Greensboro Daily Photo

Looking Up

A glorious autumn sky is enough to elevate anybody's mood. The above photo was taken along North Elm Street, in the natural area in front of Cone Hospital. Every year, autumn colors and dynamics are a little bit different. It seems like, in Greensboro, there was less red in the leaf palate this October. On the other hand, the intensity of the yellows seems brighter this year.

If you haven't had a chance for a nature walk lately, this is the weekend to do so. The colors color are still hanging on to welcome November and to heard in Standard Time. There will be no saving daylight as days get shorter and the Winter Solstice knocks at the door. For now, it is time to traipse about in one of Greensboro's many parks and greenways and soak in the beauty of our community. The spicy, earthy scents of leaves from hardwood trees are nice, too.

Happy Saturday. Happy Halloween.

Derrick Dickens

Derrick Dickens is a talented, enthusiastic, young artist who works in the shop of sculptor, Jim Gallucci. Derrick graduated from Greensboro College in studio art. He is involved in fabrication, arts restoration, and installation. He loves his job and talks with great enthusiasm about all the projects in process at Jim's studio. When we visited the Industrial Drive studio during Art Stock, Jim was on a job out of town and Derrick was at the helm. From the looks of the equipment in the building, it is hard to believe that the final products are beautiful gates, sculptures, and works of public and private.

If you ever have a chance to tour the studio, you will see the engineering design process at work. They take sheets, tubes, and chunks of metal and turn them into beautiful works of art. They take the idea from concept to completion.

We have always enjoyed talking to Jim; however, it was a pleasant surprise to have a little time getting to know Derrick, who is from Greensboro and loving working in his chosen field. Happy Friday, everyone!

Over the Rainbow

Yesterday afternoon, Greensboro got the gift of a double rainbow. Unfortunately, our camera didn't capture the intensity of the rainbow. From our vantage point, it was bright and arched over Holden Road. At least, however, we captured the spirit of the weather event. The rainbow delighted us to the east and the photo below shows the view to the west as we headed north on Battleground Avenue.

It is amazing how different the two views appear. We wonder what animals, like rabbits, with a nearly 360 degree range of vision must process on days like yesterday. It was in the 60's all yesterday and at least twice there were intense downpours in Greensboro. It is important for plants and trees to get big gulps of water in the fall, before the ground freezes, to prevent winter damage. At this rate, the trees will be well hydrated before winter arrives. Have a great Thursday.

P is for Pat

 

Pat Bailey is a playful, people person who perseveres at any task she undertakes.  As you can probably sense from the above photo (Pat is the person on the right), she has an effervescence that exudes a joy for life, and a smile that is contagious.  A helper by nature, Pat loves working with people and has done that throughout her life as a teacher, as Director of Disability Services at UNCG, and following her retirement as Co-Director of Healing Ground with Dee Irwin (see link to Healing Ground under D is for Delight).  Her sincerity, the depth of her convictions and her integrity make her a committed advocate for those who are marginalized, for peace and justice, and for environmental concerns.  While she volunteers her time through committees and hands on activities, she also loves raising money by biking and has raised funds for many organizations.  She is currently gathering information for biking the Underground Railroad, following the route slaves took from Guilford County north to New York and Canada.

The above photo was taken when Pat rode in a fundraiser with her sister (on the left) and a friend (in the middle). Pat has been in the Greensboro area for over 25 years and loves that she can be outdoors most of the year. She feels that the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department does a fabulous job of encouraging folks to get out and enjoy nature. She also loves the range of cultural activities that are available and is proud that Greensboro is hosting the International Folk Festival for three years.

Today is ABC Wednesday and "P" is for Pat. See our other featured A-Z women of Greensboro, here.

