Greensboro Daily Photo

U is for Urban Grinders

Greensboro has a relatively new coffee shop in the 200 block of North Elm Street, just down from Center City Park. It is called Urban Grinders. In the building that was formerly Bryson's jewelers, Urban Grinders bills itself as an art gallery inside of a coffee shop. They support local artists, feature arts events, and even have a time on Wednesday evening event that is an opportunity to create and caffeinate. Artists gather to create art and to inspire each other. Their coffee is from Krankie's in Winston-Salem and baked goods are from local bakers. They have been open since 2015 and the owners have invested quite a bit of time and money into making their coffee shop an inviting space. They are working hard to encourage people to stop at this "uptown" spot.

With this Friday, December 2nd,  being First Friday and the Festival of Lights, we hope Urban Grinders is open and people will stop in as they are strolling along Elm Street from Center City Park to the events closer to Hamburger Square. If you like good coffee, good art and an environment that inspires, you will enjoy this coffee shop. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet 2016 series, "U" is for "urban," specifically, Urban Grinders! Doesn't their window remind you that it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas? Wait until First Friday!

Time for a Road Trip

Fall is a great time for festivals and heading to the mountains, especially in North Carolina. This fall, however, the raging forest fires in western North Carolina have made it difficult to camp out. With Greensboro, since our city is centrally located in the State, heading to the beach is always an option. The above Airstream camper is dwarfed by these mature trees at this suburban home northwestern Guilford County. Look at the size of that magnolia tree in the foreground. It has been said that you know you are in the south when the yard has magnolia, dogwood, crepe myrtle trees, with a touch of kudzu sneaking in.

If you live in Greensboro, and own an Airstream, you may want to consider joining Unit 161, the Piedmont North Carolina group of the Wally Bynam Caravan Club International (WBCCI). At their rallies, they have tours, potlucks, and fellowship around campfires-- and Airstreams. The local group was organized in 1976, and at last count, had 56 members. The club has ten officers and an historian and they pride themselves in service to others and fellowship among members. Stanford-educated Wally Bynam launched the first Airstream in 1936. He would be pleased to know that eighty years after the first riveted, bullet-shaped, aluminum Airstream was made, it still has a commanding presence on American highways.

In the middle of the above photo, in the blue sky section, you can see a squirrel's nest. Wonder if Mr. Squirrel is waiting for his chance to move into this Airstream for the winter. His back up plan is that big ole magnolia tree.

This Old House

This old house is located along Highway 150 in rural Guilford County. Likely, as with the leaves on the trees to its left, the house is not long for this world. It is one of those fixer-uppers that not even Chip and Joanna Gaines (of HGTV fame) would undertake. Yet on this fall day, with the sun low in the sky, it takes on a warm, nostalgic glow. So often these rural homes are loved for generations, until the current generation decides to sell and take off for city life, or the changing surrounding properties make the home obsolete. In the case of the above property, we suspect it is a little bit of both.

Part of the reward we get  out of publishing Greensboro Daily Photo is keeping our finger on the pulse of our community. The Greensboro area has always been a nice blend of country living and urban fun. While the urban fun has burgeoned in the last decade, hopefully, there is still room for country living. We are grateful to have this photo, even if it serves only a as memory of the tin-roofed, little yellow house that was.

Glenwood UMC & the Really, Really Free Market 2016

Glenwood United Methodist Church can be seen in the background of this photo. The foreground features people enjoying the Really, Really Free Market at the corner of Glenwood Avenue and Grove Street. This year Kathy Clark and Liz Seymour worked on the event together and it was even larger than last year. There was a drum group; Reiki was available; and activities were provided for children. This made the initiative and event bigger than just giving and taking items- but, there was plenty of that. There was a genuine sense of community and fellowship throughout the day. As soon as we dropped off clothing, people were trying it on and saying how much they liked the items. It felt so good to know that others could use what we could not. No money changed hands; just smiles.

In researching Glenwood UMC last year, we found records to indicate that this church, located at 1417 Glenwood Avenue, was founded in the late 1800s. Hopefully, the church was involved in this event. It brought a lot of positive publicity for the neighborhood. Happy Sunday, dear readers. Consider hosting a similar event in your neighborhood.

