Greensboro Daily Photo

Ozone Contact Room

Today's feature on GDP is the ozone contact room at the Greensboro Science Center in the newly constructed Sciquarium wing. The science center, located on Lawndale Avenue, has become quite an interactive and educational science resource for the community. Gone are the days when all of the equipment is hidden away as the pipes, tanks, and equipment are part of the science and a great opportunity for teaching and learning.

Since ozone is a trioxygen molecule that is soluble in water, likely, the ozone equipment is related to aeration and water quality of the 23,000 square foot LEED designed aquarium.*  The man (featured above) was working diligently, filling out a log book; and children were looking through the window, speculating on what he might have been doing. We're sure had someone asked, he would have explained. The Sciquarium offers so many special events throughout the day, such as shark feedings, otter enrichment, and a stingray talk. There is plenty of time to ask questions. See the activity schedule, here.  Visiting the science center is a great thing to do on a cold day like today!

*Here is a photo of the aquarium.

Winter View of Lake Brandt

Today's view is of the westernmost part of Lake Brandt where it meets up with Lake Higgins on Highway 220 at Hamburg Mill Road and very near Bur-Mil Park. Ever in search for an Andreas Gursky* scene, we took this photograph emphasizing bands of color and water. Greensboro's four lakes- from west to east, Lake Higgins, Brandt, Jeanette, and Townsend-  are all located at about the same parallel, just north of the city. We're sure Gursky could find some really interesting way to capture the four bodies of water in some amazing photographs.

While this photo was taken in January, the sunny sky gives the illusion of a warmer time of year. Greensboro's winter weather can fluctuate through about three seasons in the same week. It looks like the temperature will remain mostly under 50 degrees in Greensboro this weekend. Let's all hope for a little sunshine on these last two days of January.

 

GSO

GSO is the three-letter code for the Piedmont Triad International Airport. This is the ticketing area of the terminal. As seen above, GSO is under renovation. The multi-million dollar renovation will improve the ceiling and office space. Additionally, the airport plans to enhance the travel experience for passengers. Wireless internet, charging stations for devices, and interactive kiosks are also in the plans.

The airport, located eight miles west of Greensboro, has been serving our community since 1927. Here is a great timeline for the history of events, significant to the airport. This is not your grandpa's airport! If you get a chance, stop out for a visit. They have great artwork displayed downstairs. As for the orange, plastic construction fence, it is kind of fun to navigate. Welcome to GSO!

C is for Cake

Banana pudding cake or chocolate layer cake, which would you pick? The above photo was taken at Maxie B's cake shop on Battleground Avenue. Featured are a few of the over two dozen cake-by-the-slice offerings at the store. We cropped out the customers, thinking that at the end of a busy work day people might want a little anonymity in their celebratory cake purchasing. One man was going to surprise his wife with a slice of cake and we didn't want to spoil the surprise! Maxie B's is truly a Greensboro success story, which owner, Robin Davis outlines nicely on the company website.

Maxie B's dates back to 1985 when, in the first iteration, it was a frozen yogurt shop. Robin tells of the serendipitous nature of her shop's transformation to focusing on cakes. She was in search of the perfect chocolate cake. Combing through old recipes, she found one that hit the spot. Fast forward, nearly 30 years, and she has built an award winning business by baking old-timey cakes that please the 21st-century palate- local farm eggs, pure vanilla, and fresh ingredients. From cupcakes to cake-by-the-slice to whole cakes to cakes for special occasions (especially weddings), Robin built a business that fits nicely with the current trend for owners to specialize and to provide services and products for their local community. For a future post, we'll try to interview Robin. We want to know if she has a 30-year anniversary planned and what cake she will select for the occasion! For now, today is ABC Wednesday. For our A-Z Local series, C is for Cake! 

US Figure Skating Championships 2015

The 2015 Prudential US Figure Skating Championships have come and gone from Greensboro. Greensboro was lucky to have this event in 2011 and 2015. We think that Greensboro was a very good host and we hope to have the opportunity to host the event again. In the above photo, you see the champtionship pairs warming up. Guests had the opportunity to watch skaters warming up (for free) on one rink while others were at an earlier session performing. 

In the special exhibit area, there was a rink where young skaters had the opportunity to practice. How nice to have a chance to nurture the dreams and aspirations of the children in our community. The US Figure Skating Champtionships 2015 were held January 17-25. Greensboro had nine days of amazing skating. Our only regret was we didn't attend earlier so that we could have featured the event in time for you to attend.... Happy Tuesday, dear readers!