Evonik Industries

Evonik, a German company, has a factory located off of South Elm Eugene at 2401 Doyle Street. It is a specialty chemical company, specializing in coatings, bonding agents, acrylic sheets, and other chemical products. It isn't completely clear what is made in the Greensboro facility. However, from their website and Wikipedia entries, it appears that Evonik tries to be environmentally responsible and to have uniform policies dictating how they treat their employees. They have a worldwide Code of Conduct for all 33,000+ employees; they have a Global Social Policy; and they have an Environment, Safety, Healthy and Quality Policy. 

It is so interesting to be driving on South Elm-Eugene Street and happen upon this building. It really does look like a factory in Europe more than something one would find in Greensboro. The billowing WATER VAPOR*  blends with the sky on a cloudy, overcast day. The greenery around it sets it apart from the buildings around it. Have you seen this building before?

*If you read the comments, an employee corrected us. This is water vapor, not smoke. Also, the employees are letting us know what a great company this is to work for. Thank you, dear readers! 

House on Lawndale

As seen in the above photo, fall is fleeting in Greensboro. This tiny house on Lawndale Avenue is just north of the Greensboro Science Center. It represents the way houses used to look in Greensboro. In the working class neighborhoods, houses were tiny and lacked garages, but usually had large trees surrounding them. The giant oak to the left hovers over the home, providing shade in the summer, color in autumn, and menacing threats of branches falling during ice storms in winter. 

The irony is that after so many years of large homes being built in Greensboro, tiny houses are actually trending again. As our phones replace so many of our stacks of books and photos, and replace gadgets, like cd players, flashlights, alarm clocks, compasses, cameras, video cameras, calculators, and much more, we wonder what we will really need in houses. Likely, we will need beds, bathrooms, and kitchens- at least for those who still cook. The more we look at it, the more perfect the little house on Lawndale appears to be and, it is considerably larger than what, six years ago, we billed as the world's tiniest house (here). 

Guilford College United Methodist Church

Last night, families were still visiting the pumpkin patch at Guilford College United Methodist Church (GCUMC)  on Fleming Road after dark. It closes at 7:00 pm and final purchases were being made. Imagine the wonderful memories that are being made by that little child in the blue jacket. The pumpkin patch looks beautiful, by day, when the sun is shining down on it. However, the sapphire blue shades at dusk in autumn are quite charming. The A-line roof, the string of lights ,and the backlit cross are nice touches, too.

This Friday, from 5:30- 7:30, GCUMC will have Trunk or Treat. Church members will open the trunks of their cars and children will go from trunk to trunk, instead of wandering through neighborhoods trick or treating. This is a very active congregation. If you want to see more of what they are doing, see a recent newsletter, here.

 

 

712 Summit Avenue

Tucked behind the brick home with the green tile roof, at 712 Summit Avenue ( between Dewey and Yanceyville Streets), is this little building to the left of the garage. Likely, it was the kitchen to the stately mansion built in 1926 for the family of Sigmund Steinberger. In the pre-air conditioning days, having a separate kitchen kept the main house cooler and also decreased chances of a house fire. Additionally, it was not uncommon for Jewish families to maintain two kitchens to accommodate the requirements of a kosher kitchen. Sigmund Sternberg also built nearby Revolution Mill on Yanceyville Street,*  located not too far from the Summit Avenue property. Today, the Sternberger house is an arts center that includes studio and gallery space. The above outbuilding is not open to the public. It sure looks charming. We can't wait to return to see how it looks as the leaves change color.

You can see the main building and learn more about its current purpose, here. Read, here, to learn more about kosher kitchens, general rules, and misconceptions. Given that Saturdays are the Jewish Sabbath, it seems fitting to feature a building built by a Jewish Greensboro family. Shabbat Shalom!

*read article, here.

Take a Breath

Here we see young college students practicing yoga on the lawn in front of the student union building on the campus of UNCG. What a good way to cope with the stresses of a busy, collegiate schedule. Spending time with friends and working on your yoga postures can, indeed, be relaxing.

