Saluda Property & Real Estate

A Quick Saluda Market Update

(compares last year's sales with the same period this year as of April 30, 2013). 

Sales               Closed   Pending  

Homes 2013         6           2
 Homes 2012         11          0 

         Land 2013              7           2         

Land 2012              3           0

Foreclosures-REO-Short Sales

Saluda - 3 homes

Polk County - 13 Homes 

Data taken from Western NC multiple listing service.

Please visit cathyjacksonrealty.com to see all Cathy Jackson Realty Featured Home and Land Listings and search the entire Western NC MLS.

May             The Gorge™ Zipline Opens

May 18         Saluda Arts Festival

June 1          Historic Homes Tour

July 6           50^th Coon Dog Day

Sept 14        Charlie Ward Memorial BBQ 

November     Green River Narrows Race

December     Hometown Christmas 

It's here! It's May! That beautiful month we've all been waiting for. Dogwoods bloom and leaves unfurl so fast you could watch it happen if you could sit still long enough. But don't sit on Friday afternoons. Grab your basket and hat and make your way down West Main to the Saluda Tailgate market. Welcome in the first spring produce, greet your friends and neighbors and hug your farmers. They have been planning through the winter and working their soil through the early spring cold days in anticipation of your visit to the market. Come see what they have to offer and celebrate spring. Make your shopping list and plan to pick up some starter plants for your own gardens. See you at the market!

To learn more about how to sign up to vend or sign up for the weekly e-news letter, please visit saludatailgate.com or contact Shelley DeKay 828-606-5713.

In order to better serve those of you who live here,and our weekend visitors and part-timers, several Saluda businesses have agreed to extend their hours on Fridays during the tailgate market season. If you work out of town, know that you can come home and enjoy your hometown on Friday evenings. If you are lucky enough to live and work in Saluda, or are just spending the weekend in one of our lovely inns, lodges, cabins, or summer homes, you don't have to go anywhere else! The plan for extended Friday hours came about in the Small Town Main Street meetings and that group will offer some Friday night events as well. Keep informed through Saluda Lifestyles.

Of course, Saluda restaurants are always open for your dining pleasure on Friday nights. Now, you can stroll and shop at Duck Alley, Heartwood Gallery, Kathleen's, and M. A. Pace's. Green River Adventures' downtown outpost will be open to book trips for the weekend at group rates. You can make your way up Greenville Street to the Wine Cellar for good music in an intimate atmosphere, or enjoy fresh pizza at Wildflour bakery.

It all starts with the Saluda tailgate market in the city lot on West Main from 4:30-6:30, every Friday, May through October. Plan to stay and enjoy our historic downtown, great restaurants and music venues. Or, find a bench on Main Street or in McCreery Park and participate in that favorite Saluda pastime: relaxing and watching the world go by. Duck Alley and Somewhere In Time offer ice cream cones to help you do just that.

May we have this dance?

Blue Ridge Contra Group

Cordially invites you to join us at

The Party Place Friday, May 17

For more Contra Dancing Fun!

We are so pleased to have Diane Silver return as our caller, and for the first time, we have Pinetop Revival as our musicians.

Dawn Cantrell on guitar, Steve Cantrell on mandolin,Joshua Johnson on fiddle, Dan Wood on banjo and Andrew Lathe on bass. Pinetop Revival carries on the tradition of fiddle tunes in rural America by taking old, nearly forgotten tunes and presenting them to the audiences of today. (If you want to hear their sound, please visit Pinetop Revival.)

Beginner lessons begin at 6:30pm with dancing from 7-9:30pm. Adults $10 and $5 for under 18.

To reach The Party Place, take exit 59 off I-26. Turn toward Saluda and then take the first left onto Howard Gap Road. Then turn left on Friendship Church Road. For description and more information visit Party Place and Event Center.  

For more information or to join the mailing list BlueRidgeContra@icloud.com. Click on this link for directions to  Party Place and Event Center.

This years winter rains promise early and abundant wildflower spring displays at Pearson's Falls. Famous for a wide variety of spring flowers from Trillium to Orchids, as well as several rare species of plants, Pearson's Falls beckons hundreds of enthusiastic visitors throughout the year, and classes are being offered to help you learn plant identification and usage for your personal enjoyment.

Tuesday, May 21, at 10:30 am - Geology of Native Plant Communities with Tim Lee, SC State Park Naturalist.

Fee: $5.00 each class, plus gate admission of $5.00 per adult. Limit for each class is 10 participants. Admission fees for children ages 6-12 - $1.00; 13 and above-$5.00; Under 6 are free. Docent fee not required for children at the Family Walk.

Location:   Pearson's Falls, 2748 Pearson Falls Rd., Saluda, NC. Meet at the Garden House 15 minutes prior to beginning of the walk. Bring your notebook and pen. You will be given a checklist of flowers.

For more information, call 828-749-3031, or to download enrollment form, visit the website at pearsonsfalls.org.

Please refer to the Saluda Center calendar for all regularly scheduled activities. There is no membership fee.

If you would like to receive the Saluda Center calendar via email, please contact Donna at saludacenter@hotmail.com to be added to our email list.  

A Thrifty Barn Basement is open every Saturday from 10:00 am-4:00 pm and every Wednesday from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. Donations are accepted on Wednesdays.

A Thrifty Barn is open Wed. through Sat. from 10:00 am-4:00 pm.  Donations are accepted when we are open.

The Saluda Center is located at 64 Greenville St. Phone is 828-749-9245. 

Summer has come to the Thrifty Barn.  Warm weather clothes and accessories have been placed on our racks.

As usual, we will accept donations on Wednesdays from 10 to 4.  Garments and accessories that are clean, undamaged and stylish are the most in demand. 

Summer residents are welcome to help us as volunteers.  Call 828-749-3320 on Wednesdays to arrange a time to volunteer and to have orientation for the sales requirements.  Get a Saluda friend to help you and have a good visit, not to mention a good shopping experience.

