Greensboro Daily Photo

Paperboxes

 

News bulletins have been around since the days of Ancient Rome and since the late Han Dynasty in China (2nd & 3rd centuries AD)* Concise written sheets were a way to get information disseminated before there were phones and computers. Now, in the digital age, they struggle for readership. Some people cannot imagine life without the daily morning newspaper; others have never acquired that habit.

The above photo shows the array of papers available at Hamburger Square. The Rhino Times covers news and politics for the Greensboro area and is free to the public. The weekly Carolina Peacemaker has been serving North Carolina and highlighting our diverse communities since 1967. They have a readership of nearly 40,000 and their website reminds advertisers that when they advertise to Greensboro's African American consumer market, they are reaching North Carolina's second largest African American market. YES! Weekly is an alternative weekly in the Triad. The O.Henry Magazine is free to readers and features articles of local interest, digging into many aspects of local Greensboro culture. Then there are a few other free papers on the right. Noticably absent is the News & Record. The boxes are so pretty to look at and reading the information inside really does help one keep a pulse on happenings in the Triad, ranging from conservative to liberal (and a little bit in between)!

*reference.

F is for Forensics

The Middle College on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (MC@UNCG) has a tradition of holding summer camp for incoming freshmen. Since students come to the middle college from all over Guilford County (there is no specific attendance zone), having team building events is a way for students to develop a sense of community. The above photo shows a crime scene that students analyzed in order to try to solve the crime. The week's activities introduce the rising freshmen to forensic science and the engineering design process. This design process is important, epsecially since MC@UNCG is a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathmatics (STEM) focused school.

The above photo was taken in the HHP building where the "crime" was reported to have taken place. These camps always prove to be successful for getting the beginning of the year off to a great start. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our STEAM series (the "a" is for incorporating arts)...... F is for forensics.

Hannah at Gaia Conceptions

 Today, we're featuring Hannah at Gaia Conceptions in Greensboro who is the Executive Assistant and manager of the boutique. Gaia makes comfortable, unstructured clothing like Hannah is modeling. They take the clothing from concept to completion and make it right here in Greensboro. Sustainability and versatility are the goals for clothing line. Hannah not only works at NOMAD in Westerwood, she also oversees their off site sales, like at festivals. For example, she will be at the Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF) this fall. On location in Black Mountain, NC, Hannah will introduce the line to amazing performers and festival-goers. 

If you get a chance, stop by NOMAD and introduce yourself to Hannah. She loves talking about the clothing line, the company's committment to local, organic fabric, and so much more. She also has one of the most colorful tattoos we've seen. Those sunflowers are even more vibrant in person. Hannah is civic minded with a real sense of community, local and global.* This younger generation of artists in Greensboro is special. 

*Strauss and Howe refer to these as traits of the Millenial generation (reference).

Wyndham Championship 2014

The Wyndham Champion was held this past week, August 11-17th,  at the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro. Camilo Villegas won today by a stroke* and a score of 263, the second best score of all time. In 2011 and in 2014, Webb Simpson and Sergio Garcia, respectively, scored 262.

This week's tournament was the 75th anniversary of the Wyndham Championship. The very first tournament, won by Sam Snead, was played at both Starmount Forest and Sedgefield CC. When this PGA event was founded in 1938, it was known as the Greater Greensboro Open. While the event has moved around some, Including thirty years at Forest Oaks,  it has always been held in the Greensboro area.

The above photo is of a 1974 souvenir Kentuky bourbon whiskey bottle, featuring the state of North Carolina as well as the course at Sedgefield. In 1974, Bob Charles won with a score of 270. Something tells us the original cork had a golf ball on top. While the bottle has been empty for forty years, it is a great memory of Greensboro's rich PGA history. Even though the PGA tournament has left the area, we've got a lot more golf weather left for all of the area's beautiful courses.

*results here.

East Market Street

Behind the United House of Prayer for All People (UHPAP)  on East Market Street is the Piedmont Health Services and Sickle Cell Agency (PHSSCA). PHSSCA reminds us that people can get very, very sick. UHPAP reminds us that there are places we can go to face our hardships in the company of others. PHSSCA has been serving the Greensboro community since 1970. In addition to good preaching and fellowship, the church serves great comfort food. Whether the news is good or bad in the front building, the apostolic church in the background provides fried fish, cornbread, vegetables; good homecooked meals at affordable prices. 

