Greensboro Daily Photo

Center City Park

This photo shows the best of Greensboro: Families enjoying an afternoon in the park with perfect weather and great entertainment. This scene, with the giant pottery vessels and the Cultural Arts Center in the background, is found at Center City Park. The 1.9 acre park, located in the center of the city, opened in 2006 and took four years to construct.

As stated on their website, "Center City Park is to serve as a central gathering place for Greensboro's residents and visitors in a setting that is both relaxed and lively." Relaxed and lively describes Center City Park perfectly! Whether events are planned or impromptu, weekends are fun and safe here! To us, this unaltered photo looks like a painting.

 

Reuce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce, reuse, recycle, likely, is the motto of this local, energy-efficient, rest stop that uses sustainable practices. Located about an hour south of Greensboro in Randolph County on I-73, we are proclaiming it THE destination rest stop of North Carolina. They are making every effort to be green. For example, over 4,000 wildflowers are planted on the roof of the museum/travel-information area of the facility. This planting harnesses the sun's energy for something more productive than heating roof tiles! We're pretty sure that it is a LEED certified site. Not to worry, there is a facility on the northbound as well as the southbound sides of the highway!

If you want to see a more colorful photo, view yesterday's photo of pottery inside the museum on-site. The umbrellas at the bottom of the cascading water show a few of community organizations answering questions about their communities. We're sharing this photo with Watery Wednesday and ABC Wednesday (R is for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Happy blogging, ya'll.

 

Ben L. Owen III Pottery

In the foreground, the iconic red pottery vessels were made by Ben L. Owen, III. The Owen Family is famous for this Chinese red glaze. The pottery in the background comes from Bulldog Studio, equally famous for its interesting glazes. Both pottery studios are located in the Seagrove Area about an hour south of Greensboro. If you ever have a chance to visit these potteries, the day trip is well worth your time. 

En route to the potteries, we were speechless when we stopped at this new rest stop in Randolph County. The rest stop,  with its sustainable energy design, is a work of art. Not only does it house a pottery museum, the green, energy-efficient rest stop uses all of the sustainable practices in today's market. In the current photo, you can see how the use of natural light enhances the building and exhibits maximally. The I-73/74 rest stop is  a worthy day trip destination on its own! Stop back tomorrow and we'll share another picture of the facility.

Of course we're using this photo for Ruby Tuesday!

 

Not on My Tattoo

If you don't have a tattoo, you might not realize how damaging UV light is to them. Sun fades the ink, taking the design from brilliant to dull. This woman's solution is to use a parasol. The photo was taken at a Shindig Festival, in downtown Greensboro a few weeks ago when we took the photo of the other tattooed woman featured on Saturday. 

Here's to a great start to the work week and to our friends at Mellow Yellow Monday where you are only a click away from lots of sunny, yellow, photos. Tattoo sporters, beware of the virtual blast of SUN 

 

Labyrinth-- Holy Trinity Church

This year Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at 607 North Green Street in downtown Greensboro is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Festivities abound in May. We encourage you to log on to their website and read the schedule of activities--  from workshops on the labyrinth to concerts to art exhibits. Today, for our Sacred Sunday shot, we decided to feature the church's labyrinth. This archetypal pattern, found in the courtyard, is especially photogenic. Conversely, the lovely stone church with a slate roof is nearly impossible to photograph as it continues for almost a city block! 

 A labyrinth is a path with one way leading to the center and one way out. These ancient patterns are found in many religions throughout the world dating back at least 5,000 years.  It isn't clear on Holy Trinity's website exactly when the labyrinth was installed; however, at least one person has walked the labyrinth every day in 2008 & 2009. This tradition of uninterrupted use 365 days-a-year is continuing in 2010. The labyrinth is always open, just waiting for you to meditate, pray, quiet your mind, and recover the balance in your life. 

We're sharing this photo with the Monochrome Weekend Crowd.

 

The Illustrated Woman...

