Greensboro Daily Photo

Post Election Day

Regardless of how you feel about the election results in Greensboro and beyond, almost everyone seems to be glad that this election cycle is over. The plus side is that locally and nationally, more people voted, realizing the importance of the process. However, the yard signs, billboards, memes, and less-than-kind words were stressful.

The above photo was taken this past Saturday between the Cultural Arts Center, the Church Street parking deck, and LeBauer Park. The sunlight was so beautiful, the grasses were at peak color, and leaves were starting to turn orange. It is noticeable that, while this photo was taken in an urban area, there is no signage; absolutely nothing has words on it. A lone, unidentified artist stands, deciding whether to turn right or left. In the distance, there are people enjoying each other's company in the park. The scene is calm and civil, a palate-cleansing, post-election view. 

Westerwood Chili Cook-off

Tis' the season for Brunswick stew, barbecue, and chili. Yesterday was the chili cook-off for the Westerwood neighborhood. Held in Lake Daniel Park by the tennis courts, the Westerwood chili cook-off brought neighbors together to see who could cook the best chili and to build community through eating together.

Westerwood is a downtown neighborhood of 650 homes build around the 1920s, just (you guessed it) WEST of downtown and convenient to everything. The community is full of character, partly due to its beautiful tree lined streets and partly due to the residents who work hard to keep the neighborhood a vibrant, dynamic place to live. As people were eating chili, the Westerwood String Band played old time tunes on their fiddles, banjos, and guitars. It was a perfect fall day for eating chili, listening to live music, and socializing.

If you are looking for a way to bring your own neighborhood together, consider putting on a pot of chili or stew and start inviting. Where there is good food, there will be people. Happy Monday!

Greensboro Beautiful & Arboretum

Today, is another photo taken at the Art in the Arboretum event this past Sunday (October 8th) sponsored by Greensboro Beautiful. This wonderful organization sponsors lots of gardening events in the community. This non-profit organization was established in 1968. As they report on their website, Greensboro Beautiful is dedicated to conserving the beauty of Greensboro and to enhancing the ecology. It is common to see members around town doing clean-ups, planting trees, or working gardening events. If you look closely in the background, the green watering can is actually a donation bucket for Greensboro Beautiful, and, indeed, they put to good use every penny that comes their way.

The plant in the foreground appears to be a trifoliate orange. While, technically, they are edible, they are very bitter. Sometimes marmalade is made from them. If you try to pick one, watch out for those prickly thorns. This is a great time of year to visit the Arboretum. In spite of the heat, seeing the plants with their colors starting to change make the visit especially worthwhile.

Happy Labor Day 2018

Happy Labor Day! Children are out of school today, and if you are in town, consider taking them to one of Greensboro's parks. There are some wonderful options. The above photo features LeBauer Park where children can move freely from place to place, playing games like ping pong and corn hole, or simply climbing, running through water, and making up games on their own. Labor Day, a federal holiday, always the first Monday in September, honors the contributions workers have make to our country. For many, the holiday heralds the end of summer.

Downtown Greensboro may actually be a little quiet today as the city prepares to transform into one giant folk festival. The first, annual North Carolina Folk Festival begins this Friday and, Greensboro's streets and downtown parks are in the process of transforming into a giant, open-air venue. Our city will fill with some of the best folk musicians in the world. Today, let us give thanks for the labor movement, for the rights of children to be children and not have to work alongside their parents in factories. Let us plan to get as many children as possible to the folk festival, so that they can see first-hand, the magic of a community when people come together and volunteer for events like the NC Folk Festival. For Greensboro, Labor Day reminds us that the greatest music event of the year is about to begin!

Ghassan's Food Stand at LeBauer Park

Today, we're featuring another photo from the dance event at LeBauer Park on Sunday night. as it was getting dark and beginning to rain, people were still in line determined to get some of Ghassan's great mediterranean food before heading home. About five minutes after this photo was taken, the big white umbrellas were folded up, and the rains came. 

For the downtown parks, food options are many. Of course there is Cafe Europa, the restaurant that has been an anchor in the area before the parks were built. Another option is to bring food and have a picnic. Also, there are two food stands in the park itself, Ghassan's and Porterhouse. Although only one is featured today, both stands are identical in architecture, with a crisp, sleek, modern look. At that magical time when day turns to night, the LeBauer Park area is especially beautiful.

Happy last day of July!

Dance GSO

Last night, Greensboro Downtown Parks hosted National Dance Day at LeBauer Park. To celebrate the diversity of Greensboro, a variety of dances were showcased, from swing to folkdance to bachata to hip hop and more. In many cases, the audience was invited up to participate. People danced on the central stage, under the flags of nations, just a block northeast from the Lincoln Financial Group building.

