Saluda Lifestyles - Monthly Ezine all about Saluda, NC
Where Time Stands Still 
April 2016  
 
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In This Issue (click on a topic to move to it quickly.)
Community Calendar
Dates to Remember
Saluda Historic Depot
Saluda Train Tales
Book Signing by Saluda Author
Brown Bag
City Notes
Historic Saluda
Saluda Center News
Saluda Community Land Trust
Guided Tours at Pearson's Falls
Saluda Tailgate Market
Saluda Garden Club
Social Singles
Women's Club of Saluda
Coon Dog Day is Coming
Yoga Schedule
Tribal Bellydance
Saluda Community Choir
Saluda School
Saluda Library
Saluda Church Services
Post Office Hours
Foothills Humane Society
Annual Calendar of Events
Saluda Lifestyles Marketplace
What's Happening in Music and Art
Art Exhibit at Saluda Historic Depot
Saluda Scoop
Alls' Fools Night Entertainment
Third Anniversary at the Gorge
Saluda Students Win Robotics Tournament
Jerry's Baddle
Call for Artists
Saluda Arts Festival Music & Entertainment
SAF Sponsorships
SAF Call for Volunteers
Top of the Grade Concerts
Saluda Faces
Trout Fly Fishing School
In Times Gone By
Saluda Classifieds
Sponsors
Visitor Information Links
Music and Entertainment
Area News Media
Saluda Lifestyles
  HistoricSaluda.org
Saluda Property & Real Estate

 
Your Home Town Advantage  
Buy Local and Support Saluda Realtors

 Click on the pictures to link to  Western NC MLS Listing (links may expire, visit beverly-hanks.com to view featured listings.) 

All Saluda properties are 20 to 30 minutes from the new Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, NC. Live at the top of the grade for cooler temperatures and long-range mountain views!

To view all Home and Land Properties for sale in Saluda, please click here
 
New on the Market!
 
This newly remodeled bungalow is located in historic Saluda,walkable to Main Street.All new kitchen with solid surface counters, stainless steel appliances. All hardwood floors and many improvements..2BR, 2BA, MLS# 3158970, $238,000

Fabulous home and location!  Enjoy peace and quiet, in this privately located south facing home, just a 2 block walk to downtown. The home has so much character and attention to detail.  It's a real find. Yard is low maintenance. $295,000


Nestled in the woods, find peace in this quality, custom built mountain cabin with large windows, wood floors & walls. Adventure is out your back door! Close to the Green River for fishing, boating, swimming & hiking on miles of trails. 2BR, 1.5BA, MLS#3154128, $190,000


Charming cottage walkable to downtown Main St. in Saluda, NC. Remodeling done over the years opening kitchen to dining area, fresh paint, and new carpets. Perfect starter home or mountain get away. Easy access to I-26. 2BR, 1.5 BA,MLS#3150412, $154,900
Start a home or retire to the mountains in this easy to take care of home within a mile of historic downtown Saluda. Traditional solid built bungalow in established neighborhood. 3BR, 1.5BA, MLS# 3147395, $135,000

 
Enjoy the peaceful setting of Whites Lake from the covered porch and the wooded backdrop. Ample room for a home office, work-out room, workshop, hobby room and more. 3BR, 3BA, 3040 SF, 2-car garage, 2.19 ac, MLS#3160071,$345,000
 
Darling cottage along beautiful creekfront within walking distance to downtown Saluda! Cottage boasts cedar shake siding, open floor plan, exposed beams, updated kitchen, and cedar closet. 1BR, 1BA, MLS#3155485, $135,000
 
    

It's all about the river! Maintenance free home perched atop a hill overlooking the rushing Green River. Relax and listen to rushing water on large covered porch.Vaulted ceilings make small living area seem spacious. Stainless steel appliances.Natural landscaping in front with river boulders an 2BR, 2BA, 2.75 ac, MLS#3146385, $269,000

Featured Properties 
 
 
Southland log home used for commercial and could easily be turned into your mountain dream home. Walkable to historic village of Saluda, there's enough space for the entire family. Turn offices into master suite, and fit large spacious kitchen with new appliances. Oppty to upgrade and expand bathrooms to full use. Lots of parking and old homestead chimney sets stage for outdoor entertainment. Let your imagination run wild when designing and re-purposing this log cabin in the heart of Saluda. MLS#3140554, $339,000. Property can also be used for commercial purposes.
 
Enjoy a contemporary style of architecture portraying a lifestyle of outdoor living, luxury bedroom & bathroom suites,informal entertaining with light, simplicity and openness.Floor plan connects indoors to outdoors creating spaciousness. Easily accessible and minutes from Tryon Int'l Equestrian Center. 4232SF, 3BR, 3.5 BA, 3.15 ac, Tryon, NC, MLS#3143153, $450,000. View Virtual Tour.

 
Beautiful, light filled, lake front home. Solidly built & renovated with all new windows, hardwood floors throughout, & open floor-plan. When your not fishing & swimming in the lake enjoy your private land with a variety of rare flora & fauna, walking trails, creek & outdoor kitchen. Separate 910 SF building with private drive can be a home to your hobbies or office. A rare find. MLS#3132161, $275,000  
   
  
Private and secluded mountain retreat overlooking high mountain range above Lake Sheila.
Surrounded by the preserved and protected Greenville Watershed, this mountain home includes 2 stone fireplaces, decks, stone walls, hardwood floors, and ceiling beams. Guest bedrooms with private walk out. Privileges to use 28-acre private
Lake Sheila. 4BR, 4BA, approx.,.92 ac MLS#NCM583299, offered at $378,000
Click here for tour.

 Lookilake sheilang for lake
property in Saluda.  Click here to visit a hidden gem only four miles from downtown Saluda
.
  Click here to see all Featured Home Listings

Build Your Custom Mountain Home
Just Can't Find the Perfect Mountain  Home? Then Build It!

