Devoutly worshipping the oak
Wherein the barred owl stares,
The little feathered forest folk
Are praying sleepy prayers:

Praying the summer to be long
And drowsy to the end,
And daily full of sun and song,
That broken hopes may mend.

Praying the golden age to stay
Until the whippoorwill
Appoints a windy moving-day,
And hurries from the hill.

~ William Griffith, “Canticle”

Summer days of August have flown by, rustling Joe Pye weed along the roadsides, lavender-rose heads sway gracefully as butterflies swirl with the breeze. Goldenrod smiles in sunlit yellow alongside white stars of autumn clematis vines bursting over fences. Red peeks from green canopies, whispering songs of fall to come; a few tiny acorns roll along the driveway.
Recently, a friend and I drove over to Tigg’s Pond Retreat in neighboring Zirconia for a concert on a velvet-soft evening. Silver-smooth, calm pond reflections held bouquets of trees, sparkles of lightning bugs, flowers in the shadows of resting day.
In front of us, a few ladies we’ll call the “Golden Girls” in their 80’s and 90’s held court; a most genial group; of course I couldn’t help but watch them throughout the evening, trying not to be openly nosy, but spying surreptitiously from my seat behind them. All throughout the concert and after, those women gently assisted one another, meticulously helping with medication, water, snacks, glasses, canes, assistance in standing up, moving chairs. No one complained: they were patient, and most giving, holding each other up indeed.
There was such palpable tenderness and kindness among them; I couldn’t help but think of those people in these parts who are the same way: how those little things do mean so much in this world. So whether we’re the Golden Girls (or Boys), or still the Little Rascals, we help each other along.
Saluda Tailgate Market is Friday from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the city parking lot off Main Street; local and fresh! Many Saluda businesses are open later on Friday evenings; come enjoy an evening in town: tailgate marketing, strolling Main St., enjoying shops, restaurants and music!
Saluda Welcome Table is every Tuesday, with dinner served from 5:30 – 7p.m. in the fellowship hall of Saluda United Methodist Church.  All welcome; donations accepted.
Saluda Community Land Trust will have one more family swim afternoon at Twin Lakes (a conservation property of SCLT) on September 3; noon – 4 p.m. Donations to support SCLT are always appreciated. SCLT’s phone is 828-749-1560; (saludaclt.org)
If you’d like to help design an agility course, or help install agility equipment at Saluda Dog Park, contact Dave Prudhomme at 749-9172 for more information; Dave can use a little extra help on his many projects. (thank you, Dave.)
Saluda School started this week; please take care around those big yellow buses on the roads, they hold precious cargo. You don’t need to zoom past one at full-speed ahead or tailgate; and remember to watch those warning lights and stop signs. Save box tops for collection containers at the school office, library, or post office here in town: each is worth a dime; support our school.
Mark your calendar for the annual Charlie Ward Memorial Pig Out, September 13, 5 – 7:00p.m. at McCreery Park; music by Mountain Roots Band with Jeff Hayes. If you’d like to donate toward this free event, please make your check payable to Saluda Pig Out and take it to Macon Bank, 108 Main St., or give to Judy Ward at Thompson’s Store, or mail to Saluda Pig Out, P.O. Box 265, Saluda, N.C. 28773.
Happy August Birthday to B.J. Kent, Linda Kaye Haynes, Cindi Miller, Paul Stoney, Jen Pace, Zack Pace, Don Mintz, Caroline Tindal, Nora Ward, Samantha Ward, Reeda Ward, Natalie Aabye, Verlie Murphy, and Peter Eisenbrown.
Saluda sympathy goes to the families of Bryan Maurice Chandler, David Summey, and Ruby Styles Hudson. Saluda get-well goes to Wayne Thompson.
Thank you, dear readers for reading this column. It’s always my goal to make you feel like you’re enjoying a porch swing visit in a small town called Saluda. If you have something of note, feel free to contact me at bbardos@gmail.com; or 749-1153. You may also visit my website at bonniebardos.com or find me on Facebook.
– Bonnie Bardos