Coliseum Was a Busy Place this Past Weekend

This past weekend, the Coliseum was a vibrant, lively place. The Guilford County Schools held their magnet fair where parents could learn more about the district's many schools of choice. The National Figure Skating Finals were there  and, related to the figure skating , an exhibit with history, costumes and interactive stations, related to the sport, were set up. Finally, there was an exhibit of skating artwork from the community. All four events were well worth attending.

In the above photo, you can see one of the entrance hallways. The blue bags were give-aways from the magnet fair. The child on the stairwell had balloon art from the ice skating exhibit halls. We will post more about these events throughout the week. We'll have more photos from Saturday, stop back often. It is such a point of pride to see how smoothly everything ran.

The Word of Hope Fellowship

The Word of Hope Fellowship is located at 3512 East Wendover Avenue, Suite G. This address is a relatively new mini-strip mall located across from GTCC's East Wendover campus. The beliefs of Word of Hope are Bible-based and Christian; however, form their website, they do not appear to affiliate with any specific denomination. Pastor Dallas Scales and Lady Angela, his wife ("for life" as he says), provide the spiritual leadership for this religious community. 

This photo was taken on Saturday night, when all was quiet and locked up and the whole parking lot was vacant. However, today at 10:00 am, the lot will fill, Pastor Scales will preach and his congretation will come, to hear him deliver a sermon meant to bring his church community closer to their mission, which is "to develop, train and equip individuals toward a whole-hearted commitment to Christ, community and family."*  Pastor Scales has been a spiritual catalyst since 1988. We're pretty sure his current congregation will outgrow this facility and have a giant stand-alone church!

Regardless of your religious beliefs, whether you observe a Saturday Sabbath, a Sunday Sabbath, or no Sabbath, we hope you have a pleasant, peaceful, and meaningful Sunday!

*reference.

Brightwood Inn

Those of you who follow Greensboro Daily Photo know that we like night photography, because it is so challenging. Last night, when returning from dinner in Burlington, we drove past the Brightwood Inn. With so much construction on Burlington Road, it is hard to remember how a trip to Brightwood must have been several decades ago, when it was seemingly the only thing to appear on the horizon for several miles during this east/west trek- a giant oasis on the deserted country highway. The inn's fifteen minutes of fame came when Elvis was once there. The booth he occupied is still there.

On another note, every year or so, we find what call a "Guy Noir" moment. Guy Noir is a fictional private detective who parodies pulp fiction novels and the film noir genre. Garrison Keilor voiced the character whose segments first aired in 1995.* When the camera serendipitously captured a guy walking in to the Brightwood, we realized we had another Guy Noir moment. Wonder what Garrison would have to say about the scene. At any rate, it was something to think about on a dark and rainy ride back to the Gate City.

See a picture of the inn, by day, here.

* Guy Noir reference and information, here.

 

Inside the Old Mill of Guilford

The Old Mill of Guilford, located on Highway 68 near Oak Ridge, has been a Greensboro institution since 1764. The mill is often photographed from the outside, but not so often on the inside. Above, we see current owner Alice Klug who has owned the mill since 2008.* The photo was taken on the last day they were open before Christmas. Alice was working tirelessly to take phone orders and help people shopping in the store. Additionally, the Old Mill has a web presence where orders can be placed online. From buckwheat flour to grits to sweet potato muffin mix, the store has many delicious options.

When the previous owners, the Parnells, died in 2007, the community was concerned that the mill might not continue to operate. However, Annie Laura Perdue became the miller and the Klugs stepped forward to purchase the mill. Additionally, community members volunteer there. Characteristic of the south's great love of tradition and history, Greensboro is happy to see this 240-year-old mill still going strong. As for The Klugs and Ms. Perdue, likely they realize they are just keepers of this great place. It is obvious they pour their time, effort and hearts into seeing that this great place is around for the next generation... and the next. It is worth visiting, if you haven't yet made the trip.

* history, here.