Many people we've been interviewing lately either teach or take yoga in Greensboro. From non-profits like the Y to private studios to individuals, there are yoga classes for people at all levels of flexibility and strength. Yoga helps us build not only strength, but also positive relationships. We hope your weekend is filled with opportunities to nurture your inner strength and to be renewed- even if it means grabbing a rubber mat and a friend and creating your own yoga session outside! Namaste!

Pumpkin Time in Guilford County

Indeed, it is pumpkin picking time in Guilford County. We have ten days until Halloween; so, if you are going to carve a pumpkin, it will be good to get it done before then. The above photo was taken at Bur-Mil Park a couple of weekends ago when little ones were picking out the first pumpkins they will, likely, ever remember. If you still don't have your pumpkin, most of the churches have an array spread out on their front lawn. The money is for a good cause. Most of the grocery stores sell them. Fresh Market prides themselves in having some of the trendier pumpkins, like the white ones. Regardless of what you decide to get, if you have little ones in your life, you are making memories. The carving activity, the smell of the pumpkin meat, the squishiness of the seeds, and the decision of what to carve, all go in to those memories that last a lifetime.

While pumpkins are not a major crop in North Carolina, it is estimated that 3,000 - 4,000 acres of pumpkins are planted in North Carolina each year. Did you know that a pumpkin is a fruit? That they range in size from less than a pound to over 1,100 pounds? They originated in America? They are 90% water?  Here are more fun facts, history, and trivia, shared with us by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. We love our Department of Agriculture! We love our pumpkins! 

Slice of Life at Latham Park

The above photo provides a "slice of life" shot of a Saturday morning at the Iron Hen on the edge of Latham Park. It isn't very often that we talk about the actual photography aspect of Greensboro Daily Photo; however, today's photo is a good example of our process. Some days we go to prearranged places to photograph events or make appointments to photograph people. However, many of our photos come via a great deal of serendipity. A couple of Saturdays ago, we were driving eastbound along Wendover Avenue en route to the Art Stock stop on Summit Avenue.

The look of breakfast at Iron Hen Restaurant was so visually appealing that we pulled off of Wendover Avenue to capture the scene. The minute we passed Hill Street, this view could be seen from afar and it stood out. Not wanting to draw too much attention, we took one photo and continued to our nearby destination. At home, we analyzed the photo and decided this is what we liked about the scene. Everyone is wearing a shirt and pants; all of the pieces of clothing are solids; blue, green, and red are featured prominently; the waiter's shirt echoes the saying on the side of the restaurant; the triangles of the black umbrellas punctuate the scene; no cars are parked in the spaces in front; the day is overcast and so there are no harsh shadows; all of the color is in the middle third of the photo; and the horizontal lines are carried through on many levels in the photo. The straight-out-of-the-camera photo is not perfect, but we like it for the above reasons.

Do you think a photographer's mind processes all of that information with one little look? As in, "a picture is worth a thousand words?" What comes to mind to make a photographer curious enough to pull off the road to take a picture? We like this photo of the Iron Hen, taken over five years ago; however, it has a completely different vibe. We think we'll head back to the Iron Hen and enjoy a fresh, local, good meal! And, just maybe, get another photo.

Persimmon Time in Guilford County

It is persimmon harvesting time in Guilford County. The above persimmons are Asian persimmons and are not indigenous to North America. They are called chocolate persimmons because the inside is dark when ripe. They aren't as dependent on a hard frost to ripen as are our local, smaller ones. While the local persimmon population decreases every year, they grow well here. The ornamental trees are prettier than the native persimmons. The native trees lose their leaves and are inclined to attract tent caterpillars. However, their fruit is delicious. This year, our chocolate persimmon tree has produced an abundance of fruit; so much that we had to remove over half, so that the branches won't break (see below).

The 8th annual Persimmon Festival will be held on Saturday, November 7th at the historic Stafford Farm in Colfax, from 10- 4pm.*  If you like persimmon pudding and pulp, you'd better arrive early as it sells out quickly. In the meantime, if you are looking for a tree to plant, we strongly suggest a persimmon tree. They make great baked goods. However, Seedless, they are not. Be prepared to deal with their pesky seeds.  Their spicy, amber, orange color announces fall, perhaps better than any other. If you've never tried persimmon pudding, put it on your bucket list!