Today Is Small Business Saturday

Small business Saturday is today. It is the day when consumers are to shop as much as possible at small, locally owned businesses. American Express is credited with starting the initiative back in 2009 when small businesses were still trying to survive the recession. * The initiative was successful and has contributed to the  "local-first" mindset that continues to grow today. In addition to helping businesses financially, nothing beats establishing relationships with local proprietors.

The above photo was taken at Moonbird Pottery, a new locally-owned store selling pottery, jewelry and free trade items. It is located at 1938 Spring Garden Street, in the building that was, in previous decades, Holliday Hardware. Local potter, Christina Brown, moved her pottery studio out of her Lindley Park backyard and into this venue. In the pottery studio side of the shop, she will feature pop-up stores, featuring local artists. The first special event will be Friday, December 8th. Click on the photos below to see see a larger picture of Christina and her artwork.

Whether you get by Moonbird Pottery or not today, remember to support our local Greensboro retailers!

 

* read the Washington Post article, here. 

Black Friday 2016

Black Friday has evolved into almost a holiday in its own right. Today, we will all need to decide if we want to go to the Really, Really Free Market in the Glenwood Neighborhood, or if we want to head to one of the big box stores, or another tried-and-true destination like Friendly Center. In the above photo, three men are at the counter eating breakfast at Jake's Diner on Wendover Avenue. They could be sitting there while their spouses are out shopping. Perhaps, they are just having breakfast before they start their own day.

Even though the guy in the middle has his black jacket hanging on the back of the chair, we affectionately dubbed this photo, "Men in Black" evoking thoughts of the 1997 science fiction movie, loosely adapted from the comic book series. Hopefully, they aren't out looking looking for extraterrestrial life forms living among us! That's what it can feel like if you are out facing the maddening crowds today. We hope you had a great Thanksgiving and that you find time to do something special today. Remember, tomorrow is Small, Local Business Saturday. If you intend to shop, please support locally-owned businesses in Greensboro- a good practice every day!

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving, 2016! We hope that the day is everything you dreamed it will be. While you are spending time at home with family and loved ones and planning how to spend Black Friday around Greensboro, consider taking a few items over to the Really, Really Free, Buy Nothing event in Glenwood at the People's Market. The Grove Street People's Market is located at 1307 Glenwood Avenue. Kathy Clark organizes this annual event as a way to give to the community and as a way to cut down on massive waste during the holiday season. It reminds us that we are such a consumer society and that sometimes your neighbor is giving away the very item that you are about to charge to a credit card. You can come and donate items, take items, or do a little bit of both. It will start at 11:00 am and end at 3:00 p.m. 

In the above photo, taken last year on one corner of the market, Kathy can be seen working tirelessly. She is the one holding up the blue item of clothing. If you stop by, in addition to thanking her for organizing this event, thank her for everything she does to contribute to the arts in Greensboro. Kathy is the golden, living statue we have all come to expect at festivals around town. Thank her for organizing this market, and don't hesitate to help out things out or take leftovers up at the end of the day. Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Really, Really Free Market Black Friday.

T is for Thanks

Today we would like to give thanks to all of our readers and friends who have encouraged us to continue Greensboro Daily Photo over the last nearly-eight years. For our ABC Wednesday series, we asked for suggestions for today's letter "T". Well, as mother time would have it, we weren't able to get out and photograph this week. Perhaps it is for the best, because it would have been nearly impossible to have selected one "T"  over the other. Here were the suggestions, the TANK Farm for oil products out by the airport; Temple Emanuel; Triad Behavioral Resources; Toys and Company; Table 16; Tessa Restaurant; Triad Meat Company; Tea Time Lounge; Tate Street Coffee House; Triad Auto Specialty; Triad Local First; Triad Yoga Institute; Taste of Ethiopia; Total Wine; Triad Beat Paper; Tumblebees Gymnasium; T Mobile; Traveled Farmer Restaurant; and Tasting Room. Is that not a fabulous array of options? Thank you, Jane, Lynn, Bobby, Nanny, Megan, Bigi, Amy, Cynthia and Katja for sharing suggestions. We hope we thanked everybody and named each suggestion; we love them all.

