Greensboro Daily Photo

Haunted Houses; Not So Haunted Houses

Not that this house at the Summerfield end of Pleasant Ridge Road is haunted, but it does look what children who trick-or-treat will be seeing tonight. Imagine having to walk past this lawn, with the grass so bright due to light from car headlights, and into the dark shadows of a house. For many of us, this is what Halloween memories are made of, scenes like this one. In previous decades, parents would wait in the car while children walked to the front door to get the treats. Now, if children go door-to-door to trick-or-treat at all, they need to make sure they have a parent with them.

We'd love to meet the people in the above house. They have been working so hard to renovate it. We're betting there are great things in store for this property, and it is always nice when an effort is made to maintain the original character of a place.

Happy Halloween and may you get your favorite candy, and may someone in your family still be young enough for trick or treating!

Halloween 2019 Tomorrow

Can you believe Halloween is tomorrow and Friday is November 1st? October was a very strange month for weather, but finally it is feeling like fall. The above photo features the space in Summerfield where Golden Antiques has relocated. Several years ago, Golden Antiques moved out to Stokesdale and the Summerfield building was empty. Recently, Golden Antiques moved back to the original Summerfield location and even the parking lot is getting improvements. Since the above space is still hasn't been upgraded, it is perfect to store these creepy Halloween/funhouse figures that look evening creepier at dusk.

Whatever your plans are for tomorrow, be safe, travel with a flashlight and in groups, and watch your sugar intake. By the way, if you need to do some last minute decorating, Golden Antiques still has some Halloween and other fall items reasonably priced. Who knows, they just may have the key to this spooky room next door!

Fall on Lake Higgins

We need to share another fall photo today because Lake Higgins looked so beautiful with its fall colors, its stillness, and the jet contrails reflecting on the glassy surface yesterday. Monday is a day of rest for Lake Higgins; it is closed to the public. Lakes Townsend and Brandt are open on Mondays. On any given day, at least two lakes are open. Greensboro isn't a city built around a river or lake, but we do have three beautiful lakes if you travel just north of town. 

While the leaf colors this fall aren't as varied as some years, the rusts and oranges look beautiful against the backdrop of the blue reflecting in the lake. It is nice that the shoreline is protected and people aren't building at water's edge. Even when it is busy with people fishing and kayaking, Lake Higgins is a place of great solitude. There is even a trail you can follow that runs along the northern edge of the lake.

Happy Tuesday!

Fall Color throughout the State

Given the dry fall in North Carolina (other than recently), the leaves have not been at their peek. However, expacially when the sky is blue It is possible to get some beautiful photos of nature. Today's photo was taken a little west of Greensboro but shows the intensity of the flora on a bright, sunny fall day. It is so nice to see mature trees, even though they sure make a person feel tiny.

Today, for the Guilford County Schools, it is a mandatory teacher workday. If you are in a position to take your children or adult friends out to look for signs of fall, today would be a super day to do so. Happy Monday!

Trunk or Treat at Friendly Avenue Baptist Church

A sense of community is so important to a church. Of course the religious belief in the trinity is the foundation of churches, but you need to have a community of members and staff and offer events that draw people to the church. One big outreach activity offered by many churches this time of year is trunk-or-treat. Families come to celebrate the fall season combined with tractor rides, Halloween festivities, and candy! 

The above cell phone photo was taken at almost 7:00 pm last night at Friendly Avenue Baptist church where people came in droves to celebrate Halloween. Officially, the event ended at 6:30, but children were having so much fun, it was hard to get everyone to say goodbye. And the beauty of the event was that you didn't have to be a church member to take advantage of last night's trunk-or-treat.

If you teach Sunday school, beware! It is highly likely that there will be children in Sunday school eating their fair share of candy this morning- at Friendly Avenue and elsewhere! 