The Basement accepts household goods and decor items, and we sell furniture at the Cub Scout Hut across from the Barn. 

All funds raised help to support the Saluda Center and to provide meals for folks who would otherwise go without. Thanks for your support.

Please call 828-749-3320 to talk to someone about volunteering.

SCLT recently held its annual meeting which was sponsored by a grant from the Polk County Community Foundation. We thank PCCF, our guest speaker Doug Elliot, and the Church of the Transfiguration for the use of the Parish Hall. Guests enjoyed refreshments, story telling and news of upcoming events, as well as current projects. A good time was had by all and we look forward to another active year.

Board Members:

Nancy Barnett, President

Don Clapp, Vice President

Chris Young, Treasurer

Carolyn Ashburn, Secretary

Nora Parks Anderson

Debbie Hahn

Dave Prudhomme

Elena Robison

John Savage

"Walks in the Woods" will be on the first and third Sunday of the month at 2pm. We meet in the parking lot of the Saluda Library and carpool. Brochures have been printed with the hike descriptions.

The Saluda Dog Park is a joint project with the City of Saluda. Expansion is being planned and cleanup workdays are being organized. It's a great spot for your dog to run free and socialize. For more information about the Saluda Dog Park contact Dave Prudhomme at 749-9172.

Board meetings are on May 1 at our office located in the upstairs of the Presbyterian Church at 3pm and on May 15 at the Pavilion starting at 5pm. The meetings are open to the public.

Kudzu work is still on hold, it's great the weather has held off that pesky weed, but we know it's on its way and we will be ready to attack. The Saluda Kudzu Swat Team will keep an eye out for the vine's awakening and will make plans for Kudzu Thursdays.

Please feel free to contact us about any of our projects by calling our office at 828-749-1560 and leaving a message. We will return your call promptly. Also be sure to check out our updated website saludaclt.org. We look forward to your comments and suggestions.

In April, Saluda Garden Club enjoyed a wildflower hike at the Twin Bridges led by Debbie Hahn. Everyone enjoyed the marvelous display of nature at its best despite the rainy overcast day. 

We will be planting and cleaning Spring Park May 6, with a rain date May 7. The Saluda Garden Club takes great pride in providing the upkeep of this gentle spot. It is located in downtown Saluda behind City Hall and is there for the public to enjoy. As always, we ask that you come and enjoy this historic spot, but please be sure to do so gently. Every plant and rock has been put there for a reason.

Saluda Garden Club meets the third Monday of the month at 10 AM.

We are always looking for new members and welcome anyone interested in our adventures and projects. For more information about the Saluda Garden Club, please call Patty Martin at 828-817-9518.  

Advice from a Tree

Sink your roots into the earth.

Be content with your natural beauty.

Drink plenty of water.

Go out on a limb.

Enjoy the view.

Remember your roots.

Contributed by a tree hugger.

Author unknown

Submitted by Ruth Anderson 

The Historic Saluda Committee has been involved with the restoration of City Hall for three years and proudly presents its second tour of homes and gardens for its benefit.

Tour Historic Homes, Gardens and

Saluda's Own Rock And Mineral Museum

Henderson Street, June 1, 1-5 pm

Advance tickets may be purchased at Macon Bank, Saluda City Hall, Pace's Store, Heartwood Gallery, and Thompson's Store. Tours are $20 per person.

The walking tour, covering about 5 blocks, begins at the Saluda First Baptist Church on the corner of Henderson and Carolina Streets, with tickets and parking available.

To protect the safety of walkers, Henderson Street will be closed to through traffic from East Main Street to Esseola Avenue. Cars for those taking the tour, should be left at the church parking lot. Golf carts will be available for those unable to walk.  Eight homes along half of Henderson Street will be open for interior and exterior viewing. 

Martha and Eric Ashley in one of the three rooms of the Rock Museum

The Ashley Rock and Mineral Museum, the Prudhomme garden, and Mark Gardner's artist studio are open, in addition to the tour of the other eight homes. The new owners of one of the homes along Henderson have generously offered their porch and garden as a "way station" along the route.  Children will have lemonade stands set up and water will be available.

This is a great community event that you will not want to miss!

Rain or Shine!

For more information about the Historic Saluda Committee, go to historicsaluda.org or contact us at historicsaluda@gmail.com.

"Swinging at the Saluda Canteen"

The Women's Club of Saluda will host a fundraising bash on Saturday, June 22, 2013 at the Saluda Center from 5:30pm to 9:00pm.  The theme this year will be "Swinging at the Saluda Canteen."  Come see the center transformed into a 1040's USO canteen. 

Enjoy a fried chicken dinner and dance to big band music.  Adult beverages will be included with the dinner.  Soft drinks and tea will also be available.  Children are welcome.  Proceeds from the event will go to college scholarships for Saluda youth.  Tickets will be available from Women's Club members. For more information, please contact Anita at 828-749-9781. 

The Saluda Dog Society now has a cell phone number for rescue calls only.  It is 828-785-2496. We can also be reached at Facebook and via email at saludadogsociety@yahoo.com.

All dogs are social creatures, preferring the company of other dogs, as well as their human companions. Dogs that are left alone for months or years in small enclosures, with only the basic necessities and with very little interaction from other dogs and humans, develop behaviors that may be difficult to change or correct through training later on.

Some breeds, out of frustration and loneliness, will develop some aggression and behave in a territorial manner. Others will retreat in a fear-aggression manner towards other dogs and people. Most will develop some form of separation anxiety. All of these behaviors require lots of patience, specialized training and time to correct.

Proper socialization of your dog(s) is an essential part of their training and life.  A confident dog that has been allowed to experience its surroundings and interact with other animals, canines, and humans will behave in a well and balanced manner, thus adding years of happiness to your family and your dog(s).

