IRVING PARK Parkmont Drive, Greensboro, NC
PINE KNOLLS Quail Hollow, Kernersville, NC
SUNSET HILLS Friendly Avenue, Greensboro, NC
HIGHEST
Average Sales Prices in the Triad from Inception
MARK & KIM LITTRELL
Broker | Realtors |Board of Advisor 336.210.1780 | 336.210.9294 info@BlueDenimRE.com
JOHN-MARK M. MITCHELL Owner | Founder | CEO 336.682.2552 | 707.GO.MITCH johnmark@gomitch.com
Making LUXURY Available at All Price Points
a division of
TowneBank and Dogwood – A Winning Team Dogwood State Bank and TowneBank have come together to create an unmatched team of dedicated bankers who are accessible and available. We invite you to join us and experience the difference. We welcome Dogwood as a Division of TowneBank.
Justin Combs Winston-Salem Market Executive 336-577-1112 Scott Baker President, Triad 336-493-7228 Grant Cook Commercial Banking Officer 704-776-2568
TowneBank.com/DogwoodTeam Member FDIC
October 2026
52
FEATURES 51
Dish Towel
Poem by Terri Kirby Erickson
52 Porch Peepin’ & Creepin’
Raise your spirits with these spooky season outdoor decor ideas
60 Learning as we Grow
At Peacehaven, the future is fertile By Billy Ingram
68 For the Love of Lindley Park
On his nursery acreage, J. Van Lindley planted the seeds of a beloved neighborhood that continues to blossom By Jim Dodson
74
Trains, Trails, Technology
A Day Out in Hickory By Danielle Rotella Guerrieri
80 Southern Hospitality A legacy of entertaining By Cassie Bustamante
91
October Almanac
By Ashley Walshe
DEPARTMENTS 15 Chaos Theory By Cassie Bustamante 19 Simple Life By Jim Dodson 22 Sazerac 29 Tea Leaf Astrologer By Zora Stellanova 31 Life’s Funny By Maria Johnson 35 Animal Tale By Ross Howell Jr. 25 Omnivorous Reader By Anne Blythe 39 State of Mind By Tommy Tomlinson 43 Home Grown By Cynthia Adams 45 Birdwatch By Susan Campbell 47 Wandering Billy By Billy Ingram 114 Outings 125 GreenScene 128 O.Henry Ending By Cynthia Adams Cover Photograph by Betsy Blake Photograph this page by Lynn Donovan
6 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Fine Eyewear by Appointment 327 South Elm | Greensboro 336.274.1278 | TheViewOnElm.com Becky Causey, Licensed Optician
Want
to Sell? The residential real estate market is shifting. While historically it’s still a good time to sell, there are market adjustments you need to consider. As partners in the Triad’s largest locally owned residential real estate company, both Tyler Redhead & McAlister (Greensboro, Asheboro) and Leonard Ryden Burr (Winston-Salem), have professional agents ready to help you navigate today’s market.
What is your home worth? Scan to find out.
336.274.1717 I trmhomes.com
LOCAL AGENTS.
I
LOCAL OFFICES.
336.779.9200 I golrb.com
I
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.
I
LOCAL ADVANTAGE.
LIVE. WORK. CREATE. NOW LEASING OFFICE + RETAIL SPACES
FREE OCTOBER HAPPENINGS
Haunts & Hops Halloween Market Three Costume contests with cash & prizes: Children, Adults & Pets Local maker and artisan market Games, Craft brews, Music, Candy & more fun for all ages 2001 Yanceyville Street @ Incendiary Brewing Co + The Stacks
PEACE
A collective Art Exhibition
OCTOBER 30 TO JANUARY 2
OPENING RECEPTION FRIDAY,OCTOBER 30 7-10 PM
artist talk, jazz music, drinks and reception CENTRAL GALLERY @ 1150 REVOLUTION MILL DRIVE
Learn more at RevolutionMillGreensboro.com/workspaces
WHERE HISTORIC MEETS MODERN WWW.REVOLUTIONMILLGREENSBORO.COM RevolutionMillGreensboro |
Revolution_Mill
M A G A Z I N E
Volume 16, No. 10 “I have a fancy that every city has a voice.” www.ohenrymag.com PUBLISHER
David Woronoff david@thepilot.com Andie Rose, Creative Director andiesouthernpines@gmail.com Cassie Bustamante, Editor cassie@ohenrymag.com Joi Floyd, Assistant Editor joi@ohenrymag.com
Stay ahead of the spooky stuff with your regular dental visit.
Jim Dodson, Editor at Large jwdauthor@gmail.com Keith Borshak, Senior Designer Miranda Glyder, Senior Designer CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Cynthia Adams, David Claude Bailey, Maria Johnson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Betsy Blake, Lynn Donovan, Amy Freeman, Liz Nemeth, Bert VanderVeen, Mark Wagoner CONTRIBUTORS
Harry Blair, Anne Blythe, Susan Campbell, Danielle Rotella Guerrieri, Ross Howell Jr., Billy Ingram, Jim Moriarty, Gerry O’Neill, Gary Palmer, Zora Stellanova, Tommy Tomlinson, Ashley Walshe, Amberly Glitz Weber
PREVENT CAVITIES
KEEP YOUR SMILE BOO-TIFUL
ENJOY TREATS, NOT TROUBLES
WE TAKE THE FRIGHT OUT OF DENTAL CARE
Annie McLennon, DDS, Graham E. Farless, DDS, Bill Blaylock, DDS
Let us exceed your expectations of what great dental care can be. Call today! 336-282-2868
WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS
ADVERTISING SALES
Lisa Allen 336.210.6921 • lisa@ohenrymag.com Amy Grove 336.456.0827 • amy@ohenrymag.com Brad Beard, Graphic Designer Jennifer Bunting, Advertising Coordinator
ohenrymag@ohenrymag.com
Henry Hogan, Finance Director 910.693.2497 Darlene Stark Subscriptions & Circulation Director 910.693.2488
2511 Oakcrest Ave, Greensboro, NC 27408 www.gsodentist.com
Like us on Facebook
OWNERS
Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels III, David Woronoff In memoriam Frank Daniels Jr. © Copyright 2026. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. O.Henry Magazine is published by The Pilot LLC
10 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
for
BRENNER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL Friday, November 13, 2026
7 p.m.
Legacy Stables
4154 Thomasville Road Winston-Salem
Bright colors, brighter futures Enjoy a memorable evening of handcrafted cocktails, a gourmet seated dinner, spirited live and silent auctions, and a can’t-miss silent disco, all in support of patients and their families receiving care at Brenner Children’s Hospital!
Purchase tickets or make a gift to help provide brighter futures for pediatric patients and their families!
For more information, visit
BrennerChildrens.org/Cheers Scan the QR code to purchase your tickets! Presented by
DR. EDWARD GRONET BOARD-CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON
DR. CINDY WU DOUBLE BOARD-CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON
WHERE PRECISION MEETS BEAUTY Together, Dr. Edward Gronet, a board-certified plastic surgeon and Dr. Cindy Wu, a double board-certified plastic surgeon, offer advanced plastic surgery at H/K/B Cosmetic Surgery in Greensboro. Alongside them, experienced Med Spa providers deliver a range of advanced, nonsurgical treatments. Under one trusted name, the practice provides refined treatments that restore balance, enhance natural beauty, and prioritize subtle, polished outcomes.
Erica Conklin, PA-C Aesthetic Injector & Laser Specialist
Robin Jenkins, RN Nurse Injector & Laser Specialist
336-275-3430 | HKBSURGERY.COM |
Paige Ottelin, RN, BSN Nurse Injector & Laser Specialist
@HKBGREENSBORO
Megan Simmons Medical Aesthetician
Make a plan for breast cancer screenings. Expert treatment with advanced imaging and 3D mammography.
A breast cancer screening can give you peace of mind about the state of your health...and help you make a plan for world-class treatment if needed. See how we’re changing cancer care for the better. conehealth.com/mammogram
CHAOS THEORY
Herd Mentality
Get to know the people in your neighborhood
By Cassie Bustamante
My mom loves
to recount the story of how my older brother, Dana, used to sing along loudly to Sesame Street’s “The People in Your Neighborhood.” That Sesame Street story is second only to the one where the show once featured cows as milk producers and Dana, 2 at the time, turned to Mom, who was nursing me, and said, “Mommy, you’re like that cow!”
Bovine likeness aside, Mom was always involved with our neighborhood herd. She found women to take fitness walks with, arms pumping as they talked a mile-a-minute — leg warmers may or may not have been involved. At Christmas, all of our neighbors received her famous cookie baskets, filled with about 20 varieties of treats. When anyone needed anything, she was there. She drove home the point that the people in your neighborhood are vital to your wellbeing. I’ve tried to follow suit and connect with people who live in proximity to me wherever I go, but, in 2012, I found out the hard way just how much truth there is in her lesson. You may, in fact, one day find you really need the helping hand of a friendly neighbor. The school year had just begun and I am home with Emmy, my kindergartener, after sending Sawyer off to his second day of second grade. Chris, my husband, has already left for work and is spending the day traveling with a couple of his bosses all over Maryland, where we live — in rural Myersville. After Emmy and I gobble down breakfast, we’ve planned a day of doing our favorite things together — thrifting and crafting. But first, I clear our plates and see the trash is overflowing. I slide the bag out of the bin and take it outside, where I feel a sharp poke into my right shin. Ouch, I think, and move the bag across my body. As I do, something cuts the outside of my left calf. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Ouch, I think again. That feels like it might need a bandaid. But when I look down, I see that a bandaid is no match. A thick, broken drinking glass with two jagged protrusions has made parallel cuts. And I know just who it was that put it straight into the garbage: Chris. Scots-Irish temper flaring, I’m seeing red in more ways than one. I run inside the house and immediately flop down onto our kitchen floor, my mind reeling. Panicking, I yell for Emmy to bring me a roll of paper towels and my phone. I might be bleeding out, but I will not ruin a good towel. You might think I’d be using the phone for immediate emergency assistance, but you’d be wrong. No, I have other fish to fry first. I dial Chris, who is in a car with his bosses. “You tossed a broken drinking glass in the trash and I’ve cut myself badly on it,” I wail. “OK,” he says calmly, “I can’t do anything from here.” “It’s your fault!” I scream. “I need you to hang up with me and call someone who can help you, Cassie,” he says, his voice level and as even as it always is when I’m losing it. “And then please let me know you are OK. I’m sorry.” Sitting on the floor with my leg straight in front of me, I think. We haven’t even lived here a year and I don’t know many people, but, thankfully, a family with a child Sawyer’s age lives not too far up the hill behind us. Debbie is a social butterfly who immediately invited us to her Family Fun Fridays — formerly called Happy Hour Fridays until all the kiddos grew into school age and began telling their teachers they were going to happy hour. Travis, her husband, is tall and slim, a gentle soul. Morgan, their daughter, inherited her mother’s blonde hair and beauty, and her father’s soft-spokenness. I dial their landline. After several rings, I’ve just about given up when Travis picks up. Instead of driving Morgan to school, he jumps in his truck and is soon roaring up our long driveway, his daughter in tow. In his hands he’s carrying gauze and medical tape. He carefully wraps my O.Henry 15
CHAOS THEORY
SKIP THE RUNAROUND. TALK TO THE GUYS YOU CAN TRUST.
(743) 222-5003 https://knowaguyhvac.com/ 307 S. Swing Rd, Greensboro, NC @knowaguyhvac Know A Guy Heating & Air Conditioning
leg and drives me, Emmy and Morgan to the closest hospital ER. While I’m being literally stapled back together, Travis spends the entire morning with Emmy, who rides with him to bring Morgan to school, then back to the hospital waiting room, where he reads to her and buys her snack after snack from the hospital vending machine. When I am finally released to go home, Travis is still there with Emmy, who has had the time of her life doing two of her favorite things — reading and eating. Travis pulls the truck up to the door and lifts Emmy into her seat and gently helps me climb in, bandaged Franken-leg and all. Would I have ultimately called 9-1-1? Sure, but not without bleeding all over the kitchen floor first. And what about Emmy? Would they have let her ride in the ambulance with me? Luckily for me, Travis was one of those people in my neighborhood and was exactly the grounding presence she and I both needed. Travis and Debbie were, hands down, some of the best neighbors we’ve ever had. From Family Fun Fridays to the time Travis trapped and released a squirrel that had somehow gotten into my house, they were always there for our family. When we moved to Greensboro seven and a half years ago, I was sad to say goodbye to them. But I’ve gotten to know neighbors here, a whole cast of characters who make my life better. There’s Carey, whose kids play with my youngest, Wilder, and who has been my sourdough mentor. There’s Laura, who gave my kids rides to school when bus service was halted during the pandemic. And, of course, there’s Jim Dodson, without whom I wouldn’t be here writing about my chaotic life. So, still today, Sesame Street asks its viewers like you, “Who are the people in your neighborhood?” And I hope you have an answer — because you never know when you might need to hitch a ride to the ER or simply borrow some milk. OH Cassie Bustamante is editor of O.Henry magazine.
16 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
T H E M E LV I N A N D R U T H W I T C H E R A D U LT D A Y C E N T E R A T P E N N Y B Y R N
day has purpose. Every Every person has support.
ENROLLING NOW At Pennybyrn’s Melvin and Ruth Witcher
Adult Day Center, every detail is designed to enrich the lives of older adults while offering support and respite for their caregivers.
Our safe, welcoming and vibrant environment
Contact us today to explore enrollment options or to schedule a visit Call (336) 821-4085
offers more than just care—it inspires joy,
sparks learning and builds meaningful social connections. A thoughtfully planned variety of daily activities promotes better overall
health, greater emotional well-being and a
The Art & quality Soul of Greensboro higher of life.
109 Penny Road • High Point, NC 27260 O.Henry OHM 17
Custom built ...
...just the way you like it. 409-A Parkway Avenue • Greensboro, NC 27401 Todd Powley • info@jobecustomhomes.com
My October Surprise
SIMPLE LIFE
To be like Blue (and maybe Lao Tzu, too)
At the start of every
ILLUSTRATION BY GERRY O’NEILL
summer, I vow to my wife, Wendy, that this will be the year I finally make peace with the heat and humidity of my least favorite season. And every year, I fail miserably. By Wendy’s birthday in mid-July, I’ve turned into a grumpy gardener who prays for rain that never arrives and shakes his fist at broiling, sunny skies. Even my golf game wilts. This summer, however, I took a different approach. I decided to be like Blue. And maybe Lao Tzu, too. Blue is my dog, a big, black, super-friendly, 65-pound flatcoated retriever with golden eyes, a thoroughly laid-back disposition and a blue-tipped tongue. A friend steeped in Native American lore insists that his golden eyes and blue tongue mean that he is probably descended from wolves and is a true spirit-animal guide. American Indians apparently revered their dogs for just this reason. Lao Tzu, of course, is the legendary 6th-century Chinese philosopher credited with writing the Tao Te Ching, the foundational text of Taoism. In college a million years ago, I took a course in Eastern religions and developed a shine to the old guy’s wise sayings, as have philosophers and spiritual teachers across the ages. It was Lao Tzu who pointed out that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” a catchphrase appropriated by every tourism flack since the Middle Ages. My favorite Lao Tzu aphorism advises, “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” Blue seems to embody these words like no other four-legged creature I’ve ever known except one — my late dog Mulligan. I fondly called her “Miss Mully.” Three years ago, at the end of another blazing hot summer, Wendy and I said a tearful goodbye to Mully, our soulful flatcoated retriever. She was 17 and failing fast. Our hearts ached as we watched her take one last slow circuit around the back garden
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
she’d watched me build before lying down at my feet and placing her noble head on my shoe. Putting her down was maybe the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do. She truly was this man’s best friend. As that October arrived, a month that typically brings cool relief and nice surprises, I was still deep in grief. Wendy and I were having a drink in the same back garden, watching the first golden leaves of autumn drift to the ground. She asked me how I was doing. “Not great,” I admitted. “I hate to think I’ll never have another dog like Mully.” We have other rescued critters in our home, including a sweet, old Staffordshire pit bull named Gracie, a spunky, young border collie-spaniel mix named Winnie, and a mischievous calico cat named Juno that Wendy found as a week-old kitten abandoned in the Walmart parking lot. I love them all — even if they seem to love Wendy more than me. As usual, like Lao Tzu, Wendy was one step ahead of me. She tapped her smart phone and handed it to me. “How about this dog?” It was a photograph of a young Mully from our adventuring days together. Or so I thought until Wendy shook her head. “It’s not Mully. This is a young male from Tennessee. Last night I typed ‘flat-coated retriever’ into my search bar and he magically appeared. Can you believe it? He could be her twin brother.” She explained that he was rescued by an all-volunteer group called Critter Cavalry based in Franklin, Tennessee. The resemblance to Miss Mully was truly incredible, almost spooky. “As it happens,” Wendy casually added, “he’s going to be passing through Western Virginia two nights from now in case you would like to give this big fella a new home.” I asked how she knew this. “Because I got in touch with Critter Cavalry, paid the adoption fee and we’ve been cleared by our vet to get him.” She added that several times a month the organization transports rescued dogs to qualified new owners up and down the East Coast. She smiled and added, “He’s your October surprise. I think O.Henry 19
SIMPLE LIFE
Mully sent him to take care of you.” • We drove up to Fancy Gap, Virginia, that Friday evening and, as instructed to do for the rendezvous, parked behind a Wendy’s restaurant off the interstate to await the delivery. I joked that it felt like we were part of an undercover stakeout or waiting for an illicit drug delivery. Other cars soon pulled in around us. Eventually, a tall, white van with big, purple dog paws on its side rolled up and folks began getting out of the automobiles and heading toward it. Every one of them was smiling with anticipation. We were, too. There must have been two dozen dogs of every size and breed traveling in neatly stacked crates, all headed to forever homes. Our big, black fella was one of the last to exit the van. He climbed out of the van and calmly looked at me with glimmering, golden eyes. I let him sniff my hand. He licked it. “He has a blue-tipped tongue,” Wendy pointed out. So, we named him Blue. The first thing Blue did in Wendy’s car was take a giant poop on her back seat. We joked that it was a long ride from Tennessee without bathroom breaks and gave him a drink of cool, bottled water during the clean-up stop. We weren’t back on the road more than five minutes when Blue climbed forward onto the middle console and laid his head on my right thigh.
It stayed there all way all the way home. Blue turned out to be an extraordinary dog. He leads our morning walks and sleeps on the floor directly beside me. Nothing rattles him. He remains cool and calm in every situation, happily responding with his golden eyes shining. He rarely barks except when he suddenly rolls joyfully around on the floor, yipping with childlike glee at finding his forever home. He loves big hugs and lets life flow past with the ease of an ancient Chinese philosopher. Methinks Lao Tzu would love Blue — for he seems to realize nothing is lacking; the whole world belongs to him. Our artist friend, Harry Blair, was so taken with Blue’s aura, he decided to sketch him. He captured Blue’s “Tao” perfectly. As our journey of a thousand miles begins, Blue probably has no idea that he’s become both my best pal and my four-legged teacher. This past summer brought record drought and punishing heat waves, during which our air conditioning even went caput. But, vowing to “Be like Blue,” I took it all in stride, better than ever, in fact. I think Miss Mully would be pleased. OH You can learn more about Critter Cavalry’s important work at crittercavalry.com. Jim Dodson is founding editor of O.Henry.
IS YOUR BANK HELPING YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS?
Sapna Tejpal Manager Commercial Banking-Triad 336-412-4164 Sapna.Tejpal@firstcitizens.com
Experience personalized service from your local banker.
