Greensboro Daily Photo

Boating on Greensboro's Lakes

Boating is a great sport and way to keep physical distance. The man in this boat was fishing on Lake Brandt recently. He said he had luck when it was overcast but not once the sun came out. Lake Brandt is one of Greensboro's municipal reservoirs. It was built in 1925 and named for Greensboro mayor Leon Brandt.* Largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish are the fish most commonly caught in the lake.

The largest bass caught on Lake Brandt, weighed twelve pounds and two ounces (read, here) and was caught by C.T. Boyles in 1967. Perhaps this will be the year for the record to be broken. Can you imagine catching a 12-pound fish on a Greensboro lake? Happy fishing, all three lakes are open today!

*reference and more information, here.

Lindley Park Beauty on Walker Avenue

This 2405 Walker Avenue beauty was built in 1939. It is the epitome of curb appeal. Just look at that entrance. There is no doubt about the location of the entry. The path, hedges, and arched entranceway lead you there. As your eye moves to the left, you see a cozy front porch that is open, yet secluded.

Lindley Park is known for its diversity in the architectural styles of homes. As a neighborhood, Lindley Park dates back to the early 20th century. As homes were built in this 645 acre area just west of downtown, many homes followed architectural trends of each wave of construction. If you want to learn more about this beautiful neighborhood, read their plan here. If you want to see this beautiful house, start at the corner of Walker and Elam and walk a few blocks west. Happy Wednesday!

Leave It To Beavers

In case you wondered, beavers are alive and well in Greensboro. The above photo was taken at Lake Brandt this past weekend, just north of the Strawberry Road entrance to the greenway. Beavers, America's largest rodent, on average weigh 35-40 pounds, but can grow to 70 pounds. Beavers are found throughout North Carolina. They are known to frustrate humans because they can fell a tree in no-time. The above cedar didn't have a chance!

While humans might not want their property flooded or swampy as a result of a beaver dam, the dams can actually help control erosion and sedimentation and provide habitat for wetland wildlife (reference and more information, here). Beavers are highly prized for their pelts, meat, and the castor oil derived from their bodies. As long as they aren't doing any harm, it is best to leave these critters alone.

Heather & Victor: Lock of Love

The bridge on the greenway near Bur-Mil Park in Greensboro is slowly starting to fill with locks of love. People put locks on the chain link fencing. If it is a lock with a key, often, the lock gets thrown into the water. The above lock, a combination Masterlock, was placed there by Heather and Victor. We aren't sure when this tradition began, but we hadn't noticed noticed this tradition prior to COVID-19.

This tradition of placing locks on bridges is also one that is popular in Paris, France. Perhaps the most famous case is Pont des Arts Bridge over the Seine River at the Louvre. The bridge was cleared of locks in 2015, and already, they report having a million locks put back on since then, which equates to 45 tons. The average car weight 2 tons or 4,000 pounds. So, if you are inclined to add a lock to a fence, know that you are contributing to tons of extra weight. Still, it is kind of a sweet thought and it is interesting that it has spread to Greensboro and, the action is not exactly impulsive. It took a lot of pre planning for Heather and Victor to get their lock engraved and leave it above Lake Brandt.

Faith Bible Christian Church

Sunday is a day we like to post something spiritual on Greensboro Daily Photo. It is a chance to pause and reflect on the beauty of life and the thought of something bigger guiding us along in life. Exploring the Guilford County/Forsyth County line yesterday, we stumbled upon Faith Bible Christian Church. This church is located on North River Road in Oakridge, at the corner of Goodwill Church Road and Haw River Road. While Faith Bible was founded in 2002, the building and cemetery indicate there has been a Christian community on the spot for a very long time.

As we walked to the side, we noticed the cemetery. As you can see above, there are many markers that are simply stones. While some graves had engraved headstones, some had these stone markers with lichen growing on them. We saw some newer graves, but need to go back and find the oldest one. If you know about the rocks, let us know. 

Happy Sunday!

 

Face-To-Face School Has Concluded For This Academic Year

Yesterday, Governor Cooper informed us that school will not resume face-to-face in North Carolina this year. Students will continue with online learning. The above photo features the busses at Grimsley High School, just west of downtown Greensboro. The busses sit there in the parking lot, silent for the rest of the school year.

Greensboro, High Point, and Guilford County all have very dedicated teachers who are delivering lessons online. Regardless of what decisions get made about grading, hopefully students are intrinsically motivated and will want to have the opportunity to continue to learn and grow. Everyone is new at teaching, learning, and surviving a pandemic. Let's hope that we flatten the curve in Greensboro (and beyond) and that our residents, especially students, will thrive. Happy Saturday! Does it feel like the weekend?

