Greensboro Daily Photo

Blackberries Blooming in Greensboro!

Give us one more day to feature the flora of Greensboro. Above, you see a photo of our blackberry plants in our yard. They are in full bloom. And, if the deer don't get to them first, we should have a good crop of fruit this year. A hearty, mature plant can yield as much as ten pounds of fruit.  We have a wild, volunteer variety, and, if you look closely, you can see thorns here. Our plants are full of thorns. Perhaps that will deter the deer. Have any of you in Greensboro tried using "Irish Spring" to keep the deer away? 

The blossoms look so pretty and, as with all white blooms, they look so pretty even by the light of the moon. If you want to learn more about blackberries in North Carolina, read this page by NC State Extension. They are one of our main "go to" sources for all local flora and fauna information. Remember to plant edibles. As more and more acreage gets clear-cut for housing and retail in Greensboro,  homeowners will play an important role in helping keep the green in Greensboro!

Happy Tuesday!

City of Greensboro Orchard

Greensboro is so lucky to have a public orchard on the greenway at the corner of West Smith Street and Prescott Street, between the western edge of town and the Westerwood neighborhood. On Sunday, in conjunction with the City of Greensboro, the Greensboro Permaculture Guild held an informational session in the first public orchard in Greensboro. Above, guild member and horticultural specialist , Aubrey Cupit shares his expertise with a group. The event was free and open to the public. Aubrey explained how agricultural ecosystems can be sustainable and self-sufficient when people work with nature as opposed to against it. In the session, we learned that a grass mowed lawn with a tree stuck here and there is not a sustainable ecosystem.

In the above photo, you can see that multiple fruit trees have been planted, in what is now a healthy and productive orchard. Fruit trees that do well in Greensboro are plum, cherry, paw paw, persimmons, and figs. If we remember correctly, all of those fruit trees are planted in this space along the greenway. Fostering biodiversity in public spaces and setting up private permaculture spaces is an idea that is gaining traction in Greensboro. If you are interested, go to the Greensboro Permaculture Guild's website, or follow them on Facebook. They do meaningful, community-based activities. As an example, their members have been working to help this orchard thrive. It is a great group of people with a wealth of knowledge, committed to earth care, people care, and fair share!

Happy Tuesday!

Electric Car Charger At Brooks Global Elementary School

Driving along Parkwood Drive, near the Greensboro Arboretum and Holden Road, we noticed the blink "EV Charging Station for Residences and Businesses." They are a business that tries to reduce the carbon footprint by providing sustainable energy. It is installed outside of the new Brooks Global Elementary School in the Lindley Park area. We're wondering if there is a teacher or two who brings an electric car to school. Also, it would be interesting to know if the neighborhood families have access to it. It would sure be convenient. How wonderful that the local schools are helping make students aware of alternative energy sources. It is fun to try to find all of the (free) charging stations in Greensboro.

Happy Wednesday!

Gardner Bob's Homestead Kitchen

Since we've been in "that part of town" (Spring Garden Street between Chapman and Holden Road) this week, we thought we'd take you to one more business in the neighborhood. Today, we're at Gardner Bob's Homestead Kitchen. They are part bakery, part kombucha, pickles, and other healthy drinks. In the above photo, Sarah was making sandwiches for us. They happened to have a special going on and it was delicious. 

Gardner Bob's has been open since November 2023 and is located beside Hippo Records. The service is great and the bread and pastries are fresh. The owner, originally from Massachusetts, sells sourdough starter that has been alive for over 100 years. If you buy some, he will help you learn what to to keep it alive; same with SCOBY for kombucha. It is so wonderful to discover these local businesses around town. Stop by and check it out if you like to eat locally, sustainably,  and in a healthy way.

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.

GTA Transit & the Winter Wonderland Bus

Have you seen the Greensboro Transit Authority's "Winter Wonderland" bus yet? The above photo was taken during the Winter Parade a couple of weeks ago.  This burst of holiday cheer is a plastic wrap. It was originally unveiled at the J. Douglas Gaylon Depot on December 3rd. There have been many themed wraps on our city busses. They command attention and help promote public transportation. We can't guarantee that you will get the Winter Wonderland bus on a route, but here is the schedule. If you want to track your GTA bus, see here.

In July, GTA was awarded a $22.4 million grant to purchase 6 battery-electric busses as part of a federal program.We should have a day where we all try to get to work and school using public transportation. The more people use it, the more public transportation we will get. Once we try it and learn about public transportation, the more likely we'll be to use it. We're imagining all of those shadows of people enjoying the Winter Parade are people waiting in line for the bus.  Come on, let's ride!!!

Happy Monday!

GTA Transit

Have you seen the Greensboro Transit Authority's "Winter Wonderland" bus yet?

150 Trees Recently Planted at Bennett College

Do you see that young magnolia tree? It is one of 150 trees planted on the campus of Bennett College on November 2nd. In collaboration with with Greensboro Beautiful, volunteers planted these trees-- a combination of willow oaks, white oaks, cherry laurel, sugar maple, and southern magnolias. They were planted to help restore historic and native trees that have been lost over the years.  Bennett staff member, Dr. Anne Hayes, Executive Director of Global & Interdisciplinary Studies at Bennett,  coordinated the partnership with Greensboro Beautiful.  

