Greensboro Daily Photo

A is for Aviation-- T.H. Davis GTCC Aviation Center

Forgive the gloomy photo, taken in the dead of winter but it's high time to feature the T.H. Davis- GTCC Aviation Center. Today, we're participating in Round 7 of ABC Wednesday and this week's letter is A. A is for 'aviation.' People from all over the world are sharing their 'letter A' photos through Denise Nesbitt's meme. The aviation center is deserving of this international visibility.

The 36,000 square ft. training center is located at Piedmont Triad International Airport. According to their website, the center's maintenance school offers "a Federal Aviation certified Airframe and Powerplant curriculum, with Associate Degree, Diploma or Certificate options." They graduate approximately sixty A&P certified students a year. GTCC has an articulation/partnership agreement with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, allowing students to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Aeronautics without having to leave the Greensboro area. This spring, we met a young man who was enrolled in this program and he loved it. Perhaps you know someone who would be a good fit for this fabulous, highly-competitive program. 

The center is named for Thomas H. Davis who founded Piedmont Aviation, Inc.  Click here to read more about the accomplished Mr. Davis and it will become clear why the aviation center is named in his honor. Mr. Davis died eleven years ago at the age of eighty one.

 

 

Triad Stage

Here we are in the lobby at Triad Stage, at the will-call window, on the inside looking out. This theater has fantastic productions of not only tried and true plays but also original plays. The most recent one that we attended, Providence Gap, was yet another collaborative effort between Preston Lane and Laurelyn Dossett. 

Triad Stage has an interesting history. The 300-seat theater opened on Elm Street in 1999 in the former Montgomery Ward building which had been vacant for almost forty years. Triad Stage is now in its tenth anniversary season. If you are interested in learning more about Triad Stage or even becoming a season ticket holder, you can access their website here. They have contributed significantly to the revitalization of downtown Greensboro.

We are thrilled to share this photo with our friends at Ruby Tuesday who love to see red on Tuesdays!

 

Bottle Tree on Glenwood Avenue

Bottle trees have a robust history and lure surrounding them. It has been suggested that they trap bad spirits at night. The bad spirits are destroyed by the sunlight of the next day. Here we see a bottle tree in front of Ken Collins' Woodworking studio at 832 Glenwood Avenue. Ken's house and studio (and bottle tree) represent the good spirit of Glenwood. Many talented, creative people are moving into this neighborhood and working from home. 

Since Glenwood is just beyond the southern boundaries of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, there is much in the news these days about UNCG''s expansion into Glenwood. Let's hope a win win plan is put in place and that the University will be a good neighbor and help redevelop Glenwood into the neighborhood it has the potential to become. If you love bottle trees, you can continue on that learning quest here. They are sort of a poor man's Chiluly.

P.S. If you already know where this bottle tree is located, you qualify to work for Greensboro Daily Photo. If you didn't know before but can find it without mapquest, you quality as an apprentice. If you have no clue where this photo was taken and can't find it without mapquest...... well, you need to keep reading for a year and apply later! (You know we're kidding don't you??? We're an all-volunteer mom and pop website. However, we love suggestions for places to photograph).

Unitarian Universalists.... En Plein Air

Summer is the time for relaxing outdoors or "en plein air" even for religious organizations. Here we see the banner for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro as members are out on the lawn of Guilford College enjoying last week's offering of the summer concert series. This evening's concert will start at 6pm in Center City Park and will be Philharmonia of Greensboro. 

Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park (MUSEP) is in it's 31st summer and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro (UUCG) has been around since the 1950's. While they have a great website, unfortunately, we didn't see a 'history' page outlining important dates for UUCG. However, if you are interested in this liberal religious community, check out their website or look for the banner!

 

Another Norman Rockwell Moment

Recently, these children were spotted en route to Barnes and Noble Bookseller in Friendly Center. One girl is already inside reading and three kids are headed that way. The boy in the baseball uniform is engrossed in some type of hand-held electronic. Hopefully, he also likes to read!  If Norman Rockwell were alive today, surely, this little slice of Americana would be right up his alley.

