Greensboro Daily Photo

Yum Yum Ice Cream

Today, we feature Yum Yum ice cream store. Given its location near UNCG and Old Town Draught House on Spring Garden Street, there are always events happening that keep the store busy. Additionally, it has long been a destination, for locals and out of town visitors. Yum Yum was started 109 years ago and is still owned by the Aydelette family. Not much has changed since we featured them in 2009, other then a modest price increase and they now have a social media presence. Follow them on Facebook where they do a nice job of announcing new flavors they are featuring and when they have a change in hours. Here's what we wrote six years ago:

"Yum Yum Ice Cream in its first incarnation was sold from a cart beginning in 1909 in downtown Greensboro. An early Greensboro postcard features the ice cream cart in front of the Courthouse. In the 1920's, the business was moved to a free-standing building at the corner of Forest and Spring Garden Streets. Since the location was at the western limit of the city, the owner called the business West End Ice Cream. Around that time, he introduced the ice cream flavor Yum-Yum, a flavor that is believed to have included grapes, raisins, a grain. At any rate, people began saying, "Let's go get some of that Yum-Yum ice cream."  The name stuck and became the official name for the store.

The shop is actually an ice cream factory with the product made in a back room, the old-fashioned way with vintage 1920's equipment. They have had the same ice-cream maker for 25 years now.  He is very picky about the source of his ingredients as well as quality and consistency. The proof is in the taste of the ice cream. Currently, they feature 18 flavors at $2.00 a scoop. The store is, perhaps, equally famous for its tasty, bright red hot dogs which start at $1.00 for a basic dog and cost $1.60 for one "all the way." Yum Yum is surrounded on all four sides by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Let's hope the university remains a good neighbor and allows this century-old business to continue in this prime location."

 

 

 

Everything is Blooming

Trees are blossoming in Greensboro. This view was captured on Spring Garden Street, from the entrance to Time Warner Cable. Even when running errands, one can find beauty. How wonderful to find all of these trees in bloom together. As a matter of fact, the blossoms stand out more so than the TWC signage.

The peak blossom predicted tome for Washington D.C. is between April 9-13th this year. This window is slightly later in 2015 due to all the cold weather in February. April 18th is the latest peak on record for D.C. and some are predicting that this year will break the record.

In Greensboro, we're quickly moving to past peek. If you want to see Greensboro's blossoms, now is the time. Bradford pears, cherry trees, and redbuds are fabulous. Happy Monday!

 

Hunter Hills Evangelical Friends Church

The above view is of Hunter Hills Evangelical Friends Church, located on Merritt Drive near Patterson. The congregation came together in 1909 as the Pomona Monthly Meeting of Friends. In 1959, they built in Hunter Hills and became renamed the Hunter Hills Evangelical Friends Church.

Back when the church was the Pomona Friends, we're betting there was an association with John Van Lindley, whose nursery was in the neighborhood of the church. Van Lindley was a Quaker; however, records indicate he was a member of the Quaker New Garden Meeting. It would be interesting to read a history of this congregation with Quaker roots that was established near his nursery almost a decade before Van Lindley died. It would also be interesting to read how they became Evangelical Friends. Regardless of the faith path of the members, the church's steeple looks beautiful surrounded by blossoms and blue skies.

 

Princeton Avenue Beauty

Driving around Greensboro, there are some beautiful homes, tucked away in neighborhoods not always on the beaten path. The above photo is a house on Princeton Avenue near Market and Spring Garden Streets, not too far where Pamona Foundry used to be. It is in a neighborhood with many streets named after ivy league schools: Princeton, Yale, Cornell, Harvard. Not all of the homes have this much character; however, sometimes beauty inspires beauty. This abode would be right at home in Fisher Park, Hamilton Lakes, Westerwood, or any of our other established neighborhoods. If you get a chance this weekend, drive around town and admire the beauty of Greensboro. Head over and see this beauty in person. Happy Saturday, dear readers!

Easter Eggstravaganza!

If you celebrate Easter and like Easter egg hunts, this weekend is a great one for finding things to do in Greensboro. Above, the non-denominational Westover Terrace Church*, at 505 Muir's Chapel Road, advertises their Easter Eggstravaganza to be held on Saturday, March 28th (tomorrow)  from 10:00- 1:00. If you want to participate in all of the events, you'd better arrive early. The sanctuary in this church started offering services on August 6th, 2006, and they have been offering exciting community events since then.

We're sharing this photo with Weekend Reflections. We covered the white lines and asphalt of the parking lot by incorporating part of the rearview mirror in the bottom third of the photo. It manages to capture the blossoms of the pear trees in the background.

