after Governor John Motley Morehead negotiated the moving of a train line here in the mid-1800's. With 60 trains running daily, Governor Morehead's hometown quickly became known as "The Gate City." Greensboro is also known as the Triad (Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem); not to be confused with the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) located to the east along I-40. The sign looks like it is of the same vintage as the Wizzard of Oz signs! This photo was taken at the historical museum the day before parts of it were scheduled for renovations. The already wonderful museum will be tremendously improved over the course of a year-- inside and outside.

               

Quaker Village

Quaker Village, named for the large community of Quakers in the area, is a charming retail venue just across the street from Guilford College. While struggling with occupancy, Quaker Village is a place of great potential for businesses catering to the college students wanting a break from campus life or needing supplies to get through the next week. Recently, this alley way was remodeled and the results are extremely inviting; evoking life at the beach on a warm sunny day. No purchase necessary to enjoy the relaxing space above.

               

Happy Saint Patrick's Day: Got GREEN?

Scottie dogs aren't Irish (maybe Scots-Irish!), but this fellow looks so cute sporting glittery, green shamrocks. Happy St. Patrick's Day. Our holiday vignette shows you how one Greensboro family goes all out decorating for St. Patrick's Day-- even if they aren't Irish! If you are up for celebrating the green, M'Coul's on 110 W. McGee St. has quite an St. Patrick's Day line-up and at least the first six events sound wonderful AND family friendly! 

Johnny Burris with his Bagpipes 8am to noon

Jason Pierce 12:30- 2pm

Dakota Joe and Scott Manring 2:30- 4pm

Walsh Kelley Irish Dancers 4:30- 7pm

Molly McGinn 5:30- 7:30pm

Limerick Contest 8pm-9pm

DJ 9pm-1am

Here is a modified Ogden Nash limerick to put you in the festive spirit:

A jolly young fellow from Yuma

Told an elephant joke to a puma;

Now his skeleton lies

Beneath Greensboro* skies-

The puma had no sense of huma.

*(hot western)

               

ACC Tournament

Greensboro is home to the headquarters of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The conference was founded in May 1953 in the city. While the schools of the conference are competitive and have produced champions in all intercollegiate sports, basketball has generated some of the nation's most intense rivalries and greatest teams.

The ACC Tournaments were exciting this year as always. Hopefully, you got to watch some of the great basketball. Unfortunately for Greensboro, this year's men's tournament was played in Atlanta. However, the city did host the 2009 Women's ACC Tournament. Here we see a picture of team banners at the Greensboro Coliseum complex. The Coliseum and the ACC will play host for two rounds of this year's men's Division I NCAA Tournament.

The day the idea for the picture came to us, we did not have our camera. Upon returning the next day, cherry blossoms had started blooming. In springtime, nature changes daily! In basketball tournaments, changes are hourly! Congratulations to the ACC Champion Maryland Lady Terrapins and Duke Blue Devils.

                 

Through the Doors of the Greek Orthodox Church

The Lenten season in the Orthodox Church is a time of purification of body and soul in preparation for the feast of the Ressurection of Christ. Lent is a time for Orthodox Christians to reflect on their living habits and on their spirituality and to remember the dead. These flowers were placed in the vestibule of the Dormition of the Theotokos Orthodox Church on Saturday, March 7th, The Saturday of Souls. The Saturday of Souls is set aside for prayers and hymns to commemorate people who died within the liturgical year. The icon above, known as The Akathist, depicts Theotokos, or the Mother of God, and Christ. Akathistos translated means "not sitting" and participants stand while the hymn is being prayed. In the top right corner of the photo, you can see a woman standing during the service.

The church is located at 800 Westridge Road on the corner of Westridge and Friendly Avenue.

               

Greek Orthodox Church Doors

These are the doors to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, located at the corner of Westridge Road and Friendly Avenue.  The purple ribbons represent Christ's pain and suffering and are displayed during the Lenten season. Eastern Orthodox Churches have a long and interesting history, claiming to have been established by Jesus Christ himself. This year, Orthodox Easter is one week later than the Easter of other Christian denominations. Tomorrow, we will have a view just beyond these doors.

 According to the website of the Dormition of the Theotokos, in early 20th century, many Greek families immigrated to Greensboro; however, an official house of worship (literally a house  at the corner of Oak Court and Church Street) did not open until 1948. The land on which the present church is built was purchased in 1969 and construction plans were started immediately thereafter. Attending the Greek Festival, held on the property each September, has been a Greensboro tradition for decades.

