Greensboro Daily Photo

Night Sky Over Greensboro

Last night, we went out walking at sunset to try to find a clear view of the southwest sky since tonight, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune should be visible after sunset. The Cline Observatory in Jamestown is open to the public on clear Friday nights (see HERE). If you are interested in seeing this parade of planets, we suggest you get access to a telescope. It should be a night to remember.

This is the last day of February. Can you believe tomorrow is March! March is always a great month in Greensboro. March 5-9th the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament will be at the Greensboro Coliseum.  Frida, March 7th is First Friday, March 9th is when clocks roll forward an hour for daylight savings time,  and March 20th is the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. Perhaps best of all, signs of spring are popping up everywhere. By the end of the month, the city will be turning green again.

Happy Friday!

Daily Bread Flour

We love the Daily Bread Flour ghost sign on the building at the southwest corner of South Elm and West Gate City Boulevard. This is the area that houses the Continental Club, where there is great jazz music on Thursday nights. Also, it is the location of Greensboro's newest coffee shop, Back Stage. The coffee shop is so new, it doesn't even seem to have any social media presence. When we search it, a shop by the same name in Greenville, SC pops up. This area is known as the  Mill Entertainment Complex.

The building dates to 1912 and was renovated in 2008.  It was formerly the North State Milling Company an early 20th century industrial site.  Preservation Greensboro's Facebook page has the best explanation we've found about the history of the building. "he company was founded in 1912 and manufactured plain and self-rising cornmeal and flour, hen scratch, bran, and feed for livestock. Grain was brought to the site by truck and by rail where it was processed and held for distribution across the region. The original three-level building features a handsome corbelled brick cornice and exterior painted sign advertising Daily Bread Flour, but the interior of the building holds exceptional detailing as well. Remarkably well-preserved, these silos remain an integral part of the Mill. Recent renovations by building owner Eric Robert have exposed these silos in a way that is both historic, yet dramatically contemporary. Robert divided the tall vertical space by floor level, reusing the planks once part of the wall, as flooring. Although spaces are constructed of 100-year old wood, and conform to the dimensions of the original silos, the beautifully austere space is a minimalist setting that feels oddly futuristic."

Tonight and this weekend would be a great time to step inside and see this "oddly futuristic" look.

Happy Thursday!

Cast Iron Spinning Wheel

Do you have something that expresses your personality from the curb? Perhaps you have one of those Tiny Free Libraries? A birdbath or yard ornaments?  Special flowers beds? A vertical garden? We love to walk in neighborhoods and see how people decorate, or in some cases, what  they've inherited from previous occupants. The above street sign is located in the Glenwood neighborhood. We suspect that the ornament is a relic from previous decades. We actually found one of these cast iron, spinning wheel plaques on eBay. 

The 1407 sign reminded us that it is safest to have your street number clearly visible from the road. There is actually a law in North Carolina stating that street numbers must be visible from the road on residential homes. This house has it covered.  Likely, the spinning lady gives us a hint that previously someone who spun yarn and likely knitted or crocheted. With yesterday's temperatures in the mid-60s, it was perfect weather to get out and explore neighborhoods. Today should be warm and sunny, too.

Happy Wednesday!

General Green Council Scout Reservation

The General Greene Scout Reservation was chartered in Brown Summit in 1953 and, as best we can tell, continued through 1994.  For those who are interested, the General Greene Council and Camps Weans and Nikwasi has a Facebook group, open to the public. According to Wikipedia, in 1992, the General Greene Council merged with the Uwharrie Council from the North State Council. The above mug was given to a unit leader in 1969. Land in Browns Summit is being developed for housing and does not have the rural feel that it did back when the scout reservation was located in the ares.

Coming home and researching the history, we wish we'd purchased this mug; however, one can't own everything. At any rate, we captured the photo and have the memory. Now, we're sharing the memory with you. What memorabilia do you have to represent the region's past?  Do you have a memory to share with us?

Happy Tuesday!

