If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, thank you, that would suffice.

~ Meister Eckhart

Welcome to mid-November Saluda notes and notations! This column is going to be more of Saluda Reflections, so bear with me on that reflecting bit. As you may have noticed, sometimes I like to ramble and reflect.

Around the first of the month, Betsy Burdett wrote a column about children, based on Richard Louvs book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. As ever, Betsy didnt waste time beating around the bush: and I found myself nodding my head in agreement as I read her thoughts on how different children today are from a generation or a two ago kids are missing out on the gross motor skills, but developing fine motor skills.

You may not believe this, but once upon a time, I was a kid yes, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. When my mother got The Look on her face, or started hunting the hickory switches, we kids were gone. To the fields, to the woods: any where she couldnt catch us easily, although she had a drill sergeants brass whistle to bring us in. I developed a love of nature early on, because we were part of it: forts in the forest, summer gardens brimming with vegetables, flowers, and bordered by day lilies and irises. Apple trees. There were trails all through the woods, leading to long green pastures and brooks meandering. Every day, we were walking those trails, climbing trees, jumping streams, watching the sky change above. Sometimes we fished in Mr. Tomberlins green pond, corks bobbing, cane poles bending.

There were bee trees to be found; all sorts of wildlife to observe; fields to walk and search for arrowheads. Often, picnics were had along 12 Mile Creek, and to this day, I love a sandwich neatly wrapped in wax paper: it brings to mind those picnics. Perhaps its all nostalgia, but it seems a shame that many children dont have this magic in nature as part of their existence. The world has changed; subdivisions sprawl over many of the fields I once ran in, through rustling corn rows…through cotton, through soybeans. The woods have vanished, replaced by pavement and big box stores.

When my mother yelled for us to go outside, it opened a new world. We didnt spend all day watching tv; that was considered a treat. Maybe a dose of Perry Mason around lunch time, and I Love Lucy after school; but we either were doing homework or: you guessed itoutside! Also, doing chores: cutting wood, hanging out laundry, mowing, you name it. My mother believed in chores for us and there was NO such thing as arguing the point. That was one woman you did not argue with ever. In my minds eye, I can see the 1962 Nash Rambler station wagon we had, white with red leather upholstery. If I only had it now to haul paintings! There were no car seats in that car, nor seat belts. If we kids wanted a nap, we climbed in the back and rolled up in a quilt. It was a great car: homely and simple, no bells and whistles. Of course, car safety has come a long way since then. Its not all a bad thing, but still I wonder, how much have we lost?

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you out there in Bulletin land. I am grateful for all of you, for getting up in the morning, a place to call home, frosted winter glass sparkling, blazing maple leaves…and knowing so many good people!

Congratulations to Teresa Judge who works at Autumn Care as a CNA: she was a winner in the NC Fabulous 50.

Please remember the family of Pat (Littleton) Klefeker, her laughter will be sorely missed.

Motorcycles, start your engines! The Polk County Toy Run will be November 27, starting at the Saluda Fire Department. Registration is from 11-1:30.

Its always a treat to see teddy bears riding on the back of a Harley!

Happy Birthday to Rich and Rita Igoe, Karen Johnson, Marsha Jenkins, Nancy Barnett, Dawn Pearson, Charles Pearson, Dusty Jespersen, Gwen Garren, Stoney Lamar, Jim Boyle, Tom Ellwood, Frank Beeson, Elaine Carr, and Wendy McEntire.

Thank you for reading this column; as ever, the goal is to make you, dear reader, feel like youre enjoying a front porch visit with me your comments are always wanted and valued. (With colder weather coming, we may have to move in and find a cozy spot in the house for hot tea instead.) 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.