“I am going to try to pay attention to the spring. I am going to look around at all the flowers, and look up at the hectic trees. I am going to close my eyes and listen.” ~ Anne Lamott 

 

One lazy night I watched “One Strange Rock”, a National Geographic documentary featuring  astronauts who watched our blue planet from outer space. If you haven’t yet seen it, do. It’s a reminder how small, fragile and wonderfully-made this earth is: how connected every living thing is, from diatoms to a river in clouds.  

The next afternoon, someone’s bemoaning clear-cutting of 50 acres for a subdivision. (Old Grumpy cringes when logging trucks roar by her house—more and more these days.) The heart breaks for those magnificent trees. I could overlook truckloads of scraggly pines, but seeing old dignified trees piled high just hurts. When do we ever learn?  

There goes another forest, here comes another bare wound that gives no shelter to any creature, no oxygen. It’ll erode, top soil gone, just because someone didn’t think twice except about the bottom dollar.   

 

The Historic Saluda Committee will have show and tell in the upstairs meeting room at Saluda Library for the Step Back in History program series on March 9, 10 a.m. Bring an interesting item (documents, pictures, family heirlooms, artifacts, etc.) that represents Saluda’s history and share what you know about it.  

 

Saluda Business Association is accepting applications for the 16th annual Saluda Arts Festival on May 18.  Entry deadline is March 15; download application at saluda.com. 

  

Saluda Living in Place (SLIP) will have “Connection With Ourselves and Others” about reducing social isolation, presented by licensed clinical social worker Deb Phillips on March 13, 10 a.m. at Saluda Fire Station. For information or to arrange transportation to SLIP events,  contact SLIP’s office at (828) 490-1040.  

 

Saluda Singles potluck is March 14, 5 p.m. For information, contact Anita Moore at 404-626-2090 or anitamoore@gmail.com  

 

Learn more about Saluda Community Land Trust (SCLT) by visiting saludaclt.org or calling 828-749-1560. SCLT’s 12th Annual Meeting is May 1, 6 p.m. at Saluda Center. For  information on joining “Walks in the Woods”, contact Chuck Hearon at (828) 817-0364 or chearon@skyrunner.net; the walks this season start off with a spring wildflower walk at Twin Bridges on March 17; meet 2 p.m. at Saluda Library to carpool.  

 

Saluda’s Historic Depot is open Tuesday-Saturday 10:30-5:00,  Sunday 12-4. Train Tales will be March 15, 7 p.m. with Forrest Jarrett, a retired law officer for Southern and Norfolk-Southern Railway. Donations can be made by mailing to Saluda Historic Depot, P.O. Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773 or SaludaHistoricDepot.com. 

 

Don’t forget daylight savings time begins March 10.  

 

You can still get your pet’s/favorite person’s or your name engraved on a brick paver for Pace Park! Pavers for Pace Park is a community fund-raiser to support the completion of installing public restrooms for a “pocket park” on Main Street. Applications/payment can be left at City Hall or mailed to City of Saluda, 6 Main Street, Saluda, NC 28773. For information, contact Catherine Ross at 828-749-3534 or carnc@charter.net. 

 

Happy March Birthday to: Faye Chandler, Genell Jespersen, Valerie Mintz, Sheldon Mintz, Curtis Pace, Anita Odgen Moore, Charles Weinhagen, Kevin Kerr, Dorrie McKinley, Catherine Ross, Monica Pace, Ken Justus,  Elizabeth Justus,  Arlene Klippel, Rachel Bradley, Chris Bradley,  Martha Stoney Anderson, Dawn Ward, Peggy Wolf, Dori Ray, Martin Anderson, Lucy Holman, Craig Bass, Laura Bass, Patty Martin, Dana Browning, Tangie Morgan, Melanie Keener, Erica Shanks, and John Dean.  

 

Feel free to contact me at bbardos@gmail.com, (828) 749-1153, or visit bonniebardosart.com