Lots and Land
 
Mountain Vista
Lot 16, 1.19 ac, $95,000, MLS#521147
 View Lot 23, 1.07 ac, $85,000, MLS#514441
Lot 26-R, 1.58 ac, $59,000 MLS#533763  
Lot 29, 1.81 ac, $39,900, MLS#569729    
 
Lake Lots
Lake Sheila .43 ac lot, $32,000 MLS#554607
REDUCED! Lake Sheila Lake Front, .24 acres, $65,000, MLS#510462
Lake Hosea, .34 ac MLS#558685 $25,000
Dun Roamin', Lot 1, .77 ac, lakefront, $49,000 MLS#518705
6 ac with pond, close to town, MLS#543247, $118,000
2.35 Ac, Views at Macedonia Lake,  
MLS#584676, $76,126 
 
Saluda City Lots
.56 ac, MLS#580811, $25,000
NEW!.23 ac, MLS#591373, $60,000
 

 Piney Mountain 
NEW!3.07 ac, MLS#589931, $38,000

NEW!1.65 Ac views,adj NC Gamelands, $28,000, MLS#584643 

View Lots 
NEW!1.46 ac, MLS#585785, $48,000

Large Acreage
135+acres, views, creek, building sites, roads in, MLS#3150335, $948,570
10 Acres, MLS#3148496, $125,000
5 ac, View, MLS#3123117$59,500
2.07 ac on Laurel Mountain Trail, MLS#558806 $80,000
REDUCED! See all the way to the ocean! 3 ac, MLS#561322 $69,000
.87 ac, level and rolling, MLS#566466, $38,400
2.69 ac view lot, $40,000, MLS#578015  
 
More...  
NEW!1 ac in Glen Echo, Winter views, MLS#587188, $26,000
NEW!2.01 ac, MLS#593461, $21,000
NEW!4.89 ac. MLS#588641, $42,000 
6+ ac on Green River, Silver Creek Tubing, MLS#572171, #175,000
 51.83 ac unrestricted land, $259,900, MLS#567003
19 ac Green River Cove, river front, $104,500, MLS#559424
5.77 ac, bold stream, natural development, MLS#556067 $114,000
1.48 ac in Whites Lake, Awesome Views, backs up to NC Wildlife, MLS#528152, $39,900
8.24 ac off Mountain Page Rd., well installed, MLS#520849, $70,000
5 ac on Valhalla Ridge, Views, MLS#568404, $57,000 
Dun Roamin' Lot 7, 1 ac, $72,500, MLS#476202
The Woods at Howard Gap, 1.6 ac, $45,000, MLS#454553
11 ac., private, wooded, $125,000, MLS#534045
9 ac, private, $113,900, MLS#509693
 5.84 ac, Little Warrior Estates, $69,000, MLS#454691
6.01 ac, pond, $125,000, MLS#543247
1.01 ac, Whites Lake, easy building site, $45,000, MLS#563106
2 ac, Winfield Cove, $40,000, MLS#545653  
Miller Mountain 3 ac, MLS#560929 $39,000
.55 ac, MLS#563859 $20,000
.51 ac, MLS#563860 $19,500
.48 ac MLS#563861, $19,500
Unrestricted 8.7 ac, MLS#562901 $84,667
8.7 ac with winter views, MLS#562901, $84,667
20.77 ac, MLS#588437, $149,900

 Other Areas
3.25 ac, Views, Hogback Mountain Rd, Tryon, MLS#519772, $29,500
1.04 ac, White Oak Mountain, MLS#426297, $15,000
5.39 ac on upper Green River, riverfront, MLS#570283, $260,000 
 
 
Looking for a Spring/Summer Vacation Retreat?
  Click here to download this list of referral properties.
 (Please contact property owners directly.) 
 
Links to Real Estate Sources

Saluda Real Estate Market

A Quick Saluda Market Update

(compares last year's sales with the same period this year as of March 31, 2016). 

 

Sales              Closed   Pending 

Homes 2016       11         10                  

Homes 2015       7           0       

 

Land 2016          4           0                              

Land 2015          3           0  

 

Click here to see a new Real Estate Trend Report for Saluda.

Click here to see a 2015 Year End/2016 Forecasts Marketing Report of Western NC by Beverly-Hanks. 

 

Data taken from Western NC multiple listing service.

 

Please visit Beverly-Hanks Saluda to see all Saluda Featured Home and Land Listings and search the entire Western NC MLS.

 

Saluda Service Directory
Community Calendar of Events
To see all the events and activities in Saluda in one view, please click on this link to access a Google Calendar. 

Google Calendar

Dates to Remember
Saluda Business Association meets Tuesday, April  5 at 5:30pm at the meeting room in the Saluda Library.
 
Saluda Community Land Trust meets Wednesday, April 6 at 3pm at Saluda Presbyterian Church office.
 
Town Council meets the second Monday of the month at 7:00pm in the meeting room above the Saluda Library.

Saluda Downtown Foundation
2nd Tuesday
 at 5:00pm at the Saluda Library.  
 
The Historic Saluda Committee will meet April 8 at 2pm at Saluda Library.  
 
Women's Club will meet Tuesday, April 12 at 10 am at the Presbyterian Church on Carolina Street.

Saluda Garden Club meets Monday, April 18 at 10am at Saluda Library.

Saluda Train Tales
, Saluda Historic Depot, April 15, 6:30pm.
 
Saluda Center Potluck and Bingo, Monday, April 25 at 6pm. Everyone welcomed.
 
The Saluda branch of Tree City USA meets at 5:30pm on 4th Thursday of the month in the Saluda Community Library.
 
Saluda Welcome Table, every Tuesday, with dinner served from 5:30 to 7PM in the fellowship hall of Saluda United Methodist Church.  All are welcomed. Donations accepted.  
 