If you have a fearful, timid or aggressive dog who displays some form of fear-aggression towards other dogs, animals and/or people, seek out a dog trainer to assist you and your family to properly train and socialize your dog before taking them into public events.

We are fortunate to live in a dog friendly community, where well socialized and behaved dogs are allowed in many business and places.

John Murias

Home Sweet Home Dog Training & Care, LLC

carolinadogcare.com
(828) 697-0327

Nectar Yoga And Wellness Center

Saluda's Premier Yoga Studio

Join us this spring at Nectar for a wide array of wonderful offerings for everyone...from kids to elders, women and men.

Ongoing classes

Mondays 6-7:30pm

Wednesday 9-10:30am 

Saturday 9-10:30am

Classes are All Levels

New to yoga?  Great! Beginners are welcome and are always taken care of.

New Massage Packages

Buy 4 massages at a huge savings:

$200 for 4  ($60 savings), *expires within 6 months of purchase.

Regular massage and self care is proven to reduce illness, stress, and aging and to greatly improve your feelings of well-being and joy.

*Three Yoga Classes Weekly

*Private Yoga Instruction

*Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork

*Intuitive Counseling

*QRA: A healing and diagnostic technique that leads to optimal health

Chandler and Raphaela are extensively trained in yoga, massage, counseling, and QRA, sharing a combined history of study and practice that spans over 20 years.

Get Out and Play!

New Saluda Adventure Guide Launched

The Saluda Business Association wants the community and visitors to experience the outdoors in Saluda and has published the first "Saluda Adventure Guide."

Highlighting Saluda trails and the Green River Gorge, the guide is a very colorful 12"X25" two sided map with hiking trails, road bike trails, whitewater adventures, waterfalls, and other recreation activities that pass through or around Saluda. The map will fold down to a 3"x5" pocket size booklet, with a durable cover. For the less "adventurous," opportunities featured include walking and driving routes, birding and wildflower sites, and the best scenic views in Saluda.

Thirty-five Saluda businesses sponsored the funding of the guide along with contributions from Polk County Economic Development, the City of Saluda, and the Saluda Business Association. The guides will sell for $2 and will be available from business sponsors by early June. An online Flipbook will soon follow and be accessible at saluda.com.

"The Saluda Adventure Guide has been in the SBA long-range marketing plan for more than three years.  With the opening of The Gorge™, and more attention given to whitewater adventures on the Green River, and other multi-sport events, this is the perfect time to publish this guide," says a SBA spokesperson. 

Carolina Blue Design Group, Hendersonville designed and illustrated the guide and maps.

Saluda abounds with natural assets.  It's our duty to the heritage of Saluda to celebrate and promote its artistic culture, historic buildings, and the natural beauty of our mountains and waterfalls.

Saluda proudly announces the first annual Streets Alive! event as part of the KaBOOM! Playful City USA program. Join us on Saturday, June 8, 2013 from 3-5pm in the meadows to celebrate and support play. This event is a partnership between the City of Saluda and Saluda School and will be free to everyone. We will block Meadowview Drive and Cedarview Drive, as well as a small portion of Hart Street at the intersection of Crescent Street, for a few hours to allow the community to come together and play in our neighborhood. We will have activity stations set up, as well as one free lane around the circle for jogging and bicycles to make their rounds.

There will be fun had by everyone, so don't hesitate to come out and play with us, even if you don't have any children--we are all young at heart! Please come out to support this inaugural event and participate in a positive movement to increase play across the country.

Saluda School graduating 5th graders have submitted self-portraits of their favorite activities, and t-shirts will be made from their designs and will be sold by city hall for the play day event.

Parking will be at Saluda School with buses transporting people to the meadows and back. Please contact Monica at 828-749-2581 or admin@cityofsaludanc.com if you would like to volunteer for the event or for more information.

Free Workshop

Sponsored By Saluda Historic Committee

May 10

The last in the series of free workshops leading up to our tour of homes on June 1, 2013 will be held at 10am on Friday, May 10 at the Saluda Library.  Lou Holloway, a Landscape Architect and Director of the Main Street Program for Hendersonville, will talk with us about STREETSCAPES and why they are so important in making a street feel either great or going unnoticed.  

CD Released! "Saluda, NC: Voices from the First 100 Years"

DVD Available for Sale by Local Merchants

Home, Hearth and History: Stories of Old Saluda can be purchased ($20) through local merchants and at City Hall. You can also purchase it on-line at saludalifestyles.com. All proceeds go toward future projects.

Meetings

The Historic Saluda Committee (HSC) will meet on Friday, May 10, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. at the Saluda Public Library in the upstairs meeting room. The Oral History Committee will also meet jointly with the HSC. The public is invited to attend.

For more information about the Historic Saluda Committee, go to historicsaluda.org or contact us at historicsaluda@gmail.com.

Submitted by Cindy S. Tuttle, Co-Chair, Historic Saluda Committee

 

Saluda Elementary is one of four schools chosen to serve as an A+ Case Study School for the NC A+ Schools Program!   

Upcoming Events in May    

Thurs., May 2    PCHS Green Team to visit 3rd grade

Principal, Ronette Dill

Visit Saluda School for additional school news.    

Box top collection containers are located in the Saluda Public Library, Saluda Post Office, and Saluda Elementary School Office.

US Post Office Store Hours

Mon-Fri 9:00am-1:00pm and 3:00pm-4:30pm

Sat 9:30am-11:00am Sun closed

Passport Service is available at the Saluda post office.

Get directions by clicking here  

102 E MAIN ST SALUDA, NC 28773-7812 

Shop online at the Saluda Lifestyles Mercantile for the following merchandise:  

"Saluda, NC: Voices from the First 100 Years" in CD format. Original recordings of interviews with Saluda's oldest residents documented in the book, Saluda, NC: 100 Years 1881-1981. These interviews were transferred to a CD by Historic Saluda. Price: $17 includes shipping and handling. 

