By Bonnie J. Bardos 

“We need hours of aimless wandering or space of time sitting on park benches, observing the mysterious world of ants and the canopy of treetops.” ~ Maya Angelou

 

I’m still scratching my noggin on how quickly July arrived, pushing June out the door with cicada songs, lazy hammock swinging, red-ripe watermelon, and fireworks spangling the night sky. The canopy of treetops is dense-green, lush, gothic in feel.

 

As much as I detest the dreaded Kudzu Monster, the dripping sculptures it makes in the landscape, and the sense of mysterious and things hidden, catch my artistic eye. (Although kudzu, like Japanese beetles, not-so-heavenly trees, woolly adelgid, and such varmints could pack their suitcases, vamoose forever, and not be missed one iota.)

 

Time slows in July heat. Languid afternoons are sweet to read a book or sway on a porch swing, a time to slow down. People forget that, you know, this art of slowing down a notch or two. Perhaps they’re too busy posting dirty laundry and soap operas on Facebook (or as I call it, Spacebook) or cell phone shots of garish wounds. If I see one more graphic picture of somebody’s broken bones, black/purple toes, cuts, scrapes, surgical wounds, I’m running.

 

Yes, Facebook can be OK, although it can be a heckuva timewaster if you don’t ration the beast in doses: catching up with old school friends, new ones, or seeing what folks are up to out in this world.

 

To be honest, I’m not interested in admiring anyone’s wounds. Having had enough of my own, I resist even the thought of posting ’em for the world to gawk and cringe. The inner curmudgeon kicks in as I write this, but I’m not interested in seeing personal body parts hanging out of shirts either, or duck-face lips poking out. I can just hear my mother saying, “It’s going to freeze like that!” Just say no to duck face, wounds, or body parts peeking out way past too much. I’d rather go watch ants. A little mystery is a good thing.

 

Saluda Tailgate Market is Friday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the city parking lot off Main Street featuring summer produce in jewel colors, along with honey, flowers, trout, meats. Local and fresh!

 

Saluda Welcome Table is every Tuesday, with dinner from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall of Saluda United Methodist Church. All are welcome; donations are accepted.

 

Coon Dog Day, a Saluda tradition for over 50 years, is almost here! It’s Saturday, July 11 with parade at 11 a.m. The 5K Race/Fun Walk starts at 8 a.m. from The Party Place & Event Center. Historian Dr. George Jones will be the grand marshal.

 

Saluda Community Land Trust has Wednesday swimming through August 26 from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. at Twin Lakes. There is no life guard, so children must have adult along. Donations are appreciated. Thank you to our special volunteers who worked tirelessly on the lakes with blood, sweat, tears and lake mud! “Walks in the Woods” are on July 5 and 19 this month. Meet at Saluda Library at 2 p.m. to carpool. Contact Chuck Hearon at 828-749-9886 or 828-817-0364 for information or SCLT at 828-749-1560 or www.saludasclt.org.

“Top of the Grade Concerts” are held the second and fourth Fridays through October, from 6:30- 8:30 p.m. at McCreery Park at the Ella Grace Mintz stage area. Aaron Burdett and his band are featured July 10 with selections from our hometown boy’s newly released “Tinderbox” CD.

 

Happy July birthday to Doris Marion, Debi Thomas, Rheta Foster, Nancy Weinhagen, Lisa Obermiller, Kathy Thompson, Bill Jameson, Emily Rose Ford, Jeremy Ford, Mike Cass, Emma Jean McGraw, Nathen Pack, Melissa Justus, Hunter Justus, Alyssa Justus, Tona Justus and Lynn Savage.

 

Simple pleasures and refreshing treats are thin cucumber slices plus crushed mint sprigs in chilled water, and eating summer warm tomato sandwiches over kitchen sink.
Thank you, dear readers for reading this column! It’s always my goal to make you feel like you’re having a front porch visit with me, enjoying a cool glass of tea, birds, flowers, or maybe a star or two and a small brown bat named Batman, in a small town called Saluda. If you have something of note, feel free to email me at bbardos@gmail.com, call 749-1153, visit bonniebardos.com or find me on Facebook.