Greensboro Downtown Parks, Inc. does a tremendous job of keeping Center City and LeBauer Parks scheduled with activities that bring people from all walks of life into the heart of our great city. In the above photo, members of the Ballet Folklorico and the community at large watch the couple in the wedding dance celebrate their having successfully tied this bow with their feet. One event like this Dance Greensboro event remind us of the diversity of our city.

 

Lake Higgins Boat Launch

Greensboro  Department of Parks and Recreation received a 37,000+ grant from the Duke Energy Water Resources Fund to create a boat entry that accommodates people in wheel chairs who want to boat or kayak. The above photo explains the five-step process. How wonderful for people in wheelchairs, who are driving and living independently to be able to participate in water sports. 

July is Parks and Recreation month and the construction of this new launch is one of many examples of how Greensboro's Parks and Recreation division makes ever effort to be inclusive. Head out to Lake Higgins and see this launch for yourself. Better yet, find someone who would benefit from using the EZ Launch and take them out to try it out!

Picnic in the Garden

This past Saturday in the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden, a Picnic in the Garden event was held. Mostly, it was an opportunity for people to come purchase food from food trucks and sit in the gardens to eat. It was really hot on Saturday; however, there were plenty of shady places to sit to picnic. The placement of food trucks in the parking lot of the garden brings food to a place where there is none close. Therefore, the food trucks fill a need without directly competing with brick and mortar restaurants.

This casual event is another example of Greensboro's effort to encourage people to get out and take advantage of our lovely public spaces. Greensboro Beautiful has done a tremendous job of planting beautiful flowers in the 7.5 acre garden that opened in 1976 as a way to honor the 200th anniversary of the United States. The more events that are held in the garden, the more people will think of it as a destination and it is a lovely one. BaconEssence and Ghassan's were the two food trucks this weekend. The next picnics in this garden will be held on August 11th and September 8th. 

Apples at Gateway Gardens

These apples at Gateway Gardens are a big hit with children and adults alike. Children love to run around them and hide inside them. Openings on the sides allow for children to play inside, while those slits keep water from accumulating and make it possible for parents to see inside. Children feel like they are hidden to the world, yet they are in plain sight.

Greensboro's free city parks and gardens contribute so much to the opportunities for children to explore outdoors and interact with nature. As Greensboro Beautiful points out on their website, this LEED-certified silver project is an eleven acres interactive garden and horticultural oasis. It is their biggest project in their 50-year history. And, as Greensboro saw on Sunday afternoon, it is the perfect venue for a concert. While planning for the garden began in 1999, Gateway Gardens opened to the public in 2011. For the past seven years, the plantings have become established, the visitor center has opened, and the grounds just keep getting better and better. Here is their website, if you want to keep up with events and to learn more about the venue.

Gate City Divas

The Gate City Divas were one of two groups that performed at last night's MUSEP Concert, held at Gateway Gardens in East Greensboro. This talented group had as many as 18 people on stage, playing instruments, singing lead and back up. The resulting sound is bluesy and full; the lead singers' voices are raspy and pitch-perfect. The group members come from all walks of life; the core group of eight female vocalists play multiple instruments. Many perform with the local group, Ladies Auxiliary and most are singer/songwriters. The bass player even plays with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. The audience was highly complimentary of the keyboard player (Kristy Jackson). Several people commented on how cohesive the Divas' sound was given the diversity of their backgrounds, not only in music, but also in life experience.

If you haven't been out to a MUSEP concert this year, check your Sunday afternoon calendar. They continue into August. Not only do you get to hear great music, you get to experience an array of Greensboro's great city parks... for free! Each concert costs the city $3,000; so if you have a few extra dollars or want to bring a tax-deductible check, they do pass around a donation bucket.

Read more about the individual divas on their website, here.

Memorial Day 2018

Memorial Day, or Decoration Day, is a federal holiday remembering people who have died in active military service. There are several Memorial Day ceremonies in the Greensboro area. One that will be very special will take place at the Carolina Field of Honor, where Greensboro's own, Major Karoline Hood, U.S. Army, will speak. Major Hood graduated from Northwest High School and went on to Graduate from West Point. She has deployed to Iraq and to Afghanistan, where she was a platoon leader and company commander.

Major Hood is an inspiration to us all, serving her country and modeling excellence in all she does, from leading troops to running marathons to teaching math courses at West Point, and more. If you want to attend the ceremony will begin promptly at 11:00 am today at The Carolina Field of Honor at Triad Park, 9652 W. Market St., Kernersville. Please remember to bring seating and wear a hat if it is sunny. 