We hope our friends at Weekend Reflection like the photo!

 

Greensboro Rubber Stamp

The sign on the awning reads Greensboro Rubber Stamp Company. This is a view of the rear of the building, the Battleground side. We're thinking that the company is actually located across Grecade Street from this location. At any rate, we loved the old lettering and were thrilled to see that the business has a website. As brick and mortar businesses became harder and harder to maintain, a good website makes all the difference in the world. 

This blue sky over Greensboro is our contribution to Skywatch Friday where over 300 people will post pictures of the sky in their corner of the globe!

 

Summer Reading Fun at Greensboro's Libraries

Since we visited a library event yesterday, let's return to the library today to see this photo of a young man and two children. All three got to select and check out a couple of books from the library. Good reading habits and appreciation for libraries need to be cultivated as early as possible. These two children are off to a great start! With books in their backpacks, they are ready to head home to read, read, read! Summer reading with children is fun. If you don't have a child to read with, find a friend or a senior or a senior who is a friend!!!!

The Greensboro libraries, all branches, have many free events to be enjoyed. Here is a good link to start with if you want ideas about summer reading.

 

Sharyn McCrumb at the Central Library

The Greensboro City Library System offers so much to the community, including hosting visiting authors like Sharyn McCrumb. Last Thursday, Ms. McCrumb told compelling stories about the research involved in getting background information for her books. Her latest novel, The Devil Amongst the Lawyers, is set in the 1930's. When she talks and writes about the book and the era, it is as if you are there, facing the same issues as the characters. Additionally, she told us how it was she came to write books about NASCAR. Since NASCAR has its roots in North Carolina, her sharing of the NASCAR stories was very special to her Greensboro audience. 

Follow the library's website if you want to learn about upcoming events.
 

ORMA

Today, we're at the corner of NC Highways 150 and 68. 

Oak Ridge Military Academy, initially known as Oak Ridge Male Institute, opened in 1852, nine years before the Civil War. It became the Oak Ridge Institute two years later when it began admitting females. In the early years, seemingly, ORMA was in the middle of nowhere-- located 20 miles northwest of Greensboro with little in between. No light pollution. No shopping centers. No fast food.  While the Oak Ridge Community has a tremendously rich history, when the early students enlisted in the ranks of ORMA, there were very few surrounding distractions. Cadets were there to learn, develop leadership stills, strengthen their interpersonal relationship skills and to learn self discipline. The mission remains the same today. Regardless of surrounding changes, within its environs, ORMA continues to educate and shape young students from around the world. At present, ORMA has both residential as well as day students; an academic year program and summer camps. (ORMA link here). 

Happy Ruby Tuesday!
 

Eastern Music Festival & MUSEP at Guilford College

In Greensboro, we are in the middle of the season of Eastern Music Festival. Yesterday's EMF concert was held on the Guilford College campus in conjunction with MUSEP. Thanks to the sponsors of MUSEP (Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park), the EMF concert was free and open to the public. This is a win win situation. As seen in the photo above, the Sunday evening concert series brings out an ocean of people to enjoy music and the EMF musicians have an opportunity to perform in front of a large, enthusiastic audience. The EMF is a 5-week professional concert series that gives musicians between the age of 14-22 an opportunity to train and perform throughout the summer. 

If you haven't seen an EMF performance yet, you've got until July 31. The EMF was founded in 1961 and can now boast its own Wikipedia entry, which helps put it, and GREENSBORO on the map! Please consider supporting this very important program by attending performances and/or making a financial contribution. It will be time and money well spent!

Acolytes at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

These three acolytes are helping with the ceremonial duties at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Greensboro. The photo was taken from the labyrinth which we featured here recently. The word acolyte comes from the Greek word for attendant, helper, or companion and means different things in different religions. These teens appear to be helping with duties like lighting the candles. If you are interested in the concept, Wikipedia has a good introductory explanation encompassing many religions. 