Greensboro Beautiful is a 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1968 with the purpose of conserving and enhancing the beauty and ecology of Greensboro. According to Christina Larson, Chair of Greensboro Beautiful's Executive Committee, there was actually enough space on the Bennett campus to plant over 200 trees; however, 150 seemed very special since this is the 150th anniversary of the founding of this historically black college for women in east Greensboro. Current Bennett students should take their photo with these trees, return to Founders Weekends in the future and monitor how much the trees have grown. They can show their children and grandchildren their photos with the trees over the decades.  Bennett College is a small, liberal arts college that provides students with many special experiences such as the tree planting, interaction with Fulbright scholars, and the She Wellness Pods we wrote about last week.  By the way, the green container is the back of the wellness pods.

Happy Wednesday, dear readers!

Providence Farm

Providence Farm, located on Huffine Mill Road, is in the eastern end of Guilford County. It is a working farm that, on occasion, invites the public to come tour, see the animals, and learn about farm life. The above photo features one such event this past weekend. You also see the farmhouse, and in the distance, some vendors selling their arts and crafts. Ducklings, literally ducks in a row, are heading up the hill with a couple of children fascinated by their formation.

These ducks were added to the farm this summer at one of the camps held for children to get hands-on experience about farm life and regenerative agriculture. The ducks seem to like it here and have established their own routines. They are free-range ducks. It is kind of amazing the way animals stick around when they are well fed and cared for. Providence Farm will likely be at the Greensboro Farmers Market on Yanceyville this weekend. They sell meat, yarn, knitted items, goat  milk soaps, and whatever happens to be ready to take to market. This is the 150th anniversary celebration of the farmers market. Sesquicentennials don't come around very often, so head to the farmers market and enjoy the festivities. Maybe it isn't 150 years, but we seem to recall that this farm has been in the hands of the same family for at least 100. 

Happy Thursday, dear readers

Tee Pee Rental

Old Wolf Tee Pee Rental popped up at 2505 Pisgah Church Road in September at the time of Pow Wow. We were thinking that the Tee Pees were always available. However, the display disappeared at the end of Pow Wow. The word tee pee comes from the Lakota language, meaning "they dwell". Tee pees allow people to be more nomadic. They can be assembled and disassembled quickly. Their construction makes them livable in hot and cold weather alike. Hopefully, they will be back for the next Pow Wow. Weekends are a great tie for you to get out and see what you can see

Happy Saturday!

Fall in Greensboro (and) North Carolina

It is officially fall. Fall in North Carolina ranges from crisp weather in the 50s to mid-80s. The above photo is what we're using for a Sunday more spiritual post. The seed heads remind us of the life cycle and change. Within a few days, they open up and start blowing away, leaving nothing but the stem behind. During the first couple of frosts, the base plant will dry up. Next spring, if left unattended, new weeds will sprout wherever the seeds have landed. 

There are so many fall festivals in North Carolina. Today is the final day of Pow Wow in Country Park. Art in the Arboretum will be Sunday, October 6th. October 12th, Bur-Mil Park will host a fall festival. Soon, in Greensboro, leaves will change colors and the landscape is glorious. Nothing is more beautiful than nature and fall and spring in Greensboro as nothing short of spiritual.

Happy Sunday!

Got Katydids?

This is an insect we saw hanging out on our bean plants. After researching, we've concluded it is a katydid, a sort of  cross between a cricket and a grasshopper.  It was so beautiful, but that "snout" and looking-right-at-ya eyes are a little intimidating. Katydids are of the Orthoptera order- with "ortho" meaning "straight" and "Ptera" making reference to flying. Katydids do have  chewing mouth parts, but they don't tend to do too much damage to leaves, and we haven't noticed any. Perhaps they get full eating harmful bugs in the garden. We try to let nature take its course and  let the critters live. We have a toad who comes out every night and doesn't go in until sunrise. We've seen him at 5:00 am, but he's gone by 7:00 am. Perhaps he is eyeing the katydid. They make a distinctive sound. While they are rare, pink katydids do exist. Habitat loss and pesticides are said to be stressors on the katydid population. 

Have you seen a katydid in your yard? Have you ever seen a pink one? Nature is so fascinating. Let us know what you are seeing in your Greensboro yards. Planting edibles; not spraying chemicals and raking less yields a yard of fascinating critters.

Happy Thursday!

Community Garden at St. Phillips AME Zion Church

Today's photo features the greenway side of St. Phillips AME Zion Church on 1330 Ashe Street in the Warnersville neighborhood of Greensboro. In the back of the church, they have a community garden. The garden is called the St. Phillips Garden of Peace and it was first started on 2/27/21. This is Year 3 of the garden, and it appears to be thriving. This garden is an example of the "un-lawning" initiative to replace manicured lawns with raised beds and edibles. It is also shows how churches work with community organizations to make great things happen. Read this article to learn more about the early beginnings of the garden. This YES! Weekly article talks more about the urban farm initiative to cultivate underutilized land. We also learned from YES! Weekly that the UNCG Communication Studies Department made this initiative possible. Read more here. If you can think of somewhere that would be a good site for a community garden, there are plenty of organizations willing to help. Thanks you St. Phillips for continuing this project!

Happy Sunday!

