*…**the day is yet one more yellow leaf / **and without turning I kiss the light / by an old well on the last of the month / gathering wild rose hips / in the sun. **- W. S. Merwin, The Love of October *

Welcome to October Saluda notes and notations! Fallen leaves line the sides of narrow side streets, crisp underfoot. Days grow shorter, the light changes….whispering cornstalks stand sentinel in quiet fields….hawks wheel and circle slow in high blue skies, and geese honk as they fly in v-formations to distant lakes.

*The fine-looking landscaping around the Saluda Center is thanks to a grant from Polk County Community Foundationthank you, PCCF! This is something we can all enjoy, for a long time. *

The Saluda tailgate market winds up this month after a long hot summer–remember Fridays at the city parking lot off Main Street (follow the signs) from 4:30 to 6:30. I am going to miss those arm loads of colorful zinnias, the delicious pound cake, dog treats galore, the warm summer tomatoes…the smiles and hugs remain, though. Speaking of local….local businesses need and want our support, from small shops, to restaurants, to services. Kind of nice, too, to get friendly service and smiles. Thats a good thing!

Joseph Burdett is recovering from a copperhead bite the bite went through a sock or it could have been even worse. I think he is ready to get his foot back on the ground!

*Art notes*: On Monday, October 4, 5:30-7:00 at Saluda Center, 64 Greenville Street, our own Stoney Lamar who is a nationally renowned wood sculptor, teacher, and member of the American Craft Council board of directors will give a brief talk on Craft in Community. This will be followed by a reception and show of 5 area artists. In addition to works by Lamar the show will feature woodturning by Mark Gardner, pottery by Kelly McCullough, tapestry by Holly Wilkes, and calligraphy by Michael Hughey. The work will remain on display through American Craft Week and will be for sale at Heartwood Gallery. Heartwood is celebrating 25 years of craft…congratulations to Shelley DeKay and Barbara Seiler for a job well done.

Toshs Whistlestop cafe has moved to the Depot: Marsha, Cindi and Tosh are moved in and open for business. You will find them beside Summer House in the historic depot building, near Duck Alley, Saluda Realty, and Salamander.

Mark your calendar and get a costume ready: Friday evening, October 29th, our Saluda Medical Center will hold its Third Annual Fundraiser Masquerade Ball at the Saluda Mountain Jamboree to raise needed funds. Our non-profit medical center provides comprehensive and accessible medical care to all individuals, regardless of age, income, or health insurance status, and serves Polk, Henderson, and the surrounding communities.* Music will be by Sound Investment and a barbecue dinner is included with the price of admission. Tickets sold at Saluda Medical Center, Manna Cabannas Produce Market, Cathy Jackson Realty, Thrifty Barn, Macon Bank, and Saluda Mountain Jamboree. Please support SMC, and plan on having a ball! *

*Happy news:* Mary and Johnny Hiers son gets married this month.

Congratulations to Ken Boyd and Alexia Timberlake who tied the knot recently. A big hug to Ruth and John Rhodes who celebrated their 68th anniversary in late September that is special indeed!

Simple joys: warm molasses cookies….praying mantises on fall leaves….roses giving a last bloom or two before colder weather….pink sunsets over blue mountains, silver lake water rippling slowly under a soft gray evening sky….gold-brushed leaves sparkling in the light….

*Garden notes:* leaf piles are great additions to compost heaps…or start a leaf pile area in a secluded section of the yard….over time and a few years, leaves decompose into a fine garden material called leaf mold: which is a layered material that greatly enhances soil. Time to do garden cleaning, pulling weeds and vines, and planting shrubs. Every year I dream of a Victorian-style glass greenhouse appearing by magic in my back yard…my outside plants get sent to the basement instead or brought in the house. Orchids come in from the front porch where theyve summered happily: they dont appreciate my old, cold house during those freezing winter days!

*Funny notes:* I like to handle a lot of my bill paying on-line these days, which saves a stamp and paper, and seems easy enough. But woe to the day when one changes a computer! When its time to log in, you find yourself up the creek if youve forgotten your original password. I recently spent a good half hour trying to pay two bills on separate accounts…for the life of me, I could not get in my accounts. After calling one company for user assistance…finally I got the account unlocked. My problem is that I have several passwords of varying length depending on the demands they set forth: some want passwords that are 30 characters long, 15 digits (kidding, but you get the picture)…and I forget who gets what and where! Of course, the notes I scribble to keep myself straight are not to be found.

Happy October Birthdays to Patricia Case, Jo Dellinger, Aaron Bradley, Amanda Burrell, Lisa Orr, Marilyn Prudhomme, and Bubba Dawson. Feel free to add your birthday to the list! This column comes out around the first of the month, and mid-month, so if you are missed the first time around, just let me know so we can get you in on the next round!

*Reading notes:* Im finally digging into *The Lacuna*; *The Experts Guide To Doing Things Faster* (I can hear you snickering about that idea, dear reader!), thinking about re-reading Hillary Jordans *Mudbound* again, Truman Capotes *The Grass Harp*, and *still* weeding out magazine piles that will get passed on for others to enjoy. Whats on *your* reading list these days?

Thank you for your much appreciated thoughts and continuing feedback about this column! It brightens my day to know YOU read it. Thanks to Clara, Bill, Frank, and many others for comments. As ever, the goal is to make you, dear reader, feel like youre enjoying a front porch visit with meporch swing and rocking chairs, birds singing, watching spider webs sparkle in the morning. Keep in mind if you have something of note, feel free to e-mail me at bbardos@gmail.com; or call me at 749-1153. You may also visit my website at bonniebardos.com.