These two places are located at the southern edge of North Carolina A&T University and just east of downtown Greensboro. If you want to see the front view of the church, see here. Places look so different from different vantage points. We'll work on bringing you a photo of the inside. In the meantime, enjoy your Sunday, folks!

Wrangler3 & the Greene Street Parking Deck

If you are from North Carolina, Dale Earnhardt's Wrangler 3 Chevrolet has a very special meaning to you. Dale Earnhardt was a NASCAR driver and team owner. Earnhardt was born in Kannapolis, NC in 1951. He followed in his father's steps and became a racecar driver and drove the number 3 car most of his career.

The above #3 car is part of a series of artwork  found on the Greensboro municipal parking lot on Greene Street. From a covered wagon to HondaJet, several vehicles dot the chest-height wall surrounding the parking lot. The art was presented in 2009, presented to the City of Greensboro by the Cemala Foundation. * According to Cemala's website, "the theme of the art is transportation over 250 years and its importance to the development and growth of Greensboro." If you follow the link and read up on the artwork in this parking deck, likely, you'll want to head down and enjoy it for yourself. Thank you, Cemala Foundation for all you do for Greensboro.

*reference.

Curb Appeal on Northridge Street

The Lindley Park neighborhood, built on a former lake and amusement park, dated back to 1917. It is located near Lindley School, Holden Road, and the Greensboro Arboretum. The above 1,300 square foot house in Lindley Park is at 701 Northridge Street. Built in 1928, is it representative of the houses in that neighborhood, a lot of character and curb appeal.

Lindley Park has a very active neighborhood association with special events, a great website, and older editions of the neighborhood's newsletters archived online.* The neighborhood was named after John Van Lindley, a Quaker businessman who lived in the late 19th century/early 20th century. He would be proud of the vibrancy of this neighborhood on the land he used to own. Happy Friday, dear readers.

*see their website here.

 

Art on a Chevy Truck

As we drove by the Goodwill Store on North Battleground Avenue last week, we noticed this Chevy and just had to stop and photograph it. This is a pretty creative person who painted a truck with the Virgin of Guadalupe, President Abraham Lincoln on a five dollar bill and (possibly) Michangelo's David.  (And that was just one side!) All this, surrounded by orange and yellow swirls.

We don't try to limit our posts to Chevys, however, this Chevy car, this truck,  and this truck, and the above truck, are way too interesting not to share. Here are other vehicles we've shared over the last five years. It is almost as if the owner of this truck filled it with tatoos. Some vehicles sport advertisements. This Chevy, with North Carolina tags,  seems to be pure art for art's sake.

E is for Engineering

Local universities and colleges are getting ready for school to start up again. Things are eerily quiet now. The above photo features McNair Hall, the School of Engineering building on NCA&T's campus. McNair Hall, located on East Market Street, is named for physicist and NASA astronaut, Ronald McNair. McNair accomplished so much in his short life, including earning a Ph.D. He died at the young age of 35 when the space shuttle Challenger disintegrated in 1986. 

NCA&T is one of North Carolina's big engineering schools and we are proud to boast that it is right here in Greensboro. According to NCA&T's website, their engineering degree programs are distributed across six departments: chemical biological and bio engineering; civil, architectural and environmental engineering; computer science; electrical and computer engineering; industrial and systems engineering; mechanical engineering and the interdisciplinary computational science and engineering program. They are the home of the National Science Foundation's Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials.* The 21st century is a time of great advances in science and engineering. It is so important to encourage our children to pursue engineering. Engineering majors work extremely hard; however, (to quote TED) at the end of the day, they are developing ideas worth sharing.....

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics Round (STEAM link here), E is for Engineering! In about another week, McNair Hall will be teeming with brilliant people conducting brilliant engineering research.

*reference.

 

100 Police Plaza

 Walking south on Greene Street, just beyond the Carolina Theatre, this view opens up. 100 Police Plaza is the new city building that houses the Police Records & Central Operations Center. It is open 24 hours. The services provided at this site include: Police reports, tow releases, warrants, subpeonas, watch operations, the telephone response unit, and child safety seat inspections. 

While the police chief's office is a couple of blocks over at 300 W. Washington St., Chief Ken Miller is very involved in watch operations which seem to be housed here. While he has announced his retirement, Chief Miller is committed to seeing through the neighbor-oriented policing (NOP) program.*  It will be interesting to follow the NOP program.