Happy Earth Day 2024

Happy Earth Day 2024! Actually, every day should be Earth Day; however, today is a special day that has been celebrated since April 22, 1970- 54 years ago. The goal is to demonstrate support for environmental protection. There are several global events, coordinated by Earthday.org. The 2024 theme is "Planet vs. Plastics."  The Earthday website is a wealth of information and is perfect for parents, teachers, students, well, everyone to learn more about current initiatives and what we can do to help the flora and fauna of planet earth. If you live in the city of Greensboro, you recognize the cans above. The green on the left is regular waste, the one in the middle is for recycling, and the new one on the right is for yard waste. The yard waste container will be so much easier to manage as people don't need to manually toss it on the truck. Also, the yard waste inside will be a lot less likely to get wet.

State law in North Carolina requires that yard waste be separated from trash; so, no tossing of clippings and sticks in with garbage or recycling. Yard waste is collected weekly, plus, you can add on by purchasing those paper yard-waste bags. If you want to read more detail about how and why the city changed from allowing people to fill small garbage bins with yard waste, read HERE. The city estimates that the change will save nearly 13 million dollars over the next 15 years and that it will be safer. Many Earth Day events took place this past weekend. However, according to Eventbrite, today from 4-6 pm, Earth Huggers will host a community clean up starting at 602 South Elm Street. If you can't join this organized event, a Google search will yield great ideas!

Happy Monday!

the corner FARMERS MARKET

This past weekend at the corner FARMERS MARKET, we finally met up with Kathy Newsom who is the manager of the corner market. As a result of the role she plays in the corner market it, indeed, seems as if she knows everyone. And, from the above photo, you can see she greets everyone with a smile. Kathy's involvement with the corner market dates back to its early beginnings in 2013 in the old location at Sticks and Stones parking lot at the corner of Walker and Elam. She was home schooling her children and wanted them to learn what adults do, including being community-oriented. At first, her own children would make artwork at the market, inspiring others with colorful signs with inspirational words like "HOPE" on them. As Kathy tells it, she was an around the market and so involved that they asked her to be manager. She helped with the transition to the current location, the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church parking lot. With the relocation, parking has become much easier and the market has been able to expand. Plus, Thile they were happy to accommodate, Sticks and Stones has their parking lot back.

Kathy loves being involved with community and we have known of her since her involvement with "Knit the Bridge," where, in 2015 Lindley Park friends and neighbors gathered to knit the Walker Avenue bridge over Wendover Avenue. Kathy reminds us of just how much we can do as individuals to build community. See her every Saturday at the corner FARMERS MARKET. If you are looking a way to become more involved with community in Greensboro, we bet Kathy will have ideas for you. We are so glad to finally be featuring her

Happy Saturday!

Stephen Johnson, Urban Farmer

This is Stephen Johnson, a vendor at the Corner Farmers Market on West Market Street beside St. Andrews Episcopal Church. He sells produce and delicious baked goods with much inspired by his innovative farming techniques and his Australian roots. Stephen is the person who first had the idea for the corner market. His home is only a block away from the original, Walker/Elam location of the market. Stephen, a trained psychologist, left that career to farm full time. His sustainable farming practices are quite innovative. He seems to work farming miracles on less than an acre of Lindley Park land. From enhancing the quality of water on his property, to ensuring there are bees to pollinate to learning to market his produce to baking and preparing yummy products like pesto, this urban farmer seems to do it all. John Van Lindley (1838- 1913), the pomologist and nurseryman  for whom Lindley Park is named, would be very happy to know the good work Stephen Johnson is doing in the community.

The Corner Farmers Market will be open today from 8-12 noon. Stop by and get some goodies for the holiday season. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about Stephen's gardening techniques and his journey from Perth, Australia to Greensboro, USA, read this 2017 article in the O. Henry Magazine.  

Happy Saturday!

State Street Fall Festival

Every time we walk on State Street, it evokes a feeling of beach communities. With many new businesses opening in the 400 block, young adults, especially those with small children, are spending time on State Street. Eclectic by Nature and Vida pour Tea are two businesses that have helped with this rejuvenation of the street. Now, there is a bicycle shop, a coffee shop, a children's consignment store, a bookstore, and more. The above photo features, Sweet Tea Studio, which is in the building that formerly housed the Saltbox.* If you peek to the left, you see the Sustainability Yours, a mobile boutique that pops up at many special events.

Saturday's event involved the coordination of all the local business owners on State Street. When merchants work together, great things can happen. Tomorrow is First Friday in downtown Greensboro. You will have another event to fill your evening with people, art, good food, and entertainment. Oh, and get ready for all of the NC A&T homecoming festivities.

Happy Thursday!

 

*(We still miss the large candles, seasonal decorations, and the handmade lighting that made the Saltbox so special).

Got Okra?

We love growing okra in our backyard. It tolerates the heat of summer very well and keeps on giving well into fall. This photo was taken just this week and there is no sign of our okra stopping production of these wonderful pods. Of course, as we see the days get shorter and the temperatures dropping, it will be another story. Okra is in the mallow family, making it related to hibiscus. Usually, we grow green okra, but this year decided to grow red. A fun fact is that it reverts to green when cooked. Okra has long been a staple is Piedmont cooking. Lucky 32 and Blue Denim Restaurant are two Greensboro restaurants that often have okra on the menu. Sometimes it is available at the Coliseum Cafe. It can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed, and fried. It is a key ingredient in gumbo. How do you like your okra?