MJ Broadway Play at Tanger Center

Yesterday,  was the closing day for "MJ" the Broadway play about the life of singer, dancer, and entertainer Michael Jackson. This jukebox musical follows his career and personal struggles from Gary, Indiana to international stardom. The music, acting, scenery and lighting were superb. It helped us understand why it is so expensive to stage a play.  "MJ" attracted large audiences and the demographic seemed to be younger than many. Michael Jackson has already been gone for 16 years, and his music dates back 40 years ago; however his impact on music, performing, and pop culture will be around forever.

The above photo features a matinee crowd this weekend during intermission. The lobby of the Tanger Center is a generous space with ample lighting, especially by day. As you can see, people were milling about, socializing, having their photo taken with one of the banners from the show, and, of course catching up on a little screen time. Also, people were in line to get drinks and to use the bathroom. Next time we are at Tanger, we are going to count bathroom stalls in the women's room. We think they actually have more stalls than Buc-ee's! Tanger opened nearly four years ago in 2021. We overheard someone saying she couldn't imagine Greensboro without Tanger. 

We read a BBC article this weekend about a Chinese village making a QR code out of trees so that people flying over can scan the image and learn about the village. (See HERE). We had this thought for Tanger guests to get in formation to create a QR code to advertise Tanger Center. We're thinking the QR photo could be taken from the balcony here and put on posters for fun. If they do it, you heard it first on Greensboro Daily Photo. 

Happy Monday!

New Zion Missionary Baptist Church

New Zion Missionary Baptist Church continues to expand not only their physical space, but also their outreach. Above shows the church on Martin Luther King Boulevard. Recently, we shared their Community Enrichment Center (to the left) where there is so much happening for the community, including. community clothes closet. Pastor William F. Wright and his wife have been part of the church since 1980, forty five years ago! Pastor Wright was born in Aiken, South Carolina. His wife is from Henderson, North Carolina. Together, they have watch New Zion grow and expand. The church is not only visible from MLK Drive but is highly visible on East Gate City Boulevard.

We were stuck by the thought of this Corvette sports car racing by New Zion, where the main race is one for salvation.

Happy Sunday!

It Will Be Baseball Season in a Little Over a Month.

Baseball season is almost upon us. The Greensboro Grasshoppers have their first game on Friday, April 5, 2025, against Asheville.* It is a home game and will be played at First National Bank Field. The above photo of the venue was taken from the back side of the stadium at Bellemeade. This stadium replaced the War Memorial Stadium on Yanceyville on April 3, 2005. So this year's opening day will be 20 years and 2 days since the first pitch was thrown in the above stadium. You may remember the controversy surrounding opening a new stadium; however, largely, people are in agreement that is was the right move to bring baseball downtown.

The 2025 schedule is shared below. We hope you will have time to take in a game and participate in the many special events in the stadium. When you are inside, watching the game, it really does feel like the all American thing to do. In the meantime, we will all need to find other things to do for the next month. We've got the whole weekend to see what, serendipitously, will come our way.

Happy Saturday!

*See schedule HERE.

501 North Mendenhall Street

This four bedroom, three bathroom hose on North Mendenhall Street is beautiful by day, but by night, is takes on a personality all of its own. Built in 1920, the house has managed to remain contemporary over the last 105 years. That generous, southern porch is perfect for sipping lemonade and mint juleps and an example of the old with a new.  There has to be a back story to this lighting. If Zillow is correct, the current owners have been in the home for eight year, and, we're pretty sure this lighting is relatively recent. To add to the drama, that tree without leaves frames the house;  its gnarled branches reaching out, as if to get the attention of all who walk by.

Mendenhall is on the eastern of the Westerwood neighborhood. The value of houses on the street continues to grow, with many homes  being upgraded with each new seller.  Have a drive by this weekend and see this beauty. If you know the back story on the lighting, let us know.

Happy Friday!

