Bark for Life of Greensboro: Fight Against Cancer

Bark for Life of High Point: Fight Against Cancer

Registration begins at 9am
Event Activities from 10am til Noon
Hot Dog Lunch Noon - 1pm
2 Hot Dogs, Chips and Drink $4

Early Voting in the Piedmont Triad

I voted today! I was at the library around 1pm and was surprised to see so many people! The wait was about half hour and I'd say about 100 people voted while I was there. For more information about early voting (one-stop voting) anywhere in the Piedmont Triad, check here first 

Treasury Tuesday: Randolph County

BROWSE THE SHOPS OF THESE LOCAL ARTISTS AND SPEND YOUR MONEY LOCALLY!

'Piedmont Triad Living: Randolph County Artists' by piedmonttriad

We always encourage you to shop locally! This treasury is filled with artists from Randolph County, NC. Find this and other Piedmont Triad treasuries at PiedmontTriadLiving.com. We always support shopping local!

handmade art nouveau floral ... snowhilltilewo... $35.00	Pierced earrings, sterling h... EarthsOpulence $15.00	Pink Glass Faux Marble on Si... CurryDesignsJe... $16.00	Boot Anklets CharmedbyKaryn $20.00
Gold color medallion with S... SummersStuDio1... $2.00	Pottery Pitcher or Creamer w... Beaverspottery $16.00	Duke/Chapel Hill Tie Onesie,... sassyjaynes $16.50	Maternity Hospital Gown, del... MilkThreads $52.00
Birds on Wire handmade felt ... slenderloris $35.00	Shy Turtles Necklace Pend... carawaycreek $28.99	Aviary Express Print 12x15 RichPowellArt $40.00	Caterpillar Pull Toy McCoyToys $22.00
handmade hippie patchwork fe... gretchdesigns $29.00	Rainbow Tutu Primary Co... FromDiapers2Di... $25.00	Black and Rainbow Cat Tail PricelessCompa... $40.00	Crochet Crown for Your Littl... amydeming1 $6.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

L.A.Crochet (AND Kville Chief of Police Goes DOWN!)

The Fall Festival Benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was two weeks ago, on October 13, 2012.  In addition to more than 30 vendors, there were bouncy houses, a petting zoo, a balloon artist and a DUNK TANK!  Kernersville, NC Chief of Police K.W. Gamble goes down twice in this quick video.

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While we're talking about the Fall Festival, let me introduce you to the crafter that was next to me, Lou Ann Webber of L.A. Crochet.  

I love love love her "bag bags",  plastic grocery bags upcycled in to crocheted totes.  They are strong and stretchy, and Lou Ann makes them small to large; some small enough to be a wallet or purse, some large enough to be a shopping or beach tote! 

 Because it was just a couple of weeks before Halloween, she had several pumpkin themed bags, so cute!

Lou Ann can be found at local craft fairs, but her website is her main selling place, so stop there first!  She's a local crafter living in Kernersville, keep an eye out for her and see her bags for yourself!

Community Roots Day 2012: Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful

Community Roots Day, a beautification project coordinated by WS/FC Community Appearance Commission, Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful and the Vegetation Management Division of the City of Winston-Salem celebrated it 20th year today.

 This event brings the community together, with volunteers of all ages and backgrounds coming together to have fun and improve our city.  Over the last twenty years, more than 8,000 trees have been planted on Community Roots Day.  These trees add a tangible benefit to our area.  They add not only beauty and shade, but also absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, reduce pollution, reduce storm water run-off and prevent erosion.  

It was a great pleasure to participate in this year's Community Roots Day.    We began the day with registration,  we were assigned  teams and we each received a hat and t-shirt of our own.  We were on the Blue Team.  We all came together and heard Mayor  Allen Joines speak, as well as several of our city Alderman and a representative from the Arbor Day Foundation.  Winston-Salem was  selected as a Tree City, USA and presented with a flag.

Due to it's great success, more than 40 companies donate time, money and materials to the event.  In addition, the project received two grants.  The Waste Management "Think Green" Grant in the amount of $10,000 went towards the purchase of trees.  The project also received a $5,000 grant from the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation.

