Planning Board of the City of Saluda meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm at Saluda Public Library meeting room.

 

Saluda Community Land Trust will meet the third Wednesday of the month at 3:00 at McCreery Park pavilion.  For information please call Betsy Burdett at 828-749-2161.

 

Historic Saluda Committee meets on August 13 at 2pm at the Meeting Room in Saluda Library.

 

Saluda Garden Club meets August 16 at the Saluda Presbyterian Church at 9:45am for a trip to Japanese Garden.

 

Women's Club of Saluda meets at 10am, August 10 in the Fellowship Hall of the Saluda Presbyterian Church.

 

The annual meeting of the Saluda Medical Center's Board of Trustees is Tuesday, August 10 at 5:30 PM.  Public welcome to attend.

 

Super Sizzlin' Summer Adventures Program will perform a play, "Smoky Mountain Rose, An Appalachian Cinderella Story" at the school auditorium Thursday, August 12 at 9:30am. 

 

Community Yard Sale will be held on the tennis courts and field from 7:30 am - 12:30 pm Saturday, August

This town BBQ was started by Charlie Ward many years ago to thank the residents of Saluda for patronizing his store.  Charlie passed away August 1, 2008. This event has become a town tradition organized and funded by Saluda citizens for Saluda citizens.  It truly has become a symbol of Charlie's gift of giving.

We are pleased to announce that the name of the Saluda Senior Center has been changed to "The Saluda Center."  We will still be a senior center and our mission will be the same;  to enhance the quality of life for seniors and those who will be seniors in Saluda, Polk County and surrounding areas, by providing programs and activities that promote wellness, education and learning opportunities, personal fulfillment, socializing, community involvement and self esteem.  Please come and join us at the Saluda Center.  Our officers for the remaining 2010 and 2011 year will remain the same: Judy Ward, Chair, Bill Klippel, Vice Chair, Brenda Bohanon, Secretary and Joe Marley, Treasurer.

 

To see the regularly scheduled activities at the Senior Center please click here. 

 
Save These Dates Now!

 

 (All events and activities take place at the Saluda Senior Center on Greenville Street.)

    August Calendar News

 

The Saluda Center is delighted to present for the August art exhibit: "Finishing Touches," multi-media art by students of Dale McEntire at Isothermal College.

 

Connemara Spring by Susan Grimley

On display will be an eclectic group of oils, pastels, and watercolors of subjects ranging from flowers, portraits, and animals, to landscapes of France and of our local area.  Saluda and surrounding area artists featured are Angela Blowe, Dale Brown, Elinor Gay, Susan Grimley, Janice Honeycutt, Penny Kessler, Marie King, Rowena Matson, Pam Pillsbury,

Hunting Island by Pam Pillsbury

Gretchen Ramsey, Jane Ratchford, Claudia Seagle, Sandra Sibley, Katherine Smith, Sally Thomas, John Waddill, Brenda Whelchel, Wilma Williams, and Jean Wright.

 

All are invited to a reception honoring these artists on Thursday, August 12 from 5:00PM-6:30PM at the Saluda Senior Center, 64 Greenville Street and the exhibit can also be seen for the month during regular weekday operating hours at the Center. Some of the work may be offered for sale with a portion of the proceeds being donated by the artists to assist in the funding of the Center's ongoing programs.  For further information: Anne Jameson 828-749-3101.

 

The first official meeting of the Historic Saluda Committee was held on Friday, July 9, 2010, at 2 p.m. in the community room of the Saluda Library. The meeting was called to order by Lynn Cass, Chair. Also in attendance were Cindy Tuttle, Co-Chair; and members Martha Ashley, Jack Coates, Charlene Pace, Greaton Sellers and Gloria Testerman. The committee discussed past work that has been done in Saluda, what the committee hopes to accomplish and what still needs to done and how urgent those matters are.

Submitted by Cindy Stephenson Tuttle, Co-Chair cindystuttle@gmail.com.

You may already know that it is as possible to drown a plant as it is to "fry" a plant.  If roots become "waterlogged" (which is unlikely in our climate today) they can rot and the plant will die.  If the plants look stressed with droopy leaves or leaf loss, it's a sure sign they are dying of thirst. In spite of the "rule" of watering deeper, but less frequently, for goodness sakes, give those poor plants a good drink.  In addition, new plantings will need more frequent watering until they get a substantial start.

