Greensboro Daily Photo

Beetles of Greensboro: Why Did the Beetle Cross the Road?

You never know what you will find on evening walks. This giant beetle, almost 2", was seen along Jessup Grove Road near Proelific Park. It looks like a female Hercules beetle, given the shape and size.  See #35 on these pictures of the 151 beetles of North Carolina.  The females look very different from the males  (see here). Hercules beetles can be green, gray, or tan. They feed on and live in rotting wood. So, if you want to create a habitat for beetles, don't clean all of the sticks and downed trees out of your yard.

There are about 400,000 species of beetles and they were around to pollinate even before bees; which is why they are the pollinators for magnolia trees. Why don't you hold on to the above list of beetles of North Carolina and see just how many different beetles you locally this summer.

As for the above photo, that giant beetle sure looks imposing on the side of the road.  We confess the above was just the outer shell of the beetle. Perhaps she had moulted. During the walk, a 7 year old boy was in his yard with his mom and we gave it to him. It was a hit, because, he immediately ran to show it to his friend next door. Ahhhhh, making memories in summer.

Regarding the title question, we'll never know why the beetle was trying to cross the road!

A Good Year for Sunflowers in Greensboro

Yesterday, we featured hydrangeas; today, we're sharing a photo of a backyard sunflower. Sunflowers are blooming brightly in Greensboro now. They are easy to grow and can be squeezed into just about any patch of soil, as long as it gets full sun. Our sunflower, while far from perfect, volunteered on the edge of our garden and is bringing us great joy. It is about 8' tall and has a 90º chunk that doesn't seem to want to grow, but we love it anyway.

In 2007, Jerry Wolford, reporting in the News & Record, featured a Forest Oaks resident who joined his neighbors in the planting of sunflowers in the community. This man, Rev Som-Pimpong, had a sunflower that actually grew to 11 feet tall (see, here). More recently, in 2013, Joseph Rodriguez featured Brantley McLendon in the News and Record. Brantley lives in Fisher Park and is known for keeping a pocket full of sunflower seeds and planting them every chance he gets (read more, here). Even more recently, an initiative known as  "The Sunflower Project" in Greensboro was established on Facebook to help in the growing of flowers in urban communities. Unfortunately, their Facebook page has not been active in 2020.

Greensboro gardeners love sunflowers and there is plenty of room room to start sunflower projects like the ones described above. Sunflowers are great to grow with children as they change rather quickly and are the largest flowers in a garden. Depending on variety, it takes 80-120 days to get flowers from seed to sunflower head. If you have a good sunflower story, please share it with us!

Happy Saturday!

Hydrangea Time in Greensboro

Today, we continue with the garden theme and Greensboro has some beautiful gardens. The above hydrangea is a luscious pink that isn't seen as often as the blue/purple ones. Some hydrangea are developed for color, some are very susceptible to soil acidity, with the pinks liking a more alkaline soil. We don't know the backstory of this bush, but we do know that in Sunset Hills alone, several different colors are represented. Two very visible bushes, of different colors can be found on Paisley Street, downtown, behind our now-gone Smith Street Diner.

Did you know there is a Hydrangea Court in Greensboro? What a neat name for a neighborhood street It is found off of Baylor Street, just north of Pisgah Church in Bellwood Village, near Lake Jeanette. From a street map, it looks like there are 18 townhomes on tiny Hydrangea Court. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every unit had at least one hydrangea. We are heading over this weekend to see if we can find some hydrangea bushes. Regardless, they are at peak right now in Greensboro. If you get a chance to see some, they are beautiful. If you are staying in, we're betting you can get a florist to deliver a beautiful one. 

Have a great weekend, weather you chase hydrangeas (like us) or not!

 

The word "hydrangea" comes from Greek meaning "water vessel".

