Greensboro Daily Photo

UNCG's SALSA Group

Today, we're featuring S.A.L.S.A., the Spanish American Latino Student Association, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). The group was performing at El día de los niños at Center City Park on Saturday.

S.A.L.S.A. was founded at UNCG, Spring 1992 by five students. While the organization has grown considerably, it remains true to its purpose of providing a place for Hispanic/Latino students at UNCG to come together for fellowship and to celebrate their heritate, to enhance the UNCG community's understanding of the Hispanic/Latino cultures, and to be of service to Hispanics/Latinos living in our area.* As soon as the above members were finished performing, they invited the audience up to dance with them.  It was great to see so much fun and positive energy as they moved around the stage. Don't let the name S.A.L.S.A. fool you. They do so much more than dance! While the organization may be winding down as their school semester comes to a close, you can stay in touch with S.A.L.S.A. through their facebook page.

*reference.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 is one of the most widely quoted Bible verses. It has been said that it is the "Gospel in a nutshell" (more here).

We got the woodburned keychain free at the checkout counter of Ace Hardware on West Market Street. Old-timey hardware stores and barbershops is the U.S. South are famous for homemade give-aways. Sometimes the same person makes an item for a store for years and it becomes the store's trademark item. Often, there is humor associated with the items. When used to go to the barbershop on the corner of Lees Chapel and Church Street, the barber gave away hand-painted 1" birdhouses. Actually, he called them mosquito houses. For sure these give-aways are conversation pieces, and that's what we southerners like most-- a chance for fellowship..... eternally.

El Día de los Niños

Center City Park will be brimming with families today. The Greensboro Public Library and Casa Azul are bringing us another great day in the park from 12- 6 pm. Mexican children's author and illustrator Marcos Almada Rivero will be reading over the course of the weekend. His books look like so much fun, rather like Maurice Sendack's Where the Wild Things Are meets Indiana Jones....full of adventure with a message-- delightfully illustrated.

There will be salsa dancing, art activities, food, face paining and more. Likely, the library will have their fancy bus open for perusal. This is the fourth year of the event that celebrates the diversity in our community and to brings people of all ethnicities together.

See a photo from the first year of the event here and another photo of the event here and read more about the event here. Head on out and let us know what you think!

Center City Park

Here is a view of our glorious Center City Park by night (by day here). We know we feature it often (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 to show a few) but it really is the heart of the city; a nice open space for residents to gather. Tomorrow, the Greensboro Public Library will hold events related to El Día de los Niños in this very spot and the place will be brimming with fun activities for children and adults alike.

Between hanging out in Center City Park and visiting the Liberty Antiques Festival, and a few other events, like Earth Fare's Doggy Wash and Burgers for Bucks, we're going to be busy from morning to night. One of the biggest events is the U.S. Masters' Spring Nationals for swimming at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. If you haven't seen our new aquatic center, this is the weekend to stop by. Breathtaking. And swimmers may be setting records as you read. Finally, Leann Pizio is featuring a Keep It Local art event with multiple artists on her Oak Ridge property.

Please call a friend and see what a great time you can have in Greensboro this weekend. It will be a great weekend for adventure AND photos. Happy Skywatch Friday.

Europa Bar & Cafe

In this photo of Europa Bar & Cafe, we were standing on the Davie Street side wishing we were eating there. Last Friday night, the weather was so inviting; perfect for sitting outside. At that time of night, when the sky is as deep blue, their outdoor patio is absolutely magical. Europa Bar & Cafe is located at 200 Davie Street in the Cultural Arts Center. This is the same building that houses the main offices of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra as well as Greensboro Opera.

Europa comes by its name honestly as the interior decor has Portuguese tile and plenty of hardwood details. The food choices seem great and the Sunday brunch looks good also. We'll have to try it out. They're open until 1 and 2am, a little late for us; however, it is great for a city to have options. Don't you love the lights?