We want to point out a special business (suggested twice), Triad Auto Specialty, Inc. out on Cessna Drive. They have been known for being caring, competent, and trustworthy crew since opening in 1978. This business is so appreciative of customers that they even sent flowers to a longtime customer when she was in the hospital this past month. Indeed, Greensboro is lucky to have people like the folks at Triad Auto Specialty. So, for ABC Wednesday, our waning leaf photo on TREES around TOWN, represents the THANKS that we want to give all of you for making our effort on this community blog all worthwhile. (See our A-S entries, here).

Art & Soul

The Art & Soul market place has fair trade and handmade items, some are from Greensboro artists. In the above photo, proprietor Jenny Stickrath is sitting on a bed of pillows in her new shop at 2140 Lawndale Drive- two doors down from Hops Burger Bar. Previously, her store was located on Spring Garden Street. The move to a larger property gives Art & Soul a chance to expand their clothing line, housewares, and offer classes and special events. The Lawndale store opened this past Friday night and, if the first few days are any indication, the new location will keep her quite busy. 

If you missed Art & Soul's grand opening on Lawndale and if you'll miss the shop at 1938 Spring Garden Street, don't worry. Tonight, her very creative sister Cristine Brown will open a pottery, art and lighting store in Art & Soul's former location. Stop by and wish either of them good luck and maybe even find some holiday gifts. If you believe in buying local, you just may have found another destination- or two. Nothing beats having an owner on site for service with a smile.

Native Pride

This past Saturday, Native Americans gathered at the corner of Friendly Avenue and New Garden Road. They were celebrating Native Pride and protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. It has been decided that the developer won't consider rerouting the pipeline in North Dakota.

Guilford College has as one of its core values a commitment to nurturing, "a global perspective that values people of other cultures and the natural environment in which we all live." They also encourage students to "forge a connection between thought and action." * It seems that making the Greensboro community aware of the local Native American presence and the national issues of concern to them is, indeed, aligned with the core values of Guilford College. The protest was family-oriented and peaceful. It was a lovely, fall day, perfect for being one with the land. North Carolina has the largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi and the eighth largest population in the United States.** 

*reference, here.  

**reference and learn more, here.

Church Fundraisers

 

 

 

Once a month, Morehead United Methodist Church serves hotdogs on Saturday at lunchtime. The church, located on Horse Pen Creek Road near the Spears Y, has been having hot dog lunches for several years. They used to have this fundraiser every Saturday, but have now switched the event to once a month. The hotdogs are really good and, if memory serves us, they are only $1.50 each.

In the above photo, an enthusiastic church member was standing by the side of the road, in full hot dog regalia, to advertise the event at Morehead. He cheered and danced as people drove by and he greeted everyone who walked past him. Wonder if some of the local businesses would hire him to dress out to advertise for them. He does a great job and that would be a great way to raise money, too.

Weekend Weather

It has been an exceptionally dry fall with leaves have lingered on the trees. However, North Carolina is suffering from grave forest fires. Over 50,000 acres have been impacted. The fires are raging in the mountains where the air is on Code Red. Yesterday, in Greensboro, the air was filled with the smell of smoke and we were on Code Orange. It was as if your neighbors were burning leaves in the backyard. Currently, an open burning ban is currently in effect. The low relative humidity and the dry conditions are making matters worse. Hopefully fires can be contained soon. In the meantime, enjoy the visual beauty of the out of doors and take extra caution with older friends and relatives, especially those with asthma. 

S.T.E.M. Career Fair

Yesterday, Bluford K-5 S.T.E.M. Academy held a very successful science, technology, engineering, and mathematics career fair. S.T.E.M. professionals from throughout the area came to participate in the event. S.T.E.M. professionals brought drones, robots, programmable games and so much more to share with the eager learners. I had the opportunity to spend the morning at Bluford leading a learning station in the media center. In the above photo, I am carrying one of the boxes of materials to prepare our learning station. The activity incorporated a STEM chant (in Spanish), with students making a foldable book, and writing career choices. By the end of the day, my very dedicated helpers, recruited from the Middle College at UNCG (also a S.T.E.M. school) had assisted over 300 children.  