©2026 First Citizens Bank & Trust Company. All rights reserved. Member FDIC 32090926
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Laura Quate Pratt Area Executive (336) 412-4022 laura.pratt@firstcitizens.com
O.Henry 21
SAZERAC
From October 25 to November 1, Greensboro streets will turn blue and gold as North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University celebrates its 100th homecoming, popularly known as GHOE, the Greatest Homecoming on Earth. Founded in 1891 and recently ranked by Forbes as the No. 1 public HBCU (Historically Black College and University) in the United States, A&T is one of the country’s top producers of STEM graduates and is marching steadily toward the prestigious Research-1 status, the highest and most coveted classification for doctoral universities in the U.S. So it’s no surprise that the nation’s largest HBCU is planning a centennial celebration like no other. “This year is truly historic,” says Crystal Boyce, vice chancellor for alumni relations (class of ’07 and ’15), “and reaching this milestone is a testament to the generations of Aggies who built and sustained this tradition over a century.” Boyce maintains that homecoming is “more than just a celebration,” noting her first homecoming felt like “a family reunion multiplied because it celebrates legacy. It celebrates history. It celebrates excellence, innovation and leadership.” And A&T’s preparing for a legendary bash. In August, A&T hosted Aggies in the Ballpark at the Grasshoppers’ stadium. A month later, A&T headed south for an Aggies in Atlanta brunch, teaming up with one of its 41 alumni chapters to spread the word. Alumni have heard — and 200,000 Aggies are expected to answer — the call to come home. That’s almost two-thirds of the city’s population! So, as the city welcomes record-breaking crowds, Boyce advises,
22 O.Henry
A&T’s 1927 football team
“Pack your Aggie Pride and patience. Plan ahead and plan to arrive early. Wear comfortable shoes. Most importantly, come ready to celebrate.” The week-long commemoration kicks off with a coronation. Attendees can dance to the beat of the Blue and Gold Marching Machine at the homecoming parade or wax nostalgic with traditions like the football game (this year versus Elon University), tailgating, the homecoming concert, and donor receptions. There’s something for every Aggie. Folks who didn’t snag a ticket to the sold-out game can watch it at Aggies on Elm, catch the parade, host their own homecoming parties or pull up at GHOE events around “da ’Boro.” Want to join the festivities? Just look for the streets of blue and gold. Follow the Centennial Homecoming website for info: www.ncat.edu/homecoming/100/index.php. — Gale Greenlee The Art & Soul of Greensboro
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY
History 101
1927 CIAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM PHOTO. FOOTBALL PHOTOS COLLECTIONS. UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, F.D. BLUFORD LIBRARY, NC A&T STATE UNIVERSITY
"A spirited forum of Gate City food, drink, history, art, events, rumors and eccentrics worthy of our famous namesake"
SAZERAC
JOI DE VIVRE Ratphobia: Amidst the Halloween preparations and spooky costumes that will soon be roaming the streets, I can’t help but think about the one fear I have yet to overcome: my fear of mascots. Specifically, rat mascots. It all started on my sixth birthday, when my mama decided to throw my party at Chuck E. Cheese. If you’ve been under a rodent-free rock for the last five decades — was your childhood even fun? — let me set the scene. Imagine a rat-themed play place for kids complete with pizza, games, a jungle gym and, of course, a person in a giant rat costume who comes out every hour to dance with the birthday kid. This giant rat, who was at least three times my size and wore a devious smile that never moved, shook its rat-tailed booty my way — did I mention this was supposed to be a kids’ play place? For 6-year-old Joi, there was nothing scarier. So, for the next few years, whenever I was faced with Chuck, whether at a pal’s party or when he made a surprise elementary school appearance, I would immediately find the nearest table and curl up into a ball. Now, at 23 years old, I still haven’t outgrown my fear of rat costumes. In fact, I’ve somehow managed to develop a second fear: real rats. Let’s just say it’s probably best to keep me far away from all play places, sewers and anywhere else that might contain a surprise visit from a long-tailed rodent. — Joi Floyd
Banshee Tower, Ducketts Grove Castle, County Carlow, Ireland
Celtic Merrow
Capturing the Spirit The Emerald Isle has no shortage of spooky stories and Greensboro artist Paul Nixon is bringing some of them home. Born in Ireland and now a Greensboro resident, Nixon is showcasing Within the Realm of Shadows: Whispers from the White Mountain, a high-contrast, monochrome photographic investigation of the rugged landscapes of County Sligo, Ireland. The exhibit is a journey through the folklore Nixon grew up hearing from his grandmother, Margaret, whose stories helped shape his fascination with Éire’s mysterious landscapes. “There’s a little bit of magic to Ireland and these photographs take them closer to that magic,” he says. That magic is deeply connected to his homeland’s history and folklore. Halloween itself, notes Nixon, traces back to Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival marking the transition into fall. “It goes back to the early Celts. Each and every time that I would travel back to Ireland, I would seek out places that had that essence to it,” says Nixon, who’s been building this collection for over 20 years. “I found my purpose in life through the arts and how I can inspire people.” And through this exhibit, he hopes to inspire visitors to see Ireland as well as its ghosts, fairies and stories in a new light. Visit his exhibit all month long at The Marshall Muse Gallery. Info: themarshallmusegallery.com
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 23
TOUCH A TRUCK
TRUCK EVENT
FAMILY OFFICE PRIVATE WEALTH STRATEGIES TAX PLANNING BUSINESS EXIT PLANNING DIVORCE CONSULTING
Come See - Fire Trucks, Police Vehicles, Ambulances, Recycling Trucks and More!
Management and Guidance for High Net Worth Families
HELPING BUILD
Wealth for Life
OCTOBER 13
Your family’s wealth goals are our goals.
5:00-7:30PM
Let’s talk.
Scan the code to begin the conversation today.
209 PISGAH CHURCH RD.
24 O.Henry
336-235-6600 | GenCrestCapital.com
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
SAZERAC
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE BLANDWOOD MUSEUM COLLECTION
Window on the Past The Blandwood Mansion is a true staple of Greensboro’s architectural scene, known for its striking Italianate Tuscan Villa design and, of course, its historic windows. Tucked away in the east parlor, this window is one of many that need restoration to make the place really shine. You can help Preservation Greensboro do a little window shopping by sponsoring the museum’s window restoration, giving others a chance to look through history instead of looking past it. Info: preservationgreensboro.org/general-6.
FOR THE BEST IN LUXURY URBAN LIVING
FALL in love with Hayden Park! Se Habla Español
SOLD
SOLD SOLD
Kathy Haines, REALTOR® http://haydenparkhomes.com Results@KathyHaines.com
336-339-2000
OPEN H O
Sundays USES • 2-4pm
PARADE OF HOM ES Octobe r 3-4 & October 10-11
FIND ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 25
SAZERAC
Unsolicited Advice All Hallow’s Eve is creepin’ around the corner and we have a feeling you’ve yet to pick a costume. Though it may be too late to find a good ’fit at your local Halloween store, we’ve got some ideas up our batwings that you can make in your own home. After all, there’s nothing scarier than being costume-less on Oct. 31. So don’t fret, just pull out your trusty scissors and duct tape and craft away. Sometimes, you just can’t beat a classic. A ghost is the ultimate last-minute costume and the perfect way to satisfy your boo bug. All you need is an old, white sheet and a pair of scissors to cut out two eye holes. Throw it over your head and, voilà — you’ll feel like the most beautiful ghoul in the world. Bonus, there’s lots of room under that sheet for stashin’ treats. You may not know your way around the kitchen but with an apron and a chef’s hat, who’s going to know what’s not cook-
ing? A chef costume is quick, easy and convincing enough to make everyone believe you can actually whip up a five-course meal. Add a wooden spoon or spatula for the finishing touch. Just try not to get caught when someone asks you to make dinner. Yes, chef! If you’re looking for something with a little more fright, then spin yourself into a mummy with materials you probably already have at home. Grab some old white sheets, toilet paper or gauze and start wrapping. Leave a little room to see and walk — and maybe go to the bathroom — because stumbling blindly around the party may be scary but explaining the hospital bill afterward is even more frightening. For an extra creepy touch, add some smudged makeup or fake dirt to give your costume that freshly escaped-from-the-tomb look.
Sweet Style with a
Spooky Twist 336.723.9419 111-A Reynolda Village Winston-Salem, NC 27106 www.mccallsreynoldavillage.com info@mccallsreynoldavillage.com @mccallsreynoldavillage
26 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
QW HAPPENINGS & NEWS • Lucky 32: Lunch & Dinner 6 DAYS (Closed Mon.) (BRUNCH Sat. & Sun.) • O.Henry LIVE Jazz! Every Thursday from 6-9 PM and Select Saturdays from 7-10 PM in the Social Lobby. See the schedule at ohenryhotel.com • LIVE Music at Lucky 32! Live music four days a week! See the full line up at lucky32.com E M P LOY E E OW N E D
• Romance & Music Packages at O.Henry & Proximity Book online at ohenryhotel.com or proximityhotel.com • Weddings | Meetings | Retreats | Events | Group Accommodations Learn more ohenryhotel.com or proximityhotel.com
Honoring Alexander ‘Xan’ Tisdale
As his mother, I was blessed to share not only life with him, but a career and a calling in real estate. His talent was matched only by his compassion and his genuine desire to serve others. Xan was a devoted father, a loving brother, my cherished son, and a true heart he created and the lives he touched are a beautiful legacy that will live on.
Kay Chesnutt © 2026 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 27
Carolina Pines
Retirement Living on Your Terms! What if you could trade household chores for more freedom and flexibility? By rightsizing your lifestyle, you can enjoy the ease of all-inclusive retirement living without sacrificing the independence you value. Let our attentive team take care of the to-do list and start enjoying more moments for family, passion projects, friendships, and making meaningful memories!
New beginnings await. Schedule your tour today!
336-645-3911
2998 Alamance Road Greensboro, NC 27407 CarolinaPinesRetirement.com
POBLANO’S KNOWS MEXICAN FOOD! Find the vibrant culinary culture of Mexico at a price you can afford to love.
808 Friendly Center Road • Greensboro, NC 27408 | 336-299-9898 | poblanosmexicanbarandgrill.com
28 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
TEA LEAF ASTROLOGER
LIBRA
(September 23 – October 22) Someone’s feeling extra flirty this month. Mirror face aside, get ready for a cosmic reset on Oct. 10 sure to set your gaze in a bold new direction. Of course, this does mean you’ll need to make a choice. And with your ruling planet Venus in retrograde now through mid-November, one choice you ought to make is selfrestraint, particularly when it comes to extraneous spending. Hint: Shop your own closet, sweetheart. You’re already extra.
Tea leaf “fortunes” for the rest of you: Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) Let yourself be surprised.
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) Listen for the crows.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) Host a soup swap.
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) Check the air filters.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20) Change the batteries.
Aries (March 21 – April 19) There’s a first for everything.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Add more nutmeg.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
Do the words bobtail cat mean anything to you?
Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Explore moon meditations.
Leo (July 23 – August 22) It’s time for a color refresh.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22) Embrace the wild rumpus. OH
Zora Stellanova lives in the N.C. mountains with her wolfdogs, Venus and Lilith. Although she prefers divining with loose-leaf puerh, she recommends a mugwort and passionflower blend for those seeking wisdom and clarity from the dream realm. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 29
Go Where Fall Takes You From everyday outings to autumn adventures, find exceptional shoes, expert fitting, and the comfort to enjoy every step of the season.
BECAUSE FIT MATTERS.
HARD-TO-FIND SIZES AND WIDTHS
65,000 items in stock | Men’s 7-17, 2A-6E | Women’s 5-13, 4A-4E
ALZINA FAN CLUB: MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS PERKS STOP BY AND GET YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD! She’s part Doberman, part Collie, 100% lovable — and the unofficial mascot of Digital Restoration Services. Adopted from the Guilford County Animal Shelter 4 years ago, Alzina is always ready to make a new fan.
the shoe market
Family-Owned, Full-Service, High-Quality Comfort Shoe Store 4624 West Market Street • Greensboro | 336.632.1188 | theshoemarketinc.com
Schedule Your Annual Screening Mammogram
ARE YOU IN?
B ec au se yo u’ re
40 AND
Photo, Video & Audio Restoration Specialists digitalrestorationservices.com customerservice@digitalrestorationservices.com
Phone:336-508-7159 928 Summit Ave, Greensboro, NC 27405
30 O.Henry
Outpatient Imaging Phone: 336-765-5722 WakeHealth.edu/mammogram
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
LIFE’S FUNNY
The Fruit of the Spirit The legacies of two natureloving families intertwine
By Maria Johnson
The idea sprouted last year with a
PHOTOGRAPH BY LYNN DONOVAN
text sent in a fit of arboreal passion.
“Hey Ro-Ro,” the message said. “I need to talk to you about trees.” Ro-Ro, aka Rosemary Kenerly, the communications manager at Greensboro College, was not surprised to hear from her friend and neighbor, David Craft. She knew him as a devoted naturalist and one who shuns formality, a guy who likes to make things happen, especially when those things involve planting trees. David’s dad, the late Bill Craft, was the Johnny Appleseed of Greensboro. He planted hundreds of trees across the community. David, the sixth of nine kids, followed in his father’s muddy footsteps, helping to run the family’s insurance agency while staying close to spade and earth. Now 63, he supports land conservation efforts and rolls up his sleeves with a band of volunteers, sometimes playfully known as the Green Hill Billies, who help to maintain Green Hill Cemetery, a city-owned graveyard on the northern edge of downtown. David’s pushing to have the 150-year-old cemetery, a jewel box of specimen trees and one of his dad’s favorite planting grounds, certified as an arboretum. Knowing David’s love of latching onto leafy projects, Kenerly replied to his text with cautious curiosity. She invited him to her office. There, David, who often turns out in Carhartt work clothes and Merrell boots, unfurled a story about a long-ago Greensboro The Art & Soul of Greensboro
College professor named Robert Dunstan. He explained that Dunstan taught Romance languages at GC for more than 30 years, from the late 1920s to the early ’60s. A spry and dapper little man, he was a respected teacher who ambled about campus in a bow tie and beret. But, like Craft’s father, his greatest public legacy came from what he did outside of his official career. Eaten up with horticulture, especially the cultivation of fruits and nuts, Dunstan pursued his hobby at his then-rural home off Pinecroft Road. Today that land is covered by a mall and convention center. He tinkered, grafted, pollinated his way to becoming a legend among nursery folk. He came up with a disease-resistant hybrid grape that basically saved the French wine industry. He also developed a chestnut tree that was resistant to a blight that nearly wiped the tree — an important source of shade, food and lumber — from the Eastern U.S. in the early 20th century. The near-extinction is widely considered to be the biggest ecological disaster in this country’s history. Dunstan’s breakthrough was to cross American chestnut trees that were genetically resistant to the blight, thanks to natural mutations, with Chinese chestnuts — also unruffled by blight — to form a new, hardier variety. After retiring, Dunstan and his wife, Katherine, sold their hobby farm and relocated to northern Florida to be near their daughter and her plant-geneticist husband. Dunstan passed his secrets and his saplings on to his grandson, Robert “Bob” O.Henry 31
LIFE’S FUNNY
Let your love bloom with a diamond from Cass Jewelers.
Cass Jewelers has been family owned and operated for over 75 years. Now in our fourth generation, we are one of the areas only full service jewelers. At Cass Jewelers, our main focus is taking care of our customers. We offer jewelry and watch repair, insurance appraisals and custom jewelry design. Remember—when you think about anything jewelry, we are your diamond dealer.
CASS 4008 - G Battleground Avenue • Greensboro, NC 336.292.1736 • www.cassjewelers.com Tue-Fri 9:30am-6pm; Sat 10am-4pm; Closed Sunday and Monday
32 O.Henry
Wallace, and nudged him to turn the trees into a business, which he did. Today, Bob Wallace’s sons, Iain and Robert II, run Chestnut Hill Nursery, which sells patented Dunstan Chestnut trees across the country, chiefly to hunters who rely on the nuts to attract deer. In the last 40 years, the nursery has sold enough trees to cover a quarter-million acres, according to Bob Wallace. A couple of years ago, an ad for the nursery popped up on David Craft’s Facebook page. He remembered a 2016 O.Henry story about Dunstan (ohenrymag.com/the-nutty-professor/). He looked up the piece, refreshed his memory and mail-ordered four small Dunstan trees as a novelty for his Randolph County farm. The following year, David learned that some Walmart garden centers stocked Dunstan trees seasonly. To save shipping costs and land bigger trees, he drove to Sanford and stuffed his wife’s Audi hatchback with four more Dunstan trees, this time 8-footers. “They barely fit,” he says of the rolling forest. He planted some of his Dunstan trees on his farm and some in Green Hill Cemetery. He persuaded a friend in Fisher Park to tuck in three trees around his home. Now, sitting in Kenerly’s office, David appealed to GC to give Dunstan his due by planting his trees on campus and remembering him with a ceremony and plaque. “It wasn’t really a hard sell,” remembers David, ever the insurance salesman. “They came back and said, ‘Yeah, we like this idea.’” So, on Nov. 7, a home game and senior day for The Pride football team, the college will honor Dunstan. That morning, GC officials will oversee the planting of four Dunstan Chestnuts on campus: two in front of the admissions house at the corner of West Market and College Place and two more at the southwest corner of campus along McGee Street, skirting the newly opened Downtown Greenway. Another pair of Dunstan trees will go in the Fisher Park front yard of the college
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
LIFE’S FUNNY
president’s home on Bessemer Avenue. For the occasion, Chestnut Hill Nursery will donate young trees to the college. Planted in pairs for pollination, the trees should bear nuts in three to five years. At maturity, in 15 to 20 years, the trees could reach 50 to 70 feet tall with a spread of 40 feet — big enough to provide sustenance, shade, swings and stories for decades to come. A chestnut tree can live to be 100 years old. The public is invited to witness the plantings and to dig their own holes. Homeowners can order Dunstan Chestnuts online from the locally-owned Guilford Garden Center. Bob Wallace says his grandfather would be happy about the recognition and happier yet that his trees are being put in the ground generations after he developed them. Professor Dunstan foresaw that his discovery would help to repopulate the country with chestnuts, which accounted for a quarter of all hardwoods before the blight. Born in 1901, he witnessed the die-off while visiting the North Carolina mountains as a young man, and he grieved the loss of beauty. “The mountains were white with chestnut blossoms,” he told his grandson. David never met Dunstan, but he’s confident that his dad’s mom, Eva Phelps Craft, a local public health officer and well-connected naturalist, would have known Dunstan and his wife. His grandmother would be proud, David says, that he carries on the family’s activist bent and their Earth-loving labors. Bob Wallace says the same of Dunstan. Like his grandfather — and everyone who plants a tree that likely will outlive them— Wallace sees a day beyond his own horizon. He trusts the fruit. “The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree,” the 70-year-old Wallace notes. Or in this case, the chestnut. OH
PLANTING THE SEEDS OF EXCEPTIONAL CARE AT HOME. Serving the Triad with quality companion care, personal care, and skilled nursing. BrightStar enhances lives with comprehensive care, tailored just for you.
We’ve earned The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval® which validates that we follow the highest standards of safety and care.
The Best of Home Care® — Top 100 Leader in Experience Award highlights the nation’s top-performing home care organizations, helping families identify providers that have been independently recognized for quality, consistency and trust.
• State of Art Diagnostics • ASE Certified Technicians • Free Courtesy Shuttle
Independently owned and operated. Nationally Accredited
508-A Prescott St., Greensboro NC 27401 336-265-3500 www.brightstarcare.com/s-greensboro
• Providing Factory Scheduled Services to Maintain New Car Warranty • 36 Month/36K Mile Parts and Labor Warranty
Maria Johnson is a contributing editor of O.Henry. Email her at ohenrymaria@ gmail.com. 306 Grumman Road Greensboro • (336) 393-0023 • WebstersImportService.com
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 33
Dr. Amy Kirkland Au.D. Scan to book
Hearing Experts with the right options for you!
(336) 889-4327 2783 NC Hwy 68 S, #109 High Point, NC
At AudioNova | Doctors Hearing Care, better hearing is always our focus. Dr. Amy Kirkland, Au.D. is committed to provide each patient with an exceptional level of care and attention. She has been one of the triad’s leaders in hearing technology for over 28 years. Call today to schedule your free hearing screening.
Find the account option that’s right for you No two investors are alike. That’s why we offer a variety of account options that let you decide how you work with us. From hands-on accounts that put you in control, to choices with built-in guidance, the decision is yours. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM OUR PRACTICE: • •
•
Felix Delgado 336-632-8955
34 O.Henry
Rick Dutch
rick.dutch@edwardjones.com
We want to understand what is important to you. We use an established process that allows us to build personalized strategies to help you achieve your goals. We will partner together for the rest of your life to keep you on track.
