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By Bonnie J. Bardos

 

“I bet deep down you still wish your mom would take you clothes shopping every August for the new school year.” ~ Bridget Willard

 

Pink-lavender hibiscus flowers bend in arcs, a spill of color against sleepy skies, emerald ferns waving up underneath. Morning light changes, bit by bit, a gradual shortening of August days.

Time for the school rituals: back packs, freshly-sharpened pencils smelling of wood; new clothes and sparkling shoes, lined paper and notebooks, bright-yellow buses.

Many of our most treasured rituals are up in the air this year, Dear Reader…so I reach back in memory to first-grade navy blue dresses with crisply-starched white collars, oval pink or red plastic barrettes, soft cotton socks trimmed with lace edges peeking out. A small round coin purse for nickels and dimes to buy milk or afternoon ice cream.

Back-to-school shopping meant ordering from the Sears catalog–three-inches thick–writing down item numbers, description, price on the order form, then calling the Sears store to order.

To a little kid, it was pretty special to get a package of days of the week underwear in different colors, leather-scented shoes, half-slips to wear with plaid dresses. Excursions to Eckerd’s meant gazing at the Little Golden books, and over to Roses Department Store for notebooks, folders and such. On to downtown Belk’s for Scout uniforms, window shopping, Newberry’s 5 & 10 store for erasers. embroidered handkerchiefs neatly folded, and bins upon bins of little treasures, oiled-wood floors creaking every step. Maybe a paper-wrapped hotdog from the Oasis soda-fountain if we three kids were good. If not, piled in the station wagon headed home for a hickory switch party and banishment to rooms until supper.

There were no computers, maybe an abacus or two, wooden rulers (back then you WOULD get a stiff wap-WAP! on the palm with one by Mrs. E. Helms if you were out of line in third grade), rubber bands, lots of pencils and paper, dusty chalk board erasers, neat rows of desks, a wall-mounted pencil sharpener near the hall door, varnished floors, big windows lined by steam radiators underneath that groaned, steamed in winter. Times change, old dinosaurs remember, and life goes on. School will be in the classrooms, at home, under the sky, and kids will learn in new ways.

 

Keep up with Saluda Community Land Trust (SCLT)’s latest projects: visit saludaclt.org or call 828-749-1560 to learn more. The next Walk in the Woods will be August 16 to Ollie’s Falls, a . moderate hike along Joel’s Creek, passing four waterfalls. Meet at Saluda Library’s parking lot at 2 p.m. SCLT’s trails can benefit from regular clearing and pick-up; if you’d like to help, contact Trail Boss Chuck Hearon at (828) 817-0364 or chearon@skyrunner.net

 

The Community Pop-up Pantry is open for drive-through each Tuesday, 4:00-6 p.m. at Saluda Presbyterian Church parking lot. Send donations to Church of the Transfiguration, designated for Pop-Up Pantry, 72 Charles Street, Saluda NC 28773. For information, contact saludapantry@gmail.com

 

Pavers for Pace Park are still available! Honor someone you love, and support this community fundraiser to help completion of public restrooms in this pocket park on Main Street (in the alley by M. A. Pace Store). Forms can be obtained from City Hall, City of Saluda website, or can be requested from Catherine Ross at carnc@charter.net /828-749-3534.

 

Saluda Historic Depot & Museum is open Thurs.-Sat. 11-5, Sun. 1-4. Saluda Train Tales are canceled until September; the next date will be September 18, 7 p.m. with Ray Rapp’s “Back on Track”. If you’d like to be a museum docent, contact a board member or Judy Ward at 828-674-5958.

 

Saluda Library hours: Monday-Friday 9-6 and Saturday 9-1.

 

Visit Saluda.com to see updates on local businesses, re-openings, plus take-out/on-line ordering information.

 

Happy August Birthday to B.J. Kent, Linda Kaye Haynes, Paul Stoney, Jen Pace, Zack Pace, Don Mintz, Caroline Tindal, Nora Ward, Samantha Ward, Reeda Ward, Natalie Aabye, Verlie Murphy, Peter Eisenbrown, Coleman Bradley, Ryan Bradley, Libby Archer, Rodney Thompson, Cathy Jackson, Bill Jameson, Tayloe Francisco, and Ron Bennett.

 

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