Home, Hearth and History: Stories of Old Saluda DVD. Proceeds will go to the Oral History Project for the next sequel.   Price:  $20.00+shipping. 

The Carolina Special ran for over half a century and was one of the nation's longest-lived passenger trains.  It started in 1911 and endured until its last trip up Saluda Grade on December 5, 1968.

Limited quantities available. Size approximately 17" X 19".  Proceeds will go to Saluda's Historic City Hall Restoration and Oral History Project.  Price:  $45.00+shipping.   

Enlivened by sunny, warm days, blooming flowers and trees, and fresh spring showers, Saludians are eagerly ready for a busy May.  In addition to blooming flowers, artists will blossom during the Saluda Arts Festival on May 18, and adventure enthusiasts will take the ride of their lives when ziplining into the Green River Gorge with The Gorge™ opening this month.

This issue of Saluda Lifestyles will include it all!

Saluda Arts Festival

May 18, 2013

10am - 4pm

The Saluda Business Association is pleased to present the 10th annual Saluda Arts Festival. Get ready to be amazed with almost 90 artists and craftspeople, lively and award winning music, the children's art tent, several art and craft demonstrators and delicious food from our local restaurants.

This year's festival is dedicated to artist Johnny Waddill who graciously permitted the festival's organizers to use his painting to brand the Saluda Arts Festival. He died on March 1, 2013, and to honor Johnny Waddill's love for art, the Saluda Business Association is dedicating the 10^th Annual Saluda Arts Festival to his memory. There will be a special exhibit displaying his work during the festival at the Saluda Center, 64 Greenville St., Saluda, NC 28773. The Saluda Center will also be open as a "comfort station" for festival goers. 

Entertainment Schedule

11am

11am - Spring Concert from the Dancer's Extension at Saluda School

Students from The Dancer's Extension will perform their Spring Concert.

12pm - Sol Driven Train - Children's Concert

1pm - Clay Ross Band, guitarist, vocalist, composer, and songwriter with Brazilian-style rhythms.

3pm - Sol Driven Train, versatile 5-piece band, based in Charleston, SC, features rotating lead vocalists, and multi-instrumental talent spread across horns, strings, and percussion.

Music for the Saluda Arts Festival is funded by the Polk County Community Foundation's Saluda Fund Grant. This grant is a major reason that the Saluda Arts Festival can bring high-caliber, talented musicians to the festival each year.

Demonstrations

Watch artists paint landscapes, forge metal, weave, make jewelry, and more. 

Children's Art Tent

Children will experiment and unlock their creativity at the "Children's Art Tent"--supervised instruction, face painting, and surprises. Located at the Shelter in McCreery Park.  

Food

Enjoy a variety of delicious choices from local restaurants and at the festival site. Saluda Grade Café, Jose's Wood Fired Pizza, and Thompson's Store & Ward's Grill will be serving food. 

Youth Performances  

The Dancer's Extension annual spring concert is scheduled for Saturday, May 18 at 11AM.  The concert will take place at the Saluda School Auditorium and admission is FREE!  This is held in conjunction with the Saluda Arts Festival. Please park in the bus parking area behind the school. 

Parking

Parking is available along Main Street, at the Saluda School back parking lot, the Saluda Presbyterian Church on Carolina St., Saluda Methodist Church on Greenville St, the First Baptist Church on Henderson St., the west end public parking lot (across the bridge), and the Saluda Fire Department on Greenville St. Shuttle transportation will be available.

Sponsors

We gratefully acknowledge sponsors who provide the funds to enrich the quality of the arts festival each year.

Gold

Autumn Care 

Barbara & Scott Cardais

Bryan Easler Toyota 

Debbie & Woody Fox

Don Mintz Builders

Macon Bank

Silver

Beth & Jim Carson

Lynn & Mike Cass

Cathy Jackson Realty

Charles Street Garden Suites

Dr. Mike 

Green River BBQ

Heartwood Gallery

Steve & Georgia Herring      

Gunnar Keenan

Salamander

Barbara & Robert Siler

Subway

Gloria & Kyle Testerman

Angelo & Amy Zollo

Bronze

Kathleen's Gallery

Mary Jane & David LaFave

Robin & Greg Woods

Platinum

Sam's Club

Williamson's Paint Center 

Calling Volunteers Who Want to Have Fun!  Volunteering for the Saluda Arts Festival is fun, and you get to make a lot of new friends.  We need volunteers for two-hour shifts to be greeters, area leaders, to clean up before and after and to man the children's tent. Please contact Denise Kennedy at  828-243-7553 or email carolinacottage@tds.net.

We invite you to visit saluda.com and click on the Saluda Arts Festival to get more information and see images from previous events.

To learn more about the SBA, please visit saluda.com.

Saluda Faces recognizes Saluda citizens that you may see often and wonder who they are, what they do, and why they live in Saluda.

You may have noticed a tall willowy figure, wearing a floppy hat, and sometimes seen in Saluda with a palette in one hand and a brush in the other, sitting along the railroad tracks, sketching a street scene, or out in a field painting an old shed.  It is probably Ray Pague.

From a small town in Hephzibah,GA, Ray took art in high school, and at 18, he and his Dad started a sign business.  Discovering that he had a talent for making signs, at the age of 24, he was offered a job managing the sign shop for the Army Corp of Engineers at Ft. Gordon, GA. This led to a certification by the Navy as a draftsman, and then ultimately he became an illustrator for the Department of Defense.

Ray continued his education in illustration at the Portfolio Center for Graphic Arts in Atlanta and became more specialized in illustration.  He illustrated parts and maintenance manuals for Easy Go Golf Car Company. By 1990, the computer age transformed illustration systems to digital technology, and Ray was one of the first illustrators to be trained by Apple. He spent six years as Chief Illustrator for Club Car, the largest golf car company.  He published over 3,000 technical illustrations.