Airborne Blue Heron

You never know what you will see when out walking. Greensboro's three lakes (Higgins, Brandt, and Townsend) have their fair share of herons. The above photo shows a heron that had just left Lake Higgins, heading east. We suspect he was headed to Lake Brandt. In North Carolina, these birds are commonly seen in the Piedmont region and they are year-round residents. The blue heron is a large wading bird, and if you look at that silhouette, it is hard to imagine that this beautiful creature can fly. Look at those long legs. The wingspan can get to 6 1/2 feet and it can weigh over 5 pounds.

Truly, the blue heron is a magnificent creature, and it is amazing to be walking and see one fly right overhead. Enjoy your weekend folks; try to get outside, but, keep your distance.

Happy Earth Day, A Day Late

Yesterday, was Earth Day and we featured Nanny Foster, a lifelong Greensboro resident,  who is very conscious of the needs of the planet. Today, we feature a bird nest built in a holly tree in northwest Greensboro, not too far from Bur-Mil Park. The nest is a work of art with the twigs assembled in a way that makes the nest sturdy and perfect for baby birds. We're not sure what type of bird made it, but it is only about 5' from the ground and mostly made of sticks with a softer grass area in the middle. Perhaps it was made by cardinals. Do any of our readers have an idea?

At any rate, birds are very sensitive to pollution and pollutants.If we maintain an environment in which birds thrive, it will be a good place for humans, too. Today is Day 1 of the Piedmont Triad BioThon brought to us by Stormwater SMART. If you want to participate in this opportunity to document the beauty around you in Greensboro and share with the rest of us, look at their website, here.

Happy Earth Day, a day late; however, truthfully, every day should be Earth Day! The local BioThon lasts until June 19th, the last day of spring.

Nanny and the Girls

Four years ago, we featured Nanny Foster in her fabulous College Park/West End Place garden, here. Nanny's knowledge of flowers, gardening, and what local nurseries have to offer just may be unparalleled in Greensboro. Today, we are highlighting the three mosaic statues that adorn her front driveway. These life-size mosaic sculptures are the work of accomplished, Chatham County mosaic artist LaNelle Davis.* Each of LaNelle's sculptures tells a story, representing strong, hardworking women of the south. She wants her sculptures to exude dignity whether the sculpture is waiting for the bus or already at work, somewhere like a mill.

Nanny first saw the sculptures about twenty years ago in a nursery in Hillsboro. She purchased them one at a time, not actually planning to have all three. But, with the owners of the nursery moving to Mexico to work on a permaculture farm, Nanny just couldn't leave the ladies behind. They weigh about 600 pounds each and if you talk to Nanny, she will have you laughing about each one's journey to her house and the movers who worked to secure them into place. 

As Nanny spends so much of her day working in her glorious yard, she has her three ladies to brighten her day. It is so wonderful to to see Nanny working outside, diligently supervised by this trio. 

*read more about LaNelle and her great mosaic work, here.

Airstream-ish

This past weekend, the above vehicle was parked at Red Cinema on Battleground Avenue. It wasn't clear whether or not someone was living in it. It looks rather Airstream-ish with that silver bullet finish. However, it appears to have four wheels and more RV-like. the feature that really sets it apart from just about anything we've seen lately is that giant metal fin.

It looks like it is about to be spray painted by the mural painted by Greensboro artist Brian Lewis, aka Jeks. It is fun to see this vehicle somewhat become one with the art surrounding it. If you find out the details about this mysterious vehicle, please let us know. We drove past early Sunday morning and, if there were someone inside, they were sleeping. We drove on and sort of created a story ourselves. Happy Tuesday! 

GREENSBORO STRONG

GREENSBORO STRONG! As we've been quarantined for over a month and non-essential businesses have been closed, it is so refreshing to drive by Friendly Center and see the GREENSBORO STRONG sign. Hopefully the Friendly Center businesses will make it through this difficult time. The essential businesses in the center seem to be staying relatively busy. Harris Teeter and Whole Foods keep locals supplied with food. Gate City Pharmacy, located in Friendly Center, will bring your prescription out to the car if you call ahead and make arrangements.

With Moses Cone just a block east, we are all reminded why we are staying home. In the meantime, driving from one essential chore to the next have a peek at what your friends, neighbors, and favorite businesses are doing to remain GREENSBORO STRONG. We're betting this sign was brought to us by TRIAD YARD CARDS, a local business started by a Grimsley High School Student. What a fabulous idea, to greet people with a custom message! Seeing GREENSBORO STRONG is just what the doctor ordered!