Wendover at Dusk

We never dreamed that Wendover at dusk could be so intriguing. Wendover is a heavily traveled road flanked by retail establishment after retail extablishment and busy intersections. Dating back to the 1960's, Wendover today is one of the busiest intersections of I-40 and, at its widest, is 6-8 lanes.*

As we were waiting at the intersection near Costco earlier this week, we looked up and noticed the vastness overhead. If you look closely at the upper 1/3 of the photo, you start to see a few stars. Maybe because of all the NASA photos from space, that are circulating on social media, we find ourselves looking at the night sky more and more. Last night was a waxing crescent moon, so perhaps the sky seemed darker and the stars brighter. If you love the night sky, be sure to attend the current exhibit at the Weatherspoon Art Museum on UNCG's campus, entitled, "Skyward,"  in which four artists "search and observe the skies for the subjects of their work."**  The Skyward exhibit is being held in conjunction with a university-wide celebration of the 450th anniversary of the births of William Shakespeare and Gallileo.

Do we dare call the above photo Skyward, Too?

* reference.

** more about the Skyward exhibit and reference, here.

B is for Bridal

The season of the brides, grooms, and weddings is upon us. Brides especially are gearing up for spring and summer weddings. David's Bridal is a company that started as a boutique in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 1950. It is now based out of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. They have one store in Greensboro (photographed above) on West Wendover Avenue. However, today's "bridal" post celebrates all the start-up businesses and events in Greensboro.

One example is a magazine, available for free in stores around the Triad, called "Triad Weddings," based locally in Jamestown. The spring/summer 2015 issue (featured to the left) contains 170 pages of information about local services, venues, and places to purchase items for weddings. Tonight, from 5:30- 9:00 pm, the Elm Street Center, located at 203 South Elm Street, will host the"Marry Me Wedding Event."  The area's top wedding professionals will be there. Brides who make an effort to "keep it local" now have more choices than ever. From dresses to cakes to venues to photographers to wedding planners, and so much more, Greensboro has everything from A-Z for making a wedding special... and local.

Today is ABC Wednesday and "B" is for bridal in our ABC Greensboro Local round! 

Air Harbor Airport ~W88~

 Air Harbor Airport, FAA identifier W88, is an asphalt-strip runway located six miles north of Greensboro. This privately owned airfield has a runway that is 2460 feet long and 65 feet wide with an elevation of 822 feet. While the runway is too short for commercial airlines, it does accommodate twin engine planes; perfect for general aviation pilots. Flying lessons are also given there.

Open since the 1940's, Air Harbor represents a slice of Americana that is quickly disappearing due to urban sprawl. Many of these rural landing strips are being sold for housing developments, strip malls, and other commercial ventures. As for now, Air Harbor appears to be safe from development. As a matter of fact, land is being cleared for upgrading hangars. In the above photo, a Piper Cherokee has just landed and the pilot is getting ready to park it on the turf.

Just to the left and beyond the photo, is the airport's FBO (fixed based office) where you can pay for gas or just sit around and make hangar talk. Telling hangar tales comes with the territory and, in Greensboro as well as the south in general, we love to sit around talking to people with common interests. At the FBO, time stands still, as pilots spend the afternoon talking about life in the friendly skies.

Big Sky Country

Montana is known as the Big Sky County; however, when we have days like the one photographed above, it makes wonder why North Carolina isn't known as Big Sky Country. The above photo was taken yesterday at the perimeter of Greensboro Country Club's Farm Course, off Carlson Dairy Road. Greensboro has several golf courses and they are a fabulous place to visit, even if you don't golf. Just being on the streets, surrounding the courses, brings a great sense of inner peace and appreciation of the infinite beauty of nature.

If you are lucky enough to have today off of work, to celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, please take time to look at the beauty of Greensboro and reflect on what we can do to ensure that all of our citizens are treated equally, feel safe and protected. Today is a great day for community service. Let us know if you have been able to do something for the community today, regardless of where you live.

(Sorry for the delay in publication over the last two days. Hopefully, we've got the glitch worked out).

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

The above Seventh-day Adventist Church is located at 1320 Fleming Road, between Price Park and the Piedmont Triad International Airport. Seventh-day Adventists are Protestant Christians who worship on Saturday, the original seventh day, also celebrated as the Sabbath in the Jewish faith. Many of the practices of the Seventh-day Adventists are like those in the Jewish tradition, especially relevant to kosher food practices. Adventists believe in keeping the body healthy by eating healthy. 