Desegregation of the Greensboro City Schools

The Greensboro City Schools were desegregated in 1971. Last night, four local residents, who attended school during the early years of desegregation, shared their personal experiences  to Beta Delta, a Greensboro chapter of NC Delta Kappa Gamma, a society of key women educators. Chapter President April Dunovant and Andrea Green, Vice President and Chair of the Educational Excellence Committee, assembled the panel. From left to right, Elaine McRae, Ragsdale High School; David Moore, Dudley High School; Dr. Joanna Evans Lynn, Dudley High School; Francine Scott, Dudley High School (and UNCG).  Elaine spoke about how her high school experience in an integrated school was very good, but only learned recently that the experience was not always as positive for her African American classmates. David Moore and Dr. Lynn both have books about their experiences. Mr. Moore talked about how the Dudley students were not completely on board with the idea. He also said that many of the white students that came to Dudley were from the White Oak Mill Community. As it turned out, the White Oak students were grateful for their Dudley experience because of the great course offerings available at Dudley.  Dr. Lynn worked in the Virginia Public Schools teaching during the first year of integration. Francine Scott graduated from Dudley and also worked there.

The Beta Delta members were very engaged and had several questions for this informative panel.  It is  important to remember our history and use what we have learned to make the future better. Having conversations with diverse groups about their life experiences helps us grow in unexpected ways.  We are really lucky the above four were willing to share their wisdom.

Happy Thursday!

 

Behind Scuppernong Books

Scuppernong Books has been a great 3rd space downtown since it opened in 2013. Over the last 12 years, they have had many community events, some ongoing and more like pop-ups. . Last weekend, we visited the bookstore and spent a great deal of time perusing the used book section in the back. The used section is even more appreciated, now that McKays is no longer in Greensboro. Both the new and used book sections are very nicely curated. You will find books there that are not in your average, corporate, chain bookstore.

As we took a break from reading, we noticed how lovely the alley behind the bookstore looked on the overcast day. Gina Franco painted it and named it Rainbow Alley. That painted asphalt is so cheerful and. The building  behind the truck is the Biltmore Hotel, which has a tremendous history all of its own and many different purposes since being built in 1903. We still need to feature the interior of the Biltmore. Maybe this weekend.

Happy Thursday!

Consider Taking a Class at Reconsidered Goods

Today's photo features K.D., Education and Community Outreach Associate at Reconsidered Goods. Reconsidered Goods (RG) is a creative reuse store, a sort of thrift shop for artists. They accept donations of almost anything that could  be used for a creative purpose, everything from scraps of fabric, to partial bottles of acrylic paint to broken necklaces with beads that could become a bracelet or new necklace with the imagination of an artist or crafter. The end goal is to keep as much as possible out of landfills.*  This past Sunday, K.D. (photographed above) co-lead a workshop with education team member Brianna (not photographed). The workshop involved creating patchwork quilted tote bags inspired by the Gee's Bend Quilters of Alabama. Here, K.D. is helping finish my bag as I decided to incorporate a double, interior pocket and K.D. helped make sure that the handles didn't sew through the pockets. Her patience, great smile,  and teaching style are to be commended. In the end, everyone went home with a unique, quilted bag.

K.D. was born and raised in Greensboro. After graduating from Page High School, she went on to earn a BFA from UNCG in sculpture and ceramics. She has always loved art and remembers learning to sew sitting on her mom's lap when she was a young child. She has worked at Reconsidered Goods for a year and a half and is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach at RG.  This upcoming weekend, RG is offering a two day sewing class. They will have machines, expertise, fabric, thread, scissors, pins, literally everything you need to learn to sew. It is such a fun environment to learn in. Our cohort joked that at one point, it felt a little like Project Runway with all of us trying to finish up our projects. One workshop participant drove all the way from Charlotte because they don't have a store comparable to RG. Here  is the bag I made, with a little help from K.D.

* They have a list of items they will and won't accept. For example, they will only accept clothing if it is vintage or a costume.