               

Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch of the Greensboro Public Library

This painting, depicting the sky over Greensboro, is found in the small  rotunda of the Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch of the Greensboro Public Library System. The actual sky can be seen through the windows in the middle where sun beams through to illuminate the picture for all to enjoy. As stated on their website, "[t]he library is located in the 98-acre Price Park, which includes a bird and butterfly meadow, reading garding, walking trails, ponds, and wetlands."  This is our second link to Skywatch Friday, a project where people from all over the world share a slice of the sky as seen over their respective communities.

Are there any sky paintings in your town? If you painted the sky, what would it look like? Why don't we all try it! The more we examine our city, the more we realize how much there is to see and do here. Happy Skywatch Friday the 13th! (We published this, by mistake, earlier in the week and, at least one reader chalked it up to the superstition that Friday the 13th's are considered unlucky)!!!

             

First Presbyterian Cemetery behind the Greensboro Historical Museum

The cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro is located on the grounds of the Greensboro Historical Museum. Known as the Old Presbyterian Graveyard, this cemetery is a historian's delight. Arborists will find the cemetery of interest given the wide variety of trees planted here in recent years. Burials in the cemetery range from 1831- 1926. Among the Greensborians buried in this cemetery are Governor John Motley Morehead, (short story writer) O.Henry's parents, and veterans of the Revolutionary, 1812, and Civil Wars.

Many books are available through Amazon that reference First Presbyterian and its original graveyard. Most do not have images of their book covers available. If you would like to see a list of these books and check their availability, click here.

               

Greensboro Central Library

The Greensboro Public Library system is absolutely taxpayers' money well spent. Featured today is the Children's Wing of the Central Branch of our public library system. To honor the privacy of children, we took pictures when the library was less crowded. However, the Greensboro libraries are busy, dynamic places, attracting people of all ages. In addition to print and media holdings, special programs and exhibits are offered. Free computers provide Internet access to people who otherwise might not have it. Additionally, the Friends of the Library organization is very active and offers engaging special events.  Their coffee shop at this branch offers refreshments and used books at reasonable prices.

               

Victorian Beauty on Mendenhall Street

This house, located on Mendenhall Avenue, near Walker Avenue, is typical of the architecture found in the College Hill neighborhood of Greensboro. College Hill is sandwiched in between Greensboro College and the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Greensboro's oldest neighborhood carries the historic district designation and has an interesting history indeed. 

Don't you just love the wrap-around porch and the rocking chairs, evoking memories of the days when porches were filled with people who engaged in conversations with neighbors, friends, and even strangers. On the day of this photo shoot, we took many pictures; so, plan on learning more about other buildings in College Hill. Greensboro is known for its pretty neighborhoods and this one is no exception!

Greensboro Fire Station #49 on Friendly Avenue

Greensboro Fire Station #49 on Friendly Avenue took advantage of the warm weather on Saturday morning and cleaned their fire trucks. According to the website of the Greensboro Fire Department, North Carolina's Severe Weather Awareness week was March 1-7 and, oh, did we have extreme weather last week. March 2009 stormed in dumping five inches of snow on Greensboro leaving temperatures in the 20's. By Saturday, March 7th, when this picture was taken, the temperature had spiked to 76 degrees. In conjunction with Severe Weather Awareness, it was "Get In, Get Down, and Cover Up" on Friday when the Guilford County Schools held a tornado drill. Children all over the county practiced their tornado readiness procedures.

A big thanks to our fire men who work hard to keep our community safe! A big thanks to teachers who make sure students know what to do in the event of a tornado. A community is truly a community when people work together.

               

Saint Benedict's Catholic Church

Wednesday before last was a very important day in the Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten season. This picture captures the Elm Street door of St. Benedict's Catholic Church.

This church, located at 109 W. Smith Street is one of the oldest in the Diocese of Charlotte. It was first established in 1877 as St. Agnes Church. In 1899 the building in the photograph was completed and the original church structure was sold to the city of Greensboro to become its first high school. More of the interesting history is outlined on their website. Here is a bit from their site...

...while St. Benedict's was being rebuilt at the turn of the last century,

"a wealthy Philadelphia woman, Katherine Drexel, founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People, was working to distribute her fortune to benefit African Americans. Drexel learned of the building project and gave St. Benedict's Church $1,500 for a new church, with the condition that one of the four rows of pews be reserved for African Americans."

Saint Katherine Drexel was canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II. If you attend this church, it would be interesting to know if this pew is still reserved or to learn more about the diversity of the congregation..........

            

The Ultimate Sport

In case you have not heard of ULTIMATE, it is a team sport played with a disc that many refer to as a Frisbee. Players toss the disc to teammates advancing it down the field towards the goal-line. Once a player has control over the disc, a pivot foot must be established, similar to basketball. Picking up your pivot foot results in a travel.  Ultimate players act as their own referees, taking great pride in their sportsmanship -- which is referred to in the community as "Spirit of the Game."