As you can see from the above photo, Bluford is bright and colorful. The walls are filled with colorful art related to science. We think they should add the "A" for "art" to their name and call themselves a S.T.E.A.M. school. Buford, located on Tuscaloosa St. in the Dudley Heights neighborhood near Barber Park,  is named after Dr. F.D. Bluford, who was President of NC A&T State University. If you ever get a chance to donate goods, time, or money to a public school, we encourage you to do so. You will be contributing to the community's future and, when you least expect it, you are making a difference in someone's life.

Got GRITS?

Founded in 1767, the Old Mill of Guilford has been grinding grain since before Greensboro founded. The old mill has thrived for nearly 250 years by serving good products and by having dedicated owners, employees and volunteers. Looking closely, you will notice that the above features the corn meal shelf, not the grits that are on the other side of the shelf. Since 2007, the mill has been owned by Alice and Darrell Klug. It was previously owned by the Parnells who died in 2007, the same year that the bright red water wheel was repaired. The mill is in good hands now and the Klugs are gearing up for the holiday season. They were quite busy when we visited this past Monday.*

If you are driving up Highway 68 from Greensboro, you will first notice the historic Ai Church that has been restored. At the bottom of the hill, also on the east side of the highway, you will see the Old Mill of Guilford. The giant water pipe and red wheel mark the way to the entrance. If you are inclined to "buy local" for the holidays, the Old Mill will provide you with many options- including a 1,000 piece puzzle, made from a William Magnum painting.

 

* read more of the mill's history, here.

S is for Southern

J. Douglas Gaylon Depot was originally built in 1927 and was known as the Greensboro Southern Railway Depot. The remnants of the original Southern Railway Depot can still be seen on South Elm Street. However, the above station is located on East Washington Street. While Southern Railway gave up service in 1979, the station was reopened to the public in 2005. At present, Amtrak trains use the station, as do Greensboro and intercity busses.* The above mural, being admired by three visitors, features the railway's service area from back in the 1920s.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet "S" entry, "S" is for Southern. We love the "SR" at the railway station reminding us that "The Southern serves the south."  We also like the one with patina on the manhole cover just down the street from the train station. If you haven't visited this station, it is worth stopping by to enjoy this piece of Greensboro's transportation history. 

*reference, here.

Lovely Country Home

Historically, eastern Guilford County is the part of the county with multi-acre properties, farms, including dairy farms, in a bucolic setting. 4-H has been well represented in this part of the county. The above wooden farm house, located on Bethel Church Road, is representative of the rural side of eastern properties. It evokes the simpler style of life in previous centuries, back in the day when people worked the land, worked hard, and family mattered- above all.  The rectangular architecture, large front porch and large trees are inviting. This is the view from the road. In the rear of the property are implements needed to work the land.

The manicured, green grass helps us transition from summer and warm weather. The trees have started losing their leaves, hinting that winter is on the horizon. We wish we could have been there last night to have watched the moon rise. There is so little light pollution; the super moon must have looked stunning.

On the Road Again...

The above photo was taken from the part of Knox Road that is now a service road heading out to Replacements, Ltd., near Mt. Hope Church Road and the Whitsett/Sedalia area. These I-85/40 signs, while they aren't very easy to photograph safely, they really help situate a photo in its community. Everyone who lives in Greensboro has had to battle traffic on this road. But, at the end of the day, traffic jam or not, we are glad that it is here as it is very important for getting from Point A to Point B.

We used I-85/40 yesterday when returning to Greensboro from a brief, working vacation in Spain. As much as we love Greensboro, if we were offered another trip to Madrid, to quote Willie Nelson, we'd gladly be willing to be "on the road again." This verse is our favorite from his song written for the movie, "Honeysuckle Rose."  "On the road again, Goin' places that I've never been, Seein' things that I may never see again, I can't wait to get on the road again." This 1980's number 1 hit evokes a bit of nostalgia for life on the road. But, at the end of the day, nothing beats coming home again- especially when that home is Greensboro, North Carolina. Happy Monday!