For a plant that grows so well in Greensboro, once established, and so full of nutrients, we encourage you to plan to plant some next spring.

Happy Wednesday!

Meet Watts @ Revolution Cycles

Today's photo features Watts Dixon, owner of Revolution Cycles, located at 1907 Spring Garden Street. Watts, originally from Atlanta, came to Greensboro to attend college. However, his passion for bicycling and working at Friendly Bikes helped hone his career path, as he bought the business in 2007. Seven years later, he moved the shop and changed the name.  Once at the current Spring Garden Street location, Watts added beer on draft and in cans to the shop- in addition to selling bikes and merchandise and making repairs.*  Stop by and partake on any day of the week, but especially at the Shop Social gathering every Friday, when people drop in and share their biking plans for the weekend.

This independent bike shop is the go-to place locally for those interested in bike-packing adventures, touring, biking on gravel, and mountain biking. If you need a bag for your bike or any specialty item, if he doesn't have it in stock, Watts knows exactly where to get it. Biking is such a great way to get from Point A to Point B while getting exercise and reducing your carbon footprint. Once you start, it becomes a lifestyle. Just ask Watts!

Happy Wednesday!

 

*reference and more information HERE.

Goodwill by the Pound

Last year, Triad Goodwill received more that 25 million pounds of donations. We're guessing once the donations get pulled from the shelves of the "regular" Goodwill stores, they move on to the by-the-pound Goodwill. Their ads, however, say that it is the same quality as in their retail stores. Definitely, the by-the-pound venture takes treasure hunting to the next level. The above outlet is located at 1235 South Eugene Street. Clothing, shoes, stuffed animals, and toys are sold at $1.59 a pound, and household goods, furniture, electronics, etc. are 79¢ a pound. If you are interested, here are the rules. It is interesting to see what is being sold there and how people are shopping.

Our big take-away, however, is the fact that in the Greensboro area alone, more than 25 million pounds were donated to Goodwill. Over-consumption is definitely an issue; however, as we learn to reduce consumption, reusing and recycling helps. Wondering just how long we could go without making purchases of non-essentials!

Preservation Greensboro Tours

Last night, we took one of Preservation Greensboro's walking tours of downtown Greensboro. The theme was the historical equity in Greensboro. We were so lucky to have Benjamin Briggs lead the tour. Benjamin is the executive director of Preservation Greensboro and he can answer just about any question about the history and architecture of our city. There are so many examples of people and places of Greensboro that contributed our community being equitable and acceptable. Benjamin started by explaining how the Quakers' believe that all are equal in God's eyes. This perspective was very forward thinking for the 1700s. Quakers were supportive of the Underground Railroad  (1810- 1850).  Benjamin mentioned the role of Greensboro's institutions of higher education, providing opportunities for marginalized people. We have two HBCUs; two women's colleges. Bennett remains a school for females; UNCG is now integrated. We learned that Moses and Caesar Cone relocated to Greensboro in the 1890's because they felt our community was more open to the Jewish faith than other cities in North Carolina. We learned that the brutalist architecture of Governmental Plaza was designed by an Argentine architect, Eduardo Catalano and that after a 20 year effort it is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Benjamin even touched on the trials, tribulations, progressive advances made, and current resources for the LGBTQ community. 

Preservation Greensboro's walking tours are free and open to the public. They have many interesting themes. In spite of the drizzle, we had a dozen participants last night. Some people were from Greensboros, including a woman retired from Wrangler. There were participants from Winston-Salem. Four participants were from France. What a great way to spend the summer solstice, even though it was drizzly and in the 60ºs.

Happy Thursday!

Farmers Market Day

Today is Farmers Market day. The above photo is the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market on Yanceyville, across from the old War Memorial baseball stadium. It opens at 7:30 am today and continues until about noon. Two other well attended markets are the one on West Market Street at St. Andrew's Church.  The Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market on Sandy Ridge is another good option. It is not to late to plant if you are interested in having a garden. Any of these markets, or the smaller pop-up markets, would be a great option. Just getting out and being around people and seeing fresh vegetables is a good thing. Greensboro is really blessed to have all of these options for farm to table food.

While you are out and about, you can also go to Preservation Greensboro's 13th annual tour of homes. This year, they will be in Westerwood- today and tomorrow. See here.

Have a great Saturday! 

Sheldon Herman, Bicyclist and Volunteer Extraordinaire

As we continue our posts about biking in Greensboro during National Bike Month, we would be remiss if we did not feature Sheldon Herman. Sheldon was co-owner and business manager for Lotus Center on Lawndale Drive. In retirement, Sheldon has not slowed down in the least. He works tirelessly with the bike community to get people riding and to make cycling safer. He also helps get bikes for people who have no means of transportation to work. In 2021, Fox News featured Sheldon's efforts to make bikes available to Afghan refugees, others in need, and children who need to experience the joy of riding a bike  (read more here). Bikesboro, a local biking network and group of volunteers, donated more than 400 bikes to adults and children. Through the Bikesboro group, you can become part of a great biking community.  Sheldon is also one of the founders of the bicycle shop in Barber Park, which is where the above photo was taken.