Students Celebrating their Korean Heritage in Greensboro

Earlier in the month Art in the Arboretum was held in the Greensboro Arboretum in Lindley Park. The events in the arboretum are always lively and attract a wide variety of people of all ages and of many different ethnic backgrounds. The two young students were strolling back and forth on the promenade, proudly celebrating their Korean heritage. Sometimes it is fun to wear jeans and a t-shirt. Greensboro has, after all, a long history of making blue jeans. However, it is also fun to deviate from this routine of casual clothing and wear clothes that connect us to our family's history. In the teen years, it can be challenging to dare to be yourself. How wonderful that these two students can share their heritage with the Greensboro community.

You will have an opportunity to see people of Greensboro celebrating their Mexican heritage and their deceased loved ones at the upcoming Day of the Dead events, hosted by Casa Azul (see schedule, here). If we had a celebrate-your-heritage day, what would you wear?

Trader Joe's Opens

Trader Joe's has been trying to open a store in the Greensboro market for several years now. Yesterday, that goal became a reality and the above photo shows the hustle and bustle at the Brassfield store on Battleground Avenue. Business was steady all day. The whole event felt a little like Black Friday shopping as customers pushed their carts around finding their TJ favorites and looking for some pumpkin spice flavored items. The staff was exuberant, as were the customers. The police at the entrance were ensuring that people were able to cross the street safely.

As hard as Trader Joe's worked to open a store near Friendly Center, at the end of the day, it seems like a good thing to spread the wealth and open on North Battleground. The Brassfield Shopping Center was busier today than it has been in a very long time, which was a good thing! From the cut flowers as you enter the store to the rows and rows of specialty items, everything is masterfully displayed. TJ knows their demographic. Go to their website, here.

Welcome!

Got Creativity? Need Ideas?

We feature RG a lot on Greensboro Daily Photo because they do so much to help with sustainable living. If you crave creativity, want ideas for upcycling materials, want to purchase curious items, or donate items, Reconsidered Goods is a great place to start. They help keep items out of landfills and teach workshops to help the public learn to turn trash to treasure. Other than Wilson the cat, just about everything in the thrift shop is for sale.

The above photo is the current display when you walk in the door. The fabric strip decoration overhead was donated by someone who realized the decorative hanging could be enjoyed by everyone who walks through the door at RG. You cannot help but notice them as they almost tickle your head. Notice the round light fixture (above the rainbow). It is made from paperback books. We will feature a closeup tomorrow as it is so visually appealing and literally made from donated books that nobody wanted to read. Stop back tomorrow to see a closeup of the fixture.

Fall on Lindell Road

With the recent change weather, it is starting to look like fall in Greensboro. Temperatures have dropped some and there has been rain. The above photo was taken at the corner of Spring Garden Street and Lindell Road. This is the entrance to Lindley Park, where the park used to be. If you look closely, on the right, you can see the stone columns that welcome you to Lindley Park. Throughout Greensboro, leaves have started to change color and fall. Before you know it, the city will be coming around to collect the leaves you leave at the road. Are you ready? Do you want to be? Read more here:

Greensboro's Department of Field Operations will have two rounds of loose leaf collection. If the leaves are at the curb by November 12th, they will be collected by December 23rd. Leaves on the curb by December 27th will be collected by January 25th. If you elect to use the regular yard waste service, they will take them every week, as long as they are in clear plastic bags or garbage bags. They use the leaves to fertilize city properties. Most importantly, the program keeps leaves from blocking the storm drains. In 2018, almost 14,000 tons were collected and reused (reference and more information, here).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

300 Block South Elm Street

Today's photo was taken in the 300 block of South Elm Street at twilight. This is the magical hour when the light intensifies the color before night sets in. The lavender-gray cast to the clouds and the sky was especially beautiful during First Friday in October. The spiked branches of the tree overhead hint that it won't be long before winter sets in. 

Downtown is so beautiful and the fronts of these buildings and the streetlight make it hard to date the scene to the 21st century. Only the cars give it away. We didn't realize how much these storefronts look alike before we took this photo. Enjoy your week and take time to seek out the beauty in our city. Try taking a photo (no selfie, no friends and family) and seeing what it says about Greensboro. what story does it tell? 