*read more, here.

1963 Corvair on Joyner Street

Joyner Street is located on the edge of College Hill between UNCG, Greensboro College and downtown Greensboro. Many of the homes were built in the late 1800's-early 1900's to be occupied by professors and others affiliated with Greensboro College and UNCG ( the State Normal and Industrial College as it was called back then). The homes have been well cared for and have really been restored and modernized over the last two decades.

In the above photo a bright (we will not say lemon) yellow 1963 Chevrolet Corvair sits proudly on a lawn on Joyner Street. The name Corvair is a portmanteau, a combination of Corvette and Bel Air.* College Hill, formerly known as Piety Hill,  has done a good job of being a portmanteau of a community, combining the charm of a previous century and 21st century conveniences. And then there is the Corvair, beautiful in its own right, but stuck solidly between the century-plus-old  houses and the modernity of today. We would love to meet its owner!

* reference, here.

Rabbi Guttman and Temple Emanuel

In the above photo, you see Rabbi Fred Guttman, arms outstretched with exuberance,  explaining the symbolism found in the sanctuary, at the Jewish festival held at Temple Emanuel last Sunday. During his hour presentation, Rabbi Guttman provided an historical over of the Jewish religion. He has worked so much with interfaith councils that he knows how to make people of all religious backgrounds feel welcome. In less than an hour, attendees learned the historical significance of the numbers 1-18 and how they were incorporated into the construction of the sanctuary. For example, there are 18 square cutout windows in the upper circle, because the number 18 symbolizes "chai" or "life." The architect wanted to put 14 windows but ended up reworking his plans to include 18 windows, at the request of Rabbi Guttman. 

The City of Greensboro insisted that the temple be surrounded by trees, which are ever present through the windows to the left and ever a reminder of nature's beauty. If you are interested at all in learning about Judaism, an hour with Rabbi Guttman will be an hour well spent. Greensboro has a lot of religious diversity and it helps to appreciate this diversity. In this department, in his work with NCCJ and beyond, Rabbi Guttman sets a good example.

Wildlife at Bur-Mil Park

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission had a trailer at Bur-Mil Park at the Fall Festival last weekend. Children got to walk through and learn about wildlife in North Carolina. The exhibit was quite popular and the rangers did a good job of answering questions. Our wildlife commission came in to being in 1947, created by the general assembly for the purpose of conserving and sustaining North Carolina's fish and wildlife resources. While they are also a regulatory agency, the wildlife agency has an education component that operates three education centers, one in the mountains, one in the Piedmont, and one in the coastal plain.

Fall is a great time in North Carolina. There are festivals and special activities everywhere. This weekend will be a great one for getting out and seeing fall foliage and spending time outdoors in the autumn glory. Wildlife is a little harder to see- but not impossible. The albino deer, now that is another issue. Only one in 30,000 is albino. 

Revolution Mill

Revolution Mill on Yanceyville Street opened in 1898 as the first flannel mill in the south. The ownership was a partnership between the Cones and the Sternbergers. By 1930, it was the largest mill in the world to exclusively produce flannel. By 1982, the popularity of flannel had decreased to the extent that the mill closed. Today, the mill has been repurposed as space for apartments, businesses, gallery space, and offices. The above photo is an interior shot of a woman waling down one of the seemingly cavernous hallways. With all of those pine beams, it looks like someone walking off onto the horizon. The old timepiece on the wall, the simplicity of the woman's outfit, and the beams on the side remind us of the era when the mill was still making clothing. 

We hope you have a great weekend and you get a chance, at some point, to explore Revolution Mill. The mill history has been so important to the Greensboro community. 