Al-Anon Family Group meets every Tuesday, 6:30pm at the Saluda Center, 64 Greenville St.  
 
Polk County Extension Club  
The Polk County Extension Club, an extension of NC State University, meets at 2:00pm the fourth Tuesday of each month. Join us for interesting and educational programs and activities. We welcome new members.  If interested, contact Wilda Corley 828-702-9691 or Nancy Johnson 828-749-9664 for additional information.

Saluda Historic Depot News

Museum Hours are Thursday-Sunday, noon to 4pm.
   
Please continue to support our Saluda Historic Depot as we plan with the Historic Saluda Committee to design our museum to open in spring of 2016.
 
Donations can be made by mailing to Saluda Historic Depot, PO Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773 or through Paypal on the HistoricSaluda.org website. Click here.

When online shopping, we invite you to shop at SmileAmazon.com and select Saluda Historic Depot as your favorite charity. A small percentage of all your purchases will go toward our fundraising. To learn more about SmileAmazon, please click here.
*********************************** Volunteers Needed!
The Saluda Historic Depot is open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4pm. Now that Spring is here, more visitors are arriving in Saluda daily. The Depot has some phenomenal displays plus souvenirs to purchase, all of which makes the depot extra busy.
Therefore, we need help for a commitment for a second volunteer per 2 hr shift from noon to 2pm, or, the 2-4pm shift. Plus, we need back up volunteers who can fill in when needed.

It's a fun job sharing the history of the Saluda Grade and the Depot that was built in 1903.

Please contact me by email [email protected] or my cell 404-626-2090. You can also talk with Judy Ward at Thompson's Store 828-749-2321.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Anita Ogden Moore
Volunteer Coordinator

********************************* 
Saluda Grade Train Model Donated to Saluda Historic Depot
After studying the engineering feat and history of the Saluda Grade, Dr. Fred MConnel (Mac), has held a passion for Saluda and the role that this section of the railroad played in the transformation of western NC. Dr. McConnel, a native from Asheville and currently Atlanta, GA has captured this railroad history in a multi-tiered, interactive train model that he donated to the Saluda Historic Depot.
 
Having a passion for the trains traveling through Western North Carolina since he was six years old, Dr. McConnel would go down to Old Fort with his father to his father's factory and watch the Southern Railway engines get ready to climb the loops around Andrew's Geyser up Swannanoa Mountain to Ridgecrest. For the last 30 years, he has modeled this area in his basement in Atlanta. Since his family wanted to stay in Atlanta instead of moving back to Asheville, he created Western North Carolina in his basement. He studied the history, walked the tracks and collected types of every engine used for trains in the Western North Carolina Mountains. If he could not buy an engine type that ran in this region, he built it.
 
Just like building a railroad up a steep grade, Dr. McConnel was challenged building a train model of the Saluda Grade because of the space limitations in the depot building. Instead of drawing the O scale model to scale in width, he would go up and layer the different sections and eras of the railroad.
 
The Saluda Grade Train Model donated to the Saluda Historic Depot is of a G Scale diorama that illustrates different scenes of the railroad eras starting with the first passenger steam locomotive pulling into Saluda in 1878 complete with convict labors and Captain Charles Pearson, chief engineer of the building of the Saluda Grade. Scenes also include the logging trains, a model of Melrose and the safety tracks, The Carolina Special, a reproduction of the 611, and a replication of the train crash with Pit Ballew who first thought of how to make the grade safer and probably saved the grade from abandonment in 1903. Engineer Ballew's concept of safety tracks is probably the most important contribution of Saluda to transportation safety. Even though the track now lies in rust, lives are still being saved on highways that have run-off areas to save trucks that have lost their brakes.
 
The depot is open to the public Thursday through Sunday noon to 4pm and holidays. You are invited to visit the depot and view this interactive train model that will take you on a trip back in time when the railroads were our major mode of transportation. There remains a certain romance brought to mind when you hear the whistle of an engine in the distance, brought to you by the self-guided video, of course!
 
For more information, please contact Judy Ward at 828-674-5958 or [email protected] or Cathy Jackson at 828-817-2876 or [email protected]. 
 
*********************************

All ABOARD...for the 1
st Annual
Saluda Historic Depot Train Challenge
 
What:Families design, construct and operate a non-motorized train engine, boxcar and caboose train set made completely out of recycled materials, not to exceed 2' x 4' in size. The winning train is awarded based on ...
The Best Artistic Use of Recycled Materials to Depict a Train
When: To compete in the challenge, submit all entries to the Saluda Historic Depot at the following times...
Thursday May 19 (noon to 4 PM),
Friday May 20 (noon to 4 PM), or
Saturday May 21 before 10 AM
 
Members of the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club will be judging the Challenge assisted by the attendees of the Saluda Arts Festival. The winning entry will receive the title of Depot Train and remain on display at the Depot throughout the year. The winners will receive a local fun pack of adventure activities to celebrate their victory.

*********************************
 
Saluda Historic Depot Calendar
April  
April 1, All Fool's Night & Oyster Roast at The Back Alley Barn : A Benefit for the Saluda Historic Depot, Friday April 1, 2016, 5pm To 9pm, Tickets $25 for a Bucket of Oysters and a Beer, or Seafood Gumbo/hushpuppies and a Beer. Entertainment includes a Silent Auction and Music By: Doug & Bunny Williams and Dick Goodman from Lexington, SC. Let's Make It Fun: Come dressed as your favorite "fool" and win a prize for best costume. Pick up tickets at Thompson's Store or reserve tickets by calling 828-749-2321. Limited tickets sold so reserve early! 
April 9
, 6:30pm, Depot Art Exhibit Opening Reception honoring Saluda's own Bill Ryan and his life of artistic accomplishments. Exhibit to run through April 30.
April 15, 6:30pm, Saluda Train Tales #5, Dean Campbell, "The Dark Corners and The Railroad"
April 16, 4:00pm, Corinne Gerwe, "Murder in a Moonlit Mason Jar" Book Signing
 
May

May 7, 6:30pm, Depot Art Exhibit Opening Reception for Saluda Art Legends-Past & Present. Will run through mid June.
May 20, 5:30pm, Major Donor Reception Debuting the Saluda Grade Z-scale Diorama followed by Saluda Train Tales #6 with Matt Bumgarner, 7:00pm.
May 21, First Annual Depot Train Challenge, Families design, construct and operate a non-motorized train engine, boxcar and caboose train set made completely out of recycled materials, not to exceed 2' x 4' in size. The winning entry will receive the title of Depot Train. The winners will receive a local fun pack of adventure activities to celebrate their victory.