After 17 years of illustrating, Ray realized how much he enjoyed fine art.  He studied with the great painter, Jim Lyle, in Augusta, GA and spent summers at Schuler School of Fine Art in Baltimore.  He became involved in the art scene in Augusta, GA and exhibited his work in galleries in Artists Row in Augusta. 

At a festival in Boone, Ray met some folks from Polk County who invited him and his son, Jesse, to come stay with them in Tryon.  Ray connected with Saluda when first driving through while living in Tryon and on the way to work for a sign company in Hendersonville.  He opened a studio at the Chicken House in Saluda and soon Ray, his son, Jesse, and dog Chloe moved to Saluda. 

Ray and his son Jesse were best friends-two peas in a pod. They loved each others company. Jesse had become a respected musician and songwriter before his unexpected death one year ago. Grief took Ray to a place where there was no color. Everything was gray, and he felt like he was outside a sphere that he could look into and see himself-but he saw no colors.  He rode Jesse's bicycle for 40 days and 40 nights for 800 miles until the bearings wore out. On the bike, he carried a backpack with his water color paints and paper. He painted in the shadows.

Over the winter, Ray found a purpose again by producing 50 timelines of photos and songs written by Jesse.  He is teaching himself video editing production and plans to publish some of these timelines on YouTube in the future.

For now, he is taking commissioned oil paintings on Hemp canvas, and you can see his work hanging in the Saluda Grade Café, Wildflour Bakery, and Honking Tonkers.  Ray painted the new lettering on the windows at City Hall and the Police Station and also painted the mural of downtown Saluda on the Saluda Visitors Center.  Ray will be demonstrating his painting at the Saluda Arts Festival on May 18, 2013.

The latest news and the unusual offerings provided by Saluda shops, restaurants, accommodations, outdoor recreation, artists, craftspeople, and service providers.   

Happy Anniversary Salamander!

May marks the start of Salamander's 10^th year.  Here you will find quality handcrafts from over 100 American artists and fine fair-trade crafts from abroad.  The Salamander experience includes handmade jewelry, glass and metal art, basketry, pottery, handbags, hats for men and women, musical instruments, beeswax candles and organic body care.

We are your book and card store, too.  Cynthia's discerning taste promises great reads in new and classic titles for adults and children.  Whether it's cooking, gardening, true adventure, nature, or body-mind-spirit, we've got a book for you.  And if we don't have it, Cynthia can get it for you.

Salamander offers a selection of wines that we enjoy, but if our taste isn't as good as yours, we'll happily special order for you.

Come see our colorful gardens and have some fun Salamander time at 7 West Main Street, Saluda.  828-749-3466

Saluda Mountain Lake Retreat 

Come enjoy a romantic getaway, family vacation, reunion, or mountain retreat in one of our 8 family owned cabins for 2 nights and receive 1 night free in May if you mention Saluda Lifestyles!  We are a family owned and operated retreat with 40 acres of serenity to relax and enjoy our beautiful mountains. On-site amenities available for you: Hot tubs, fireplaces, 3-acre stocked lake, sandy beach, paddle boats, fishing, hiking trails, geocaching, and waterfall. 

Contact us at rental@ashevillecabinrental.com.  Visit our website and join us on Facebook. 

Maggie's is ready for spring! New merchandise is arriving daily, including our new live plants from our garden center. Coffee and pastries are plentiful along with free Wi-Fi and lots of comfy rockers on our wide open porch.  We have colorful tee shirts to celebrate Saluda's newest attraction, the gorge zipline!  Be sure to come by and welcome our newest attraction, George! Named after Uncle George Johnson, the founder of the Blue Ridge Coon Club and Coon Dog Day, George is a bloodhound pup that is our new mascot, and maybe someday he will be the head of our own search and rescue team. Right now, he is only searching out lots of pats and hugs. He will arrive on or about the 15th of May, so be sure to come by and say hello to "George," and do a little shopping while you are here!

Mother's Day Celebration, Saturday, May 11.

Get a jump on your summer decorating and Mother's Day gifting.  New inventory arriving daily!  Complimentary coffee & desserts.

Maggie's located at 1487 Ozone Drive, Saluda 28773

828.749.3503 * Exit 59 Off I-26

Visit Maggie's website. 

Saluda Bike & Hike 

Saluda Bike and Hike now has extended hours. We are open Monday - Thursday 10am-4pm, Friday 2-5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm. We offer mountain bike rentals, hiking routes, basic bike repair, energy drinks and snacks, Saluda Bike and Hike t-shirts and walking staffs.

We are located at 459 Hwy 176, Suite C (right across for the Tickle Family Medical Center).   

Phone: 803-609-2190

Email: jdeancole@hotmail.com

Take the ride of your life on the zip line canopy tour opening May 18.  THE GORGE™and Green River Adventures are now taking reservations for the 2013 season. Reservations can be made online at thegorgezipline.com or greenriveradventures.com or by phone at 800.335.1530.

THE GORGE™, dubbed the steepest canopy on the east coast, allows participants to zip from tree based platform to tree based platform on over one mile of zip line cable through one of the last remaining groves of old growth forest in Western North Carolina.  Your feet never touch the ground! With panoramic views from Mt. Pisgah to Rumbling Bald, this very unique experience is a must do when you visit Saluda this year or when you have out of town guests looking for an adventure. The whole town is buzzing about this incredible addition to our booming outdoor recreation opportunities.  

Join "The Gorge" conversation on 

Kick off the Summer with Green River Adventures

Mark your calendars! On Saturday, May 4th, Green River Adventures will be celebrating the start of their 7th season with the annual Spring Green Bash block party.  The east side of Main Street will be hopping with live reggae music by Common Foundation, beer from Highland Brewing Company, and nibbles from the Blue Gypsy, it's a great time to hang out with all your Saluda friends. No cost! Festivities begin at 5:30pm.

