Greensboro Daily Photo

Franciscan Center of Greensboro

Right beside the Greene Street COL-LAB that we featured recently, Greensboro has a Franciscan Center. It has been here since 1989. Inside, on Wednesdays, they offer Catholic mass at noon with the opportunity to partake in the Eucharist. There is also a bookstore and gift shop where you can purchase church supplies and religious items from Bibles and laminated prayer cards to rosary beads to religious jewelry. Father Luis Canino, is affiliated with this Franciscan Center, as well at the St. Francis Springs Prayer Center. People who know him say very nice things about him. 

The Franciscan Center believes in living the Gospel by making Christ the center of one's life and in being joyous and loving one another.* When you enter through the front door of this space, you will sense a tranquil respite from the hectic pace of  your busy life. Even the signage with the extended cross and letters in all-caps is very subtle. The center also offers space to 12 step programs in the community.

Have you noticed The Franciscan Center downtown before? 

Happy Sunday, dear readers. Can you believe tomorrow is August 1st?

* reference and additional information, here.

Venus Fly Trap

The venus fly trap, or Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant that grows in eastern North Carolina. In the above photo, you see one at work, eating a grandaddy long legs. The tiny hairs close, only if they have had something come in contact with them twice within 20 seconds. That keeps the plants from expending energy to close if they are triggered by something like a piece of dirt. What an interesting adaptation. Also, they catch spiders and other crawling insects to extract nutrients to compensate for the very poor soil of their regular habitat.*

Often, you can find Venus fly traps in Greensboro at the farmers' market on Sandy Ridge Road. The farmers' market is always a fun place to visit on the weekend. Consider heading out there for some fresh produce, even if you don't need a carnivorous plant. If you are looking for a little welcome-back-to-school cheer for a classroom, consider a Venus fly trap. Happy Saturday!

* reference and more information, here.

Ice Cold

On the dog days of summer, like Greensboro is experiencing now, cold drinks just seem to hit the spot. This weather gives us a great appreciation for how our relatives, from earlier generations, simply had to slow down, take more breaks, and sip more cold drinks to get through the heat. Ninety degrees is no laughing matter, especially on the hot surfaces of the city.

The above photo features an Hawaiian Ice shop between the News and Record building and South Elm Street. As a point of orientation, on the upper left side of the photo you can see the back entrance to Schiffman's Jewelry Store. The photo below features the great lettering on the mural at the side of the building, advertising, "ICE COLD." 

Unfortunately, the above business does not appear to be open to the public. There is, however,  an Hawaiian Ice cart nearby on Elm Street (see article, here).  Maybe this building is where the Hawaiian Ice cart retreats at the end of a long, hot, summer day. (Something else to investigate).

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Chamber of Commerce

Since we featured the collaborative workspace of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday, we thought we would follow up with the actual office space for the organization. Currently, the Chamber is located at 342 North Elm Street. According to their website, the Chamber prides itself in being "dedicated to nurturing the growth and prosperity of our members and making Greensboro a better place to learn, earn, and live" (reference). They work tirelessly to promote our city to businesses and organizations considering relocating here. From the moment you walk through the front door, it is obvious that they are promoting GREENSBORO!

Soon, the Chamber will be relocating to the old Myers Department Store space downtown. The building is located at 200 South Elm Street, by the International Civil Rights Museum. It was built in 1924 and is currently undergoing significant renovation with the architectural details of the facade being retained. Here is how the Myers Building looked, under construction, a few months ago when we featured it on GDP (link, here). At the time, we did not know one of its tenants was going to be the Chamber of Commerce. Hopefully, this move in the heart of downtown will work out well. Their old space will become parking for the new performing arts center.

We sound like a broken record, but Greensboro is changing before our eyes!

C is for Connect. Cowork. Convene.

The Chamber of Commerce in Greensboro has established a workspace for early stage entrepreneurs to lease desk space to work on launching their businesses. The workspace is known as an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Ideas and best practices get shared as people network and learn to market and launch their businesses. The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, the parent organization of COL-LAB, is currently located at 342 North Elm Street, and the COL-LAB is located right around the corner at 229 North Greene Street. 