O is for Greensboro's Orchestra & Opera

Greensboro is lucky to have an opera. Unfortunately, as of September 15, 2011, Greensboro Opera is staffed exclusively by volunteers. They no longer have an executive director (Barbara Peters) or a company manager (Elena DeAngelis). The date of the last eNewsletter, coincides with their last days at work. Last year, at this time, eNewsletters were still being published. There is a luncheon event tomorrow at the Greensboro Country Club Pavillon, related to opera action and fighting on stage. Let's hope they can generate revenue so that Greensboro can continue to have an opera. They want to have a production November 2012; however, it would cost $160,000 and the board anticipates that they would only sell $50,000 in tickets*. We can't imagine our city without the quality, full operas with live music. We also hope they can maintain their program of performing for fifth graders at the Guilford County Schools.

The Greensboro Symphony Orchestra seems to be doing a little better, financially. They still have confirmed events on the 2012 calendar. The symphony orchestra presents so many outreach and education programs, bringing live, classical music to a generation that might otherwise never hear it. The conductor, Soviet/Russian-born Dmitry Sitkovetsky works tirelessly to generate interest in the orchestra's performances. He collaborates frequently with his mother, pianist Bella Davidovich. His mother draws quite a crowd when she performs with the Greensboro Orchestra. We are lucky to have these talented musicians in a leadership role in our community. The Greensboro Orchestra traces its roots to the 1920's.

In the photo above, the acoustic, upright bass, and the mask peeking out behind it, belong to a Greensboro family that loves all of the live performances in the Greensboro community. Today is ABC Wednesday and O is for opera and orchestra.

*reference and read more here.

 

 

 

 

 

Greensboro Grasshoppers: A Glorious Evening of Baseball

Strike 1,2,3 and you're out at the old ball game!  If you are looking for affordable, family fun, head down to Newbridge Bank Park.This is a view of the Greensboro Grasshoppers playing the Delmarva Shorebirds in the stadium last Friday night. The weather was perfect and the fans were enjoying themselves. There is a free playground for children and, for adults, North Carolina's largest outdoor sports bar, Natty's Hill-- a nod to Greensboro's namesake, Nathanael Greene. With the events held here, our stadium keeps downtown Greensboro hoppin' all summer long. For more fun, get your picture taken with Guilford, the mascot. You don't even have to go inside to take your picture with the larger-than-life baseballs that adorn the entrance. For sure, the venue is the pride of Greensboro.

The Grasshoppers are one of the minor league teams affiliated with the Miami Marlins. Learn more about minor league baseball and purchase tickets here. Batter up! 

R & M Strawberry Farm

Strawberry picking is an early spring tradition in North Carolina. This weekend, we had a chance to visit R&M Strawberry Farm, right across the county line, on Highway 150. Although it is in Forsyth County, it is not too far from Oak Ridge Military Academy. To many Guilford County residents, R&M Farm is closer than the strawberry farms in the eastern and southern ends of the county. They all resemble each other: A central barn or check-in point, an opportunity to pick your own or pay more for pints already picked. Here is a website to find a strawberry farm in NC, get picking tips, and learn how to use the strawberries in your kitchen.

The first garden strawberry was cultivated in France in the late 1700's and, over the years, the fruit continues to be cultivated to make it redder, bigger and juicier. Strawberries are a low-in-calorie, excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids.

In the above photo, other than the clothing of the pickers, the scene hasn't changed much over the centuries.We were very impressed at how well behaved the children were. They were very respectful of the delicate strawberry plants. If you could see what was beyond the lens, you would see that so much of this rural land in the Greensboro area is being converted to housing. Get your strawberries while they last! Happy Monday, dear readers.

He is Risen

This weekend, we were in Summerfield* and noticed the three crosses and the 'HE IS RISEN' sign on the second floor of the Brittain Building. This brick structure was built of hand-made bricks in 1872.If you look closely on the side of the building, faintly, you can see the sign for Gordon's Hardware. There was a time when the local hardware store was the hub of the community. People would come together to learn the local news and catch up on the lives of their friends. The local hardware store was the Facebook of decades past. It was not uncommon for apartments to be upstairs or some kind of purpose different from the ground level. The Brittain Building appears to be in the same style as this one on Mendenhall Street in Greensboro-- a very common design in the late 1800's. While this whole area around Highway 150 and Summerfield Road has been thriving since the 1800's, Summerfield was only incorporated in 1996.

