Joy is come to the little 

     Everywhere; 

Pink to the peach and pink to the apple, 

     White to the pear. 

Stars are come to the dogwood, 

     Astral, pale; 

Mists are pink on the red-bud, 

     Veil after veil. 

Flutes for the feathery locusts, 

     Soft as spray; 

Tongues of the lovers for chestnuts, poplars, 

     Babbling May. 

Yellow plumes for the willows’ 

     Wind-blown hair; 

Oak trees and sycamores only 

     Comfortless bare… 

~ Willa Cather, excerpt from “Fides, Spes” 

 

Last week, I had a long-g-g day, ending with a silversmithing class that lasted until 9 p.m. Let me tell you, Dear Reader, I dragged my wagon home—took River Dog out, then stood numbly in front of the refrigerator, freezer door wide open. Nothing jumped out and fixed itself. I kept hoping. Finally, I started rooting and rambling through foil-wrapped mysteries and more, hoping to find pizza or something quick and easy. Anything.  

Unwrapping a couple foil-embalmed pieces of what looked like chicken pot pie (telltale carrots peeking out of the frozen tundra were a giveaway), I scratched my noggin trying to remember where and when it’d gone in the freezer. No luck. Old age setting in.  

Must be OK I thought: it’s in the freezer door, so maybe not TOO old and not too freezer-burned. On a plate it went, sans foil, heading for the microwave.  

By the next day, I remembered a neighbor had sent it and I’d hoarded a couple servings for ‘hard times’. Hard times come when you stand at the frig door like a zombie–waiting for something to appear, on a plate, ready to eat at 9:30 at night. Raise your hand if you’ve been there too!  

 

Learn about Saluda Community Land Trust (SCLT) by visiting saludaclt.org or calling 828-749-1560. The May 5 walk will be to Ollie’s Falls along Joel’s Creek. Meet and carpool from Saluda Library’s parking lot at 2 p.m. 

 

The Step Back in History program on May 11, 10 a.m. at Saluda Center features the story of Madame Phoebe Sullivan as told by Maxine Wilkerson. Madame Sullivan was a healer, herb doctor, mystic, prophet, and leader in Saluda’s black community. Saluda Community Land Trust will co-host this event and will discuss efforts to rebuild Sullivan’s Temple, founded by Madame Sullivan. 

 

Saluda Historic Depot is open Tuesday-Saturday 10:30-5:00, Sunday 12-4. Donations can be sent to Saluda Historic Depot, P.O. Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773 or visit  SaludaHistoricDepot.com. Saluda Train Tales are held the third Friday each month April-October.  

 

Saluda Tailgate Market starts today from 4:30-6:30 in the city’s parking lot on West Main Street. Thank you to the team of volunteers who help make this wonderful market happen! An extra heaping of thanks for Walter Hoover, Shelley DeKay, and Beth Carson who have been hands-on volunteers since the first season. 

 

It’s not too late to purchase an engraved brick paver to support building public restrooms at Pace Park on Main Street. Contact Catherine Ross at 828-749-3534 or carnc@charter.net for information or visit City Hall for a form.  

 

Garden Tips: The City of Saluda is discontinuing fall leaf collection. What a great time to start a compost heap now if you haven’t yet—add leaves or collect them in a corner of the garden to compost—please don’t burn them or send to dump. Also, metal or plastic newspaper boxes can be great bird houses. My grandma had one stuck up on a post: bluebirds found it to be a nice spring rental!  

 

Happy May Birthday to Amy Copeland, Corinne Gerwe, Chris Anderson, Mark Jackson, Cary Pace, Lisa Hipp, Trevor Young, Jemme Latell, Paul Marion, Jesse Thomas, Margaret Sease, Elizabeth Baldwin, Chad Baldwin, Lynn Cass, Thelma Jones, Betsy Burdett, and Melia Bradley.   

 

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