My aim is to create a bowl full of joy

Clear as the sky,

 Pure as falling cherry petals,

Without worry, without doubt;

Then comes full energy, endless power

And the road to art.

~ Chiura Obata

There’s just something that lifts the heart and soul when you see that once-a-year spring-green hue painting meadows, trees and lawns.

Pale blossoms drift as did a few flakes of snow the other day — you can’t tell the difference sometimes in April. We won’t even think about the (whisper)thought of having to MOW those lovely green lawns, will we?

Yes, the season is here. Pay-back time indeed.

Splashed amid emerald to delight the senses even more — lipstick-pink azaleas and bright phlox have their crowning moments — every vista a masterpiece. 

Of course, there’s always a price to pay: after wrangling with the weed-eater, hand saw and pruners, I’ve decided spring is the most violent time of year. Add in clashes with vicious rose thorns, iron grip of tangled vines, and worn-out back from hauling cartloads of mulch — that just strengthens the argument.

Wrestling with the mower is coming soon — I’ve been putting off getting my old friend out of the log shed, because once it’s out, there’s going to be no end in sight to yard work.

Oh, the spoils of war with the yard!

Still, spring is the sweetest time of year — always my favorite, just as it must have been Persephone’s.

Delicate lilacs scent the air along with jonquils, blue birds flit over the back yard once again. Life goes on in a small town called Saluda, and there’s a bowl of joy in that very fact…along with the scent of fresh-cut grass, coming soon to yards near you.

• Saluda Welcome Table at Saluda Methodist Church is every Tuesday from 5:30-6:45 p.m.

• Learn about Saluda Community Land Trust by visiting saludaclt.org or calling 828-749-1560. SCLT’s 11th annual meeting is at 6 p.m. April 25 at Saluda Center. The next “Walk in the Woods” is April 15 to explore a portion of the Poinsett Passage of the Palmetto Trail. Meet at Saluda Library parking lot, 2 p.m. Sunday to carpool. For more information on joining walks, contact Chuck Hearon at (828) 817-0364 or chearon@skyrunner.net.

• Saluda’s Historic Depot is open Tuesday-Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. The next Saluda Train Tales will feature Larry Morton at 6 p.m. April 20. Donations can be sent to Saluda Historic Depot, P.O. Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773 or SaludaHistoricDepot.com.

• Community potluck and bingo night at Saluda Center is April 30, 6 p.m. Bring a dish to share with others.

• Saluda School: “The World According to Humphrey” is a free play featuring Saluda students at the auditorium April 25 and 26, 6 p.m. Principal Maneen adopted a hamster named Humphrey (who has been busy visiting classrooms), and students have been reading the book the play is based on. This is based on the “One Book, One Community” project. Put “Humphrey” on your reading list this month and join the fun.   

• Art Notes: Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the 15th annual Saluda Arts Festival, May 19.

• Happy April Birthday to: Martha Ashley, Melody Gibson, Dave Prudhomme, Kaye Vazquez, Cindy Keeter, Betty Anna Brown, Hope Pace, Diane Pace, Ruth Anderson, Greaton Sellers, Clay Arrington, Bonnie Bardos, Luther Connor, Gary Pace, Doug Honeycutt, Niece Lundgren, Julie Roy, Tommy Williamson, Rhonda Corley, and Taylor Staggs. Please add your name to the list!

Thank you for reading this column; as ever, the goal is to make you feel like you’re enjoying small town life in a friendly mountain town called Saluda.  Feel free to contact me at bbardos@gmail.com, (828) 749-1153, or visit bonniebardosart.com.