In North Carolina, it is not uncommon to find professions of faith on buildings and in individual homes. So for today, for our Sunday religious post, as you can see, Easter is over and 'HE IS RISEN.' The signage is a very creative use of window space. Happy Sunday, all and, thank you for your loyalty to our blog.

 

*just north of Greensoro but still in Guilford County 

100 x 100

Last night, there was a lot happening in downtown Greensboro. From people playing keyboard in Center City Park, to a baseball game in the new stadium, to people enjoying dinner outside at Cafe Europa to artists and patrons at the one hundred for one hundred art show and sale and the Center for Visual Artists on Davie Street. The gallery, in downtown Greensboro, is a great venue for artists to show and sell their work. We're featuring the post today because it is the most time sensitive. These wonderful pieces of art will be available today and after that, the gallery will hang a new show. This summer, the Center will offer some spectacular summer art camps. Perhaps you can stop by and give a 100 "donation" and leave with a work of art.

We loved being out mingling among the students. Tattoos and stretched earlobes were extremely peopular with the younger generation artists. Their art was refreshing and affordable, and worth looking at. Many young artists were having great discussions about art. In the case of the man in the tye-dyed shirt, and the tatooed arm, he was so vibrant and colorful.... body art.

If you haven't been to the Center for Visual Artists in the Cultural Arts Center, stop by and see this great show.

Man & Bulldog

When we were at the Indie Market at First Friday this month, we were smitten with this bulldog who was as sweet as can be. He was a heartthrob. We weren't the only people taking pictures of him. Bulldogs are known for their good dispositions. Althought they were formerly used for fighting in England, when dogfiting was outlawed, the dogs were bred to have a sweeter disposition. They are prone to hip dyslpasia and 80% of the puppies are delivered by C-section because their large heads can get lodged in the birth canal. However, when you see their sweet faces strolling the streets of Greensboro, the challenging aspects of the breed are quickly forgotten.

Well, it isn't First Friday for two more weeks; however, for music fan's, Pittsboro's Shakori Hills Festival is this weekend. Earth Day events will be going strong at Kathleen Clay library. For antique collectors, the Liberty Antique Festival is next Friday and Saturday and, for book lovers, Greensboro City Library is sponsoring Children's Day/El día de los niños on Sat. April 28th in Center City Park. The English bulldog gives all of these events a four paws up!  Finally, the week after that (May 4th) will be the First Friday Indie Market at the corner of South Elm and MLK Drive. So much to do in the area! Time to map out the rest of your month and squirreling away pocket change.

Coe Grocery and Seed Company

Today, we take you to the 500 block of South Elm Street. The blue building behind the tree is Coe Grocery and Seed Company-- a Greensboro institution. However, we have been told that the two-story, brick building to the left is the original Coe Grocery and Seed. It is now houses the trendy Civic Threads. Civic Threads sells t-shirts that advertise their building's former tennant, now neighbor next door. If this brick building is, indeed, the former Coe Grocery, then the second floor should be the location where Greensboro's Jewish community held their early services.

Greensboro needs a Jeri Rowe or Jim Schlosser-like person to provide us with a complete history of this building. If those walls could talk.... We didn't see anything about the building in Gayle Fripp's book (Greensboro). If you have information, please do share it with our readers. Related, here is a Jeri Rowe article from 2009 that talks about the characters of the 500 & 600 block of South Elm Street.

Finally, at first we were upset that that giant SUV blocked our camera's view. However, nothing dates a picture better than vehicles on the street;except, perhaps, hair styles.

N is for New North Carolinians

The Center for New North Carolinians, located at 413 South Edgeworth Street, strives to "build bridges among immigrant populations and existing communities throughout the state of North Carolina*." The center was estabilshed in 2000, an outgrowth of a "Task Force on Outreach to New North Carolinians" that was created by Chancellor Patricia Sullivan in 1997 at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. The task force determined that our newest North Carolinians needed access to education, job training, medical and social services (more on history and mission here). The Center for New North Carolinans is a great resource not only for refugees but also for community members and organizations that want to have a better understanding of how to better serve our newest residents. The Center is also a great clearinghouse for data and resources. While the Hispanic/Latino community increased over 400% in a decade, according to the 2000 census, there are over 180 home languages other than English in North Carolina; so the social, linguistic, and cultural needs and issues are many. In addition to many other ethnic groups, our region contains the largest population of Montagnards outside of their Central Highlands homeland in Vietnam.