Back Stage Coffee Shop, Greensboro's Latest Gathering Spot

Greensboro’s newest coffee shop, Back Stage, is located next to the Continental Club, just south of Gate City Boulevard on South Elm Street. Conveniently situated near a spacious gravel parking lot, it offers ample off-street parking. Another amenity is that the shop features a large back room, available for community groups to host music performances and other events. One such event took place on Saturday;  a group gathered in the back room to discuss the contested election (Nov. 5, 2024)  between Jefferson Griffin and incumbent NC State Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs. It remains the only election with uncertified results in the United States.

 Mr. Griffin is seeking to have 60,000+ votes excluded from the count. Those whose votes were in question shared their perspectives on the circumstances leading to this situation and why they believe their votes should be counted. Regardless of political views or voting choices, on Presidents Day, it is important to appreciate the right to peaceably assemble and to have unabridged free speech. This very spacious coffee shop is a venue that will likely be used by many for music,  public dialogue, and other community events.

Skenes Chapel Holiness Church

The East Gate City Boulevard view of Skenes Chapel Holiness Church is spectacular. It exudes strength and presence. Unfortunately, the front of the church is showing a lot of age. The giant white columns could use a paint job, and the porthole windows need to be replaced. The front of the church is located at 350 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive in Old Asheboro, just down from Southside.  The building was built in 1915 and currently takes up most of the .45 acre on which it is built. It is one of the first churches in the nation to have an ordained female pastor. It would be so nice to see community organizations rally and help restore this church to its original glory. 

According to the sign out front, Sunday school is at 10:00 a.m. and the Sunday worship service is at 11:00 a.m., with Bishop Lawrence S. Tate leading the service. We stopped by yesterday but the church was locked up and there was no way to see past the small ante-room that leads to the sanctuary. Someday, we'd love to get inside. Here is a photo of the church we took 14 years ago.

Happy Sunday!

Winter Jasmine

This afternoon, we were out urban walking on Highland Avenue, off of Gate City Boulevard. When we saw these flowers, we knew they were too small to be forsythia. But, they are the same color and a similar shape. Using our iNaturalist and Seek apps, we saw that this is winter jasmine. Winter jasmine is a deciduous, perennial shrub. Originally from Tibet and Central China, it is a member of the olive family.  It reminded us that Greensboro plants in Greensboro are about to start blooming. We like to refer to this bloom calendar for North Carolina (see HERE). 

You know we will be out walking and seeing what is in bloom, where, in Greensboro. Up next in February is Columbine; and then a lot will look in March. Try those apps. It is so much fun to increase expertise on plants around us, not only their names, but their origina.

Happy Saturday!

Friday Is Get Out and See Art Day

For us, Friday is get out and see art day. Sometimes visual arts; sometimes performing art. Above was last Friday's venture to the Weatherspoon where we saw this giant pair of hands. What a lot to ponder. The artwork, oil on canvas with metal leaf, is called "Sore Models III." It was painted in 1994 by American Artist Jane Hammond.  In the work, you see lots of complex imagery related to the human body: the heart, eyes, brain, hand-within-a-hand, and child in utero, There is a sun, moon, and a star.  "Sore Models Two" (not featured here) is a pair of feet, equally complex in imagery. Artists don't always like to be compared to other artists, but , to us, her artwork is reminiscent of a little bit like outsider artist Henry Darger and a little bit Mexican lotería cards.

That we can see such thought provoking art right here in Greensboro, and for free, is so special. If you are looking for something to do on Valentine's Day, with a friend, a significant other, or your special self, art galleries, venues with live music, and  book stores are great options. If it has been a difficult week, you may want to head to a trampoline park and bounce away. For something hands-on, Reconsidered Goods is holding a workshop on how to mend clothes, tomorrow from 11-2pm. That could be a whole new hobby for you and that special someone, even if that someone is your very special self. . Hope to see you out and about.

Happy Friday; Happy Valentine's Day!

Night Street Scene Around Town

Greensboro readers, if we didn't tell you where this photo was taken, would you know? If you know.... you know.