*We'll feature more about the church's history on one of our Sunday religious posts; however, if you want to know now, read more, here.

Container Drayage 101

Merritt Drive in Greensboro is an area where much is happening in the transportation industry. Located near the railroad is the above lot belonging to ContainerPort Group (CPG). Container drayage* is the process of getting cargo from point A to point B and ContainerPort has being doing it for over four decades. They operate a drayage terminal and the Northern Southern ramp in Greensboro, providing customers with empty and loaded container storage options.

CPG, based in Cleveland, Ohio, is trying to expand in the Southeast. In September of 2014, they opened a new terminal in Charlotte and provide international container drayage over to the Port of Wilmington. Seeing these operations causes one to wonder how on earth items can be hauled from China to Greensboro, land in a Dollar store, and still only cost a dollar! This would be a fun project for children, to follow the supply chain, tracking merchandise as it moves through Greensboro.

Did you ever dream that container cars could be so colorful.

* We're always interested in learn more about industries and their terminology. Learn more about drayage, here.

K is for Kriegsman

The Kriegsmans have been furriers since the 1870's when the family was living in Austria. About a century ago, family members immigrated to the United States. In 1928, Max and A.M. Kriegsman founded the Greensboro store. In addition to storing furs, they repair and custom design products. The fur industry has changed significantly from back in the day when it was harder to find warmth on a cold winter day and when wearing fur was a sign of financial status. Even middle class women wanted a touch of fur on a coat. The Kriegsman's work hard to keep their business contemporary and use materials like cashmere that appeal to people who might not wear fur. As businesses change over the decades and centuries, it is harder to find people truly connected to their craft; where, a product is taken from concept to completion through the craftsmanship of a single person or store.  Kriegsmans is that kind of store. It is located on Cornwallis Drive at Cornwallis Court. 

We think their family and their family's story would be a good one to be featured in a local magazine or newspaper. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our ABC local series, K is for Kriegsman. (Notice in the sign above that K is for Kaplan D.D.S., too)!

E-Car Seen this Weekend at UNCG

This past weekend, the above e-car was spotted on UNCG's campus in the Walker Parking Deck. It is a Gem E4 Electric with a state-owned license plate. If you look closely on the front, you can see the chord that was plugged in to the wall of the parking deck.

A google search doesn't bring up any information on electric cars being used by UNCG. It did remind us that three years ago, UNCG's Weatherspoon Art Museum featured a film "Revenge of the Electric Car." We sure hope to see more of them around Greensboro's college campuses. It looks like something a Disney character would drive around in. What do you think?

March Madness

Today, we're at 104 North Holden Road, the home where the owner shares his festive, timely, plywood signs for every holiday. This week, this family is supporting the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Duke, and both have advanced to the Sweet 16 tournament. North Carolina will have three of the sixteen teams in the Sweet 16 tournament. North Carolina State will also be there. For some reason, the Wolfpack is not endorsed on this lawn. We'll bet there is a good story there!

We're lucky to have such great basketball in North Carolina. If your co-workers, students, sales clerks, or anyone else in your life is tired these days, it could well be because they are staying up late watching these exciting games. Be merciful. Happy Monday! And, thank you 104 N. Holden for all of your hard work on this public art.

Greensboro's Baha'i Faith

The Spiritual Assembly of Baha'i is located on Lawndale Avenue, just down from the Greensboro Science Center and backing up to Country Park. The religion was founded in 1844 in Iran, with its core principles being the unity of God, religion, and humanity. The Baha'i faith celebrates diversity of race and culture and are welcoming to people of all backgrounds. According to their Greensboro Facebook page, there are 5 million adherents worldwide and approximately 164,000 members in the United States. They don't have clergy in the Faith but operate through a system of elected councils. The Greensboro group was founded in 1943. 

We would love to talk to people practicing the Baha'i Faith, locally, in the early years. Seventy years ago, there was significantly less religious diversity in Greensboro. To have a faith with roots in Persia took great conviction in a community that was predominantly Christian.

Oh Beautiful Skies

Greensboro has been blessed with some beautiful sunrises and sunsets in March. The above sky appeared in Greensboro last Friday, the 13th. We were lamenting having to be at work before 7:30am. However, en route, as we were heading towards downtown, the above sky appeared and made an early start to the day all worthwhile. This intensity doesn't last long and can be gone by the time you find your camera. We were thrilled to capture a photo or two with the key in peak color. 

If you are local, of course you recognize the JP building with its time/temperature display at the top. We hope you have a great weekend and you enjoy these first few days of spring. We are all ready! Keep your camera handy.

