12/18 Saturday

Thomasville-- Have breakfast with Santa!  All You Can Eat, pancakes, sausage, bacon and eggs at the Pilot Fire Department, 4205 Old Hwy 429.  Includes picture with Santa, and you'll make a tree ornament.  $6 12 and up, 3-11 years is $3.00, 2 and under free.  For more information you can call 336-475-6152.

Jamestown-- Free family movie at the Jamestown Library!  Polar Express in 3-D will show at 10:15am.  There will be cocoa, and it's been rumored that Santa will appear!  The library is at 200 West Main Street in Jamestown, and if you'd like more information you can call 454-4815.

Vintage Inspired Santa Hair Clip by DunlapLove

Celebrating Christmas at Old Salem

While the annual Christmas Celebration at Old Salem has passed, there are still many holiday events that you can enjoy! 

Some events are free, some have a charge. You can find more information here.

And you can, of course, always walk the grounds for free!  I did that myself today... it seems like each time I go I see something new in the eighteenth century town!

Home Moravian Church

Winkler Baker, side view

First Private Residence in Salem, the Miksch House

The family sold these products out of their home.

Holiday Gift Guide: Shopping the Piedmont Triad

'A Very Eclectic Gift Guide from the Piedmont Triad' by piedmonttriad

Featuring the talented artisans from the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina!

yourethatgirld... $26.00	hempsteadhouse $150.00	WestBendPotter... $23.00
SometimesSumme... $24.00	marcibrunophot... $27.00	KneeDeepOrigin... $85.00
IkowDesigns $61.00	marmidesigns $10.00	MAKDesigns $58.00
DunlapLove $18.00	LeeLuCreations $24.50	Defabricate $6.00
ribbonrefinery $5.00	misunrie $38.00	WitchHazelHand... $15.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Piedmont Triad Etsy Love! Shop Locally! Shop Handmade!

Be sure to check out the new Etsy Love in the right column!

Bridges-- A Way to Connect in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County

If you live in Winston-Salem and the surrounding area, here's a new way for you to connect with the community!  It's called Bridges, and it's an Interactive Community Conversation, with a focus on living, shopping and connecting locally.  (Much like us here at Piedmont Triad Living.)

Check it out.  I think you'll like it.  You can enter here. 

Shadows of a Pedestrian Bridge

 

Kernersville, NC Railroad Depot

We pass it daily, and yesterday stopped to climb the old train at Kernersville's train depot, which has been restored in the last few years.  It's located on the outskirts of downtown, at the intersection of Main Street and Bodenhamer Street (66).

In 1873, Kernersville built four miles of railroad track to complete the connection between Greensboro and Winston-Salem.  A depot was also constructed, and it is now the second oldest in western North Carolina.  The building consists of an office and a waiting room, separated by a wall, with a fireplace in each room.

Following the Civil War, this railroad connection allowed Kernersville to become a strong tobacco town.  Kernersville had five tobacco factories, two tobacco warehouses, and other related industries.  A fancy passenger and freight depot was constructed directly across the railroad tracks from the one still standing, and it was demolished by the Southern Railroad in 1985. 

Funds have been procured to further renovate the depot, which will include the ticket waiting room and office.

The track, looking east, with Highland Industries to the right.

The depot is not a destination.  Quite frankly, there's nothing there but the one dilapidated train car and the locked depot.  Looking through the windows of the depot, one can see two mannequins dressed in period attire.  Nothing can be seen through a window on the train car.  The girls did have a great time climbing up onto the car and "steering".  The depot is beside a second track that does receive train traffic, although I'm not sure how you could find out the schedule.  We can sometimes hear the train whistle from our apartment, and we did hear it 1:34pm on a Friday.  I'm not sure if the train runs on a schedule.  It would be very cool for the kids to see the train pass from the depot if you happened to be there at the right time. 

All of the banks are just around the corner... the girls are enjoying their lollipops, too.

There are lots of great, locally owned shops within walking distance.  It's also just down the street from two fantastic parks.  Fourth of July Park is about a mile west, with an entrance on Bodenhamer or West Mountain.  And Triad Park is a few miles east.  Or you could visit Kernersville Lake Park.  I also love the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Gardens on Main Street.  And just down the street from the Botanical Gardens is Korner's Folly, the world's most unusual house.  While the Kernersville Railroad Depot may not be a destination, it can definitely be a part of a fun filled day in the Heart of the Triad.

Located at the entrance of Fourth of July Park, the Piney Grove School has been decorated for the holidays.

12/5

High Point--  27th Annual Open House at the High Point Museum.  Reenactments, music, demonstrations, hands-on activities, refreshments.  FREE and fun for the whole family!  No reservations required.