Walking in Downtown Greensboro this spring, we've been captivated by all the colorful, work-of-art tattoos. They are everywhere, literally. Gone are the requisite, right-of-passage, blue tattoos sported on the arms of sailors. Some people are covered from head to toe with one-of-a-kind decorations. The free online dictionary defines accessory as "something nonessential but desirable that contributes to an effect or result." Clearly, to many, tattoos are the 'de rigeur' accessory.

Ray Bradbury's 1951 book, The Illustrated Man, has a character with a tattooed body whose tattoos were created by a woman out of the future. Each animated tattoo tells a different tale. Could this be that future woman who created the illustrated man's tattoos nearly sixty years ago? Her art jumps off the table and onto her skin and back onto the table again. Surely, every tattoo, right down to the eggplant on her leg, tells a story. Or, did the illustrated man pay it forward?

Mr. Bradbury is still alive and if he ever comes to Greensboro, we would love for him to meet this local artist whose business is known as Queen Monkey Art. In the meantime, we've just gotta share this photo with our friends at Weekend Reflections!

 

The Water Man Cometh

Progress means annexation and public utilities. This scene is becoming more and more common in Greensboro-- strips of trees leveled to make room for buildings, cement, and pipes. Under and above ground are affected when cities expand. As land becomes scarcer, cities need to be sure they are building judiciously. The City of Greensboro explains annexation on their website; however, recently, Greensboro put a new word on the map "un-annexation." 

The little slice of blue is our quadrant of sky for Sky Watch Friday! No annexation in the sky above.

 

Ants & Peonies...

There is an old-timey saying that if you don't have ants on your peony bushes, they won't bloom. Truthfully, peonies don't need ants to open the blooms. However, peonies do emit a sweet sap that attracts ants. For us, ants and peonies just go together!  Like baseball and hot dogs, you can have one with out the other, but they just seem right paired up. 

To get rid of the ants, avoid insecticides. Carry the blooms upside down from the garden, shake gently, and dip in a bowl of cool water. Nothing says summer is arriving like a mason jar full of homegrown peonies-- and daisies, and chamomile and.............. ants!.

 

Queue at Smith Street Diner

Here is the line for a good old-fashioned breakfast at Smith Street Diner on, you guessed it, Smith Street in downtown Greensboro. The diner boasts that is it open 8 days a week! It serves cooked-to- order breakfasts, has fresh-squeezed orange juice, coffee-shop quality coffee, and GIANT biscuits. Perhaps best of all is the fact that the diner attracts clientele from all walks of life. No matter where you come from or where you are going, you'll fit right in at this diner. It is getting harder and harder to find a home-style breakfast so we hope Smith Street will be around for a long time.

We're tossing this on the list for ABC Wednesday as "Q" is for "queue."  We could also say "quick" for the great service there.

 

Showfety's & the Red Lowrider

Showfety's , located at 116 E. Market Street and established in 1928, is a Greensboro institution. They sell uniforms and accessories. If you need a medical or chef uniform or just want to see a store that has the look and commitment to service, known in previous decades, Showfety's is the place to visit. Please stop in and let Showfety's know that you are glad they are there! Even better, support them with a purchase. We love all of our new businesses in downtown Greensboro; however, we adore those businesses that stayed put and never fled to the suburbs during the great flight in the 1970's - 1990's. A lot of nostalgia is packed into this small, one-story building!

The bright red, lowrider truck that just happened to drive by while we were on our photo shoot is icing on the cake and our license to participate in Ruby Tuesday!

Chamomile between Battleground and Horse Pen Creek

These chamomile, daisy-like flowers are often used for tea and medicinal purposes. While chamomile is the national flower of Russia, in the United States, many people consider daisies and chamomile pesky weeds. We photographed these flowers while exploring the swampland between Battleground Avenue and Horse Pen Creek Road. Since you are not supposed to pick wildflowers, we settled for snapping a picture or two and to Earthfare for chamomile tea.

Those pungent, golden centers are our contribution to Mellow Yellow Monday! By the way, the state flower of North Carolina is the dogwood blossom. Do you know which flower is the national flower of the United States? Click here to learn the answer. President Ronald Regan signed the resolution in 1986.