Reference and additional information, here.

Lake Daniel Park & North Buffalo Creek

East Lake Drive wraps around Lake Daniel Park and North Buffalo Creek, at the northern end of the Westerwood neighborhood. In this grassy area, people play basketball, ride their bikes, walk their dogs, and spend time with family and friends. In the above photo a group, it seemed to be a walking club, is following the trail through the park on the Lake Daniel Greenway. It is a two mile multi-use path that stretches from West Friendly Avenue to Mendenhall Street.

The path is open from sunrise to sunset and, in the summer, those hours of light add quite a lengthy opportunity to ride a bike, walk, and run. As seen in the above photo, the sun is low to the sky, and the group is hoping to finish their walk before sunset. Happy Friday. May you find a way to enjoy the out of doors on this Memorial Day weekend, even if it is a bit wet. After all, the holiday marks the unofficial start of summer- which is actually Thursday, June 21st.

Fun at LeBauer Park

This photo was taken last November, but we haven't had a chance to use it yet. The scene shows the side of LeBauer Park where the ping pong tables are located. The ping pong tables have proven very popular with people who visit the park. In the sort time that it has been open, LeBauer Park has proven very popular with the people of Greensboro. There always seems to be something going on. For example, today, at noon, The Wrangler Tunes at Noon will feature the Marcus Horth Band. This Friday, UNCG's Spartan Cinema will show the movie "Leap" at the park.

As Greensboro's parks gear up for summer concerts and play, your best bet is to keep a blanket or some folding chairs in the trunk of your car. It helps to be ready to enjoy these events, even if you stumble on them without knowing ahead of time. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt to keep an extra pack of ping pong balls. Happy Wednesday.

Tesla, the Electric Car Revolution is Upon Us

At the earth day event at Price Park a couple of weeks ago, one of the displays was of electric cars. In the above photo, the silver car is a first generation Tesla car. The blue car beside it is a 2018 Tesla car. Greensboro does not yet have a Tesla dealer. We would have to go to Raleigh or Matthews to purchase one. However, for educational purposes and to generate interest, they brought these cars to show at the earth day event.

Founded in 2003, Tesla specializes in electric cars and the company is committed to helping the world transition to smarter, more sustainable energy sources. The Tesla car is one such solution. However, their highway-capable, electric car, the Roadster (the blue car above,  starts at about $100,000. Even if it is not yet in our budgets, it is important to know about them. Soon, we'll be seeing them on the streets of Greensboro, honking at us as we pull in to gas stations.

 

ELF Urban Kayak

The above vehicle, the ELF Urban Kayak was on display at the Earth Day event at the Kathleen Clay Edwards Library and Price Park this past Saturday. ELF stands for electric, light, and fun. The first generation model was launched from a Kickstarter campaign, by designer and developer Rob Cotter, out of Durham in 2013. The ELF is a human and solar powered vehicle meant for commuters. The design makes it eco friendly in that it cuts CO2 emissions. The urban kayak part of the name alludes to the green material of the 8'shell.

Cotter got his start working for Porsche and BMS in California. Now, he is in North Carolina, enjoying his role as a working inventor. The ELF is one of many examples of the fabulous items on display at Saturday's Earth Day event. Perhaps one of the curious young ladies inspecting the vehicle in the above photo will be one of Greensboro's future STEM scientists.

Learn more about the ELF here. Let us know if you see one of these 21st century cycles in use in Greensboro! Remember, this upcoming Saturday is the family-friendly science event on UNCG's campus. If you want more hands-on opportunities to engage with science, everything from learning about rockets to trying your hand at computer programming, head to UNCG to the Science Everywhere event. More information, here.

Pilot Mountain

October weekends are great for traveling in North Carolina. Pilot Mountain is only about 45 minutes from Greensboro. This iconic landmark just off U.S. 52 between Winston Salem and Mt. Airy is a fun day trip from Greensboro. It is located in Surry County and is part of the Sauratown Mountains. The elevation is 2,421 feet at its highest point. The Saura Indians called The Knob (above)  "Jomeokee" or Great Guide.*

As you can see, the leaves haven't really turned yet, so the next few weekends should still be good for exploring the counties north and west of Guilford County. Pilot Mountain is a great place to hike and picnic, if you are looking for outdoor recreation. The Andy Griffith show called the destination Mt. Pilot. If you head to Mt. Pilot, you might want to make a day of it, head on over to "Mayberry" as Mt. Airy is truly a town steeped in nostalgia. Happy Monday!