910 Walker Avenue

This house at 910 Walker Avenue, between Tate and Mendenhall Streets is a vintage beauty. For having been built in 1906, it still maintains quite a bit of charm over a century later. Although it has a yard that looks overgrown, as you walk by, the yard has the feel of a micro-prairie. Not all cultures and not all decades favored the manicured lawns that are expected in many neighborhoods today.

Urban micro prairies are valuable green space because they attract native insects and pollinators.* As Greensboro and Guilford County lose more and more land to housing developments, it is crucial that we be purposeful with flora to help fauna. The more prairie-like spaces with wildflowers, shrubs, and trees, also help with erosion and help lower temperatures in the summer. As fall rolls in, if you are considering planting, consider adding some native plants to your yard. If you want inspiration, seek out yards like 910 Walker Avenue and see them close up. Hurry, before old-man winter keeps us inside!

 

*reference and more information here. Also, NC State and NC A&T can help with making lawns attractive without over-relying on grass (see, here).

Calvary Baptist Church

Calvary Baptist is one of those small churches which used to be country and is now part of the suburbs. It is located on Rhondan Road in Summerfield, a road that used to connect to Highway 220, but is now a dead end. Calvary has Sunday school, Sunday morning and evening worship and Wednesday evening worship. For people who want to go to church on a quiet road in a church where everyone will know your name, Calvary of Summerfield may be just what you are looking for. As an added bonus, the people who live around the church are really friendly! The simplicity of the architecture is so typical of the older, country churches. 

Happy Sunday, may you enjoy every minute!

Pumpkin Patches

It is pumpkin patch time in Greensboro and Centenary Methodist Church at 2300 West Friendly Avenue is ready to help you with your pumpkin/gourd needs. White pumpkins are trending this year and people are really getting creative at carving them. Profits will be shared with the Boy Scouts and other groups at Centenary UMC. The church invites preschools and daycares to bring children to have story time in the patch. This activity is especially fun at this centrally-located church- as long as the weather cooperates.

Although you may pay a little more for your pumpkin at a fundraising patch, your money is going to help the local community. Also, you are building memories by picking out a pumpkin from an outdoor patch, as opposed to purchasing from a big box store or supermarket. It is predicted that 145 million Americans will purchase pumpkins for Halloween and spend $377.23 million on pumpkins for carving into jack-o-lanterns.* We're betting the Greensboro does its fair share to contribute to these data!

*reference.

Lake Daniel Park

Lake Daniel Park runs parallel to Benjamin Parkway, at the northern end of Westerwood. The above photo is the stream that meanders through the park. In times of great rain, it tends to flood. The big round rocks along the edge help control the flow of water and help with erosion of the bank. 

We were impressed recently, during our walk along the stream, not a single piece of trash was spotted. As we were leaving the area, we noticed three 8-ish year olds biking towards the stream. One of them made a great kid comment.  He leaned into his handlebars and said, "This spot is where you usually find the best sticks!".  How wonderful that there still children who love playing outside and value knowing the perfect spot to find good sticks. If you see some children wandering around the Westerwood/Lake Daniel area with Harry Potter wands, ask them if they got them in Lake Daniel Park at the special spot for sticks. Happy Friday. May your weekend be filled with great times in Greensboro, especially outside! 

The Not-So Mysterious Bite Out Of the Fig

Fall is here and it is not just the humans who are noticing the changes. Animals are scurrying around looking for food to stockpile for the winter- especially squirrels. The above photo shows a fig tree with lingering fruit. Some critter, likely a squirrel, took a big bite out of the fig and either decided it wasn't ripe or one bite was enough. Figs are very vulnerable to squirrel predation and they provide nourishment through many months of the year. 

This particular fig tree is in Westerwood where neighbors are very intentional about plantings; edibles, micro-prairies, and wildflowers are seen throughout the neighborhood. Trees and plants take on a charming scruffiness in fall, with or without the help of squirrel who are enjoying their last hurrah before winter. 

