Greensboro Daily Photo

MUSEP 2012- Guilford College

Once the Fourth of July has passed and MUSEP at Guilford College has come and gone, summer begins to feel as if it is waning. Today, locals braved the 100+ degree heat to enjoy the MUSEP Concert at Guilford College on Founder's Lawn. The Eastern Music Festival's Young Artists were enjoyed by all. The young guest conductor of the orchestra yesterday evening, Demondrae Thurman, was a euphonium player from Alabama.  We heard everything from Moon River to Star Wars to Stars and Stripes to a medley of pieces from West Side Story from the two orchestras that played.

Patrick Dougherty's installation, which we affectionately named Stickhenge, is still in place over a year later serving as a backdrop to the event. With all of its entrance and exit arches, this larger-than-life assemblage of twigs keeps children entertained while their parents enjoyed the  music. Fun was had by all, AND FOR FREE, at this MUSEP concert. There are seven remaining MUSEP concerts. If you haven't been to one, clear your calendar on an upcoming Sunday evening. You won't be disappointed; especially if you bring a picnic basket full of food and a few friends to enjoy the concerts with you.

 

 

 

JESUS Bumper Sticker

We were behind this truck recently at a stop light.*  The entire time, we were thinking: 1) the driver attends UNC; 2) she drives a Ford truck; 3) she is a Christian; 4) she is from Minnesota (license plate cropped out of photo); 5) she must be a good driver because the truck has no sign of a bump or scratch- no easy task in a college town. That yellow lettering stuck with us for a while: Are you following JESUS this close? We even found ourselves talking to the bumper sticker, "wait..... we're not that close to your truck." Later that day, back in town on Battleground Avenue, we saw a Volvo with a vanity plate advertising a local community: OAKRIDGE.

The back of a vehicle makes a very effective place to advertise/proselytize. What does the back of your vehicle say about you? You know people are watching!  Since we photograph something related to religion every Sunday, this bumper sticker is having an even greater impact than the truck-driving, Carolina gal (from Minnesota) ever imagined.

Summer is a fun time to look for bumperstickers and vanity tags, especially if you are on vacation and have restless children in the car.

 

* (OK, we cheated a little and slipped out of Guilford County for an afternoon).

 

First Friday Fun

July is well under way. Above is a scene at Elements Gallery, 526 South Elm Street, taken at last night's First Friday celebration. Greensboro has some great artists, visual and performing alike, and Elements Gallery is a co-op of about 45 artists. They all work together to keep this gallery dynamic and stocked with colorful items..

Last night, Vance Archer was playing fiddle. He also sells painted blocks of wood in the gallery. (Unfortunately, we didn't get the name of the guitar player). At last night's event, people enjoyed seeing the paintings, jewelry, pottery and other items offered for sale.  During First Friday, Elements Gallery serves light appetizers and beverages, as do many of the galleries.

If you missed First Friday downtown, today, you can head to the festivities in the Lindley Park neighborhood. They will be celebrating from 12-8pm at the corner of Walker and Elam Avenues.

Fun & Patriotism Continue.........

As a non-religious holiday, the Fourth of July is one that most Americans celebrate. For one day a year, most of us don red, white, and blue and do something to celebrate being an American. The mohawk above is an example of an exuberant patriot. The photo was taken downtown on Elm Street at Festival Park (last year, actually).

Just when Greensboro has had time to catch its breath from Fun Fourth, today is First Friday which means downtown will come alive with people, yet again. Today's First Friday will be one of the busiest of the year with all of the special events being offered this evening. Read about some of the options here. From the musical 1776 at the Carolina Theatre to Elsewhere's surry rides to shopping the indie market, dining, and entertainment in-between, you will not be disappointed if you head to town. We haven't put our red, white, and blue clothes away; we just may wear them again today! Hope to see you there.