 

Dining for Friends 2010

This evening, Blandwood Mansion is hosting a Dining for Friends event in Greensboro from 6-9 pm. People will gather at Blandwood, the home of former governor Morehead, for the Community Red Party, a good evening of food, music, and fellowship. Proceeds go to the Triad Health Project, a group working tirelessly to fight against HIV/AIDS in Guilford County. Now in it's 21st year, Dining for Friends dinners will be hosted at homes and venues all over Greensboro this evening. The event culminates with a dessert gala at the Greensboro Coliseum. At the individual dinners, the hosts usually treat you to food with the hopes that you will make a generous donation to the Triad Health Project. However, for a nominal fee, anyone can go to the culminating event at the Coliseum to eat dessert and listen to good music. Last year, when we attended, we saw people from all walks of life, from Guilford County School teachers to downtown business owners. 

In the photo above, you see a photo of this year's poster wallpapered in the display window of a downtown building on Elm Street. Each year, the posters are breathtaking works of art. They get more and more creative. Last year, we featured it here and almost missed it this year as it is a week earlier. With great pleasure, we're sharing this with our friends at Weekend Reflection.

 

For the Love of Family

Entering this Mother's Day weekend, we decided to post this father/son photo because one of the greatest gifts a mother can receive is having someone to share in the raising of a child. The photo was taken in Center City Park last weekend where dads were as visible as moms. 

In addition to the giggling child, you can just barely see Nathanel Greene peeking from behind the trees at the toddler's toes. The painting (by Eric Beerbower) is of the 18th century general for whom Greensboro was named. Maybe the child in the picture will grow up to be a 21st century leader. For sure, his parents are raising him as if he will be!

The SKY (watch Friday) is the limit as far as we are concerned!!!

 

Prom Season in Greensboro

Gone is the day when high school proms are held in decorated gyms on campus. Now, they are held at ballrooms, in hotels, and other venues around town. Last Saturday, Grimsley High School held its prom in the Regency Room on Elm Street in downtown Greensboro. Dudley High School held their prom at the Marriott. This is not the best photo we got of Grimsley's prom; however, it is one featuring the student who made her prom dress entirely out of Starburst candy wrappers. You can see her in the knee-length dress above or on this video clip captured by the local media. While all attendees looked beautifully elegant, this young woman with her creative idea captured the most attention. Even one of the chaperones commented that one day she would be able to say, "I knew that person." The shoes, purse, and her escort's bow tie were also made from Starburst wrappers!

 

Feliz Cinco de Mayo

Today is Cinco de Mayo, the day commemorating Mexico's defeat over the French Army in 1862. Contrary to popular belief, today is not Mexico's Independence Day (which is September 16th).  It is a day to celebrate one's Mexican heritage-- a day of ethnic and cultural pride. Cinco de Mayo is as popular outside of Mexico as within. It is our understanding that today is not even a day off of work in Mexico, except, perhaps in Puebla, the state where the battle took place.

The above photo was taken in Greensboro's Center City Park at the Día de los Niños Festival this past weekend. The festival, held on the first Saturday in May, is not a Cinco de Mayo Festival, per se, but it sure is a good way to celebrate reading, children, and one's heritage. The dancers in the photo above were waiting for their turn to perform. Twirling the circle skirts is an art passed down from one generation to another. Watch this 2 1/2 minute video of the baile folklorico Jalisco if you want an idea of how this Greensboro group looked in motion.

For ABC Wednesday, "P" is for Performance. We were going to feature "P" is for prom as this is prom season. Stop back tomorrow if you want to see a photo from the Grimaley High School Prom, including the girl with the dress made entirely of Starburst candy wrappers.

 

OPA! Greek Cuisine & Dining for Hunger

The waiters at OPA Greek Cuisine, located at 200 S. Elm St.,  are dancing for joy to the live band. We ate at this establishment (also known as Taverna OPA!) on Saturday. The live music was peppy and fun, without being loudly distracting. The food was not only visually appealing but tasty. The spanikopita was more spinach and filling than phylo dough-- just the way we like it. Service was attentive without being overbearing. Watching the waiters dance while the kitchen was between orders, was just plain uplifting.