Green River Adventures offers guided IK (Inflatable Kayak) trips on the Upper and Lower sections of the Green River, Whitewater Kayak Instruction, and Guided Waterfall and Swimming Hole Hikes.  Their guides and instructors are professionals in the Outdoor Industry, and their trips are super fun and super safe. If you've got family or friends visiting Saluda this summer, a trip with GRA is a must do!

For more information on their trips and reservations at greenriveradventures.com. Click here for directions.111 East Main Street,Saluda, NC 28773

The Orchard Inn  

Join us for our fabulous Mother's Day Brunch from 11-2 Sunday, May 12. Entree choices include: Eggs Orchard (2 eggs over easy with Carolina Crab Cakes), Goat Cheese stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary infused Pears, Certified Angus Beef Strudel w/ fresh Mushroom Sauce,  Shrimp Salad over a bed of Organic Greens, and Lobster or Wild Mushroom Ravioli. $36 per person includes a complimentary Mimosa and Rose for every Mother.

Also, please join us in our elegant mountain retreat for dinner Thurs., Fri. or Sat. evenings or breakfast almost every day between 8:30 -10 am, by reservation. Enjoy farm to table fresh, locally sourced, organic when possible, exceptionally well prepared meals by our Austrian chef. Our fine dining restaurant has stunning views of the surrounding mountains, and our terrace is a wonderful place to sip a glass of wine while taking in all the gifts this beautiful area has to give. We have a great wine list. Plan to sit a while to enjoy one of Saluda's best views. The Inn also has 8 rooms upstairs, all with private baths and lovely mountain views, a suite downstairs, and 5 private cottages with decks or screened in porches, jacuzzi tubs, and gas fireplaces. The Inn was built in 1926, sits on 12 acres, is listed on the National Register of Historic places, is a member of the distinguished Select Registry and Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. All rooms are tastefully decorated with antiques and period pieces, and our linens are ultra luxurious. The gracious hosts look forward to welcoming you to their little slice of heaven. We're proud to announce being awarded by Trip Advisor - 2012 Certificate of Excellence and by Restaurant.com - 2012 Top Rated Restaurant. On Piano every Saturday night - Levi Hall.

For reservations call: 828-749-5471.

Visit the Orchard Inn at orchardinn.com. They are located on Highway 176, Saluda, NC. 

Click here for directions.  

Saluda Grade Café    

Music on Friday Nights, thanks to Alan, Bob and Amy, Becky, Todd and Will, is continually Awesome! It is perfect to enjoy while dining, and it keeps even the youngest enthralled! Music makes us dance, inspires us to learn and just to be the best that we can be. Thank you friends for Friday night Old Timey Music! Music starts @ 7...See you there!

Make plans for May! May 5 is Cinco de Mayo... expect some exotic Sunday specials with a Mexican flair.

May 12 is Mothers Day so make your reservations early...we would love to help you honor your Mom!

May 18 is the Arts Festival!! We will be doing a Red, White and Blue Booth (in honor of Armed Forces Day) across the street, as well as having a full staff ready to quickly feed you both Lunch and Dinner in the restaurant! Come say hello!

We are open: Tuesday thru Saturday, 11-3, lunch; Wednesday thru Saturday, 5-9, dinner; "Music on Friday Nights" at 7pm; Sunday 11-7.  

Thank you to all of you! We appreciate and love you! Kaye, Mario and the Staff of the Grade

Visit us on the web at saludagradecafe.com or on Facebook.

Call 828-749-5854 or email us at saludagrade@hotmail.com.  Located at 40 East Main Street.  Click here for directions.   

Histor

Wine Tasting- May 2^nd 4pm to 6pm-upstairs at our boarding house venue.  We will be featuring "Wente Wine" from a winery in Livermore, California. This wine holds the distinction of being "the oldest continuously operated family-owned winery of California."

May's special from our meat market and wine selection:  Black Angus New York Strip, Aged Gouda and Wente Cabernet Sauvignon.

Purchase two items and receive 10% off, purchase all three and receive 15% off the total amount. 

Specialty items in our store:  Keena Coffee Beans from Costa Rica, Scalafani Italian Items, Pasta & Provisions - Fresh Frozen Pasta, Our Frozen Dinners To Go: Country Meatloaf, Chicken Pot Pie, Beef Stew, and more. Come visit and see all the wonderful items we have in our store.

Come in and see our new inventory of plants. 

New in our wine selection is Saluda's hand crafted, local

"2010 Chardonnay" from Judd's Peak.  Only sold at Thompson's Store!  

Limited edition of cheese boxes hand carved with Thompson's Store emblems. $19.99 

Larry Keith & The Lonesome Road Band will perform on our patio deck on May 18. Bluegrass music, along with good food, beer and wine, will begin at 4:00 PM following the Saluda Arts Festival.  

We are ready for festival goers and zipliners. Check out our new enclosed porch.  More bar space and seating available!  Don't miss your favorite sports on our new HDTV screens.

Daily specials are $4.99 and include:

Appetizer and Small Menu Items for $4.99:  BBQ Nachos, Chicken Quesadilla, Fried Green Tomato and Shrimp Stacker, BBQ Stuffed Potato Skins, Chicken Wings, Portobello Mushroom Fries, Piglets, or Buffalo Shrimp! All day, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays!

Try our five local draft beers or a flight for $4.75 so you can try all five!

Summer hours are: Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-9pm, and Sundays, noon-3pm. 

Become a Facebook fan and you will receive specials and $$ dollar-off offers!

Contact Green River BBQ at 828-749-9892 for takeout orders or visit them at Green River BBQ.  Visit their Facebook page to get extra daily coupons!  

Green River BBQ is located at 131 Highway 176 West. Click here for directions.   