The first dig

 Planting Leaders included local Master Gardeners, the Garden Club Council, local landscapers and community garden leaders.  While they were there for guidance, the volunteers were digging the holes, planting the trees, replacing the dirt, and covering with mulch.  

Initially, I was worried about showing up with a four-year-old and eight-year-old.  I had no reason to worry.  This event is suitable for everyone.  There were Scouting troops, high school groups, civic groups, and people (like us) who came  by ourselves and were placed in a team.  Everyone really did work together, and when a group finished with one tree, they turned to their neighbor and asked, "Need some help?"  Philip Phibbs and his daughter Mariah, of Winston-Salem, helped us complete the hole for our first tree, as well as getting it into the hole and covering the roots back with the dirt and mulch.    Mariah is a student at Early College of Forsyth, and is receiving extra credit in her science class by participating.  Her Dad has volunteered previously and joined his daughter because he had such a good time in previous years.  On our second tree, we were joined by a gentleman who was in his seventh or eighth year of volunteering at Community Roots Day.  I'm sure he was solidly in his 70s.  

Our team's area of beautification was at the Ray Agnew Football Field on Waterworks Road just off of New Walkertown.  Our first tree was in the green space in front. The first tree we planted was an Arapahoe Crape Myrtle.  Our second tree was a Red Bud, and ours is the third from the front on the left side of the sidewalk in the center of the parking lot.  Our last tree, a Locust, is the second from the end on the right side of the sidewalk.  We're excited to claim these trees as "ours" and look forward to seeing them grow!

"The result of Community Roots Day is that it improves how people feel about where they live," said George Stilphen, coordinator of Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful. "People have a greater sense of pride in their community and along the way it increases property values and draws business and retains it. Planting trees has a direct impact on the economy."

There were more than 500 volunteers to plant 417 trees.  Our team had finished planting in our designated area by 11am.  We were then treated to a hot dog lunch with chips, bananas, cake squares from Dewey's and plenty to drink.

Our blue team included high school students, a Girl Scout troop and more.

Finishing up our last tree, a Locust, with help from Philip Phibbs and his daughter Mariah of Winston-Salem.  Mariah is a student at Early College of Forsyth, and is receiving extra credit for participating in Community Roots Day.

 Proud to be a part of Community Roots Day!  The Girls and I have agreed that we'll make this an annual event for us, as well.

This year's planting took place along New Walkertown Road and the Newell/Massey Greenway.  Orange cones protected the volunteers from traffic on New Walkertown Road.

After the event, newly planted trees line both sides of New Walkertown Road from Waterworks to Carver School Roads.

Flashback Friday: Oct 19-Oct 25

The Week in Review

 Friday, October 12-Thursday, October 18 

Piedmont Triad Living.

Thursday, Oct. 25


I'm so excited!  We introduced our new website, your most complete source for loving the Piedmont Triad on a budget.  This will be your go-to for living, laughing, loving, playing and shopping locally!


This amazing photo was captured just outside of Downtown Winston-Salem.  Find out what it is and where I saw it here.

Wednesday, Oct. 24

Not sure of your voter registration status?  Check it here!


Traffic accidents had major thoroughfares closed for hours, causing headaches for those of us travelling the highways.  Check our blog to find out how to avoid congestion, construction, and adverse weather.  

Tuesday, Oct 23

This week's Treasury features Surry County artists.


Food Allergy Families of the Triad shared a cool website with great ideas of healthy Halloween lunch ideas!

Saturday, Oct. 20

The annual Fall Festival in Walkertown took place last weekend, and we met several really awesome and creative local people.  Read more about our experience here.

The Orionid Meteor Showers passed through our skies on Saturday!  We went out just after midnight for about thirty minutes and saw three quick streaks.  If you missed them, this chart is borrowed from the Farmers Almanac website. Click on the chart to go to their website, with more information. 

http://www.farmersalmanac.com/meteor-showers/

Friday, Oct.19

The Triad's Give A Kid A Coat campaign kicked-off.  You can drop off coats and jackets at any A Cleaner World location.


