…It was as good as ever:

the air was filled

with the scent of lilacs

and cherry blossoms

sounded their long

whistle down the track.

It was some glad morning.

 

~ Joyce Sutphen, excerpt from “Some Glad Morning” 

 

June brings a promise of still-green tomatoes hanging on vines, rainbow rows of daylily blooms bursting wide each morning, butterflies swirling in sunshine. Picking sprigs of parsley, celery and thyme from herb pots outside, I carry them in and chop, chop, chop for potato salad.

My hands smell of lemon thyme, the scent of summer coming. White afternoon heat rises into blueness outside the kitchen sink window. This is potato salad weather. River dog watches all this chopping and mixing, hoping something besides herbs falls on the kitchen floor. Ah, it’s the barefoot season of picnics, lemonade, school out, kids playing in the park, and bees buzzing in white kousa blossoms.

Saluda Tailgate Market is open on Fridays from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the city parking lot off Main Street.

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) benefits from your donations or time as a volunteer for their many community projects. “Walks in the Woods” are on the first and third Sundays each month. Free swimming lessons will be at Twin Lakes this summer. Contact SCLT at 828-749-1560 or visit www.saludasclt.org.

Donations to help support Saluda Historic Depot can be sent to P.O. Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773 or on the HistoricSaluda.org website. Saluda Train Tales are held on the third Friday each month April through October. The depot is open Thursday through Sunday noon-4 p.m.

Music at McCreery Park brings the next Top of the Grade Concert featuring The Secret Band from Spartanburg, June 10, 7-9 p.m.

June 10 is the last day of school at Saluda Elementary. We have been blessed with Ronette Dill for many years — as teacher, friend and principal — and we wish her well! Luckily she will be at our central Polk County school offices. Dr. Cari Maneen will be Saluda’s new principal.

Ward’s Grill will offer a free breakfast for all veterans on June 16 from 8-11 a.m.

There’s a citywide yard sale on June 18 from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. at Saluda School’s tennis courts, McCreery Park, Pavilion and around town. To reserve a free space, request a sign, or for more information, call 828-749-3789.

Saluda Garden Club meets June 20 at 10 a.m. at Saluda Library.

On June 26 from 1:30-7 p.m., Steamy Mug is hosting a block party to raise money for Saluda’s McCreery Park’s master park plan fund and help make the park handicap accessible along with improving the park for families and kids. There will be vendors, live music, barbecue, drinks, fun for the kids, bachelor auction and silent auction. Tickets available now.

Saluda Center potluck and bingo is June 27 at 6 p.m.

Coon Dog Day is July 9.

Happy June Birthday to Nancy Barnett, Verne Dawson, Peggy Ellwood, Anna Jackson, Charlie Jackson, Amy Violet Ford, Terry Arrington, Julie Arrington, Susie Welsh Hearn, Jeremy Edwards, John Savage, Eleanor Morgan, Mary Lu Price, and Sigi Hendrickson.

A big Saluda “Thank You” goes to realtor Cathy Jackson who started “Saluda Lifestyles” in 2006 after Ruth Anderson quit publishing “The Saluda Signal.”

Do you remember when Ann Landers would dispense two lashes with a wet noodle in her advice column? I grew up reading Ann and her sister Dear Abby, Erma Bombeck, Kays Gary, and others. Anyway, I give myself two lashes this week for my own goof-up of reader Joan Landwehr’s name, having made a typo and changing her name to Joe last week. Luckily, Joan has a sense of humor and (I hope) has forgiven me! My rule is you can call me most anything: Bunny, Barbara, Brenda, Bonnie Barbados, Bardot, and so on, but just call me to dinner!

Thank you dear readers, for reading this column. It’s always a pleasure hearing from you! My goal is to make you feel like you’re having a front porch visit, enjoying a cool glass of tea, flowers and life in a small town called Saluda. You can contact me at bbardos@gmail.com or call749-1153, visit my website at bonniebardosart.com for more writing and art, or find me on Facebook.