Hold on to what is good,

Even if it’s a handful of earth.

Hold on to what you believe,

Even if it’s a tree that stands by itself.

Hold on to what you must do,

Even if it’s a long way from here.

~ Pueblo Prayer

I’m not sure which to groan and moan loudest about this week, dear readers. It’s a draw between gorilla-sized garbage/recycling containers, or fruitcake. Let’s just go forth and complain about both. After all, who doesn’t want to groan about fruitcake, and who doesn’t want to moan about garbage?

Recently, I ducked in Fresh Market to nab a fruitcake that, over the years, has been actually pretty good in comparison to many. Full of nuts (no remarks on that necessary!), it goes well with a cup of steaming tea in late afternoon. Once cut, I found it to be … well, not ‘exactly’ as remembered from Christmases past. Oh, there were nuts, but it was gummy. Something wrong. After emailing the place that makes the fruitcake, I discovered the recipe had been changed without warning to unsuspecting consumers. Sneaky, huh? The next fruitcake missive went to Fresh Market’s powers-that-be. Some of us just want ‘em to leave things alone!

Speaking of that, it’s time to groan over the new garbage and recycling containers we just got. Saluda is now a small town with big trash containers. Behemoth monsters, almost impossible for an average human being to push if loaded to full capacity. These chest-high hulks hold 95 gallons. Imagine 95 milk jugs in one container, and you’ll visualize our Incredible Hulks. To add insult to injury, you’re going to pay more to have ‘em—our city water/garbage bill is going up yet again.

So, I struggled-wrangled-wiggled my two Hulks out to the curb to lie in wait—sort of like dancing with a very large gorilla, the gorilla goes wherever he wants. You can push and pull the beast, but good luck dancing with him—or the Incredible Hulk. What else can you do if you live on a sloping lot and can’t wrangle those Hulks to the curb each week? (How’s a short person going to even lift a heavy bag of garbage into the hulk?) FYI: there are also 65-, 48-, 32-gallon containers, and I think over-50 or under 5-feet households would’ve appreciated a more manageable size. Me, I just want something I can dance with, thank you. Preferably not the gorilla! Shucks, maybe he’ll bring me a good fruitcake after all this.

Learn more about Saluda Community Land Trust (SCLT) by visiting saludaclt.org or calling 828-749-1560. Before the end of the year, you can become a founding member of SCLT by contributing $1,000 or more. For a limited time, SCLT has matching funds for contributions of $500+. Checks should be made out to Polk County Community Foundation and directed to the SCLT endowment fund.

Visit the Holiday Gallery for special gifts at Saluda Historic Depot, 32 W. Main St., through December, Thursday-Sunday, 12-4 p.m.

Saluda’s annual Hometown Christmas is Dec. 9 from 6-8 p.m., with an ecumenical service at 8:15 p.m. at Saluda Presbyterian Church on Carolina Street.

Dec. 10 will be the Children’s Workshop (for children over age 5) at Saluda Fire Department, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Saluda Police Department and City Hall are accepting unwrapped toys/donations until Dec. 19 to provide Saluda’s children with a Merry Christmas!

Saluda School will be out from Dec. 22 – Jan. 1.

Happy December birthday to Judy Ward, Holly Wilkes, Theresa Wilkes, Perry Ellwood, Donnie Hunter, Jeff Bradley, Preston Mintz, Carolyn Morgan, Susan Casey, Jeff Jenkins, Nikki Ammerman, Cas Haskell, Mary O. Ratcliffe, Laura Fields, Lord Blanton, Beth Brand, Jim Carson and Tom DeKay.

Thank you, dear readers, for reading this column. As ever, the goal is to make you feel like you’re enjoying life in a friendly little mountain town. Feel free to contact me at bbardos@gmail.com or 749-1153. I always love hearing from you! Or visit bonniebardosart.com for more writing and art, or find me on Facebook.