The 4,773 square foot COL-LAB has conference rooms, classrooms, giant dry-erase boards, high-speed internet, and so much more. Collaborative urban work spaces are trending and Greensboro, with multiple, collaborative spaces, is on the forefront of that trend. Today is ABC Wednesday and for this Greensboro Alphabet 2016 Round, "C" is for COL-LAB, where you can Connect. Cowork. Convene. The photo below shows several entrepreneurs working on making their dreams reality. The above photo shows the office manager who works hard for the members. Not featured is the free coffee supplied by Biscuitville. Check it out!

   

303 W Greenway N

The above Tudor Revival house in Sunset Hills has been building provenance since it was constructed in 1928. It has connections to Greensboro author, O.Henry; WWII combat fighter pilots, George and William Preddy; and vice-president of Jefferson Standard Life Insurance, David Buckner; and many more great, local citizens. This neighborhood is known for being neighborly; the people who have lived in this house, their relatives and guests made great memories. Some residents fell on hard times and current resident, R.S. Gingher shares stories of his house in the February 2016 edition of the Sunset Hills newsletter (pp 6-8). 

The Elliot-Dodson house, as it is known, is a real beauty--  nearly 4,000 square feet on a little over a half acre. The house has been sold only three times, the last time in 1981. The current residents seem happy there. They refer to themselves as "temporal residents" keeping the home place, until it is time for the next generation to inherit the space.

Bellemeade Street, between North Elm & Greene

A sunny day can make just about anything more beautiful. And this space, downtown, between office buildings looks especially lovely, punctuated by the puffy clouds in the blue sky. The hard lines and geometric shapes of the buildings frame the clouds. If you live in Greensboro, you may recognize the building to the right. It faces North Elm Street.  The building to the left, Wells Fargo Tower, faces Greene Street. The little courtyard in between, on Bellemeade, has a sandwich shop and a place to sit; perfect for a summer rest. It is a quiet and peaceful space. The pink crepe myrtle shrub and turquoise awning add a punch of color. Nearby, great progress is being made on the downtown art center and the water park.

Have a great week. We hope you, and your family & friends,  have a chance to get out and find beautiful places in your city-- even if the motivation is a virtual game of Pokemon!

The Hut on Guilford College

Guilford College was founded by Quakers and to this day, core Quaker values are still important here. The school opened as a boarding school in 1837, established by members of the Religious Society of Friends living in the community. The five "normative" testimonies are integrity, simplicity, equality, peace and direct/immediate access to God are incorporated into the curriculum today (reference and more here).

The above photo features "The Hut" in the heart of campus. It houses campus ministry. The value of "no frills" simplicity and peace greet you as you approach the area. The blue sign to the left says that "War is not the Answer." The white post in the foreground says "May peace prevail on earth" in eight languages (see below). We've identified the languages as Hebrew, Russian, German, English Spanish, Arabic, Chinese (yes we know the orientation is wrong), and one language we can't identify. Who can identify the second column, bar two? Happy Sunday and may the some, if not all, of the five normative be with you-- especially peace, in these troubled times.

 

 

Greensboro Grub

Thursday night, Charlie and Ruth Jones held one of their community meals, known as Greensboro Grub. The meals, usually attended by 50-60 people are held in their historic building at 616 South Elm Street. People from all walks of life in the community vie for a spot when availability is announced online. We have been trying to get tickets for several years now and, last night, we were lucky. Oh, were we lucky! Charlie is a fabulous cook and he and Ruth spend about 3 days preparing for the dinner. We had beef stroganoff, chicken and mushrooms, a rice dish, and homemade mac and cheese. Desert was strawberry cake or pecan, bread pudding. We were also lucky because the dinner coincided with a poetry slam and so many of the dinner guests were talented poets, who shared their poems after dinner. The building has a 150 seat theatre for guests to voluntarily showcase their talents. The poetry was meaningful and heartfelt.

