We Love Durham NC

Out of Gas

It was not a day to drive around on fumes. It was a bit tricky finding a gas station with Regular gas in Durham on Saturday. Costco was completely out of both types of gas.

Make a Hole, Make It Wide

Crape myrtles grow very well in North Carolina. You can plant them in any kind of soil, in the hottest, driest part of your yard, and ignore them completely, and they will grow beautifully. I think you should plant a whole forest of crape myrtles in your yard and we’d have a surplus in the bee population.

Something about digging holes in North Carolina is that there is clay (hence all the potteries around). This clay can be 1″ from the top of the ground, or deeper, or not at all. I’ve found if you start digging a hole and hit clay, best fill it back in and dig a hole somewhere else. (I did manage to put in a tether ball pole, but it required a special steel spike from my neighbor to get through 12″ of clay, and I won’t be doing that again.)

I was going to plant these guys in the back yard, but couldn’t find a clay-free area with enough sun, so they’re going up front.

Intersection of Hope Valley/751 and Highway 54

The extension of Garrett Road leading to Highway 54 is now open! If you’re going west on 54 onto Hope Valley, better take that turn, because they’re drilling up the right turn lane at the next intersection.

PS Yes, that’s a new Advance Auto Parts in that last photo. There are now TWO auto parts stores within 5 minutes of us, where previously there were none within 20 minutes.

Stay

My kids have been brainwashed by the drought not to sing the Rain Rain Go Away song (because of bad luck, y’know) but rather to do their take on it, Rain Rain Stay and Stay, and so they happily stomp in the rain, and do rain walks, and go with me to playgrounds in the rain now. It is odd that it seems that it won’t ever stop raining, but great that no one complains.
The yellow pine pollen (and the other less obvious pollen) is being washed away in streams to the storm sewers.

I hear the Durham Farmer’s Market opens this weekend. I hope it is a sunny and warm morning for it.

Coming Up Flowers

Flowers and green leaves scattered everywhere–gorgeous!

Local Color

Overheard today at Fowler’s: “You wanted local color!”

Waffling

Another thing I love about Durham is in addition to the internationally known institutions, local arts scene, foodie hangouts, regional mall, active neighborhoods, and progressive organizations, you don’t have to be all crunchy and high-minded. You can just go eat waffles. Here’s a review from first-time visitors.

The boy: The Waffle House has very big waffles, and they have syrup and butter. They have hot chocolate and coffee, too. They pour waffle mix into a waffle maker that cooks the waffle. You can get served right at your table if you’re right against the kitchen part. They have something near the window that plays music.

The girl: I liked drinking my hot cocoa. I drank it like spilling it. Watch me jump!

Another Crash

Another crash today at the intersection of MLK and Hope Valley. Shattered glass all over. In the latest rain storm, there was an overturned car near the intersection of Chapel Hill Blvd and University Dr. Occurred to me that was quite a trick in a 35 mph zone near a school and traffic light. Hope everyone’s okay. Drive safe, y’all.

[If you're not driving here already, learn more about travel to Durham.]

Rain, Glorious Rain

The girl made up some new words to the Rain song.
Rain, rain
Stay and stay
Stay and stay and stay and stay
Stay and stay, stay and stay
Stay and stay and stay and stay!

I agree completely. Do stay a spell.

I’m Cold

Since all I did in Durham today was to leave several times to drive to Chapel Hill, I’ll just repeat what I heard over and over: It’s cold outside. I had the windows wide open. I nearly put on a jacket but remembered to relish being not-hot for a second. I hope Fall is finally here for good. (Some rain would be nice.)

Shops near Alivia’s

I have vague recollections of Durham from the late 80s. Didn’t have a car, so everything would have been within walking distance. I was just thinking about a shop near Old Hillside High that a trendy friend dragged us to for dangly 40s-style earrings and long white satin gloves (to go with the Knights in White Satin prom theme, of course). I’ve been puzzled where this shop was/is, and driving by these shopfronts being renovated it hit me! DSA = [that old high school that we thought was Hillside but now I know was Durham High School]. There it is. I can’t wait to see what goes in there.

New Water Restrictions Schedule

I received a recorded call saying I can only water my lawn and wash cars on Wed and Sat 5-9am and 5-9pm. I don’t water my lawn or wash my car as a rule. Do you think it would be okay if I just squirt my mums a tiny bit every evening? These poor mums, being raised in such an environment.

Drought, Still

Driving down 751 past Jordan Lake hits home that we are really in a severe drought. One side of the bridge is a receding puddle; the other, a stream surrounded by bright green new grass growing in the lake bed.

New! Photos from Matt

A Fresh Coat of Asphalt

All those potholes that were a big part of the discussion last election? Going, going,… The roads are looking better. I see new pavement almost every day, both on city roads and highways. Maybe ’tis the season.

Durham Web Cams

I was curious if there were any web cams in Durham.

Durham Bulls Ballpark

North Durham Traffic Cameras

South Durham Traffic Cameras

WXDU DJ Cam

Wildlife Clinic

Duke University PoliSciÂ