For many, including these acolytes, Sunday is a holy day and a day of rest. However, for soccer fans, likely 'rest' will incorporate watching Spain and the Netherlands in the World Cup Final.

 

Inside J. Douglas Gaylon Depot

If you are in Greensboro and have never gone inside the J. Douglas Gaylon Depot, we suggest putting it on your "to visit" list. It was built in 1927 as the replacement facility for Greensboro's train terminal on Elm Street. The mural behind the clock depicts the Southern Railway network in the 1920's, in the era when the facility was built. Today it is known as a "multi-modal transportation facility" because not only trains but also busses-- local, regional, and national-- provide transportation here. With good reason, it is billed as one of Greensboro's treasured places. The extensive 32 million dollar restoration project took over four years to complete. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every child in Greensboro would have the opportunity to take a train ride to and from this depot?

In case you can't visit in person: To the left, just beyond the viewfinder, are what must be the original benches for passengers to wait. Down the hallway from the clock and mural are the platforms train platforms. To the right are the ticket counters. Just beyond the view on the right is the new Carolina Blues Coffee Shop. While on site for our photo shoot, we just had to go and treat ourselves to a bagel and coffee. The atmosphere is so inviting. The staff is friendly, the coffee is good, and the shop fills a much needed void in the depot. Previously, the only beverages available were the vending machines. Now, travelers and visitors alike can head on in for a cup of coffee and chat with locals. Also on site is an information center. 

We're sharing this with our Weekend Reflection friends. The marble floor is clean and shiny, we could see our reflection in it.

 

Who Put the Greene in Greensboro?

At the end of this most patriotic July Fourth Week, we offer the following: Nathanael Greene, major general in the Continental Army, fought in Greensboro during the American Revolutionary War and left his name and legacy behind. Here is the top of the Nathanael Greene statue-- featured against Greensboro's sweltering, cloudless, blue sky. The statue (full view available  here) is located at a round-about around Greene and McGee Streets. In 2007, the statue was dedicated to former mayor Keith A. Holliday for his service (from 1999 to 2007) to Greensboro.  

Although not longer mayor, Mr. Holliday continues to make a difference in Greensboro. He now serves as President and CEO of the Carolina Theater. From the helm at Carolina Theater, he can see this statue! As a side note, Mr. Holliday had a role in the musical 1776, performed at the Carolina Theater July 4th weekend.  Mr. Holliday, here's to you and your predecessor, Nathanael Greene for Skywatch Friday. If you donned a three corner hat, likely, you would be the spitting image of Nathanael Greene!  You, too, have made Greensboro a little Greene-r!

 

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Here you see a photo of some of the first fruits of our backyard-garden labor. We make it a point to plant edibles (almost) exclusively.  Here is our first tomato, some hot peppers, blueberries, and rattlesnake green beans. The purple flowers are what the beans look like before maturing. Next, although not edible, is a yellow marigold. We surround our garden with marigolds as they seem to help keep the bugs out. In addition, we have okra, cucumbers, eggplant, basil, lavender, mint, lemon verbena, figs, and Swiss chard.

In Greensboro this summer, we first experienced excessive rain. In the last several days, the sun has been relentless. Therefore, gardening has been challenging.  Presently, the blueberries are really prolific and the rattlesnake green beans are starting to produce enough beans to feed us. They are a very tasty pole bean. We like to take a picture every year around the Fourth of July to document our garden successes. Are you planting anything? How is it growing?

 

Hamilton Lakes: The Former Scales' House

Here we see the Scales' House in Hamilton Lakes. The 11,000 square foot mansion looks deceptively small from the front view (seen above). Nestled between Lakewood Drive and Lake Hamilton, this Georgian beauty was built in the 1920's. Lawyer and developer A.M. Scales relocated from Irving Park to Hamilton Lakes to develop a community of upscale homes like his own. Between the Great Depression and World War II, new construction was nice but not quite as grandiose as Mr. Scales had envisioned. Mr. Scales was the first mayor of Hamilton Lakes, which was annexed by Greensboro in 1957. 