Allen Tomlinson and His Very Beautiful Garden

Meeting up with people to interview during the time of COVID is not easy. However, yesterday, we had a chance to visit Allen Tomlinson who was busy tending his garden. In the above photo, Allen is next to his bee balm. Allen lives in the north end of Kirkwood on Lafayette Street- in a house he purchased about three years ago. Allen has always loved gardening and finds a way to bring plants into his life whether in an apartment or house. His dream is to someday have a lot of land so that he can do even more gardening. In his current residence, Allen has a little bit of everything: Edibles, perennials, annuals, cacti, and tropical plants. It is hard to believe there are grapefruit and lemons growing in his yard in Greensboro. He also has figs, berries, and vegetables. There is a water feature, pea-gravel paths, birdbaths, a birdhouse, bird nests, climbing roses, a trellis, and the list goes on. As seen in the above photo, the back yard is full sun, making it easy to grow plants.

Allen is a Page High School graduate who has been teaching Spanish for about the last 18 years. Currently, he teaches high school Spanish in Alamance County and loves it. The past couple of years have been difficult for Allen as he lost both parents within a span of about 18 months. He says his garden is his happy space, and a hobby that provides great solace. Now that the plantings are well established, he only needs to spend about 30 minutes a day working in the yard. Of course, there are always options to add more plants, to divide ones that have outgrown their space, or to start preparing space for the next season. 

Allen is so diligent about caring for his plants and it is very likely they will be around for a long, long time! A big thank you goes out to our mutual friend Alice Hill who suggested we feature Allen and his garden!

Beautiful Thursday Night Sunset

Greensboro has been so rainy lately, but last night we got a respite and the sunset was beautiful. The above photo was taken in northwest Guilford County close to Horse Pen Creek Road. Tonight' sunset in Greensboro will be at 8:29. The sunset literally and symbolically indicates that day is done. We hope you have had a good day and will find a way to enjoy your weekend. As businesses slowly begin to reopen, please use good judgement and practice good care when venturing out.

Today is the 150th day of 2020, with 216 days remaining. It is also the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. The 2020 theme is Women in Peacekeeping (read about it here). If there are any women in your life who are peacekeepers, in Greensboro or beyond, please be sure to thank them. Happy Friday!

Field of Poppies for Memorial Day 2020

This house at 2705 Camden Road was build in 1928 and, according to realtor.com, the last time it sold was in 2001. We're guessing that the current owners created this field of poppies to the left of the house. This photo was taken yesterday so you can see that the poppies are in full bloom, just in time for Memorial Day. Traditionally people wear poppies on their lapel on Memorial Day to honor those who died in war. This Memorial Day tradition to wear poppies comes from Canadian soldier John McCrae's poem, Flanders Fields* and has been a tradition since 1915.

For years and while he was still living, you could count on Congressman Howard Coble  to speak at Forest Lawn Cemetery. ** Regardless of whether you wear a poppy or just have a moment of silent reflection today, please consider doing something to remember the American service people who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. As for this house at 2705 Camden Road, across from Lindley Elementary School, how wonderful that their field of poppies is blooming exactly on Memorial Day. Do you know of any other fields of poppies in Greensboro? 

 

• * read information from the History Chanel, here.
• ** see the last photo we took of Congressman Coble speaking in Greensboro, here.

Magnolia Blossom Time in Greensboro

In spite of a week of excessive rain, beautiful things are happening in Greensboro. The air is filled with the scent of honeysuckle and star jasmine. The rains this week have also brought out the magnolia blossoms which smell heavenly. The blossom in the above photo is as large as a dinner plate and the tree itself it over 30' tall. When it is not raining, their lemony fragrance abounds in Greensboro. It is one of those white flowers that help make spring/summer night gardens magical. White flowers seem to glow at night and the scent rises with the cooler evening air. The magnolia is one of the oldest known tree species in the world, so old that it is pollinated by beetles because magnolias were around before bees.

Today is Friday, the weekend is beginning. When the raindrops cease, seek out some magnolias.Tish Hinojosa sings a great song about the magnolia tree (please click here to listen). While Tish is from Texas, she does have friends in Greensboro. Maybe we can get her to come here and give us a concert... underneath a magnolia tree.

Rainy Day On Tuesday

Yesterday was an extremely rainy one in Greensboro. The above photo is of a rain barrel, purchased from A&B Seed Farmers Market Garden Center. Unfortunately, it was not installed to get filled with yesterday's rain. Rain barrels are a great way to harvest water to use for watering gardens and other outdoor greenery. 