Red Cars on Lawndale

The other day, four red vehicles were traveling on Lawndale; three sedans and a truck, all bright, fire-engine red. Seeing these vehicles parallel to the railroad track with the white building in the background, the shadow of a sedan in the foreground and the white clouds lingering in the sunny blue sky made for a happy, quirky, image.  At rush hour, this part of town can be quite congested and isn't normally considered one of the prettier areas of Greensboro. There aren't many vantage points.

On grey, overcast days, this scene is not exactly a stand out either. But on a bright sunny day, the western edge of Irving Park  takes on a charm all of its own. Sometimes photography is serendipity and the stars align. Since today is more of a photography day than one for commentary, it is interesting to note that the photo was taken on a cell phone.

Happy Thursday!

N is for Nikki

Nikki Dale-Oaster's smile is as genuine as they come. She is an energetic and positive person whose passions are exercise, being outdoors, healthful living and spending time with loved ones- including her beloved rescued dogs and cats. Born and raised in Guilford County, Nikki graduated from Andrews High School and earned a B.A. in Communications at UNCG. She worked several years in food services. You may recognize her from Hamm's Restaurant on Friendly Avenue, Bert's Seafood, Southern Lights, or her own catering service Hogan's Groovy Gourmet in Lindley Park. Nikki owned and operated the catering service for ten years before selling it and getting certified as a yoga instructor. Today, she works full-time teaching yoga and loves the fact that the age range of her clients is from 3 to almost 90 years young. She is very good at helping clients work at their level appropriate and has one patient who is off of 75% of his medicines through a personal exercise program which includes yoga. 

When Nikki isn't teaching yoga, you will likely find her out bicycling or snow skiing, depending on the weather. Nikki can count on one hand the number of weeks she has missed exercising in her life: Five. First, it is impressive that she exercises so regularly and diligently. Second, it is impressive that exercising matters so much to her that she keeps count if she misses a week. Nikki is also a part-time bookkeeper at Penland Frames on West Market Street and she volunteers every chance she gets for organizations like Urban Ministries when they serve holiday meals for Greensboro's homeless community.

While we didn't meet her husband, he sounds as nice as Nikki. They met when she was catering his brother's wedding at Blandwood Mansion. He was wearing a tux, yet helped Nikki carry out the trash in the pouring rain. Now that's a southern gentleman and such a super, sweet story. We hope to get over to his business (Southern Safes and Vaults) to meet him soon.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our ABC People Series, "N" is for Nikki. We couldn't resist asking her to show us a few yoga poses when we interviewed her on Sunday. Below, you see her kicking up against a tree into her favorite pose Adho Muhka Vrkasana, which means upside down tree in Sanskrit. Namaste Nikki! She even smiles when upside down!

Breast Cancer Awareness 2015

Both Second to Nature After Breast Surgery Fashions and A Special Place Wig Gallery remind us that breast cancer is with us 365 days a year. Located at 500 State Street, these businesses also remind us that many are able to beat cancer and continue to live healthy, productive lives. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we don't want to let it slip by without reminding our readers and their loved ones to get examinations regularly.

Should there be an issue, early detection makes a big difference. Should the disease touch you, a family member, or other loved one, know that there are places, like these two shops on State Street that will work hard to help you retain your dignity while navigating breast cancer.  Many of the events of the month as past us, but there are still some more-- see, here. Finally, for the newly diagnosed, Greensboro has a non-profit, Alight, that supports breast cancer patients and their families. Based on statistics from a few years ago (here), it appears that about 2,700 people a year die from cancer in Guilford County, and only about 7% had breast cancer. Let's work on making that number zero! Above is one of the wigs seen in the window recently at the shop located below. Please note, they also sell more subtle wigs.

Touch a Truck

The Junior League of Greensboro sponsored "Touch a Truck" in the Fresh Market side of the parking lot in Jefferson Village. Partly due to the nice weather and partly due to the nature of the event, it drew record crowds. People were lined up half way across the parking lot to get in to this interactive, hands-on event. The Junior League, an educational and charitable organization for women, organized and staffed this fine event, attending to all details. The five dollar admission fee will be used to as not only  a fundraiser for the organization, but also to be used to support their partnership with Cone Elementary School.