The Scales family had quite an interesting history. Son Junius Scales grew up in this home with servants and other luxuries. He attended the University of North Carolina where he was actively involved in the communist party and became the "only American Communist Party member to serve prison time after violating a 1940 law making it illegal to belong to any organization that advanced the violent overthrow of the U. S. government" (The Seattle Times). At The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Wilson Library has 7.5 linear feet of shelf space (approximately 1,000 items) of archived material related to Hamilton Lake's Junius Irving Scales. The Scales' House comes not only with a hefty price tag, but also with a hefty amount of history!

 

Fireworks at Jamieson Stadium

The evening of July Fourth couldn't have been more perfect in Greensboro. The weather was warm and dry, not a cloud in the sky. The music and fireworks event at  Grimsley High School's Jamieson Stadium was quite an intergenerational event. People of all ages enjoyed the patriotic music, performed by the Greensboro Concert Band. The fireworks display, sponsored by the News & Record and WFMY News, captivated all.

Here you see a star firework exploding over the empty (west) side of Jamieson "Go Whirlie"  Stadium. Onlookers were seated on the east side, in the 'home team' section. Many families watched from nearby areas like Friendly Swimming Pool, the Boy Scouts' Building and various parking lots. We love these events where the public schools, city law enforcement, and local media come together to bring the best of the best to the community.

We picked out this photo of a RED firecracker specially for the RUBY TUESDAY crowd!
 

Norman Rockwell Moment

Here we see the closing scene from the musical 1776, performed at the Carolina Theater several times this past weekend. Forget arthritis, bad back, and other maladies of aging, this patriot in the center of the photo was the first to stand when the flag was lowered during the encore.

If you missed the showing at the Carolina Theater, consider renting the movie 1776, which is a 1972 adaptation of the stage musical by the same name. You will learn history while being entertained. The production makes it patently clear that, during the founding of our nation, slavery was a contentious issue. You will learn/be reminded that if one colony had dissented, the USA would not have become a nation on July 4th 1776. Did you know New York abstained 'courteously'  (more than once) during the Second Continental Congress; the turkey was under consideration for the nation's symbol; Thomas Jefferson played the fiddle and he had red hair?  Finally, among other things, you will learn that colonial women influenced their men and you will see the negotiating and debate that took place over the three months of deliberation

We have had several requests to showcase the interior of our city's treasure, The Carolina Theater. Fear not, we've got that on our 'to do' list!

 

Fourth of July on Sunday!!!

With today being Sunday and also the Fourth of July, we thought this photo captured a little bit of the spirit of both. In the above scene on Elm Street, you see an historical marker providing details about a Methodist cemetery. Also in view are people walking to and from Fun Fourth celebrations and one of the American flags lining Elm Street. The tree leaves remind us of the sparklers children will enjoy later on tonight. If you are local, don't forget the showing of the musical 1776 at the Carolina Theater, the fireworks at Grimsley High School, and the rest of the Fun Fourth events. Hope to see you at one of them! 

In the meantime, let's take a minute out of your Sunday to remember those who are with us only in spirit. Then, take time today to let those around you know how much you care. Have a fun, safe, Fourth-of-July Sunday!!!

 

It's 1776 at the Carolina Theatre

These patriotic folks are marching over to the Carolina Theatre at 310 South Greene Street. They are in for a real treat as they are about to to see the production "1776,"  an evening of singing, drama, and dancing, reenacting events of the year 1776 in America. This award winning musical was originally seen on Broadway. Locally, you can attend tomorrow for the July 4th showing. Afterwards, you can head on over to more of the Fun Fourth Celebration around town. There is plenty to do in Greensboro folks so here's to having a happy and safe Fourth of July tomorrow. For a little bit of serendipity, notice that the crossing count down is on 4 as in Happy 4th! If you want to know more about the production, click on the words "Carolina Theater" above. If you want to know more about the 2,200 seat theater that opened in 1927, click here.