The above view is very attractive, as is the building. Our police department, all 785 sworn and non-sworn employees, deserve a nice place to work and 100 Police Plaza is just that place.

*reference.

St. James AME Church, Part 2

Last week, we featured the historic marker for St. James AME Church in Oak Ridge and so this week, we decided to show you what the church actually looks like. It sits back from the road behind a large, brick new church. However, tucked behind the parking lot of the Oak Ridge First Baptist Church is this tiny gem of a church, The congregation dates back to the 1880's. Behind this little Methodist church is a cemetery with graves from the early 1900's. There is so much history in the Greensboro area and, as far as cities go, our community has done a good job of showcasing our past. Happy Sunday!

 

At the Corner of Walker & Elam

Today, we're at the corner of Walker and Elam. All is quiet in this photo; however, if you head over to this part of Lindley Park today, likely you will see it brimming with people. Lindley Park has been masterful at creating a sense of community in their neighborhood. The grass roots efforts, from newsletters to mini-farmers market to coffee shop to street events, Lindley Park has so many family-friendly events. The corner also has quite a reputation for street art. The wall above, is the Elam side of Fishbones Seafood Restaurant.

We've heard that they have really good food; unfortunately, they've always been too busy for us to wait around to get a table. Now, that's a great problem to have. Here's to a great Saturday for all of us and taking an opportunity to get out and walk around Greensboro's neighborhoods. 

Lemonade Highway

Summer is about to come to a screeching halt for families with children in school. Today is a glorious Friday and many people will be driving in and out of Greensboro. Some people will be lucky enough to head to the beach or mountains; others, will be returning from trips. I-40 and I-85 are always busy on weekends in the summer.

Today's photos were taken when we were on the road returning to Greensboro this past Sunday. The giant, roving lemon reminded us of all the road games we used to play back in the day before in-car movies, texting capability, video games and all of those other digital distractions. Do you remember trying to find license plates from as many states as possible? A-Z towns? Well, the mobile lemonade stand perked us up and put everyone in a super cheerful mood.  If you are traveling this weekend, please be careful and, if there are others in the car, consider playing some "old school" games. Finally, a friend of ours said that if this vehicle ever breaks down, they'll need some lemon-aid!

Beans Boro Coffee House and Roastery

Greensboro is cultivating some great coffee shops. Beans Boro Coffee House and Roastery at 2640 Horse Pen Creek Road is one such example. In the above photo, proprietor Kyle Burge stands behind the counter of the coffee shop he opened nearly three years ago. He has just finished making a heavenly Ethiopian Sidamo. The  made-to-order, pour-over technique ensures that the cup of coffee blooms into a fresh cup of coffee. If you drink black coffee and savor the taste of the coffee itself, this process is a must for extracting just the right amount of flavor out of the beans, beans that have been roasted at Beans Boro. To Kyle, coffee roasting and making is a precise science.

Coffee bean roasting and coffee brewing has been Kyle's passion since he was sixteen years old. He represents a growing number of twenty-somethings who develop a passion for a craft and turn their vision into reality. In these days of economic uncertanties and with traditional career paths changing before our eyes, entrepreneurship is a way to craft your own career while doing something that you love. Getting to know these self-motivated, Greensboro twenty-somethings like Kyle is a real treat. When you get a chance, stop by for the pleasure of seeing someone hard at work; someone who really cares about customers and quality control. Oh, and treat yourself to a pour-over while you are at it- especially if they are brewing Ethiopian Sidamo!

(Kyle made the copper pour-over station himself).

D is for Dentistry

 According to the website of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, "(t)ooth decay is the most common chronic infectious disease of childhood." It is even more common than asthma. The North Carolina Oral Health Section even has a motto, "North Carolina children- cavity free forever" and the Division of Public Health, even has a strategic plan (see here). Unfortunately, North Carolina ranks in the bottom five states with respect to school-based dental sealant treatment programs (reference). Let's hope our state can do something about that situation.

Dentistry is changing before our eyes. Dentists can now make crowns with 3-D printers. The process is fast and accurate. There are so many innovations that have come along in the past few years. If you are looking for a new dentist, ask about equipment that they have in-house. With all the institutions of higher education in Greensboro, none has a school of dentistry. The only two in the state are at the Universityof North Carolina in Chapel Hill and in Greenville at East Carolina University. 