 

Friendly Avenue Baptist

Friendly Avenue Baptist Church, like the rest of the churches in Greensboro, is holding its services online today, as opposed to in person. For the young and tech savvy, this arrangement is not much of an issue. However, for the older members and the ones without internet access, the arrangement is a real hardship. Some members have attended for decades, rarely missing a Sunday. The origins of the church actually date to 1899, but the present building wasn't constructed until 1963. If you are interested in reading more about the history, see the website, here.

For those members who are really missing their church, not to worry. The geese have promised to keep a watchful eye for you. Happy Sunday!

Life on Princeton Avenue

Today's feature is a home on Princeton Avenue, a neighborhood in Greensboro where many of the streets are named after Ivy League schools. It is also near Lindley Park and the area where John Van Lindley had his his Pomona tile factory. The easiest way to access it is to turn behind the Sheetz Gas Station on Market Street. The neighborhood has so much character with quite a variety of single family dwellings. This house, at 4303 is one of the largest ones in the neighborhood. It was built in 1925 and still has much of the original charm, yet with modern updates, including an expansive deck and yard that is ofer 1/2 an acre.

We stumbled on it when in search of a friend's house who lives on Princeton Avenue and on some days puts giant googley-eyes around the yard to help lift everyone's spirits. The day we were there, the googley-eyes had been taken down because it had rained. At least we got to discover the above beauty. We hope you have a good weekend in beautiful Greensboro- or beyond (if you are one of our readers from elsewhere). Oh, the wondrous things out there to see when we have the time to notice.

Pond and Sky View

There are so many trails and good walking streets in Guilford County in Greensboro. Walking is an opportunity to get exercise, yet remain physically distant. The air really does seem refreshing and clean these days. The temperatures in April have been cool at night and warming up in the day. Perfect for walking.

The above photo is of a small pond on the southwest edge of the Farm Golf Course of the Greensboro Country Club, in the Carlson Dairy and Tory Hill area.  The white structure in the middle of the photo is an old grain silo back when the land was farmed.

Today should be a great day for skywatching it will be sunny and the temperature just may reach 70º. We hope you have a chance go get out and enjoy. Happy Friday! Hope to see you tomorrow.

Dogs of Greensboro:London

During this time of quarantine, many people with pets are getting to spend a lot more time with them. Greensboro residents love their dogs and cats. The above photo features London, a soft-coated Wheaton terrier who lives in the Westerwood area. In true Wheaton tradition, London is super friendly, energetic, and playful.  Something unique about London is that he loves to have his photo taken! He should model! We had to remind him that we were physically distancing and couldn't touch him (since we are not his owners).

Seeing people out walking with their canines is a little bit of a distraction from spending most of the day in the house- a good diversion for the dogs, the dog walkers, and the people passing by. However, it is important to remember to interact socially while also physically distancing. It is fun, though, to learn the names of the dogs of Greensboro. We give London a four paws up in personality and temperament and were so enthralled with him that we forgot to ask his owner her name. Happy Thursday.

Downtown Greensboro

When is the last time you've been through downtown Greensboro. Hopefully, it has been a while and you are able to quarantine in place at your home.

However, Greensboro is so beautiful with all of the trees greening out. It was especially beautiful last Saturday, as it was a bright, sunny day. This is the view from Friendly Avenue, just east of Elm Street and heading west. Have a great midweek.

If you are home with children who are trying to learn online, do the best you can with them. If it is possible to make happy memories related to this time at home together, that fun will be remembered long after they've moved on from solving math problems and reading assignments. Happy Wednesday!

Trees Down in Recent Bad Weather

Sunday night and Monday morning brought severe storms to the Greensboro/Piedmont region. Cell phones were beeping a little after 5am yesterday with a tornado warning. The public schools cancelled their food distribution ahead of time due to concerns over the storm. Fortunately damage was not as bad as it could have been in the Greensboro area.

The above photo shows a tree that fell during a recent wind storm. Considering how bad the damage could have been, the house on this property was relatively spared. The guys in the photo are the crew from Bill's Tree Service that cut up the 90' tree, hauled it away, and cleaned up all of the mess the tree left behind. It pays to have good insurance and a little bit of good luck in these situations. We so desperately need our mature tree canopy, but is is a challenge to figure out which trees are healthy and which are at risk of falling. Here's to sunny day today full of smiles and laughter.