Yesterday, in Greensboro, it rained 2.31 inches, although it seemed like 10 inches- the way it filled wheel barrows and outdoor containers! Here is a weather tracking website that lets you see weather by day, week, month and location. As an example, yesterday, in Greensboro, the bulk of yesterday's downpour came between 3-6am. The rest of the day was just damp and drizzly. The temperature dropped about 10 degrees yesterday from the low 60s to the low 50s. The rest of the week will be pretty rainy. So, you still have time to purchase a rain barrel.... AND install it. There are several options, from terra cotta, to the flat-back barrel model, to the plainer, more-standard models like the one above. Rain barrels help reduce the fast and furious runoff that comes from large, hard man-made surfaces, like roofs.

Hiking the Farmers Market

This past Saturday, the Farmers Market on Sandy Ridge was very busy. Even with masks, we decided it was better to walk the perimeter for exercise and return to shop during the week, when it isn't quite as busy. While walking back behind AB Farmers Market Garden Center, we found a path we thought was a trail. As seen in the above photo it is so beautiful and natural back there. On into the trail, as it winds toward I-40, there is an old barn. The barn is not safe to enter, but to look at, it is so beautiful. 

Catherine Bishir said that "agricultural old outbuildings are North Carolina's most endangered architectural resource" (shared by Benjamin Briggs, here, 2004). Finding and documenting these old barns was a passion of the late Greensboro photographer Carol Martin. We wish she were still here so that we could see if she every found this one. 

Once we realized that this path was not really a trail, we headed back to the parking lot. If this property is, indeed, part of the farmers market, perhaps the community would be served to add some kind of hiking trail. More and more people are out walking these days. Happy exploring, whether you can get out and physically explore, or remain at home and explore through books and the Internet. May we all find a way to help preserve Greensboro old agricultural outbuildings and our public-access green space.

Big Sky Over Greensboro

When so many of us have been staying close to home for the last two months, getting out on the road registers as a big change in the brain. From house to grocery store back home is a pretty confined space for those not working outside the home.

The above photo was taken yesterday on West Market Street, just west of where Market meets Friendly Avenue. There isn't much built up around there, and the land is relatively flat, so the sky is visible for miles around. With the clouds lined up, seemingly like soldiers in formation, the scene was breathtaking. Out west in the United States, the land is known as "big sky country." However, yesterday, on a sunny afternoon, on West Market Street, it was as if the sky and and horizon were limitless. Something about this simple photo makes us so happy.

Isn't it wonderful to experience joy in something simple. We hope you have a joyful weekend, regardless of what is (or isn't) on your agenda.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Today, I need to brag a little bit on Mr. Greensboro Daily Photo. He is committed to planting as many edibles as possible. The above plot was at one time a flower garden. However, he took the flower garden and planted vegetables. The edge is lined with marigolds with the hope that they will keep the deer away. In the circular "row" behind the marigolds is filled with kale and chard. It is on the low side now, because we have been harvesting it. Behind that row is the cabbage. To the right of the cabbage is spinach; again, recently harvested. Behind the spinach is broccoli, planted from seed. The blank patch to the right of the broccoli has raddish seed that was just replanted today. The very back row is Brussel sprouts, which should be ready to eat in about a week. We have eaten several times from this small garden.

We hope you can appreciate how lovely and rewarding even a small garden can be. Now, more than ever, people are around to help you if you have questions about gardening. In Greensboro, there are even community gardens through neighborhoods and through churches and other religious communities. In a community garden, there is always someone willing to give advice.  If you don't have a space in the ground for a garden, perhaps you can try container gardening.

We are long overdue in planting our summer vegetables. Maybe we will plant this weekend. Let us know if you put in a garden and how your garden in growing with this cold weather. We'd love to photograph some people in Greensboro working in their gardens. Happy Thursday!