Today is Dining out for Hunger in the Triad and there are one of over 100 participating establishments. By eating out in one of these restaurants today, you will be helping Greensboro's Urban Ministries feed and care for those less fortunate than most of us reading this message. This event only happens once a year. So, hop in your car and EAT OUT today. If you've already eaten, go somewhere and buy dessert. Buy take out to reheat the next day. If you look at our linked list above, surely, you will find SOMETHING to suit your palate. Opa! (horray) for dining out for hunger!

The folks at Ruby Tuesday will love those red sashes!

 

Segway into the Work Week

Here we see a police officer on one of two Segway Personal Transporters owned by the City of Greensboro. According to Wikipedia, a Segway is, "a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle invented by Dean Kamen. It is produced by Segway, Inc. of New Hampshire, USA." The Segway was unveiled in 2001 and is designed to mimic humans walking. It balances upright; when the rider leans forward, the vehicle rolls forward. Learn more about them here or here. The two officers using the Segways this weekend at the Day of the Children Festival in Center City Park seemed adept at maneuvering them. 

As language lovers, we want to tell you that the homophone "segue" in Italian and Portuguese means "follows" or "a smooth transition." That line down the road is leading us straight to Mellow Yellow Monday!

 

First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro

We promised our dear friend Jane that we would show the rose window in the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro for one of our Sacred Sunday photos. Who can resist such a request?? First Presbyterian is likely the most European-looking of all Greensboro's churches. It has been said that the church was inspired by the Cathedral of Albi in Albi, France. 

First Presbyterian, a real  Fisher Park beauty, was designed by Hobart Upjohn and built in 1928 to replace the original building which now houses the Greensboro Historical Museum. It is incredible that the breathtaking fortress gothic structure was built in Greensboro between the world wars and at the time of the Great Depression. The rose window featured in the photo, is typical of Gothic architecture. Learn a little more about these stained-glass windows here. These glass works of art, represent a sacred concept of completeness and balance.  

February 1 Statue for CDP Theme Day

We were saving this photo for February 1, 2011; however, since today's theme for the City Daily Photo community is "statues," we wanted to share this one with the world. If you are from Greensboro, likely, you recognize this as the statue of the four college freshmen who inspired the sit-in movement. The statue is located on the campus of NC A & T University, where it was unveiled on 2/1/02 (link). 

Jibreel Khazan, Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and the late David Richmond are remembered for their heroic refusal to get up from the lunch counter where, at that time, African-Americans were not served. Here, you can see our photo of the statue from the front. However, this view from the back makes us feel "one" with history, as if we are following these great men. Today, many of the 1,200 plus city daily photo blogs around the world are posting photos of statues.  Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

We're also sharing this with the Monochrome Weekend group!

Richard Ritter's Glass @ Green Hill

Richard Ritter, a North Carolinian originally from Michigan, has been a glass artist since 1968. Here we see two of his fabulous pieces on display at the Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art, where his glass will be on display until May 9th (link). The pieces in the photo are part of his floral core series. They remind us of pearls emerging from oysters with a touch of Italian cane glass. If you appreciate glass art, this exhibit is a must-see. Green Hill even has a video set up so that you can learn more about Ritter's creative process.

Thanks to Skywatch Friday, we snapped the above photo from this angle, ever mindful to show a slice of the sky-- and to situate the photo in Greensboro! The building in the background is downtown on Elm Street.

 

Dog Walk in Price Park on Saturday

If this sweet, obedient dog could talk, he would tell you to come to the dog walk at Price Park in Greensboro this Saturday (Registration Fee [$15], Check in 8-8:30; Prizes 9:30). Get up early, walk your dog on the nature trail, and have a chance to win some GREAT prizes. Local Girl Scout Troop 40172 has worked hard to make this event special for canines and their humans. 