*reference.

MUSEP's Season Finale

Tonight was the season finale for the MUSEP concert series. No more of the music for a Sunday evening in the park until next year. The final concert was held in LeBauer Park last night, with the stage in front, the Echelman artwork acting as a net ceiling, and the lights of the city behind us. The weather was perfect, the music great, the venue fantastic, and all humans and canines were on their best behavior. First, we were treated to some live music by Benjy Johnson and Tres Diablos. Second up was "doby" (see photo below).  Even though night was rolling in, nobody wanted to leave as "doby" delivered some great music that had people up moving and dancing with MUSEP drawing to a close.

We'll have to wait until next June for MUSEP to start up again. In the meantime, we can continue to enjoy our city and county parks and the many events that are available for free in them. If you like LeBauer Park, you may want to attend the free movie showings. This is a partnership between the park and UNCG. The next one is September 1st at sunset, Captain America: Civil War. And then the next week, it will be time for Greensboro to host the National Folk Festival for the 3rd year. Hope to see you there!  

Music in the Park

We want to share one more day of MUSEP photos with you, as the free concerts on Sunday afternoons are so special and so much appreciated by the families of Greensboro. The above photo gives you an idea of turnout, and this is only a small slice of the crowd, that extends way back into the park. As you can see, people bring their own chairs and set up in groups; some dance, some mostly watch. Everyone has a good time. This past Sunday's concert was at Latham Park. The concert this upcoming Sunday will be at Lindley Park. 

The photo below features Wonderwall, the Beatles tribute group that delighted the crowd with over an hour of non-stop Beatles music. Do you know your Beatles trivia and the origin of their name? Wonderwall Music is the name of an album by former Beatle, George Harrison. It was the first solo album by one of the Beatles. It was also the soundtrack to the movie Wonderwall. The group, Wonderwall, was very well received by Greensboro's MUSEP-attending crowd. It was interesting to see people in their late 60s and children under ten equally enjoying this music from the 1960s. Happy Wednesday and may we all have more joyful music in our life!

MUSEP 2017

Greensboro is so lucky to have the Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park (MUSEP) concerts. They are held each Sunday, all summer long in the many different public parks throughout the city. Each park has its unique character and each band has its unique sound. Most bands are local. Last night, the evening started with the above-photographed Zinc Kings, masters of Piedmont old-time music. The second act to delight the crowd on the lawn was Wonderwall, a Beatles tribute band. Both bands were outstanding. 

MUSEP is quite a community-building event. People from all walks of life and all parts of the city come together to enjoy music outdoors. Many friend and family groups put together elaborate picnics and combine listening to music with socializing over dinner. While last night's event at Latham Park was packed, the photo shows how much fun some of the under five crowd had while listening to music. They were equally enthusiastic when the Beetles tunes were playing. While the photo is a grainy, cell phone photo, it captures the joy we all feel at MUSEP.

Three Sunday concerts remain (Aug. 13 in Lindley Park; Aug. 20 in Country Park; and Aug. 27 in LeBauer Park). See here for times and names of bands.

 

Joymongers at North Eugene

Joy mongers is a small-batch brewery located at the corner of North Eugene and Smith Street. They are celebrating their one year anniversary and to great fanfare as North Eugene Street has finally reopened. They are owned and operated by people from Greensboro. Jim Jones, one of the owners, is part of the family that operated the North State Chevrolet dealership by the baseball stadium. Their six acres has been transformed over the last few years. It is nice that they are still involved in a business in the area.

Over the last several months, admittedly, navigating that area has been difficult and the businesses suffered as patrons and shoppers struggled to find a place to park. The above photo features the park-let that is in front of Joymongers and part of the construction that was making the area congested. The park is very nice and is a perfect area to sit and chat. This corner brewery has become quite a gathering spot and this park will enhance the area even more. Click on the photos below to enlarde them and see even more details of this new destination. Check out the live music schedule at Joymongers. They feature a lot of great local musicians. The area is clear of construction now; we promise. 

Latham Park Skate Park

Greensboro now has a skate park at Latham Park. It is accessible from Hill Street (the south of Wendover side). It has only opened recently, but is already quite popular with Greensboro's skateboarders. In the above photo, it looks like there is one lone skateboarder. Actually, the park was quite busy, but the guys skating very politely wait their turn, giving the skater a chance to try new tricks and not have the pressure of someone right behind him. The people waiting are also very encouraging, making positive comments when someone tries something new or has an especially good move. 

