“We are each made for goodness, love and compassion. Our lives are transformed as much as the world is when we live with these truths.”

~ Desmond Tutu

“You’re not planning on skipping out, I hope,” I pointedly said to one of the painters who’d been here on and off over the last two weeks as he tried to sneak by today to haul off a ladder. (Of course with River Dog on duty, nothing gets by unnoticed. One eye doesn’t affect the guard dog hearing!) Marching out to nab the sneaky guy, I muttered under my breath the endless question of why is it so hard to find good help?

You see, after selling a number of small paintings dedicated to help raise funds to paint at least this old house’s flaking front side (so at least it looks better as you are driving by!), I tried to find someone to do the deed. It takes a miracle to get someone to call back, give estimates, show up, or even just be honest that they don’t want the job.  Maybe everybody in the construction/handyman field of work is down at that fancy horse center making hay while the sun shines. The rest of us get left out in the pasture meanwhile.

Finally after hit-and-misses for months, I found someone who showed up. Getting excited over getting at least something, anything, even just a little smidgen done around here, I had them pressure wash the porch, too. The old girl was happy! Both the house and me.

Naturally, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. After spending money on more paint at Lowe’s and hauling it home last Friday, I found the guys who’d promised to be working hard nowhere in sight: sun shining, dried paint spills on the porch roof from the day before, and … nothing but a ladder around back. So, we’ll see what happens. At least a little bit did get done, and I’ve got lots of steam coming from the ears! Too bad it’s not winter…

Saluda Welcome Table is at Saluda Methodist Church Tuesday from 5:30-6:45 p.m.

Saluda Community Land Trust (SCLT) has “Walks in the Woods” on the first and third Sundays each month. The next walk is June 18 to the Lazy Girl trail; meet at the library parking lot at 2 p.m. Free swimming lessons at Twin Lakes (thanks to a grant from Polk County Community Foundation) start with Brian Lilburn from Aqua Child from June 19 – July 7. Lessons are for children ages 10 months to 13 years. For information on how to register your child, email dlpwoodturner@gmail.com with your name, cell phone number, and email address. Visit www.saludasclt.org to learn more, donate, or volunteer.

Saluda Tail Gate Market is open 4:30-6:30 p.m. every Friday May-October.

The next Saluda Train Tales at the Depot is tonight at 7 p.m. and features Lucas R. Safrit, interpreter/rail historian with N.C. Transportation Museum. Saluda Historic Depot is located at 32 West Main Street.

Saluda Garden Club meets June 19 at 8:45 a.m. at Saluda Library’s parking lot for carpooling to GaGa Gardens.

Top of the Grade Concerts schedule at McCreery Park: July 14 – Mercury Rising, August 11 – Casual Zealots, September 1 – Super 60’s. Music is from 7-9 p.m.

Ward’s Grill has a free veterans’ breakfast on the third Thursday of each month.

Saluda Center Potluck and Bingo night is June 26 at 6 p.m.

Saluda’s 54th annual Coon Dog Day is July 8. Parade starts at 11 a.m.

Happy June Birthday to Nancy Barnett, Verne Dawson, Peggy Ellwood, Anna Jackson, Charlie Jackson, Amy Violet Ford, Terry Arrington, Julie Arrington, Susie Welsh Hearn, Jeremy Edwards, John Savage, Eleanor Morgan, Mary Lu Price, Sigi Hendrickson, Edna McKee, and Lucinda Pittman.

Garden Tip: After trying both mosquito deterrent recipes I shared with you not long ago (used dried coffee grounds to burn outside in a container, and beer/mouthwash/Epsom salts spray), the hard truth is nuttin’ works at beating those varmints in the long run. For a while, both seemed to work. Next up—heads of raw garlic? I’m thinking there will be nobody (including house painters) willing to come to my house—except the skeeters!

Thank you, dear readers, for reading this column. You can contact me at bbardos@gmail.com, 828-749-1153, or bonniebardosart.com.