 

Other guidelines to consider are:

 

(1)  If the top 2 inches of the soil are moist, watering is probably not needed at that time.

(2)  Early morning watering is definitely recommended over any time later in the day, especially the evening hours.

(3)  Mulch, mulch, mulch - about three inches will help to retain the moisture that you have spent more than a few dollars to provide.

(4)  Putting plants of like moisture needs together will help to more effectively use your water. Since it is unlikely that shade and sun plants will not be planted in the same areas, it is almost a given that those with similar water needs will be "close neighbors."

(5)  My own personal "guideline" that is closer to a rule is that I do not use a sprinkler.  First of all, it wastes a lot of water in that it takes forever to get enough to penetrate to a deep level.  Also it wets  foliage and tops of the plants that may result in a fungus or leaf  burn.

(6)  Finally, don't forget to use your "gray" water which I am sure by now needs no definition.

 

The August meeting is the 16^th of the month and we, (and it is hoped the "we" includes "you") will be touring a Japanese garden in Hendersonville.  Meet at the Saluda Presbyterian Church at 9:45.

 

 

 

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Nectar is a healing/consciousness space located in the old The Meditation Station.  We offer Yoga, Herbs, Massage, Elixirs and a full Oxygen Bar.

Yoga Schedule
Mon  8:30-10am (Vinyasa/Flow)
Tues 5:30-7pm (The Basics)
Wed  8:30-10am (Mixed Level)
Thur  12:15-1:30pm (Mixed Level
Fri     8:30-10am (Vinyasa/Flow)
Sat    10-11:30am (The Basics)

Classes are $12 and $10 for Saluda locals.  Class Packages are also available.

You can reach us at (828) 216-3421 and visit our Website on its way at Nectar.

 

For more information about programs at the library, call 828-749-2117 or 828-894-8721 or visit the library Polk County Library. 

Painting of the Saluda Library by Paul Koenen.

Keep up to date with city news at City of Saluda's website.

 

"Just Like My Own" Pet Care.  I will take care of your pet.  In Saluda or Saluda Township.  Feeding, Walking, Play Time.  Contact Marilyn Prudhomme at 828-749-9172 for Rates and Reservation.

  

For Sale - Cemetery lot in Saluda Memorial Park. Block A - Section 14 - Plot 2. The single lot is near the front as you enter the Park.  Contact Jane Singleton at 828-606-1148 or Pacer330@bellsouth.net.

 

Fotis N. Karousatos, 80, passed away on July 16, 2010 after a courageous battle with Multiple Myeloma.  Fotis and his wife, Anne have a summer residence at Lake Sheila in Saluda.  The Lake Sheila community expresses their heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Anne and her family.

Kids of all ages (even adult kids) enjoy jumping in the swimming holes at the bottom of waterfalls. Hooker Falls at Dupont Forest is a large pool with a rocky bottom.

 

For those who like less activity, sitting on screened-in porches under large shady trees drinking sweet tea is another favorite Saluda pastime this time of year.

 

Since the 1800's, our neighbors from across the line in South Carolina have been coming up the grade to escape the sweltering heat. 

To see more waterfalls in the area click here. 

Photo of Little Bradley Falls by Chuck Hearon.

 

As a teenager in the 1950's I worked in Thompson's Store under the firm tutelage of my cousin, Lola

Lola Ward at age 94.

Thompson Ward. Over the years, as the family and town matriarch, Lola provided both temporary and semi-permanent employment for a number of young males in Saluda. Both sons, Jack and Charlie, along with husband Roy provided the bulk of staffing needs so my primary job involved filling phone-in orders, placing them in wooden bread boxes and delivering, sometimes along with hog, cow and/or chicken feed, to customers around the area. When not delivering, I kept busy restocking or dusting shelves with a feather duster. Looking back, I think everyone except Lola always kept a trusty duster stashed in a back pocket, to instantly have available if one should find a moment when there was a pause in business. She expected everyone, including her own family members, to stay busy at all times.

