Saluda News & Notations

By Bonnie J. Bardos

The sun on the hills is beautiful,
Or a captured sunset sea-flung,
Bannered with fire and gold.

A face I know is beautiful—
With fire and gold of sky and sea,
And the peace of long warm rain.

~ Carl Sandburg, excerpt from “Monotone”

The one thing that can make you forget about coronavirus and on-going news for two seconds is weed-eating a tiny sprig of poison oak on a Friday afternoon. I’ve done it before: that primal urge to vanquish the enemy poking up from the lawn, its shiny green leaves just emerging. Just looking at the demon makes me itch, the skin crawl.

A snake in the grass is safe from me, but the other is not: the urge to weed-whack that green varmint is powerful: and of course, I think “it’s tiny, I’ll get it now so it can’t get me later!”

Some of us NEVER learn, do we, Dear Reader? My passive-aggressive side came out, and I beheaded ole Evil Green in a flash, hurrying along the spring-green carpet away from the crime scene. Oh, it did feel good to get revenge!

By the next day, there was a bump, then a blister, then another itchy spot: here, there, everywhere. Scratch scratch: I was feeling like a dog with fleas. Leg, hands, neck, chin, torso, the itch moving all over. It really is hard to think about the greater evil out there, when you’re doing the poison oak scratch dance. (Luckily, the plant’s oils aren’t yet at full power, so it could have been worse.)

So, I take baking soda and Epsom salt baths, get out the Resinol ointment and the cortisone cream in order to avoid going to the doctor’s office. “You KNEW better!”

I figure health professionals have enough on their plates now. Hats off to them, our grocery store workers, power company folks who put lines back up after the storms, garbage truck drivers, and so many others we took for granted, but hopefully will appreciate all the more now. Thank you.

Meanwhile, I keep sanity by weed-eating, gardening, baking, reading, painting and picking bouquets of spring to bring indoors. The goldfinch and hummingbird feeders are filled. All these things have never failed to give simple joy, and I hope you find those things that lift your spirit too. It’s more important than ever, my friends. (Just don’t weed-whack any poison oak poking up out of your yard.)

The Saluda Tailgate Market’s opening will be delayed until June.

The Community Pop-up Pantry will be suspended through April; stay tuned for updates.

Keep up with Saluda Community Land Trust’s latest projects: visit saludaclt.org or call 828-749-1560 to learn more. The annual April meeting has been canceled until further notice, but please support this vital non-profit organization with your donations.

Many Saluda businesses have readjusted days/hours in order to serve you; check their website or call and buy gift certificates to help them through tough times. Visit Saluda.com to see updates, plus take-out/on-line ordering information thanks to Saluda Business Association.

Bake! Easy peanut butter cookies: 1 cup crunchy or smooth peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg. Stir peanut butter and sugar well, add egg. Form 1” balls, put on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press flat with fork. 350 degrees, bake 12 minutes. Eat!

Happy April Birthday to: Martha Ashley, Melody Gibson, Dave Prudhomme, Kaye Vazquez, Cindy Keeter, Betty Anna Brown, Hope Pace, Diane Pace, Greaton Sellers, Clay Arrington, Bonnie Bardos, Luther Connor, Gary Pace, Doug Honeycutt, Niece Lundgren, Julie Roy, Tommy Williamson, Rhonda Corley, Taylor Staggs, Loretta Cook, Hilda Pace, Elizabeth Taylor, and Laura Morgan. Add your birthday to the list! It’s a long-time promise that NO ages are mentioned, unless you’re under two or over 100!

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