 June/July

June 3, Depot Dinner at the Back Alley Barn with DJ Jeff Foster and the best of Beach Music sponsored by the Green River Brew Depot
July 1
, 7:00pm, Opening Reception for the "How the West Was Won" historic display followed by Saluda Train Tales #7, TBD.
July and August
- "How the West Was Won: Trains & Transformation," exhibit on loan from the Mars Hill Rural Heritage Museum.

********************************
 
Go for gold, silver, or bronze as a recognized corporate champion of The Saluda Historic Depot.
 
Click here to download the Corporate Sponsorship Package and learn more about the opportunities for participating. 
Saluda Train Tales- April 15 at 6:30pm
The Dark Corner and The Railroad

Squire of Dark Corner, Dean Campbell Speaks at Saluda Train Tales in April
 
During Saluda Train Tales at the Saluda Historic Depot, Friday, April 15, 2016 at 6:30pm., 
Dean Campbell will capture your imagination with his tales of how the railroad bypassed Dark Corner 
 
Dean will tell how Gowensville and the rest of Glassy and Hogback Mountain areas of the Dark Corner were shut off by the coming of the Asheville and Spartanburg Railroad going through Campobello, the area that became Landrum, Tryon, and Saluda on the way to Asheville.
 
Dean will describe the maiden voyage of the first train to the spot that became the town of Landrum
after the first section of the railroad was completed to Hearthstone Ridge on the side of Bird Mountain south of Tryon
. It occurred on the day that the first lots were sold for the new town and resulted in the stabbing of Deputy Marshall J.S. Ledford. The train had no turnaround and had to back all the way to Spartanburg.
 
He will share humorous and personal incidents of his father's first ride on the train to Spartanburg where he visited an uncle who ran a mercantile store.
 
Dark Corner folks were always intrigued by ballads of events that took place on trains or were train related, and Dean will sing, a Cappella, several favorite train ballads (A Lightning Express Train, An Eastbound Train) and gospel hymn, Life is Like a Mountain Railroad. He will relate how the ballad, The Baggage Coach Ahead, (on the CD bound in his Twice-told Tales of the Dark Corner book) is sung by the late (then 93) Edna Trout Ellis of Saluda.
 
Dean Campbell deserves the title, Squire of Dark Corner because of his deep insights into this famous, yet infamous, mountainous region in northern Greenville County, South Carolina. He knows the Corner well as a native son who's maternal and paternal ancestors came to the area in 1784 and 1832.
 
He was the first person to delineate the Dark Corner, in both words and photographs, by physical boundaries, by living philosophies, by moon shining and superstition, by spirituality and by scenic beauty. His Eyes to the Hills-A Photographic Odyssey of the Dark Corner sold all 6,000 original copies and, by popular demand, was reprinted in 2008. He was Associate Producer for The Dark Corner, a 92-minute, historically accurate documentary DVD, produced by Dark Corner Films, Inc., and premiered at the Upcountry History Museum in Greenville. The full version video appears on The Documentary Channel, while a shorter version appears regularly on SCETV. He writes a regular column, "Twice-told Tales" for the Tryon Daily Bulletin.
 
Saluda Train Tales is a free monthly event to educate the community of the importance of Saluda's railroad history and the Saluda Grade. These events are at the Saluda Historic Depot, 32 W Main Street, Saluda, NC 28773.  

 
For more information, please contact Judy Ward at 828-674-5958 or
[email protected] or Cathy Jackson at 828-817-2876 or [email protected]. 
Saluda Author Launches New Book at Saluda Historic Depot
Murder in a Moonlit Mason Jar by Saluda author Corinne Gerwe is now available. This is a sequel to her first fictional book,  The Strange Case of the Doyle Diary Murders.

"It's summertime and the living is easy in the idyllic mountaintop town of Serena. When two seemingly-accidental deaths send Police Chief Jeff Farley into the dense forest on a chilling investigative journey, he finds a legacy of property ownership, illegal moonshining, and the ancient art of hoodoo practice that has kept intruders at bay since the early settlers made claim to the land. Charlotte, wife of an ambitious Congressman, has come to Serena to escape her husband's political career. She's in search of some peace, and possibly, herself. When her husband shows up unexpectedly, strange events and ghostly happenings are set in motion that challenges the beliefs and intentions of all. Set amidst a haunting wilderness where magic still flows, the residents of Serena must solve an ancient mystery and battle a supernatural foe. The human dynamics of love and yearning, greed and madness, and rebellion and redemption unwind at a spellbinding pace beneath the mystifying North Carolina moon."

Corinne will launch her book with a book signing at the Saluda Historic Depot, on Saturday, April 16 at 4pm. Refreshments will be served.

Click here to view Corinne's blog.
Visit her website.  Purchase on
Amazon.com.
Brown Bag
Where There Is A Need, There Is A Way!
 
Brown Bags Available April 15, 3pm to 4pm at Transfiguration Church. 
 