Kevin M Barth 336-617-7054
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
ANIMAL TALE
What Happens When the Bucks Stop Here? Gardening to support wildlife is complicated
By Ross Howell Jr. It was an epiphany. On an autumn morning, I stood at the kitchen sink at our house in Blowing Rock, rinsing dishes, gazing absently out the kitchen window. Then, in single file just feet from the window — one, two, three, four, five, six whitetail bucks ambled past! Their summer red coats were sleek, their thick racks wide and covered in velvet. At the corner of the house, each buck turned downhill to follow the N.C. native plant garden I’d been working on for years. And yes, I guess it was now officially a wildlife corridor. I’d never seen a party of bachelor bucks so numerous, yet here they were, not more than the length of a football field from Main Street. What validation for a project! Season upon season, I’d hacked away at non-native invasive plants such as stiltgrass, Japanese knotweed, creeping Charlie, English ivy and other menaces. My intent was to make space along a shaded woods’ edge, thanks to a magnificent white oak, for natives such as marginal wood ferns, Christmas ferns, Jack-inthe-pulpits, wood asters and snakeroot. I’d also planted Fraser firs, redbuds, hybrid chestnut trees, winterberries, oakleaf hydrangeas, rhododendrons and fire azaleas. Plus, I had nourished goldenrods and planted cone flowers. My beds of mountain mint were flourishing. There’d been setbacks, of course. The deer had gobbled every black-eyed Susan I’d planted down to the ground. Likewise for Solomon’s seal. They’d treated the purple asters and Stoke’s asters like a salad bar. They’d virtually extinguished the big patch of jewelweed that had been the foundation of the native garden. And they browsed the lower branches of the chestnuts and winterberries at every opportunity. Still, I felt successful. Over time, birds and pollinators began to grow more plentiful and varied. Red squirrels, bluejays and crows feasted on white oak acorns. A black bear decided to dig up and dine on a yellow jackets’ nest in my bed of cranesbill. From our back deck overlooking the corridor, I’d watched a mother raccoon lumber by — two kits in tow. Previously, I’d never seen more than a pair of bachelor bucks The Art & Soul of Greensboro
hanging together in our neighborhood. Now I was hosting a party of six. Even wildlife biologists are a little hazy in explaining why buck deer gather in groups prior to the mating season. But what happens is clear. While the bucks’ antlers are sheathed in velvet and before their hormones start to rage, they work out a hierarchy among themselves through minor scuffles and intimidation, establishing who’s alpha buck — and who’s not. That’s a real survival advantage. Because when those hormones churn and the bucks’ aggressions rise, they scrub off the antler velvet to expose hardened, sharp points that can inflict serious, even fatal injuries in a fight. If you’re an experienced gardener or if you’ve seen any one of the après bachelor party films in The Hangover movie trilogy, you know what happens next. For a bachelor buck deer, there is no better antler scrubber or faux jousting partner than a lithe, healthy sapling. And my six bachelors threw quite the party. Thankfully, Mike Tyson’s tiger wasn’t invited. I returned to the house a week later to find that one chestnut’s trunk was girdled. Two redbuds had broken limbs and deep gashes in their trunks. A third redbud looked like it had been run through a wood chipper. So, belatedly, I bought metal posts and chicken wire to make baskets that would protect all the saplings. The girdled chestnut and the shattered redbud I sawed off nearly at ground level, below the damaged bark. Redbuds are tough. I expect they’ll sprout and I’m hopeful the chestnut will, too. I was sorry to lose all that growth, though. The chestnut had stood a good 10 feet tall. Now all the saplings and stumps are nestled securely behind wire. What happens at a Vegas bachelor party stays at a Vegas bachelor party. And I certainly can’t blame the bucks. Another gardening lesson learned. OH Ross Howell Jr. is a contributing writer. O.Henry 35
BLOOM HELPING YOUR FAMILY ONE PET AT A TIME
Compassion for Animals & the People Who Love Them Affordable, Full-Service Veterinary Care
• Spay & Neuter • Monthly Preventatives • Sick Visits • Microchipping • General Wellness Plans • Lab Work & X-Rays • Pet Vaccines • Annual Exams • General Surgery
We are thankful for our donors/supporters!
Donate Today
Schedule today, (336) 299-3060 www.hspiedmont.org
PICTURED ARE: ADINE, SNOWCONE & NOLAN
4527 WENDOVER AVE, GREENSBORO
Wealth Management Built Around You. Our clients trust that we’ll help them pursue tomorrow’s financial goals — whether it’s a comfortable retirement, funding a child’s education, the long-term success of your own business, or even the pleasures of travel and leisure you’ve always promised yourself.
From left to right: Front Row: Karla D. Johnson, CFP®, Vice President/Investments, Allen Hammonds, Vice President/Investments, Chip Pegram, First Vice President/Investments, Portfolio Manager – Solutions Program, Phillip H. Joyce, Vice President/Investments, Jacqueline T. Wieland, AIF®, Senior Vice President/Investments. Back Row: Grant Gillespie, Financial Advisor, Paul A. Vidovich, CFP®, Branch Manager, First Vice President/Investments, Christopher T. Barbee, CFP®, Senior Vice President/Investments, Justin P. Vidovich, Financial Advisor, Gregory E. Gonzales, Senior Vice President/Investments, J. Scott, CFP®, Senior Vice President/Investments.
(336) 478-3700 | (844) 233-8608 | 629 Green Valley Road, Suite 211 | Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | Member SIPC & NYSE | Stifel.com
36 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
OMNIVOROUS READER
Madcap Mayhem In a zany debut novel By Anne Blythe
Remember Best in Show, that
quirky Christopher Guest mockumentary that pokes fun at eccentric dog owners and the competitive world of breeding and showing purebreds? Fast forward 25 years. Mimi Montgomery, a Washington-based Axios reporter who hails from Gaston County, has taken that same chaotic culture, given it a modern twist, dropped in a body count, and delivered a wacky spoof of millennial dog culture in her debut mystery, Murder Bites. In this suburban satire, Montgomery takes us to the fictitious Glenville, South Carolina, where protagonist Margot Cartwright stands out like a sore thumb. Margot is thrust into a sea of cliquey moms when her husband inherits his childhood home and moves her and their two children into an unfamiliar culture, a world away from the life they knew and liked in the nation’s capital. She detests her new life. And when we first encounter the willing outcast, she is preoccupied with the whole town’s seeming obsession with a TV reality show called Pawsh and the lengths to which her neighbors will go to get their bougie pups a chance at prime time. Margot’s mutt, Sid Vicious, did not measure up to the show’s standards, but even if he had, she would not have subjected her lovable companion to such drama. This was a town where Quinn Chandler and her Lhasa Apso wore matching pelts. Tippi Hayburn carried her pug in a pink BabyBjörn on her chest. And Sally-Claire Foster, Hattie O’Connor and Weezie Whiteagle wrangled their dogs into matching floral rompers, “making them dead ringers for the von Trapp children’s curtain wear.” With a Pawsh camera crew in town from Los Angeles, dogs romp across the center green in their “jaunty, tartan, smoking jackets” and “custom-fitted shearling booties.” Margot is a woman who considers “public disruption an art form,” and she counts herself among the masters of her craft, just as Leonardo da Vinci was in his artistic world. That might mean strapping a homemade sandwich board onto Sid Vicious calling for an end to designer puppy mills and keeping Pawsh out of Glenville. She had no qualms about sneaking around in the cloak of darkThe Art & Soul of Greensboro
ness to yank “Everything is Pawsh-ible” signs — planted by members of the “Mommy Mafia” — out of her Stepford-esque neighborhood. “The Mafiosas,” Montgomery writes, “had swiftly shunned Margot upon her arrival to town, and so she studied them with the fringe fascination of Jane Goodall perched under a jungle leaf in Tanzania, watching as they carpooled their children around in $80,000 luxury SUVs, ginormous wedding rings sparkling, or as they carried out the kind of hobby-jobs well-off women dabble in when bored — professional organizing, assembling charcuterie boards, midlevel marketing schemes.” What Margot found “perhaps most integral to the Mommy Mafiosos,” Montgomery continued, “were the companions perpetually nestled in the cradle of their sculpted biceps, the kind of squirrel-dog hybrids that weighed about the same as a head of lettuce while also costing about the same as a year of in-state tuition.” When signs go missing, protests become disruptive or one of the more insufferable dog moms receives weekly orders of unsolicited Lord Farquaad bob wigs to match her hairstyle, Margot usually is behind the antics. So when Boomer, the local dog walker, is found dead in a front yard Halloween display with Home Depot skeletons, Margot, persona non grata in the neighborhood, quickly becomes suspect number one. Only this time, she didn’t do it. Margot sets out to clear her name, but she can’t do it alone. Two unlikely neighbors band together to help her with the sleuthing — Anne, the stylish, 70-something widow who relishes reigning over the neighborhood HOA with an iron fist, and Sally-Claire, who sours on the Mommy Mafia and their judgey ways. Madcap investigations ensue. Twists and turns occur, keeping readers guessing. Montgomery’s debut novel is zany, laugh-out loud funny in places, and a complete joyride, packed with entertaining characters and cultural caricatures deftly planted throughout the pages. OH Anne Blythe has been a reporter in North Carolina for more than three decades covering city halls, higher education, the courts, crime, hurricanes, ice storms, droughts, floods, college sports, health care and the many wonderful characters who make this state such an interesting place. O.Henry 37
Where Every Detail
Tells a Story Once home to North Carolina’s textile legacy, The Colonnade now tells a new story — yours. Light-filled spaces, timeless architecture, and seamless planning come together to create a special event that feels beautiful, personal, and effortless.
Schedule your tour!
RevMillEvents.com | 336.899.0009
38 O.Henry
Brought to you by Pepper Moon
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
STATE OF MIND
Fair Is Fair Games of chance and deep-fried everything
By Tommy Tomlinson
We used to meet
ILLUSTRATION BY GARY PALMER
at the sow.
That was our gathering spot every year at the Cleveland County Fair in Shelby. For years, my wife and I and some of our friends would go to the fair every fall. Every year they’d have a sow that either had just given birth or was about to. So we knew we’d have a place to meet, and maybe some cute piglets to fawn over. It was a lovely way to start a lovely night. This is the time of year for county fairs all over North Carolina, plus the big state fair in Raleigh. The fair in Shelby is officially called the Cleveland County Agricultural Fair. The timing has long been tied to the harvest — by now most all the crops are in, and farmers can show off their bounty. Most county fairs have “agricultural” or “industrial” somewhere in the title. In Brunswick County they call it the Agricultural Fair and Expo, just to get a little fancy. There are no smells quite like fair smells. Back in the ag area, it’s a blend of cowflop and fresh hay and horse shampoo. You can always tell the city kids who wander back to the animal sheds. They’re in sensory overload. Their noses and ears and eyes don’t know what the hell is going on. It’s one thing to see a goat on TV. It’s a whole other thing to hear them bleat in stereo, or to look close enough to see that their pupils are not only rectangular but horizontal. No wonder goats show up in horror movies. I think some farmers hope the fair will lead others to be drawn to the farming life. But I do wonder if some folks come out of there thinking: Nope, don’t need to see that again, get me to someplace with concrete. You don’t have to wander far until the smells change. Pretty The Art & Soul of Greensboro
soon you’ll catch the scent of batter dipped in cooking oil, and you are likely to float that way like a cartoon bear drifting toward a honeycomb. When you get there, Lord knows what you’ll find in the deep fryer. Every year fair food looks and tastes more and more like Guy Fieri’s dreams. When I was a kid, county fair food was mostly corn dogs and funnel cakes. Now, at the state fair, the corn dogs are Korean and you can get them in flavors ranging from cinnamon mozzarella to Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The funnel cake at the Beaver Concessions booth was the Food Network’s choice for the best item at last year’s state fair. That particular funnel cake is infused with Cheerwine — both in the batter and the icing. Just writing that sentence made me diabetic. Every county fair worth its grease now has fried Oreos, fried Snickers, fried corn, fried pickles, fried cookie dough, fried burgers, fried turnip greens and fried banana pudding. (I thought I made up those last two. Then I went and checked. They have fried banana pudding at the Texas state fair. America continues to be a land of innovation.) One pro tip for the fair: Do not scarf down too many fried whatevers before going on the rides. Rides at the fair are designed to flip your insides upside down. There’s always some sort of ride named after mountains — the Matterhorn or the Himalayas or some such — that runs backward around an oval at speeds that don’t look scary until you’re actually on the thing. There’s always some sort of Flying Dutchman thing that pendulums from side to side while you sit in a replica of a boat and make out your will. There’s always some sort of Gravitron cylinder that spins so fast it pins your O.Henry 39
YOUR PROPERTY. MORE POTENTIAL. We turn Greensboro properties into beautiful short-term rentals.
Already renting? Not renting yet? We manage it. We can launch it. YOU OWN IT. WE HANDLE IT. Locally managed. Fully handled.
40 O.Henry
Gift Certificates Available
SCAN FOR INFORMATION ABOUT US
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
STATE OF MIND
back against the wall, which is a good place to be when the bottom drops out. That last one is a perfect example of centrifugal force, which can be explained by Newtonian mechanics. While you are on it, you will pray that Newton got the formulas right. I will confess that I have never been much of a ride guy. I’m not getting on anything that rotates my body in three dimensions at the same time. I’d much rather spend my money on games I have almost no chance of winning. The good news is that every fair is full of those, too. The problem is, you only have to win once to think you’re a winner. Thirtysome years ago, I took a date to the state fair and played one of those games where you toss dimes into dishes. Normally, even if you’re a good shot, the dimes bounce out and land harmlessly on the ground. But this time I got a lucky carom and my dime landed in a tiny cup. The prize was a giant stuffed bear. My date and I had to haul that thing around for the rest of the night. Another pro tip, I guess: Wait to play for the big stuffed bear until you’re done with everything else. There were two prizes I won as a kid that I kept for a long time. I think I won them both in that game where you throw darts at balloons. One was a belt buckle with the logo of the band Kansas — they were famous in the ’70s for “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.” In the Jeopardy! category of Bands Named For Places, they rank behind Boston and Chicago but ahead of Asia. The other prize was the Farrah Fawcett swimsuit poster that was such a sensation back in 1976. I’ll admit, 62-year-old me feels a little cringy that I once had that on my bedroom wall. But 12-year-old me? He was sure glad he went to the fair. OH Tommy Tomlinson is the author of two books, The Elephant in the Room and Dogland. He was a longtime columnist for the Charlotte Observer and has written for Esquire, The Atlantic, ESPN the Magazine and many other publications. His online newsletter is called The Writing Shed. He lives in Charlotte with his wife, Alix Felsing. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
PLAN YOUR TRIP AT:
THE GREENSBORO COMMUNITY FOR OVER 40 YEARS Family & Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Crowns & Implants
2511 Oakcrest Avenue • Greensboro, NC 27408
Welcoming New Patients | 336-282-2120 O.Henry 41
Handmade In House
121-A WEST MCGEE ST., GREENSBORO, NC 27401 WWW.JACOBRAYMONDJEWELRY.COM 336.763.9569
42 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
HOME GROWN
By Cynthia Adams
The detective’s office
Thrillers and True Crime Sagas Fascinating, when they don’t involve you
wasted nothing on aesthetics. Beige blinds, desks stacked with folders. A diploma from somewhere on the wall. Stiff chairs faced his desk, where we perched awkwardly as the detective sank into a swivel chair.
Forget the trench coat. Who expected “dad” clothes — a short-sleeved shirt and shorts? He was folksy. Affable. “Sara” sat wide-eyed beside me as the detective presented a stack of papers, part of a background investigation of a much younger woman involved with her ailing brother. Like everyone with a streaming subscription, I’d watched scammer sagas. The detective thumbing through a fat file seemed scripted. Yet this was personal, lives laid bare. The work often done for lawyers, which is how Sara found hers. Investigating deadbeat dads, cheating spouses. Insurance fraudsters. Grifters. The detective began reading, pausing as Sara gasped. “Sonya” — the focus of this investigation — maintained multiple identities in various states. Her date and place of birth was apparently fluid; Sonya was 34, 36, 37 or 38 and had six different email accounts. A phone number was the sole consistency. Her record included DUIs, open-carry charges, reckless driving, speeding. Drug possession. Fake IDs. Many serious charges were dropped. “Despite the fact that she uses fake driver’s licenses?” asked Sara. The detective nodded. “And an expensive lawyer.” Two hours later, we had a slippery grasp as to who Sonya actually was. Since meeting in a bar, Sonya occasionally lived with Sara’s brother, “Ralph,” who was decades older. He claimed it was platonic. Sara had spent the last two years helping her brother survive cancer treatments. Cleaning his home. Buying his food. Sonya was seldom seen. By happenstance, Sara learned he had recently changed his will, leaving Sonya everything. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
She had come to me for solace and advice. “I believe he loves her,” she choked out. Sonya was comparatively young; her brother, though frail, was stubbornly obsessed. Deaths had decimated Sara’s prosperous family. Now there was only her and Ralph, her remaining brother. Sonya, too, had brothers. The detective produced snapshots of Sonya’s siblings. One, with The Illustrated Man tattoos covering face and body, had a criminal record. The other, sometimes bearded and masculine, was also photographed cleanly shaved and dressed as a woman. Wait, was that actually Sonya? Was he a doppelganger? Fabrications and aliases underscored their criminality. “It could be very serious. When I see a background report like this, it often points to drugs. And the things that . . .” the detective paused . . . “go with that.” Were Sonya or her brothers coercing Ralph? They could be dangerous to challenge, the detective warned. Our eyes fell upon the thick file. “And, you know, I tend to think your brother already knows who she is.” Sara’s face crumpled. The detective seemed downcast — apologetic for being the bearer of bad news. Everywhere around the world, similar stories unfolded. Sonya’s was an old story, the detective had said tiredly, closing the folder. In Netflix dramas, there’s some closure at the finale. In real life, seldom. Outside the sun was beating down, but the humidity had dropped, suggesting summer’s grip was loosening. We slid into Ralph’s luxury sedan, which he had urged Sara to use. “Keep it,” he had said. “I’ll give it to Sonya,” Sara said now quietly, turning the ignition. “I think I’m going to stop the investigation. The detective is right.” We drove through streets dappled with golden light. Sara dropped me off, her hand fluttering goodbye as we turned away in tandem. A leaf blower, the main instrument in our urban soundtrack, moved towards a crescendo as a neighbor tidied up the detritus at their door. OH Cynthia Adams is a contributing editor to O.Henry magazine. Email her at inklyadams@aol.com. O.Henry 43
Maybe you’ll get together to discuss a good book
At Twin Lakes Community, it’s all about how you want to live life. Join a book club, take an exercise class, volunteer in town or tend your patio garden. You’ll find people from all walks of life and neighbors who suddenly seem like old friends. And, because Twin Lakes is a Continuing Care Retirement Community, you’ll experience the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re at a good place in life.
A division of Lutheran Retirement Ministries of Alamance County, North Carolina
Or maybe you’ll sit down and write one.
B U R L I N G TO N N C
3 3 6 - 5 3 8 -1 5 7 2
t w in l a ke s co m m .o rg
Beware of Serial Cross Stitchers 1614-C WEST FRIENDLY AVENUE GREENSBORO, NC 27403 336-272-2032 stitchpoint@att.net TUESDAY - SATURDAY: 10:30-4:00 CLOSED ON MONDAYS AND SUNDAYS
44 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
BIRDWATCH
Quoth the Raven
Once upon a midnight dreary . . .