We love this night scene, the way the tree, that we never notice, is dormant, just waiting to leaf out. The fence adds a rural look. The TEXAS road house would look like a house, were it not for the neon. Such is the view for those in the drive-thru at Cook-out, on the right side of the building, near Maxie Bs. We only noticed it because we were waiting for our milkshake. We cropped the photo because to the right is a mattress store which diminishes the allusion of happening upon this place driving around rural Texas. 

The first TEXAS road house dates to 1993 in Indiana. The above location of the chain opened about 12 years ago. It is hard to believe it has been open that long. It is hard to believe how much Battleground Avenue has changed. To be sure, there are plenty of food options in this part of town. 

Happy Thursday... some say it is the new Friday.

Big Beautiful Night Sky

February has been quite the month for fabulous sky views.  With the cold, clear nights, extended hours of darkness, trees still without leaves, and the planetary alignments, Greensboro has had some spectacular views this month. The above photo was taken a couple of nights ago. The moon wasn't quite full, but it was highly visible. The vapor trails from air planes coming and going from PTI Airport crossed the moon at just the point to make it look like the trails were moon beams. 

According to the sunrise-sunset calendars, Friday, February 14th, Valentines Day, is the last time until November that the sun will set before 6:00 p.m. in Greensboro. Our city is beautiful in every season, and winter is the time to see snow; however, this has been the winter of the big, beautiful, night sky. Find your special, low-light-pollution area to star gaze and have a blast.

Happy Wednesday!

Valentines Day in a Few More Days

 

It is three more sleeps before Valentines Day. Do you celebrate? Are you ready? We were downtown this past weekend at Chandler's (formerly the Green Bean) and the place was really busy. It is nice to see downtown businesses doing well. Alexa was mixing specialty drinks almost as fast as people were ordering them. Lots of chocolate and some spirits were mixed, and the drinks all had cute names with a nod to love and chocolate. Espresso martinis were a big hit, as were the love and lattes.  There is lots oa artwork for sale and/or to look at. This area near the front window is so cozy and inviting

Chandler's hours may vary today depending on the weather. However, if they are open and you need a place to sit, have a great cup of coffee, and get some work done, this coffee shop is a great option.  Everybody needs a third space or two. Where are yours in Greensboro? Stay warm, and, as always, thank you for reading. We just love those arched windows on the Elm Street side of Chandler's. 

Happy Tuesday!

February = Heart Health Month + a Day Dedicated to LOVE

February is the month to show love on Valentines Day, which leads to the entire month being dedicated to heart health. The above photo features The Blood Connection- mobile in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart on North Battleground Avenue. Yes, it was possible to donate blood before and after shopping. A rewards card of a $40 value came with the process.

Every month is a good month to donate blood. The Greensboro American Red Cross office is located at 1501 Yanceyville Street. If you want to give blood or organize a blood drive through your work, school, or house of worship. they are always ready to help you organize.  I-800-RED-CROSS is a pretty east number to remember. Red Cross was established in 1881 by Clara Barton and others in Washington, D.C. It is hard to believe they have been around for 144 years!

Happy Monday!

Christ Covenant Church

Christ Covenant Church is one of those churches that looks deceptively small from the street view and extremely large when you drive around back. It is located at the corner of Friendly Avenue at 811 Jefferson Road; near Friendly Avenue Baptist Church and Formation of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church. Christ Covenant  was established in 1981 and is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America. On Sunday's, morning worship is at 11:00 am and evening worship is at 5:30.

This dynamic church has high visibility in the location and is usually a great place to stop and purchase Girl Scout cookies.  In addition to the Presbyterian congregation, a smaller church also holds services there. Based on photos online, the sanctuary appears to have an A-frame roof and lots of wood. We're betting the acoustics are lovely. The church absolutely glows at twilight with the vibrant blue sky as a backdrop.

Happy Sunday!

Cultural Arts Center

Last night, the Greensboro Cultural  Center on Davie Street downtown was a hotbed of activity on First Friday. Galleries and hallways were filled with performing and visual arts. The above photo features the Greensboro Grow Residency Room in the center. Currently in residence is musician Jackie Spade and the room was hopping. Greensboro Grow residencies are available from one to four weeks and, once accepted, use of the space if free to the performing or visual artist. It can be considered an incubator space, or a place to interact and get feedback and publicity for one's craft. 