It is wonderful to see skateboarders have somewhere officially approved for skating. So often people are running skaters off or they are skating somewhere where they are at risk of getting in trouble. This is good, clean, wholesome- albeit dangerous- fun. We worry about skaters who fall or who get hurt. The way these guys look out for each other, we're sure they'd see that a hurt skater got medical attention, if needed. Below, you see some of the guys waiting their turn to skate. Best of all, this is a City of Greensboro park and it is free and open to the public.

New Old Mill at Bicentennial Garden

The Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden on Hobbs Road, the 7 1/2 acre park, established in 1976, keeps getting better every year. This year, it has added an old mill and pond. The mill shows visitors how meal is ground from grain by the energy generated from water flowing over a wheel. Inside, there is a vintage millstone (see below). What starts out as whole kernels of a grain like corn, gets ground down for use in foods like cornbread.

During the Parisian Promenade, an older gentleman was on site explaining how the mill stone was procured from Wilmington ten years ago and how they found the matching hardware up north. Hopefully, he will document everything he knows about the mill and share it on the park's website. He knows the history and we don't want to lose it. If you are out this weekend, consider stopping to see this lovely facility.  If elementary schools still have fourth grade social studies themed around North Carolina, this would be a fabulous field trip. Actually, everyone in Greensboro should see it. The old mill is located on the North Holden Road side of the park. 

Parlez-vous français?

Sunday's Parisian Promenade had something for everybody. On Sunday afternoon, Jennifer Kerns held a session at the garden gazebo, giving the audience French lessons. At the time of the photo, she was engaging the audience in a call and response dialog (How are you? Fine Thank you, and you?), which explains the pointing and the animated expression on her face.

Having Mademoiselle Kerns teaching French on Sunday was a wonderful addition to Greensboro's Parisian Promenade. After presenting to the audience gathered at the gazebo, she facilitated learning sessions in one of the upper garden spaces at the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden. Monday through Friday, Mademoiselle teaches French at Grimsley High School. For North Carolina world language teachers and their students, one of the expectations is to use the language in the community. Mademoiselle's lessons on Sunday were a great example of using French beyond the classroom. To the Tanger Family, Greensboro Beautiful, Mademoiselle Kerns and all involved in the Parisian Promenade: Merci beaucoup d'avoir offert de petits cours de français/Thank you for offering the mini-French lessons.

The Unbridled Joy of Dogs

The above photo was taken at the Downtown Greensboro Animal Hospital Dog Park at LeBauer Park. The two retrievers and the Bernese Mountain Dog were having a blast running around in the dog park at LeBauer Park, downtown. The golden retriever's ears show the energy being expended during play. The young girl on the hill was having the best time playing with the dogs. The dogs were well behaved and gentle with her. It is amazing how all of those big dogs were so well socialized. Greensboro is lucky to have such a great resource as LeBauer Park and we are lucky to have so many options for taking our canines to play.

The above dog park is sponsored by Downtown Greensboro Animal Hospital, located just a few blocks away at 120 W. Smith Street. Hats off to Dr. John Wehe and his staff. They provide great service in the office for the downtown canines and canines visiting downtown. Dr. Wehe was generous to help with this park. We first learned of him because he is one of the few veterinarians to treat pet rabbits. 

Lets all make an effort to unleash a little unbridled joy more often- with our without canines!

Prom season 2017

In Greensboro, and Guilford County, prom season is upon us. Wesleyan in High Point and Northern held their proms this past weekend. Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden was full of people taking prom pictures. Friend groups huddled together while parents took photos right and left. In some cases, couples had professional photographers documenting their special moment. The weather was perfect and there was such an air of excitement and optimism throughout the park. Couples were beautifully dressed and chatting joyfully as they left for dinner. One young woman took off her shoes to walk back to the car. If her shoes were already bothering her before dinner, we're wondering how she made it through the night. Another young woman called out to her mom, "send me the pictures you took." The mother asked if she wanted all one-hundred of them. Her daughter's response was, "yeah, you can air drop them to me." We're imagining couples at dinner and at prom sharing photos and snap chatting the night away. After all, today, social media is half the fun. You have to be under 25 to really understand that phenomenon. 

The Bicentennial Garden is such a lovely backdrop for photography. While shadows can be harsh, as seen above, there is usually a way to work around them. The above photo was taken after 7pm when shadows were long and strong. To our knowledge, Saturday was the first night for a local prom, kicking off prom season and there was no evidence that anybody thought about the fact that it was April Fool's Day.

Greensboro is so lucky to have such lovely public spaces with well maintained gardens. The venue will be booked for the next two months!