 The very capable Dr. Raleigh Bailey was the above center's first director. While the building has a for lease sign on it, there is every indication that the center and the AmeriCORPS access program are still on site. Perhaps they are just renting part of the space inside. If we learn the center is moving, we'll let you know.

Today is ABC Wednesday and N is for New North Carolinians. For this round of ABC Wednesday, we are featuring causes of Greensboro and our immigrant community is one worth featuring. All of us in North Carolina, except perhaps our Native American residents, have immigrated at some time.

*reference and additional information here. 

Let's Go Fly a Kite

A kite is a tethered toy that flies. Here, we see two boys working together to get their kites to fly. They were taking advantage of the newly cleared lot on Horse Pen Creek Road, at the apartment complex across from Proelific Park. They made a great team, working persistently to get the red and blue kites airborn. 

Kite flying is an effortless way for children to learn about lift, pressure, drag force, force vector, and other constructs from aerodynamics and physics. Such was the child's play of West Virginia native and former NASA engineer Homer Hickam. Closer to home, the Wright Brothers' venture was to get heavier-than-air crafts to fly. They spent three years at the Outer Banks of North Carolina experienting with achieving powered flight.

While they come and go in fashion, kites have been around for well over 2,000 years. We encourage you help teach a young person to fly a kite, and perhaps do so yourself this spring-- while the winds are still whipping around. Now, how about a round of Tuesday Trivia? In what show did they sing "Let's Go Fly a Kite?" For the answer and other interesting details about the song, click through to this Wiki page. Finally, if you got your taxes filed, you might want to celebrate by singing along here.

Guy and Jerry's Burger Spot

North Battleground is abuzz about Guy and Jerry's Burger Spot. 3750-A Battleground Avenue hasn't been this busy since, well, since we can remember. Jerry Kizhnerman and Guy Bradley opened the burger shop about two months ago and word has spread like wildfire that the food is great and the prices are reasonable. The outdoor seating area is now open and, above, we see artists painting away at the mural on the side of the restaurant. Hopefully, Guy and Jerry identify the artists on the restaurant's facebook page. The outdoor seating will be fabulous this summer. If you are not a shopper, you can walk down from the Wal-mart parking lot and dine while your friends and loved ones finish their power shopping. Philly burgers, add jalapeños; truffle fries; Greek salad, add chicken; sweet potato fries, serve them just the way they are; veggie burger. You just might have to try it all!

We had to reread this post today because we love to affectionately call the Burger Spot "Ben and Jerry's" (as in ice-cream). Now if they paint black and white cows into the mural, we'll really be confused! If you like murals, visit Monday Murals to see more!

Onward, Christian Soldiers

Last month, when we did a photo shoot at Guilford College United Methodist Church, we thought these two children with their foam filled batons, were precious. As we stood and watched them, an old church song came to mind: Onward, Christian Soldiers. The 19th century English hymn is taken from New Testament references about Christians being soldiers for Christ. As an example, the following verse, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Christ (II Timothy 2:3 (KJV). Onward, Christian Soldiers was played on the battleship HMS Prince of Wales in 1941, with Churchill and Roosevelt onboard. It was played at the funeral of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The hymn no longer appears in the hymnal of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and efforts have been made to ban it elsewhere.*

Consider the lyrics, "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus, going on before. Christ the loyal Master leads against the foe; forward into battle, see his banners go." Young, American Christians of the 1950's were armed to battle not only with their Communist enemies but also with their spiritual ones.

Doubtfully, he children in the above photo know any of this history, or have even heard the hymn sung, but they sure do look like they are having fun on the inflatable battlefield! Happy Sunday, dear readers.

*read more from our Wiki reference here.