The name of the religion is derived from the belief that Christ's second coming is imminent- the advent.  Founded in the United States in 1863, the religion currently has over 18 million members worldwide. (Read more about the doctrine, here). There even appears to be a Greensboro Montagnard Seventh-Day Adventist Group affiliated with the above congregation. We hope to learn more about this group.

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Greensboro. When we arrived to the above property, late in the afternoon, there were still people at church. 

 

Wrangler

American rodeo champion Trevor Brazile is sponsored by Wrangler, which explains the sign hanging at Wrangler's headquarters in Downtown Greensboro. Born in Amarillo, Texas, Brazile loves being a cowboy and is known as rodeo's most decorated professional. Wrangler loves outfitting cowboys and Brazile's long sleeve plaid shirts are particularly popular with the rodeo-loving crowd. Bazile also appears in the company's ads for jeans. His wife Shada designs baby clothes for Wrangler; she rides horses and barrel races, too. The only thing that would make this story sweeter would be if Trevor and Shada were from Greensboro.

Wrangler's connection to Greensboro dates back to the late 1800's (read history, here). The name Wrangler came about, back in the 1940's, when the Blue Bell Overall Company named a line of jeans- intended for cowboys, "Wrangler." Their early cowboy jeans are still in production today.  However, Wrangler doesn't just rely on past success.  They bank on keeping their look fresh and contemporary. In 2011, Wrangler started a design contest for someone to design the next best thing in jeans. North Carolina's own Song Anh Nguyen was the first winner.* While we may not have the Braziles in Greensboro, we have talented designers, some of whom are creating great product lines for our hometown company. 

*see her winning product and a photo of her, here.

War Memorial Monument Relocation

Above is the War Memorial Monument that was moved from War Memorial Auditorium to Downtown Greensboro last fall. As the auditorium is slated to be torn down soon, Greensboro needed to relocate the monument. Plaques name people from Greensboro who died in wars during the last century and through Operation Iraqi Freedom. Benches for sitting, reflecting and paying respect to loved ones are seen above. Also, the monument faces the Metaphor sculpture by Ogden Deal. It is a nice space.

The plaque in the middle reads, "Dedicated 1959 to the memory of the men and women of Greensboro who gave their lives in the wars of our country." Sorry for the delay in sharing this photo, way back when leaves were still on the trees; it is important to share the new location of the monument. If you get out this weekend, stop by to see it. It is overwhelming the number of men from Greensboro who died in World War II. If we counted right, there were 456 names listed under WWII. Please go count and let us know if we got it right! 

If you are on Twitter, our Twitter name is @GDPhoto. It would be nice to add another 1,000 subscribers this year! Happy weekend, dear readers! 

View of Downtown

 Every month or so, we like to publish a photo of Downtown Greensboro. This was taken from the front lawn of Greensboro College, looking east on West Market Street at the 20-story addition to the Jefferson Standard Building. In the photo, it towers above all but the evergreen in the foreground. This addition was known as the Jefferson-Pilot Building when it was finished in 1990. Now, the complex belongs to the Lincoln Financial Group.*

Longtime readers of Greensboro Daily Photo know that we like to photograph this building and catch the "JP Building" from as many angles in the city as possible. We even have a tag for the building so we can track our digital captures. Just since we've started tagging, we have 28 photos, some with the building more obvious than others. (See them all, here). In the 6 years we have been trekking through Greensboro, taking photos of the city, we have yet to go to the top of this building. Does anyone know if it is open to the public? If not, does anyone know anyone who can take us as their guest? If we take as many photos this year as we did last- 13,000 to be exact-- we'd like at least one of them to be from the top of Greensboro's iconic skyscraper! Help us realize this dream, dear readers!

*history of the building, here.

A is for AZ Development

The above photo shows an exciting new venture in Downtown Greensboro on Lewis Street, an area of Greensboro dubbed, "The Railyard." While it might not look like much now, this 10,000 square ft. space, formerly a stable from 1898, will be transformed into a shared workspace for entrepreneurs. It will include offices, meeting and conference spaces, outdoor patios, cafe space, co-working space, and soft space.