Charlie and Ruth were professional, traveling performing artists for over two decades. When you are at the dinner, in a positive way, it is as if you become part of the performance. Charlie asks a few people to stand during dinner and tell a little bit about themselves (What is your favorite movie; other than a family member, who has had the greatest impact on your life; what is your favorite memory of your hometown). By the end of the evening, everyone is laughing and exchanging contact information with people from all walks of life that would not otherwise meet. There is an inspiring, uplifting,  feeling-connected-to-community aspect to the event that is so much more than a meal. What you get from the Greensboro Grub will stay with you for a very long time. Charlie and Ruth pass a donation box and suggest an amount, but emphasize that you only have to pay what you can afford. Donations are anonymous and if you don't pay anything, nobody will know. Read more here and see the square below, where Charlie and Ruth kick off the poetry event with a short performance. The community is so lucky that they decided to call Greensboro home.

VW with Panache

On Simpson Street, in Downtown Greensboro, we have seen this Volkswagen Beetle on several occasions. With its bold color and flowery rims, it exudes panache and cheer on this sleepy little section of Simpson Street, between West Smith and West Fisher Avenue. We're betting that the owner of the vehicle works at Rose Reprographics or at least had this beautiful rim-overlay printed there.

We'd love to meet the owners of this Volkswagen, as they are probably as confident and creative as the vehicle they drive. As built up as downtown is becoming, it is hard to believe that there are still streets with one-storey houses and free, on-street parking. As you drive around this weekend, pay attention to the neighborhoods and cars that attract your attention. What do they say about you? Here's to a great weekend as we are getting frightfully close to August. Happy Friday and HONK if you love punch buggies!

 

Gate City Railbenders

The Gate City Railbenders are a Greensboro-grown, old-time string band. They can often be heard participating in the bi-monthly, Thursday jams at Gibbs Hundred. Yesterday, they delighted the community with their music for the Tunes at Noon series in Center City Park. The City had tables and chairs under tents so that spectators could eat lunch and enjoy the music. Food trucks were on hand, too. Several children were there eating lunch, playing, and writing poetry with a backdrop of great music.

Featured in the above photo are band members Alan Goble on guitar (and bass), Greyson Leybourne on fiddle, and Dom Hoyt on banjo. These talented, well-educated, down-to-earth guys played a great assortment of traditional string-band tunes. This year, as a band, they earned a 2nd place ribbon at the Charlie Poole Music Festival. While he is featured on fiddle above, Greyson earned the #1 grand prize ribbon for 3-finger banjo. We are really lucky that Greensboro offers these free events and that we have such fine musicians to share their musical talent with us!

B is for Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Central North Carolina/Greensboro is located at 529 College Road in northwest Greensboro, very near Guilford College. For over 100 years, the BBB has been setting standards for business practices and helping consumers make informed choices, helping them identify ethical and trustworthy businesses. The BBB makes effort to ensure that businesses are truthful in their advertising. The provide services for businesses and consumers. Their motto is "Start with trust." Visit their website, here. The BBB was an Angie's List, long before there was an Angie's List. As a matter of fact, Angie's List is accredited with the BBB.

Now that business is conducted not only in brick and mortar places, but also over the phone, and online, the BBB is busier than ever. For example, right now, they are warning of a phone scam targeting recent college graduates with debt (see, here). A visit to the BBB sounds like it would be a good field trip for high school students, especially with the efforts to incorporate more financial literacy into the curriculum. 

Truthfully, when we set out to find the BBB, we assumed it would be downtown. We were surprised of the above location, but loved the fact that there is convenient parking all around the building. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our ALPHABET ROUND, "BBB" is for Better Business Bureau. If you live in Greensboro and you see any businesses with letters featured prominently, please give us some ideas. We were so delighted to drive up and find the BBB so prominently displayed!

Update on LeBauer Park

LeBauer Park in Downtown Greensboro is progressing nicely. The above photo shows what it looked like yesterday evening. The photo below shows the architect's plan. The formal ribbon cutting ceremony for the park is scheduled the morning of August 8th; so, hopefully, it will be completed in early August. The lighting of the aerial sculpture will be the evening of August 14th. The sculpture, Where We Met, is meant to honor Greensboro's textile history. The on-site food venues will be open by August 8th, too.*

The final MUSEP, Sunday afternoon in the park will be held at the above park on August 28th. What a great way to bring a close MUSEP and summer vacation for our children. Mark your calendar and make plans now for a big meet up in Greensboro's newest park, in the heart of the cultural district. Hope to see you at LeBauer at one of the upcoming events. This is so exciting. Let's hope everyone will take pride in this community space and work to keep it nice.