Bluegrass on the Farm

The Double H Bluegrass Band played at Summerfield Farms on Monday night. They played an assortment of music from Johnny Cash to Delaney Bramlett's "Never-ending Love for You." This harmonizing duo has been a band since 2012. Kirby Heard and Bob Hight are based in High Point. The music on the farm is free and open to the public. They usually have a food truck and a wine bar, plus, you can go inside and purchase eggs, meats, snacks and even pumpkins, gourds, and beverage items in between listening to music sets.

This organic farm hosts events that help us have a life well lived, as they like to explain. Indeed, sitting outdoors on a crisp fall evening, listening to Kirby and Bob, eating Moroccan food from a food truck, purchasing unusual gourds, and spending time with family and friends is about as good as an evening can get. Summerfield Farms on Pleasant Ridge Road will continue to host music as weather permits. You might want to call before you go as daylight gets shorter and air gets cooler. Take a few extra dollars so that you can drop some money in the tip jar, or boot as was the case for Double H. Musicians work so hard and live music is well worth a tip.

Twilight at Summerfield Farms

The above photo was taken last night at Summerfield Farms on Pleasant Ridge Road. Summerfield Farms is a 600-acre working farm and event venue that opened to the public in 2012.  This barn is where many special events are held. The photo shows the beauty of a clear, fall evening, just as late afternoon is transitioning to night.

On Monday and Thursday nights Summerfield Farms offers free music on the lawn. Check back tomorrow to see a photo of Monday's music act. Head to the farm quickly and visit the food market as their beautiful selection of pumpkins and gourds is going fast. 

Lemonade Stand Nostalgia

Did you or your children ever have a lemonade stand? The above photo features Westerwood's youngest entrepreneurs during their recent art tour. They were selling lemonade to people who walked by to tour art studios on their street. 

Children spend so much time inside and on devices these days. It is refreshing to see them out, interacting with neighbors,learning responsibility, and making some money. Adults let the children run the stand, but were always nearby for the safety of the children. For one afternoon, time stood still, and children shared the same experiences of children of previous generations. What a great experience, and what tasty lemonade. Let's all think of something creative that gets us outside today. It is always a good day when we have a chance to interact with each other in Greensboro.

Happy Monday!

Hope Chapel

Hope Chapel is located at 908 N. Josephine Boyd Street in a church building that was formerly Westover Terrace Church. Westover Terrace relocated as it outgrew this location and several other churches have been here prior to Hope Chapel. In 2013, Daystar Church was there.

Hope Chapel (different link) started in 2008, based out of Lindley Elementary. Next, in 2011, they moved to Spring Garden Street, behind the Blind Tiger and have now relocated to the above building. While many churches suffer with declining enrollments, many, like Hope Chapel, Daystar, and Westover Terrace, continue to expand, needing larger facilities. Maybe 908 N. Josephine Boyd Street is a lucky address for religious communities.

Reconsidered Goods Event Space

Reconsidered Goods, on Patterson Street, is a creative reuse center that resells donated goods and teaches people to make things out of items that might otherwise end up in landfills. After a few years of holding classes and make-and-take events in the resale store, they have opened a second space, right behind the first, for classes. What was formerly a Cross Fit box for rigorous fitness is now a space for sparking creativity. Today is the big day! From 12:00 - 5:00 pm, Reconsidered Goods is celebrating the grand opening of their event space. 

In the above photo, taken yesterday, Martha, Paige, and Laura stop for a brief minute to be photographed and celebrate the fruits of their labor. They have worked tirelessly over the past couple of month to transform the space from a square slab of cement into a colorful place full of art with plenty of tables and chairs for the public to come and create. While the make-and-take fee is usually $6.00, it will be free from 12:00- 5:00 pm today during the grand opening celebration. Share with us in a virtual toast to all of the hard work that made this great dream a reality!

Clouds over Greensboro

Today is Friday, which means it is a fabulous time to get out and enjoy Greensboro. The above photo was taken last weekend when the clouds seemed to be molding themselves to the shape of the trees near the railroad tracks, at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Regardless of what you decide to do this weekend, or how much you have to work, please try to allow yourself a little time to get out and admire nature. Fall is such a lovely time to do so. Enjoy!

