“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

~ W.B. Yeats 

Indeed, the world is full of magic things; recently I found my senses growing sharper about the hard cold fact that my vintage (euphemism for OLD) white elephant house is packed with things: lots of things, and I need to confess that I’m a pack rat. To me, most of those things ARE magic: art created by myself and others, small rocks and shells gathered from far deserts and oceans, branches with interesting twists and turns, flowers and plants inside and out. Art on walls, tables, floor. Tubes and jars of delicious shades of color, wood blocks for sculpture bases, canvases, brushes, wire snips.

Snippets of poems and quotes, handwritten notes people have sent me that meant something to my heart: it’s all a visual feast of ‘my world’. Photographs, memories. Copper pots glow overhead in the kitchen. Dog toys underfoot. Stuff, and more stuff. In showing visitors around my house, which serves as art studio as well, I realize this is NOT how normal people live. Sculpture projects lying on the dining room table, easels full of paintings, piles of frames, books and tools; nope, nothing normal there.

However, now and then I think to myself it’s time to clean up my act: down-size and find a smaller, easier mode of living: immediately I have to draw back from that notion with the dilemma of WHAT would I do with all this stuff?

Saluda restaurants, shops and businesses are delighted spring has sprung, and town has been packed with visitors as well as local folks. With so much great food, music, shopping, entertainment, history and scenery in one little town, and the promise of The Gorge opening soon, you can easily spend a whole weekend in and around town and never run out of something to do. Did I say we have some really nice spots to spend the night at for those of you who come from out of town?

Check saluda.com for accommodations ranging from a lovely garden suite, Victorian bed and breakfast charm, lodge rooms with mountain views, scenic inns perched on lovely views…sometimes I think we just have it all!

Last Saturday, driving through town: I rolled my car window down and hollered “Happy Birthday” to our mail carrier Clay Arrington; tooted the horn at Jim Carson who was setting up his easel outside, and thought where else can you drive through town and wave, honk, and holler at people who wave right back with smiles? That small thing filled my heart up.

Pages: 1 2 Next page

More COLUMNIST -- FEATURE SPOT

Good Kings and Queens

Apples: Grow, eat, celebrate them

Putting things together

Life Lessons in a Dove Field

Print Article