*  read more about the opening ceremonies, here.

MUSEP & EMF 2016

Last night's Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park (MUSEP) was held at Guilford College. The event featured musicians from the Eastern Music Festival (EMF). Under the direction of Gerard Schwarz, they played a variety of crowd-pleasers from John Phillip Sousa to Andrew Lloyd Weber. Several students guest conducted last night. It was fun watching them at the beginning of their career, leading the musicians. This combination of educational and performing experiences is powerful. Participants will remember this opportunity for a long time. This is the 55th year of the EMF. The age of the 200 participants ranges from 14 to 23.

As you can see from the above photo, there was a good turnout. The weather was perfect for a picnic on the lawn enjoying great music. It is such a perfect opportunity to spend time with family and friends. Some groups have quite elaborate setups of food to feast on during the performance. Next Sunday's performance is also at Guilford College, but on the lawn near Dana Auditorium and Friendly Avenue. If you are local, please treat yourself and come out and support the musicians. Hope to see you there.

In the meantime... Happy Monday!

St. Paul Presbyterian Church

Saint Paul Presbyterian is located in the southern end of Greensboro, at 2300 Old Chapman Street. St. Paul began in 1957, growing out of the Glenwood Presbyterian Church. In 2005, the church was destroyed by fire and in 2008, groundbreaking took place for the new church. "They bill themselves as a traditional church for these non-traditional times." *

The church is tucked back into a neighborhood and looks very inviting. Their Sunday coffee and fellowship is at 9:30 am. If you are looking for a church, they would love to see you.  

On another note, yesterday's flash floods in parts of Greensboro were pretty intense. We hope you are OK!

 * see their website, here.

Sunset along Battleground

Greensboro has had some beautiful sunsets this summer. The above photo was taken along Battleground Avenue last week. The street lights remind us of fireflies on those relaxed summer evenings. When the sunset is beautiful and the fireflies are flashing, time stands still in the south. Here's to many more beautiful evenings this summer, and to our finding the time to appreciate them.

If you like beautiful nature shots, this weekend is the last one for the Ansel Adams photography exhibit at Reynolda House in Winston-Salem. Here is the link, in case you are looking for something to do today or tomorrow. Adams was masterful at contrast, capturing the range of black and white and the gray tones in between. Many events we share are free; the Adams exhibit at Reynolda House costs $14.

We are fortunate in Greensboro to have so many opportunities to see great art in our city as well as with in a 40 mile radius. We are lucky to have a lot of natural beauty, which we can enjoy for free. Happy Saturday!

Chihuly Glass Exhibit

If you are local and looking for something to do this summer, consider heading to Graham to see the exhibit of Chihuly glass. Dale Chihuly is an American sculptor of hand blown glass. This west coast artist takes a lot of his inspiration from the Italian glass blowing tradition. In the above photo, you see one of several pieces that originally formed a giant chandelier. It takes two rooms and an entrance hallway to display the entire piece. The exhibit, on display at Alamance Arts (213 South Main Street) in Graham, is free and open to the public. 

In the Graham exhibit, the Chihuly glass is arranged by size. The giant pieces with the curling, glass tentacles- that seem to stretch out to greet you- are located in the front room. The medium sized pieces are grouped together in another space. In the back room, all of the smaller, vase-size pieces can be seen. We've featured a few of the smaller pieces, below. If you go, be sure to be on the lookout for putti (cherubs) throughout the pieces. Some are hanging out in the mouths of dragons. One visitor interpreted the scene as the small, winged children being eaten; another saw them as playfully holding open the dragon's mouth. Take a ride over and let us know what you think. The exhibit is a very manageable size and the price is unbeatable (free)! Usually there is more distance between Chihuly's pieces and the viewing public; so, be careful.

Oh, Deer!