Assassin Bugs

Have you heard of assassin bugs? We spotted these in a tree in Greensboro. It is a tiny egg cluster about the size of a  quarter (25¢) and are attached to a tree about 4' off the ground. Assassin bugs have a killer sting to their prey. It is a predator that feeds on insects, including aphids, caterpillars, beetles, and more. Generally they are considered a friend to farmers and gardeners since they eat things that destroy crops. However, do not touch them as their sting is very painful to humans.

Nymphs are hatching now. They molt through several stages and curiously, they seem to stay near the egg cluster, unless when we checked a few hours after taking this photo more were being born. Nature is amazing to watch and definitely provides something fun to do while we are in quarantine. Learn more about Assassin bugs from the NC State Extension Service, here.

Happy Monday! Happy May! 

Happy May 1st

May 1st is celebrated by some as International Labor Day. By others, it is a spring holiday. Some Greensboro Schools, like Jones Elementary, had a tradition of celebrating May Day for years. The Bennett Belles crowned a May Day Queen. May is the last full month of school and the last full month of spring. As we all remain quarantined in place, this May will be very different from the ones we have experienced in the past.

The above photo features a field full of blackberry bushes in northeast Greensboro.Almost all regions of North Carolina have blackberry bushes, and they are definitely found in Greensboro.  They are easy to grow, as long as the soil is well drained. If you are looking to plant this spring, learn about the blackberry from the NC State Extension Service, here. Do be kind and leave some berries for the birds; if only they will leave some for us! If you are home with children today, dance among the brambles or have a little May Day celebration. Start by learning about the holiday, here.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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 it to his property. It took Larry about 45 minutes to get all of the bees, including the queen to leave our tree and move into his box. He did not get stung once, nor did we. He 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. 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.

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.

 

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!

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.

Dogwoods Are Starting to Bloom

Today is Sunday and, in Greensboro, dogwoods are starting to bloom. Regardless of your religious beliefs, the flowers signify beauty and rebirth. In Christianity, the dogwood symbolizes rebirth and resurrection. Some believe the the cross Jesus was crucified on was made of dogwood. However, there is no reference to that in the Bible, and dogwoods don't grow naturally in Israel. 

As we weather this quarantine, together, but apart, today would be a great day to spend outside. If you are a Christian and missing your church community, likely, they are offering services online. For that matter, even though we are in Greensboro, through the Internet, you can listen to about any church service you want to today. Most are being recorded and you can watch them any time you want- even at a future date. Regarding these dogwoods, better hurry. They wait for nobody and spring is quickly springing! Happy Sunday!

Long Walks and a Little Musing

One of the positive things to come out of being quarantined is that life has slowed down a little bit and people are dedicating more time to being outdoors and taking walks. Yesterday was perfect weather for being outside. The above photo shows a new home being built beside the farm course of the Greensboro Country Club and Proehlific Park. 

Just in front of the new construction, at the street, is a port-a-potty. As people take their morning and afternoon walks in this area, we're wondering if they ever consider using the facility when nature calls. With virtually no businesses open, one has to plan ahead for bathroom breaks, or, get creative!

On a different note, Greensboro is known for its lovely landscaping. How wonderful that the builders and owners decided to leave those mature trees in the front yard. That canopy has taken decades to grow. Happy Saturday! May your day be filled with lots of love, positive thoughts, and some time outdoors.

Afternoon of the Striped Grass

Happy Saturday. Today will be another beautiful day in Greensboro. The above photo features our view in northwest Greensboro while walking on Thursday afternoon. As we all self-isolate, nature can feel like a dear, special friend. The trees, colors, and the fresh grasses take on a life of their own.

So many untruths are floating through our social media feeds these days. According to National Geographic, swans are a regular in the canals of Burano, Italy, and the dolphins weren't in the canals, but filmed in the Mediterranean Sea.* The good thing to come of these untruths is that humans love a good nature story and flora and fauna uplift us. As beautiful as Greensboro is, we can go out and create our own nature stories. The title of this one is, "The Afternoon of the Striped Grass." Sometimes people think Greensboro is flat, until they have the adventure of walking up and down the striped grass.

* reference and more information, here.