Mountain Biking

The well-maintained trails around Bur-Mil Park are perfect for off-road biking. The Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department maintains the trails not only in the city, but also around the watershed lakes. Greensboro Fat Tire Society, our local mountain biking club, also helps keep the trails clean and safe.* The groups try to keep the trails as primitive as possible. They provide rules of etiquette. In 2003, Bicycling Magazine voted the Owl's Roost Trail (above) as the "best urban mountain biking trail" in the country.

The two cyclists above seemed to be enjoying their ride yesterday, and they weren't the only ones. Hiking and bike trails were extremely busy as temperatures soared to 82 degrees; surpassing the 1999 record of 73 degrees. It was perfect spring weather; except, spring is over a month away. North Carolina weather can be unpredictable,  and Greensboro has been known to have ice storms in March.

We hope you had a chance to spend some time outside yesterday. If not, there is always today, and tomorrow, and the next day...

*reference and more information, here.

All Is Calm... For Now!

In the above photo, Center City Park looks so peaceful and inviting, but empty. Drab weekday afternoons aren't exactly conducive to spending time in parks. The yellow leaves were partly hanging on to the trees and partly carpeting the sidewalk. After yesterday's rain, the trees just might be bare. The City Daily Photo community's theme day today is Transitions. We share this photo as a transition from fall to winter,* And we ask, is a park a park without people? 

Tomorrow night will be First Friday and the Festival of Lights. This very park will be packed with people out celebrating the Christmas season. Elm Street will be packed, too. With the decorations glowing, you will know that fall is going! We hope to see you there.

*see other photos from cities around the world for the City Daily Photo theme, TRANSITIONS,  here.

Dog Days

Greensboro families love their pets and in our parks. On warm sunny days, dogs being walked by their owners is a common site. The above photo was taken in the Greensboro Arboretum during the recent art event. It features two Great Pyrenees dogs. This livestock guardian dog can weigh up to 120 pounds. While they can be gentle and affectionate, they can also be very strong willed and fearless. They love to feel like they are being useful and are very hardworking on farms. We saw four or five of them, the day we saw these two. As seen in the above photo, they drew a lot of attention and everyone wanted to pet them. The fact that they were impeccably groomed made them extra appealing to passers by.

If you are looking for something to do outdoors this weekend, head to one of Greensboro's great parks and count the number of dogs you see. If you do not have a canine companion, consider heading to a place the rehomes dogs, like a pound or a rescue. There are many dogs waitings for forever homes in Greensboro at the NC Pyr rescue site, there are currently nine available (here). Hope to see you out on the trails this weekend, with or without a canine companion!

Glorious Fall Day

Yesterday, the weather in Greensboro was just about as glorious as a fall day gets- at least the days before the leaves start changing. After a few days of drenching rains from Hurricane Matthew, Greensboro residents were ready to get out and take advantage of the nice day. The above photo was taken on the loop at Guilford Military Park. As seen in the above photo, this trail is 1.7 miles of peace and tranquility. Many people were out walking with friends, family, and trusty canines and there were several people riding bicycles. 

It is said that walking is really good for one's health. There was even an article in the New York Times, entitled, "How walking in Nature Changes the Brain."  It increases the blood flow to the brain and soothes the mind. Guilford Military Park, located off of Highway 220, just happens to be 220 acres; 220 acres much appreciated by the nearly half-a-million people who use regularly.*

* Interesting News & Record article, here.

Live Christian Music Concert

Yesterday and today, from 4-6 pm was a live music concert, held in LeBauer Park. As seen in the above photo,  a group playing music on the stage. They were singing Christian songs. The music was relaxing and inspirational. We walked through the tables set up on the edge of the concert area trying to find out what religious organization was sponsoring the event. The postcards and literature in the Miracle Tent only said "Live Music Concert" and did not provide a name or contact information.  As we were leaving the venue, a young man came up to us and asked if we wanted to put our name on a list to be contacted by the organization. We asked who would be contacting us, and he couldn't say.

We'd like to be able to write and provide more about this free, end-of-summer event, in LeBauer Park.  All we can say is that if you like Christian music that doesn't appear to be affiliated with any denomination and you are looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon, head to LeBauer Park between the hours of 4-6 p.m. It should be a lovely day for a concert.

Happy Sunday, dear readers!   

Guilford Militia

This weekend was one of about seven that Guilford Militia members camp and reenact at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. Guilford Militia is a North Carolina History Society, founded in 1980, dedicated to portraying military history in this region in the mid to late 18th century, the time of the Revolutionary War.