From individual doggie water bowls, to T-shirts, to well marked trails and prizes, no detail has been missed. The trail begins in the parking lot of Kathleen Clay Edwards Branch Library off of Hobbs Road. The event will help the Guilford County Animal Shelter and their Foster Care Program. The following veterinarians' groups have supported this event financially: 

    --Gate City Animal Hospital, 

    --Greensboro Veterinary Hospital, 

    --Guilford-Jamestown Veterinary Hospital, 

    --Happy Tails Emergency Veterinary Clinic, 

    --Lawndale Veterinary Hospital,

    --West Market Veterinary Hospital

For our friends at ABC Wednesday , O is for Obedient!

 

Neese's Country Sausage Since 1917

Neese's Country Sausage opened in Guilford County in 1917. For nearly a century now, Greensboro, High Point and surrounding areas have been enjoying Neese's always-fresh pork products. Their clean, efficient pork processing plant is located behind the farmhouse at 1452 Alamance Church Road in southeastern Guilford County. This family-owned business delivers to supermarkets every day. Lately, The Neeses have taken to hunting down and restoring vintage delivery vehicles-- some of which were previously owned by the family. Additionally, for 50 years, they have had a booth at the State Fair in Raleigh-- a great place to sample items like liver pudding and c-loaf before investing in a pack. North Carolinians who eat Neese's sausage have been supporting the buy-local movement long before it was a movement! Look for the square pack in your grocery store today!

The two red flags on the mailboxes give us the green flag to post on Ruby Tuesday!

 

Boston's House of Jazz & Blues

For Mellow Yellow Monday, we're starting the week off with Boston's House of Jazz & Blues. Don't be fooled by the name. This venue for great music is located here in Greensboro, North Carolina. The family name of the proprietor is Boston! Sorry Massachusetts but the Boston Family is here. From West Virginia to New York to North Carolina, the Bostons have been involved in the music and business worlds since the early 1900's. See family photos and read about the Boston Family (link here) and we're sure you'll want to head out and hear their music!

We stumbled on this view when we were driving by the Newbridge Park Baseball Stadium as House of Jazz is a stone's throw from the stadium, at the corner of Edgeworth and Smith Streets.

 

First Church of Christ, Scientist

First Church of Christ, Scientist is located at 105 Arden Place just off Market Street. Christian Scientists follow the Bible and the textbook Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. This religion began in 1866 in Boston, MA, home of the Mother Church. The Christian Scientists have been meeting in Greensboro since 1908 and, finally, in 1966 built and began meeting in the church above. As with most Churches of Christ, Scientist, they have a reading room for reflection, education, and spiritual growth. 

We have been posting spiritual and religions photos and text for almost a year and a half and, so far, have had no shortage of material to choose from. Take a tour of the year in review, here.

 

Reflecting on Greensboro's Past and Present

Go Greensboro Grasshoppers, so says John Klopp at his State Farm Insurance Office in downtown Greensboro. This reflection represents the view out John's window. The window reflects the most recognizable building downtown-- the JP building. From the parking lot, you can see Newbridge Park Stadium.

Since we're posting this for our friends at Weekend Reflection, we decided to take this opportunity to reflect and be thankful for the week. We're sharing David Hoggard's post on Greensboro's 1926 World War Memorial Stadium, that, to some, has outlived its usefulness . Hoggard quotes Edwin Jeffress (then part owner of one of the local newspapers and Greensboro's mayor in 1926 at the stadium's dedication). The inspirational words explain the name, World War Memorial Stadium.

"And so the stadium has been built by children's and widows' and wives' and rich men's wealth. It is here for the use of the coming generations; the soldier boys said they wanted no hollow granite, no useless monument to decorate our street corners, even no statuary or brass to remind us of those who have passed along after doing life's full duty, but they wanted something that would be useful; that would help develop mind and body; that would in this way be a perpetual memorial to those who have passed..., that those of us who follow should use our best efforts to make ourselves physically fit to answer any emergency... and when the call to duty comes, answer with a clear, strong voice, 'We are ready to do our bit.'