The bicycle shop in Barber Park is located in an older brick building at the bottom of the hill, just beyond the enclosed sports complex. There, people bring bikes to donate, volunteers come to learn to repair bikes and get them road ready. While the bike shop at Barber Park has been open for a while now, they have started a new initiative: The "Bike Library." Every Sunday from 1:00pm- 4:00 pm, people can check out bicycles to ride around the park. The volunteers make sure the bike is the right size and even give lessons for those who have not yet learned to ride or who need a refresher. The grand opening of the "Bike Library" will be this Sunday, May 21st from 1:00pm- 4:00 pm. The opportunity borrow a bike is free! A heartfelt thank you goes out to Sheldon and all of the other volunteers. See you at Barber Park on Sunday!

Happy Friday!

Wheels on the Greenway, Plus!

 

Today's photo features the May First Friday in downtown Greensboro- yesterday. LeBauer Park had música latina and tents for creating and crafting. Reconsidered Goods was one of the non-profits bringing creative joy to people visiting the park. The warm weather and Cinco de Mayo brought out a lot of folks. Today will be equally busy downtown. In Center City Park, Tabitha Brown will be on site. She has several tents of activities planned. Also, she will roll out her line of clothing and household items, to be sold at Target. Since she is from the Triad, she will hare her designs with us first! Her event is free and open to the public.

Equally exciting today is the 8th annual WHEELS on the Greenway event. As you can see on the sign above, the event starts at 9:00 am in the park at the corner of Murrow Boulevard and Lindsay Street (405 N. Murrow Blvd.). If it has wheels, you are invited to bring it participate. Several community partners will be offering interactive activities. There will be helmet giveaways, opportunities to learn to work on bikes, a "bling your bike" station, and so much more. Please follow the link at the beginning of this paragraph to see just how many community partners are involved and all of the activities will be associated with WHEELS on the Greenway. We are so proud of Greensboro and just how much there is to do hear. The community just keeps getting better and better!

Happy Saturday!

Earth Day 2023 at Congregational Church of Christ

Did you have a nice Earth Day, yesterday? Guess what? Today, at Congregational Church of Christ they are holding an Earth Day Festival. It will be held to day from 12-3pm,  in the Refugium in front of the church. The church is located at 400 West Radiance Drive. We attended last year and it was a great job to learn more about native plants, and we even got to take some home. There will be food, music, exhibits, and more. According to their website, there will be over 15 displays, demonstrations, activities for children, plants for sale and give away, and more. Food from Reto's Kitchen and Maxie B's will be on a donation basis. This church is conveniently located just off of Friendly Avenue and Josephine Boyd. 

While, technically everyday is Earth Day, is is nice to take a day to be extra appreciative of the amazing balance in nature and to learn what we can do to help decrease our carbon footprint and environmental impact. If you are looking for an open-minded, liberal church, this may be just the church for you.

Happy Sunday!

Camille's Closet & Theo's Threads

Prom season is upon us and the Greensboro Youth Council is holding a pop-up, prom dress giveaway today from 5:30- 7:30 at the Glenwood Community Center at 2010 Coliseum Boulevard. The program has been so successful that they added two more dates (yesterday and today). This Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department Program provides formalwear outfits to middle and high school students free of charge. Each student-shopper is entitled to a dress (or jacket/suit), shoes, and an accessory. As you can see in the above photo, there are plenty of options for dresses- in every color. The program is sponsored by Four seasons Town Centre,  BackPack Beginnings, and Cheshire Center. 

If you go there to select an item, notice the volunteers. They are all high school students volunteering through the Greensboro Youth Council. This is a well-established group that helps students develop leadership skills and confidence in working with the public. The program is a great way for teens to meet other teens from across the Triad. Also, involvement with GYC is a way to earn service learning hours. In case you are wondering, dressing rooms are available. Just like the whole event, the dressing rooms are pop-up, but they are definitely functional. Now that you know about the program, we hope you will donate formal clothing or money to help support the clothing. Especially needed are menswear and dresses in larger sizes.

 

Congregational United Church of Christ: Solar Panels

According to church records, 145  United Church of Christ churches have solar panels. The Congregational United Church of Christ in Greensboro is one such example. It is one of eight UCC churches in North Carolina with solar panels. We noticed the panels driving along Josephine Boyd near Friendly Avenue.  The actual location is Radiance Drive.

One of the UCC solar churches reported liking the lower energy costs and  also sees the initiative as "eco-evangelism" * It is seen as "creation-justice"  work. The solar panels are located on the east side of the church, capturing the energy from the morning sun. This church also has a habitat refugium in the front yard for plants, birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. The church is committed to using native plants in their habitat refugium. This seems like a church that really makes an effort to welcome people  of all backgrounds, and they make an effort to teach people how to live sustainably.

Happy Sunday!

 

* reference and more information HERE.

Dogwood Time in Greensboro!

Greensboro's landscapes are enriched by its understory of pink and white dogwoods; and below the dogwoods, the pink and white azaleas. Dogwoods like soil that drains well, shade, and temperatures under 95º.  in 1955, the Greensboro Council of Garden Clubs held a dogwood planting program. Approximately 11,000 dogwoods were planted locally, in an effort to help the city become known as "The Dogwood City."* The average lifespan of a dogwood tree is about 80 years. Many of those dogwoods from "Operation Dogwood" are starting to age out. Plus, as the tree canopy gets cut down, the dogwoods struggle. In 2004, there was again an effort to implement a planning program and every 5th grader in Greensboro received a dogwood seedling to plant. This Arbor Day initiative came with a week-long curriculum for teachers to use in the classroom, in an effort to inspire students to plant their seedlings- and to give them the skills to know how to plant their little dogwoods. Part of this curriculum taught students the benefits of trees and the importance of keeping our shade trees.