We found just enough reflection in this photo to share it with our friends at Weekend Reflection!

 

 

(The Best) City View

This view of Downtown Greensboro was taken from the terrace of Greensboro's spectacular rental community, City View. Located in the regentrified Southside neighborhood, City View opened in 2007 with 200+ rental units and is now 100% filled. When we walked in to the office/clubhouse, we were welcomed by a leasing consultant, Teresa. She gave us an overview of the community and walked us through the clubhouse, out by the pool, and up to the terrace to enjoy this view. If you want to learn more about this living community, click here. On another day, we'll publish a photo of the actual buildings; however, since today is Skywatch Friday, we just had to share this spectacular view with the world.

On another note, in Greensboro, today is First Friday. If you are local, meet us downtown where we'll be enjoying the Indie Market and the art galleries and stores that are remaining open. If we lived at City View, we'd be walking over to enjoy the Elm Street fun!

 

Love is All Around

This photo, from the Summer Solstice Celebration, evokes the 1960's song by the Troggs, "Love is All Around." 

 "I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes. Well love is all around me, and so the feeling grows. It's written in the wind, it's everywhere I go. So if you really love me, come on and let it show"

Here we see an arboretum full of people letting love show. Here we see a man TIRELESSLY blowing bubbles for the children around him. As soon as he would suspend a giant bubble in the air, a child would gleefully burst it. Also, the man in the striped shirt would put his daughter's head into the bubble, it would pop, and she would giggle. The little boy in the tie-dyed T shirt could pop bubbles faster than we could snap photos. Truly, love was all around. 

The July Theme Day theme for the City Daily Photo Community is, REFLECTION. First, we are reflecting on summer fun and the profound sense of community felt that day. Second, we're admiring the brief reflection sizzling on the surface of the soap bubble.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants 

Tank Farm Explosion

Locals will recall that on June 13th, lightening struck this gas tank in the photo above. It exploded into flames, fueled by a million gallons of oil inside the 50 thousand barrel tank. This tank was one of 72 in the area, owned by Colonial Pipeline of Georgia. With the fast, efficient work of the firefighters, the fire was contained and isolated to this one tank.

We've wanted to get out and photograph the tank farm for a while now. Today, we are using this photo for ABC Wednesday on the dreaded X day. X is for eXXXXXplosion.

 

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross tries to ensure that communities have access to sufficient blood as supplies are needed. As we enter summer vacation season and the Fourth of July vacation, consider doing something altruistic and donating blood. Donating blood is something we can do to help others that doesn't impact our wallets. Summer is the time of many accidents, often requiring blood. While hurricane season doesn't usually blow as far inland as Greensboro, many along the coast, and beyond, will suffer weather related accidents. Let's have a ready supply of all types. Recently, we noticed a sign indicating a  need for O negative. However, no healthy blood is rejected!!!!

Here is Greensboro's  American Red Cross Center, located at 1501 Yanceyville Street. Call them at 336-333-2111 if you have any questions about the process. We're linking this picture with the Ruby Tuesday meme to raise awareness WORLDWIDE. This photo was taken from the parking lot of the United Way Volunteer Center just across the street. So, after giving blood, you could walk over and consider giving of your time. Alternatively, check out the Facebook page of the volunteer center!

 

You've Got Mail

Here we see the postal carrier delivering mail to String Studios at 604 South Elam Avenue. Our Greensboro postal carriers work especially hard when temperatures are extreme. Lately the weather has been relentlessly hot and sunny-- high 90's. 

If we were sending mail to String Studios, we would write a letter to Scott Manring, one of the instructors, to tell him how much we enjoyed his playing and singing in Providence Gap, a locally written and produced play. Scott, not one to grab the spotlight, seems almost elusive at times; however, he is a mighty fine musician and instructor with a mighty fine string studio. So..... Scott Manring, you've got (fan)  mail.....as does this postal carrier.