Thank you David for sharing the quote. This would be a good quote for public school children to memorize.

 

Water Flight

This public work of art is a water element on Elm Street. It was designed by local sculptor Eric Beerbower. The sculpture was constructed in the space between two brick buildings across the street from the the International Civil Rights Museum-- which almost didn't get to open because of water flowing underneath the building. This sculpture may have something to do with diverting that water. Water-flight, also known as Steward of Wishes, has recently been painted vibrant blue. Previously it was more terra cotta and neutral!

We've been saving this photo for Skywatch Friday because we love the way the sculpture resembles a butterfly flapping her wings in the sky. With many works of public art on his resume, Eric Beerbower is one of Greensboro's well-known, contemporary artists.

 

Zeto Wine and Cheese Shop

For readers 21 and over, a block away from the Newbridge Park Stadium is ZETO Wine and Cheese Shop. Here we see a peek through the front window. In addition to being a full-service wine and cheese shop, the store was the first in North Carolina to have a Vino-matic wine tasting machines. Like a library or credit card, you can sample 1/2 ounce of one wine and, with the swipe of a card, move on to sample an ounce of another kind-- with all bottles turned upside down and cooled to the optimum temperature for the given wine. A friend of ours pointed out the fact that the business is owned by two women. Since one of the proprietors is Greek, the name of the shop is a Greek toast, Zeto-- "Live, long live!"

 

...In with the New.... Newbridge Bank Park

Yesterday, we featured War Memorial Stadium, Greensboro's premiere stadium for 79 years. However, since 2005, Newbridge Bank Park has been Greensboro's destination for baseball. The new stadium has contributed significantly to the rebirth of downtown. From baseball games to fireworks displays to scout camp outs to evenings on the playground just inside the gate, Newbridge Bank Park is fun, fun, fun. 

Take me out to the ball game in the new ballpark; but, find a way to keep our vintage gem, War Memorial. To follow up with questions yesterday, World War Memorial Stadium was so named because it was dedicated on the eighth anniversary of Armistice Day (November 11, 1926). See more pictures here.

For the ABC Wednesday crowd, N is for Newbridge and NEW ball park!

 

War Memorial Stadium

War Memorial Stadium, originally designed for football and with a capacity  of 7,500, opened in 1926. Formerly, the Greensboro Bats played minor league baseball here. Spring 2005, the new baseball stadium downtown replaced War Memorial and the Greensboro Grasshoppers replaced the Bats. This change did not come without controversy and opposition. While most Greensboro residents concede that the new stadium was a good economic choice for our city, considerable debate has taken place about the future of the pre-World War II stadium above. Perhaps War Memorial's most ardent supporter and articulate advocate has been local resident David Hoggard. We highly recommend his latest blog entry on the issue. This stadium has so much character from wooden bleachers to little stand-alone ticket huts.  We wanted to photograph this beauty, located at 510 Yanceyville Street, while it is still unchanged. At least it will be immortalized in the movie Leatherheads.

Thanks to the touch of read on the flags, we're sending this out to Ruby Tuesday.

 

Tutu on Elm

This past weekend was wonderfully busy on Elm Street. People of all ages were strolling up and down, shopping, and enjoying Center City Park. Here we see a family that had attended the ballet presentation of the girl in the yellow tutu. The Cultural Arts Center held a children's ballet performance. Perhaps she performed there. If you notice the man leading the group is carrying flowers for her. The little boy in green, in front of the man on the left, kept turning around and sneaking glances at the little ballerina. So sweet. 

This is our contribution to Mellow Yellow Monday. Monday does have a way of starting the week with a sunny mood!

 

Virgin Mary Statue

This Virgin Mary statue stands at the northeast corner of Our Lady of Grace Church on West Market Street. This Mary statue has had quite an adventure. The original piece was broken in 2001 when a tree limb fell during a storm. Mary was replaced by a gray fiberglass statue that was stolen. In 2007, this colorful statue was purchased and she has remained securely in place ever since. While not seen in the photo, benches surround the statue, making it possible to sit, reflect, and pray. At the base, several plaques are present, one of which says, "O Mary, Mother of the living to you we entrust the cause of life." On the day we visited (during the Lenten season) candles, a pot of flowers, and a few pieces of silver (coins) were left at her feet. 