We serendipitously stumbled on Jackie Spade's performance last night. Sometimes, we research First Friday events and other times, we like just to see what we can see and learn as we go. Thanks to YES! Weekly, we learned that Jackies's Greensboro Grow residency was centered around his new album "Ugly Rose" and the immersive experience is entitled, "Ugly Rose: An Immersive Experience."  The themes of the experience, through the music, were beauty, pain, and personal growth.  If you want to see it for yourself, Jackie's residency continues for two more days. (Read YES! Weekly article here). We are so appreciative of local journalism and want to hold on to every opportunity to learn about local events. So thank you, Yes! Weekly. And, thank you to the City of Greensboro for making Grow Greensboro and Creative Greensboro possible. When these artistic initiatives are brought to the community, people come together and learn about each other and have fun. February's First Friday was so much fun and did not cost a dime!  We wonder what March 7th will bring.

Happy Saturday!

Great Instruction Happening at the Weatherspoon Art Museum

We love to go to the Weatherspoon Art Museum on UNCGs campus. It is free, open to the public, and has free parking behind the building for museum visitors. We went earlier this week and noticed several students in the galleries drawing on sketch pads. As they finished up and the museum was closing, they met outside with their instructor. They were debriefing on the experience and he was asking questions getting them to reflect on their experience. The instructor noticed that some of the student-artists were listening to music while drawing and he wanted to know how that impacted their experience.

When students are all-in, or locked-in as kids say today, learning can be magical. Society is very focused on school to work and the STEM courses and careers. However, we have even seen medical students in art museums completing assignments. One assignment was to try to determine if a person in a painting was likely suffering from any illnesses based on their position and appearance. If you haven't been to an art gallery lately, most of our local college campuses have artwork available for the public to see. Also, we have many fine art galleries in Greensboro that are an opportunity to view art. Today is First Friday, so head downtown and try to find some art that touches your heart. Next week is Valentines Day. You just might find something for a special someone. (The Weatherspoon closes at 5:00 pm on Fridays).

Happy First Friday!

Resco Products Refractory Manufacture

Today's photo is part of the Resco Products manufacturing plant in Greensboro. Their address is 3514 West Wendover Avenue, but we took the photo from Spring Garden Street near Pomona Drive. They make "cashable" products; materials that can be mixed with liquid and poured into a mold or to a surface to make a desired shape. Castable refractory mixtures are heat resistant. Examples of castables include the cement used in high-temperature furnaces and kilns. They also make specialty bricks and ceramic anchors. If you look on the property around the building, the white chunks of what appear to be cinder blocks, anchors, or tiles are as powdery white as the above stacks. Perhaps they are cast offs of the castings.

The company was founded on July 26, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pa and is now headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA. We're not sure when the Greensboro branch opened, but at sunrise and sunset, these stacks look other-worldly. We've never noticed anyone working around on the back end of the facility. Perhaps this weekend, we'll try to find the entrance to the building. It seems like one of those places that you don't know about, unless you need to know about it. To be sure, the facility would make a good movie-set location. We would like to thank our friend Alex Seymour for getting us the name of the facility. All it takes is  a little sleuthing and some really smart friends.

Happy Thursday!

The Corner of Golden Gate & State Street at Twilight

State Street seems to be experiencing a rebirth before our eyes. It is the one street in Greensboro that has the feel of a small, beachside town. It is quaint, full of local businesses, and unique shops. The above photo is of the building that used to house a business very dear to our heart. The Saltbox. an original folk art and handmade lighting store, owned by Nancy Moore, opened in the above building in 1974 and closed 37 years later in 2011. Currently, the building has been rebranded as "The District" with six, cute  businesses inside, selling an array of items for the home, clothing, and accessories. We are struck at how beautiful the building looks at night. The landscaping is looking good, too.