 

Praying.......Mantis

Today, we invite you into our garden (literally) to pause and reflect on nature. Here we see an insect known, in English, as the praying mantis. It is called a PRAYING mantis because when it holds it's two front legs together, it looks like it is praying. The scientific name Mantodea  and common name, MANTIS, come from the Greek word for prophet. As for why it is called a prophet, we do not know. 

What do you think of when you see these insects. Praying prophets? Do you see the beauty of nature and the world around you?  Do you see a tidy little bug that does no harm to your garden, yet devours bugs that are harmful to the garden? If you are a little cricket, stuck in the grasping, spiked forelegs, you might call this insect a PREYING mantis. Does you perspective change learning that the closest living relative of the mantis is a cockroach?  Like poets and writers have been saying since the Greeks in the 3rd century, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What beauty can you find today in your world?

 

Fire Dancing Under the Azure Night Sky

The folks you saw stretching and bending in yesterday's post were also entertainers in the fire dance at the end of the Summer Solstice Celebration. The fire dance was set up on the basketball court at the Arboretum. This was such a nice grand finale and hard to believe it was free! We heard children talking about wanting to learn to dance with fire. Who knows at what point in one's life something sparks a lifelong passion, a career? Those children were captivated. 

On another note, Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, writes about the blue, night sky. The sky is blue just at the point where daylight lets go and night has not completely taken over! Since fire is reflected onto the people in the circle, we saved this blue, night sky photo for the weekend reflection meme.

 

Balancing Act

This is the Cirque Style Balancing Act at the Summer Solstice event last weekend. The man and woman twisted and stretched and balanced, using every muscle in their body. Unfortunately, we didn't catch their names and couldn't find them mentioned by name on the Solstice 2010 website. They were standing on wooden boxes but this view of just the two of them showcases that beautiful, Carolina blue sky! Also, they had more contortionistic poses but this one where her hands are extended like a bird in flight seemed to fit with Skywatch Friday. Finally, the couple delighted the audience after dark with their fire and baton dance.

As the temperature was over 100 degrees in much of North Carolina today, here's to a weekend of staying cool. 

 

Third Friday @ Center City Park

Today's post was taken at Center City Park last weekend at the Third Friday event. Each month, a different organization sponsors a family-friendly movie. June's movie was The Secret Garden, sponsored by the Children's Museum. (If you are interested in the July-October offerings, check here. On that same calendar, you can find the exercise/fitness offerings on Mondays from 6:30- 7:30 at the fountain. Next up on Monday is Tai Chi). 

We are so fortunate to have a park downtown for people to enjoy. Families brought snacks, yard toys, and blankets and camped out on the lawn until the movie started. If a vendor is looking for a good business, a hula hoop cart near the hot dog stand would probably generate a lot of money.Greensboro has an unbelievable selection of free events on the calendar this summer. Spend summer outdoors. Makes these events part of your family tradition.

For this photo, we were using a wide angle lens. The buildings appear to be leaning into each other because of the camera. However, we really liked this photo because it situates the event DOWNTOWN. 

 

"W" is for Warhol @ Weatherspoon

This is not the clearest photo but it captures the spirit of the Warhol event at the Weatherspoon Museum last weekend. More than one Warhol wig wearer was mingling in the crowd. The "Big Shot" button represents not only the title of the exhibit, "Big Shots: Andy Warhol Polaroids," but also the fact that anyone who purchases a Weatherspoon Art Museum membership during the run of the Warhol exhibit (before Sept. 19th) will be entered into a drawing for a (weekend) night's stay at the nearby Proximity Hotel, Greensboro's LEED Platinum "green" hotel.  There will be five winners in that special drawing.

We've already written about the Warhol event (here); however, for ABC Wednesday, when "W" is the letter of the week, we couldn't resist one more posting about: Warhol, Weatherspoon, wig, weekend, & winning! Serendipity prevails again. When we started this round of ABC Wednesday, we pondered the alphabet in relationship to Greensboro and wondered what on earth we would post for "W."