The mature dogwood tree behind the statue had a fair amount of blossoms. This year, most dogwoods in Greensboro had patches of blossoms and patches without blossoms. Some attribute this situation to a late cold snap. Regardless, the dogwood is a nice backdrop to the statue.

 

delicious...delicious....delicious

Not just your ordinary cake can be had at ... delicious... bakery on Battleground near the corner of Pisgah Church. As we enter wedding cake season, this bakery is creating some incredible and tasty designs. Additionally, they have cupcakes that look almost too beautiful to eat. We like to stop in, get a cup of coffee and cinnamon roll and sit back admire all the baked goods. Today, we sampled a fruit smoothie. Yummy.

So far it is a beautiful weekend in Greensboro. As soon as we finish this coffee, we think we're heading to the nearby greenway for a bike ride. This photo is being shared with the Weekend Reflection gang. You'll be looking at that TALL cake or that interesting poster in the window, advertising the upcoming activity dining for friends, and the Weekend Reflection gang will be looking at the reflection of the sky and truck! Something for everyone. Simply DELICIOUS..... no matter what!

 

Decaying Contrails

Condensation trails, shortened to contrails, are artificial clouds of condensed water vapor made by aircraft engine exhaust. In Greensboro, frequently, contrails are seen in the western end of the county around the airport. We took this photo earlier in the week between 6-7 pm when air traffic seems to be at its peak. Atmospheric conditions determine the amount of time a vapor trail persists and when they begin to dissipate (as in the photo above), they are said to be decaying. These contrails arc over the spring sky adding texture to the view. Perhaps they are actually vapor from the collective sigh of relief of taxpayers who met the April 15th deadline.

The opposite of a contrail is a distrail-- when the moisture gets absorbed from a cloud. If you are still reading this post, likely you are interested in these phenomena and should read more here! We are sharing this photo with our Skywatch Friday friends.

 

Lady Banks Roses

Lady Banks Rose is a species rose from China, having been in cultivation since the late 1700's. While roses can be temperamental and hard to grow, the Lady Banks has many outstanding attributes: disease resistant and draught tolerant, long lived, fast growing, and thornless to name a few. This sprawling, ambling rose loves a sturdy fence, as seen in the photo above. The rose is named after the wife of Sir Joseph Banks, once head of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain. 

We decided to post a photo of this Sunset Hills beauty TODAY since, just west of this mature Lady Banks Rose, at The Greek Orthodox Church, the Herb Society of America is hosting their annual plant sale. Last year, we featured the event here (capturing a faithful reader-- or two).  We are entering the season of plant sales and we urge you to plant now so that later in the summer you can harvest the fruits of your labor. As an additional point about the Lady Banks rose, the largest rose in the world is a Lady Banks Rose in Tombstone Arizona. It is known as the Shady Lady, covers 8,000 square feet, and has been thriving since 1855! Plant a Lady Banks today for your great, great, great, great grandchildren!!!

 

Revolution Cotton Mills

Built in 1899 for the Cones and the Sternbergers, Revolution Cotton Mills grew to be the world's largest flannel mill by the 1930's. At one time, this mill was a thriving part of the nearly 2-million-square-toot Cone Mill Complex. If you want vintage photos and more on the captivating history, visit here.  Sadly, in 1982, the mill closed only to sit dormant for over twenty years. In 2003, the building entered a phase of being repurposed with mixed purpose businesses. Efforts have been made to keep costs down for entrepreneurs who open businesses here. 

There are fancier, already renovated views on the property. However, we like the memories of the southwest corner which still sports the original signage. The redesigned, modern event and meeting space of this facility is breathtaking. We'll feature the fancier parts at another time. For now, we share this with ABC Wednesday since "M" is for "mill."