Nine local companies helped sponsor the event and the community service vehicles donated their time. Truly, the community came together for the good of children. The children not only had fun, they learned everything from how to work the bells and whistles to the purpose of each truck on the lot. A big thank you to the Junior League for a job well done. See more photos below. This was a big weekend for fall festivals, church homecomings, and other events in the Triad. Greensboro's residents area great about volunteering and the Touch a Truck event was no exception. Thank you to all who were involved. You help make Greensboro such a great place to live!

Jewish Festival Today

Temple Emanuel's Jewish Festival will be held today, rain or shine, at the temple on Jefferson Road near the American Hebrew Academy and Hobbs Road. The event is open to the public. Not only will you have a chance to eat good food and baked goods, you'll have a chance to meet a cast of Old Testament characters: Moses, Abraham, David, Miriam, Sara, Esther, Ruth and Batya.  Like WFMY said, "they will bring the Old Testament to life."*

Temple Emanuel, while in a different location in Greensboro, was founded in 1907. For over a century, they have played a leadership role in the lives of some of Greensboro's prominent Jewish families. Temple Emanuel is working hard to descries their carbon footprint. One step was to install solar panels in 2011.

In addition to good music, food, and fellowship, the 50/50 raffle is always a big hit. Stop by if you have a chance. Here is the festival's website . Here are two pictures of the façade (here, too), in case you haven't driven past it before. Rain or shine, a good time will be had by all. And Moses (aka Ivan Cutter) is an amazing photographer. He can probably give you a few pointers, if you need some advice.

*reference and more information, here.

Hirsch Wellness Event

The Hirsch Wellness Network is a cancer support community. It offers classes to help people who have been diagnosed with cancer develop their creative side and move beyond defining themselves by their disease. As stated in their literature, the Hirsch arts programs "build strength, foster hope, and renew spirit in a safe and supportive community."  The network was started to honor the mother of Greensboro local, Louise Grape. Not only did Louise's mother have cancer, Louise, herself is a cancer survivor and has seen cancer in her family for four generations.

Last night, numerous artists of Greensboro gathered at Revolution Mill Gallery on Yanceyville Street to donate their time and artwork to a silent auction event for the Hirsch Wellness Network. The above photo shows one small wall of work and a tiny portion of attendees at the ART LIVES HERE event. The event was well attended and, hopefully, it raised a large amount of money for this very worthy organization. Hirsch Wellness Network is based out of the Church of the Covenant on South Mendenhall Street. However, they have yoga classes, knitting classes, and other events related to creativity and healing arts.

People being treated for cancer, survivors and their family, friends, and other supporters in the community created an atmosphere of optimism and hope last night. If you were unable to attend and want to learn more about the organization (and even donate), visit their website, here. 

Chimney Swifts

Yesterday's hawk inspired us to show one more photo from our bird watching adventure. The above photo shows chimney swifts returning to a Greensboro chimney for the night. They will be migrating back to Peru soon and we wanted to catch them at the chimney before they departed.

These birds have short legs that make it hard for them to perch in trees. Instead, they are build to hang on to the side of chimneys. They leave their roost at dawn and fly all day and do not land until they head back in for the night. While people might complain about having the birds in their chimneys, what they need to remember is that a nesting pair will eat 5,000- 6,000 insects per day. That is a pretty good record. We are lucky to have them, right here in Greensboro. They are fun to watch as they start coming back to their sleeping place and within a few minutes, they are in bed until sunrise.

Don't forget about the Piedmont Bird Club and the nature event at Bur- Mil Park on Saturday.