The supplemental bags of groceries provided by Transfiguration contain two boxes of mac & cheese, a large can of beef stew or chicken, a medium sized jar of peanut butter, one container of Parmalat milk or juice, a large can of baked beans, a loaf of bread (donated by the Wildflower bakery each month) and fresh fruit or produce. The Brown Bags are given out the third Friday of each month from 3:00-4:00 pm in the Transfiguration parking lot just above the rear of Saluda School and Henderson Street. Transfiguration also delivers to anyone who has transportation problems and cannot get to the church parking lot.
 
Anyone with questions or with information concerning someone in need, please contact Bill Sutton at 404-538-6413 or the Transfiguration Church office at 828-749-9740.

CityCity Notes


Help Pave Pace Park
You can have the life or memory of a loved one immortalized or have your name engraved on a brick paver at Pace Park as a recognition as a contributor to this new community park.  This park is in the alley by M.A. Pace General Store and is the location of a Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Interpretation Sign and future public restrooms.

$40 each, payable to City of Saluda, three lines of copy with a maximum of 14 letters per line.  Download an application here.
 
Drop off applications and payment to City Hall or mail to City of Saluda, 6 Main Street, Saluda, NC 28773.  Proceeds will go toward building public restrooms. 
 
For any additional information, please contact Catherine Ross at 828-749-3534 or [email protected].  

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Stay Informed - Get on a List!
Stay informed by visiting the city website,
cityofsaludanc.com. Minutes from previous month's town council meetings are posted on this site. To receive monthly notices about town meetings, please email [email protected] and ask to be placed on the email list.
 
Historic Saluda

logo  
 
Film Premiere: Saturday, June 4, 2016!
 
Going Home: Saluda's Music Traditions
 
 
Finally, the date has been set for the debut of our much anticipated oral history film documentary, "Going Home: Saluda's Music Traditions," which features a full cast of Saluda characters! Mark your calendars now for Saturday, June 4, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. so that you don't miss out on this great event. Join us at the Party Place and Event Center in Saluda for an exciting evening spent celebrating Saluda's musical heritage. DVDs will be on sale!
 
The old saying is, "You can't go home again." But, maybe you can. The Historic Saluda Committee (HSC) has been collecting oral histories through audio and video since 2010, primarily from its senior citizens. A common theme relayed during the gathering of these stories is a deep nostalgia for the rich and diverse musical traditions that were once common in Saluda. The HSC has enlisted the help of the Polk County Film Initiative to take these histories, collect a few new ones, and then roll them into a fascinating oral history film documentary that portrays Saluda's rich musical heritage, where the past meets the present. Sure to delight, these recollections include tales of the old time square dances, shape note singing, legendary fiddle makers and players, the influence of the railroad, a ragtime pianist, gospel greats, ballad singers, musical miracles, African-American history, Coon Dog Day, a famous baritone crooner and more. Rolling into the present day, we feature contemporary gospel, old-time and Americana acts, and some of today's great music venues, including a visit to Studio B at Western NC's famed radio station WNCW. This film will not only appeal to Saluda's people, but to folks from all walks of life who appreciate good stories, music and history, especially from a small mountain town in Western North Carolina. By the way, who says you can't go home again! We are proud to say that this film is partially supported by the Polk County Community Foundation's Saluda Fund, the City of Saluda and WNCW, a media sponsor. Stay up to date by visiting our Facebook page.
 
Support the film and have your name in the film credits!
Lend your support by becoming a film sponsor and your name will be included in the film credits. Open to both businesses and individuals. Click here to access a sponsorship/donation form. All proceeds go toward future projects!
 
Use Social Media to Get Your Saluda History Fix Every Day!
The Historic Saluda Committee uses social media. Like our Facebook page and enjoy tidbits of Saluda history every day. We'll take you all the way back to the days of Pace's Gap on up to present day. Click here to go to our page. We're also on YouTube. Oral histories or other videos are uploaded often. Go here to find us. Or you may simply search for Historic Saluda NC on either social media platform. Our website is always a source of enjoyment, so visit www.historicsaluda.org.
 
Available Merchandise:
  • Home, Hearth and History: Stories of Old Saluda, oral history documentary, DVD, $20
  • Saluda, NC: Voices from the First 100 Years, re-mastered audio oral history recordings, CD, $10
  • Historic Saluda Stickers, $3
  • Images of America: Saluda, published by Arcadia Publishing Company, $23.50 (includes tax)
Merchandise available through local Saluda merchants. You can also purchase it on-line at saludalifestyles.com. All proceeds go toward future projects.
 
Meetings
Want to serve? We encourage you to attend our meetings to see if this is YOUR cup of tea. The Historic Saluda Committee meets the second Friday of every month. The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 8, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at the Saluda Public Library in the upstairs meeting room. The public is invited to attend.
 
For more information about the Historic Saluda Committee go to historicsaluda.org or contact us at [email protected].Want to view some of the oral histories collected? The HSC also has a YouTube page, so click here or go to youtube.com/user/HistoricSaludaNC
 
Submitted by Cindy Stephenson Tuttle,
Chair, Historic Saluda Committee  
Saluda Center News and Events
New Senior Center
Save These Dates Now!
All events and activities take place at the Saluda Center on Greenville Street.  Click here to download the Saluda Center April calendar.  For more information about activities or to find out how to rent the Saluda Center, please contact the center at 828-749-9245. 

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK APRIL 10-16. Thank you to all our fabulous volunteers!!
 
The Saluda Center Book club will meet on Thurs., Apr. 7 at 2 pm to discuss Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult.

In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five....In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it. In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge. 

Sterling is a small, ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens -- until the day its complacency is shattered by a shocking act of violence. In the aftermath, the town's residents must not only seek justice in order to begin healing but also come to terms with the role they played in the tragedy. For them, the lines between truth and fiction, right and wrong, insider and outsider have been obscured forever. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, could be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened in front of her own eyes. And as the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show, destroying the closest of friendships and families. 