 

Azaleas on Deep Green Drive

Forgive us while we indulge a little more in the flora around us; however, spring is such a delightful time in Greensboro. Every day, new blossoms appear and foliage seemingly changes color before our eyes. Sunday afternoon, we were at a friend's house on Deep Green Drive (off Westridge) and finally understood where the street gets its name. Look at the color and texture of these leaves-- deep green. At 7 pm, the setting sun was peeking through the shrubs, highlighting the azaleas. Azaleas are a tiny relative of the genus rhododendron. While, as seen above, azaleas are in full splendor this week, dogwoods have been short on blooms this year. 

This photo is for you and our friends at Ruby Tuesday.

 

Trestle over Chapman St.

A trestle is a supporting frame/bridge. Here we see the train trestle over Chapman Street, near High Point Road and the Coliseum. Greensboro still has many trestles from the 20th century and has been a great hub of train traffic since the 1800's.

This photo shows the series of blue supporting frames which are known as "bents." Often, trestles and bents were made of timber with the thought that, once built, the train could get transport the material to make a more permanent support-- especially stone or fill-dirt to support the track. Eventually, steel and concrete became the material of choice. Roller coaster tracks are engineered with a design similar to trestles. Since the long loads are distributed across a large portion of the track, it can withstand a lot of stress. We were walking in this area the day this photo was taken and were reminded that trains are loud and you can feel the movement when you are this close.

We thought this coal car was especially appropriate for our Mellow Yellow Monday photo as we remember the 29 West Virginias who lost their lives to bring us "rock energy."
 

Tails to Trails Dog Walk

 Girl Scout Troop 40172 is hosting "Tail to Trails" May 1 at Price Park in Greensboro as part of a Silver Award project. The event, near Kathleen Clay Edwards Library and Jefferson Elementary School, benefits the Guilford County Animal Shelter. Dog owners may bring their leashed dogs, walk the trails at Price Park, and support a worthy cause.  In addition to walking you dog, you can learn more about foster care for dogs and cats that aren't ready for adoption. These girl scouts have worked hard on this service-learning event and could really use our support!

Check in for the event on Saturday, May 1st is from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Prize drawings will be at 9:30 a.m. Cost is $13 before April 15 and $15 after April 15. Walkers should bring donations such as food, treats, toys, blankets and pillows for the shelter. The first 100 participants will receive a "Tails to Trails" T-shirt, doggy goodie bag and doggy bandana.  For information, to register, or to offer a donation, contact the troop leader: Mary Ann Wettach, (336) 547-8522 or [email protected].  

We're sharing this irresistible photo of Greensboro Pomeranian Bijou with our friends at camera critters.  Fortunately Bijou knows nothing about animal foster care; however, we bet she's giving a four-paws endorsement for this event!

 

April Showers... Bring May Flowers

This is what Greensboro looked like yesterday. As we exited Bryan Blvd., waiting at the red light on New Garden Road, this was our view.The eastbound car appeared to be swimming in wet asphalt. The sky and the street are the same color. As desolate as the intersection appears, it is actually a very busy intersection in a populated area of town. The curved roof on the horizon belongs to St. Paul's Catholic Church. The view reminds us that the northwest end of Guilford County is actually hilly. 

This composition is similar to a sunny day photo we took out near the Piedmont Triad International Airport. We do hope that the rainy weather yesterday means that May flowers are just around the corner and offer this for our international buddies at Sky Watch Friday.

 

Redbud Trees

One of the first trees to wake up in the spring in North Carolina is Cercis Canadensis. The eastern redbud is a small tree native to North America. It has been around since Biblical times. As seen in the photo above, the purple/pink (not red) blossoms (not buds) appear all over the tree, including the trunk. From the first bud to the greening of the heart-shaped leaves, to the seed pods in the fall, this tree is one showy plant. For the grand finale, foliage turns bright yellow before falling. It prefers soil that drains well. 

We don't have the references that we did yesterday; however, we did find an old tale about the Red Bud Tree. It is just one screen long and worth reading!