Cranes for Japan

The Greensboro Origami Project is trying to make 1,000 cranes for Japan. Today, we share a window full of origami cranes, seen in the window of the Green Bean Coffee House at 341 South Elm Street. The Origami Peace Memorial is intended to be a memorial for the Japanese families and businesses that are rebuilding and trying to move forward after the tsunami. The one year anniversary of this terrible event was March 11th. See the project's facebook page here. If you have time, read the stor of Sadako Saski, The Thousand Origami Cranes, to further appreciate the cultural significance of cranes in Japanese society. In the meantime, if you have a minute, head to 341 South Elm Street and fold a crane or two. It looks like Greensboro has a little way to go in the folding department. We're not at 1,000.... yet. Regardless, such a nice gesture.

We're sharing this photo with weekend reflections because nobody appreciates a storefront window more than our friends at this meme!

Farm Course Fun!

If you live here, you know Greensboro is a big golf town. If you do not live here and like golf, you should make it a point to come play one of our courses. Above, we see an event from a few weeks ago at the Farm Course of the Greensboro Country Club. Golfers seemed to be enjoying every minute of the event. With six million dollars of renovations to the Farm Course, located off Carlson Dairy Road in Northwest Greensboro, use of the venue has increased significantly. Golf architect, Donald Steele, redesigned the above course. The 103 year-old Greensboro Country Club has not only one but two fabulous 18-hole courses. 

In addition to Greensboro Country Club, Grandover, Bryan Park, Cardinal, Forest Oaks, Pleasant Ridge, Starmount and Sedgefield  Clubs are some of the many options for golf in Greensboro. This News & Record article about golf in Greensboro goes all the way back to 1937-- the year of the first PGA-sanctioned golf tournament in Greensboro, the Greater Greensboro Open.

We're sharing this sky shot with Skywatch Friday. While an overcast sky doesn't make the most attractive sky picture, it can be good golf weather. Fore!

Whole Foods Market Opens Today!

Twas' the night before Whole Foods was opening their store.... not a creature was stirring from register to door. We locals have been waiting to see something new...... so ready for another grocery store we don't know what to do. Down each aisle, likely, will be something to sample and aggregate nutrient density index (ANDI) scores will be ample. Come over to Friendly and be part of the crowd; no doubt about it, we're sure to be wow-ed. With Deep Roots, Earth Fare, and Whole Foods, competition is good; especially if it means we'll eat like we should. Drop us a line, let us know what you found, we're all mighty grateful you're getting around!

Friend Whole Foods on Facebook, they'll keep you updated. Friend GDP too......... albeit belated!

M is for Music

Today is ABC Wednesday and 'M' is for 'music'. Local musician Laurelyn Dossett makes beautiful music! Laurelyn performs weekly at Lucky 32 Restaurant. Each Tuesday, in addition to their regular menu, Lucky 32 serves up a traditional, southern meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, cornbread, and collards. Nothing goes with fried chicken better than Laurelyn's clear voice and acoustic music. Laurelyn has gained national attention for her local projects, grounded in the lore of North Carolina. 

In the above photo, Laurelyn, Scott Manring and Molly McGinn are performing the "Vote Against Amendment One" song. Listen to it  here on Monkeywhale Productions' website. From Rabbi Guttman to Mayor Robbie Perkins to restaurateurs Mr. and Mrs. Quaintance, many prominent citizens of Greensboro appeal to voters to vote against Amendment One on May 8th. Read about Amendment 1 here. 

Free Hugs on South Elm Street

Continuing on our sharing of First Friday adventures on Elm Street, we feature a photo of the FREE HUGS station at the 300 block of South Elm Street. The Free Hugs Campaign* was started by Australian Juann Mann. Mann said when he left London and arrived in Sydney he saw families hugging and greeting each other and wished he had someone to greet him with a hug. Juan took a piece of cardboard and a marker and wrote the first "free hugs" sign. After Juan's waiting fifteen minutes, a woman approached him saying she could use a hug. She had lost her daughter in a car accident a year ago that day and her dog had died that morning. They hugged; and so began Juan's mission to increase human connectivity by giving away free, unconditional, no-strings-attached bear hugs. After partaking in a heartfelt free hug last week, we stepped back and watched the hugging. 