All Is Calm on Lake Jeanette

Today, our Spiritual Sunday post is a look at nature. We took the photo the day before Election Day 2016 and were struck by the sheer beauty of Lake Jeannette that morning. The leaves on the trees are past peak now, but the blue sky, reflecting an even deeper blue on the calm water evokes scripture. The fog had mostly lifted, but if you look at the water line, you will see the advection fog from the warmer air gliding over the colder water. May you have a wonderful Sunday, however you have decided to spend it. And, if you see this as a day of rest, add a few minutes appreciating the natural beauty of the world around us. On this day, we also saw deer. As they breathed out, fog billowed from their nostrils. Sometimes the simple things make our community beautiful. 

Thousands O' Prints

Thousands O' Prints is located at 233 South Elm Street. They opened in 1979 and their hallmark is that every day, they change out the posters and prints in the window and arrange them according to a theme. In that above photo, you see the person who is in charge of changing out picking the theme and changing out the artwork. According to the shop, there isn't one specific person who has that task but it is the person "whoever has the artistic flair that day." Thirty seven years is a long time to be selling art and making frames for the Greensboro community. They also feature local artwork. Even though it may seem like you are getting a better deal from the big chain art stores, nothing beats establishing a personal relationship with a gallery, especially one that is committed to serving one community-- and serving it well.

In our family, we have this great tradition, when driving down Elm Street, before arriving at Thousands O' Prints, we all try to guess the theme and keep score of the winner. Some themes are obvious (Cinco de Mayo on May 5th); some take a little more work, but all can be figured out by the time the traffic light turns greet. The last time we were in, we were hoping to talk to Dave, one of the family owners who is a great ukulele player. He wasn't in at the time. Perhaps he was out walking one of those cute little doggies he takes on his walks around downtown. 

Jerusalem Market on South Elm Street

Jerusalem Market, an institution at 5002 High Point Road, has opened a restaurant at 310 South Elm Street. Last year, we featured owner Saliba Hanhan on GDP (here). The High Point Road location is more deli and grocery store. The Elm Street location, opened and managed by his sons, is more restaurant, and a fabulous restaurant indeed. If you get a chance, stop in and welcome them to downtown Greensboro. The food has a middle eastern flair, but it is slightly different that you get elsewhere. If your palate is slightly adventurous, you will love it. On the day we ate there, Saliba's wife was working tirelessly as business was booming. 

As we were taking the photo, a group of young adults was walking by. We decided to use this photo, because it shows the energy and vibrancy of downtown Greensboro. Greensboro is on the move and we are glad Jerusalem Market has moved in!

Charlie Tefft Pottery

Charlie Tefft is a continuing, part-time lecturer at Guilford College, where he received a BFA in Ceramics in 1997. He has influenced many local potters, not only by teaching them his art form but also by their observing his design. Charlie puts considerable thought into the ergonomics of his vessels, trying out handles, seeing how pitchers pour, how much liquid cups hold, how food looks in bowls, how easy it is to use the bowls to eat from, and so much more. His hallmark blue and neutral tones and delicate animal images reflect an Asian influence. Charlie has been working with clay since he was thirteen years old and has honed his talent and attracted quite a loyal following.

Charlie will be one of many great potters presenting at the Potters of the Piedmont Pottery Festival this Saturday at Leonard Recreation Center.* If you want to give the gift of pottery for the holidays, especially local pottery where you meet the potter and have access to adding to your collection, the festival this Saturday is the single best opportunity you will have. By the way, in the above photo, Charlie was a vendor at Leanne Pizio's "Keep it Local" event Halloween weekend and was dressed in his grandfather's U.S. Navy uniform. We told him that it matched the palate of his pottery!

*See details about the upcoming show, here.

R is for Replacements

Replacements is a homegrown business in Greensboro. They are the world's largest retailer of dishes, china, and sterling flatware. Located on Knox Rd. in McLeansville, Replacements can be seen easily from the interstate just east of Greensboro. Bob Page opened the business in 1981. He left his job as auditor in North Carolina to pursue his dream of starting a mail order business out of his small attic on North Elm Street in Greensboro. Today, the multi-million dollar business and, if we read Wikipedia correctly, after several expansions of their warehouse and consolidating all of their locations, the Knox Road location has a million square feet.*

In 1986, Replacements was identified as one of the fastest growing businesses in the United States. Even Oprah Winfrey and the Vatican have shopped here! Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet series, "R" is for Replacements- an appropriate word for the day after a presidential election. 