By Susan Campbell
The raven is one of the most widely recognized
and intriguing birds in the Northern Hemisphere, being a species that has associated with mankind for thousands of years. It is certainly not one that is common in the Piedmont of North Carolina — however, it is a bird seen more frequently each year, even in more urbanized areas such as the Triad and even in the Triangle area. The common raven is a rarity in the Sandhills, but that is likely to change before long. In our state, common ravens breed at elevation in the Appalachians and can be found roaming the mountains yearround. For several decades now the species has been frequently found farther east, across the foothills, no doubt a range expansion facilitated by human activity. Ravens, as well as their crow cousins, are opportunistic feeders. Roadkill is a major and easy source of food — as are landfills, parks and campgrounds. Even pet food bowls and bird feeders have been known to attract their attention. Some birds have even learned that gunshots during hunting season may mean a meal in the not-too-distant future. Ravens are also capable of taking eggs, chicks and even newborn small animals such as lambs. Common ravens are massive, jet-black birds, half again as large as a crow. They have heavy, serrated bills and long wedgeshaped tails. Their wings are designed for soaring, since they typically have large territories across forested, as well as open, exThe Art & Soul of Greensboro
panses. Individuals or pairs can be seen soaring effortlessly high in the sky. Their vocalizations often give them away, especially in remote areas. The common raven’s call is a harsh or gurgling croak that, not surprisingly, carries a long way. They may learn to mimic a variety of sounds, including human vocalizations if they are kept in captivity. These birds are exceptionally intelligent and are likely the smartest of all birds found in North America. Not only do they readily figure out where to find their next meal, they will work in pairs to acquire certain types of food. One individual will divert the attention of a nesting adult bird while its mate steals an egg or nestling. Common ravens can be destructive in their search for food, tearing into campers’ tents and other manmade structures and, in numbers, can foul sensitive equipment. They can certainly become a nuisance if they linger too often or too long around human habitation. This can be very problematic given how long-lived the birds are and that they are also non-migratory. It is a real shock each time I spot one of these impressive birds. There seem to be individuals that regularly patrol Interstates I-40 and I-540 west of Raleigh year-round. I have also noticed them above U.S. 1 just north of Sanford. I would not be surprised if a pair is breeding in the area along the Deep River. Riverside bluffs at lower elevations mimic the cliff habitat where common ravens usually nest. They also make the ledges on tall buildings their home as well. Ravens are clearly adaptable and perfectly happy to live alongside us — more and more, all of the time. OH Susan Campbell would love to receive your wildlife sightings and photos. She can be contacted by email at susan@ncaves.com. O.Henry 45
When It’s Time for Help at Home, Experience Matters. Led by a former hospital executive & licensed social worker, we personally match families with the top 2% of caregivers & provide ongoing expert support so your loved one has coverage when they need it.
Jeremy & Stephanie Deaver Owners
336.268.8705
hallmarkhomecare.com/336 We cover Guilford, Forsyth, Alamance and Rockingham counties
PLAN FOR RETIREMENT. Secure the Future. Certified Fiduciaries and Financial Planners here to help you and your employees attain financial freedom at retirement
CHRIS STANLEY, MBA, AIF®, CRPS
DREWPrincipal SAIA, CFP®, CPA VP-Wealth Management
DREW SAIA, CFP®, CPA
WES STANLEY, CPFA™, AIF® CHRIS STANLEY, MBA, AIF®, CRPS VP - Wealth Management Principal Principal
Corporate Retirement Plans | Wealth Management 201 STATE STREET, GREENSBORO, NC 27408 (888) 339-5080 | FUNDDIRECTADVISORS.COM
46 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
WANDERING BILLY
Andy Griffith’s Greensboro Roots , Real and Tangential 1970 was expected to be a banner year for North Carolina’s biggest star. What went wrong?
By Billy Ingram
“I went up and got me two hot dogs and a big orange drink.” — “Deacon” Andy Griffith
Headphones
clamped to both ears in the spring of 1953, 19-year-old College Hill resident Milton Alderfer switched the selector dial to record mode on his portable magnetic reel-to-reel deck, clueless to the enormous impact the next six minutes he taped would have on American pop culture. Spools turning, he glanced upstage at the noticeably nervous novice he was hired to record. Alderfer recalled several nerve-racking attempts recording this routine at other venues. However, as the skinny comic, who styled himself as country parson “Deacon Andy Griffith,” stood before the congregation at a Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company convention, somehow, “What It Was, Was Football” finally clicked. Alderfer’s recording was pressed and distributed by Chapel Hill indie label Colonial Records in November of ’53. “What It Was, Was Football” quickly sold 50,000 copies regionally, spurring Capitol Records to acquire the master for rerelease nationwide, sending that single soaring into the Billboard Top 10 in 1954. On that record, Griffith repeatedly expresses his love for “big orange” drinks, so naturally Andy’s first product endorsement was for Sun Crest Orange Soda out of Atlanta. Griffith’s comedy records led to tremendous success, portraying country bumpkins on Broadway and in motion pictures such as 1958’s No Time For Sargents. When the Carolina The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Theatre screened that film, with Griffith in attendance, the City Council officially declared him an honorary citizen of Greensboro, presumably exempt from municipal taxes. Two years later, The Andy Griffith Show debuted on CBS, a ratings smash from the very beginning. For the first season wrap party, the star had $500 worth of barbecue from Casey’s Sunset Hills location shipped to Los Angeles so cast and crew could taste genuine Piedmont-style pulled pork. After eight seasons of TAGS solidly nestled in the Nielsen top five, Griffith walked away from the weekly grind to focus once again on a film career. Meanwhile, his sitcom continued on, rebranded as Mayberry R.F.D., with no significant drop in ratings. Unfortunately, his highly anticipated 1969 big-screen family-fluff nugget, Angel in My Pocket, was a comedy lacking in laughs. Moviegoers avoided it as if it were a fresh batch of Aunt Bee’s pickles. In 1970, Griffith, smarting from that cinematic shellacking, returned to CBS primetime with a weekly half-hour comedydrama entitled Headmaster, wherein Griffith portrayed Andy Thompson, stern yet fair administrator of a California co-ed prep school. On the opening episode of Headmaster, Butch Patrick (best known for portraying Eddie Munster in The Munsters) is forced to choose between getting high or being ostracized by the cool druggies on the football team. Playing against type, Ron Howard, aka Opie on TAGS, turns up on one show as a rebellious reprobate. That same year, Griffith and his business partner, former N.C. governor Terry Sanford, opened a chain of Andy Griffith’s “gooood eatin’” restaurants in Burlington, Wilson, Fayetteville and Greenville, plus two Raleigh locations, one of which was situO.Henry 47
October at Weymouth
Author Talk: Tarheel Terrors with Liz Z Pardue
Come Sunday Jazz: Grace McNally
October 8 • 6:00 pm
October 25 • 2:00 pm
The 2026-2027 Award-winning storyteller and Weymouth Grace McNally returns! Center Writer-in-Residence Liz Z Pardue Charleston-based composer, brings Tar Heel Terrors to the Boyd House musician, and podcast host Grace for a spine-tingling journey through explores cultural connection through August 23: North Carolina’s most chilling ghost music. Join us on the grounds of stories, haunted legends, folklore, and Weymouth Center. Bring your own October 25: eerie true tales. blanket, chairs, and a picnic.
Come Sunday Jazz Season continues! Brian Felix Trio Grace McNally
March 21, 2027:
Ari Hoenig Trio
April 25, 2027:
Baron Tymas Quartet
May 23, 2027:
Mid-Century Modern
Also this August at Weymouth Center: Tue., in August 2:00 pm James Pop Up the18:Pines: Sunday theClub: Market Boydat Book At the Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen
October 11 • 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sat., August 22: 10:00 am of A market that brings the best the Carolinas to your backyard. Hug-A-Horse Wander through stalls of talented makers, savor delicious bites, and soak in the August 22: 2:00 pm Music with block Dr. Felix kind ofSat., community spirit that feels like anLecture old-fashioned party.
Scan the QR code for tickets and additional information! 555 East Connecticut Avenue, Southern Pines, NC weymouthcenter.org
48 O.Henry
WANDERING BILLY
ated where Crabtree Valley Mall is today. Wooden exteriors resembled a country farmhouse, and the down-home menu featured barbecue sandwiches, country ham biscuits, baked beans, fish filets and hot dogs. Griffith was in Burlington for the ribbon cutting at the Huffine Mill Road store, where, that day, patrons were given a free bottle of “big orange” when purchasing a barbecue sandwich or fried chicken. In tandem, the partners launched a line of Andy Griffith brand canned beans and black-eyed peas (“with a little more pork and just a pinch of sugar”), whole-hog sausage, bacon and country ham steaks, each with colorful, gingham labels promising, you guessed it, “Gooood eatin’.” With all this activity, Andy was flying high by the fall of 1970. It all came crashing down in short order. Tune-in for Headmaster’s first outing in September was substantial, making it the third most popular new series after The Mary Tyler Moore Show. But, when audiences realized what a low-key bore it was, Headmaster ultimately finished as the 12th least popular show that season. In November 1970, the network announced the start of production for the program they probably should have put forward in the first place, The New Andy Griffith Show. On the New show, Griffith portrays Andy Sawyer, who boomerangs back to his mid-sized North Carolina hometown of Greenwood (code for Greensboro?) with his wife, two kids and live-in aunt. While settling into a home similar to those found along Tate Street, an act of inexplicable political maneuvering by the City Council results in Sawyer being installed as Mayor Pro Tem. On the debut episode in January 1971, Emmett and Goober travel from Mayberry to Greenwood to ask their old pal — who oddly has a new last name and life — to use his influence to rezone a plot of land they each want to buy. Also desiring the same plot of real estate is an unnamed character played by Don Knotts, wearing the same salt-and-pepper suit Barney Fife favored on The Andy Griffith Show; heck, he even wore that getup to Taylor’s and Helen Crump’s
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
WANDERING BILLY
wedding on Mayberry R.F.D. While Andy greets him like a long-lost friend, Goober and Emmett have no idea who he is. Like Greensboro in the ’70s, Greenwood was a town fueled by gossip and jealousy. Sawyer’s Aunt Nora fits right in, a Bizarro World Aunt Bee. As portrayed by Ann Morgan Guilbert (The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Nanny), Nora is a nagging, meddling, superstitious, hypochondriac. And Sawyer’s son is no Opie either, wandering around with a paper sack over his head, trying to conquer his fear of darkness. Again, ratings for the initial outing were big before steadily eroding to nearly last place. Not only was his TV series cancelled, over the next year all seven Andy Griffith Restaurants were closed, while his eponymous line of grocery store items quietly disappeared from shelves. Throughout the 1970s, Griffith was relegated to starring in lurid TV movies such as Savages, Winter Kill and The Girl in the Empty Grave and portraying hicks on vapid variety shows, his income reliant on commercial endorsements for Ritz crackers, Kraft cheeses, Jell-O and A.1. Steak Sauce. It wasn’t until “North Carolina’s Favorite Son” let go of the idea of being everyone’s “Andy,” returning to the air as NBC’s Matlock in 1986, that Griffith was once again welcomed weekly into American homes. As for teenager Alderfer who recorded Griffith’s breakthrough football routine? At that time, he had been serving as program director of a local radio station and operating Fidelicraft Recording Studios out of a Queen Anne style home on West Market Street that also housed Moore Music. Moore Music still rents instruments at that address today in a building that replaced the old structure, destroyed by fire in 1974. Alderfer relocated to Florida in 1955 to teach, no evidence he ever coached football. If he had, what it was, was an O. Henry gooood endin’. OH The creator of TVparty.com, now in its 32nd year online, Billy Ingram is one of the nation’s leading television historians.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Lisa A. Anderson
Associate Director - Investments Financial Advisor
Over 30 Years of Experience in... • Investment Strategy • Retirement Planning • Estate Planning • Annuities, Managed Accounts, and Life Insurance • Stock/Bond Management • Transitional Counseling for Widowers, Divorcees, Retirees, Business Owners, and Startup Companies
lisa.anderson@opco.com | (336) 574-7428 © 2026 Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. Transacts Business on All Principal US Exchanges and is a Member of SIPC. 8804457.2
PRESENTS
LIVE
THE NORTH CAROLINA FACTOR
PURPLE STATE. NATIONAL STAKES. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 7:00 PM The Carolina Theatre Greensboro, NC
RESERVE YOUR SEAT
wfdd.org/onpoint
WITH
Meghna chakrabarti Host, On Point
O.Henry 49
jewelryauthority.com FULL-SERVICE ESTATE JEWELER
THE TRIAD’S TREASURE TROVE 211 State Street
7804 National Service Rd
(336) 355-2223
(336) 886-4653
OCTOBER 2026
Dish Towel One of my parents’ dish towels hangs on the handle of our stove. It is aqua-blue, covered with red and yellow poppies. How many of their dishes this towel must have buffed, plus silverware, glasses, cookpots and pans. For decades Mom washed them and Dad did the drying. But after he died, she stood alone at their sink, letting the water grow cold—soap suds like glaciers slipping into the sea. Six months a widow and she, too, was gone, leaving a lone bowl in the drainer, a single spoon, a fresh dish towel draped just so on a ring. — Terri Kirby Erickson Terri Kirby Erickson is a widely published poet and the author of eight collections of awardwinning poetry, including The Light That Follows Us Home.
The The Art Art & & Soul Soul of of Greensboro Greensboro
O.Henry 51
Raise your spirits with these spooky season outdoor decor ideas Photographs by Betsy Blake & Lynn Donovan
uch to our delight and occasional horror, porches and front stoops around the city are terrifyingly tricked out in this time of year. From bats to black cats, ghosts to goblins, and witches to wickedly woven webs, the spirited touches these homes sprinkled on are enough to make Salem’s Sanderson sisters squeal with glee.
We can practically hear this circle of witches burbling— Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble. Between the evil pumpkins, black-draped entry and broomstick-lined walkway in the Robinson family’s front yard, we’re certainly under their spell.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 53
On the Allen family’s front stoop, four homemade (and not-so-very-scary) ghosts — one representing each family member — fly the friendly skies. Casper’s kin, we imagine.
What’s black and white and webbed all over? The Sherouse family’s porch, which spiders and bats have made their favorite haunt. You might just stick around, too.
54 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
At the home of Chris Wilson and Cecelia Thompson, spiders big and small are crawling out of the woodwork to give you the heebie-jeebies. But don’t let them scare you — leave that to the scarecrow. It’s his job, after all.
Just one more . . . Jennifer Maston enlisted the help of Jamie Mostofian Design, who perfectly piled gourds of all sizes and sorts, creating a warm welcome to trick-or-treaters hoping the candy heap’s just as plentiful. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 55
The Hogwarts Great Hall? Nope, it’s the home of The Rodenbough family, who bedecked and bewitched their porch with floating candles and witch hats. We solemnly swear they are up to no good.
A smattering of skulls and animal skeletons, pumpkins in a muted palette and a bony-fingered, white-haired crone up the creep factor of the Boger family’s front stoop. But our favorite part? New life — or death — breathed into “half-dead” summer ferns with a coat of black spray paint.
56 O.Henry
What a tangled web the McCord family weaves. Before approaching their door, ask yourself: Who is the spider and who is the fly? The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Dead Zeppelin? Nope, it’s Bad to the Bone, performing live-ish at a neighborhood block party. The Shilling — or is it Chilling? — family’s skeletons are out of the closet and cranking up the tunes, complete with their own security team.
Looks like some cowboys visiting from the Bone Star State are inviting you to pose for a “skelfie” in front of the Arthur family’s home. Beware: your photo op comes with a price. (Note: This year’s theme will be Jurassic Park After Dark with donations supporting a local animal adoption agency. Follow @RestingBoneFaceGSO for info.)
58 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is alive and well on the Hayes family’s porch. Have no fear — if you lose your head over this nightmare of a scene, they’ve got plenty of Jack-‘o’-lanterns you can pop into place.
Witch way is up? Sometimes, a simple, whimsical touch sticking out of a porch planter, such as legs in striped tights with sparkling hag’s feet, is all you need to conjure up what sometimes goes bump in the night. OH
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 59
At Peacehaven, the future is fertile By Billy Ingram • Photographs by Bert VanderVeen
elcome to Peacehaven Community Farm, an 89-acre campus near Whitsett where people of all abilities come together to live, learn, work and play. Five adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities currently live at Susan’s View, the first home in Peacehaven’s growing vision for an integrated residential community. Today is a community workday. Staff members, volunteers and residents spread out across the property, pulling weeds from vegetable gardens, trimming branches beneath shade trees and tackling repair projects. Despite having little to offer in the way of farming expertise, I quickly find my footing in conversation. There are new people to meet and familiar faces from around Greensboro, including volunteers from Freeman’s Grub & Pub on Spring Garden Street. Before long I’m talking with Jeff, a Peacehaven resident and an O.Henry fan as it turns out. He’s a take-charge kind of guy who appreciates “being with the community. Letting the community know that, hey, there is stuff going on here every day of the week.” Jeff gestures toward Adam, another resident, who is immersed in sketching chalk murals that stretch across the sidewalk. “Whether it’s Adam’s drawings or whether it’s just meeting people,” he says, “that’s the best part of living here.” The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Nearby, a couple of Grimsley High School students are installing mailboxes as part of the morning’s work. Just beyond where our group of volunteers is working, Peacehaven’s new community center is taking shape. The 23,000-square-foot building will serve as a shared gathering place for people of all abilities, with spaces for working, learning, exercising, creating and spending time together. Jeff, who recently celebrated his 37th birthday by jamming onstage with roots-rock musician Hunter McBride at Freeman’s, is especially excited about one feature: the planned podcast studio. “That feature of the community center was actually inspired by Jeff, who has his own podcast,” Peacehaven CEO Phelps Sprinkle says. (Find The Jeff Show on Spotify.) “He also helped drive its development, figuring out that Elon University, a longstanding partner of ours, had a school of communications and connecting with them to get all of us a tour of their facilities. At the end of the tour, their leaders told us they’d be happy to help us however they could.” Jeff’s parents describe what Peacehaven means to their family in a recent newsletter: “The future we’ve all hoped for is coming alive.” Peacehaven’s first community workday was held in 2009. Like today’s gathering, it gave people a chance to discover the farm’s O.Henry 61
mission? through working side by side. “What we’re building is for everybody, not just for people with disabilities,” says Cory Phillips, Peacehaven’s senior director of brand and experience. “Look at us now. We’re digging in the dirt, you and me, folks over there. We’re all pulling stuff out that nourishes everybody.” The vision began with two couples, Buck and Cathy Cochran, plus Tim and Susan Elliott, who were each raising children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). They shared a concern familiar to many families in the same boat: What happens when a young person with I/DD turns 22 and loses access to school-based services? Families often call it “falling off the cliff.” “That’s when they age out of government and local systems,” Phillips says. Too often, the available choices are limited to a group home or a return to the family home, leaving parents to wonder how they can provide lifelong support when their children will likely outlive them. Over time, that founding idea has grown into a broader vision: an integrated community where people of all abilities can live alongside one another and find opportunities for friendship, meaningful work and greater independence.
62 O.Henry
For the past four-and-a-half years, Sprinkle has helped guide Peacehaven into its next chapter. He first met Buck Cochran in the summer of 2013, when Peacehaven was preparing to break ground on Susan’s View, the farmhouse was named for cofounder Susan Elliott, who died of cancer before Peacehaven’s first home was completed in 2014. “Buck was talking about this community where people with and without disabilities would be living together,” Sprinkle says. “This really spoke to me because my oldest daughter, Roxie, has disabilities.” Today, Roxie is 23, just beyond the age when many young adults with I/DD lose access to school-based services. Phelps and his wife, Kate, also have two younger adult children. Like many parents, they have had to think about how Roxie will build a full life as she grows older and who will support her after they are gone. “And you don’t want to put that responsibility on your other children,” Sprinkle says. “At the same time, you want your child to remain safe while also having a full, meaningful life, with relationships where people learn and grow from one another. That’s what Peacehaven is striving for.” Isolation affects more than the person with I/DD. It also The Art & Soul of Greensboro
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 63
weighs heavily on parents, siblings and caregivers. “If someone is isolated, that person and their parent or caregiver are going to have poorer mental and physical health outcomes as a result,” Sprinkle says. “If we can create community for those families, that’s preventative health care.” Communal living has been central to Peacehaven from the beginning. “We’ve got five folks living with us now at Susan’s View, and they’ve been the most gracious, amazing people you can imagine,” Phillips says. For most, he adds, Peacehaven is the first place they have lived away from their parents. Parents and staff members have seen residents gain confidence and independence and while building stronger relationships through the experience of living at Peacehaven. Plans for the completed Peacehaven community call for about 250 residents. Approximately 40% will be residents with I/DD, the majority made up of folks with conventional abilities and backgrounds who’ll be renting apartments just like anywhere else.