Spring Green

Happy first day of spring. The beauty of spring is the way it gently unfolds and reveals itself one small wonder at a time. Snow, ice, and gray skies retreat and a display of greenery pushes through the earth, one subtle hue at a time. Above, a path of rocks turns a magical mossy green as the sun peeks over the horizon.

Soon Greensboro will be a canvas of dogwood, tulip magnolia, redbud, and azalea blossoms. In the older, wealthier neighborhoods, Irving Park, Fisher Park, they will have been carefully placed by Greensboro's most trusted landscape designers. However, throughout the entire city, the colors of spring will be beautiful. Happy spring!  Let's all run outside and plant something.

 

Almost Spring

This is what "almost spring" looks like in a college town. This coed on roller blades was zooming down North Elm Street with a friend this past weekend. We could only photograph one at a time as they were not skating that close together. Tis the season for running shorts, sunglasses, and a fast way to get from point A to point B. The Greensboro area has 2 universities, 3 colleges, and a community college with at least 3 campuses. That is a lot of higher education and a lot of students coming off of spring break, enjoying the nice weather, and trying their hardest to stay focused for the next month or so.

Fossil fuel-less modes of transportation can be great; however, they can also be dangerous. As all of our students roll into spring, we're wishing them a strong finish and being mindful of their surroundings- good advice for all of us! Happy day before spring, everyone! Keep spring fever at bay.

J is for Jewelry... (Fentress Jewelry)

Fentress Jewelry, on Spring Garden Street, has been in Greensboro since 1974. For over forty years, Delbert Fentress has served Greensboro as a bench jeweler. He not only repairs and sells jewelry, he also designs and makes one-of-a-kind pieces. He gets stones from all over the world and turns them into family heirlooms. 

We were there a few weeks to get the clasp on a brooch unbent and Mr. Fentress repaired it on the spot. They even offer to size rings within the hour. We were so thrilled to get the piece repaired, while we waited, and to talk to Mr. Fentress about some of the pieces that he designed, we forgot to ask for a photo. With the trend in retail for people to shop locally and to buy directly from the proprietor, Fentress Jewelry fits that bill. Today is ABC Wednesday. For this round, we're featuring local businesses end entrepreneurs and "J" is for "jewelry" as well as for "jeweler." (See A-I Local, here).

The Patriots Retreat

Today, we're sharing another photo from the Reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse from this past weekend. The soldier on the left is the munitions person who would swab down the cannon with water to make sure that sparks didn't ignite and start a fire (a dangerous task). The red munitions box is being carried off the field and the cannon is about to be put away for another year. 

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was said to have been the most contested battle of the Southern Campaign. The British won the battle with their 1,900 troops against the American militia of 4,500; however, by retreating, General Greene was able to regroup and preserve the strength of his army.* As the saying goes, "we lost the battle, but won the war."

History is so much easier to learn when it is brought to life by these dedicated volunteers. Fortunately, Sunday's weather was warm and sunny and the event was well attended. 

* reference and additional information, here.

Battle of Guilford Courthouse: A Reenactment

 If you are a local history buff, this past weekend was the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in which Generals Greene and Cornwallis led their troops into battle. The events were held at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, the Visitor Center, the Colonial Heritage Center, Country Park and everywhere in between. All of these areas are in the same general vicinity, between Pisgah Church Road, Lawndale, Battleground, and Old Battleground.

Living history events, planned and impromptu happened throughout the weekend. There were dancers, small arms demonstrations, guided walks, and more. Soldier and other campers were generous with their knowledge, when you caught them between regularly scheduled events. The culminating event, featured above, was the reenactment at Country Park. New since the last time we attended was an interpreter who explained to the audience about the battle, the time period, and what took place where is Guilford County. There was a lot of activity between the former Lowe's Food and Wal-Mart on North Battleground. The interpreter made the event come alive for spectators before, during, and after the reenactment. What a fabulous addition.

Unfortunately, yesterday's battle concluded with the ambulance coming for a calvary man who fell off his horse. The audience quickly realized that  the person on the ground and horse without a rider were not part of the reenactment. Hopefully, he is OK. 

If you are curious about history and willing to walk, this is a must-see event and a great way to usher in spring with friends and family. Next year's event will be on March 12th and 13th.

Fellowship Presbyterian Church and Day School

The Fellowship Presbyterian Church on New Garden Road has a day school. They offer a half day pre-school, a Kindergarten, and after school care. The school was established in 1998, and 17 years later, is still going strong. They also offer summer camps for children and should be gearing up for registration now. The 11.9 acres on which this church school was built, has been owned by Fellowship Presbyterian since 1966. Over the past 50 years, the congregation has been growing and expanding its mission. In addition to the traditional church meetings and programs, Fellowship Presbyterian has played a significant leadership role in recycling in Greensboro. That is a much-needed undertaking and one that should be introduced to young children as early as possible. We're betting they do so in their day school.

