Praise the spells and bless the charms,

I found April in my arms.

April golden, April cloudy,

Gracious, cruel, tender, rowdy;

April soft in flowered languor,

April cold with sudden anger,

Ever changing, ever true —

I love April, I love you.

~ Ogden Nash, “Always Marry An April Girl”

An early April Monday brings the Great Flood — water pouring, pelting, cascading off rooflines, over-flowing gutters, rushing rivers into storm drains. Inside, I scurry around looking for leaks, putting towels down at doors. It’s a deluge out there.

River curls in his bed, no day for a dog. Pikachu lies low, her collar bell tinkling under the sofa, a good hidey-hole from thunder and lightning. River and I don’t quite fit under there, so she’s got it all to herself. At least she’s not using it for a scratching post right now, I think. Cats instinctively know exactly what you do not want them to claw and shred, and a prize down-cushioned sofa is game on. Except when hiding under it.

None of us enjoy the beating sounds of the monsoon pounding. Visions of April sunshine from the past weekend still dance in our heads. With fine weather for Saturday and Sunday, both critters got a bath, separately, of course! Let’s just say a 45-pound dog is easier to bathe than a seven-pound cat. Miraculously, I didn’t get clawed to ribbons during Miss Pikachu’s “spa treatment.”

It’s almost funny after everybody gets cleaned up and fresh-dried outside in the sunshine, along with a treat or two, how happy they feel. There we are on the back deck. River rolls over on his back, basking; Pikachu grooming lazily on my worktable, brushed and regal, soaking up her share of the sun, too.

Me, I’m a soaking mess covered with white fur, left scratching my noggin about what happened to my spa day!

~ ~ ~

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

Saluda’s Easter Egg Hunt for children 1-12 years old is April 15, in the vacant lot across from Memorial Park from 2-4 p.m. The Easter Bunny will be available for photos! This event is sponsored by Saluda’s Welcome Table. For information call 828-749-3789.

Saluda Garden Club will visit the gardens of Walter Hoover and Mary Reeves on April 17. Meet at Saluda Library parking lot, 10 a.m.

Saluda Train Tales will feature Terry Ruscin, April 21, 7 p.m. at Saluda Historic Depot.

At Saluda Center, there’s a community potluck/bingo on April 24, 6 p.m.

Learn more about Saluda Community Land Trust (SCLT) by visiting saludaclt.org or calling 828-749-1560. SCLT’s annual meeting will on April 26, 6 p.m. at Saluda Center.

Saluda School is collecting plastic bottle caps of all sizes and colors for an art mural. The first grade classes distributed bottle cap collection containers in various businesses downtown. Please donate bottle caps in the containers or bring to the school office.

Historic Saluda Committee will have a tour of homes on Shand Hill, plus other historical buildings on June 3. Visit historicsaluda.org for more information.

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, Dee Owen, Doug Honeycutt, Niece Lundgren, Julie Roy, Tommy Williamson, and Rhonda Corley. Please add your birthday to the list—I promise no ages mentioned unless you’re under 2 or over 100!

Get well wishes go to Emma Jean McGraw who has been in the hospital. Hopefully she will be out soon enjoying spring!

Thank you dear readers, for reading this column; I love hearing from you! Whether you live here, or just wish you were here, the goal is to make you feel like you’re enjoying a front porch visit and small town life in a friendly little mountain town called Saluda. You can contact me at bbardos@gmail.com or 749-1153, visit  bonniebardosart.com for more writing and art, or find me on Facebook.