 

2010 Solstice Event at Weatherspoon Museum

The Seventh Annual Summer Solstice Party at UNCG's Weatherspoon Art Museum, held last Friday night, featured the Polaroid photos of Andy Warhol, a band, food, and intergenerational fun. In the above photo, guests are waiting in line to get their photos taken at the Instant Photo Booth. Thanks to many sponsors, the Weatherspoon was able to make this event free and open to the public. Kids enjoyed playing in the courtyard and eating the  bright yellow 'banana heads' candy. College students and young adults enjoyed donning 70's attire and listening to the live music of Rough Hands. Older adults enjoyed the flashback to the 70's. Many enjoyed the artwork. Surely, Warhol was decades ahead of the rest of us on social networking. His Polaroids were Warhol's version of Facebook.

This photo is dedicated to friend Jane who held the elevator while Mrs. GDP was busy snapping this photo-- which we're sharing with the red lovers over at Ruby Tuesday. 

 

Summer Solstice Event at Arboretum 2010

Greensboro was action packed with free events this weekend. Here we see a photo from the Summer Solstice Celebration 2010 held in the Greensboro Arboretum on Sunday. These beautifully decorated women were over the top beautiful in costume and in spirit. Here we see them at 8pm. They were fluttering around reminding vendors that it was time to pack up and prepare for the fire show. If you missed this wonderful event, put it on your calendar for next year! The vendors, entertainment, attendees, it was just perfect! This the weather was HOT and dry, making strolling through the misting pipes even more enjoyable!

We're at the longest days of the year and our town is taking advantage of all of the hours of daylight! We're sharing this one with Mellow Yellow Monday. Stop back every day this week to enjoy photos from all of the FREE events we attended this weekend.

 

Country Churches like Hopewell Wesleyan

Happy Father's Day! 

If you are looking for something to do with dad, consider going for a ride or taking a long walk. Go find places from his or your childhood. You could ride and look at the old-time ways in rural Guilford County. The North Carolina countryside is quickly disappearing, especially around Greensboro. However, here we see a country church at the corner of Pleasant Ridge and Carlson Dairy Road. Hopewell Wesleyan Church is over 100 years old. In the front is a cemetery and to the right a majestic old oak tree. Hopewell Wesleyan struggles with membership as so many people are seeking out the mega-churches. 

Something about these churches seems so wholesome and pure.........

 

Summer Solstice Event at Arboretum

The Summer Solstice Celebration in the Greensboro Arboretum takes place tomorrow from 3-9pm. The family friendly celebration will have something for everybody. Some years it rains; some years the sun is brutal; EVERY year everyone has fun. Rain or shine, the more outlandish your outfit-- garland, tulle, flowers, and wands-- the more you will fit in. Consider bringing dad out to hear the good music, get a massage, listen to some ringing bowls, be transported back to his teen years, and watch the fire ceremony at 9pm. Above is a picture from last year and if you click through you will see our post from last year. This free event is an example of why Greensboro is such a great city. Events like this have plenty of great items for purchase; yet, if you are on a tight budget or have downsized, you can come out and feel equally welcome. You can bet we'll be there, camera in hand! Come feel the positive energy!

 

Dodging Thunderstorms, Chasing Rainbows

Dodging thunderstorms and chasing rainbows about sums up the week in Greensboro. The air gets so hot and steamy that you think you can't stand it, then the skies open up and relief comes in the form of rain. The sun comes back out and the rainbows appear. The other day, on Bryan Blvd., I saw a double rainbow; one of the rainbows began on one side of the road and arched to the other. 

The above photo was taken from the parking lot of Carolyn Allen Park, just behind Kernodle Middle School. On dry days, people are playing Ultimate Frisbee on this field. Happy Skywatch Friday where hundreds of people share a little slice of the sky above their city.

 

Askew!