It seems like deer are everywhere in Guilford County. The above photo is of one in a Greensboro backyard that is within the city limits. The deer are so bold that they actually go on patios to eat plants, especially tomatoes, fruit trees, and hosta plants.

It is hard to believe that deer numbered only about 10,000 in the North Carolina in 1900; since, now, there are well over a million in the state. From this North Carolina white tailed deer density map by county (here), you can see that the Piedmont region and the northern counties are the most densely populated with deer. It is estimated that Guilford County has 30- 44 deer per square mile. That is a LOT of deer. Last year, nearly 2,000 deer were harvested in Guilford County. Do you know of any local restaurants that serve it? If you are local, do they come to your yard?

A is for Al's Furniture and Appliance

Al's Used Furniture and Appliance Store has been a fixture in the 500 block of South Elm Street for at least two decades. And, best we can remember, that 3' tall "A" has been in that window for close to two decades. That "A" is about to leave the building as the 9,400 square ft., one story building is for sale. With all of the new businesses on the block, as well as on adjacent Lewis Street, Al's is sure to get its million plus price tag. The building is braced with steel beams, as opposed to columns, so the space can be used for about anything.  Al's is one of those old school second hand stores, one that is brimming with items, floor to ceiling. Perhaps when it gets emptied out, they will leave that "A" for provenance. Perhaps it can be incorporated into the name of the new business. The building was built in 1940 and last renovated in 1960. What do you think should go in this space? Any ideas? Do you think they will build up or leave it a one-story structure? It will be fun to monitor the transformation.

Today starts a new round of ABC Wednesday. For this round, we're going to make sure the featured letter of the alphabet appears in the photo. Therefore, for ABC Wednesday Round 19, "A" is for the "A" at Al's Furniture and Appliance.

 

Through the Looking Glasses

Decorating retail windows is truly a talent and Tammy Pegram* is quite an amazing designer. The above photo features her display at Oscar Oglethorpe Optometry on Elm Street. This summer's feature has been "Through the Looking Glass(es)" with Alice in Wonderland. The theme fits not only with the nature of the eyewear business, but also very timely with the 2016 release of Alice Through the Looking Glass. The display catches the attention of shoppers strolling along Elm Street. It is hard to walk by and not take notice. How wonderful that Oscar Oglethorpe invests in this service. From the front window to the service inside, this is a place that pays great attention to detail. 

We can't wait to see what August's window will bring!

Tammy's business is "Tammy Can Redesign" and you can find her on Facebook.

Sandy Dunaway: Woodworking Artist

Saturday was a second Saturday of the month, always a good time to catch artists at work at the 205 Collaborative on Lyndon Street. The above photo features Sandy Dunaway standing behind one of her live edge wooden tables. Sandy takes interesting slabs of wood and turns them into functional works of art. You can see more of her designs in the photos below. Sandy started out with a career in interior design and, in 2013, serendipitously happened upon designing live edge urban designs when a client requested a table and Sandy ended up making it. 

As luck would have it, Sandy was at 205 when we arrived. She spent over an hour taking us on a tour of the galleries and introducing us to every artist who was on site. As feasible, she even showed us the art of artists who weren't there. Sandy spent so much time talking and bragging about the work of others, we could hardly get her to talk about her own great work. As we walked into her studio, we marveled at her talent and vision for transforming pieces of reclaimed wood into works of art. Each piece has a story, most linked to Greensboro. Sandy can be seen in the photo below where she is entering her work space, where she has a diverse array of wood. It is always nice to meet talented Greensboro artists; it is even nicer to meet someone who cares so much for those around her.

 

In Search of Rainbows

This has been a challenging week in the United States. Flags are at half staff until Tuesday, in honor of the victims in Dallas, Texas. There have been too many killings this week. As we were reflecting on very grim news, the above rainbow appeared over the railroad tracks in downtown Greensboro this past Thursday night. The sun was setting in the west and this circle of color appeared to the southeast of downtown. 

We usually try to post something spiritual on Sundays: A church, synagogue, temple, or a peaceful photo from nature. However, today, we thought the rainbow would be appropriate. It takes rain and sun working together to make a rainbow. This week's news has been full of rain. Perhaps Americans will find a way to work together, sun will radiate from our souls, and we will all bathe in rainbows- regardless of our vantage point.