The above photo was taken at a recent Ultimate event held on the intramural fields at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. As you can see, it is not uncommon for teams to be comprised of both men and women of varying ages (from high school to post-collegiate). If you have tremendous stamina and are talented at tossing a disc, it is never too late to play ULTIMATE!

               

Sears Building at Friendly Center for Skywatch Friday

The Sears Building in Friendly Center is seen here from the side with the cloudless, cobalt blue sky above to celebrate SKYWATCH Friday. 

Sears has been a Greensboro business since just about everyone can remember. We met one woman who had retired from the local Sears after 42 years of employment! Anyone over fifty years of age will likely remember waiting in line to pick up their catalog order just in time for Christmas. People waited in line respectfully and often chatted to each other until it was their turn to be waited on.

We at Greensboro Daily Photo are nostalgia shoppers and love going to Sears. We took a picture of the less-visited side of the building to showcase the sky while the trees are without leaves. You can see that these trees are quite mature. Greensboro is known for its greenery-- even in our shopping centers! We'll try to remember to take this same picture for a Skywatch Friday in spring or summer with leaves on the trees. 

               

Greensboro Historical Museum

If you are looking for something to do this weekend and have not been to the Greensboro Historical Museum, please make an effort to visit. The museum, located downtown at 130 Summit Avenue, documents key aspects of Greensboro's history. The exhibits are very engaging as you walk through rooms that use artifacts to replicate places and events of previous decades and centuries: a Civil War exhibit, an authentic telephone switchboard, a vintage moving picture, a classroom, a drugstore, a display from the sit-ins, Seagrove pottery, and much more. You will leave the property knowing more about O. Henry, Dolley Madison, Governor John Motley Morehead, and other famous locals. Part of the 17,000 square foot museum is the original First Presbyterian Church complete with a stunning stained glass window. Another great feature of the museum is that it is FREE!  

If you have been to the Historical Museum, how about leaving a comment below telling others what you enjoyed most about your visit. 

               

Girl Scout Cookie Sales-- Last Call

Girl Scout Cookie Sales were early this year and, word has it that sales were strong. Unfortunately, the local pantry closes this Saturday. If you missed out, contact a scout in your neighborhood and see if she has any cookies left. Most of them purchase a few extra boxes. Ask her to put you on the list for next year.

Here we see a troop selling in front of Harris Teeter at North Elm Village near Lake Jeanette. How wonderful for these young girls to learn about fundraising and providing service to the community. Girl Scouts were started in March of 1912 and boast 50 million alumnae in the US today. If you know a girl who needs a few more friends, a chance to spend more time outdoors, and an opportunity to learn about community service, encourage her to join a scout troop today!

               

2000 Downing Street in Britishwoods Park

The photo above was taken yesterday at Brittishwoods Park which a Greensboro sled-riding destination. The park is located on Battleground Avenue at 2000 Downing Street, in the heart of the British Woods neighborhood. 

When several inches of snow fall in Greensboro, as was the case Sunday night, the city comes to a virtual standstill-- that is except for children out using their sleds. How wonderful seeing children outdoors having fun, away from their televisions, computers, and text messages. If this photo had sound, you could hear children giggling, begging their parents to stay longer, and coaxing each other to try a new trick move. The little boy in the red jacket owns the green sled at the bottom of the hill. He was one of the most determined and persistent of the sledders. With school cancelled again today, who knows, he may be back out on the slope.

Mr. GDP always finds such wonderful books to fit with the posts. WIsh we owned every one of them! The Snowy Day is simply delightful!!!

            

Purple Martin Houses Scattered throughout the South

Gourd houses line southern fields in the hopes that purple martins will inhabit them. Native Americans carved gourds for martins long before Europeans arrived in North America. The purple martin is the largest swallow found in the USA. Farmers love them because their diet consists of insects exclusively. Swallows eat (and drink) while flying. These beautifully-maintained gourd houses were photographed on Pleasant Ridge Road. If you want to hear what a purple martin call sounds like, follow this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. They describe the purple martin's sound as "a series of musical chirps interspersed with raspy twitters." Below, you see some fancy purple martin "condos,"  alternatives for people who don't want to mess with gourds!

            

West Virginia Glass Pears in North Carolina

Today's theme for City Daily Photo is GLASS. At Greensboro Daily Photo, we love to photograph glass, so this photo is entered in the CDP theme day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants. The first of these  three pears was made by Rainbow Glass in West Virginia. The other two are from WV but do not have stickers.

While North Carolina is not known for glass blowing, we are famous  for the selling of glass treasures on the secondary market. Replacements, Ltd. located at 1089 Knox Road, in Greensboro, is known worldwide for its offering of glassware and china, old and new. With an inventory of 13 million pieces, likely Replacements has glass like these pears available for sale!