Participatory Budgeting

Participatory budgeting happens every two years in Greensboro. This democratic process allows residents in each of the five city council districts to vote on how to spend $100,000 in their district. A half a million dollars has been set aside to fund projects that residents want to make enhance their district. Some projects are city wide- as an example, a weekend trolley that would run in downtown Greensboro to help alleviate traffic as people try to venture from point A to point B. The program was approved in 2014 and the process began, with funding, for the 2015-2016 cycle (reference and more information, here).

Friday, October 4th a Participatory Budget pop up event was held at Scuppernong Books on South Elm Street during the First Friday Event. Above is a photo of Jon Decker of the Budget and Evaluation Committee of the City. Jon and a volunteer were recruiting people to take a few minutes and vote on which projects should be funded in each resident's given district. There will be more pop up events throughout the month and the last opportunity to vote will be October 31st. Voting is super simple, and you can vote online. You can also start thinking of ideas to recommend for the next cycle.

Runners of Greensboro

Greensboro seems to be a city of runners and walkers. This past weekend alone, there was the Women's Only 5K Walk and Run, supporting mammography for those who need financial assistance; the Crop Walk was held on Sunday, to help end poverty and hunger in our community. Also, Gibbs Hundred held their Growler Gallop on Sunday. The above photo features runners lined up at the start/finish on State Street. The first wave featured those running a 10 K which involved running up a tough hill in Irving Park, TWICE! The next wave was for the 5K runners.

All of these events build community and most help raise money for those in need. Greensboro also has many running groups that help you train for these events. In October and November, there will be half marathons in town. Consider giving running a try while the weather is still nice! See here for upcoming races, including the one this Saturday at Barbour Park. If you aren't ready this year, there is always next year. 

Music Porch on North Mendenhall Street

As promised, today is the close up of yesterday's photo of music on the porch at 405 North Mendenhall Street in Westerwood. The 1922 Craftsman style home has a front porch that works well for playing music for the neighborhood. The above quartet of saxophones played everything from "I'll Fly Away" to "I Like to Be in America" from West Side Story to classical/jazz. Anyone who walked by was treated to a free concert. And many people stayed for a whole set.

It is people who make a neighborhood great and music is known to be therapeutic. Westerwood has great people and talented musicians; this neighborhood is, indeed great. May the concerts continue and the people continue to be welcoming! Happy Tuesday! 

Humans of Westerwood

Today, we feature STOP 16 on the 2019 Westerwood neighborhood Art & Sole event held this past saturday. Hosting at 405 North Mendenhall Street was Mark Engebretson where music was played on the porch at 11 am, 12 pm, 1pm, and 4pm. And, young Finn Phoenix played at 2pm. Above, a crowd was gathered for the 12 pm session to enjoy the lovely music which lilted throughout the neighborhood. 

We are glad to see that 405 Westerwood is still filled with art and joy. We featured it seven years ago when artist Kathy Reese lived there. Kathy is no longer on this earth, but she would be so happy knowing that her front porch is still a beacon for people who love the arts. Please take a minute to read the old post, here, where we do a better job of talking about Westerwood. Stop back tomorrow and we'll show a close up of the music on the porch.

All Welcome

On yesterday's walking tour of the artists' studios in Westerwood, we spotted this sign at 406 North Mendenhall. The people in the house seem like they are very inclusive. All, all, all, and all!

The house may be tired and in dire need of a paint job, but the people inside will make you feel loved. Regardless of your religion or belief system, they will embrace you. We'd love to talk to the people who put the sign up. In the meantime, it is great food for thought for a Sunday, the holiest of days for Christians!

 

GTA Electric Busses

Greensboro's electric busses are beautiful inside and, when you are on them, they are pretty quiet. Gone are the chugging, loud sounds of diesel busses. Yesterday, the Greensboro transportation department had an electric bus parked in the lot at the corner of MLK Drive and South Elm Street during First Friday. Greensboro transportation employees, Kevin Elwood and Cari Hopson, were on hand to answer all questions about Greensboro's latest mode of public transportation. They were so nice and knowledgeable and really make you feel as if the transportation department is in good hands.