* reference.

Election Day 2016

Today is the long awaited Election Day in the United States! North Carolina is a swing state, so we've had a lot of visits from presidential candidates. In a last minute effort to bring out the vote, former President Clinton came to the UNCG campus yesterday to encourage people to get out and vote and, of course, to vote for the Clinton/Kaine ticket. The pop up visit happened on the lawn of the student union. Introduced by Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, President Clinton's speech began about 1:15 and lasted for about fifteen minutes. 

Regardless of whom you support, please get out and vote today-- if you haven't already. It was nice to see so many students out to see a political event. Not all in the crowd were in support of the Clinton/Kaine ticket, but they were very happy to be this close to a former president. Students were very well behaved and there were no incidents. A few students did run along the perimeter chanting, "Black lives matter!".  If you look just in front of the flag to the right in the background, you can see one of the many secret service agents who came along for the event. Fortunately, their day was uneventful.

We apologize for the low quality photo. The angle of the sun was very unaccommodating and, we arrived too late, and without the right equipment and credentials, to secure a press pass! But, we did see a former president in person. Happy Election Day! May we follow the lead of the UNCG students and remain civil!

Lindley Park Neighborhood

The Lindley Park neighborhood stretches from the Greensboro Arboretum to the corner of Walker and Elam and a little beyond in each direction. It is located across Market Street from Sunset Hills and down the road from UNCG. The above house, located on Beechwood Street, is a little more artsy that the majority of the houses, but it evokes the vibe and energy of the neighborhood. Lindley Park is an inviting neighborhood with stores within walking distance of most homes. They have a strong neighborhood association, a community newsletter, a farmers market on Saturday morning, a coffee shop, a grocery store, restaurants, and more. It has been described as magical, inviting, artsy, 60-acre place where even adults have play dates.

Lindley Park was established in 1917 by local businessman, horticulturalist, and Quaker, John van Lindley. In 2004, they developed a Neighborhood Plan to find out the needs of the residents, largely in owner-occupied homes.  The neighborhood was build on land that had formerly been an amusement park. It seems that the spirit of playfulness, so typical of amusement parks, remains in Lindley Park.  Imagine living near the above house with the knitted tree cover, the large, cozy front porch, and a globe in the window. 

Providence Presbyterian Church

A few weeks ago, we shared the fall festival and pie baking contest at Providence Presbyterian Church on Lake Brandt Road. While on site, we had a chance to visit the sanctuary and were struck by the simplicity of the space. As the sun sets, it shines through the clear panes of glass. The three panes evoking a cross and the wooden cross on the front of the pulpit are the only ornamentation in this calm space. On the Bible stand is the following quote, "Do this in remembrance of me."

If you want to learn more about the church, read Pastor van Eyk's message, here. If you forgot about the time change (hard to do with so many digital devices), you just may still have time to make it to a religious service, at providence or elsewhere. Happy Sunday-  just communing with nature can be pretty spiritual.

First Friday November 2016

Tonight's First Friday was dynamic and full of diversity. Casa Azul had a spectacular exhibit in the Central Library and in LeBauer Park. Musicians, people preaching the gospel, and visual and other performing artists could be found all along Elm Street.  In the above photo, the Gate City Railbenders are paying acoustic, bluegrass/old-time music while onlookers enjoyed listening to the music. Several people were dance. The energetic music was especially appealing to children, like the little boy above, who danced with heart and soul. Hamburger Square Park was hopping. The above music session was part of the Traveling Art Show moving along town.

When many groups work together, as is the case with First Fridays,  their effort is greater than the sum of the parts. When the weather is nice, First Fridays tend to be well attended. Mark your calendar for December 2nd, when First Friday and the 28th Annual Festival of Lights will combine for the largest First Friday of the year. Many of the art opportunities will still be available today, including the Día de los Muertos display in the library. Head downtown if you have a chance.