Nineteen Minutes is New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult's most raw, honest, and important novel yet. Told with the straightforward style for which she has become known, it asks simple questions that have no easy answers: Can your own child become a mystery to you? What does it mean to be different in our society? Is it ever okay for a victim to strike back? And who -- if anyone -- has the right to judge someone else?
 
Social Singles of Saluda will NOT be meeting at the Center for the next three months. Call Anita Ogden Moore at 828-749-3335 for more information.
 
Community potluck and bingo, Mon., Apr. 25 at 6:00 pm. Plan to attend and bring a covered dish.

Medicare assistance is available by appointment with a trained SHIIP volunteer, Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program, a division of the Department of Insurance, call 828-749-9245. 
There is medical loan equipment available; please call Donna to see if we have what you need. 

A Thrifty barn basement sales is open every Saturday from 10:00 am-1:00 pm and every Wednesday from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. Donations are accepted.   
 
A Thrifty Barn is open Wed. through Sat. from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. Call (828) 393-7891 to volunteer or for more information.
 
If you are home-bound and cannot prepare meals, if you know of someone who needs meals brought to them, or if you are recovering from recent surgery and are 60 years and over, please call the Saluda Center to join our Meals on Wheels Program. We will deliver meals to you five days a week at little to no cost. Ask for Donna for more information at 828-749-9245.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer substitute driver for the Meals on Wheels program, please contact Donna at 828-749-9245. This would require approximately 1-1 1/2 hours of your time when needed.
 
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 [email protected] to be added to our email list.   
 
The Saluda Center is located at 64 Greenville St. Phone is 828-749-9245. 
 
Saluda Community Land Trust
Walks in the Woods
April 3- Twin Bridges Will & Mary Jo will lead a 1 mile easy to moderate walk to kick off the season. This is not a long walk but more of a meander of 1-2 hours. We will walk among a huge population of spring wildflowers located at Twin Bridges over the Pacolet River on US-176 south of Saluda.
 
April 17 Moonshine Creek  Nancy & Beth will take us out for 1-2 miles of moderate to strenuous walking. Nancy Barnett and Company will lead walkers through the woods outside her home on West Fork Creek Road. Walkers will be guided down to the North Pacolet River and may note the remnants from the manufacture of mountain moonshine.
 
Walkers meet at the parking lot of the Saluda Library at 2:00pm. A SCLT member will keep you aware of the terrain of the trail and share their insights about the history, flora and fauna of the area as they lead each walk. Prepare for the walks with comfortable shoes, a walking stick, water, and a snack. Feel free to bring your field guides and a camera. Please provide any pertinent medical history to your guide.
 
For more information contact Chuck Hearon at (828) 817-0364 or (828) 749-9886 or [email protected].
 
Consider Judd's Peak and Twin Lakes
Please keep SCLT in mind when planning events in the coming year. SCLT has Twin Lakes and Judd's Peak which are both amazing venues to rent for birthdays, weddings, and other special events.
 
SCLT Monthly Board Meeting
Join us on the first Wednesday of each month, this month April 6, at 3:00 at our office in the Saluda Presbyterian Church fellowship building and find out more about our on-going projects and how you can get involved.
 
Be sure to check out our updated website saludaclt.org. We look forward to your comments and suggestions.


Contact our office at 828-749-1560 or [email protected] for information. 
Tryon Garden Club Spring Classes 2016 
At Pearson's Falls, 2748 Pearson Falls Rd, Saluda, NC
 
Subject:   Identification & use of flowering & non-flowering plants
Fee:         $5 per class, Non-members: An additional $5 gate admission fee will be collected the day of each class. The money collected goes toward trail maintenance at the glen.
Location:   Meet at the Garden House at Pearson's Falls 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the trail walk.
 
For information, please call Pearson's Falls (828) 749-3031.

 
Saluda Tailgate Market
tailgate The Saluda Tailgate Market is in its 7th season. We are an agricultural only market that operates from 4:30 to 6:30 every Friday from May through October. The market is located in Saluda's public parking lot on West Main Street and welcomes vendors from Polk and Henderson County.
 
If you would be interested in vending at our market, please send questions to: [email protected]. Information, application, and rules and regulations are posted at: saludatailgate.com. The 2015 application and rules have not changed and you may download those and apply for the 2016 season. We look forward to hearing from you!
 
The Saluda Tailgate Market is friendly and well attended. The community of Saluda lends its full support to this market throughout the season. It is sponsored by the Saluda Business Association, the City of Saluda, and Polk County Agricultural Economic Development.
 
For more information, please contact Shelley DeKay at 828-606-5713. 
 
Saluda Garden Club
spring park
Saluda Garden Club
Meeting April 18, 2016
 
IKEBANA is the Japanese art of flower arrangement but it is more than simply putting flowers in a container. It is steeped in the philosophy of developing closeness with nature. Ikebana is a creative expression within certain rules of construction. Materials used are living branches, leaves, grasses and blossoms. Its heart is the beauty resulting from color combinations, natural shapes, graceful lines and the meaning latent in the total form of the arrangement. Ikebana is much more than mere floral decoration.
 
The Saluda Garden Club will be hosting an Ikebana demonstration and instruction by Laura Felt on Monday, April 18 at 10:00 a.m. at the Saluda Library. Our meetings are open to everyone and are always free. So please come join us to learn more about this beautiful art form.
 
Please note some events may be cancelled or reschedule due to weather or at the request of the presenter. To confirm a meeting please call Karen McGee at 749-2530. We always welcome new members so if you would like to become part of this friendly, spirited and interesting group please contact Karen. Dues are only $25 per year and meetings are held once a month.   Hope to see you in April.
Social Singles
As you know the March 17 potluck was canceled for us to attend the Healthy Living Lifestyle Dinner and Program by Dr Randy Tryon of Hendersonville held in the Fellowship Hall of Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Upward Rd outside I-26.