The above photo was taken at the Greensboro Science Center to remind us of dental health and dentistry. These teeth could use some cleaning and floss! Today is ABC Wednesday and D is for our Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math Round, D is for Dentistry.

Auto Art at K&T Auto and Cycle Services

During our outing to Oak Ridge, we stopped by K & T Auto and Cycle Services at 2103 Oak Ridge Road. Daily, clients (and passersby) are greeted by  this little man, a work of art welded out of scrap metal. He lives by the side of the road and serves as a landmark that you are at K & T.

In many businesses where people use tools, you find art. In the glassmaking industry, you have what is known as end-of-the-day glass where glassblowers make unique pieces with the scraps of leftover glass. Often, these pieces are one-of-a-kind. We're betting somebody at K&T with a lot of energy and artistic talent makes these little scrap figures at the end of the day. Maybe the artist makes yard art on the side. Country art, on the side of the road, is classic Americana. Happy Tuesday.

State of the Many Pines

At one time, eastern North Carolina alone used to have millions of acres of pines. Our state's tree is the pine tree and we have a special award given to people who have provided extraordinary service to the state: The Order of the Long Leaf Pine. A few notable recipients, who are widely recognized, include: Maya Angelou, William Friday, Andy Griffith, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Billy Graham, and Dale Earnhardt.* 

The above stand of pine trees is located in Guilford County, in Oak Ridge (near the historical church featured yesterday). It is just so peaceful to get out an walk through a pine forest. There many different varieties of pine trees found in North Carolina- at least eleven. If you are interested, here is one resource breaking down type of pine by county and here is a NC Department of Agriculture book on our forest trees and how to know them. Farmers, and other people connected to the land like forest rangers and scouts, pride themselves on being able to identify trees. If you are looking for a meaningful hobby, try your hand at identifying trees.... and feel your blood pressure go down, down, down. Happy Monday, dear readers.

*reference, including notable recipients, here.

St. James AME Church

 St. James AME Church is located on Old Oak Ridge Road, just a little east of Oak Ridge Military Academy and Highway 68. The site has a lot of history in Guilford County. According to the sign in the above photo, it was purchased in 1889 by Oak Ridge's oldest African -American community. It served as a school house for African-American children until 1915 when a schoolhouse was built next door. There is a cemetery behind the church with graves that date back to 1900. On the edge of the property, you can still see old wooden structures that appear to be tobacco barns, echoing North Carolina's agricultural past.

In the front yard of St James AME is the Oak Ridge First Baptist Church. Across the street is the Oak Ridge United Methodist Church. From cradle to grave, there is something for just about everyone is this little spot in northwest Guilford County. We'll show you more in upcoming weeks. Better yet, take a Sunday drive and see for yourself. It ia a beautiful area with wonderful people who know a lot about their history.

Irving Park BP

Irving Park BP has been a gas station serving the community for over 50 years. As you can see, it still has a bay and offers repairs and state inspections. According to their website, they offer offer latest technology equipment and old-fashioned service. Many generations of children have scooted into the store part of the station to purchase what used to be penny candy, then nickel candy, and now dollar plus candy. People used to want  their gas pumped for them. Now, they want to do it themselves. Pump and go; as our lives get busier and busier, IP BP is there to help you get in and out quickly. Also, the are there to help you reminisce about the past.

Every neighborhood needs a neighborhood gas station. This spot on North Elm Street, in conjunction with its neighbor, Brown-Gardiner Drug Store, has been serving one of Greensboro's oldest neighborhoods for a very long time. As life gets more complicated, a little continuity goes a long way.

Green Bean II

Yesterday's Chevy was spotted near Golden Gate Shopping Center which is getting a tremendous facelift and about to become the Village at Golden Gate. The above coffee shop is at the southeast end of the plaza. The Green Bean II is the second venue for the downtown coffeeshop. It is located in the building which formerly housed a Starbuck's and a bank before that. The walk-in safe is wide open and has transformed from a great keeper of money to a great keeper of coffee beans. If Green Bean II is as much of a destination as Green Bean I , it will be serving up Java all day long.

The four million dollar renovation of this 1960's shopping complex on East Cornwalis and Golden Gate Drive will also have an adventure park for adults and children. It will feature a zip line, adventure swing, and free-fall element.*  If successful, we know what those St. Pius, Irving Park Elementary, and Page High School kids will be doing after school.

