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“The air is full of soft imaginings,

They float unseen beneath the hot sunbeams,

Like tired moths on heavy velvet wings.

They droop above my drowsy head like dreams.

The hum of bees, the murmuring of doves.”

~ Lord Alfred Tennyson, excerpt from “Wine of Summer”

 

What a shame. This past week, I noticed my invitation must have been lost in the mail to the extravaganza-in-excess wedding in Venice that garnered worldwide attention as herds of rich and famous descended on the tiny Italian island. With an overload of private jets and too much moola, the “in” crowd came. The natives weren’t happy, at least many of them, but it goes to prove that money may not buy happiness, but it sure bulldozes over the natives. 

All I could think was all that glitters is not gold: there’s a bubble, a vacuum between those with mega-billions and the rest of us peasants. The chasm is growing wider these days between the haves and have-nots. That imbalance never ended well in the past: serfs, peasants, and commoners grew restless when they had no place to live, no bread, while the others were sipping champagne and feasting. History tends to repeat itself, whether we humans get the lesson or not. 

Seems like some of the uber-wealthy have a thing for too much: over-priced wedding spectacles, parades, castles, yachts, jets. Spending billions that could feed, house, educate and improve countless other lives, change the world, make a difference. 

You could have a pretty nice shin-dig on a balmy beach somewhere, without pulling out 50 million bucks or more. Tack on the sheer waste of resources and extra costs—it was probably double that—what’s a few extra million?

Before you think I’m having a grump-fest moment (that’s nothing new!), there aren’t any sour grapes about missing out on the hoopla. The invite might still arrive all crushed up, or with postage due—surely there’s a reason it was a no-show. Shucks, I would’ve worried about what to wear. Of course, there’s nothing worthy of a glitzy sideshow in my closet. No Prada, no Valentino, no Gucci. More like Duluth overalls, LL Bean, Eddie Bauer, mostly thrift shop finds. Some of us live low to the ground! 

Actually, I’m sorta relieved the invite didn’t show up. 

• Saluda Community Land Trust’s next Walks in the Woods is July 6, at an earlier time than usual, 10 a.m. This is an easy stroll through Saluda with history lessons and a trail. The walk on July 20 starts at 10 a.m., to the Palmetto Trail. Meet at the Saluda Library parking lot. (Walks for July and August start at 10 to help avoid summer heat.) For more information, contact the SCLT office at (828) 749-1560 or email info@saludaclt.org
• Community Table is July 8 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Saluda Center. Bring your own tableware if possible! 
• The next Top of the Grade Concert is July 11 with Saluda’s own Michael Flynn under the creative alias, Slow Runner, at 7 p.m., at McCreery Park. 
• Coon Dog Day is held on July 12; the parade starts at 11 a.m., featuring live music, fun, dancing, and more throughout the day. The 5K run fundraiser, started by Gina Burnett for literacy and educational resources at Saluda Elementary, begins at 8 a.m. Online registration is available at  runsignup.com.Race/NC/Saluda

Happy July Birthday to Debi Thomas, Rheta Foster, Nancy Weinhagen, Lisa Obermiller, Kathy Thompson, Bill Jameson, Emily Rose Ford, Jeremy Ford, Mike Cass, Nathen Honeycutt, Melissa Justus, Hunter Justus, Alyssa Justus, Lin Savage, Doug Taylor, Amanda Anderson, Gail Slaughter, Diane Ballard, Amber Grant, Kathy Hayes, Ammie Forester, Arely Muñoz, and Marianne Blazar. 

Feel free to contact me at bbardos@gmail.com, (828) 817-6765, P.O. Box 331, Saluda, NC 28773, Facebook, or visit bonniebardos.com