Mural at Bruegger's on Battleground

Over the last couple of years, it seems as if murals are popping up all over Greensboro. The above mural of Pinocchio is at the top of a tall retaining wall over the parking lot of Bruegger's Bagels on Battleground Avenue. Pinocchio's nose, lengthened from lying, is long enough to hold several bagels. In front of the mural is a fruit tree that has blossomed out. 

It is fun to see signs of spring merge with signs of art. Today is the first day of spring, the spring equinox. According to the almanac, this is the earliest it has been in over a century. As you continue to self-quarantine, perhaps you can find a way to celebrate the season that some maintain is Greensboro's most beautiful time!

Reflecting on Life and Spring Blossoms

In spite of all the world is dealing with, we cannot forget the beauty of nature. Right now, the landscape in Greensboro is filled with fresh, beautiful blossoms. At the moment, tree pollen is high and the blossoms are poking out to delight us. Red bud trees and tulip magnolias have bloomed. Forsythia bushes are gloriously yellow. The above photo features pink, tree blossoms- likely a cherry tree- in full bloom. The photo was taken in northwest Greensboro yesterday afternoon, about 6pm as the sun brought with it so much color.

As we are asked to limit our social interaction, remember, nature is here for us. The glorious Greensboro landscape reminds us that seasons come and go and the landscape changes. Things that seem to be forever, seem fleeting once they are over. Try to carve out some time in your day to step outside and take note of all that is beautiful around you. Hurry, as it will change quickly.  Have a great day!

Nature's Rebirth

Signs of spring are popping up all over Greensboro. The above photo features tulip magnolias growing above a stone wall with a woodshed and field in the background. The tulip magnolia was first cultivated in southwest China, but grows well here in Greensboro. Unlike the other white magnolia that is so popular in Greensboro landscaping, the tulip magnolia is not evergreen. It loses its foliage in the winter and, each spring, it blossoms and then gets leaves.

The photo was taken in northwest Greensboro earlier this week. The sky was a stunning shade of blue. As we all work to redefine leisure time activities, consider walking around and enjoying nature. It can be very spiritual. Nature never disappoints and, spring especially is beautiful in Greensboro. Everything begins to flower and leaves cover trees. Soon, it will be hard to believe that winter was ever here. Happy Sunday!

Nature and the Glorious Sky along Bryan Blvd

Today's photo is of Bryan Boulevard heading toward town- approaching Westridge. Sometimes on these local highways, like Bryan Blvd., they can seem like nothing more than a means of getting from Point A to Point B. However, the other day, the sun was shining, the air was clean, the clouds were glorious. The late-afternoon light was just right. The sky reminded us that there is nothing more beautiful and restorative than nature. Do you ever feel uplifted by nature? Greensboro has four distinct seasons and, for the most part, days in Greensboro are pretty special.

Regardless of whether you think earth is brought to us by an omnipotent diety or simply by nature herself, there is something spiritual about a view like the one above. Happy Sunday! May today bring you joy.

(By the way, the photographer wasn't driving)...

Spring Is Springing... A Little Early

Next Sunday, Daylight Savings Time begins. Not only is the amount of daylight expanding, soon, it will be daylight longer into the evening. March 19th will be the Spring Equinox. The above photo shows that, in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina, spring is trying its hardest to move into the area.

Greensboro was so beautiful yesterday. The skies were a bright, clear blue. It looked fabulous, especially when contrasted with white blossoms and green foliage. Happy Sunday, may it be a day of rest and, if you have to work, carve out a little time to enjoy the natural beauty all around us.

Snow Day 2020

This is a color photo and what Greensboro looks like after a little snow. By evening, there was about an inch of snow in northeast Greensboro and it hadn't started sticking to the road. The Guilford County Schools had already closed for today before dark yesterday. Usually, the more rural parts of the county get a lot more inclement weather than Greensboro and High Point. Regardless, it is best to be safe.

Please make the most of this snow day. Perhaps you can make a pot of beans and some cornbread. If you can, head outside and have some snow fun. In a month, it will be spring! We hope you enjoy the day, and remember those people who have gone to work. If you are from elsewhere, don't laugh. We take our snow seriously! 