 

After leaving Saluda as a young person, my contacts with the store and the Ward family became infrequent, usually consisting of brief visits no more than two or three times each year. As the years passed by, the only remaining member my wife Pam and I could visit was Charlie. Invariably, he was busy cutting meat or waiting on customers so our conversations were constantly interrupted by business. However, he always expressed happiness with our brief meetings and, on a number of occasions, commented about how lonely he felt due to so many folks with whom he had grown up either passing on or moving away. We would repeat to each other a few worn out jokes or stories that always elicited hearty laughter as though being heard for the first time and, toward the end of this light hearted banter, Charlie would once again ask if I ever planned to move back to Saluda.

 

On Thursday, July 31, 2008, Pam and I found Charlie eating in Ward's Grill around noon and Pam, my perennial photographer, took several photos of Charlie and me sitting on the counter stools laughing and having one of our story telling times. After lunch, Charlie, now retired, invited us to his house to see his brand new swimming pool. For a couple of hours, we visited his remodeled home and sat around the pool reminiscing. This was the first time in my memory that we were able to relax and carry on an extended conversation without interruption. Later, Charlie and his wife Judy accepted an invitation to a tour of my old home place to see the remodeling we had done.

 

The next evening we received a call that Charlie had passed away. I have often thought of this end of life meeting that we were able to enjoy and how strange that it finally took place only one day before his death. But apparently Charlie isn't letting go,

L to R is Charlie Fears, Charlie Ward, and Clark Thompson in front of Thompson's Store and Ward's Grill.

because he now has Judy and me tied once again to the store and people he so dearly loved.

  

 Submitted by Clark Thompson

The Bingo Boys of St. Peter's are having a reunion.  This is a group of guys who worked at St. Pete's Bingo games back in 1950's.  We were teenagers then and it was a great way to make some extra money and learn to charm older ladies.  Most of The Bingo Boys have passed on.  I think there are only three left.  I'm not going to the reunion.
 
St. Pete's is in Washington, D.C.  They had bingo games on Monday nights and, at first, they charged one dollar a card.  Then they got raided by the Internal Revenue Service.  It was against the law to make people pay for bingo gambling.  But then they continued to have bingo games.  Instead of collecting at the door, people entered and found their table.

Then they had a cadre of handsome young teenagers that would go around to the people as they sat at the tables.  We would ask how many cards they wanted and hand them out.
Then we would shake a basket at them to get their "donations".
 
I was flabbergasted at how often they tried to shortchange me.  They would take l0 cards but only put in a couple of one dollar bills.  I was told to watch carefully and if they didn't put in the proper amount of one dollar per card, I was to keep shaking the basket at them although I couldn't actually ask for more.
 
We made our money by being charming...running to get sodas or hot dogs for our table guests.  If they won, they often gave you a tip.  If they won big, you could make some real money.  Gratuities were our income.  Or so I thought.
 
Two years ago I was with some of The Bingo Boys and we were talking about the good old days.  One guy said, "I would never have been able to get by financially without stealing that money at bingo every week."
 
"Stealing?" I asked.  I was shocked.  I never stole a penny.  But all the others admitted that they stole regularly.
 
I said, "You stole from your church?"  They claimed it wasn't really the church...it was bingo money.
 
I was the only Bingo Boy that wasn't Catholic.  I was a Methodist who ran around with Catholics.  But I was the only one that wasn't stealing.
 
I envied my Catholic friends because when we went out on Saturday nights, they would run into the church and go to confession.  I always wanted to know what they confessed but they were vague about it.  Whatever they confessed, we went out and did the same things they had done the week before.  And they could confess again.
 
When you are a protestant, you talk directly to the Lord.  I could ask for forgiveness but you never got an answer back so you had mounting guilt.  I wanted a voice to come back and say: "You're off the hook, kid."  But it never did.  I didn't have a lot to confess anyway because I certainly didn't steal at bingo or even know that the other boys were doing it.
I have a feeling that a lot of them are still in Purgatory, burning like a 3-hour log.  That's another thing about the Catholics that I liked...the idea of Purgatory.  A place to go for a while short of Hell.  I think I read that they don't believe in Purgatory any longer. That's a shame.  It was an attractive part of their religion.  Almost as good as confessions.

Joe Adams
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BUTTER BEANS FOR THE SOUL, a funny book by Joe Adams about growing up in the South is available at the Pace General Store in Saluda.
 

If you enjoy Joe's column in Saluda Lifestyles, please let him know. You can email him at americaohyes@gmail.com.

 

 

UNC-TV will air the documentary on August 6 at 10pm and August 8 at 1pm.