64 O.Henry
The goal is to create a neighborhood where people whose paths might not otherwise cross can live alongside one another, form relationships and experience what it means to belong. “Knowing that my child is safe and engaged. If something happens to me, I have set them up for success,” Sprinkle says. “That’s what really hooked me.” As Cochran told him when they first met, Peacehaven could be just as consequential for people without disabilities as it is for people with disabilities. Accepting the CEO position came with a measure of trepidation. “It is daunting to put a big vision out there and raise the capital necessary to do it,” Sprinkle says. “But it’s like anything else. If you are authentic and surround yourself with the right team, you can accomplish a lot.” In 2023, the state awarded Greensboro $1.5 million to extend utilities to the Peacehaven property. “When that happened, it made our vision even more realistic and led to real fundraising success from both the private and public sectors,” Sprinkle says. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Not long afterward, the leadership team from Trillium Health Resources visited Peacehaven. Trillium is a local management entity/managed care organization that manages a Medicaid provider network and connects people with I/DD to organizations that provide services. “That visit was the start of a wonderful partnership, with shared goals of providing more resources for people with I/DD through Peacehaven’s innovative integrated model,” Sprinkle says. Peacehaven’s work extends beyond housing. Families also want to know what a meaningful day can look like for an adult with I/DD. Will there be opportunities to learn? To contribute? To develop skills and find paid work? Peacehaven’s RISE and SHINE programs help answer those questions. RISE, or Reaching Interdependence, Skills and Employment, and SHINE, Sharing in New Experiences, offer personal and professional development for adults with I/DD. Participants set individual goals and work alongside direct support professionals who help them practice skills and remove obstacles. “Whether it’s practicing eye contact or developing the skills to be hired at a local coffee shop, they’re setting those goals,” Phillips says. “They’ve got a cheerleader and a paid employee on our end helping them remove obstacles.” The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Plus, the farm itself provides practical ways to develop those skills. “We’re a fully operational farm growing produce,” Phillips says. “That gives RISE and SHINE participants specific tasks where they can track their progress, work on production and understand the whole process of getting something to market.” Every other Thursday, RISE and SHINE participants bring the literal fruits of their labor to a pop-up market and coffee gathering at Greensboro’s First Baptist Church on Friendly Avenue. Leaving the garden and volunteers behind for a bit, Phillips and I climb aboard a Utility Vehicle and head a short distance up the a hill, where Peacehaven’s 23,000-square-foot community center is under construction. The complex is designed as a place where people of all abilities can cross paths naturally and often. Plans include a coffee shop and café, coworking and maker spaces, therapy areas, adaptive and traditional fitness facilities, classrooms, a pottery studio and a library. A banquet hall and commercial kitchen can host weddings, conferences and instruction. The building will also include a patio, administrative offices and a multisensory room that can provide both calming and stimulating experiences. And, thanks in part to Jeff, residents will be able to pop on headphones and record whatever they like in the new podcast studio. “More intersections for folks to hang out, make a friend and be a friend,” Phillips says. The community center will bring Peacehaven’s larger vision into focus. Integrated living depends on more than building homes next to one another. People need shared places where relationships can develop through ordinary encounters: drinking coffee, taking a class, working, exercising or stopping to talk with a neighbor. Peacehaven’s annual Harvest Celebration offers a glimpse into O.Henry 65
that kind of community. Last fall, the music and fellowship festival brought about 600 people to the farm. This year’s celebration, planned for Sunday, October 25, will mark the completion of Peacehaven’s current capital campaign and look toward the next phase of development. Just a month after last year’s Harvest Celebration, Peacehaven hosted a Thanksgiving observance. A story from that event was highlighted in one of their digital newsletters: A young man named Johnny and his mother, Elizabeth, were attending a Thanksgiving gathering when Sprinkle shared drawings of the future Community Center and residential neighborhood. Johnny studied the plans, paused and asked, “Is that where I’ll be living?” It wasn’t a passing comment. It was hope spoken out loud. “Johnny has so many people who love him,” Elizabeth says, “but at Peacehaven he gets to build the social bonds and familiarity that he craves.” That hope is visible throughout Peacehaven: in Jeff’s plans for the podcast studio, in Adam’s chalk drawings, in students installing mailboxes and in volunteers pulling weeds alongside
66 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
the people who live here. “This is all new territory,” Phillips says. “We don’t yet know every answer, but we want to find out. If anything, we’re going to fail forward, which is pretty exciting.” On this workday, the concept feels less abstract. Community is growing here in ordinary and extraordinary ways, through shared work, conversation and chances to get to know one another. Side by side. OH
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 67
On his nursery acreage, J. Van Lindley planted the seeds of a beloved neighborhood that continues to blossom By Jim Dodson • Photographs by Bert VanderVeen
O
n a warmly flaring afternoon in late August, Smith High School AP History teacher Nick Jordan, wife Macy and their young son, Rowan, are settling into their spacious new house on Northridge Street in the Lindley Park neighborhood. This is their second home in the neighborhood, having moved just two weeks ago from a much smaller two-bedroom bungalow just down the block. Renovation of their handsome Dutch Colonial with its sweeping front porch is well underway, but neighborhood history is on Jordan’s inquiring mind this day. “Our house was known as the Dailey Retreat,” he explains during a break from clearing his overgrown yard for new shrubs and native plants. “Its previous owner operated it as a traditional bed and breakfast and cooking school for more than two decades. As we all know, houses don’t stay on the market for very long in Lindley Park. “That’s why we grabbed it. We wanted more room for my work and maybe a second child down the road.” Two years ago, Jordan became the neighborhood’s official historian, researching and writing colorful vignettes about Lindley Park’s storied past for the seasonal newsletter. Though the historic neighborhood is relatively compact in size (it occupies roughly a mile between West Market Street and Spring Garden Street one way and Elam Avenue and Holden Road the other), its 1,200 homes present a remarkable array of 20th-century housing styles that range from quaint bungalows
68 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 69
to Colonial revivals, stone mansions to mid-century ranches, charming cottages to Craftsman classics. Jordan’s own house was built in 1914 by a shoe salesman named A.E. Fordham, who reportedly had a shop on a corner near the site where the future 18-story Jefferson Standard Building (today Lincoln Financial Group) would rise in 1923. His brother, C.C. Fordham, was a prominent pharmacist on South Eugene whose son later became the dean of UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Medicine. Fordham died after three years in the house but passed its ownership on to his wife, an unusual circumstance for that era of home ownership, Jordan notes. The Jordans’ next-door neighbor’s house holds even greater interest to the historian. The Boren House was built by a man who worked as vice president of Pomona Terra Cotta Company, which was owned by John Van Lindley, a visionary Quaker who left the area to fight for the Union Army during the Civil War and returned to dramatically expand his father’s commercial nursery and florist business. By the late 19th century, J. Van Lindley Nurseries reportedly occupied 900 acres between Oakland Avenue and West Market Street. As biographer Joseph C. Carlin notes in J. Van Lindley: His Ancestors, Life, and Legacy, the Lindley operation was at one point, on its 1,130 acres in nearby Pomona, “likely the largest nursery operation in the then-known world with 1.5 million plants under cultivation.” In addition to founding Pomona Terra Cotta Company, Lindley also
70 O.Henry
helped start Jefferson Pilot Insurance Company and built peach orchards in Southern Pines. A young girl named Mary K. who grew up in the Boren house during the late 1920s, Jordan learned, was part of something called the “Northridge Gang,” a troupe of neighborhood kids that attended the new Lindley Elementary School. “These kids wrote and performed plays around the Lindley Park neighborhood to raise money for helping to feed the city’s hungry children,” he explains. “I also found a remarkable wedding notice from 18 years later that this same young woman grew up to become a Guilford County social worker working with the poor in the city.” He sees a timeless message in her story. “I think this is why Lindley Park folks today are so keen to preserve the spirit of a neighborhood that echoes J. Van Lindley’s own love of nature, love of a community and our fellow human beings. We treat our neighbors accordingly. I believe almost everyone here carries that legacy with them.” ✽ First, a brief history lesson. At the turn of the century, with an eye to Greensboro’s future, Lindley donated 60 acres of land along Spring Garden Street for the establishment of an amusement park with a manmade lake designed to showcase the beautiful forest and landscape of the city’s western boundary. The park’s grand opening in June 1902 coincided with the The Art & Soul of Greensboro
inauguration of the Greensboro Electric Company’s new streetcar service from downtown to the park entrance and serves as the birthdate of the neighborhood that would carry its benefactor’s name. The amusement park featured a Vaudeville show, dining casino, bowling alley, dancing pavilion, miniature railroad, movie theater and recreational lake for boating. Lindley’s gift also included 17 undisturbed acres for an arboretum. As Greensboro writer Tim Cole notes in a 2015 remembrance of the park, “The Greensboro Patriot recorded that the new park was visited by thousands on a single Sunday in June 1902.” When the amusement park closed in 1917, a year before Lindley’s passing, the lake was filled in and the city hired a Charlotte city planner and landscaper named Earle Sumner Draper to design a planned neighborhood development that would be named in Lindley’s honor. In time, Draper’s name would become associated with some of the finest subdivisions in the South including Charlotte’s Myers Park, High Point’s Emerywood and Druid Hills Historic District in Hendersonville. Distinctive stone entrances were created to establish Lindley Park’s neighborhood presence on an expanding Spring Garden Street in hopes of attracting the growing city’s middleclass families. It was also Draper who reportedly coined the term “urban sprawl” to describe how the quality of otherwise attractive neighborhoods could be threatened by encroaching commercial development — a cause still close to the hearts of many Lindley Park residents today. Following Lindley’s death, son Paul C. Lindley, also a prominent nurseryman, was elected to the city council and became a passionate advocate for an expanding Greensboro’s parks system. His vision included a large meandering public park that would link Lindley and Lake Daniel parks via North Buffalo Creek. But the plan never became a reality. Upon becoming Greensboro’s mayor in 1931, however, Paul was instrumental in the creation of Country Park during the early days of the Great Depression, probably using Federal WPA money to hire unemployed workers to do the job. Sadly, Lindley drowned in a tragic boat accident on the property in 1933. It wasn’t until the city adopted a formal Master Plan for Recreation by Charles M. Graves in 1951 that playgrounds, ball fields and a recreation center with an Olympic-sized swimming pool were created for the Lindley Park neighborhood. In 1957, about the same time legal efforts by six African American golfers to desegregate Gillespie Golf Course were working their way to the U.S. Supreme Court, Lindley Park’s swimming pool became the focus of a historic effort to desegregate the all-whites facility by a pair of African American women. To avoid opening to all races, the city chose to sell the pool to a private operator but repurchased the facility in 1967, opening it to everyone. Both events have been cited as moments that jump-started America’s Civil Rights movement, prelude to the historic sit-in protest at Greensboro’s Woolworth’s Department Store in February 1960. The popular pool is scheduled to open in 2027 after much needed repairs are completed.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
✽ The year 1968 was one that Lindley Park residents would never forget, especially Marygrace Llewellyn. She and her parents, Don and Rose, had just moved from suburban Boston to Greensboro and purchased a pretty, yellow bungalow with green shutters on Masonic Drive, overlooking Lindley Park. They moved in on a Saturday morning in May. “My father thought he’d moved to Paradise,” Marygrace remembers with a laugh. “And I did, too. When you stood in our yard and look out at the park all you saw were the beautiful trees and meadows of Lindley Park.” She woke the next morning to start school, however, to the sound of heavy machinery. “I looked out my bedroom window and saw bulldozers knocking down the park’s trees. My mother was horrified. Our beautiful park was being destroyed to build a road through the middle of the park!” That road was Wendover Avenue, bisecting the heart of the Gate City from east to west, isolating Lindley Park’s playgrounds and ballfields in the process. That same year, however, Greensboro Beautiful was created as a partnership between the City of Greensboro, civic organizations, local gardeners, private citizens and businesses to develop and fund beautification projects throughout the city. It wasn’t until the mid-1980s, however, that Greensboro Beautiful broke ground on a 17-acre tract of land off Ashland Street then called the Anniversary Garden. The Greensboro Arboretum — long a vision of one J. Van Lindley — was finally completed and dedicated to the city in 1991. ✽ Ron and Theresa Miller moved into a small house on Sherwood Avenue in 1987. Ron worked for the editorial board of the News & Record and Theresa taught composition at UNCG. Five years later, with three small children and a house that no longer fit their needs, they purchased a larger Dutch Colonial on Willowbrook Drive, which sits where the amusement park’s lake was drained to become a park with attractive stone bridges. “The house was kind of a disaster because it hadn’t been fixed up in years,” Ron remembers. “There was plaster falling off the walls, ugly, blue shag carpeting on the floor and only one bathroom upstairs with no shower and only a toilet and small bathtub.” “I cried when we moved there,” Theresa chips in with a laugh. “There was no air conditioning and the kitchen was tiny and dated.” Moreover, they add, the neighborhood around them had visibly declined, due in part to a 1971 redistricting plan that bussed children from their part of Lindley Park to other schools in the county, fueling an exodus of young families from the neighborhood. In 1993, however, a retired officer named Jack Almon and his wife, Nita, started the Lindley Park Association to lobby for change and improvement. Within a decade, thanks to the association’s persistent work, a revised and more sensible redistricting plan sent all of Lindley Park’s school kids to nearby Lindley Elementary, Kiser Middle and Grimsley High School. “That had a positive impact on the neighborhood,” says Ron. O.Henry 71
“Young families began to moving back to the neighborhood, sending it in a very good direction.” As News & Record staffer (and former O.Henry contributor) Jim Schlosser reported during the park’s 2002 centennial anniversary year, the civic mindedness of Lindley residents prompted the “city to spend $216,000 for repairing bridges and gates, planting shrubs and making improvements” that set Lindley Park on an upward trajectory. “One of the many good results of that time is that our children learned the valuable lesson of civic engagement,” Ron adds. Today, the Millers’ Dutch Colonial is a fully restored showplace overlooking the park where numerous annual events like Spring Fling and the popular fall chili cook-off competition take place. ✽ “We were part of a wave of those young couples who moved here and started families about then,” says Joyce Eury, finishing her third term as chair of a Lindley Park Neighborhood Association that’s more active than ever. Eury and husband Steve reside on Howard Street in a charmingly expanded cottage-style house built in 1927. They purchased it two decades ago, having first owned a smaller house on Scott Avenue before moving to the western suburbs followed by a stint abroad due to Steve’s work. “Like many others, we eventually came back to Lindley Park because this is such a special neighborhood. We missed its friendly sidewalks and not having to drive everywhere for a grocery store or a good restaurant.” She points to popular restaurants only a block away on Spring Garden Street and singles out the revitalization of the “four corners” at Elam and Walker with its eclectic restaurants and hip Bestway Market that “are all within walking distance of anywhere in the neighborhood.” The cultural diversity of the neighborhood also appeals to the Eurys, a cosmopolitan mix that includes faculty and students from nearby UNCG, multiple artists, neighborhood entrepreneurs, cottage industry designers and what demographers call urban homesteaders. “This gives our neighborhood a cross section of life that is both genuine and important,” Steve adds. “We’re like a small town where everyone knows their neighbor and cares about them. Lindley Park has undergone a renaissance for years and I believe we are starting a new one.” ✽ Not far away (for nowhere is far away in Lindley Park), Michelle and Bill Schneider couldn’t agree more. They own a handsome 1927 bungalow on Longview. “Joyce is right. The latest renaissance is well underway,” agrees Michelle, chief philanthropy officer for Cone Health. She points out that, thanks to strong input from residents, local businesses and key support from former council member Nancy Hoffman, a new Spring Garden Corridor plan is scheduled to be unveiled this autumn by the city, addressing neighborhood concerns about the traffic
72 O.Henry
and congestion on Spring Garden Street from Holden Road to Josephine Boyd. “We started to informally organize several years ago to protect the future of Lindley Park,” she explains. “It began with a concerned group of us just walking around the neighborhood looking at our unique houses and talking about the city’s growth and what could be coming our way. One Sunday afternoon, we gathered to have clam chowder and asked ourselves, ‘What do we want from the change that’s coming?’ My argument was that change happens. You can either fight it or define it.” Ninety residents, she reports, showed up last October for the city’s first open house on the Spring Garden corridor project, eager to share their thoughts. She notes husband Bill’s former co-ownership of the popular Spring Garden Bakery as an example of how neighborhood residents are invested in its well-being and points to the community’s enthusiastic support of the Corner Farmers Market that began in the parking lot of Sticks and Stones restaurant before outgrowing its spot and moving to a much larger space beside St. Andrews Episcopal Church on Market Street. “It’s technically in Sunset Hills,” she adds with a laugh. “But its story belongs to Lindley Park.” A recent sign of the neighborhood’s continued vitality was the groundbreaking this past August for the new Lindley Elementary School, scheduled to open on 17 acres between Camden Street and West Market in early 2028 — exactly 100 years after its original. Sons Wil and Dennis both attended the old Lindley Elementary and are excited about the new school. Dennis still lives in the neighborhood and runs a custom fence and construction company with brother Wil. “And to think it started with them shoveling snow in the neighborhood,” Michelle quips. Like others in Lindley Park whose children have flown the nest, the Schneiders concede that someday they may consider downsizing to a smaller house in the neighborhood. “We love Lindley Park way too much to think of ever leaving it,” she adds with a laugh. “But I like the idea of giving our house another life after us.” ✽ The Littles, Carrie and Randy, are on their third house in Lindley Park, a stately 1915 manor house at the corner of Scott and Sherwood built of locally quarried stone. Likewise, their daughters, Ellie and Georgia, have grown up and moved on, but the Littles’ love affair with Lindley Park goes on. They, too, are investing in the neighborhood’s future with plans to open Smallscapes in early 2027, a specialty plant store on Spring Garden between Scott and Elam Avenue. Carrie is a former science teacher, veteran gardener and floral designer, who made a name for herself by growing dahlias and other exotic flowers for Abba Design. Smallscapes will specialize in unique flowers and native plants, small landscaping projects, gardening-related goods and maybe even teas and specialty foods from the Corner Farmers Market. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
As a former secretary of the Neighborhood Association, she thinks Lindley Park’s best days are still ahead. “There’s a new energy here from young people who are discovering the neighborhood. They’re restoring houses, planting gardens, bringing new life to this wonderful old neighborhood. You see it happening on every block.” ✽
celebrating their 44th wedding anniversary. They’ve lived in their handsome Sears-style house for 42 years and have no intention of going anywhere else. “When we got married,” Charlie remembers, “Debra saw this house and we both fell in love with it. It’s been a great place to raise our two sons and five grandchildren. They love it as much as we do. This is home.” Charlie is a highly respected collector of American political memorabilia and armchair historian of Lindley Park. Patriotic artifacts and presidential campaign posters fill almost every room. Even family pets have patriotic names including Abby, the dog — “short for Abigail Adams” — and cats Harry Truman, Teddy Roosevelt and Betsy Ross. But it’s Lindley Park memories that matter most to Charlie. He grew up attending Lindley Elementary and Lindley Junior High roaming the neighborhood on his bicycle. Neighborhood stories pour out of him. Best to just sit back and listen. “It was totally safe. You knew everyone and they knew you. My mother and another lady owned a beauty shop called the Modernistic between Sno-White Cleaners and what today is Wahoo’s Tavern. That was Bocher’s Grocery store in those days. Next to that was the famous Pickwick, a bar that was popular with newspaper reporters. I knew Marvin the bartender. He’d let me come in and eat hot dogs and listen to the reporters talk about whatever was going on in town. I was just a kid. Next door, where Suds & Duds is today, was a drugstore that held yo-yo competitions for kids in the neighborhood. Across the street was the A&P, but it didn’t stay long. Now we have the Bestway. There were two full-service gas stations on Walker back then, both of which became great places to eat, The Lindley Park Filling Station and Sticks and Stones, which first was called The Wild Magnolia and had live Mardi Gras music. The Tic Toc Clock shop on the corner became Fishbones, my friend Neil Reitzel’s place. It’s crowded every weekend . . .” He interrupts his own narrative flow and smiles. “I could go on and on. Point is, Lindley Park has had its ups and downs but is better than ever. Everyone sits on their porch and waves when you pass. That’s why we all love this neighborhood. It’s been home for more than a hundred years.” OH
Just down the block on Scott, Charlie and Debra Hertlein are
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 73
74 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
A Day Out in Hickory By Danielle Rotella Guerrieri Photographs by Liz Nemeth
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 75
hen you think of an energetic cultural hub, Hickory may not be at the top of your list, but maybe it should be. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a straight shot west from Greensboro is the small city that National Geographic named one of the country’s best in 2018 for its “hipster-friendly” vibe. Today, it remains a true hidden gem that spans far beyond its logging and furniture roots, having strategically transformed itself into a community of creators and innovators. Curious about the city that calls itself “Life Well Crafted,” I, along with my husband, Tom, hopped on the highway to experience for ourselves the farm-to-table restaurants and breweries coupled with distinctive cultural and outdoor offerings that have been enticing troves of unexpected-destination seekers. Taste Full Beans is our first stop in Hickory, a large, funky space buzzing with energy as bustling folks gather on a cloudy Saturday morning to fuel up on caffeine and local cuisine made from — as written on the front chalkboard — “ingredients sourced from local farmers we know by name!” After gulping down a couple sips of a French press java made with Einstein
76 O.Henry
Dark beans for me, and a latte for Tom, we trek the 2.5-mile City Walk, a section of the Hickory Trail. Hickory Trail, an 11-mile paved trail that connects downtown Hickory Lake, educational campuses, cultural venues and the Hickory Regional Airport, can be picked up from Union Square. Four of the Trail’s five sections are now open – City Walk, Riverwalk, Aviation Walk and Historic Ridgeview Walk. The The Art & Soul of Greensboro
last segment, the OLLE Art Walk, will open sometime in 2027, providing a midway connection along the path. Named after the OLLE Arts District, for “Old” and “Lenoir,” many artisans have relocated to this area, and the city is adding public art to transform the corridor, much like Greensboro’s Downtown Greenway. The Aviation Walk, in the opposite direction of where we are headed, is named such because it connects to Hickory’s Aviation Museum, The Art & Soul of Greensboro
located at the Hickory Regional Airport. The museum is chockfull of artifacts and memorabilia ranging from WWI to the present day, including ejection seats and flight suits from the 1940s — a can’t-miss visit for any plane aficionado. After reaching LenoirRhyne University, we power back to downtown, but first stop for buttery, melt-in-yourmouth chicken biscuits at Main Chick Jammin’ Biscuits, a Cranford Hospitality property. Cranford Hospitality co-owner and Hickory native Zack Cranford worked as a youngster in his parents’ original restaurant, Granny’s Country Kitchen. After graduating from N.C. State, he moved back to Hickory and opened several restaurants with his parents and brother before acquiring 205 Main Ave., home to City Walk Brewing & Distillery, Cranford Brother’s BBQ and Main Chick, all facing City Walk. As a child, Cranford saw Hickory as a booming manufacturing hub, only to witness its gradual decline. Since then, he says, “I’ve seen Hickory transform into what it is today.” O.Henry 77
Passing signs for SALT Block on the Trail — short for Science, the Arts and Literature Together, a nonprofit that supports Arts Culture Catawba, Catawba Science Center, Hickory Choral Society, Hickory Museum of Art and Western Piedmont Symphony — piques our interest in the artistic fervor of a city that is home to just over 45,000 residents. At the downtown Hickory Farmers Market, that creative spirit shines. We scope out goods from stained glass artists, mushroom farmers, knife sharpeners, you name it, as the sweet fragrance of homemade sourdough bread and fresh-cut flowers permeates throughout the walkway. With an ambitious mission statement — “contributing to the well-being, education and vitality of the community and local food economy for our residents, farmers and artisans” — the market is open until 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays from April through October, beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays and 8 a.m. on Saturdays, then only on Saturdays from November to mid-April. Union Square, where the market is located, has been around since 1913, when a street ran in front of the shops before being redeveloped as a pedestrian mall in 2012. Sails on the Square, gigantic overhead canvases resembling a ship’s sails, offer sun and rain protection for the farmers market and Sails Original Music Series, a free flagship event every Friday night in May, June and September.