It was so successful with many of our folks attending, we will CANCEL our next 3 months of potlucks in order to ATTEND the rest of the enlightening programs on same evening of 3rd Thursday.

The Healthy Living Lifestyle serves a delicious complimentary dinner before the program and is OPEN to the PUBLIC . The next 3 dates at 6pm are Thursday, April 21; Thursday, May 19; and Thursday, June 16. The April program is on Cancer.

If you would like to attend, please call me on my cell 404-626-2090 or email [email protected], so I can make a reservation.

We will be carpooling from the Saluda Center, leaving by 5:30 pm, if you would like a ride.

Our next Social Singles Potluck dinner will be on July 16.

Anita Ogden Moore
Women's Club of Saluda
The Women's Club of Saluda will hold its monthly meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at the Presbyterian Church on Carolina Street in Saluda.

Angela Williams, author of Hush now Baby,  will be speaking about her book, the writing process, and answering questions about her year of being a published writer.  Her memoir about the strong African-American woman who raised her and her siblings is currently in its second printing.  Ms. Williams spoke last summer to a large crowd at the Saluda Center.  She already has many friends here.  The Women's Club welcomes her back as well as all who want to hear her next chapter.  
 
For more information, please contact Marlin Beckham at 808-828-2439.
 
The Women's Club of Saluda strives to serve our community, support one another in friendship, and wisely use our resources to advance the dreams of our future leaders.
Coon Dog Day is Coming!
Saluda's 53rd Annual Coon Dog Day Festival is scheduled for Saturday, July 9, 2016, from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. in downtown Saluda NC.
 
The CDD 5K Race/Fun Walk is seeing some changes, such as beginning and ending in downtown Saluda this year.  The same race route from the past several years will be followed; only the beginning and ending points will be changed.  You may register at imATHLETE.com beginning April 1, 2016.  The 5K Race/Fun Walk Registration Form will be on the City's website, cityofsaludanc.com.
 
The City of Saluda will not offer any designated parking for businesses, citizens, or visitors on Coon Dog Day as it has in the past.  The City's West Parking Lot will be reserved for Vendors.  Nor will the City offer any type of trolley service to Festival attendees.
 
Saluda's Main Street will be closed to all traffic from midnight on Friday, July 8, until midnight on Saturday, July 9, 2016.  Henderson Street and Seminary Street onto Ozone Drive will be used for parade line up.
 
If you would like to volunteer to help with the Coon Dog Day Festival and/or the 5K Race/Fun Walk, please contact Tangie Morgan at 828 777-9158 or email at [email protected].
 
More information to follow!

Yoga Class Schedules

Soulshine Yoga
April Yoga Special - All You Can Enjoy Yoga $30
Please visit our studio at 144 West Hwy 176 or SoulshineYogaNC.com for an up-to-date schedule.

Contact Dori Ray at 828.808.8334 or 828.749.3395 for more information.

Click here to read more about Dori. 

*************

Cassandra Nelson, LMBT
Health and Wellness at the Saluda Center
 
Gentle Yin Yoga 
Wednesday 12:30pm
Friday         9:30am
   
Powerful (Vinyasa) Flow Yoga
Friday 8:00am
 
Classes are held in the studio downstairs at the Saluda Center. Mats and props are available. Please come at least 5 minutes early.Questions are always welcome! Please call Cassandra at (828) 749-3794.
 
AIKIDO 合気道 
Aikido (the art of peace or the way of harmony) is a Japanese martial art that does not rely on physical size or strength, kicking or punching. Instead, we use flowing circular movements which enable the defender to off-balance and neutralize an attack with minimal effort or bodily harm to the defender or the attacker.
 
Mondays and Wednesdays 6:00 pm downstairs at the Saluda Center.
 
Contact Ken Gardner (864)275-4441, Danny Beck (843)697-0047 or Cassandra (828)749-3794 for any questions you may have.
 
Also available are relaxing, healing massages in the comfort of your own home. My portable table can go almost anywhere! Please call at least a few days in advance to schedule a session.
 
Questions are always welcome! Please call Cassandra at (828)749-3794.
 
Click here for directions. 64 Greenville, St.

Tribal Bellydance
Wednesdays, 7:00-8:00 PM
Beginner & Intermediate, no prior experience necessary, wear yoga style clothing.

Tribal Bellydance is an American hybrid improvisational style, blending many ancient dance traditions into a fusion of traditional Middle Eastern dance with folkloric dance movements from India, Central Asia, North Africa, and Spain. It is a multi-generational group of women, dancing in unison with no pre-set choreography, using a lead and follow vocabulary of moves and cues, a form of non-verbal communication. The ethnically inspired costumes allow us to re-visit that childlike joy of playing dress-ups. Earthy and grounded, it is about women dancing as a tribe for the pure joy of it, invoking an ancient Muse.

Classes held at the Saluda Center, downstairs yoga studio, 64 Greenville Street.
For more information: Rima 828-894-2242, [email protected].

Saluda Community Choir
Sing in the Saluda Community Choir!
Monday's, 7pm - 8:30pm at Old St. Matthews Church.


Be brave; even if you claim that you can't sing, come connect and have fun!

For more information, please contact Patricia, the director, at 828-424-0017.

Located off W Main Street, past the Saluda Tailgate parking lot. 

Saluda Elementary School
  Joe Adams
Saluda Elementary School Events 
 
April 2016 Calendar of Events
Saluda Elementary School is pleased to be able to participate in the North Carolina Science Festival, a statewide 2-week celebration of exploration in science sponsored by Duke Energy. Our event will be held on Thursday, April 7 from 5:00-6:30 and will include engaging hands-on activities as well as a display of science projects completed by students in grades 3-5.Please join us for an evening of science and fun in the school gymnasium! 
 