We felt very comfortable walking around this past Friday night when several businesses, including The District, were open. The State Street Wine Company had a nice crowd and featured live music.  Cafe Pasta had some great specials. While the salon and personal service businesses attract people who have appointments to State Street, it is the retails shops that are encouraging them to stroll and linger a little longer. It will be fun to monitor the progression of State Street- on foot.

Happy Wednesday!

Construction on Highwoods Boulevard

They have made considerable progress on building townhomes on Highwoods Boulevard, between Hobbs Road and Jefferson Village.  One hundred thirty three and four bedroom townhomes are being installed. These homes will be convenient to Jefferson Elementary, Kernodle Middle, Kathleen Clay Edwards Branch Library and all of the shopping in the area. Here is the change from August. At this rate, they will be completed within six months. We wish we had a photo of the land when it belonged to Jefferson-Pilot; however, it changed hands in 1997, twelve years before we started Greensboro Daily Photo. For sure, this process will be archived in our "then and now" category. This particular property is a little over 16 acres. The community will be called Harmon Jefferson Village. We're wondering what the street names will be. Perhaps it is not too late to make suggestions. Stay tuned for the next installment. We would love to know if anyone found and Revolutionary War artifacts on this previously unimproved land. It is in the vicinity.

Happy Tuesday!

Stars and Planets in the Night Sky

This is a fabulous week for viewing planets in the night sky in NC. Saturday night, several planets were visible in the night sky, the air was calm and crisp. Cell phone photography is not the best for night photography; however, we felt the above photo provides an idea of what the sky looked like on Saturday night in the Piedmont region of North Carolina after that cleansing rain we had on Friday. We weren't as interested in seeing planets as we were marveling how well we could see the start. 

Here is a LINK to a website that tracks planets visible in the night sky in Greensboro and the times they will rise and the extent to which they will be visible. This last night,  here was the reading: Mercury, very difficult to see; Venus, great visibility, Mars, perfect visibility; Jupiter, perfect visibility; Saturn, average visibility; Uranus, average visibility; Neptune, very difficult to see. If you want to visit a planetarium,  UNCG, the Greensboro Science Center, Guilford College, GTTC Jamestown, and High Point University all have planetariums and most publish times when they are open to the public. If you keep your eye out, sometimes there are pop up events around town, too. We owe it to those ancient mariners to be able to look up in the sky and to at least identify some of the major constellations. 

Happy Monday and happy stargazing.

New Zion Missionary Baptist Church

The New Zion Missionary Baptist Church is a very large part of the footprint between Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and East Gate City Boulevard (formerly Lee Street). The above photo features the Greensboro Fire Department Hose Company No 4, Southside, which the church now owns and uses for community outreach activities. The building appears to have been nicely restored and the sanctuary is located to the right of the above building. 

William F. Wright, Jr. is pastor and services are held Sunday mornings and evenings, and there is Wednesday Bible Study. The origins of the church date back to 1897 in the nearby Warnersville community. The church is known for working hard to meet the needs of the congregation and the needs of the surrounding community.  It is hard to believe that the multi-million dollar sanctuary (to the right), built in 2016 is already almost ten years old. In checking our archives, we see we featured it under construction in 2016. (see HERE).  It is fun to look back and see these changes to Greensboro over the years.

Happy Sunday!

February 1, Greensboro Sit Ins

February 1st is a big day in Greensboro, NC, and in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. It is the day that four students from NC A&T University walked from the university to the Woolworth store on South Elm Street in downtown Greensboro. * Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil,  Ezell Blair, Jr., and David Richmond were four college freshman when they last down at the "whites only" lunch counter at the 5 & dime and declared they would not leave until they were served a cup of coffee.

Now, we know, that day represented more than just a cup of coffee. The above photo features the A&T Four statue on campus on the day celebrating the event. The sculpture is the artwork of Greensboro artist and sculptor James Barnhill.  Head over and see it today. If you are at the Greensboro Curb Market on Yanceyville, you are just a block away!

Happy Saturday!

 

* See information HERE.