The first of the month is theme day for the City Daily Photo community. We are proud to say that Greensboro has been a part of the City Daily Photo community for over five years. The August theme is "take out" and we're sure that Green Bean will have its share of take out orders for coffee.

*reference.

 

Drove My Chevy to the Levee

The other day, we were on Cornwalis near Ghassan's Restaraunt to investigate the changes taking place at Golden Gate Plaza. We looked up and saw this citrus green Chevy parked at Subway Sandwich Shop and could not help but think back to the 1970's, 1972 to be exact. In that year, Don McLean had the number 3 hit of the year, "American Pie." If you lived through that era, you probably remember the album cover with McLean's  thumb print painted to look like an American flag. As we sat there humming the lyrics about the day the music died and singing, "So bye-bye, Miss American pie, Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry..." out walked the owners, two women wearing bright dresses. They slipped into into the Chevy and off they drove.

Oh how we wish we could have interviewed the driver about her car's history. To our car specialists, is this a Chevy Impala? Is it from the 70's or 80's. Regardless, it brought such a wave of nostalgia for 70's music, we just had to share it with our readers. Greensboro has some great cars driving around and, we're willing to bet the owners are great people to know!

Remember, tomorrow is FIRST FRIDAY and there will be interesting vehicles cruising Elm Street! Maybe we'll even see the above vehicle which we hereby dub, Key Lime Pie!

C is for Camp, Science Camp

It is amazing how many summer camps are held at the Greensboro Science Center. If you are between the age of 4-15, they have something for you. By the time you are 16, volunteer positions available. They offer science camps, engineering camps, chemistry, CSI, aquatic, animation, geology and so much more. As with the above group, the science center can serve as a day within a camp. The children in the blue shirts were attending a Christian camp at their home church. One of their day-long outings was to come to the science center. In this photo, they are heading into the animal house that is an indoor component to the new zoo. And, indeed, when they got inside, they had fun. They saw snakes, a skunk, giant insects, and a few more touchable critters, like rabbits. They were an inquisitive little group.

There are so many job opportunities in the science field. Let's hope some of the above youngsters want to become scientists and work on the big scientific questions of the day. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our S.T.E.A.M. round, C is for camp, specifically science camp.

The Urban Loop, It Is A Coming

Today's photos show the progress on the Urban Loop between Battleground Avenue and Horse Pen Creek Road. All summer, road crew has been diligently filling in the wetlands. The herons seem to have relocated; however, this duck can't seem to get the message that he needs to move on. We were able to take these photos because there is a sidewalk on this section of Battleground. We're wondering if the sidewalks will still be there once the road is in place. The Horse Pen Creek side is nearly impossible to photograph because there is no shoulder on the road. 

There is so much road construction in the northern part of Greensboro and Guilford County, reflective of the population boom experienced. From 2000 to 2010, the city's population grew 20.4% and the county's population grew 16%. Based on the 2010 census, the Greensboro's population was 269,666 and the county's was 488, 406. North Carolina, in general, has been experiencing a growth in population, especially Raleigh (46.3% ) and Charlotte (35.4%).* 

Surely, somehow, we'll make way for ducklings.

*reference.

Raining Caterpillars

It is late July and about time to start raining caterpillars. This weekend, we took a country drive on the rural roads around Greensboro and stumbled upon this silk tent full of caterpillars. The host tree, which was infested with a series of small tents, appears to be a persimmon. Caterpillars have fascinating behavior for example, they change location in the tent depending on the temperature; they cannot digest food if the temperature is less than 59 degrees Farenheit; they excrete so much waste that it sounds like it is raining; and, they leave scent trails to indicate a food source has been found.* 

Regardless of their interesting behavior, seeing caterpillars in one of at least a dozen tents on a country tree makes us just want to scream, "help us rid this tree of the infestation of caterpillars." But then, with nobody else around, our back up plan was to pull off the road and start observing their behavior, and commence to taking photos. Happy Monday. What did you do this weekend? (Surely not photograph tent caterpillars)!

*reference.

Bill Morris Was Back In Town

Bill Moris spoke at Scuppernong Bookstore last night, delighting the crowd by reading experpts from his latest novel, "Motor City Burning." Bill's book, set in Detroit, is one that gets at the complexities of the city at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. The main character is an African American male who leaves the South for a "better life" in the north. Between reading passages, Morris treated the audience to music clips from the era. From the Temptations and that Motown sound to Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man," the music fit seamlessly with the book. Or, was it the other way around? The audience was delighted and bought up all 25 copies of the book before the end of the presentation.