HQ Greensboro's "sibling", HQ Raleigh, is collaborating on the project with Andy Zimmerman, the AZ of AZ Development.* The goal for this project is to create cross-state opportunities for economic growth. Andy Zimmerman, himself an entrepreneur, started one of the world's largest kayak and canoe companies and is owner of Greensboro's "Get Outdoors." Andy is approaching this project with a great sense of adventure and is by no mean relying on past success. He plans to remain true to his dad's advice, if  "you want something, you earn it."**

Today is ABC Wednesday and it is time for a new round. We're calling this series A-Z Local and will feature local businesses, entrepreneurs and innovative development in Greensboro. We hope we can live up to that goal! Good things are happing in Greensboro and the time has never been better for turning a dream into reality!

* informative article, here.

** informative article and reference, here.

Dame's Chicken and Waffles

Dame's Chicken and Waffles opened in Southside, August 2012, a couple of years after the original location opened in Durham. In the two and a half years that the Greensboro location has been open, Damion (Dame) Moore has amassed quite a following. According to Dame, the restaurant is where "crispy, Southern fried perfection meets deliciously sweet European decadence."  Perhaps their greatest recognition came by having been mentioned in the latest edition of The New York Times book, "36 Hours USA & Canada." The book explores and touts places to go and things to do in a weekend. 

Dame's is a family-friendly place to go to sit and soak up the jazz-filled atmosphere, talk to friends, and eat good breakfast food all day long. The above photo features the front side of the restaurant and the bar. There is another room around the side. On Saturday it was a full house and Southside was hopping!

Corner of St. Andrews Road and Country Club Drive

Greensboro has some lovely homes and the one featured today is located at the corner of Country Club Drive and St. Andrews Road in Irving Park. Even in the dead of winter, the area looks inviting. Irving Park, developed between 1910 and 1940, has always been known as a scenic part of Greensboro. The neighborhood is anchored by a beautiful golf course which provides great open space and the feel of a rambling European estate. Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival are common architectural styles in the neighborhood. The above home is an example of the ample lots and neighborhood charm. While you can't tell from the photo, the hilly Irving Park roads curve through the neighborhood, deterring cut-through traffic and speeding. If you are looking for a little stress relief, a drive through a beautiful neighborhood can do the trick!

We hope you have a great week, and, with the days gaining a few minutes more light each day, perhaps you can get out and explore neighborhoods, regardless of where you live. Happy Monday!

Church Street Baptist on Church Street

Church Street Baptist Church bills itself as a "Haven for Hurting Hearts." According to their website, this independent Baptist church was organized in 1967 by Rev. J. William Kanoy. The congregation moved into the above church building, when it was newly constructed,  in 1970. Rev. Kanoy lead the congregation for 46 years, until his death in 1995.

Did you know Greensboro has a Bible institute? Well, we do! Located on site, off to the right of the main sanctuary in the above photo, is the Greensboro Bible Institute. The institute was started in 1967 so that people can attend a Bible college locally, when they can't affort to leave their jobs and families to become a minister. They offer areas of study ranging from a 4-hour Foundational Church Ministries Certificate to a 5-year, 70 hour Diploma in Theology. Their first graduating class was 1972, over 40 years ago!

In an era when so much comes and goes, Church Street Baptist and the Bible Institute seem to have great stability; something appealing when one is looking for a spiritual home or a place to learn to preach.

 

Across the Blue Ridge

Last night in the recital hall of the School of Music Building at UNCG, Greensboro was treated to a concert of acoustic music "Across the Blue Ridge" and across the decades. The concert tour, dubbed "Old Sounds, New Trails," was presented by the Blue Ridge Music Center and 88.5WFDD. Paul Brown, longtime voice of NPR's Morning Edition and Talk of the Nation, not only played music, but also kept the audience engaged as master of cermonies. The concert was a survey of music from acapella gospel to old-time, bluegrass, and blues.

On stage, above from left to right, are Paul Brown, Terri McMurray, Laurelyn Dossett, Tolly Tollefson, Alice Gerrard, and Scott Manring. Also performing were Craig Smith, Rich Hartness, and JM Hartness.  While the age range of the musicians spanned nearly six decades, they all played with passionate commitment to musical styles that are such a part of North Carolina's history. Alice Gerrard, playing guitar above, has been nominated for a grammy for her album, Follow the Music. We wish her luck and give a big, virtual applause to everyone involved in bringing this special concert to Greensboro.

Baby It's Cold

Greensboro has experienced single digit temperatures this week. According to the national weather service, yesterday, it was 6 degrees, tying the record low from 1970.* To the surprise of many, the local public schools started at their regularly scheduled time.  Hopefully, everyone was OK; of course, the well-being of the children is the top priority. Deciding whether or not to delay or call off school is no easy task!