Currently, Greensboro has 13 electric busses and are scheduled to be getting more. The routes are about 30 minutes and all start and end at J. Douglas Galyon Station. Rides are $1.50 and there are many options for paying and many discounts available (to students, veterans, senior citizens). The busses can accommodate two bikes on the front bumper in case you want that ride/bike option. If you haven't ridden a Greensboro bus in a while, we suggest trying them again. Maybe even today!

Tomorrow is the Art and Sole Artists' Event in Westerwood!

Tomorrow is the first Saturday in October, which means that it is time for the annual Art & Sole art event in the Westerwood neighborhood in Greensboro. Located between West Friendly Avenue, North Josephine Boyd Street, and Benjamin Parkway, Westerwood is a neighborhood filled with artists and people who take great pride in their neighborhood. The above house is an example of both. The architecture and landscaping is stunning and, as you can see in the front yard, this house will be a stop on the self-guided, walking art tour this year.

Thanks to potter, Ann Lynch, for ten years, artists of Westerwood have opened their studios to the public. This year, about 20 artists will participate. If you're in the market to purchase pottery or original art, or to just get out for a stroll in a neighborhood that has been charming since its construction in the 1920's, this is the event for you. See you there sometime between 10am and 5pm! You can find the stops under westerwoodartandsole on Facebook. 211 Hillcrest Drive is listed as stop #1. Start there, or, just to to Cortland Street, Fairmont Street, North Mendenhall, or Crestland, and you will be well on your way! 

Brown House

The little brown house at 2022 Walker Avenue looks so charming against the blue sky and the wildflower garden bordering the driveway. There is some mowed grass in the front, but it looks like the owners are making an effort to balance the mowing with some natural habitat. Also, the yard hints at an artist living there. While they are almost camouflage against the dark colors, metal sculptures are found throughout the property.

This three bedroom, one bathroom house was built in 1927. Located between Lindley Park and UNCG, surely, this place has seen a lot in its 90+ years. This neighborhood is very walkable and, if you get thirsty en route, you can stop at Bestway Grocery Store to refuel before continuing along your journey. On the day we drove by, a neighbor was relaxing in her hammock and very observant of the fact that we were taking a photo. How nice that the neighbor was making sure we weren't doing anything but looking!

Fun Fall Walks

In Greensboro, autumn is the perfect time to take long walks. Days are getting shorter, but the sun casts such beautiful, golden shadows when it is low to the horizon. The sounds and smells are breathtaking. The above photo shows a walkway along a golf path in northwest Greensboro. One of the greatest parts of golfing is being outside in nature.

However, if you don't golf, or belong to one of Greensboro's many golf courses, the city parks offer many great options, including a vast assortment of trails and greenways. It is supposed to be hot for the next couple of days and then cool off dramatically. If you want to beat the heat, plan ahead to walk on Friday. It will be First Friday and, it is always fun to walk the length of Elm Street from near LeBauer Park and the Cultural Arts Center to the South 600 block of Elm Street, near Gate City Boulevard. In the meantime, today, we'll continue to search out new paths and trails. Happy Wednesday!

Vultures Galore

October opens with a photo of the vultures roosting on the tower at the corner of Old Horse Pen Creek Road and 220 North Battleground. Right behind the CVS, on the northeast corner of the intersection, the tower is full of vultures.  On the east coast, vultures are expanding their range and they have moved here by the dozens. Vultures can be a nuisance, but they are part of the ecosystem, devouring animals that get killed on the road. Vultures are social, monogamous, and maintain strong social bonds throughout their lives. Basically, while they loom above Battleground, waiting for their next meal, they are having a good time enjoying each other's company.

We learned that in flight, a group of vultures is a kettle; resting, they are a committee; when devouring a carcass, they are wake. When we were there, the committee was settled in for the night. Have you noticed them anywhere else in Greensboro?