78 O.Henry
Just off Union Square, Trade Alley Art is our next stop, a bright gallery where we meet dimensional artist Barbara Haeme and fusedglass artist Tyrone Powell. One of Powell’s glassworks catches my eye — a miniature white guitar that features horizontal and vertical black lines with punches of primary colors, emulating the early-1920s Modern abstract style of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. Haeme’s mixed-media collages are equally captivating, made from repurposed clock, piano and camera parts and assembled into striking, sculptural pieces. Around the corner, The Front Stoop’s antique-chic atmosphere and old-world ambiance draw us in. Owner Madison Chapman is the new kid on the block, opening her doors this past April. “We just got back from the Round Top Antiques Fair in Texas,” says Chapman, explaining how she maneuvered through 11 miles — a similar length to the completed Hickory Trail — of antiques along State Highway 237 in Carmine, Texas, hauling home one-of-a-kind items for the store. Among shelves of ornate copper bowls and richly-aged, patinaed mirrors, I spy a funky woodinlay vase, perfect for my living room bookshelf. After some solo shopping at Bottega, Thistle Dew Nicely, Ella Blu and Aqua B Downtown boutiques, I meet back up with Tom, who’s been doing his own Union Square window shopping. We meander inside The Natural Olive, a gourmet olive oil and balsamic vinegar store with a Mediterranean-inspired vibe owned by Revi and Daniel Bar, who bought the store from its previous owner last year. We taste-test several savory blends before Tom buys a half-dozen bottles, including a cilantro-and-onion blend, a Tuscan herb EVOO and an 18-year-aged balsamic. You can never have too much olive oil or balsamic vinegar, can you? We continue to DASH Home + Kitchen, a warm, welcoming space filled with natural light, stocked with exquisite kitchenware and signature gifts. Owner Holly Woodward, interior designer by trade, and her husband, Mark, moved to Hickory from High Point almost a decade ago for Mark’s furniture company job. They The Art & Soul of Greensboro
changed career paths after the pandemic and couldn’t imagine opening a small business anywhere else. “The talent is abundant, and the city does everything to be progressive,” says Holly. Their inspiration took shape again this summer, with the soft opening of yet another business, The Downbeat, an intimate jazz cocktail lounge on Union Square. Featuring live performances and carefully curated vinyl, bespoke cocktails and an elevated small-plate menu, The Downbeat collaborates with talented musicians, such as Kass Blount & The Burners, and local farmers, including farmers market regular Hedge Family Farm. The Hickory Wine Shoppe, a sophisticated watering hole with a dozen or so tables next to a tall mahogany bar, catches our attention next. Smoked oysters, local artisan bread and other tasty bites are offered from the “tiny but mighty” kitchen, and natural wines from small producers who use sustainable farming practices can be sipped either inside or outside along Union Square’s social district, where folks 21 and older can enjoy alcoholic beverages on the street. Deciding our appetites are more mighty than tiny, we head across the railroad tracks to Olde Hickory Station, a historic 1912 railway depot that was repurposed in 2013 into a bustling restaurant and market. Outdoor tables with umbrellas line the dog- and kid-friendly patio that sits parallel to the train tracks. Inside, a skinny bar, where a gaggle of hungry customers sits for lunch, lines the interior corridor of the main dining area. Behind 20 or 30 beer taps is a vibrant mural depicting the building from the 1900s. Excited to sample Hickory’s local craft beer, I order a flight of lagers and ales, declaring Olde Hickory Brewing’s Fresh The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Hop my favorite, while we hungrily snack on chicken wings and roasted beet salad. Before hitting the highway back toward home, we digest while doing a little historic sightseeing from the comfort of our car. We cruise past several landmarks, including the Piedmont Wagon and Manufacturing Company, a series of brick buildings at the junction of two railroads. From the 1880s–1940s, up to 1,000 horse-drawn wooden wagons a month were produced within the walls of those historic, industrial buildings. We pass by Maple Grove, an impressively tall Italianate-style farmhouse with round columns and green trim built in 1883 for Mary Adelaide Lindsay Shuford and her husband, Adolphus Lafayette Shuford, who founded Hickory Tavern, the village that later became the city of Hickory in 1873. Adolphus bought multiple lots, imported the first Jersey cattle herd to North Carolina, and developed a 70-acre dairy farm shortly before his 1885 death at the age of 53. Shuford descendants founded and own Century Furniture, one of the remaining furniture makers in Hickory. Preserved by the Hickory Landmarks Society, which also maintains Propst House and Houk’s Chapel, Maple Grove offers free tours. National Geographic got it right eight years ago. Between the walkability, music scene and array of independently owned shops and restaurants, Hickory has evolved — while still honoring its roots — into a place that makes a perfect full-day pit stop on the way to the mountains. But it’s completely worthy of its own dedicated day trip, too. OH O.Henry 79
H OS P I TA L I T Y A legacy of entertaining
A
By Cassie Bustamante • Photographs by Amy Freeman
strawberry pie burbles in the oven, its jammy, crimson fruit seeping from the crust as its buttery aroma permeates the 85-year-old house that David and Anna Caton made theirs in 2018. “Anna has some of her mom’s handwritten recipes,” says David. Beyond the pie, there’s also the classic cornbread his mother-inlaw, Juanita Hendrix, would make just for him. “I am just kind of sentimental,” says Anna, pointing out a side table here, a small painting there, that once belonged to her late parents and now adorn their only child’s Starmount Forest home. The Colonial Revival home is just around the corner from where the Catons lived for 15 years. When it came on the market in 2017, they snagged it. Although they knew they wanted to
80 O.Henry
remodel, they didn’t start right away. “We let the house speak to us,” says Anna. Featured on the Preservation Greensboro Historic Home Tour this past May, the Catons’ home was originally built in 1941 for Pattie and Clyde Jackson and, from the beginning, served as a place of gathering. The Jacksons and their two sons were socially active and threw numerous parties, club meetings, luncheons, you name it. After Clyde’s untimely passing in 1954, Pattie eventually remarried. She and her second husband, Lee Coltrane, stayed there until selling in 1971 to Vernon and Dixie Wimberley, who owned the home until the Catons bought it. Just a few years in, the house had spoken — in a vernacular that conveys the traditional Southern style and hospitality Anna, The Art & Soul of Greensboro
a “born-and-reared” Greensborian, inherited from her mother. In 2021, the Catons hired architect Dan Huckabee to help them come up with a plan, including bumping out the back to create a much larger kitchen. “Because every time we had parties, everybody's standing in the kitchen,” says David, “and that kitchen was so small originally.” They enlisted Pat Parr of Classic Construction of North Carolina to do the build while the Catons designed everything themselves. “We’re both very classic,” says David, IT operations manager for The Fresh Market. “So this is kind of timeless in a sense.” Featuring traditional white custom cabinets from Classic Construction and white quartz countertops from Ivey Lane, the kitchen now offers ample space to move and work — a must for a couple that enjoys a team effort when it comes to preparing meals. Guilford Plumbing designer Ellen Pete helped Anna, a rental property manager, select large-scale gold hardware and fixtures as the crowning jewels. “My mother always said, ‘Go big or go home,’” says Anna. Over the island, two gold, oversized lanterns shed light on an expansive workspace. The kitchen opens to a roomy, comfortable den with a wet bar that includes a beer-and-wine fridge. Where the refrigerator once sat, the Catons made use of existing waterlines and electrical. Glass-doored upper cabinets illuminate within, allowing goblets, flutes and highballs to sparkle. The backsplash and countertop, which were crafted from an Ivey Lane remnant, contrast the cabinets in black with striking white veining. “The The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 81
82 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
hammered sink that’s in there,” says David, “we both love that.” Anna notes that it’s from Thompson Traders, a local familyowned company. Charleston, it turns out, is a favorite place to visit. In fact, the couple celebrated their very first wedding anniversary — and more recently their 28th earlier this year — in The Holy City. Over the years, they’ve gone on several home-and-garden tours that Anna says have inspired her own Southern style. “That’s what I kind of wanted to bring here,” she says, waving her hand at the den’s cushy white furnishings paired with blue-and-white pillows and antiques. Adding onto the home allowed the Catons space for a mainfloor en suite primary bedroom. While they originally thought they’d remodel the second-floor primary, friends pointed out that, as they age, they might want the convenience of living primarily on one floor. The couple furnished the brand-new space with dressers and nightstands that once sat in Anna’s childhood home in Green Valley and added a gas fireplace that warms them on cool nights. But it’s the bathroom that echoes Juanita’s philosophy of going big. A large soaking tub — big enough for even a tall guy like David to stretch his legs — made of volcanic rock keeps its water so hot that “you sometimes have to add a little bit of cool water
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
just to be able to tolerate it,” quips David. Around the corner from the tub is a walk-in shower with a rain head and a regular head, plus a wand to make it easier to wash as they age. The couple’s favorite aspect of it? It’s low maintenance — no shower curtain to wash or glass door to squeegee. In fact, Anna praises Harris Teeter’s budget-friendly Mold and Mildew Remover — her “saving grace.” David is keen on the bathroom’s heated floors, which are especially nice “in the middle of the night in cold winter.” Anna wasn’t so sure they really needed the luxury of heated floors. “Then our contractor said, ‘Well, it’ll prevent mildew from forming,” recalls the ever-practical Anna. “I said, ‘Sold!’” Some rooms were left mostly untouched by renovations, but made theirs by design. Anna dreamed of mimicking her childhood home’s dining room, right down to the wallpaper, a “barely there” pattern. However, the one she selected sold out. “So I went another route — I went a little bit more bold.” Now, Rifle Paper’s Co.’s blue peacock wallpaper makes a dramatic statement, with her parents’ traditional dining set taking center stage. The table has been set for dinner service with silver-andblue rimmed plates, crystal chalices and silverware, all meticulously placed. Inside the matching breakfront, glassware and silver serving pieces reflect the glimmering light an ornate crys-
O.Henry 83
tal chandelier that came straight from Anna’s parents’ home provides. “I feel like they’re still here with me,” she muses. Painted in a warm white, the living room and adjacent, lightfilled sunporch are also filled with reminders of Anna’s parents — several chairs, an ottoman, a chinoiserie dinette set. Turns out, the Catons sent much of their former house’s furniture to an estate sale. They added personal touches with a couple of special paintings. For their 10th anniversary, the Catons traveled to Venice. At an Art Shop show, David couldn’t believe his eyes when he spied Korean American artist Sam Park’s painting featuring the very same walkway just outside of where they had stayed. “I saved up for that,” says Anna. Over the sofa, a large, commissioned oil landscape by European artist Gerhard Nesvadba hangs. Anna connected with him through the Art Shop, where she fell in love with a similar piece that was much larger. She “begged and pleaded” for him to create something smaller. “It’s hard to find what you want. And this is it.” Featuring a walking path, a field of poppies, rolling hills and a body of bright-blue water, David imagines it reminds Anna of the time she backpacked solo through Europe, right after their anniversary trip to Italy. The glass-enclosed sunporch overlooks one of several rose gardens the Catons added, maintained by The Perfect Rose. Juanita, Anna recalls, had a rose garden, too. Anna loves to clip them
84 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
and place them in vases around the house — one next to the kitchen sink, another on the original, curved built-ins leading out back — reminders of her roots. There’s also a newly added rose garden on the side of the home, where several varieties are neatly labeled, including Moonlight in Paris, a favorite of hers and her mom’s. “Her favorite colors were peach, soft peach.” The abundance of pink roses on either side of their front walkway burst with color against the white exterior. And the carriage green front door and dark shutters add a touch of contrast. Anna wanted something that read, “Is it black or is it green?” “Charleston inspired,” notes David. On either side of the door, large gas lanterns from New Orleans-based Parc Lighting greet guests with Southern flair and soft flames. But it’s the backyard, utterly transformed, that is where the couple most enjoys entertaining. Anna explained her vision to Huckabee, who told her, “We can’t do that.” “But I could see it,” she muses, and convinced him. Now, thanks to the hardscaping from Jeff Allen Landscape Architecture and landscaping from Green Visions, it’s an oasis.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
David cites the screened porch as one of his favorite additions. The comfy sofa and chairs from Casual Furniture make for excellent napping, says Anna. The couple’s shy cat, Angel, who once belonged to Juanita, agrees and especially enjoys basking in the porch’s warm patches of sunshine. Beyond the porch’s door, they added an outdoor fireplace and a Mackie Brothers pool that “is not a kids’ pool,” according to David. “It’s an adult pool,” complete with a corner hot tub. There’s a cabana with a bathroom of its own so no one treks through the house with dripping suits or muddy feet. In it, a repurposed bamboo chandelier that once hung in the home’s breakfast room provides light. While it was originally white, Anna, who inherited some of her dad’s handiness, painted it black. “My dad was very hands-on. He could do anything.” David recalls Walter reverently. “Her dad was a very big guy,” he says, “very big and very —” “Intimidating,” Anna says, her bright blue eyes shimmering as she completes the sentence. David’s own father is an “almost retired” oral surgeon whose work took the family to Gainesville, Florida, where David grew up and his parents still live today. As a child, he spent many
O.Henry 85
summers traveling to the mountains of North Carolina, visiting grandparents or attending Camp Carolina in Brevard. Growing up so close to the University of Florida, a school that currently boasts an undergrad population of over 40,000, made him keenly aware that he wanted to attend a much smaller liberal arts school. “I visited Elon when it was one of those snowy days where the campus looks perfect,” he recalls. Plus, Elon College (now Elon University) offered a degree in communications with the corporate specialty he wanted.
86 O.Henry
Anna also graduated from Elon, one year after David, in 1994. But the two never crossed paths while they were students because she had her nose in thick accounting books. Plus, she says, “I was working three jobs, living off campus.” Not long after Anna graduated, the two finally met at an event for the Burlington Indians, a former minor league baseball team. She attended with her roommate, Kelly, a mutual friend. At the time, Anna worked for the team while David, who was there because of his involvement with the Alamance The Art & Soul of Greensboro
County Area Chamber of Commerce, worked in sales for Eric Henry’s responsible clothing brand, TS Designs. “Who’s your friend?” he asked Kelly. Soon after, they began dating. Early into the relationship, David invited Anna to visit his hometown during the Fourth of July and, of course, meet his parents. They hit the road with David’s roommate and his girlfriend, reaching their destination at 2 a.m. Even though it was the middle of the night, Anna was using the car mirror to preen. “David goes, ‘What are you The Art & Soul of Greensboro
doing?’” Anna recalls. “I said, ‘I’m primping! I’m getting ready to see your mother.’” David recalls one of his first encounters with Anna’s parents: “I remember the tray with all the different little like pickled okra or little pickles and all kinds of — you know, they just put on the spread.” Just a few years later, he was working up the nerve to ask Walter and Juanita for their daughter’s hand. After sweating it out at Lucky 32, David hadn’t yet managed to spit out his quesO.Henry 87
tion. Time was running out — lunch was nearing its end. “Her mother graciously said, ‘Would you like to come to the house for some dessert?’” “It was much more comfortable,” he continues, “and I was finally able to get through it.” Of course, they gave him their blessing. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t be here,” he says with a chuckle. The night of the proposal, David had booked a table at the now-closed Noble’s, where Kerry Thomas, chef and cocreator of underground dining pop-up experience The Next Supper, was working as a manager. Thomas, who barely knew David then, held onto the ring until it was time to pop the question. After a beat, she said yes. “It was a long minute,” quips David. “Because I was enjoying the moment,” says Anna with a soft laugh. “Kerrie’s been in our lives since then,” says David. “Wherever he goes to work, we just follow.” In fact, the Catons opened their home for one of Thomas’ Next Supper events. Thomas later returned to cater a Friendsgiving gathering, where the Catons set up a table spanning the length of their entire screened porch and filled 26 seats with loved ones. In the handful of years since their remodel, the couple has hosted numerous events back there. Of course, there are pool parties, but there was also a “bourbon and bubbles” party where they hired beloved Greensboro bartender Mark Weddle, best known for his work at 1618 West. “Twentysomething people RSVP-ed,” says David. “Seventy people came,” quips Anna. While it felt a bit like mayhem, looking back, she says, “It was a perfect evening, a fun evening.” They’ve also hosted a Christmas party — the list goes on. “We just love to host,” says Anna. David especially enjoys bringing people from all corners of the world together and seeing how everyone connects. Then there was the chicken pot pie taste-off. “Maria’s had closed and that’s where I used to get my chicken pot pies,” says Anna. So, she did the ultimate crowd sourcing and invited friends to bring over their favorite catered chicken pot pie so she could sample several. Pretty genius. “Any kind of theme,” says David, “all of a sudden you get people buying into it.” And it’s likely this home will see countless parties for years to come. “I want to live here for a lifetime,” says Anna, scooping up the last bite of her mom’s strawberry pie. Next up? “Cornbread,” they both say. Though nothing can compete with Juanita’s recipe. OH
88 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 89
Imagine your home, totally organized! Custom Closets, Garage Cabinets, Home Offices, Pantries, Laundries, Hobby Rooms
$300 OFF
Plus Free InstallationExpires in 90 days. Offer not valid in all regions.