How do you photograph coldness when there is no snow on the ground and no icicles in sight? We decided to show this old house in rural, northwest Guilford County. It looks like it is a drafty, uninsulated, no-frills homestead. However, these old homes can be extremely cozy, filled with people sitting around the wood-burning stove, telling tales of extreme weather. What will you be doing to stay warm this weekend?

*reference.

 

First Full Moon of 2015

The first full moon of 2015 was bright and beautiful. In Greensboro,  the above Full Wolf Moon (also known as the Old Moon) lit up the earth on January 5th. It was so bright that you didn't need a flashlight to walk out to get the morning newspaper.

Since yesterday's craft brew post was so popular with readers, we'll add that Natty Greene's Pub & Brewing company has a brew called Full Moon IPA.

There is a bit of a dilemma in the craft brew world. With so many new brews, it can be very difficult to find names that haven't already been taken. Natty's tries to find names with a local connection: Guilford Golden Ale, Elm Street English IPA. Maybe they can hold a contest to solicit names with a local connection: State Street Stout, Wendover Winter Ale, Brown Town Brown Ale, The I-40 Imperial Pilsner. Something for the over 21 to ponder by the light of the moon.... the next full one is February 3rd.

 

Z is for Zymolysis

Zymolysis is the process of fermentation* and craft beer-making has taken North Carolina by storm. The above photo is of the fermentation vats at Gibb's Hundred on Lewis Street, a new brewery in Greensboro. The person to the right is Erin Will who has been working there since Gibb's opened about three months ago. At the moment, Gibb's has three brews on tap. If you are over 21, stop in and Erin will let you sample something. Erin is passionate about her job, so much so that she is a student at Rockingham Community College in Eden, working towards an associate's degree in brewing, distillation, and fermentation.

Not only are North Carolina's community colleges offering frementation studies, Appalachian State University offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Fermentation Science. The programs are about more than the science of brewing and fermenting. They also address marketing, business development, and entrepreneurship. Locally, Gibb's Hundred, Natty Greene's, Pig Pounder Brewery, and Red Oak Brewery will be seeking people like Erin who are not only passionate about their jobs but also experts in fermentation! Today is ABC Wednesday and Z is for zymolysis.

This concludes our ABC  S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Series. Stop back and learn about our our new ABC Wednesday theme next week!

*zymolysis, definition, here.

Twelfth Day of Christmas

The above nativity scene features the arrival of the three Magi on the lawn of Greensboro College on West Market Street. As Dina of Jerusalem Hills Daily Photo reminds us, tis the conclusion of the season Christmastide, the arrival of the Magi, Theophany, Epiphany, The Feast of Lights.* For some reason, the above display has been vandalized on multiple occasions. In 2007, someone destroyed every piece of the Nativity scene. Then in 2011, someone stole one of the new shepherds. Now, with increased security, the new display of this ancient scene still standing (reference, here). 

Greensboro College, founded in 1838, is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. So, it stands to reason that they will celebrate this holy scene. Let's hope that this new display will be around for a very long time. Let's hope that those who celebrate January 6th are able to be home with their families today......

". . . And there it was—the star they had seen in the east! It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was.  
¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure.  
¹¹ Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. 
Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh."       Matthew 2

  HAPPY EPIPHANY!

* Dina also shared a four minute video of Epiphany in Bethlehem, here. She provides really interesting Epiphany information here, including the note that a botanist is nurturing a fragile frankincense tree sapling in Israel after it has been absent from the country for 1,500 years (read, here). 

Dixie Lock & Key Service

Dixie Lock & Key Service is located on Lewis Street, right down the street from the pop-up, Winterfest skating rink. It is a Lewis Street institution. Many of the other old-timey businesses have come and gone from this area of downtown Greensboro, known as South End; however, this Monday-Friday business is full of inventory. It looks like one of those places where you could get a key made for door from previous centuries.

In a News & Record article, Jonelle Davis describes the ambience as follows, "you can sit and wait for your keys to be made in a cloth van seat- complete with ashtrays and armrests."* Dixie Lock & Key even appears in National Lampoon's movie "Pucked,"  filmed in the Triad area in 2005** Hopefully, it will be around for years to come. There is an art to cutting a key and it is always nice having a specialty store around.

*reference, here.