Wildflour Bake Shop  828-749-3356
Wildflour Bakery  828-749-9224
Check us out online at wildflourbakerync.com for daily specials or use the good ol' fashion way...828-749-3356.   Keep up with specials on 

Macon Bank  

Macon Bank opened in Saluda in 2007 adjacent to the Post Office.  Macon Bank started in 1922 and has been proud to become a part of the community.  Angie Blackwell is the Branch Manager and has been since the branch opened, along with Melodie.  Courtney came aboard in 2008 and Kasey in 2012.

Macon Bank is a full service bank, offering great products, and our people are the best!  But don't take our word for it; check out what our customers have said in our monthly surveys:

"The manager and all the associates are a joy to work with.  They go out of their way to be helpful and friendly.  Macon Bank in Saluda has a well-deserved, fine reputation."

"The overall 'experience' was a pleasant one.  Give Angie a promotion and overtime pay as deemed necessary. (Not kidding, she deserves it!)" 

"We think we have the 'Best' and most helpful folks at the Saluda office we ever dealt with." 

"I am so pleased with our Saluda Macon Bank and how kind, helpful, warm and friendly everyone always is! "

"It is wonderful to have a bank where the workers take the time to meet needs without charging for every little service. "

"It was a totally satisfying and rewarding experience. "

 "Bank personnel at our Saluda branch are outstanding, very helpful! "

"Exceptional service!"    

Stop by Macon Bank at 108 East Main Street and talk to our friendly, knowledgeable staff.

We can help you with all your financing needs.

Like everyone else, you hope to remain physically and financially independent your entire life. But the future is not ours to see, so you'll want to be ready for as many contingencies as possible - one of which is the high cost of long-term care.

In 2011, the national average rate for a private room in a nursing home was more than $87,000 per year, according to the 2011 MetLIfe Market Survey of Long-Term Care Costs. If you needed a few years of nursing home care, the cost could devastate your financial independence and place a burden on your family.

Fortunately, you can find investment or protection vehicles designed specifically to help you meet long-term care expenses. Your financial advisor can help you pick the option that's most appropriate for your individual situation.

Click here to view

This is Doug Rostick, your Edward Jones financial advisor, located at 1038-A Greenville Hwy, Hendersonville, NC 28792. (828) 692-5082.

Member SIPC

Douglass M. Rostick | Financial Advisor | Edward Jones 

1038-A Greenville Hwy  Flat Rock, NC 28731

828-692-5082 Fax:888-227-3980

douglass.rostick@edwardjones.com

A 12 mile tour by shuttle bus in DuPont State Recreational Forest to four spectacular sites: Triple Falls, High Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, & Lake Julia

Tour de Falls provides the general public, families and those with limited hiking abilities a chance to see the beauty of DuPont State Recreational Forest and some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Southeast via shuttle buses. The Tour de Falls begins and ends at the event parking area.

The Event Parking Area is located at 1300 Staton Road in Cedar Mountain, NC 2871, GPS (35.18636, -82.637734), a short distance from the High Falls access and parking area. Look for the Tour De Falls directional signs as you near the event area.

Buses will leave the event parking area approximately every 30 minutes from 9 am. until 2:30 pm.

Visitors getting off the bus at each stop will be able to get great views of the falls, take photos and explore the forest. The tour takes 3 hours or longer, depending on how much time is spent at each stop.

Volunteers will be on each bus and at each stop to provide information about the history of the area and our efforts to protect the historical and natural resources within this 10,400 acre forest.

A donation of $6 for ages 6-17 and $12 for ages 18 and up is requested. We accept donations by cash or check. We cannot process credit cards. Buses are not handicap-accessible. No Pets on the buses.

Visitors should bring snacks and water, as there are no food concessions. Triple Falls and High Falls have covered shelters with picnic tables.

Light refreshments will be available in the lodge overlooking Lake Julia, which is the last stop on the tour.

DuPont State Recreational Forest is located in Henderson and Transylvania counties in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

For directions, membership applications, and additional DuPont State Recreational Forest info, visit our web site www.dupontforest.com.

800-828-4244 Hendersonville Visitors Center open 7 days a week.

838-883-3700 Brevard Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center open Mon. - Fri. a week.

Tour de Falls is an event sponsored by the Friends of DuPont Forest.

Isothermal Community College: A Best Kept Secret in Polk County

Welcome to Don Blackwell's carving class. This is Don's second term to offer his wood carving class which was formed after special requests from several of his art students. Nine very busy and engrossed students were just beginning their "extreme carving" projects. The classroom was a jumble of people, pieces of wood propped in their vises, ready to become a wood masterpiece, and the floor was a sea of wood shavings. This is not a class for the neat and tidy. Around the room, students moved among the other carvers, collaborating and praising, laughing and sharing, and then back they went to work some more on their own wood characters gradually emerging from the depths of the wood. Quietly, Don moved through the room, explaining how to hold the carving tools so that a certain angle or depth of cut would yield the nose, cheek, or eye that a student was trying to achieve. One student explained, saying he had never done anything like this before, that Don makes the carving easy because he takes it sequentially through all the steps needed to achieve the carving.  When asked how they felt about the course, all students enthusiastically stated that Don was a "fantastic teacher" and that they could learn anything with the way he taught. Enthusiam, praise and confidence....all hallmarks of a happy workshop class.

Come view some of his students' work in the NEW FRONTIERS ART SHOW.  The show opened April 26^th with a reception and will be showing at Isothermal Community College for the month of May. Stop in to see the drawings, paintings, and carvings exhibited by Don's art students. This is the third annual art show which Don started to give his students the experience of showing their art and to share his students' talents with the community. The campus is open Monday through Friday, and the art show can be viewed during normal business hours.

May...and another combination of fascinating continuing education courses now begins. This is the start of the new term, and unfortunately, the catalogue is not here yet. So....read on to see what is available in the first three weeks, and as usual...for questions or to sign up for a course, call 828-894-3092. Remember that preregistration is important because there must be 5 people registered to have a class "make."