The Kernersville Chamber of Commerce brought together local companies for their annual Business Showcase.  See a listing of participating companies here.

Winston Mutual Building: Today and Yesterday

Trees are the Earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven. --- Rabindranath Tagore

I caught this amazing view on my way towards Downtown Winston-Salem this morning.  Don't see it?  Look closer.  From across a parking lot,  a lone tree was lending it's shadow across the entire expanse of this five story building.  Wow, wow, wow.  I have never seen anything like this; it truly was a wonder to witness.

The low-rise building holds great historical importance for our Black community.  It has been a source of economic and civic pride for African-Americans since it was built by Winston Mutual Life Insurance Company in 1969.  Businesses set up shop, and the building has been used by community leaders to discuss social and political issues.  The Winston Mutual Building is within sight of the city's newest historical marker, dedicated to the Winston-Salem Chapter of the Black Panther Party.  

Think of the history that has taken place on this corner, close to the intersection of East Fifth Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.  1969 is the same year the city's chapter of the Black Panther Party was organized, working to feed poor children and infusing a spirit of black pride into the community. That same year, Winston-Salem State College was designated by legislative approval as Winston-Salem State University.  

Nationally, in 1969 Richard Nixon was inaugurated as President, Woodstock was billed as three days of Peace and Music, Neil Armstrong became the first man on the moon, and Sesame Street first aired.

And this weekend, within a half mile of this spot, we are planting our own trees and creating our own history.  Saturday is Community Roots Day, and we will come together  for this annual tree planting project.  Just this morning I passed the City trucks as they began preparation.  I'm excited to be a part of the day, and we'll do our part to Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed it's the only things that ever has. --- Margaret Mead

Traffic Resource for the Triad: NCDOT Travel

The NCDOT's Travel page is the best resource for traffic, incidents, and weather advisories in the Triad.  Speed sensors give you real time movement of traffic, and this website also tracks construction, accidents and congestion. There are up-to-the-minute traffic cameras along the major arteries.  

The map above is the current view of the page, showing the traffic congestion after a tractor trailer overturned on I40 under US-52.  The photo below is borrowed from the WXII12 facebook page.

More screen shots of the NCDOT page at the time of the above accident (below).  

From a distance, you can see at a glace that congestion is severe on I40

Zoom in and you can see that I40 is closed under the bridge, with heavy congestion at exit 193, and the Thomasville Road exit is experiencing heavy congestion

Click on the yellow diamond with the exclamation mark, and you'll know the reason for delays

As I was working on this post, this special alert popped onto my screen.

Bookmark this page and use it anytime you need to hit the highway in the Triad!  You can also access national traffic here.

Stay safe and keep your sanity with this indispensable website!

Treasury Tuesday: Surry County

Browse the shops of these local artists and spend your money locally!

'Piedmont Triad Living: Surry County Artists' by piedmonttriad

We always encourage you to shop locally! This treasury is filled with artists from Surry County, NC

Black Birds DeborahBertoli... $9.00	Blue, Pearl, and Green Bird&... SomeKindOfArt $15.00	The Heavens, 8"x10"... PetrocyStudios $98.00	Funky Mod Flowers CobwebsAndBadA... $25.00
Pottery Barn Kids FUNNY FISH... paintmama $155.00	lampwork and copper dangle e... amusebeads $18.00	Heart and aqua BestEverGifts $17.00	Cigar Box Guitar - 4 String,... alberboxguitar... $98.00
Autumn Fun Batik & Black Qui... theartsynest $55.00	Unakite Jasper necklace-UNAK... RiverRidgeExcl... $115.00	Silver Large Owl Charm Neckl... MythicalFolk $14.00	Beautiful Portrait CobwebsAndBadA... $8.00
Barn Red BeLiEvE SiGn mayberryprim $12.99	Red Cedar Log Birdhouse UniquePiecesby... $70.00	Chainmail Bracelet - Persian... BellaMaille $5.00	BABY SHOWER Jungle Safari Zo... the dog house