*more on The Free Hugs Campaign here.

Alley behind Elm Street

During First Friday in downtown Greensboro last week, we happened upon this alley behind the 600 block of Elm Street. This specific section is located behind the Elsewhere Art Collaborative. Notice the bottle wall, hand-placed brick path, rain barrel, hanging baskets, and garden space. This alley is a cozy little oasis in the heart of the city. If you want to see perhaps the most creative, efficient, use of a small, outdoor space in Greensboro, visit Elsewhere and venture beyond the back door.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood... well, in the alley!

Happy Easter 2012

Happy Easter! Here we see the sanctuary flowers at Guilford College United Methodist Church. Flowers anchor the eye and bring beauty and color inside in a church. However, if you are up on your church symbolism, you know this photo was not taken on Easter. On Good Friday, the sanctuary cloth changes to black and on Easter Sunday, it changes to white and gold (see color calendar here).

Whether you celebrate Passover, Easter, or sunshine, we hope you are enjoying time with your family on this lovely day. Spring is a time of rebirth and in Greensboro it is glorious. 

Civic Threads on Elm St.

First Friday started out a little slow last night; however, by the end of the eveing, Elm Street was PACKED. Especially busy was the new kid in town, CIVIC THREADS. Civic Threads, located at 527 South Elm Street, is part clothing store, part silk screening shop, part handmade-etsy-like shop. Clothing is mostly unisex, soft cotton and cotton blend. The store seems to be attracting a broad demographic-- from the artsy, urban, tattooed crowd to suburban moms with children in strollers. Everyone loves a comfy T and warm hoodie. Our personal favorites were the shirts and mugs that said "I heart-icon GSO." Modeled after the NYC logo, Greensboro's version has our airport 3-letter code and a GREEN heart!

Civic Threads is located in the building that originally housed Coe Grocery and Seed, an Elm Street institution. Now, Coe is located in the building next door and Civic Threads is in the two-story "Coe" Building. We're sharing this photo with our friends at Weekend Reflection. We'd love to see the video the man in the black suit was making. Who knows, we may even be in it!

Captain Bill's Seafood on Good Friday

Today, Good Friday, is the last day of the Lenten frenzy at Captain Bill's Seafood & Steakhouse Restaurant. Many Christians, not just Catholics, give up red meat on Fridays during Lent.Captain Bill's LOVES that tradition! Captain Bill's is an old-school, southern seafood restaurant. This translates as no frills on decor, all emphasis on food and service. Fish is what draws people in; however, likely it is the hush puppies, slaw, and banana banana pudding that keep people coming back. 

Captain Bill's is located way out West Market Street, approaching the area where Friendly Avenue joins Market Street. It hasn't been too many years that taking a drive to the restaurants and dinner clubs "way out" Market and Friendly seemed like going on an extended road trip. Today, they seem like just an extra red light or two away. This photo was taken last Friday when the parking lot AND the restaurant were full. Captain Bill's has been a Greensboro favorite for a long time!

Related Good Friday post: Stations of the Cross; Good Friday crosses. Today is also Skywatch Friday.

The Corner of Cedar and Smith

This is the Smith Street view of two houses located downtown on Cedar Street. If you commute into downtown Greensboro, perhaps you don't pay much attention to these bungalows. We really noticed them the day we were taking this photo of the Fisher Park Apartments being erected. Having these homes and lots with mature trees within view of the baseball stadium and downtown buildings really shows Greensboro's charm. Mixed-use and mixed-purpose structures keep our community interesting. These houses seem to have the best of both worlds; the coziness of home within walking distance of the greenway and baseball.

The above neighborhood is on the eastern edge of the Westerwood and on the western edge of Fisher Park. Does anyone know if this little slice of town had its own designation?

L is for Land, Sustainable Land

Today is ABC Wednesday and L is for land. Above, we see Guilford College's resident farmer, Korey Erb, in one of the school's greenhouses.  Korey was showing us all the green leafy vegetables that are thriving in the greenhouse. Two rows over, lettuce and tomatoes are growing side by side as they are compatible crops. The greenhouse itself is a high tunnel or hoophouse construction. It is an unheated and is very helpful in extending the growing season.  Beside the greenhouse, Guilford College also has an outdoor garden, known as the Production Garden.