Operation Dogwood was such an inspiring program. Let's all consider planting a dogwood for Arbor Day 2023. It is Friday, April 28th. Remember, pink dogwoods are cultivars of white dogwoods and almost always need to started from cuttings of pink trees. Most seeds of pink dogwoods yield white trees. It would be so nice for someone to read this post and take on this initiative; maybe even a student looking for a service learning project.

Here are some organizations that helped with previous "dogwood" initiatives: N.C. Division of Forest Resources, Department of Environment and Natural Resources; the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Region; N.C. Cooperative Extension Service in Guilford County; Greensboro's Urban Forestry Program; Greensboro's Parks and Recreation Department; Greensboro Beautiful; Guilford County Master Gardeners; Council of Garden Clubs; Davey Tree Service; and many of the local retirement communities. It is always worth asking to see if anyone is interested in helping fund another round of planting dogwoods. It has already been 19 years since the 2004 effort. Come on, Greensboro, we've got this! Do you have a dogwood in your yard? Is it from one from the 1955 or 2004 initiative?

Happy Monday! 

 

* reference and more information in this News and Record article by Karen Neill in 2004. We really miss those articles by her! 

Pallet Homes- Addressing Needs of People Experiencing Homelessness

The above photo features the pallet homes at Billie A Nall Park on Clifton Road. If you live in Greensboro, likely, you have learned about this housing initiative through local media. The homes are located near Wendover, Spring Garden, and Merritt Drive. There are 30 of them with each sleeping one or two. They are called pallet homes because they are built on top of pallets. In addition to these small homes, parking spaces are available for those who are living in their cars. Showers, social services, and security are available on site and residents have bus passes to travel around town as needed. 

When we approached the pallet home site, the security guard got out and asked us questions. He spoke positively and respectfully about the program and the residents. He gave us information for how to find resources in case someone needs to seek housing and wants to request one of the houses. Here is a link to the Interactive Resource Center,  the organization overseeing this housing program.  The IRC has really taken a "whole-person" approach to this housing initiative.  We should also add that the area was very orderly and clean, not one sign of litter. There were concerns about the baseball field getting torn up due to this temporary housing arrangement as in the spring and summer, the decommissioned field is used by ARC of Greensboro. Let's hope all continues to go well in this site and that a more permanent solution can be found to place these homes. Little league baseball fields require about an acre and a half; so, for sure these 30 homes could fit on about an acre. Maybe a more permanent solution will be found. As it stands now, they will come down in March when temperatures warm and it is time to play ball. Fortunately, the homes are completely portable and collapse to being flat and easy to store. 

Happy Monday!

 

NeighborWoods Program Brings Trees to Westerwood!

This past weekend, people came out in droves to participate in the tree planting event in Westerwood. The NeighborWoods is funded by private donations to Greensboro Beautiful, with support from the City of Greensboro and the Guilford County Extension Master Gardeners. The initiative is an effort to create tree canopy in neighborhoods where trees have been lost or damaged. The trees get planted in public areas and on streets and front lawn areas. In order to be selected, the neighborhood must show that they have the person power to ensure the trees are watered for the first three years and continue with long term maintenance.*

In addition to the fact that Westerwood will get about 150 new trees, it was also wonderful that people of all ages and walks of life came out to help with the tree planting. There were teams of sororities, college groups, master gardeners, neighbors, and more. The 2021 neighborhood to win the grant was Friendly Homes neighborhood. Friendly Homes is the neighborhood between Wesley Long Hospital and Villa drive and Mimosa. It will be fun to drive around the neighborhood this spring, as well as through Westerwood to see how the trees are doing. Greensboro is known for being a beautiful, green city. These new trees are sure to contribute to the beauty. Let's hope they got planted clear of power lines. Finally, we're wondering where all the shovels get stored and if school groups can check them out for school beautification projects.

Happy Monday!

 

*reference and learn more HERE.

Greensboro Science Center at Family Night

Last night, the Greensboro Science Center teamed up with Chick-Fil-A at Friendly Center for their Family Night. From 5:30- 7:00, the theme was butterflies. There were coloring pages,  thumbprint art, and an opportunity to make a paper butterfly. The monarch backdrop was perfect for photo opportunities. There was also a balloon twister and a face painter. If you didn't get by the event last night and want to learn more about butterflies, head to the Greensboro Science Center. The Monarch Conservation Center/Butterfly House is quite a fun experience. There, you can learn how to make your yard a safe stopover area for monarch migration. Between now and early October, the monarch should be migrating south through North Carolina. It is not too late to start planting for their May to July journey from Mexico to Canada.

Over the last two decades, the Greensboro Science Center (4301 Lawndale Drive)  has grown by leaps and bounds; as have their community outreach efforts. The family night at Chick-Fil-A is one such example. This partnering was especially convenient for families who were eating out anyway and we hear the icedream sundaes were a hit. The above photo features set up for the event. How wonderful that in-person events are happening again.

Happy Wednesday!

Reconsidered Goods- Happy 6th Anniversary!!!