The Beauty of a Westerwood Walk

Saturday was such a beautiful day for walking in Greensboro. So many people were out walking, bike riding, and doing yard work. The above photo is a scene from the Westerwood neighborhood of Greensboro. It gives you an idea of how beautiful Greensboro is in the springtime. For those who celebrated Easter yesterday, hopefully you stayed safe and made the most of a holy day while maintaining physical distance. 

As we write this post Sunday night, we're hoping the power stays on and that Greensboro was spared the menacing storm. Here's to another glorious week of spring.

Resurrection and Eternal Life...

Today, we share a robin's nest with one, beautiful, blue egg. The nest was found in a Greensboro backyard when owners were preparing to cut down a shrub and replace it with a blueberry bush. Always check trees and shrubs before cutting them down. If a bird is nesting, bees swarming, possum hanging out, if at all possible, hold off on your yard work. Greensboro is beautiful not only because of the great people, but also because of the beautiful flora and fauna. 

The egg is a symbol of fertility, resurrection, and eternal life. As Christians today revisit the story of Christ's resurrection and their belief in eternal life, may this robin's egg serve as tangible symbol of the beauty of life and believing in things we can't always see. Where there is life, there is hope!

American Green Tree Frog

Thursday was warm and the American green tree frogs were having a field day. The above photo was taken in a backyard in northwest Greensboro. Based on the size, this frog appeared to be relatively young. These green tree frogs are more common in the coastal plain region; however, increasingly they are moving west and are now commonly found in Greensboro and the rest of the Piedmont region.

These frogs are worth their weight in gold with respect to what they eat. As insectivores, they love to eat flies and mosquitoes. When they get to their full size, up to 2.5 inches, they eat a lot of bugs! Who knows, if your children are in your backyard looking for Easter eggs, don't be surprised if a little toad or frog hops along.

Happy Saturday!

Secular Traditions and Getting Out and About

Many holidays have both religious and secular traditions. At Eastertime, colorful eggs are a symbol of rebirth and renewal. Many people decorate bushes, shrubs, and small trees with plastic eggs. This home in north Greensboro enjoys this very tradition. As we remain quarantined for COVID-19 having traditions within and around the home are more important than ever. For children, there is a balance between helping them realize that these are serious times and letting them know there are ways to be joyful. Imagine the joy of a child who has the opportunity to decorate.

What are you doing to bring some joy into your life today? When the weather is nice, many people in Greensboro are out walking. If you are interested in exploring Greensboro's trails, here is a recent News2 segment on our city's great trail system. You won't likely see an egg tree, but- even better- you just might see some real eggs in nature.

Bees Swarming in Greensboro

 

Yesterday a swarm of bees relocated onto a small tree in our Greensboro backyard. What do you do when 10,000 bees come your way? You call a Guilford County beekeeper (website, here). Right on the beekeepers' website, they have a link where you can contact a member near you to relocate a swarm of honeybees. They even help you identify what kind of bees are swarming. 

The above photo shows Larry the Beekeeper capturing our swarm to relocate to his property. It took Larry about 45 minutes to get all 10,000 bees, including the queen. He did not get stung once, nor did we, and we were very close. Larry was very helpful in answering all of our questions about catching bees, why they swarm, how they decide it is time to leave their initial hive, and on and on and on. Larry belongs to the beekeepers groups in three counties and was the first to respond to our call. We called three keepers. All three wanted them! If you have a swarm on your property, please do not spray them. Call a beekeeper. They will gladly relocate the hive for you. Larry first started keeping bees 38 years ago. Having been raised in eastern Guilford County, in farm country, he learned a lot about gardening and the importance of pollinators. He wants his children and grandchildren to learn the value of sustainable agriculture, which requires sustaining pollinators! Thank you, Larry. We are confident you will take good care of our bees.

Thank you Postal Workers

Yes, there is a street in Greensboro called Merlot Way. It is located in a neighborhood known as Laurel Park, across from the Spears Y, off of Horse Pen Creek Road. On one of the mailboxes in the neighborhood is a message thanking the postal workers. While that note is touching, it is especially heartwarming that the postal carrier left a response, "Loved your note. T(hank) Y(ou).

Driving a truck as a postal carrier can be an isolating, stressful job. Unless you have a permanent route, it can be hard to master the logic of a route. Now, in this era where we are supposed to remain home, postal workers are considered essential and continue to deliver the mail daily. Something as easy as expressing gratitude, orally or in writing, to these essential employees can bring great joy to the recipient. May we lift our glasses and join us in a virtual toast to this family on Merlot Way (even if we are only drinking grape juice). 