Another View from Lewiston Road: A Country Mailbox

Remember those country mailboxes where the owners of the property took great care to decorate their mailboxes? The above mailbox was seen on Lewiston Road (not too far from the little green house and the property with the tire-on-a-post. It shows a charming tradition from yesteryear. People took great care to ensure that the mailbox reflected the personality of the people within. A fish mailbox, where the mail person has to open the mouth of the widemouth bass to insert the mail, provides evidence that a fisherman lives on the property.

Today's mailbox features purple and yellow flowers with monarch butterflies landing on them. Have you ever noticed in nature that usually where there are purple wildflowers, yellow wildflowers are nearby? Purple and yellow are complementary/opposite colors. Even in the wild, opposites attract. Likely, the person who painted this mailbox has observed the behavior of flowers and butterflies in nature. And, this custom mailbox on Lewiston Road makes it easy for visitors to know which house they are looking for. "Just turn off when you see the black mailbox with flowers and butterflies painted on it."

How do you describe your own abode to visitors?

Country Curiosities on Lewiston Road

When you bicycle, ride a motorcycle or walk you see things that go unnoticed when enclosed in a vehicle. The above scene was seen on a Sunday afternoon walk along Lewiston Road. This tire up on a post is perched, just east of the bridge over Lake Higgins. It is very curious as to why someone would place a tire there. It looks like some construction is being done on the property. Perhaps the tire lets workers know where to turn. 

Lewiston Road begins at Fleming Road at Cardinal Crossing. It continues past a dollar store and mini shopping center, a church, then some country homes, farmland, new large homes, housing developments, and then continues down to the bridge over Lake Higgins where it crosses over Bald Eagle Walking Trail. Lewiston ends where Pleasant Ridge Road meets Carlson Dairy. It is a relatively quiet road on Sunday morning. However, regardless of where, where, or how you travel on a road, do so with extreme caution. If you travel in other than a car or truck, you will be surprised what you notice; including a tire marking the way. Oh the things you will see!

Congregational United Church of Christ

This photo is of Congregational United Church of Christ last weekend when the sky was filled with a low-lying strip of puffy clouds positioned from west to east above the city. We noticed this backdrop when driving by on Friendly Avenue and simply had to turn around to come snap a photo. This church, actually located on Radiance Drive, comes by its name honestly. In the Greensboro community, they are leaders in working for issues of social and racial justice. They are a progressive, liberal and welcoming Christian community.

Founded in 1900, the congregation built and moved to the above location in 1952. Julie Peeples has served the congregation as head pastor since 1991. She is very well liked not only by church members, but also by the Greensboro community. Hopefully, she will remains in her position for a very long time.

The weather is supposed to be good all day today, but we have a feeling the above clouds were a rare phenomenon and not likely to be seen again for a very long time. Please enjoy your day, regardless of what the weather brings our way.

It Was a Dark & Stormy Night

The weather has been really odd in Greensboro this past week. The above photo was taken a few nights ago on North Battleground at Horse Pen Creek. Today, it is colder that it was earlier in the week; however, at least it should be sunny. Take advantage of the dry days over the next few days. It should be clear until Tuesday. Even though Valentines Day is over, it is still a good weekend to get out and spend time with those you love.

If you are looking for something to do, here is an events calendar today, detailing the many events taking place at the Coliseum today to a chocolate event at the Central Library.Greensboro is action-packed with events this weekend. Please get out and enjoy our community.

Camellias

Camellias are currently in bloom in Greensboro. These evergreen plants always add to the landscape where they are planted, even when not in bloom. The flowers come in a wide variety of colors and are lovely, even though they are non-fragrant. 

The above bush is about ten feet tall and serves as a great cover for birds, who hang out here between efforts to find food. Camellias grow well in Greensboro, as long as the soil drains well and they aren't over exposed to direct sun. Camellias add so much to a landscape and, once established, require minimal care. 

Happy Valentines Day! While these camellias aren't roses, they sure are as pretty. If you have them in your yard, pick a bouquet for someone you love!