While Bill grew up in Detroit, he has lived many places, including Greensboro where he wrote for the News & Record. Bill now lives in New York. We're not sure how long he's been away, but it is as if he never left. The names of locals, former colleagues, and townspeople about whom he likely wrote columns, flowed from his tongue as if he'd just seen them yesterday.

It might be fun to read Motor City Burning for the One City, One Book program. 

Welcome to Guilford County

 If you live in Greensboro, you know we are in Guilford County, one of North Carolina's 100 counties, located in the piedmont region, not too far from the Virginia border. Before the early 1990's, we had 3 school districts in Guilford County: the county, Greensboro city, and High Point city. Now, we are one. And, as early as the first week in August some of the schools will be back in session. For now, let's just enjoy the weekend and, if you are coming to Greensboro, you will likely see one of the Welcome to Guilford County signs. If you are leaving, well, who knows what you'll see.

The weather in Greensboro has been a little crazy; extreme heat and drought-like conditions and then a cool spell and rain and then intense heat. Perhaps, it keeps us on our toes and ever thankful that we live in such a beautiful place. We leave you today with a quote from former News & Record reporter, Bill Morris. He made the comment in reference to being a writer in Greensboro; however, we think the comment fits for the community at large. Greensboro is "an under-the-radar place where one can work in peace, but can also find camaraderie and support [from others engaged in what will always be a grindingly lonely pursuit]."* A place where you can work in peace, but also find camaraderie and support sounds heavenly- and it is!

*Read the Bill Morris' article, about the history of the writing scene in Greensboro, here.

Common Grounds

Summer is such a great time to get out and meet people in the community. In the above photo, Molly is behind the counter at one of Greensboro's great local coffee shops: Common Grounds. The shop is located on Elam Avenue, at Walker Avenue,  in the heart of Lindley Park. Up by the coffee bar, Common Grounds looks tranquil with its muted, sepia tones. However, as hinted by the technicolor entrance, this is a lively place where you can do everything from listen to music, play board games, play pool, record videos, vinyl toys, and so much more. They truly are a hub of activity for the Lindley Park neighborhood. Every neighborhood deserves a great coffee shop, especually one within walking distance.

Molly came to Greensboro as a UNCG student and she loves it so much here she decided to stay. She also loves making people feel welcome at the coffee shop. So, if you get a chance, stop by and order up a cup of java and converation. After that, sit back and let serendipity take over! Happy Thursday to all!

B is for Bees

Bees are those ever-feared-by-children, flying cousins of wasps and ants. They are the great pollinators. They buzz from flower to flower feeding on pollen and nectar. The above bumblebee is working away on a giant sunflower in the Triad. Bumblebees play an important role as wild pollinators. Since bumblebees are at risk of extinction, in 2006 the Bumblebee Conservation Trust was established and In 2011, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature set up a group to review the threatened status of bumbleebees (reference). 

Bees haven't always been around. The history of the evolution of bees is really interesting* There are over 20,000 species. It is hard to imagine the world without bees. However, their extinction is a possible scenario. For our young students interested in pursuing degrees in science, melittology  and apiology are branches of entomology that could use researchers.

As for Greensboro, we can help by promoting ecological farming and trying to avoid pesticides. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our Round 15 letter "B", "B" is for BEE! Follow our whole S.T.E.A.M. ABC Wednesday series,  here.

* read the Wiki entry, here.

Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park

Yesterday, we featured the band playing at MUSEP (Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park) at Guilford College this past Sunday. Today, we're featuring a crowd shot of the people who were enjoying the concert. This is the lawn over near the Dana Auditorium. Greensboro is very lucky to have the MUSEP concert series, partially sponsored by the city and with support from several other sponsors, including Fox 8 and Friendly Center.*

There are several concerts left this summer; so, if you haven't been yet, dust off your lawn chairs and clean the spiders out of your picnic baskets and start attending. You can even bring your dog, as long as it is on a leash and you have a few baggies for doggie emergencies. It is so nice to see the community having a good time at these intergenerational events. MUSEP will be at Guilford Military Park next week, where you can enjoy music in the company of General Greene. 

*see more sponsors and the rest of this summer's concert series, here.