Terms and Conditions: $300 off any order of $1198 or more, $200 off any order of $998-$1198 or $100 off any order of $698-$998, on any complete custom closet, garage, or home office unit. Not valid with any other offer. Free installation with any complete unit order of $600 or more. With incoming order, at time of purchase only.
For a limited time SPECIAL FINANCING for 18 months *with approved credit*
336-396-2300 WT closetsbydesign.com Call for a free in-home design consultation and estimate
Follow us
Licensed and Insured • Locally Owned and Operated
A L M A N A C
October
I
By Ashley Walshe
The Autumn Cauldron
(with apologies to Shakespeare)
n October, life and death walk hand in hand, giggling. Can you hear them through the crisp breeze? The eddies of fallen leaves? Press your ear to pine bark and hear the sap slow. Acorns drop to the earth like runes tossed upon a casting cloth. Gray squirrels scramble to secure an unknown future. The crows blurt their dismal premonitions. Frost! Silence! Death! Rot! Yes, it’s all coming. And yet, the squirrels build their caches; the crickets are still singing; earthworms and fungi hum of alchemy and fertile soil. All of life weaves itself into the endless fabric of existence — even through death. Become food. Become earth. Become eternal. And on this day, when the sky is blue and sunlight transforms colors to exalted states, become acutely aware of this fleeting moment. Cascades of crimson maple leaves. Kaleidoscopes of monarchs. Murmurations of starlings. Here and gone — at least from sight — in a brisk autumnal flash. At once, a crow cracks a nut with its sleek, sharp beak. Woodpecker tucks them into dead, damp trees. A squirrel buries a soon-to-be-forgotten reserve where, weeks from now, an acorn will sprout a taproot. The orb weavers spin their final webs, wrapping their eggs in tear-shaped sacs of silk. Can you hear the laughter now? Life! Death! the crows chant. Rebirth! The light is fading; the air smells of musk and mischief; the tapestry continues to surprise and delight.
Hoot of owl and hush of frog, caw of crow and whiff The autumn cauldron bubbles. Can you smell it? The richness of wet earth and fallen leaves; the punch of stink bug and walnut husk; the heavy musk of slow decay? Add to that the woody depth of warming spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and clove. Now, throw in some texture. The howl of coyote and wind. The crackle of fire. Dried corn stalks, wine-colored berries, pine sap, turtle shell and bone. Sweeten with pumpkin and apple. Brighten with blue skies and luminous foliage. Deepen with red wigglers, spoiled fruit and mushroom spores. Double, double, watch it bubble.
of dog . . .
The maple tree in front of the doorstep burned like a gigantic red torch. The oaks along the roadway glowed yellow and bronze. The fields stretched like a carpet of jewels, emerald and topaz and garnet. Everywhere she walked the color shouted and sang around her. — Elizabeth George Speare, The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Oak + Squirrel Forever
Nothing like the gentle thuds of acorns raining down upon the quietly turning earth. Did you know that a single gray squirrel will scatter-hoard up to 10,000 of them over the course of one season? And fail to unearth roughly three-quarters? Oak knows. That’s a lot of potential — entire forests — safely cradled by the wet, dark soil. The squirrels eat their fill. The oak trees continue their wild giving. The seeds of life sleep underground, patiently awaiting the return of spring. OH
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 91
Fall HOME
& GARDEN
A S PEC IA L ADVERTI SI NG SECTI O N Improve your home and garden with help and inspiration from these local businesses Chelsea on Green | Compassionate Wildlife Removal | Craig McIntosh/Tyler Redhead McAlister Crawlspace Medic | ETC for the Home | Five Star Painting | Golden Oldies Antiques Greensboro Beautiful | Greensboro Kitchen & Bath | Jaree Todd/BHHS | Kitchen Express Kitchen Tune-Up | Lamps & Shades | Laura Redd Interiors | Murphy’s Upholstery Paul Davis Restoration | Randolph County Tourism Development Authority ReBath of the Triad | Seabolt Upholstery | A Shade Better Shore’s FineDry Cleaning | South 23rd Porch Pops Sunbird Storage | Weeks Hardwood Flooring WhiteStone | Window Works Studio
KITCHEN AND BATH
Betsy Blake Photography
cabinets and design for the home you want to live in 336.218.6706 | 1175 Revolution Mill Dr. Suite 24
E S TA B L I S H E D 1 9 3 4
For the Home
REUPHOLSTERY • FABRIC • FURNITURE • DECORATION G I F T S & PA P E R
FROM CUSTOM UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE AND FABRIC TO CURATED HOME AND SEASONAL SELECTIONS MURPHYSUPHOLSTERY.COM PARTYCHICKANDPAPER.COM
Party Chick & Paper
Timeless Craftsmanship, Thoughtfully Curated.
94 O.Henry
120 S. Walnut Circle, Greensboro, NC 27409 336-852-5050 MURPHYSUPHOLSTERY.COM The Art & Soul of Greensboro PARTYCHICKANDPAPER.COM
Taking your space from ordinary to extraordinary! Elevated style for every home
Our patent-pending planter cover instantly upgrades any plastic pot into a design-forward accent. No repotting, no hassle - just slide it on and elevate your seasonal greenery in seconds Available in multiple sizes and timeless prints, it’s the easiest way to bring designer polish to your patio, porch or balcony.
FIND US IN STORES PINEAPPLE PORCH – Stokesdale, NC | UPSTYLED GOODS – Asheboro, NC WHITLYN’S BOUTIQUE – Denver, NC | A.B. SEED -Colfax, NC
Stop by, explore, and experience our products up close! decor@south23rd.com • south23rd.com
Grateful to be Part of of aa Community We Love Love
TheTriad Triadis isfilled filledwith with people people doing doing extraordinary extraordinary things—giving The things—givingtheir theirtime, time,sharing sharingtheir theirtalents, talents, supportingtheir their neighbors neighbors and and working supporting working every everyday dayto tomake makeour ourcommunity communitybetter. better. AtThe TheJaree JareeTodd Todd Team, Team, we’re we’re grateful grateful to At to live live and andwork workin inaacommunity communitywhere wherecaring caringfor forone one another is simply part of who we are. another is simply part of who we are. To all those who make Greensboro a wonderful place to call home—thank you. To all those who make Greensboro a wonderful place to call home—thank you.
THEJAREE JAREE TODD TODD TEAM TEAM -- WHERE THE WHERE REAL REALESTATE ESTATEMEETS MEETSCOMMUNITY COMMUNITY
MELANIE SOLES MELANIE SOLES 336-210-1481
336-210-1481 Melanie.Soles@BHHSYostandLittle.com Melanie.Soles@BHHSYostandLittle.com
JAREE TODD JAREE TODD 336-601-4892
336-601-4892 Jaree.Todd@BHHSYostandLittle.com Jaree.Todd@BHHSYostandLittle.com
CAROL RUSH CAROL RUSH 336-906-2775
336-906-2775 Carol.Rush@BHHSYostandLittle.com Carol.Rush@BHHSYostandLittle.com
Remodel the effortless way. Re-Bath handles every step of the bathroom remodel process— design, product selection, demo, and installation.
Contact us today for $1750 off a complete bathroom remodel and 0% interest for 18 months. 336.525.9583
|
R E B AT H . C O M
Must mention offer when calling. Not valid with other offers. Call for full terms and conditions. Offer expires 11/30/26. License No. 1114.
Monday - Friday: 10:00a - 5:00p | Saturday: By Appointment Only | Sunday: Closed
525 North Wrenn Street, High Point, NC 27262 | 336.889.3333 Wed - Fri / 9:30a - 5:00p | Sat / 9:30a - 4:30p Cash & Carry / Bring your own truck, blankets, & men Etc for the Home Furniture Outlet
THE TRIAD’S FLOORING SPECIALIST
As fall approaches, it's the perfect time for families and businesses in the Triad to refresh their floors. Trust Weeks Hardwood Flooring to bring new life to your space with our expert flooring solutions. Visit our website to learn how we can assist you with your upcoming flooring project and make your home or business shine this season!
7901 Thorndike Rd, Greensboro, NC 27409
OUR SERVICES Hardwood Vinyl Plank Carpet Tile And More
336-856-0202 weekshardwoodflooring.com
2500 OFF
$
COMPLETE KITCHEN REMODEL PLUS, affordable financing options available with payments as low as $199/month! 2701 Branchwood Drive, Greensboro, NC 336.644.3045 | kitchenexpressnc.com The minimum for a complete kitchen remodel requires all new cabinets and countertops. Offer Valid through 11/30/26 and cannot be combined with any other offers. Restrictions apply. Offer based on qualifying credit approval.
The Shady Ladies at LAMPS & SHADES
Fix It. Design It. Light It Up.
Shop our huge selection of lamps, shades, finials, and accessories handpicked for every style and budget. Proudly serving Winston-Salem for over 45 years.
Call or visit us today. 380 Knollwood Street, Suite B 336-722-4721 | lampsandshades380.com
Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-5pm | Saturday 10am-3pm
106 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
310
W
Broad
Mon-Fri
Ave.
9a-5p
&
High
Point,
Sat-Sun
NC
10a-5p
336-689-5664
goldenoldiesantiques Containers arriving weekly ANTIQUE FURNITURE, GARDEN & DECOR FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Remodeling
Interior Design
Laura Redd Interiors is a full-service interior design and remodeling firm, specializing in creating Exceptional Everyday Living! Kitchen & Bath Remodeling * Interior & Exterior Design * Senior Renovations Call Today to learn more about how we can make your dreams a reality! reddinteriors.com
108 O.Henry
laurareddinteriors@gmail.com
336.508.3016 The Art & Soul of Greensboro
! s t i a w A n u
y t n u o C h p l o d Ran Fall F
N
Scan our QR code and order your free 2026 Travel Guide
H T R O
C A
I N R O L
A
HeartofNorthCarolina.com | 800-626-2672 | #theHeartofNC ARCHDALE • ASHEBORO • FRANKLINVILLE • LIBERTY • RAMSEUR • RANDLEMAN • SEAGROVE • STALEY • TRINITY
Live Beautifully In a
Home That Fits Your Style At WhiteStone, your space is an extension of who you are. Spend your mornings in sunlit, tailored interiors, your afternoons discovering creative passions, and your evenings entertaining neighbors or relaxing with those you love. By taking tedious maintenance and chores off your plate, you’re free to curate a vibrant, worry-free lifestyle surrounded by premium amenities, rich connections, and peace of mind. Call us today to schedule your personal appointment | 336-652-3415 700 S. Holden Road | Greensboro, NC 27407 liveatwhitestone.org Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care | Skilled Nursing | Rehabilitation | In-Home Care
‘Tis the Season to Declutter: Store Your Seasonal Items Experience the Sunbird difference! • 7-day money back guarantee • No rent increases for 365 days • Locally owned and operated • Month-to-month billing cycle • 24/7 security
Two Great Locations to Serve You! 2204 BATTLEGROUND AVENUE
336-704-0083 | battleground@sunbirdstorage.com
110 O.Henry
Renderings by http://www.thesuburbanartist.co.uk/
4094 BATTLEGROUND AVENUE
336-827-9035 | 4094battleground@sunbirdstorage.com
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
At participating franchises only. © 2024 HFC KTU LLC. All Rights Reserved. Kitchen Tune-Up is a trademark of HFC KTU LLC and a Home Franchise Concepts Brand. Each franchise independently owned and operated.
Update & Upgrade Your Kitchen,
uplift your home and life
Chad Sutcliffe- Local Owner Refacing | Redooring | New Cabinets | Countertops | Cabinet Painting
Schedule your complimentary consultation by calling 336.860.9584 or visit kitchentuneup.com
WE DO BATHROOM N AND KITCHE , S N RENOVATIO TOO!
CLIENT FOCUSED QUALITY DRIVEN
Locally Owned and Operated Residential and Commercial Painting Company
• Interior Painting • Deck and Fence Staining • Exterior Painting • Brick Painting Experts • Home Renovations • Repair and Carpentry Dedicated Project Manager, Superior Quality, Clean Work Area, Fully Insured, Industry Leading Warranty, Respect Our Clients Property and Time, On Time and On Budget, Complimentary Color Consultations for Our Clients
MENTION THIS AD AND GET 10% OFF YOUR PAINTING PROJECT
336-210-5918
www.fivestarpainting.com/greensboro
ORDER TODAY! Give the Gift of Holiday Cheer! Through Wreaths on Wheels (WOW), help us sponsor 525 wreaths for local Meals on Wheels recipients today!
Holiday Greenery Orders will be accepted until November 6 Wreaths on Wheels Sponsorships accepted through December 31
greensborobeautiful.org • info@greensborobeautiful.org
bit.ly/holidaygreenerygbi
112 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
LET US HELP YOU 336-707-3018
OCTOBER IS
FIRE PREVENTION
MONTH
A home fire can leave your family in shock. Firefighters are experts in putting out fires and saving lives. We are experts at restoring your family’s home and contents. We work for you and with your adjuster to get thorough, high-quality repairs for your home. Don’t settle with your insurance company until you call us. DID YOU KNOW ALL SMOKE ALARM SENSORS EXPIRE 10 YEARS FROM THE MANUFACTURE DATE?
WATER • FIRE • MOLD • STORM 108 S Walnut Cir Greensboro, NC 27409
Triad-East. Paul Davis.com ©Paul Davis Restoration,lnc. Each franchise office is independently owned and operated
OUTINGS October 2026
In need of a night out on the town? We’re highlighting some of our picks so you can immerse yourself in the growing and evolving Greensboro arts-and-culture scene. Before attending any event, it’s best to check times, costs, status and location. Although we conscientiously use the most accurate and up-to-date information, the world is subject to change and errors occur!
Mug Making October 3
OCTOBER 1, 3 & 4 BEHIND THE ARTWORK. Times Vary.
Ever wondered what happens behind gallery doors? The ArtStock Studio Tour is back with even more artists, galleries and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the creative process. Wander through studios, meet local artists and watch their ideas come to life right before your eyes. Consider it your backstage pass to Greensboro’s art scene. Kick things off at the opening party from 6-9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1, at the CVA Gallery. Free. Greensboro. Info: artstocktour.com.
OCTOBER 3 MUG MAKIN’. 1–3 p.m.
A little bit of clay, some glaze and your own trusty hands are all you need for
114 O.Henry
ArtStock Studio Tour
ART & SOLE October 3
October 3 & 4 this workshop. You’ll learn the basics of working with clay to create a mug that’s uniquely yours — no pottery expertise required. Mold some magic and leave with your hands dirty in the best way possible. Tickets: $80. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: starworksnc.org/ starworks-events. ART & SOLE OF GREENSBORO. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Lace up your walking shoes and warm up for an art-filled stroll. Westerwood
Art & Sole: Art Walk and Studio Tour invites you to wander through one of Greensboro’s oldest neighborhoods, where local artists open their studios to curious visitors. Think of it as an excuse to get your steps in — but with paint, pottery and plenty of flair! Who knows, maybe you’ll even wind up rucking as you carry a new-to-you painting home on your back. Free. Westerwood Neighborhood, 1000 Friendly Ave., Greensboro. Info: westerwoodneighborhood.com/art-sole. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
OUTINGS
October 4
MOON GLOW: An Illuminated Living Art Experience October 24
OCTOBER 4 ART-BORETUM. 1–5 p.m.
Art meets the great outdoors at Art in the Arboretum, where the garden becomes a colorful playground for creativity, community and fun. Wander among local makers and artisans, discover something delightful to take home, grab a bite and enjoy live music along the way. Fourlegged friends are welcome to join the fun, so bring the whole crew and make a day of it. Free. Greensboro Arboretum, 3299 Starmount Drive, Greensboro. Info: greensborobeautiful.org.
BE FREE. 7 p.m.
Who said violins have to be serious? GRAMMY-nominated duo Black Violin, Wil Baptiste on viola and Kev Marcus on violin, are bringing their Be Free tour to town, shaking up your idea of a “classical” concert. Expect soaring strings, hip-hop beats and the kind of musicianship that makes you wonder why your old orchestra teacher never tried this. With special guest Braxton Cook joining the party, this is a night of lush melodies, playful rhythms and instruments doing things you didn’t know they could do. Tickets: $48+. Steven Tanger Center, 300 N. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: tangercenter.com/events.
TIME TO SHINE. 4–8 p.m.
Bring on the sparkle! The Blessed
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Diamond Divas’ Triple Diamond Awards Gala is a celebration filled with wellearned applause for the community champions making a difference through bullying prevention and youth mentorship. Toast their impact while supporting nonprofit programs that help the next generation of leaders shine even brighter. Good people, good vibes and a whole lot of diamond-level inspiration. Tickets: $75. Meridian Convention Center, 312 West Meadowview Road, Greensboro. Info: blesseddiamonddivas.org.
OCTOBER 7 BOOK PARTY. 7 p.m.
Hey bookworms, clear your calendars for the night. The Historical Book Club of North Carolina welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Timesbestselling author Geraldine Brooks to Greensboro for an unforgettable evening of conversation. In celebration of the club’s 80th anniversary, proceeds from the Town Meeting on Books will support a nonprofit literacy organization. Consider it a party that honors the past while paving the way for the future. Tickets: $41. Dana Auditorium, 710 Levi Coffin Drive, Greensboro. Info: hbcofnc.org.
OCTOBER 10 RHYME WITH A REASON. 3–5 p.m.
Books are flying off the press and straight into readers’ hands. Join widely published poet and award-winning poet Terri Kirby Erickson for a lively launch celebration of her newest collection, The Light That Follows Us Home. Enjoy live music by talented musician Susan Terry and light refreshments while supporting a good cause as 20% of all book sales will benefit the American Brain Foundation — after all, a good story should always give back. So grab a friend and prepare for an evening where poetry and purpose share the same page. Free. Mary Alice Warren Community Center, 7632 Warren Park Drive, Lewisville. Info: Press53.com.
OCTOBER 11 TORNADO IN A TEACUP. 11 a.m.
There’s no place like tea. Steep — oops, step — into Oz at O.Henry Hotel’s Wizard of Oz Tea, where Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Lion and a few Munchkins O.Henry 115
LAWNDALE SHOPPING CENTER • IRVING PAR K
DOVER SQUARE • WESTOVER GALLERY OF SHOPS
At Lash & Blowout Lounge, we believe beauty should feel effortless — from perfectly styled blowouts to flawless lashes, we’re here to make every day feel like your best day.
LADIES CLOTHING, GIFTS, BABY, JEWELRY, GIFTS FOR THE HOME, TABLEWARE, DELICIOUS FOOD
1738 Battleground Ave • Irving Park Plaza Shopping Center • Greensboro, NC • (336) 273-3566
116 O.Henry
admin@lashandblowoutlounge.com | 336-285-8699 lashandblowoutlounge.com
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
OUTINGS
are ready to whisk you away for a whimsical afternoon. Indulge in creatively crafted treats and tea, meet your favorite Oz characters and enjoy activities designed with the little ones in mind. Just follow the yellow brick road to the tea party. Tickets: $93. 624 Green Valley Road, Greensboro. Info: ohenryhotel.com. PLAY WITH PURPOSE. 1–5 p.m.
Learning about healthy futures is anything but boring when you mix play and education at Play with Purpose: Growing Healthy Futures, presented by the Junior League of Greensboro, an organization whose mission is to advance women’s leadership. From hands-on activities to tasty discoveries with dietitian experts, this family-friendly event serves up a fun, interactive look at nutrition access — now, that’s food for thought. Free. Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum, 220 Church St., Greensboro. Info: greensboro.jl.org. LAWNDALE SHOPPING CENTER • IRVING PAR K
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
OCTOBER 13 MESSING WITH MAHJONG. 4–9 p.m.
It’s time to put your mahjong skills to the test. Earlier.org, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing breast cancer research, rolls out the mahjong mat for an evening of friendly competition, fun shopping and, naturally, a little rosé. Your ticket does more than get you a seat at the table with fellow tile-philes — it helps support breast cancer patients and future research. Come for the tiles and play for a purpose. Tickets: $125+. Starmount Forest Country Club, 1 Sam Snead Drive, Greensboro. Info: www.earlier.org.
BOO STORIES. 6–7:30 p.m.
Embrace your inner ghoul at High Point Museum’s 15th annual Ghost Stories in the Park. Settle in for a night of haunting — but not too spooky — tales while snacking on treats and tricking out pumpkins with some creative decora-
tions. It’s the perfect excuse to get a little spooked and a little crafty while testing your terror tolerance before All Hallow’s Eve. Free. Historical Park at High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point. Info: highpointmuseum.org. DOVER SQUARE • WESTOVER GALLERY OF SHOPS
O.Henry 117
OUTINGS
OCTOBER 22 ART IN A NEW LIGHT. 4–10 p.m.