Scarves 4 Warmth Project

Bobby Craddock has been an artist in Greensboro for more than two decades. We caught up with Bobby at Leanne Pizio's "Keep It Local" art event last week. From wood scraps to plastic bags, Bobby has a special talent for turning just about everything into artwork. One of Bobby's recent projects is Scarves 4 Warmth. He gets scraps of wool (mostly from old sweaters) and stitches them together to make scarves to give to homeless people who are cold. He also sets up maker spaces for community members, including homeless community members, to make scarves. His vision is to find a permanent maker space for the homeless and to pay them a living wage for making scarves and other art. In the above photo, Bobby only has a couple of scarves, rolled up in the lower left hand corner. 

We hope Bobby establishes a "Go Fund Me" or "Kickstarter" or some other type of funding source. He has identified some very real needs, specifically helping people who aren't always in the position to help themselves, especially with respect to employment. His talent is superb, he has lots of experience and great contacts, and his heart is in the right place. That sounds like a great recipe for a successful initiative. Bobby will be in "Art in the Yard" in Lindley Park tomorrow if you want to see more of his brilliant art or learn more about his ideas. We wish him a lot of luck. It is nice to watch him refine and advance his ideas and to see good things starting to happen for his project. We hope you bring some big, wild, fancy scarves to the yard, Bobby! We could use one... or two...

Follow Bobby on Scarves4WarmthProject on Instagram and Facebook.

Greensboro's Autumn Trees

Autumn is such a glorious time of year. The above photo was taken this past weekend when we were out exploring the northwest corner of Guilford County. You can always count on maple trees to give you a cheerful burst of color. Usually, we take photos to document the people and places of Greensboro. Today's photo was meant to evoke mood, the way a beautiful day with sunshine and blue skies can make you feel. From the bright white garage door on the building in the background, to the almost black bark on the maple tree to all of the color popping off the page, the photo captures the feel of a beautiful day in Greensboro.

Take a few extra walks this week and weekend. It seems like we wait forever for fall color in the trees and with one heavy rain or strong wind, the leaves let go. Before we know it, they will be gone for the season. Yesterday, we saw a group of high school students out collecting leaves and one of the boys even knew how to put a small leaf between his thumbs and make a loud, whistling sound. How special to see teenagers enjoying nature. Naturalistic intelligence is now considered one of the multiple intelligences; a tool for identifying talents in children.* Consider heading to one of Greensboro's parks this weekend to notice the beauty of the world around them.

*Read more, here.

Q is for Quaker Village

Quaker Village is owned by Ashton Properties in Charlotte. They have worked hard to update the property and bring in new tenants like the Wal-Mart neighborhood store. They have also renovated 44,000 sq. ft. of small shops, expanding the Quaker Village footprint. Quaker Village opened in 1964 and suffered bankruptcy in 2010. It looks as if they are recovering nicely. We sure hope, so as it is nice to see places that have been around for over fifty years get updated, as needed, and continue to thrive.

The QV strip mall is very convenient to people living off West Friendly Avenue and the New Garden/College Road area. There are stores like Starbucks and Menchie's Frozen Yogurt that encourage people to linger and socialize. There are plenty of restaurant options from Mexican, Taquería El Azteca, to Italian at Elizabeth's Pizza. There are other shops like Quaker Village Barber and Style Shop that have a good reputation for keeping clients happy through the generations.  With Guilford College just across the street, students are able to enjoy time off-campus even if they don't have a vehicle.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet round, "Q" is for "Quaker Village".  See A-P, here.

 

City Daily Photo's November 2016 Theme: Out of Focus

Greensboro Daily Photo has been a member of the City Daily Photo community for almost 8 years. The first day of the month is theme day and November's theme is "out of focus". To our knowledge, this is the first time for that theme. Blurry photos were much more common before the digital era. Digital cameras almost don't let you take blurry photos. Do you recognize where this photo was taken in Greensboro?

It was taken in Greensboro during this past winter, just south of the railroad tracks on the east side of South Elm Street. The waterpower in the background is located at Bennett College. As you can see, it was taken at sunset and people were out walking their dogs- probably a First Friday. We like the mood, in spite of the lack of focus. This upcoming Friday is First Friday and downtown will be busy. We promise you we'll take better photos this weekend!  To see out of focus photos from around the world, visit HERE.