The Guilford College Production Garden provides food for Guilford College and helps lower the school's carbon footprint. Since its beginning, in 1837, stewardship-- the planning and managing of resources-- has been at the core of Guilford College. Production Garden is one great step in the direction of self sufficiency.

According to Korey, the goal of the garden is to "create an on-campus, large-scale garden that’s financially self-sufficient, productive, [that] can serve as an educational tool and community builder, and is sustainable.” Erb goes on to explain,  "sustainable farming is all about building the soil, growing the soil and reaping the benefits from that. It’s a little tricky, and requires tons of patience early on. But in the long run it’s healthier for the ecosystem, you’re going to get better products out of the soil, and you’re naturally replenishing the nutrients that the crops take out of the soil" (reference here). 

Greensboro is lucky to have Guilford College in its back yard, and Guilford College is lucky to have the Production Garden and all of the wonderful people like Korey who work tirelessly to build community and to nurture the land. L is for land and love of land, the cause is sustainable agriculture and lowering the carbon footprint!

Easter Egg Hunt

This season, the neighborhoods and churches of Greensboro have done a fabulous job of staggering their Easter egg hunts. It almost seems as if an egg hunt a day has been scheuled around town. The above photo was taken at the Guilford College United Methodist Church egg hunt last Saturday. They tossed what seems like thousands of eggs onto a back grassy lot and, precisely at 3 pm, children scrambled to fill their Easter baskets. The eggs were empty. Children dumped them into recepticles and went to watch the Easter Story in the sanctuary (Sunday's post). At the end of the film clip, church members were waiting to give chilren a large goodie bag. Oh to be five again and to so freely believe in the magic of everything.

The egg symbolizes the start of new life. There are so many techniques for dying eggs: from natural techniques like tying them with string and dropping them in with boiling onion skins or beet juice to elaborate techniques, like the batiked psyanky eggs of Eastern Europe. Secular and lay traditions alike, nothing screams spring like a basket full of eggs.

Guilford County Schools have their Spring Break during Passover and the week after Easter. Hopefully, during the one week break, families will have the opportunity to spend time together. See our post from a couple of years ago if you want some Easter cheer (here).

Solar Oven at Guilford College

Although it looks as if we are in the American Southwest, today's photo takes us to the back field of Guilford College. The above adobe oven is made from formed sand and perched on cinder blocks. It is available for people in the community to use in cooking. It was used this past Thursday for a pig-roasting event that was dubbed 'Serendipity's Meadow Fed'. The community-building event celebrated sustainable agriculture. There are plans to add another adobe oven, solar ovens, solar dehydrators, a parabolic solar oven, and more.  Guilford College students Will Kimmel and Bennett Christian are responsible for designing, building, and implementing this sustainable kitchen. (See more photos here). Hats off to the Guilford College students for being socicially and environmentally conscious while they are getting a fabulous education. Surely, their parents are proud. 

On Wednesday, we will feature another piece on the sustainable agriculture effort currently under way at Guilford College. 

Guilford College UMC

Yesterday, Guilford College United Methodist Church held their much-anticipated Easter Egg Hunt. Droves of children raced around gathering plastic eggs. After the egg hunt, children came inside with their parents to see and hear the Easter story projected on the wall and told by children.

Here we see a doting father watching his son watch the Easter story from the balcony. If the young boy's level of engagement was any indication, children enjoyed listening to their peers tell the familiar story of life, death, and resurrection. The rendition of the Easter story by a group of 8 and unders was delivered flawlessly.... well, except maybe when one young girl tried to say Gethsemane.

With the dogwood, azalea, redbuds, and tulip magnolia blooming, truly, is feels like the Easter season. Christians around the world are celebrating Palm Sunday today. (Orthodox Christians celebrate Palm Sunday next week). If you want to read an interesting post about Palm Sunday at the Mount of Olives, visit our City Daily Photo blogger friend in Jerusalem here.