Listed by starting date, the courses being offered in early May are: May 3-June 21, Open Studio with Don Blackwell; May 4, Healing Art of Writing with Parsons & Kay; May 6-May 27, Developing Characters with Brittany Hampton-Tokar; May 7-May 28, Art & Craft of Flash Fiction with Darlene Cah; May 9-May 30, Beginner Stained Glass with Dot Pearce; May 9-June 13, Art of the Baroque and Rococo with Ben Pfingstag; May 13-August 19, Qi Gong with Ed Kan; May 13-June 12, Basic Excel with Brian Weatherly; May 13-May 20, In Class Writing with Brittany Hampton-Tokar; May 13-August 19, Tai Chi for Health with Ed Kan; May 14-June 4, Digital Camera with Carolyn Michel; May 14-August 20, Tai Chi Intermediate with Ed Kan; May 14-July 2, History of Appalachian Music with Alicia Knighten; May 14-May 28, Mosaic Flower Pots with Dot Pearce; May 15, How to Sell Online with eBay with Alicia Knighten; May 15-June 5, Financial Workshop with Jay Geddings; May 15-May 22, Intro to Yi Jing with Ed Kan; May 15-June 19, Photoshop Elements I with Carolyn Michel; May 16-July 11, Search Engine Optimization with Alicia Knighten. Watch for the catalogue which should be out in time for you to look over classes that start in the fourth week of May. New courses begin at varying times during the three months of the term, some only one class meeting, some once a week for 3 or more weeks, and some more than once a week and all reasonably priced.

When my parents got married in 1924, my grandpa William "Luther" Thompson built for them, among other furniture pieces, a bed made from a walnut tree which had grown on his father's property. My five siblings and I were all born in that bed, with each home delivery being attended to by a doctor and nurse from Tryon. I was the youngest of six kids in a family struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads, not unlike many of our Saluda neighbors. The house on Louisiana Avenue where we lived at that time was rented from Frank Thompson, my father's brother.

History records that my birth date, September 27, 1939, is remembered more for Poland's surrender to Nazi Germany's invasion than my insignificant entrance into the human race. According to Mama, on the day of my expected delivery, she was confronted with a dilemma: whether to cut up and can several bushels of ripe tomatoes before giving birth, or risk their spoilage during her recovery period. Since canned food was a major part of our winter food supply, she chose to tackle the job and eventually put up 30 quarts of tomatoes while dealing with early labor pains. Hindsight proved that decision to be a correct one since I weighed in at over 11 pounds and kept her bedridden for several days.

After my delivery, the nurse attempted to fill out the birth certificate and asked for my name. Mama told her she had not decided; the nurse agreed to come back the following day for a routine check-up and would record my name at that time. However, no decision had been made, so when the nurse arrived for her second and final follow-up visit, she insisted on signing me up. In later years, all Mama could recall was that the nurse's last name was Clark and that she had promised a pair of bootees and a night gown if Mama would use her last name as my given name. Unfortunately, the gifts never materialized, and even today, when I run into someone with the last name of Clark, I immediately inquire if they ever had a  grandmother or great-grandmother who was a nurse in Polk County because I'm still looking for my loot.

Due to a family conflict culminating in 1945, my parents were forced to leave the rented house on Louisiana Avenue and subsequently purchased their first and only home along with several acres of land at the corner of Pine Street and Old Macedonia Road, which borders the town cemetery. The purchase price was $2,600 and was financed for ten years by a bank in Rutherfordton. Evidence indicates that the house was built by O. B. Garren around 1893, and the original brass front door ringer, stamped in 1892, still announces visitors.

However, at the time of purchase, our six bedroom house was in fairly poor condition. Much of the horsehair plaster was cracked and falling from the walls and ceilings, while rotten flooring greeted visitors at the front entrance. Support pillars cut from locust trees had sunk into the earth below, which made for very uneven floors, while a lack of wall and floor insulation made the house almost impossible to heat in the winter. The only rooms regularly heated during the cold months were the dining room and kitchen. That meant no heat for any of the bedrooms or the single bathroom, and since there was no underpinning, nothing stopped cold winter winds from sweeping the underside of the floors. On occasions, a front parlor room was heated when company was anticipated, but it was mostly used by my older sister Nancy as her courting room.

Since the water had to occasionally remain off for extended periods in winter to avoid busted pipes, we were sometimes forced to take spoon baths in a #30 galvanized tub placed near the dining room stove, with lights off. In the summer, the wood-burning cook stove in the kitchen made both rooms unbearably hot when Mama cooked for her family.

One day while she was ironing clothes in the dining room, a huge section of plaster suddenly broke free from the wood lath strips and dropped from the ceiling.  Before she could react, a large piece crashed onto her head. The resulting mess required a re-wash of most of her freshly ironed clothes, which was no simple task since they had to be hung on the outside clothes line to air dry. Since there was no money to make repairs, we continued to live for some time with that gaping hole above our dining table. I remember keeping an eye on that portion of the ceiling in anticipation that more would come crashing down.

In 1951, Miss Mary Dell Johnson, a Saluda neighbor from Jacksonville, Florida, who was aware of our economic plight because Mama cleaned her house on Ransom Road, sold our family a beautiful dining room table with leaves, eight chairs, a sideboard and a china cabinet for a nominal amount. My oldest brother, Charles, had just come back from serving in Korea and was able to provide the funds, even though he was married and trying to set up his own household in Leesburg, Florida. That was the beginning of slow improvements in our household which made it more livable.

Several months ago, I happened to run into Bobby Johnson at Ward's Grill. Bobby was a family friend and one of my brother Perry's running buddies in the '40s. During our reminiscing, Bobby showed me a huge scar he still carries on one of his hands, the result of his trying to raise a broken kitchen window during that move.  

Thompson's Store is located at 24 Main Street, in the heart of downtown Saluda.   Contact the store at 828-749-2321 or visit