Thank You First Responders

Today's photo is of Wesley Long Hospital, taken from Green Valley Road. While not always part of the Cone Health network, Wesley Long has served the Greensboro community since 1917. Wesley Long was named for Dr. John Wesley Long; indeed, there was a Wesley Long! The hospital prides itself on being community-based. It is a 175 room, private-bed hospital. The staff members at Wesley Long are doing their best to treat patients who present symptoms of the corona virus, while trying to contain the virus and help prevent the spread.

A heartfelt thank you to all the first responders, at Wesley Long and beyond. Happy Tuesday, readers!

Night Clouds

The weather in Greensboro was beautiful this past weekend. Did you notice the night sky over Greensboro last night. The bright moon lit up the thick wall of clouds and created quite a silhouette of trees that are just starting to leaf out. These are the kinds of things that get noticed when we are spending all of our time between the house and the yard. The first full moon of spring will rise tomorrow night- hopefully another good night for moon viewing. It will be the brightest super moon of 2020.

Today is supposed to be warm with no sign of rain in sight. Passover begins on Wednesday evening; Good Friday and Easter are also this week. The public schools on a traditional schedule are on spring break. However the week is spent, we all need to find a way to make it memorable all while remaining at home. Perhaps moon viewing is in order. If you want to plant a garden, here is a planting calendar for Greensboro, brought to us by the Old Farmer's Almanac.

 

Palm Sunday on Bach Terrace

^{It is hard to believe on this holiest of seasons for Christians, people are having to self-distance and stay home. Sadly, Easter services will needed to be celebrated at home this year. As you drive around Greensboro, it is interesting, and touching, the way people display their faith. This house, just off North Church Street on Bach Terrace, has a painted, wooden Jesus. To be sure, they will be mindful that today is Palm Sunday. Hopefully, they have internet service or cable and can participate virtually. People seem to be finding ways to keep in touch with their school, work, and religious communities during this quarantine.}

^{On another note, thank you to the readers yesterday who helped us solve the mystery of that ugly ball on a cedar tree. Susan Johnston likened it to pictures of the corona virus. JE and Tom Davis accurately identified this cedar/apple rust fungus. Maybe we'll have to seek out more "what is it" curiosities to publish! In the meantime, Happy almost Easter and almost Passover, dear readers.}

What is it?

So, with Greensboro honoring the quarantine and staying at home we need to get a little more creative with the Greensboro Daily Photo posts. And, we are determined. Thank you readers for continuing to check in. The above photo was about the most curious thing we've seen on a recent nature walk. Does anybody have any idea what this is? It is either something about to hatch or it is a disease on an evergreen.

If you recognize this curiosity, please tell us. Whatever it is, it grows in Greensboro. Happy Saturday!

Night Sky Over Greensboro

By day and by night, the sky has been so beautiful in Greensboro this past week. The above photo was taken in northwest Greensboro about 8:30, just as it was about dark. You can see that stars are starting to appear. Stars are even more visible with less light pollution as of late. The mature trees on the above lot are representative of so many properties in Greensboro. 

Tonight is First Friday in downtown Greensboro. While we can't stroll the streets for ourselves, businesses are getting creative about ways to deliver to homes. And, not just restaurants are delivering. If you have a go-to downtown store, it is worth calling and seeing if they can bring something fun to you. Remember to support local businesses. Remember to admire our beautiful city- even at night!

Spring in Greensboro

Greensboro was this beautiful yesterday. As long as you are are able to maintain physical distance, consider heading outside and admiring the beauty of Greensboro this time of year. Yesterday, the skies were clean from the recent rain and the decrease in traffic. Just look at the range of color in the photo of this lot in northwest Greensboro. As you can see, the sun was casting long shadows since it was after 6:00 p.m.

Without a lot of effort, you can see the photographer in this photo. With a little more work, you can see a lovely home hidden behind the trees. We could photograph this same spot every few days, and it would look different. In spring, Greensboro's landscape is ever-changing, always beautiful, even on overcast days.

Free Books

As we continue with all but essential businesses closed, disposing of unwanted items has limited options. You can't donate to thrift stores; you can't sell books to used bookstores. You can sell some things online, throw items away, or put them at the street and offer them away for free. Even then, people are reluctant to touch anything that has been in the hands of others.

At any rate, offering books for free is a very nice gesture. The books in this box were very popular, contemporary fiction titles. Someone would love to read them. The books in this spontaneous, "pop up" library were being offered in northeast Greensboro. However, many neighborhoods in Greensboro have Little Free Libraries. If you are interested in setting up a LFL in your neighborhood, read the history and find a map of where they are already located, see here. In the meantime, continue find ways to experience social interaction while maintaining social distance. Happy Wednesday... and today's post is not an April Fool's joke!