City Swim Meet 2016

The Greensboro City Swim Meet is in its third and final day today. This culminating summer swim meet is held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center on Gate City Boulevard. Every child who swam for a community team is eligible to compete. What an exciting experience to swim in this beautiful facility, to see your name up on the electronic board with your ranking and times upon completion of the event. The above photo features the warm-up lanes. 

Below, you will see photo squares of some of the swimmers who earned medals in backstroke. You can get a feeling for the sense of camaraderie in the swim community. Most of the swimmers who medal swim year round and, while they may be on different teams in the summer, they could well be on the same team with their other swim club. Also below, you see the 2016 t-shirt design as well as two of the Friendly Frog coaches, poolside, cheering on their swimmers. It is pretty easy for the Friendly Frogs to identify their coaches. Look for the people with the frogs on their heads!

Attending the meet is free. Parking is $5 if you park in the Coliseum complex. However, if you are willing to walk, free parking can be found nearby.  This is a great opportunity to see the GAC if you haven't been yet. You will be wowed by this great community resource as well as the great sportsmanship of the kids!

Greensboro Residents Join National Protests

The above photo was taken last night, as we drove past the Greensboro Grasshoppers' baseball stadium on Eugene Street, just before 11:00 pm.  Protesters were out expressing their concern about the recent killings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling.

Since the 1960's, Greensboro has been known for its role in the Civil Rights Movement and for working to make sure people are treated equitably. With approximately 40% of our community African American, when a minority dies in the hands of police officers, it does not go unnoticed in Greensboro.

In true Greensboro style, last night's rally was peaceful and multicultural. When we were on site photographing, the above  young protester leaned in to the camera so that we could read the message, "I hope I don't get killed for being black today." From churches to classrooms to neighborhoods, a lot of dialog is in order. Fox 8 was on site putting together a report on the situation. It will be interesting to see what they report.

(Not So Tiny) Bubbles

Part of the Fun Fourth festivities in downtown Greensboro was the making of giant bubbles on West McGee Street between Just Be Gifts and Idiot Box Comedy Club. With a simple bubble recipe, an industrial bucket, two dowel rods, some rope, and a little finesse in manipulating the dowels, giant bubbles resulted. Children got a little frustrated when they couldn't get bubbles to form. But, once they were successful, their expressions were priceless. This would be a fun, inexpensive activity on any sunny day, and not just for festivals.

If you are looking for some summer fun over the next 3 days, head over to the Greensboro Aquatic Center and watch some of the events at the City Swim Meet. The community swim teams will be swimming their hearts out. You will see 23 local swim clubs and nearly 2,000 swimmers trying to help their team earn that #1 spot, which will be revealed after the end of the final relay on Saturday evening. If you haven't experienced a City Meet or seen the Greensboro Aquatic Center, treat yourself and stop by. In the meantime, we'll try to snap a few photos for you to enjoy! 

Z is for Zoo

Established in 1957, the Natural Science Center of Greensboro is designated a science museum and zoological park. Today, the center houses several interesting animals. The center has evolved from a place with a small petting zoo and some taxidermy animals and cast replicas to a place involved in saving and protecting species as well as educating the public on the needs of animals and their habitats. 

The animal discovery zoo is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you are interested in visiting this summer, here is a partial list of animals that you can see. From an anteater to tigers to rare Javan gibbons, there is so much to see here. The aquarium with penguins and sharks is a fabulous addition. You ought to try to visit this summer. It is a great place to spend the day and it is expanding before our eyes.

Today is ABC Wednesday and to conclude our A-Z Urban Finds series, Z is for Zoo. 

What a Fun Fourth!

Indeed it was a Fun Fourth in downtown Greensboro. This year, fireworks were moved from the Coliseum complex to east Greensboro, easily visible from downtown and many vantage points throughout the city. This made logistics easier as people could spread out to see the fireworks. Also, for those who were downtown all day, the transition from the Elm Street activities to watching fireworks was made without having to get in a vehicle. The above photo was taken at the corner Davie and Market Streets. Fireworks exploded as music played and children, many on a parent's shoulder, delighted in the very generous pyrotechnics. 

