Listen
with the night falling we are saying thank you
we are stopping on the bridges to bow from the railings
we are running out of the glass rooms
with our mouths full of food to look at the sky
and say thank you
we are standing by the water thanking it
smiling by the windows looking out
in our directions…
– W.S. Merwin, excerpt from “Thanks”

With Thanksgiving nearly upon us, the Christmas rush, or should I say crush, is already in and has been since August if you believe big box retailers.
The older and grumpier I get, the less I tolerate Jingle Bells in August or signs of Santa Claus on aisle three. Christmas music piped from overhead speakers makes me vacate the premises as fast as possible, faster than Scrooge on a skateboard.
On errand day, I hunted in three different stores (horrors!) for a goose down pillow: not polyester, not scratchy feathers, but real European down. I found one, only one down pillow on the search. “Made in China,” the label read. Suspicious, I stuffed the offender back on the rack, and just said, “No.” Somehow I pictured Chinese turkey or chicken feathers stuffed inside. There were no down pillows to be found from USA or Europe. So I did without, decided I’d just do with my existing pillows and keep on keeping on.
Meanwhile, gratitude seems more important this time of year. I have gratitude that the dishwasher still works, that plumbing is working, that the furnace still roars to life and that River has a bag of food. I have gratitude that the scent of morning coffee, a small town named Saluda, night stars and smiles of children still lift the spirit, and that each day is a gift and a lesson. Wherever you are, whether surrounded by many or alone: I wish you much love and gratitude for your Thanksgiving.

Community:
There’ll be a community potluck and bingo, Nov.  25 at 6 p.m. at Saluda Center. Bring your favorite dish to share!
The annual Polk County Motorcycle Toy Run is Nov. 30 and will start at the Saluda Fire Department, 64 Greenville Street from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Saluda Welcome Table is every Tuesday, dinner served from 5:30-7 p.m. in the fellowship hall of Saluda United Methodist Church; all welcome, donations appreciated.
There’ll be a special holiday tailgate market on Nov.  30 from noon-2 p.m. with crafts, holiday trees, wreaths, produce and more.
Mark your calendars for Dec. events in the making! Saluda’s Hometown Christmas is Dec. 13; the Children’s Christmas Workshop will be Dec. 14 at Saluda Fire Department for children over age 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The third annual Saluda Christmas Parade will be Dec. 14 from 3- 5 p.m.
Art notes: Beverly Pickard will show her art at Honking Tonker’s Gallery on Nov.  30, 5-8 p.m. This is Beverly’s last Saluda show before moving back to Macon, Georgia. Jim Carson will have a reception at Saluda Center, Dec. 7 from 5-7 for “Eastern Italy to Western North Carolina”. Corinne Gerwe has published a new book “Blood Runs Cold on the Black Side of the Mountain” and will have a book signing at Saluda Library, Dec. 14 from 10 a.m.-noon.
Happy birthday to Rich and Rita Igoe, Karen Johnson, Marsha Jenkins, Nancy Barnett, Dawn Pearson, Charles Pearson, Dusty Jespersen, Gwen Garren, Stoney Lamar, Jim Boyle, Tom Ellwood, Frank Beeson, Wendy McEntire, Aaron Burdett, Richard Baker, and Donna Potruski.
Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to you, dear readers who read this column; I love hearing from all of you! Feel free to contact me at bbardos@gmail.com; or 828-749-1153. You may also visit my website at bonniebardos.com for more writing and art, or find me on facebook.