MUSEP Concert Series

Summer Sundays on the lawn with music has become quite a Greensboro tradition. Yesterday's concert was provided by the West African drumming/rock group, Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba. They performed a concert with a great cross-continental beat as part of the Eastern Musical Festival Fringe. The young, energetic band brought out a younger crowd on the lawn at Dana Auditorium on the campus of Guilford College. The weather held out and a, from children to adults to dogs on leashes, fun was had by all.

Next week's performance will be at National Military Park. The first concert will start at 6:00 and the second one will start at 7:15, two MUSEP concerts on one evening.

Free Books

At the corner of Regent's Park and Lake Brandt Road is the little "Free Book" stand featured above. It is an outgrowth of the book sale at St. Francis Episcopal Church's annual book sale. There are books that didn't sell or that they can't use and this church member has set up a free bookshelf in her neighborhood. Additionally, she takes books to people in need and children in crisis. 

St. Francis will hold their 57th annual sale on April 23-25, 2015. Whether you have something you want to donate or you want to attend one of the greatest booksales in Greensboro, remember that date. In the meantime, stop at the above shelf to "give one or get one" to read, today! And, as you see, giving to one's community can be as simple as setting up something at the sidewalk in front of your house.

Adelaide's Vintage Home and Garden

Adelaide has opened her new Vintage Home and Garden store, on 2000 Spring Garden Street, the next block west from her previous location. The early 1900's home, with its original beadboard ceilings, plaster walls, and wrap-around porch, is a simply stunning backdrop for her great treasures. In addition to vintage, she features some handmade items and gifts (candles, soap, jewelry, and cards). On August 15th and 16th, she is featuring a pop-up shop full of creative, vintage, and artsy treasures on her wrap around porch. As creative and talented as Adelade is, we are sure her store will be around for a very long time.

Adelaide had a few minutes to talk with us and pose for this photo yesterday, on her grand re-opening, in between helping customers and making sure everything looked just perfect. She is open today from 10-5. Happy Saturday, everyone!

And Justice for All......

The above sky photo was taken on Wednesday afternoon, after Tuesday's big rain that washed the haziness out of the air in Greensboro. It was taken at Jefferson Village on New Garden Road in the plaza with Target. The store in the center of the above photo is "Justice- Just for Girls". We found the sign amusing and wondered: Where do boys, men, and women go to find justice? Justice.... just for girls. To the right, the shopping cart holders advertise "bed, bath, and beyond." The above sky is, indeed, the great beyond.

Dr. Seuss would say, "Oh the places you can go with the names of those businesses." Just a little Friday Fun that we're sharing with everyone from Greensboro, to Skywatch Friday, and beyond. And, even though we can't get to the beach, we can pull out a lawnchair, sit back and admire the beauty of the world around us. Happy third Friday in July! And, may there always be justice for all of us!

Greensboro's Solitary Anteater

The anteater looks like something from another world. It is a mammal, but it looks like it could be part reptile. Anteaters are toothless (edente) mammals of the species vermilingua, which means "worm tongue." They are cousins to the sloth and distant relatives of the armadillo. They eat about 35,000 ants and termites a day. Don't we all wish we had one for our own yards. However, the above anteater resides at the Greensboro Science Center. Being almost 4 feet long from snout to tail,  this slothlike vaccum cleaner's size is imposing.

We have just re-joined the Greensboro Science Center and so you can expect to see lots of photos from this  special place on Lawndale Avenue. Seeing the facility, with the SciQuarium addition and reading about the other expansion plans, we are so proud of Greensboro. This is an amazing facility. From toddlers to adults, there is something for everyone. This is not your grandma's science center!

A is for Aquarium

The above photo was taken at the SciQuarium at the Greensboro Science Center. In the last few years, the science center has been undergoing an amazing transformation. The aquarium, only one part of the center's  multi-phased expansion,  is the only inland aquarium in North Carolina. The facility is a 22,000 square-foot LEED designed complex. It has been open for about a year now and has proven popular with the community.* Children delight at being so close to fish, stingray, and sharks.

Today is ABC Wednesday and they are now starting Round 15. For this round, GDP is focusing on science. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (S.T.E.M.) programs are trending in America's schools. Some STEM programs have evolved to incorporate the arts and are known as STEAM programs. STEAM programs acknowledge that science has an artistic component. For example, in the above aquarium, water pH matters, species compatibility matters; however, design and aesthetic matter, too. When you wind through the SciQuarium and stand face-to-face with the underwater world, you realize that STEM without art would lack steam. So, for Round 15 of ABC Wednesday, our theme is STEAM and A is for Aquarium.