This photo was taken during the summer. We're just so ready for spring, that we searched the archives for something with a little bit of green. Have a happy Sunday and check back with us next Sunday when it will officially be spring!

The People's Perk Coffee Shop

Driving along South Mendenhall at Spring Garden Street, you will find College Hill's newest coffee shop, The People's Perk.  Above, co-owner Nancy agreed to sit for a photo on a break between serving customers. Behind her is a work of art by UNCG art student, Allison Daniel. Allison's painting depicts the outside view of the coffee shop. The People's Perk is really supportive of local artists.

The shop is spacious and looks like an expanded version of someone's living room. There is plenty of room to spread out, play board games, talk, enjoy great coffee, play wi-fi, and peruse the selection of local art and pottery for sale. Unfortunately, we didn't get to meet co-owner, Karen, but we have the feeling she's as friendly and outgoing as Nancy. Both owners left the corporate/non-profit world to realize their dream of opening a coffee shop and building a sense of community. College Hill/Tate Street now has three local coffee shops: Tate Street Coffee, Coffeology, and People's Perk (in order of opening). Be sure to visit all three. They are all three well worth your time and each with a unique personality!

 

Scarf Not Lost

This message, in a ziplock baggie, attached to a scarf on South Elm Street reads: "This scarf is NOT lost. If you need it to stay warm, please TAKE it. If you can, please do something nice for someone else today."  Hats off (or scarf on) to the person who left this little piece of sweetness and compassion on a streetlight downtown. Have you ever performed a random act of kindness or been blessed with one yourself? It is not uncommon to stumble upon these nice gestures in Greensboro. While, in the above photo, you can't see much of the fleece zebra scarf, with the Kress and JP buildings in the photo, the scene is definitely situated in downtown Greensboro! 

And regarding our iconic Jefferson Standard/Pilot/Lincoln Financial building in the background. It appears it is in line for some major renovations.* Our vote is to maintain the integrity of the façade and to provide a venue or two inside that encourages the local community to visit. An affordable restaurant, with a panoramic view, would be great. 

Finally, as you are out looking for, or generating, random acts of kindness in Greensboro this weekend remember that it is reenactment weekend. Country Park will be full of people reliving March 15, 1781. (Information, here). You won't want to miss it!

*read about building renovations, here.

 

Now Playing...... Josh Boyd on Drums

Tuesday afternoon, we met up with Josh Boyd who was practicing his drum set outside in front of Highland North Music, where he teaches.  Josh had the good fortune to study under Mr. Charles Butler at Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro. Josh follows Mr. Butler's teaching model by not only teaching music, but also mentoring and modeling good citizenship for his students. Drumming can be so much more to a child than merely producing percussive sound. Drumming can be about everything from keeping the beat to taking risks to working well with others to bringing people joy to setting goals to entertaining, and more. If Mr. Butler were alive today, he would be really proud of Josh for his great work ethic and his positive impact on his young students. Josh is so well liked that he got an invitation to the birthday party of one of his ten year old students.

Next time you are driving on Highway 220 and see a drummer jamming away, it is probably Josh. Stop and get a free concert. Be sure to clap loudly for this young man, living his musical dream and sharing his many talents with the younger generation.  Attack, punch, resonance, depth, control, ping, bright, crash.... spend a little time with a drummer and you'll learn a whole new language. Highland North Music, located on Battleground Avenue, beside Greensboro Academy, accepts students of all ages and for many instruments.

I is for Indigo the Salon & Indigenous Spa

Indigo the Salon has been in Greensboro, in the Lake Jeanette area, for 18 years now. They are a full service salon with a spa component called Indigenous Spa. The salon was founded in 1997. Hillary Wallace and Cheryl Whalen are co-owners. The business offers customers a relaxing, retreat-like experience. Most clients become very loyal to their hairdressers, including the ones who come here. They've been around almost as long as Lake Jeanette has been a community; back when North Elm Street still felt more rural than suburban.

Indigo is a deep and bright color between blue and purple on the cool side of the light spectrum. It seems like a great name for a salon with experts in color. Indigenous indicates that something is native to a particular place; a spa for locals/by locals. Indigo and Indigenous are a perfect word pairing for the ABC Wednesday meme when the letter is "I" and GDP's theme for this round is "local." Head on over to ABC Wednesday to see what the rest of the world is posting for the letter "I". Head on over to Indigo/Indigenous to see what it looks like inside. Alternatively, maybe we'll take you there the next time we need an "I" word. We had to chuckle when we noticed that there were four white cars and one indigo one in the parking lot yesterday!