Askew is a game of suspension and balance invented by a local Greensboro man. We purchased the game in 2006 when he was demonstrating it at Guilford College. Askew involves the laws of physics and challenges fine motor skills. We like it because people usually don't get upset when you talk while playing and there are several ways to modify the game. Plus, we just love creative, innovative people and are darned proud that this award winning game was invented in our back yard! Here we see it set up on desks at a local school. We think we'll keep our set in the car this summer to tinker with during concerts in the parks and other public events. What was invented in your city? 

Hey, that would be a good City Daily Photo theme!

 

Vacant...The House (Formerly Known as Waffle)

The building, formerly a Waffle House, used to look like this. Their neighbor,  Elizabeth's Pizza on North Battleground, always said for phone-in callers, "You know we're the Elizabeth's across the street from Laddie and Duke's and beside Waffle House, right?" Apparently, many people call in orders at one Elizabeth's and go to another location expecting to pick up their order. 

About a year ago, Laddie and Duke's Restaurant, a Greensboro institution, was torn down. Now, the bright yellow and black Waffle House got painted battleship gray, with no evidence that a Waffle House ever existed at 3929 Battleground Avenue. How strange for a restaurant to go from being open 24-hours a day 365 days a year to 0 days a year in 24 hours flat!  We'll have to drive elsewhere to get hash brown potatoes "scattered, covered, smothered, chunked, diced, peppered, capped, and topped," in Waffle House lingo. Elizabeth's Pizza at North Battleground will have to find a new way to identify their location. Perhaps they'll use GPS coordinates.

For ABC Wednesday, "V" is for vacant.

 

Iron Hen Cafe

The Iron Hen Cafe is Fresh. Local. Good. The eatery is located at the corner of Wendover and Cridland Avenues, across from Latham Park on the edge of Fisher Park. The Iron Hen Cafe buys from 10 local farmers and serves everything from hearty breakfast foods to creative meals the rest of the day-- seared crab cake sandwich, local angus beef burger, Asian pear salad, portabello mushroom sandwich are a few of the choices. The cafe adds sparkle and energy to this corner of town. In recent years, food establishments in this location have not been the most successful.

The Ruby Tuesday-red paper box stands out against the pale green and white background. Let's hope the cafe can thrive and that they remain Fresh. Local. & Good. For our typography loving friends, we're guessing the font for these three words is Lynotype Aroma. Any thoughts?

 

First Baptist Church of Greensboro

The First Baptist Church on Friendly Avenue is a grand, sprawling building. We've featured the façade before (here); however, today we are showing this little view on Friendly Avenue for all to see these prayer cloths that were displayed prominently a few weeks ago. Each piece of cloth had a message on it. One had written, "Dear God, may all that we do glorify You."  One of the yellows, "Pray for universal love."  If you wrote a message on a panel, what would you write?

 

1960 Catalina with NC Plates

With its snazzy grille, sleek shape, and V8 engine, the 1960 Pontiac Catalina was a beauty then and now. The aqua Catalina in the above photo was spotted in Greensboro a couple of weeks ago. We stopped by the Red Collection Consignment Furniture Store at the corner of Patterson Street and South Holden Road and this car stood out like a turquoise nugget in a sea of gravel. It had a classic car license plate and, the funny part was in the back windshield on the driver's side-- an of-the-same-vintage Gumby and Pokey were perched waving to onlookers. If you squint, you can see Gumby in all of his glory.

We're sharing this photo with the Weekend Reflection folks. From the bumper to the hub caps to the hood to the windshield, this vehicle is one big, mobile reflection!

 

Watermelon Skies at GTCC Culinary Tech

This watermelon was carved by students at Greensboro Technical Community College. GTCC has an amazing Culinary Technology program that prepares graduates for careers in food service. Years ago, our friends' children were in the childcare program at GTCC and the culinary program made lunches for the children. We used to laugh that the toddlers and preschoolers were eating chicken cordon bleu for lunch. Even if it wasn't literally chicken cordon bleu, the food was gourmet, nutritious, local and TASTY!

We stumbled on this humorous carving that the Parisian Promenade last weekend and thought it would be perfect for Skywatch Friday.