** Yes! Weekly article on the movie, here.

 

This Is the Steeple

The steeple of West Market Street United Methodist (WMUMC) is easy to overlook as the church itself is so beautiful. The above photo was taken a few summers ago from the top floor of the parking deck at the corner of Washington and Greene Streets. It is winter and the landscape looks so bland; however, the foilage in the above photo reminds us that Greensboro is actually a pretty green city. And, in a little over two months, the leaves will be budding out again. Do you think we will be spared inclement weather events this year?

 The WMUMC building was constructed in 1893 and represents the Romanesque Revival style, which is modeled after medieval churches* While only a little bit of the building is peeking out above the parking deck, you can see the whole front of the building, here. If you are local, driving around downtown and looking at steeples would be a great Sunday afternoon activity. 

 * see "An Inventory of Historic Architecture Greensboro, N.C"  (1976) p. 12 for reference.

Burn Barrels and Winter Skating Fun

If you are from the rural south, you know about burning a barrel. Here we see the quintessential 55-gallon oil drum, often recycled for burning trash- once the contents are gone. In the above photo, the barrel was to be used like a backyard fire pit, to creat atmosphere and to keep people warm. The location is just off Barnhardt St., at the site of the downtown ice skating rink. This photo was taken several weeks ago during the opening night of the skating rink.

Even if the food trucks and burn barrel aren't there, you can still have fun at the ice rink. While Piedmont Winterfest will be open until January 31st, extended hours will end after Sunday. Dodge the raindrops and head to the rink. The US Figure Skating Championships will start at the Greensboro Coliseum on January 17th. A trip or two around the rink does wonders for sparking interest in skating. If the opening lines of this post sound familiar, you may be recalling our burn barrel post from 2009. Check back in another five and a half years and we'll see if we can find another barrel to feature.

 

Greensboro Daily Photo: Year 7

Today marks the end of the sixth year of Greensboro Daily Photo. We began this endeavor on January 2, 2009 and have published a photo and accompanying text, without missing a day. We have shared almost 2,200 photos as part of the global City Daily Photo community. In the true spirit of service to community, truly, we gain as much as we give. Through this community website, we have seen amazing sights, attended fabulous events, and met wonderful people; traveling the beaten as well as the unbeaten path. 

Some of the most noteworthy experiences of the last year include: meeting 92-year-old Major General Lloyd H. Wilkerson on Veterans Day at Friendly Center and listening to his poignant speech about the history of the holiday. Another wonderful moment was when David Arneke, Director of Media Relations at North Carolina A & T State University, arranged for us to photograph their state-of-the-art x-ray machine and interview research scientist Dr. Boyce Collins. We loved seeing that Ai Church is getting new life breathed into it. Local events are always special, from the Persimmon Festival in Colfax to the Running in the Balls in Sunset Hills. We have met so many lovely people, like Kyle from Beansboro Coffee, and Sarah from Vida pour Tea, We watched Kit expand Design Archives to Winston-Salem. We were impressed at the water conservation and sustainable development efforts at UNCG. Greensboro is a fabulous place, but it is the people who make a city a home. Thank you, dear readers, for your letters, comments, and for inspiring us to keep this project going. We will make a real effort to give you another year of perfect attendance. Here's to you and us- WE- and to Year 7 of Greensboro Daily Photo.

 

Happy New Year 2015

Each January 1st, The City Daily Photo community asks its members to post the best photo of 2014 for our respective cities. We selected the above photo (originally published last February), because it has a statue of our city's namesake, General Nathanael Greene, includes our iconic JP building, and shows a view of the historic Carolina Theatre. What a trifecta! Every time we stand on Greene Street at Holliday Circle, we are extremely proud to call Greensboro home. It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone.  We hope you are able to spend the day with family and friends. If you are working, thank you!

2015 holds so many opportunities for Greensboro. Only 17 more days until the U.S. Figure Skating Championships begin at the Greensboro Coliseum, featuring 252 skaters, many of whom you will know from other venues- including the Olympics. We'll have the ACC Basketball Tournament in March. Throughout the year, downtown will be undergoing changes to provide residents with more access to performances, cultural events, and public space. Thank you for keeping  the momentum going, Greensboro.

Happy 2015 and, as always, thank you for reading Greensboro Daily Photo. May the year hold wonderful things, not only for our city, but also for you- regardless of where you live.