Spring is in the Air

Sunday, March 8th was noticeably warm and bright. It was so special because it felt like winter had retreated. The above photo is a street scene in northwest Greensboro late afternoon, that time of day when the shadows were stretching from the road almost to the horizon. The grass is turning spring green and the trees are getting that reddish tint- when they are just about to bud out. Many argue that spring is the most beautiful season in Greensboro.

Today is a beautiful week, because Greensboro is hosting the 2015 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament. It looks like the teams will be playing to sell out crowds. Also, this weekend, Greensboro will host the reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, where soldiers fought on turf not far from the above scene. Let's hope the weather is nice for people getting to the basketball games and for the reenactors who sleep outdoors in tents wearing thick wool, that gets really heavy when wet. Have a great rest of the week, everyone. Learn more about the reenactment of the battle, here, and the battle on the basketball court, here.

International Women's Day 2015

International Women's Day was celebrated yesterday at Scuppernong Books on South Elm Street. People of all ages and backgrounds assembled to enjoy a diverse collection of voices: Jaki Shelton Green, Debra Kaufman, Veronica Grossi, Ashley "Milli" Lumpkin, Barbara Kenyon, Trudy Young Taylor, Sheryl Rider, Birgul Tuzlali, and Stephanie Lindley. These nine accomplished writers spoke to a full house in the back of the bookstore. In the above photo, "Milli" is reading some of her emotional, powerful poetry. How nice to have these wonderful literary events in our community. Thank you, Scuppernong's.

In addition to the event at Scuppernong's, down the street, in the Greensboro Coliseum, the women's basketball team of Notre Dame played and beat Florida State, becoming 2015 ACC tournament champions. Yesterday, from having their way with sports to having their way with words, women in Greensboro were being celebrated for living their dreams. To women everywhere, may this be the best year ever!

Eclectic by Nature

The above photo is a shot of Eclectic by Nature, located in a little house on State Street. The store specializes in Earth and Spirituality products ranging from altar tools to wallet/prayer cards to witch balls and everything in between. People of all religions visit the shop for items like incense, essential oils, and new age music CD's; however, the store also has items that cater specifically to Earth Spirituality, Paganism, & Wicca. 

Many people aren't aware of the diversity and wide range of religious practices right here in Greensboro: From ultra-conservative and fundamentalist to liberal beliefs; from monotheism to polytheism to atheism. This little shop, that has been thriving on State Street for ten years (and was downtown before that), tries to have something for everybody.

Sometimes, it can be hard to understand religious beliefs that are different from our own. However, the important part is that we are tolerant of others and not feel threatened by our community's diversity. Happy Sunday and may you be filled with love for humanity, regardless of what you believe.

 

JP Building and Hill Street

Today is Saturday and we are hanging out in Westerwood at Hill Street. From this vantage point, we have a clear view of the Jefferson Pilot Building in all its glory. Winter is great for taking photographs because the leaves are not obstructing the view and we can see the top of the JP building as if it were in the car with us. We love capturing the street signs in our photos to situate the picture in Greensboro. Before you know it, spring will be here and winter will be behind us. Happy Saturday, everyone and remember to set those clocks ahead an hour tonight!

 

Night Scene on West Market Street

We love night scenes and today we share one of Greensboro, heading in to town, driving east on West Market Street. The JP building is on the horizon and a great calm has descended upon the town. We hope you will have a relaxing weekend and remember to move your clocks ahead an hour on Sunday morning. On the one hand, we'll have one less hour of weekend; on the other, we'll have one less hour of WINTER! Truthfully, Greensboro has been spared, compared to our friends in the northern states.

If you love good basketball, the ACC Women's Championship Tournament is being played in Greensboro this weekend. Here is the information if you think you will get a chance to attend. At the very least, you can keep us with who is winning the brackets, here.

Sidewalk Whimsy

Now that the snow has melted, yet it is a little early for bulbs to bloom, the eyes are a little more attuned to a different layer of detail. Without the snow or the plants commanding the eye's attention, beauty takes a different shape. Here are some mosaic inserts set in the cement on Friendly Avenue, a little west of The Mad Hatter and Overlook Street.

What an interesting message, "Magic is believing; belief is in the heart; the heart holds the key, the key opens the door. Who would expect to find a little snippet of chain verse embedded in a chunk of sidewalk, next to Vincent Van Gogh's Yellow Sunflower painting, on a busy section of Friendly Avenue that doesn't get much pedestrian traffic? Wonder who put it there. From the wear and discoloration, it looks like the display has been there for a while. Maybe a family with children, long gone who have long forgotten the sidewalk, constructed the assemblage. We're sure there is an interesting story. 