Who says science can’t have a little sparkle? Moon Glow blends art, biology and a touch of scientific magic in a bioluminescent exhibit by artist and scientist Hunter Cole. Using living systems, science and light, Cole creates artwork that quite literally glows. When you combine art with science, you’ve got yourself night that shines bright while benefitting the Arts Council of Greater Greensboro. Tickets: $10. 503 Studio, 503 Washington St., Greensboro. Info: www.eventbrite. com/e/moon-glow-an-illuminated-livingart-experience-tickets-1997637330029.
OCTOBER 23–31 SIP, SHIMMER AND SPROUT.
Brighten your weekend with some
sparkle while taking time to connect and transform through textile art at the Center for Visual Arts’ collaborative, mixed media exhibit: Sip, Shimmer and Sprout. Pop the seal with Mike Valle’s reclaimed bottle cap contemporary mosaic art, soak up the shine from Sky Bradshaw’s sequins-and-embroidery creations and dig into budding artist Emma Church’s paintings of landscapes, routines and familiar objects. Catch the opening reception rom 6–8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23, and leave with a little more shine to your step. Free. Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: mycvagreensboro.org/SIP-SHIMMER-&-SIP.
OCTOBER 24 SHOW AND SALE. 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Ready to shop until your craft-loving
heart’s content? Explore a delightful mix of handmade arts, crafts, quilts and oneof-a-kind gifts at the BL Maker’s Market. Support talented Pennybyrn employees, residents and local artisans while discovering something special you won’t find on the usual shopping trip. Come for the crafts and leave with a little handmade token. Ilderton Hall, 109 Penny Road, High Point. Email for info: blmakersmarket@aol.com. OUR COUNTRY’S COLLAGE. 7 p.m.
Celebrating America’s 250th, the UNCG School of Music presents its annual Collage concert with the theme American Voices. Celebrate the voices and traditions that have shaped this country and experience a captivating concert like no other. Expect an evening filled with powerful performances and plenty of musical variety, celebrating America
The Arts
118 O.Henry
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
OUTINGS
one note at a time. Tickets: $15+. UNCG Auditorium, 408 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: vpa.uncg.edu/events. SERVING UP SPOOKY TALES. Noon–5:30 p.m.
Goulash is a warm, one-pot, soupy dish stuffed with meat and macaroni, but Ghoulash? It’s a one-stop treat that’ll have you goblin. The Greensboro Youth Council welcomes all to the Ghoulash Halloween Festival, a familyfriendly fright fest filled with ghost stories, creepy crafts and tales about the unliving. Come ready for a few goosebumps, some Halloween fun and plenty of spooky surprises. And don’t worry, we promise the only thing simmering is the spooky atmosphere. Free. LeBauer Park, 208 N Davie St., Greensboro. Info: greensborohistory.org/event.
OCTOBER 30 TEEING UP FOR A CAUSE. 9 a.m.
How high can your swing go? The Holden Trent: Goal 13 Foundation is teeing off its annual golf tournament, where a day on the greens helps student-athletes thrive. Every dollar raised supports Goal 13’s programs designed to give the next generation of athletes the resources and opportunities they need to succeed beyond the playing field. After the tournament, head on over to Grapes and Grains for the Kicks for a Cause party complete with food and drinks. Grab your clubs, bring your best swing and make every stroke count. Registration: $150. Bryan Park Golf Course, 6275 Bryan Park Road,
Greensboro. Info: goal13foundation. org/2026-golf-tournament. OH To submit an item for consideration, please email ohenrymagcalendar@gmail.com by the first of the month prior to the month of the event.
The Arts
C.P. LOGAN
A WALK IN TANGER PARK • 20” X 24 ” • ORIGINAL OIL
CLASSES, PARTIES, COMMISSIONS
www. CPLogan.com
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 119
Live Your Life With Live Arts
RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT
AMERICAN STREET DANCE THEATER
OCT. 16
COLLAGE
Rennie Harris Puremovement is the country’s leading street dance theater company dedicated to preserving and disseminating hip-hop aesthetics
OCT. 24
This year’s Collage celebrates the voices, stories, and traditions that have shaped the nation over 250 years
SAMARA JOY FEB.5
An American jazz singer, Samara Joy has received six Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist in 2023
BEN FOLDS
MAR. 20
North Carolina native Ben Folds is an Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter and a musical influencer of our generation.
ROBINSON FAMIILY VISITING JAZZ ARTISTS
JOHN SCOFIELD’S “ELECTROSPECTIVE” featuring OTEIL BURBRIDGE, ADAM DEITCH & LARRY GOLDINGS
CARMEN BRADFORD with UNCG JAZZ ENSEMBLE I
NOV. 21 APR. 23
FALK VISITING ARTIST
OCT. 1 CLARENCE MORGAN
Get your tickets at ucls.uncg.edu
120 O.Henry
Presenting Sponsors: Joseph M. Bryan, Jr. and The Cemala Foundation Underwriting Sponsors: Melissa Greer/Berkshire Hathaway and UNCG Housing and Residence Life Hospitality Sponsor: Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels Media Sponsor: Our State Magazine
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
K E V I N R U TA N ’ S
FALL STUDIO
GROUP KEVIN RUTAN
MARCIA MOORE
CATBIRD MOON
SHOW
NOVEMBER 12TH-14TH 11-4 EACH DAY 6 1 2 J O Y N E R S T R E E T, GREENSBORO, NC
FELLOW ARTISTS INCLUDE: MARCIA MOORE
FUNKY JEWELRY
WATERCOLORIST; JOANNE RICH MIXED MEDIA COLLAGE ARTIST; CAT MOON COLLAGE; JEWELRY BY ANNETTE SPEAKS OF DUNBAR ST. JEWELRY.
CALL 336-312-0099 FOR MORE INFORMATION. INSTAGRAM: KRUTAN2018
MARCIA MOORE The Art & Soul of Greensboro
KEVIN RUTAN
WWW.KEVINRUTANARTIST.COM O.Henry 121
A R E A
S C H O O L S
DIRECTORY B’nai Shalom Day School
Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School
The BSDS Experience: Age 8 weeks – 8th grade At B’nai Shalom Day School we embrace the power of being small by design, for it allows us to craft a one of a kind educational experience that is intimate, inspiring, and deeply connected to our mission of inspiring curiosity, critical thinking, confidence, and a connection to Jewish values.
Focus: The largest non-public high school in the Triad. Outstanding college prep high school experience with exceptional academics, extracurricular activities and championship athletic teams. Aviation and Fine Arts programs. College Board AP Honor Roll Distinction. Full AP program with College Counseling Center. Class of 2026 awarded over 13MM in merit-based scholarships. Special Education and Academic Achievement Programs, transportation available. All faiths welcome. Grades: 9-12th • Enrollment: 502 • Student/Faculty: 10/1 Applications open in November for 2026-27 school year. Tuition: $13,069-$24,300
804-A Winview Drive, Greensboro, NC 27410 (336) 855-5091 • www.bnai-shalom.org • @bnaishalomgso
Admission Requirements: We invite interested families to schedule a time to meet with our Director of Admissions to learn more about our school and community! Tuition: $7,310-22,950
Caldwell Academy
2900 Horse Pen Creek Road, Greensboro, NC 27410 (336) 665-1161 • www.caldwellacademy.org • @caldwellacademy Mission: The mission of Caldwell Academy is to assist parents from a biblical perspective in the instruction of their child by providing a classical and Christian education. Enrollment: 570 • Student/Faculty: 15:1 Admissions: We invite you to schedule a personal tour of our campus to experience the heart of our school and community. After submitting an application, students complete academic assessments, followed by student and parent interviews. Tuition: $9,120 - $18,900 (varies by grade level)
122 O.Henry
1725 NC Highway 66 South, Kernersville, NC 27284 (336) 564-1010 • www.bmhs.us
Canterbury School
5400 Old Lake Jeanette Rd, Greensboro, NC 27455 (336) 288-2007 • canterburygso.org Focus: At Canterbury, nothing about a child’s education is accidental. From age 3 through 8th grade, every step is designed with care — nurturing curiosity, building confidence, and shaping compassionate leaders. With small classes (7:1 student/faculty) and a preschool-8th grade model where middle schoolers are the leaders on campus, Canterbury students don’t just grow up — they grow with intention. By graduation, they are prepared in every sense: academically strong, emotionally grounded, and ready to thrive in high school and beyond. Grades: Cubs (age 3) - 8th grade • Student/Faculty: 7/1 Schedule a tour and see how Canterbury builds every step of your child’s journey with intention.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Greensboro Day School
5401 Lawndale Drive, Greensboro, NC 27455 (336) 387-2308 • greensboroday.org • gdsadmission@greensboroday.org THE GDS EXPERIENCE • Offering the best, most well-rounded educational experience in the Triad • New dedicated spaces for engineering, innovation, entrepreneurship, public purpose, and student wellness • Exceptional preschool program with half and full day options • A wide variety of extracurriculars, athletics, and arts opportunities • Support staff includes nurses, security, counselors, coaches, advisors, and athletic trainers • Outstanding facilities and beautiful 80-acre campus Grades: Age 2–Grade 12 • Enrollment: 1,040 Students Average Class Size: 16 Students Community Cornerstones: Respect, Kindness, Integrity, Responsibility Admission Requirement: Admission on a rolling basis. Please contact the admission office for details. Tuition: $15,310–$29,680, Financial Assistance Available
New Garden Friends School
1128 New Garden Road, Greensboro, NC 27410 (preschool-grade 6) 2015 Pleasant Ridge Road, Greensboro, NC 27410 (grades 7-12) (336) 299-0964 • www.ngfs.org Foundational Values: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, & Stewardship The NGFS Experience: Guided by Quaker values, New Garden Friends School is committed to being an inclusive educational community that honors and develops each person’s gifts. Through a challenging, student-centered academic program, students are encouraged to think critically, explore deeply, and develop the skills and confidence needed to thrive in college, career, and life. Grades: Age 3-Grade 12 Admission Process: Admission is offered on a rolling basis. We invite you to schedule a personal tour of NGFS to experience our campuses and community. Tuition: $13,780-$28,300 28,300, Tuition Assistance Available
Wesleyan Christian Academy
1917 North Centennial Street, High Point, NC 27282 336.884.3333 • www.wcatrojans.org
Focus: Wesleyan Christian Academy partners with families to prepare students to know and live the Truth while discovering how God has uniquely gifted and called them. From TK through 12th grade, students experience a culture of Biblical immersion where faith is woven throughout learning, relationships, leadership, service, athletics and the arts. Students are encouraged spiritually, challenged academically, and supported as individuals through a strong college-preparatory foundation. Students with learning differences receive individualized interventions and support through Wesleyan’s speech-language pathology, Resource, and Enrichment Center services. Wesleyan seeks to develop graduates prepared not only for what comes next, but to make a lasting impact for Christ. We invite you to experience the Wesleyan difference! Grades: TK - 12th Grade • Enrollment: 1064 • Student/Faculty: 21/1 Graduation Rate: 100%, with 90% of graduates headed to a four-year college/university Admission Requirement: Early Application Deadline: Jan 15, 2027, but we accept applications throughout the year. Tuition: $13,125 to $16,275 Schedule a visit or apply online at www.wcatrojans.org/admissions
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Greensboro Montessori School
2856 Horse Pen Creek Road, Greensboro, NC 27410 (336) 668-0119 • www.gms.org Focus: Nurturing and challenging students to develop the skills and courage they need to unleash their full potential. Grades: 18 months old to 8th grade • Enrollment: 280 Student/Faculty: Under 3 years, 5:1; 4 years and older, 11:1 Admission Process: 1) Visit to get to know our School. 2) Apply to tell us more about your family. 3) Spend time with us through a student visit and family meeting. Tuition: $10,624 - $24,188 (current school year)
Noble Academy
3310 Horse Pen Creek Road Greensboro, NC 27410 336.282.7044 • www.nobleknights.org
Focus: Noble Academy empowers students with learning differences to pursue their highest potential within a comprehensive, supportive educational environment. Grades: 2 - 12 • Enrollment: 140 • Student/Faculty: 8/1 Admission Requirement: Average or above average intelligence, a diagnosis of ADHD and/or a learning disability, including Central Auditory Processing Disorder and/or difficulties with one or more of the following: Attention, Processing speed or memory, Auditory processing, Executive functioning, Reading, Math, or Writing, and Academic fluency. Tuition: $27,000 for all grades. Noble Academy can offer financial assistance to families that qualify. Noble Academy also accepts the Opportunity Scholarship and the ESA+.
Westchester Country Day School
2045 North Old Greensboro Road, High Point, NC 27265 (336) 822-4005 • www.westchestercds.org Focus: WCDS is an independent school that cultivates responsible citizens and leaders by embracing all backgrounds and nurturing personal excellence. To provide the best possible foundation for students to flourish, WCDS promotes a love of learning, well-roundedness, respect for multiple perspectives, and strength of character and prepares students for college, career, and community impact. Grades: Pre-K through 12 • Enrollment: 455 • Student/Faculty: 8/1 Admission Requirement: Rolling admissions. Contact the admissions office for details and to schedule a tour. Tuition: $1,986 - $25,755
O.Henry 123
Estate Services
PERMANENTLY BEAUTIFUL TILE.
ncgroutworks.com Grout Works offers all of the services you need to restore your tile to brand-new condition. • Repair of cracked, crumbling or missing grout • Replacement of damaged or missing tile • Complete shower and bath restorations • Remove and replace caulking • Permanent color sealing • Grout cleaning
Get your
!
FREE ESTIMATE today
Eric Hendrix, Owner/Operator ehendrix@ncgroutworks.com
336-580-3906
Sarah Crowder Ferrell
336.455.3525
BRINGING ORDER HOME Featured Services CUSTOM ESTATE & MOVING SERVICES
PERSONAL ORGANIZING & CHANDELIER CLEANING workingdecorllc@gmail.com Instagram: @WorkingDecorLLC | facebook.com/WorkingDecorLLC Working Decor - Because your home should work beautifully.
Practicing Commercial Real Estate by the Golden Rule Bill Strickland, CCIM
Put your mind at ease and trust Marion
Commercial Real Estate Broker/REALTOR 336.369.5974 | bstrickland@bipinc.com
www.bipinc.com
Visit Showroom Hours: Monday - Friday • 9am-5pm
4719 Pleasant Garden Road, Pleasant Garden 336-674-8839 | www.mariontile.com
124 O.Henry
➛
online @ www.ohenrymag.com The Art & Soul of Greensboro
GreenScene Family Service of the Piedmont High Point Oyster Roast TAG & Congdon Yards
Friday, May 1, 2026 Jonathan & Ashley Raper, Donna & Andrew Cumby
Photographs by Aesthetic Images
Gwynne Rukenbrod Smith, Jani Manes, Hanna & Michael Manes
Hot Sauce
Wendy Rosner, Stephanie Young
Dorothy & Terrance Johns
Jim & Melissa Sams
Jack DeLille, Lily Wilson, Marc & Mary Powell DeLille, Tom Ullman, Carol Young, Kik & Pat Poon
There are times when it’s smarter to lease than to sell your home. Call me when you think you’re there! I’ll be pleased to discuss how Burkely Rental Homes can help you. “I refer investors and renters to Michelle. I trust they are in good hands with her“. Katie Redhead
336-549-8071
MichelleS@burkelycommunities.com Sterling Kelly - CEO
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry 125
GreenScene Family Service of the Piedmont Greensboro Oyster Roast Revolution Mill
Friday, May 1, 2026 Photographs by Aesthetic Images Mebane Ham, Ron Johnson, Suzie Crow
Wanda Pritchett, Rebecca Schlosser, Jan Pritchett
Karen Jacobs, David Clemmer, Morgan Mayer Wise, Marsha Mayer
Rebekah Driggers, Magz King
Angela Lemons
Linda Egerton, Keith & Sherri Hill
Rodney & Christy Speight, May Gayle & Paul Mengert
History by a Hair Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings & Solving a 200-Year-Old Mystery
Sunday, October 18, 3 pm
At the Greensboro History Museum The Smithsonian Institution’s Distinguished Scholar talks about his new book. Signing to follow.
Free and open to the public.
Smithsonian Affiliate
126 O.Henry
130 Summit Avenue Greensboro, NC 336-373-2043 GreensboroHistory.org
FASHION FOR EVERY OCCASION 500 State Street, Suite A, Greensboro NC 27405 336-275-7645 • Tues - Fri 11am - 6pm • Sat 11am - 5pm www.LilloBella.com
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
GreenScene Pink Ribbon Luncheon High Point Country Club
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Photographs by Aesthetic Images Beachy Allen, Nancy Amos
Ralph Lauren staff
Hayworth Cancer Center teammates
Chuck & Bert Wood, LaDonna Gatlin, Jane Kester, Mallory Norvell, Gray Norvell, Kay Maynard
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
LaDonna Gatlin, Emilee Brigman, Bert Wood
Leslie Culp, Katy Danahy, Emilee Brigman, Mary Keever, Whitney & Bill Heard, Christi Morgan, Aimee McWhorter, Meg Porter
(Standing) Stephanie Beaver, Mary-Lynn Moore, Lisa Wheatley, Nan Yates, Claire Horney, Jane McAllister; (Seated) Anne Bills, Nancy Amos, Beachy Allen, Elizabeth Finch
Pennybyrn Staff
O.Henry 127
O.HENRY ENDING
Badge Rich
By Cynthia Adams
“Rich,” who works at a
big-box hardware store, excels at customer service. You will be sure to recognize this right away because his vest is covered in countless award badges, all thanks to the fact that customers relate and respond to his brand of affability. The multiple badges, affixed by carabiners to both sides of his vest, noticeably rattle against one another, calling to mind the old-fashioned takea-numbers at the butcher counters of old.
He wears a big smile below a bushy mustache, is average height, and, he’s not shy about cheerfully calling attention to a pot belly, one he points out to you himself. Then, out tumbles his spiel, full of PG-rated dad jokes and deadpanned as if he were a Wes Andersen character. “How ya folks doin’ today?” he asks, grinning. As soon as you mumble something about being pooped from weekend yard work, gesturing to the additional flat of pansies you’re buying, he starts up. “Oh, pooped out?” Rich gestures towards his (pleasingly plump) abdomen. “Me too. But hey, turns out I’m in shape. Round is a shape.” You laugh despite yourself. “I’ve started an exercise regime,” he continues. “Doin’ fork lifts.” Naturally, he gestures, pretending to lift a fork to his mouth. “And diddly squats.” You laugh again. Rich is just warming up.
128 O.Henry
“It’s not that running runs in my family,” he says, then pauses. “Nobody runs in my family.” His eyes are wide. He’s watching your face, gauging his timing; an underappreciated stand-up comedian who literally must be on his feet on a concrete floor wearing steel-toed safety shoes for hours on end. One who has filled the yawning, monotonous hours with possibilities while manning a register. Someone who realizes he’s been invisible. An anonymous figure who scans products and accepts payments hour after hour, who must keep an eye out for shoplifters and miscreants the livelong day. Now, he’s a guy who’s quipping away, perfecting his schtick and inserting himself firmly into your field of vision. Rich, dammit, is determined to make you see him and make you laugh. Meanwhile, the register is doing its machine tasks, calculating, whirring and spitting out receipts. Waiting, you politely smile at Rich, because, well, not to would be like slapping a baby. Handing the receipts over he resumes his riff adding, “We don’t run like the wind . . . When I run, I’m winded.” As you turn to leave, he takes care of business, asking you to complete the survey at the bottom of the receipt. “That’s how I got all these badges,” he says proudly. And you guesstimate he might be wearing 50 of the things. Is it heavy, you wonder, wearing all those badges? Walking to the car, it’s tempting to look back, to see if Rich is already doing his routine with the next customer. How long can he sustain this, you also wonder? Then it hits you, the most obvious thing. On reflection, you realize Rich, in fact, has a knack for getting others in shape as a crescent-shaped smile plants itself on your face, a gift from the man of many badges. OH The Art & Soul of Greensboro
ILLUSTRATION BY HARRY BLAIR
Service with a smile and a side act
MADISON ON EIZA GONZÁLEZ