Red-Shouldered Hawk

 

The red-shouldered hawk is very common in North Carolina and it stays here all year long. This forest raptor stopped by our garden to investigate the plastic owl we have there to discourage critters from eating our produce. Hawks are territorial, so, hopefully, he will be around for a while. Even the pesky groundhog might not be so quick to waddle on over with a hawk on watch. Hawks love small mammals, frogs, and snakes. If he sticks around, he will have plenty to choose from in our yard. We were surprised how close to our house he was perched. Fall is a wonderful time to observe animals as they scamper and increase their activity to get ready for winter.

If you love wild bird watching, you should consider joining the Piedmont Bird Club. This Saturday, they will be at the Fall Festival at Bur-Mill Park and on Sunday, they will sponsor a hike for bird watching along the Deep River. They have six events in October so this is the month to join! Find out more about the club and their events, here. You may even see a few hawks! 

M is for Mariela

When you are with Mariela Pérez-Simons, she exudes happiness, joy, and love- of nature, humanity, and life! Mariela will lead you to believe that life is total bliss and problem free. However, life has not always been easy for Mariela. She came to Greensboro in 1995 as a political refugee from Cuba. Her family was the first to be sponsored as political refugees by Lutheran Family Services from Cuba to Greensboro. The departure from Cuba was harrowing. Her family sold everything to have the cash to take the flight from Cuba to Miami. They sneaked through the streets of Havana to the airport in the night as many Cubans were being detained and their exits denied. Had this happened, Mariela's family would have been left with literally nothing. Fortunately, they arrived in Miami, incident free. The Miami portion of the journey was no problem as so many people in Florida speak Spanish. However, for the connecting flight to Greensboro, they were told nobody spoke Spanish and were given a New York City phone number to call if they arrived in Greensboro with nobody to translate. They were terrified that they would be alone and had they no idea how to make a phone call in the United States (especially in the pre-cell phone era). They were especially worried because they couldn't even find Greensboro on the map. They anticipated having to sleep in the streets and were a bundle of nerves. To their great joy, they were greeted at the Greensboro airport with a party of 50 people holding signs and welcoming them with open arms. That was their introduction to Greensboro. Because of the great people in our community, they have never left.

While many people tried to convince Mariela to relocate to Florida, she says that the palm trees don't speak to her the way Greensboro's trees do. She loves the nature here and stays outdoors as much as possible. She is constantly walking the nature trails and greenways and, 20 years later, continues to find new trails. Her business, "Live Your Bliss,", incorporate all of her talents, from photography to public speaking to freelance writing to bringing people together to connect in a deep way. The human connection  is so important to Mariela and she is introducing her 9-year-old daughter to this concept. She and her daughter have a project where they collect smiles from people. They try to get strangers to smile and when they to, they draw a small picture to add to their wall of smiles (see photo below). The happiness of others brings happiness to her. We are so lucky to have Mariela in our community. Today is ABC Wednesday and "M"  is for Mariela.

For the other people in this A-Z Local People series, see, here.

On Mendenhall Street

As summer wanes, we hope this house on North Mendenhall Street will bring a smile to your face. The combination of painted flowers and real ones is brilliant. Since the slope of the property required that a giant retaining wall be built, it was ingenious that the owners added a little creativity into the mix. Can't you imagine a family sitting on the wall and making a family holiday card? It will be fun to follow it through the seasons and see how it looks in winter. We're predicting an ornamental cabbage patch. With as many artists as there are living in Westerwood, we are not surprised to see this creative mural down near the Greenway.

Where is HGTV when you need them?

Acorns & Mature Trees

 The above acorns are the nut of a white oak tree. With much work, specifically boiling them to extract the bitter tannins, they are said to be edible to humans. Jay birds, squirrels and small ground mammals love them; they have a high ratio of nut meat to shell, from the animals' perspective. It is said that a deer's diet may consist of up to 25% acorns certain times of the year.

With the persistent rains and winds in Greensboro, acorns and leaves have been dropping everywhere. The sound is especially dramatic on the tin roof of an outbuilding. When you hear them dropping in rapid succession, you know that fall is on its way. Greensboro hasn't had too much damage from the recent rains in the southeast; however, we have so many mature trees and several have fallen and there have been some power outages. Other than that, our roads seem much safer than those in South Carolina. We have been fortunate. 