Today, we're sending out a birthday message to a very special reader, Jane. Also, we have a belated birthday for another reader, Ginny. We are so glad you are both a part of our lives. Consider the vase of sunflowers a special delivery. Here's to a little magic in both of your lives.

H is for Higgins

Glendi Higgins, photographed above, was on the front end of a giant trend. He had the first bicycle shop in Greensboro. He started selling bikes in the late 50's and by the early 60's had a bicycle shop on Spring Garden Street across from Yum Yum's Ice Cream Shop. By the early 1970's, UNCG was expanding and needed his property to accommodate their growth. Undaunted, Mr. Higgins built his store in its current location on Battleground Avenue, across from what is now Cookout and Omega Sports. Mr. Higgins had owned the land since 1951. Originally, the property had a church with a parsonage beside it and there was nothing but woods across the street. Before long, an A&P grocery store went up and the woods went down. Now, the neighborhood has changed completely and, at 85 years old,  Mr. Higgins is one of the rare keepers of knowledge about Battleground Avenue in mid-20th century Greensboro. He is also one of those rare folks who is not too busy to take the time to talk to customers.

We stopped in to look for a used bicycle and were impressed with his inventory, which is very reasonably priced. You can get a good used bike for $100. It may not be the trendiest name and latest carbon-fiber technology; however, if you need something reliable to get you from Point A to Point B, you cannot beat Mr. Higgins' offerings. UNCG students still flock to him to find a bike they can use during their time in Greensboro and, upon graduation, they know where they can go to sell back their bike.  Mr. Higgins is the epitome of entrepreneurship and "keeping-it-local." Today is ABC Wednesday and for our ABC Local series, H is for Higgins Cycle Shop; Higgins Lock and Key.

Venice Pizza

Today, we're at the corner of Market and Elm Street, ground zero for Greensboro. This is where the city splits from north to south and from east to west. The building on the corner is being renovated. It will be exciting to watch the progress and this important corner. It would be nice to have some kind of marker there indicating the significance of the corner. Also in view in Venice Pizza, which has been a downtown institution for quite a while now. Conveniently, they offer the option to order online. However, we wish they had a little bit of their history available to customers. To our knowledge, the owners have been selling pizza in Greensboro for at least two decades.

We'll try to find out more, next time we're on a photo shoot downtown. We should have asked the man  carrying in a box on the left, He probably knew. At any rate, we're excited to watch all of the changes happening in Greensboro and it is always nice when empty spaces get occupants. Happy Tuesday!

 

One Snowy Foggy Morning

Now that it is March and the snow is probably behind us, we're posting one more snow photo. This road in northeast Guilford County shows Greensboro at its loveliest. The roads were clear, but the snow brightened up the dull winter landscape. For a few minute last Friday morning, it was also foggy, which is the blur you are seeing at the horizon line. The fog dissipated shortly after sunrise. Those weather events, that catch us by surprise, can be so beautiful.

Here's to a great March in Greensboro. Opening day of the ACC Basketball Tournament in the Greensboro Coliseum starts on March 10th and the championship game will be held on Saturday, March 14th. Last year, you may recall, University of Virginia beat Duke. Who will it be this year? Let's hope the above weather is behind us and we can all enjoy a week of great basketball in Greensboro.

(This photo was taken with a cell phone camera as we were caught without the Nikon. Not bad).

 

Sunday Worship

The above sign, at Morehead United Methodist Church on Horse Pen Creek might go unnoticed on a sunny summer day. However, on a snowy, winter day, the sign almost popped off the vinyl. The message is representative of so many houses of worship in the USA today. As churches scramble to keep and grow membership, one solution has been to offer both contemporary and traditional services, and to have a website available for people who are shopping for a church.

The Morehead congregation works very hard to invite people into their church. They often hold Saturday hotdog sales and have other events open to the public. Historically, their congregation has been comprised of rural, county folks. Then again, the church dates back to 1888 when just about everything around Greensboro was rural. Morehead Church was originally located on property donated by the Morehead family, land that is now part of North Battleground Avenue. The church documents their interesting history on their website; a history that includes building, relocating, rebuilding, merging, growing, and transforming; a pattern that is so common today. From the website, to the community functions, everything about Morehead UMC sounds inviting and accepting.

We love the rainbow sign; the snow, not so much. (But the sum was greater than its parts).  Happy first day of March! 