Greensboro-- Visit with Santa at Bur-Mil Park!  Hot cocoa, cookies, photos with Santa (your camera or theirs).  Admission is free, but they will be collecting canned food and new or gently used toys for Santa's workshop.  2-6pm in the clubhouse.

12/4

Winston-Salem-- Four Christmases for Children at Historic Bethabara Park 10am.  Adults $5, Children $3.

Greensboro-- Greensboro Jaycee's Holiday Parade starts at 12pm.  See the parade route here.

Winston-Salem--  Winston-Salem Jaycee's Holiday Parade starts at 5pm.  See the parade route here. 

Kernersville-- Annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Harmon Park begins at 7pm.  

12/3

High Point-- Crafts for children ages 3-12 at the High Point Public Library.  Registration is required, stop by the children's reference desk or call 883-3666. 4pm

Greensboro-- Festival of Lights, Downtown Greensboro.  Center City Park at 200 North Elm, 6-9pm.  Check the website for a full schedule; there's a lot going on!  And be sure to stop by the First Friday Indie Market at the corner of MLK and S. Elm.  I'll be there, of course, with soulenergy!  First Friday is from 4pm-9pm.

12/1

Greensboro-- Grand Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Celebration. Music ~ Latkes ~ Chanukah Crafts ~ Clown & much more!  Center City Park, 5pm.  Free!

Shopping North Carolina for $10 or Less

'Shopping North Carolina for $10 or Less' by soulenergy

From the Mountains to the Coast, and everywhere in between, North Carolina is the proud home to many talented artists and artisans!

sharonaugustyn... $5.00	DomesticBlissD... $8.00	mystuff2 $3.00
KZShots $7.50	BillSwindamanP... $10.00	McCoyToys $4.50
tlgpottery $5.00	SewUpscale $10.00	OBXPuparazzi $8.95
greenvette1991 $10.00	Odddesignsnc $12.00	HandmadeByShan... $6.00
RibbonDoodle $9.00	flyingpignc $10.00	dogWoodbyDave $9.95

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

11/24

High Point-- Crafts for children ages 3-12 at the High Point Public Library.  Registration is required, stop by the children's reference desk or call 883-3666. 3pm

11/21

Winston-Salem-- Thompson's Old Fashioned Model Train Show at Hanes Hosiery Community Center.  Model trains on display and for sale.  Kids can operate the model trains.  For those wanting to get started collecting and building a layout, there will be a seminar at 1pm.  501 Reynolds Boulevard, Winston-Salem.  10am-3pm.  Adults $4, Children ages 10-12 $2, Children under 10 Free.

Welcome to Fall, Y'all (Or Is it Winter?)

Have you noticed this very cool weather forecaster on the right side of this column?  It's actually one of my favorite widgets on this blog, because the picture changes as the weather does.  The sun rises and sets, the leaves have changed color, the sky is accurate, when it's windy the brush in the foreground sways.  Today, as you can see, it's a clear Carolina Blue Sky, the leaves have changed to their bright oranges, reds and yellows.  And there's a fire in the fireplace.  Baby, it's cold outside.

This is my windshield this morning, covered in frost.

We walk about 1/8 a  mile to the bus stop every morning.  I check the temperature before we go out the door, and this morning at 7:15 it was 38, so it's actually gotten two degrees colder.  Brrrrrrrr. 

I'm participating in a Photo Hunt Challenge, and one of the words to find is "Something Cold".  I had that in mind as I grabbed the camera.

There is a church next door to where we live, and I have taken many, many photos of it's steeple.  I love the angles in it's architecture, and the Carolina sky has provided many different backgrounds for my photos.  We are blessed with an amazing sunrise everyday.  Depending on the day, the weather, and the time I see it, the sky is saturated in either beautiful rosy pinks or bright golden yellows.  This morning the roof was frost covered, with the sun tinting the steeple a gorgeous pink.

And finally, a ground view of the frost covering the ground, the leaves outlined in a silvery frost. 

I think I've got "something cold" taken care of.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with my frost covered windshield.  Or do you think I should go with the frost covered leaf? 

It's hard to believe that it's going to be 60 later today, and this weekend we're looking at temperatures approaching 70.  It's getting closer to the holidays, and there is lots to do this weekend!  Be sure to check this blog for fun family events going on.  You'll be able to find a craft fair at almost every corner... be sure to support your local artists and artisans.  I'll be at Forest Oaks Country Club (4600 Forest Oaks Drive, Greensboro, NC) with soulenergy tomorrow from 10am-3pm for their Pre-Holiday Event.  All are welcome!

And do your best to shop local!

Enjoy the weekend!