The above group was set up on the Lawndale Avenue side of GCNMP. Members  of the organization are really friendly and love talking to people and telling them details about life in the 18th century. This weekend, there were about 12 people who participated in the event. Their biggest event is during the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, always held mid-March. While the militia members won't be there today, the park is still open and it is great exercise to get out and walk, seeing the monuments and reading the history. Plus, there are a lot of unexpected surprises in the park. For example, we had no idea we would stumple on the above group while out walking our dogs this weekend. 

Have a Happy Labor Day. Psychologically, it is the last day of summer.

Playground at LeBauer Park

When you see people of all age groups and many different ethnicities together and interacting, you know you've stumbled upon a good venue. Such is the case at LeBauer Park. The above photo was taken at the playground at the park. While the view with the giant cement letters, spelling LEBAUER, and the Janet Echleman sculpture "Where We Met," is the view receiving the most publicity, the entire park is extremely photogenic and equally delightful.

Today's photos remind us of the 1950's, back when times were simpler. People are having so much fun interacting with each other; we don't even see anyone in the photos using their cell phone. These photos are proof positive that Carolyn LeBauer's final wish has been granted. It was her dream that assets from her estate be used "for the creation of a public park for the benefit and enjoyment of the general population of Greensboro, particularly children and their families."* Mission accomplished!

Today is the First Friday of the first of the "-BER"  months, and there will be lots of people and activities downtown. We hope you have a chance to join in the fun and to spend time in LeBauer Park. Regardless of what you do this weekend, have a safe and happy Labor Day. 

* reference.

Center City Park

Center City Park is a beautiful, busy park. The above photo reflects its high use on weekends in the summer. The temporary all on the right is redirecting pedestrian traffic in the park during improvements and repairs. Grab your family, picnic supplies, hula-hoops and head to town.

This is the last weekend before public school starts for students on the traditional calendar. This is also the last weekend of the M.U.S.E.P. Concert Series, which will be held at LeBauer Park,  half a block northeast from the above scene. It has been a great summer in Greensboro with so much to do for free. Treat yourself to the slower pace of one of our city's public spaces. Here is a link so that you can see all that the city has to offer, including over 100 neighborhood parks.

Happy Saturday.

Oh, What a Great Egret

We were at Country Park a couple of weeks ago and this Great Egret was prancing around behind the Greensboro Science Center. The great egret is fairly common in North Carolina. Even though these large wading birds like to forage in wetlands and in costal communities, it is not uncommon to see them in Greensboro, especially on a visit during the late-summer,  post-breeding season.* This bird is a member of the heron family and is often seen in a habitat where blue heron can be found. They both feed on fish, frogs, and small mammals.

The egret above got tired of all the humans looking at it, not only us, with camera in tow,  but also the people peeking in the lower left-hand corner of the photo. The egret took flight, heading to the other side of the lake near the dog park. It is hard to believe that these majestic creatures are such graceful flyers; but they are. They are especially beautiful against a backdrop of dark greenery. You might want to visit one of our many Greensboro parks this weekend to see what birds are still around. Before you know it, they will be migrating somewhere warmer. Have you noticed a slight change in the air and the fact that the sun sets before 8pm? Likely, the egrets and herons have!

*reference and additional information, here.

Lebauer Park at Night!

LeBauer Park is officially open now and, if you get a chance, please drop by and experience it night. The above photo was taken last night at 11:00 pm and when the floodlights are on the sculpture, it takes on a magical quality. Everything still looks so fresh, new, clean, and pretty. Hopefully, we can keep it that way. If you look closely, you can see that we weren't the only people in the park at that time of night. What was formerly Summit Avenue, between Elm and Davie Streets is now a pedestrian walkway and where were standing to take this photo. When folks come downtown for the International Folk Festival on September 9-11 (less than a month!), they will be mighty impressed with this new venue.

What a generous thing for the LeBauer Family to do with their money. Leaving money to make a unique, community park for all to enjoy is just the kind of gesture that makes Greensboro a special place to live. We're wondering if you can see the park and Echelman sculpture when departing or approaching Greensboro by airplane. 

LeBauer Park Opens Today!

Friday afternoon, the construction and grounds crews were working tirelessly to have LeBauer Park ready for the ribbon cutting today. When we asked the site manager if it would, indeed, be ready, he smiled and said, "It has to be!" The ribbon cutting begins at 10:30 am today. The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro will kick off the opening of this 4-acre 10 million dollar park. From a dog-friendly part to a water feature to food kiosks, there is enough to do to keep people at the park all day.* Thanks to a grant from the Edward M. Armfield, Sr. Foundation, the Echleman sculpture, featured above,  has been permanently installed. The orange and blue web of netting is very photogenic and will take on different characteristics depending on lighting and the location of the viewer. We are so thankful to Mr. Armfield, The Community Foundation of Greeter Greensboro, and the LeBauer family for making all of this possible. Also, a big thank you to all of the workers and their efforts. This is such a fabulous resource for Greensboro.