The above photo features the indefatigable Paige and Benny, working the second checkout counter at Reconsidered Goods (RG) this past Saturday. The "HELP" had gives you a little clue of how busy they were. To celebrate the 6th anniversary, RG had a 50% off everything sale. The store was almost as busy as a retail business on Black Friday. RG is a creative reuse store. They work hard to keep things out of landfills and into the hands of people who can give old items a new life. They are part art supply store and part heavily-curated thrift store. As an example, they only take vintage clothing or clothing that could be used in theater or as a costume. If they don't think they can sell it, they don't accept it, or send it on to the Goodwill Store. As an example of creativity, in their section filled with the color green, they strung a 6 foot row of wine bottle corks that they had painted green. What a great idea. You could use old corks in the same way that beaded curtains were used in the 1960s; only you don't have to think "wine" if they are painted. But we digress! To be sure the creative types were out en masse. As fast as boxes and carts of treasures were being taken out the front door, volunteers and employees were restocking shelves. Please consider donating your art supplies, nicknacks, small pieces of furniture, art you are tired of, and other items to Reconsidered Goods. 

Happy 6th anniversary to Reconsidered Goods. And thank you to everyone who worked and made this past Saturday a fun shopping experience! Wondering what will Year 7 bring!

Reconsidered Goods, Hello Summer 2022!

Today's photo features Erin Stratford Owens (left) and Tamra Hunt. Erin is the executive director of Reconsidered Goods (RG)  and Tamra is the education program director. Reconsidered Goods is a thrift store for artists and creative types. It is a place where you can find everything from used canvases (to paint over), to pieces of art you want in your house (as is), to items that help you get your creative juices flowing.  In the photo, Erin and Tamra are standing inside the Maker Space in the back right corner of the store. This is the first time for a maker space to be open in the new facility at 4118 Spring Garden Street. On Friday and Saturday afternoons, for a small fee, you can come and create in this space with access to all of the supplies in the designated space. For those few hours a week, RG can become a home-away-from-home studio for your creativity. There is also a Sunday Crafternoon.

Follow RG on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with all of the events, times, dates, prices and other details. Now that Tamra has been hired, RG has been able to reinstate summer camps, too. Both Erin and Tamra have backgrounds that make them a natural fit for their respective positions. Both have grown up in Greensboro, with Erin graduating from Page High School and Tamra from Smith. For their careers, both moved away for a while, Erin to NYC and Tamra to Tennessee. Both moved back to Greensboro only to find it even more creative and art-filled than when they left. Both seem to have landed at RG at the right time, and both have a vision to make RG return to the creative space customers came to love, pre-pandemic. Here's to new beginnings and great opportunities to be creative.

RG is also looking for volunteers and they even have some paid positions available. Imagine yourself HERE!

Urban Gardner, Extraordinaire

Sunday, at the Parisian Promenade in the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden,  Stephen Johnson spent the afternoon teaching kids to garden with a paper cup, soil, and sunflower seeds. All while they were planting their seeds in the cups, he was explaining about keeping them watered and how to care for their little planting. Stephen has become an expert, urban gardener,  growing produce on land at 712 S. Elam Avenue. He and his wife live on 3/4 acre just down from the Elam and Walker Avenue intersection. As their website states, they provide food and occasional plants at the Corner Market on Saturdays, all grown on their city lot. They would love to have more people on the urban gardening journey with them. Read their website (referenced below) and you will realize how easy it is to plant edibles!

In the above photo, Liz Lopez (right), is volunteering and helping Stephen for the day. Liz is a teacher and doctoral student. For Liz service and volunteering are a high priority. She has even taught a course in it at UNCG. Thanks to Stephen and Liz, there will be a lot more sunflowers growing in Greensboro and the average age of these young farmers if probably about eight! If you are growing sunflowers, especially one from Sunday, please take a photo and share it with us!

Read the Elam Gardens website, and you, too, might just be inspired to be an urban gardener.

Blueberries As Yard Plantings

If you follow Greensboro Daily Photo, you probably know that we're big advocates of planting edibles. These blueberry bush is planted in a flowerbed (in lieu of flowers) in our back yard. This photo was taken late afternoon yesterday when we were picking the ripe berries. This was about the third time we had picked between a pint or two from a a single bush. Nature is good about not having them all become ripe on the same day. In Greensboro, blueberry bushes are readily available at the local nurseries. There are several varieties. If you are considering planting, they all grow well here; however, some bushes get larger than others, and some berries are larger than others. Be sure to plant something that will still fit in the space once the bush is mature.

There are several blueberry farms in the Greensboro area: Blueberry Thrill Farm in Gibsonville; Kernodle's Blueberry Farm in McLeansville; Blueberry Hill in Colfax; and Honey Sweet Blueberry Farm in Reidsville. Call the farm or check their website for hours and to see if they sell bushes or just blueberries. It is fun to get out and talk to the farmers. Blueberry Thrill has been around since 1982; that's almost 40 years of blueberry goodness on that one farm alone. Blueberry bushes are pretty in the fall, too. Plant edibles; you won't regret it, and the birds will thank you! Just look how pretty they are. Happy Tuesday, July 6th... fireworks should be behind us for another year!

