Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA

It's just about two weeks to Valentine's Day. Better start shopping, for a card, at least, and a gift, at best. Of course, if your name were Valentine, everyday would be Valentine's Day. The name comes from Latin, meaning 'strong and healthy,' two words which apply strikingly well to the heart. [2012]

Elizabeth City, North Carolina, USA

Retired, with two dogs and a boat. For them, it must be a dream come true. The Pasquotank River and the re-purposed Elizabeth City waterfront make a beautiful backdrop for the day's activities. The captain and his first mate may be navigating the Intracoastal Waterway with enough time to explore some of the Albemarle's tidal creeks. [2020]

Lumberton, North Carolina, USA

Joy to the world of Lumberton, with its low-country swamps, Venus fly traps, great blue herons, butterflies, and day lilies. How's that for a place-defining mural? What's trending right now though is the place name in big, bold letters. [2022]

New Bern, North Carolina, USA

The tree has lost its leaves, but some green remains. What is it? Hint: (1) It's a parasite. (2) It's evergreen. (3) It's berry-bearing. (4) Its seeds are symbolic of male fertility. (5) It's always out of reach. (6) It's associated with Christmas and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." [2021]

Marion, North Carolina, USA

It's time to buy! Clocks are frequently seen outside jewelry stores. Why? (1) It attracts attention on the street. (2) It communicates accuracy and symbolizes trust. (3) It carries a "don't delay, buy now" message. (4) It is a reminder that the best fully jeweled watches are available inside. [2011]

Beaufort, North Carolina, USA

Fall comes to the Carolina Coast. Today, in fact, is the first full day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere. Blue skies reflected in still waters are a trademark of the season, but the story of seasonal change is told by the transition of the cordgrass marshes from summery green to autumny gold. [2021]

Marion, North Carolina, USA

Few people were on the streets two years ago in Marion. Those who were wore masks. By that point in the Covid-19 epidemic, just five months in, more than 156,000 people in the United States had died of Covid-19. By January of 2021, five months in the future, the number of deaths had increased to almost 357,000. Now, it's over a million. [2020]

Marion, North Carolina, USA

Few people were on the streets two years ago in Marion. Those who were wore masks. Five months previously, only one person in the United States had died of Covid-19. When this picture was taken (exactly two years ago), the number nationwide was up to more than156,000. [2020]

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Here's another Cool Globe. This one is tightly coupled with Charlotte's status as a Tree City USA, an accolade bestowed by the Arbor Day Foundation. Do you see the tree canopy on the globe? You will also see it in the city. Residents enjoy knowing they are fighting climate change and paying lower heating and cooling bills because they live in a City of Trees. [2020]

New Bern, North Carolina, USA

Whether we are talking about sculpture, murals, or the Google Chrome home page, tessellations seem to be in favor right now. What's that say about society? Stay within the lines. Nothing should be blurred. Boundaries should be sharp. Voices should be bold. Meeting points should be many. Harmony should triumph despite differences. [2021]

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Earth Day: 364 days and counting. Let's make every day Earth Day, lest we end up on a planet looking like this. Through greenhouse gases that pollute the atmosphere you can barely see the continents. The message: "You can curb greenhouse gas by simply adjusting your thermostat." That's one Cool Globe for our planet's carbon-challenged Anthropocene. [2020]

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Earth Day: one day and counting. Ocean waves have a higher energy density than any other type of renewable. Even though we currently lack the technology to fully exploit wave energy, today's dreams are tomorrow's reality, as symbolized here by a three-dash line across the Arabian Sea. That's one Cool Globe for our planet's energy-challenged Anthropocene. [2020]

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Earth Day: two days and counting. Charlotte is bound to a plan to create a circular economy that produces zero waste. How many other cities have such commitments to the planet's preservation? That's one Cool Globe for our planet's waste-challenged Anthropocene. [2020]

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, USA

Answers in the pic: (1) What city is located at the head of the Mississippi River delta? (2) What city may be only a suburb of Memphis but still the 10th largest city in the state? (3) What other Memphis suburb was named after a cemetery? (4) What tiny hamlet with a post office of its own is located on the Chickahominy River? (5) What is the meaning of OBX MP8? [2021]

New Bern, North Carolina, USA

What happened on Palm Sunday? Events that made the crucifixion of Jesus, less than a week away, all the more incredible. In fact, the plot twist that unfolded during Holy Week gave "the greatest story ever told" an epic turn-around that required telling and retelling for centuries. On this day, the Prince of Peace entered Jerusalem triumphantly. [2021]

New Bern, North Carolina, USA

Pepsi, unlike its older brother, low-keyed corporate murals. Certainly, there was none on the wall of Caleb Bradham's pharmacy in New Bern, "the Birthplace of Pepsi Cola." Until 1898, Pepsi was known as "Brad's Drink." See the historical marker? P.S.: Thanks, Pepsi, for pulling out of Russia! [2021]

Hatteras Village, North Carolina, USA

Kayaks for rent, but not this time of year. They are on their winter break, and their only duty is to pretty-up a fabled island on the Outer Banks, an island where it is difficult to find anything open in January and February. Why should kayak be one of your favorite words? Because it's a palindrome. [2019]

Moyock, North Carolina, USA

Only seven haircuts again this year. Top: Moyock, North Carolina; Derby, Kansas; Bismarck, North Dakota; Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bottom: Beckley, West Virginia (Lefty is on the left, she cut my hair); Eagen, Minnesota; New London, Connecticut (new dad Basilio = $20 tip!). Twelve states to go to complete my U.S. collection! [2021]

Monroe, North Carolina, USA

That's one happy muralist (glassist? fenestrist?) and one scary depiction of the season. Please, St. Nicholas, save that poor boy from being snatched away from all things good and wholesome and carried away (in a garbage bag?) to the realm of sin and darkness. [2020]

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, USA

The first memorial to the Wright Brothers' (see them?) accomplishments was erected on the top of Big Kill Devil Hill. It's easy to guess when the design was authorized: 1930. It exudes the brutalism of the second industrial revolution: not light and airy like the flight itself, but dense and heavy. Conclusion: The designers were prisoners of their times. [2021]