If you have a chance, head downtown to the grand opening today. If you can't make it today, remember MUSEP'S final concert of the season will be held here. The concert is on August 28th at 6pm. Wally West Little Big Band will play two 45-minute sets of jazz music in this park.

* read more and see a video clip, here.

Gate City Railbenders

The Gate City Railbenders are a Greensboro-grown, old-time string band. They can often be heard participating in the bi-monthly, Thursday jams at Gibbs Hundred. Yesterday, they delighted the community with their music for the Tunes at Noon series in Center City Park. The City had tables and chairs under tents so that spectators could eat lunch and enjoy the music. Food trucks were on hand, too. Several children were there eating lunch, playing, and writing poetry with a backdrop of great music.

Featured in the above photo are band members Alan Goble on guitar (and bass), Greyson Leybourne on fiddle, and Dom Hoyt on banjo. These talented, well-educated, down-to-earth guys played a great assortment of traditional string-band tunes. This year, as a band, they earned a 2nd place ribbon at the Charlie Poole Music Festival. While he is featured on fiddle above, Greyson earned the #1 grand prize ribbon for 3-finger banjo. We are really lucky that Greensboro offers these free events and that we have such fine musicians to share their musical talent with us!

Update on LeBauer Park

LeBauer Park in Downtown Greensboro is progressing nicely. The above photo shows what it looked like yesterday evening. The photo below shows the architect's plan. The formal ribbon cutting ceremony for the park is scheduled the morning of August 8th; so, hopefully, it will be completed in early August. The lighting of the aerial sculpture will be the evening of August 14th. The sculpture, Where We Met, is meant to honor Greensboro's textile history. The on-site food venues will be open by August 8th, too.*

The final MUSEP, Sunday afternoon in the park will be held at the above park on August 28th. What a great way to bring a close MUSEP and summer vacation for our children. Mark your calendar and make plans now for a big meet up in Greensboro's newest park, in the heart of the cultural district. Hope to see you at LeBauer at one of the upcoming events. This is so exciting. Let's hope everyone will take pride in this community space and work to keep it nice.

*  read more about the opening ceremonies, here.

Yoga in the Park

As the sun was setting in the west, the yogis were settling into their shavasana pose. The group was enjoying inner focus and deep relaxation at the Greensboro Arboretum, even as people were playing basketball nearby. Mind/Body/Fitness Yoga organized tonight's Free Friday Flow event and Andrea Perkins Dyer lead the group through all of their poses on this beautiful Friday afternoon. What a great way to end the week. 

Mind/Body/Fitness will offer their Summer Solstice Mala on June 19th at Lake Daniel Park (at the corner of Mimosa and Hillcrest), free with a donation of non-perishable food items for the Greensboro Urban Ministry Food Bank and they will have their free July yoga in the Park again on July 8th. Mark your calendar. Their studio is located on Battleground Avenue, near Earth Fare-- in case you like a more traditional yoga setting.

We are so lucky to have all of these community-building, free events in Greensboro! Since Google doesn't translate English to Sanskrit, the language used for naming yoga poses, well write Happy Saturday in Hindi:  शुभ शनिवार! 

 

Parisian Promenade

Greensboro Beautiful and the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department, once again, provided the community with a spectacular Parisian Promenade on the site of the David & Rachel Caldwell Historical Center and the Tanger Family Bicentenial Gardens on Hobbs Road. The above photo, taken at the event yesterday,  features the mime who walked along the promenade delighting young and old alike. It looks like he was alone as he jumped from behind a wooded tree and picked the next family to participate in his merriment. In reality, the park was alive with people and artists, poodles, and other breeds of dogs.

Summer in Greensboro is so special. You don't need to leave town to have fun. While the Parisian Promenade is only held once a year, if you like events in gardens, on October 2nd, Greensboro Beautiful will offer a performing and visual arts event in the Greensboro Arboretum. Greensboro Beautiful is an organization of volunteers that has been working to help keep Greensboro Beautiful, and to bring our gardens alive, since 1968.

Unfortunately, the mime's name was not listed in the program and of course he would not break character and tell us. If you know, please share it in the comments below.

Throughout the week, we will feature more photos from the Parisian Promenade, the MUSEP Concert at Blandwood Mansion last night, Doodad Farm's Hank Williams Tribute from Saturday, and so much more.