Little Free Library at Eclectic By Nature

Reading books from the Little Free Libraries around town is so much fun. The above library is in the middle of a lovely garden on State Street at Eclectic by Nature. As stated on the website, "Eclectic By Nature is a woman-owned store that specialized in Spirituality products." They have everything from herbal healing and Reiki to Wicca and Shamanism. The books at a Little Library often reflect the interests of the person who installed it. That pairing doesn't always happen, but you would be more likely to find a book on some type of spirituality here than the libraries in other neighborhoods.

Here is a link to the homepage of the Little Free Library with all of the details, in case you would live to install one. If you enter your zip code on the website, it will give you a list of all the libraries that have registered. You could even use this service on vacation. Wouldn't it be fun to make a list of titles of  all of the books you've taken from one of the libraries, as well as the ones you donated. We like to try to return them to the same place we got them. Also, if you ever see a person working in the yard or sitting on the porch of a private residence with one of the libraries, say hello or thank them. We have met some really nice people that way. If they are in front of a business, go inside and meet the keepers of the library. The garden at this one at Eclectic By Nature is absolutely beautiful this time of year, and, last we checked, the book selection was great!

Cluck Old Hen

Providence Farm, located at 2569 Huffine Mill Road, is a North Carolina Bicentennial Farm as it has been in the same family for over 200 years. It is fascinating to visit when Joy is in a position to take you on a tour. She is one of the owners and the person who oversees the animal husbandry aspect of the farm. She comes by her name honestly as she is a joy to listen to as she talks about her daily routines and the personalities of the animals. You can read about the farm by following the link at the beginning of today's post, or, you can go out to the farmers market they hold most Saturdays. You can also follow the farm happenings and fun on Instagram.

Today's photo is of a group of chickens who took up at the  farm, but won't integrate with the other chickens on the farm. In the above scene, you see the chickens on a wooden dance board eating the corn meal a dancer put down to make it easier to navigate the dance floor. Earlier, she was flatfoot dancing while musicians we playing old-time tunes on the fiddle and banjo. The chickens didn't waste any time. When the musicians and the dancer took a break to eat, the chickens moved in and ate the corn meal they'd been eyeing. As the chickens pecked at the corn mean, it was as if you could hear them keeping time to the tune, "Cluck Old Hen". Those are the fun and funny antics you experience when you hang out on a farm. Do you have a go-to farm in Guilford County? If not, check out the eastern end of the county. These are a few farms near Providence Farm that also have opportunities for the public to be on site. 

Happy Tuesday!

Styrofoam Recycling Part Two

In January, we featured the styrofoam recycling boxes on East Gate City Boulevard. Well, the program has been so successful that they've doubled capacity. The area is hard to photograph, especially when the sun is harsh, but what you see in the photo is just one side of the enclosure. The other side also has another big, blue box and three giant plastic bins. As you can see, they were full when we were dropping off styrofoam recently. It is located behind the Tiny House Community Development building. A nice feature of these boxes is that they are always available. They accept styrofoam #6 and foam egg cartons, foam plates, take out boxes, bowls, and cups as long as they are clean and dry. Also, they can't have labels and tape on them. It is really important to adhere to the rules so that the program continues without glitches.

The really exciting part of this styrofoam recycling in Greensboro is that the materials are densified into ingots which, in turn, are manufactured into useful products like picture frames, molding and other building materials. Here is the link for more information and the process at the facility at 1310 West Gate City Boulevard. West Gate City from the intersection of Josephine Boyd near UNCG and Elm Street is transforming before our eyes and the Tiny House/styrofoam recycling center is a big part of this transformation. Happy Friday! It is a beautiful time to be in Greensboro.

The Farmers Market & A B Seed at Sandy Ridge

The Farmers Market and AB Seed at Sandy Ridge were hopping yesterday. It seemed like all of Greensboro had been anticipating the Saturday cold weather and rain. By Sunday, people were cleaning patios, gardening, and out in search of plants and mulch. In the Farmers Market side of the market, Sandhills strawberries were a big seller. Asparagus and the cold weather vegetables are also in season now. One vendor had the last of the Richmond County pecans. Farmers markets remind us that foods have seasons and we await our favorite crops with great anticipation. Here is a North Carolina harvest calendar, if you want to see what will be ripe when. 

The above photo was taken at the outdoor area of AB Seed. If you notice the fiber screen overhead does a tremendous job of cutting down on the full sun, allows light, air, moisture, and some rain filter through. In the photo, the fluffy white clouds are a lot more noticeable than they are in person. You really owe it to yourself to spend time at the farmers market talking to the farmers and their assistants. Also, if you need glazed decorative pots for your porch and patio, AB Seed has just about every size and shape you can image. Happy Monday!

GTA Bus On Route #1 Heading East on McGee St

As we were leaving Just Be, yesterday afternoon, bus #782, the #1 West Wendover Avenue GTA bus was heading east on West McGee Street. It is one of the diesel-electric New Flyer XDE40 buses; it is clean, quiet, and a smooth ride. Today is Friday, a good day for taking the bus, and this one goes from Wendover, along Spring Garden, to town. Friday is always a great day to head to downtown Greensboro.

Notice the snappy ad for an ad on this bus and also worth mentioning is the reflection of the 300 block of South Elm Street in the windshield of the bus.  Can you spot the façade of the Green Bean Coffee Shop in the windshield? Everything looks better with a good dose of sunshine, including bus windshields!

Honk if you love Fridays!