When the city's fireworks concluded, the display over the Grasshopper stadium began. These fireworks were also spectacular. At the end of the night, traffic cleared pretty quickly. However, the family below had a great idea. They dressed their young children in jammies and let them light sparklers on the sidewalk, while waiting for traffic to die down. What a memory maker for those little ones- the sight, sound, and smell of sparklers will stay with them for a very long time.

From now until Labor Day, things get pretty quiet, and hot. Hello dog days of summer!

 

Fourth of July 2016

Fun Fourth Festivities are well underway in downtown Greensboro. In the above photo taken last night, on East McGee Street, spectators were waiting for the 10K runners to start rolling in at the Fun Fourth 10K Freedom Run. There was also a 1 mile Fun Run for families and beginners.

Today's events on Elm Street will stretch from Friendly Avenue to Gate City Boulevard. The fun will conclude with the Fireworks Concert at Davie and Market Street. The free concert will start at 8:45 p.m. and the fireworks will start at 9:25. Hopefully, it will work out for the best, having the bulk of the festivities located downtown. If you attend, be sure to wear red, white, and blue! We will all be missing the smiling face of Betty Cone; however, this year's organizers, planners, and sponsors, have worked tirelessly provide Greensboro with a good, patriotic done of family fun. 

By the way, there are also fireworks after the Grasshoppers' baseball game tonight. Wonder if there is a good vantage point for watching both displays.

Tabernacle of PRAISE

Today's Spiritual Sunday photo was taken in Walnut Cove, NC, in nearby Stokes County. Yesterday, we were en route to Hanging Rock State Park and stopped in Walnut Cove for lunch. Across the street from the Milk Dairy Bar, right on North Main Street, we saw the Tabernacle of PRAISE. This downtown church is located in a building that used to be a store. We're not sure how many members they have, but in a community of less than 1,500 people, we're betting all the members know each other. The four picnic tables out front look like a fun place to share food and fellowship.

In Greensboro, we are located in easy driving distance from the mountains, sand hills, and beach. There is so much to see and do in North Carolina. We hope you have a chance to get out and explore our State this summer. Walnut Cove is about 35 miles from Greensboro and Hanging Rock State Park is only 43 miles, in case you are looking for a Sunday Drive. If you leave early in the morning, you can make the Sunday service at the tabernacle and let us know about your experience. If you are staying in town, here is the Fun Fourth schedule. Many events are happening today. Happy Sunday!

Pop-up Bark Park Downtown

The Pop-up Bark Park at First Friday was hopping last night. It was located on the side of Natty Greene's downtown at Hamburger Square. Participating doggies ranged in age from about 8 months to 17 years & weighed from 10 to 80 pounds. All canines and their owners were on their best behavior.  It was a lovely evening for dog walking and people watching with temperatures approaching 90 degrees. Partly due to the heat, there was a lot of competition for time in the orange, doggie pool.

First Friday was a good way to begin the Fun Fourth Celebration in Greensboro. The holiday will continue for our days. The Independence Day fun will conclude on July 4th, when the fireworks display will be downtown this year. Have you identified a viewing spot yet for the fireworks fun? Whatever you decide, leave those canine companions at home. Their reactions to explosive noises range from simply being annoyed to being terrorized! Happy Saturday!

Looking Down & Looking Up (Friendly Center Expansion)

Here, we see workers on the new part of Friendly Shopping Center that will be located between the Apple Store and Whole Foods. When finished, it will add 15,000 more square feet of retail shopping and dining. This new section looks a lot more contemporary than some of the other parts. It looks like a modern work of art. We're confident that the restaurants and stores here will be well attended. Workers have been diligently preparing the outside to get it ready for the community.

Today is Theme Day for the City Daily Photo Community. The theme is "Looking Down." Well, while the vantage of the photographer is looking up, the workers had to "look down," to keep their orientation and to get from Point A to Point B.

Happy looking up and looking down and not falling down any rabbit holes as we slide in to the weekend. And, head on over to Friendly Center and check out the progress!