The above leaves don't look especially healthy, but the acorns do. Anybody local need some to feed deer?

Freewill Pentecostal Church

Freewill Pentecostal Church, Inc. is located at 1606 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. It has been established for about twenty years. Pentecostalism is a Bible-based, charismatic Baptist religion. They believe that Jesus can save and heal. They believe in water baptism. They also believe that the evidence of those who have clean hearts is the speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. As seen in the sign, the overseer and founder of the above church is Hubert Chapman, who continues with them today.

There are over 279 million Pentecostals throughout the world with the largest concentration in Sub-Saharan Africa. The second largest concentration is in the United States. A big Pentecostal church in Greensboro is located in Hunter Hills; however, this smaller congregation in Arlington Park is well established, too. The simplicity of the building is humbling and is an architectural style that has been around for a long time. Happy Sunday!

*reference and complete list of beliefs, here.

Elm and McGee

Just a week or two ago, Greensboro was basking in the glory of sunny days. As a matter of fact, we were experiencing below average precipitation. We seem to have made up for it in the last week. It is not even as much an issue with the sogginess of everything as it is that people tend to stay inside during rain. Downtown loves its pedestrians!

The above photo is of Hamburger Square on the corner of South Elm Street and McGee Streets. It has been a happening part of town for a very long time. The nickname comes from the time when there were hamburger/hot dog establishments on all four corners. During World War 1, soldiers waited here for troop trains. We imagine they ate their share of hamburgers and hot dogs while waiting.  Interestingly, there was a traffic circle here until the the 1960's.*  The old buildings, featured above, are in better shape than ever. Our town is a great one for filming movies that evoke yesteryear. Happy Saturday. Stay dry and look on the bright side. Life is good, even when we are wet!

* Reference and more information, here.

Art & Sole

This Saturday, the Westerwood neighborhood of Greensboro will have their annual Art & Sole event from 10:00- 3:00 pm. Sixteen artists in the neighborhood will open their studio to the community. When we were walking through Westerwood earlier in the week, we stumbled on this zen display of rocks and a super friendly kitty. The scene represents the spirit of art and sole, and soul.  Even kitty knew not to knock the rocks down!

Here's to hoping that the rains are merciful this weekend. The south and the Atlantic are feeling a little  tense right now. Let's hope that the Westerwood artists are able to hold their art walk. It is a FOUR PAWS event! Start at Cortland, Mendenhall, Fairmont, Guilford, and in that area. You will see signs and maps will be available at the stops. To be sure, find them on Facebook and map out your route ahead of time.

City Daily Photo's October Theme Day: Shelter

Today, we're featuring another photo of a field near Sedalia. This photo shows you how, often, there is a house next to the field. In many cases, the people in the house tend the tobacco, which is a lot of work. You have to plant, weed, water, sucker (remove the top growth), harvest, and cure, all at the right time and all under conditions as optimal as possible. Even people who smoke aren't likely to recognize a tobacco field when they see one. To be sure, people who work the fields see tobacco in their sleep.

Today's theme for the worldwide, City Daily Photo (CDP) October Theme Day is "shelter." We thought about photographing a tobacco barn where the leaves are strung and hung to dry. Tobacco barns are still a common sight in rural Guilford County. However, also noteworthy are the homes with tobacco fields in their side yards. 

Happy First of the Month for the CDP community. If you want to take a quick trip around the world and see shelters far and wide, visit, here. Otherwise, just enjoy our post and next time you are on Highway 70 just east of Greensboro, look for this seagreen abode on the westbound side of the road. Typical of our luck, as we were taking this photo, the owners came home. It is not easy to be discreet at the edge of a tobacco field on the side of a busy highway, wearing a dress and with camera in hand! At least we weren't interested in taking any leaves!