The Battleground Shuffle

Today, we're sharing the back side of Fidelity Bank's snowman. From his view in front of the bank, he sees the changing face of Battleground Avenue. Over the last year, several mattress and e-cigarette stores have popped up, and one of each is visible to Frosty. VAPOR is peeking out of the left edge of the photo. VAPOR is housed in what was formerly a Subway sandwich shop. Subway has relocated across the street, closer to Honeybaked Ham, on the lot which had been a Wagoneer's Christmas tree lot for years. SLEEPY'S Mattress is in a new stand alone building on a lot which, for a while housed Buffalo Wings. Buffalo's had moved from the metal-looking building up the street, which had formerly been a gas station and is now a pizza shop.

Are you confused yet? Indeed, it is a lot to keep up with and, if you haven't driven Battleground Avenue for a while, you just might not recognize where you are. The Battleground shuffle is dizzying. From the urban loop on the northern end to Cornwallis Drive, the Battleground construction boom is in full force. Frosty's hands are in the air as he contemplates the changes that will take place on this road between now and when he returns next winter.

As we say goodbye to February, we are confident that not many other than Frosty will be sorry to see the it end.

Snow Day at Fidelity Bank

Nothing says snow day fun like building a snowman. Yesterday's snow in Greensboro was the perfect texture for building snowmen. The temperature hovered around 30 degrees, so it wasn't unreasonably cold, yet cold enough for the snow not to melt. The above snowman on Battleground Avenue was built in front of Fidelity Bank. We're guessing employees at the bank constructed Mr. Frosty. He was friendly, yet imposing; over five feet tall and wearing an adult's cardigan. He was smiling, yet had switches for hands. His necktie was a garbage bag. Indeed, dressing snow people brings out great creativity.

Roads were actually navigable yesterday; however, not many people ventured out. Five inches of snow is a lot for Greensboro. According to historical weather data (here), in 1965, eight inches fell in a 24-hour period. While we didn't break that record, the snowfall was enough to keep people home and many businesses closed. We visited a Greensboro store at 6pm  yesterday and, as it turns out, we were their very first customer of the day. Thank you Fidelity Bank, for providing this little bit of winter joy to all of us driving along Battleground.

Lady Liberty

Lady Liberty was spotted on Battleground Avenue on Tuesday morning, sporting a Statue-of-Liberty costume and holding a rainbow umbrella with her bright red gloves. Standing in front of a Jimmy John's and near an American flag,Lady Liberty created a scene is brimming with Americana. She was there on behalf of Liberty Tax Service to promote their income tax preparation services. After all, in a month and a half, it will be time to file.

It takes a special personality to work in this type of advertising, standing on the side of the road calling attention to oneself. Lady Liberty seemed to have a happy, upbeat personality, perhaps actually enjoying sending out smiles to morning commuters. And, the weather was not the greatest that day. Wonder if she will be there if the predicted snowstorm arrives in Greensboro. All we can think about is more photo opportunities. However, we'd better be thinking about preparing our taxes...and dealing with the inclement weather!

G is for Gate City Transportation

Gate City Transportation provides non-emergency transportation in the Greensboro area: wheel chair, ambulatory, and respite transportation services. They have been in business for sixteen years and are staffed with EMT certified drivers. The service is perfect for people who need to get to doctors' appointments who are not in the position to drive themselves. Each passenger is allowed one person to ride with them as an escort. Having access to a door-to-door transportation makes living independently possible for people who would otherwise have to make other arrangements. Roderick Jessup started the business after transporting his grandmother and aunts and seeing a need for this service in Greensboro. The day we were walking from South Elm Street to Southside, we saw this bus parked in the westernmost lot on MLK Drive. They may have other stations.

For this round of ABC Wednesday, we're saluting local businesses and entrepreneurs of Greensboro and Gate City Transportation is one such example. G is for Gate City Transportation. Greensboro was once known as the Gate City because we were the hub of so many railroad cars. While the mode of transportation is different, the GCT fleet represents the spirit of getting from Point A to Point B, the hometown way. If the predicted snow comes, even Gate City Transportation may be parked as our city will be at a standstill. 

Girl Scout Cookie Time

The 2015 Girl Scout Cookie Event is winding down this week. It is your last call to purchase those seasonal delights. This past weekend, pop-up stands were in several locations around Greensboro. The above photo features what appeared to be a family working together to get those last boxes of cookies sold. The young man holding the sign was as nice as he could be, working diligently to help his sister's troop. They were set up at Jefferson Village between Splurges and Panera and there were plenty of shoppers out taking advantage of the nice weather. If you want to make that last minute cookie order, you can do so online (here). This is the single largest fundraiser for Girl Scouts.

