“Where did I get my violent passion for rustic wedding breakfasts? What ancestor bequeathed to me, via my frugal parents, a positively religious fervor for stewed rabbit, leg of mutton with garlic, soft-boiled eggs in red wine, all served between barn walls draped with buff sheets decorated with branches of red June roses?”

~ Colette (1873-1954, French novelist)

Thoughts of Colette’s red June roses on a dismal February rain-washed day brightens things up around here as temperatures plummet inside and out. Believe me, I’m not heading off to the woods to catch a rabbit to stew, and am way too lazy to present guests a meal of leg mutton with garlic. Or poached eggs in red wine. I’ll just stick to fantasizing about those luscious red June roses instead.

Back when it last snowed knee-deep here in Saluda, I lost one of my favorite earrings, somewhere on a walk with River dog. It wasn’t a fancy or expensive sort of earring, but had been a gift from a writer from the Philippines many years ago, made by members of his tribe with unique beads.

Upon discovering it missing after the walk, I retraced our steps, hunting high and low, even checking a back wall down at the bakery where I’d sat, sifting through pockets and winter coats, poking under zebra-striped floor mats in the old truck, shoving fingers down the seat folds. Nope. No sign of the missing earring.

I looked at River, sniffling and snuffling that round soft snout of his through leaves, and asked why on earth he couldn’t manage to uproot it for me, like pigs do truffles.

For weeks and days, I searched and sifted along the walk route carefully, checking leaves, rocks, pavement, hoping I’d magically spot the proverbial needle in a haystack. No stray earring to be found. Finally, it was time to realize it was gone forever to that secret place where missing socks and reading glasses disappear to.

Then last Sunday morning, a glint of something at the foot of my bed, hidden on the hooked rug’s roses. There it was! My heart lifted to blue sky in delight. It’s funny, how answers often are right in front of our noses all the time while we’re too busy looking everywhere else.

Saluda Welcome Table is every Tuesday. Dinner is served from 5:30 -7 p.m. in the fellowship hall of Saluda United Methodist Church. All are welcome; donations accepted.

Saluda Community Land Trust (SCLT) will benefit from your donations for this year ahead, or your time as a volunteer for their many community projects. Mark your calendar for the annual meeting with speaker and naturalist Doug Elliot, scheduled on April 13. Contact SCLT at 828-749-1560 or visit saludasclt.org. The popular “Walks in the Woods” will return in March.

Donations to help support Saluda Historic Depot can be sent to P.O. Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773 or on HistoricSaluda.org.

Saluda Center Potluck and Bingo is Feb. 29 at 6 p.m. Everyone welcome; bring along something delicious to share.

Happy February birthday to: Wylie Rauschenbach, Wesley Pace, Biddie Dawson, Amy Beeson, Ginny Jones, Jenna Igoe, Suzanne Igoe, Pam Thompson, Catherine Raymond, Eva McCray, Ellen Rogers, Margaret Miller, Paul London, Ward Sandahl, Bill Klippel, Pat Bares, Dwight Smith, Ingrid Sandahl, Fred Baisden, Duane Bateman, and Ragan Thompson. Please add your name to the list! And happy 135^th birthday to the City of Saluda!

Get well wishes go to Connie Woodruff. I’d missed seeing Connie, a long-time Saluda Library volunteer, at the desk on mid-week mornings. She gave me a call recently to say she’s trying to get better after a hard year health-wise, but in the meantime will be moving to be closer to her son and daughter in Cary. Please also remember Betty Anna Brown, who is staying at the Laurels. Cindy Keeter, our former Saluda Postmistress, visited Betty Anna recently.

Thank you for reading this column, dear readers. As ever, the goal is to make you feel like you’re enjoying small town life in a friendly little mountain town called Saluda. 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.