*references and more, here.

Ice Cream Truck

Ice cream trucks are an iconic symbol of summer. Children hear the music wafting through their neighborhood and run to wait in line for amazing summer treats. They scrape change from the change pile, add a dollar or two, and run out with their friends to purchase a frozen treat.

As seen on the above sign, the photo was taken on North Church Street beside the Central Branch of the Greensboro City Library. Does an ice cream truck come to your neighborhood? These mom and pop businesses operate on the principle of supply and demand. You buy; they come! This photo was taken at a special event one weekend a couple of months ago. Ice cream trucks do not regularly come to Church Street.

Ice cream trucks may well have been the first mobile "food" trucks. Here's to popsicles, dreamcicles, nutty buddies, freeze pops, Sponge Bob and Spiderman pops, and so much more. The options are limitless. Happy Tuesday!

 

W.A.D.E.

Today we present you with a mystery. The above tanks are located on Burlington Road between the eastern end of Guilford County and Burlington. We're not sure what the tanks hold or what W.A.D.E. represents. Located on the south side of Burlington Road/East Wendover, the cylindrical structures have the look of old Highway 70. Every year, this road changes significantly. Farms become housing developments, tired old cinder block businesses become strip malls, mature oak trees are replaced with Bradford pear trees and parking spaces. Progress is necessary, and not all that is old is golden; however, we sure do enjoy the old businesses with a provenance and character. Do you know anything about WADE, the cylinders with the old, bold font? If so, do tell. Happy Monday!

A Lovely Cornerstone... and So Much More.......

While we have featured Our Lady of Grace (OLG) Catholic Church several times before on Greensboro Daily Photo, what we have not shown is their cornerstone. And my what a fine cornerstone it is. Religious symbols, a name, and a date, 1950 all adorn the rock that provides so much information at a glance. If you have a spiritual home, does it have a cornerstone? If it does not, consider a fundraising effort to provide one. It is so easy to forget when, how, and why something came about. 

If you want to learn more about OLG, go right HERE to their parrish history. And if you are local, you owe it to yourself to tour the sanctuary and learn about the history of the stained glass windows. They are glorious. See an inside shot, here. Imagine having nothing and going someone where you are welcome, to sit and be prayerful for a while. Churches, synagogues, temples, and other spiritual places have been providing respite for a very long time. Where do you go, what do you do for a moment of spiritual renewal? And, if that special place has a cornerstone, send us a photo! 

Rita's Italian Ice

Today, we're featuring Rita's Italian Ice, located in the Target Plaza on Lawndale. We discovered it on a trip to Philadelphia last summer and, on hot summer days, enjoy a visit to Rita's. We love the melon and natural fruit flavors, watermelon, canteloupe, lemon. Unfortunately, the natural fruit flavors are a lot more labor intensive as REAL fruit needs to be used; additionally, they are not as popular in the American market. Therefore, they tend to be the flavors that get discontinued. Here is a little history about Italian ice that we found on Rita's website.

Italian ice can be traced back to Ancient Greece and Rome, where people would infuse snow from Mt. Etna with syrup and wine. Water ice has been popular in Europe since the 1700's. In the USA, Rita's began in 1984, the brainchild of a Philadelphia firefighter whose wife was named Rita!* Rita's is now a franchise, which is why we have one right here in Greensboro. Stop by and try one that has real fruit in it! We're sharing this with Weekend Reflections, where everyone has reflections in their photos. Happy S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y!

*reference.

Friday Night

It is Friday and the sun will set at a little after 8:30 p.m. You've got plenty of daylight this time of year to hang out with friends and family. Consider calling someone and making plans. If you are in middle school, likely, you have friends who are always ready to meet up for an adventure. The above young skateboarders were hanging out around Hamburger Square last month. Hamburger Square is located on South Elm Street in downtown Greensboro. The woman to the left appears to be texting friends who, hopefully, will be joining her soon.

Even alone, a stroll along Elm Street is sure to lift the spirits. There is just so much to do and see. So many of the business have proprietors or dedicated managers on site and, with a little effort on your part, they will recognize you by name. Happy Friday; happy weekend, dear readers. What fun will you be making for yourself this weekend? The old saying really is true, so much of life is what you make of it. Be creative!