Before you know it, it will be time to purchase popcorn from the Boy Scouts-- another great national fundraiser that helps children locally. It is fun to purchase cookies and popcorn from these groups,  to talk to the scouts and to get them to tell you about the projects of their respective troops. We're betting the top sellers in Greensboro were Thin Mints and Caramel deLites (known as Samoas in some markets). What is your favorite flavor?

Checker Cab at the O. Henry Hotel

This 1975 checker cab sits in front of the O. Henry Hotel waiting to be dispatched to retrieve hotel guests from the airport. This meticulously restored vehicle is also available to take guests to dinner at the hotel's sister restaurants. It has also been known to take guests to the theatre. When the checker cab is not available, their fleet of London taxis are used (see our photo, here). For locals, it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily living and even easier to forget that such elegant touches of fine living are available right here in Greensboro. Maybe it is time to plan a vacation without leaving town!

As it turns out, the above cab has quite a pedigree. It hails from Kalamazoo, Michigan and was once owned by Edward Benjamin, founder of the Starmount Co. and the person for whom Benjamin Boulevard was named.  Jim Schlosser wrote about this cab in the News & Record. The article is well worth reading. See, here. Happy Monday, dear readers!

Charles D. Rodenbough

Charles Rodenbough was one of the featured authors at yesterday's 2nd annual event for authors at the O. Henry Hotel. In the above photo, Mr. Rodenbough is holding one of his books, entitled, "Separated at Birth How I Found my Orthodox Twin... A Protestant's Journey in the World of Orthodoxy." After the fall of communism in Russia, Mr. Rodenbough made several trips from his home in Madison, NC to Russia, often visiting remote villages with orthodox monasteries and churches.  This devout Presbyterian from North Carolina helped the Russian Orthodox Church redefine itself in post-Communist Russia, once religion was again tolerated.

As one example, Mr. Rodenbough worked with the artists of Palekh, who had to cease making religious paintings during Communism. Since they could again paint religious-themed works of art, Mr. Rodenbough helped them navigate the complexities of a free-market economy. He found himself being received by not only religious figures but also mayors of towns and managed to thrive in these situations in spite of the fact that he does not speak Russian. These ventures and adventures are outlined in his book, featured above. Of local interest, Mr. Rodenbough was instrumental in bringing a Russian Orthodox Church to the Triad in 2005,  Holy Cross Orthodox Churc, located on Greensboro Road in High Point.

It was a pleasure getting the chance to talk to Mr. Rodenbough; he was one of twenty local writers at yesterday's "Writers Meet Readers"  event. Hats off to the O. Henry Magazine and O. Henry Hotel for providing this great event, which was free and open to the public. And thank you, Mr. Rodenbough,  for sharing part of your spiritual journey with us. We look forward to reading the book!

*Read a brief biography of Mr. Rodenbough, here.

 

Ken Collins and One of His Lamps

Last weekend, we ran into Ken Collins who specializes in creating and painting unique furniture and accessories. Above, Ken is featured with one of the great lamps he made out of old parts from the now defunct Newman Machine. Ken is so creative and loves to combine little bits of Greensboro's history with his design elements. We first became aware of his artistry at Adelaide's on Spring Garden. The above photo was taken at Lewis Street's newest business, ReAligned, a store of vintage items and repurposed treasures in Downtown Greensboro. Shopkeeper Melanie Knier has taken the little building just off South Elm Street, at Southside, and turned it into something that has tremendous potential. Personally, we'd love to see a little café in her outside space.

If you haven't been downtown in a while, you definitely need to visit the loop that starts at the railroad tracks on Barnhardt Street, back through the parking lot and around to Lewis Street, across Elm Street to East Lewis and then over to MLK Drive ending up at Dame's Chicken and Waffles. Downtown is changing before our eyes and people like Melanie and Ken are part of this new wave of businesses around the 500 block of South Elm Street.

Car Wash in February

Nothing looks lonelier than a car wash on an icy, snowy, winter day. The above photo was taken at the corner of West Market and Longale Streets. We couldn't find a name for this car wash which is located behind a used car lot, not too far from the DMV office. With temperatures down in the single digits last night, people probably aren't quite ready to head to the car wash; however, as soon as it warms up a little bit, they will be packed! We hope you have a great weekend and, for those families whose children have been out of school all week, consider going somewhere like the Greensboro Science Center, Children's Museum, or one of the public libraries to get everyone out of the house for a little while. Remember, spring is less than a month away!

Some of our readers actually look forward to our car wash photos, so we'll provide links to a few of the older ones. See here, here,  and our all time favorite, here.