Fri., Apr. 1        Books Are Really Fun Distribution #3
Mon., Apr. 4    School Board Meeting--6:30pm at Stearns
April 5 & 6        KidSenses Planetarium
Thurs., Apr. 7    Science Night 5:00-6:30pm in the Gym
April 11-15        No School--Spring Break     
Mon., Apr. 18    Happily Ever After Assembly
Mon., Apr. 18    "One Book, One Community" begins today
Fri., Apr. 22    5th Grade Muddy Sneakers Expedition  
Mon., Apr. 25    Regular School Day
Tues., Apr. 26    End of 5th Six Weeks of School
Thurs., Apr. 28    Report Cards
 
Visit Saluda School for additional school news.     
 
Principal, Ronette Dill   
 
Located at 214 East Main St.,  Saluda, NC 28773

Please keep an eye out for the hot pink Box Tops that are on many food products and send them to our school. Our school receives $0.10 for each Box Top that is collected and submitted.  This money is used to purchase books for the Books Are Really Fun program, where every student in the school gets to choose and keep 3-5 free books each year! 
  
Remember to keep Saluda kids safe, please do not enter school premises or grounds while school is in session.
 
Saluda Community Library
Paul Koenen
Saluda Community Library

Teen Scene in February 
Themed crafts and games!
Thursdays at 4pm, Grades 6-12
Free Snacks Always Served!

APRIL
7: Nintendo Wii U 
14:
Minute to Win It Extravaganza
21:
Tie-Dye Fun
*Register by April 19 for a free t-shirt.*
28: Nintendo Wii U 
 
 EVENTS AT THE LIBRARY ARE ALWAYS FREE!
 
44 W. Main Street
Saluda, NC 28773
Tel. (828) 749-2117
Hours:
Mon.-Fri. 9am - 6pm
Sat. 9am - 1pm
 
Saluda Church Services & Events

Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration 
The Reverend Augusta Anne Anderson, rector 
8:00 a.m. - Holy Eucharist - Rite I 9:15 a.m. - Adult Forum
10:30 a.m. - Holy Eucharist - Rite II with music.
Check their website for more programs and schedule changes. Transfiguration
Church of the Transfiguration - a bible study class is held each Tuesday morning, 11:00-12:00 and is open to the Saluda community - 72 Charles Street (behind the school).   Come and join us! 
*********************** 
Saluda Presbyterian
Adult SS 10:00 am
Worship Service 11:00 am
*************************
Saluda First Baptist Church
Reverend Tony Reese
Sunday School 9:45am
Worship Service 11am
Wednesday Fellowship Meal 5:15
Wednesday Bible Study and Youth Group 6:30pm
828-749-3231
Email:  [email protected]
**************************
Saluda Methodist Church
The Reverend Rob Parsons
SS 10:00 am
Worship Service 11:00 am

Stone Soup Worship Service, Sunday at 4:00 pm - This is an "alternative" Christian service/discussion for all-comers: new to church, dislocated from church, or other. Please join us. Contact Rob Parsons for information at 828-749-1783 or email to [email protected].

Saluda Post Office Hours

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 

(828) 749-5921

 

Foothills Humane Society
During April and May, adoption fees are reduced for adult animals only. The formula for fee reduction goes like this: Divide the usual fee for an adult dog or cat by the number of colors in that animal's fur and pay the reduced fee. The shelter staff feels confident the animal adopted is the answer to calm your Spring fever.
 
FHS is located at 989 Little Mountain Road in Columbus, North Carolina. Current animals available can be viewed on line by going to foothillshumanesociety.org or feel free to call for directions and hours to 828-863-4444.
 
Event: FHS Spring Adoption Special
Date: April through May
Time: Mon-Tues and Thurs-Sat 11-5, Sun 1-5, Closed Wed
Place: Foothills Humane Society
           989 Little Mountain Road
           Columbus, NC 28139 
 
Adult animals only qualify for adoption fee reduction. Formula goes like this:
divide the usual adoption fee cost by the number of colors in the animal's fur and pay the reduced fee.
 
Annual Calendar of Events
APRIL
Jerry's Baddle Green River Race --Duathlon requires Class V kayaking. 3rd Saturday in April. 
Saluda Train Tales - 3rd Friday each month (April - October)
MAY
Saluda Tailgate Market -Every Friday (May through October)
Spring Green Bash - 1st Saturday in May, hosted at Green River Adventures.
Saluda Arts Festival - May 21, 2016
Green River Games - Extreme multisport event changed from 1st Saturday in September to May 21-22, 2016 
Top of the Grade Concerts -- (2nd Friday of month, May through September)
JULY
Coon Dog Day - A homecoming and celebration for dogs and their people! Great food, live music, parade, crafts, and more! 1st Saturday after July 4.
SEPTEMBER
Charlie Ward's Memorial BBQ - 2nd Saturday in September 12, 2015
NOVEMBER
Green Race - A world Class V kayaking race. 1st Saturday in November.
Saluda Methodist Church Turkey Dinner - 2nd Saturday in November
DECEMBER
Hometown Christmas - Open House and Music. 2nd Friday in December
Small Business Saturday - 2nd Saturday in December

Saluda Easter Egg Hunt 2016
Thanks to photographer Stephen Gorzynski for this imagery of Saluda's Easter Egg Hunt.  Also, thanks to Terry Baisden who organizes this each year.

 
Saluda Lifestyles Marketplace

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

Saluda Voices "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. 

 

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

 

Don't Miss Getting Saluda Lifestyles

If you miss receiving Saluda Lifestyles, your ISP providers may change security filters frequently or you may have increased the security risk on your computer that inadvertently blocks Saluda Lifestyles from your email account. We apologize for this inconvenience.  In the future, if you do not receive your Saluda Lifestyles, please notify us by sending an email to [email protected] so that we can resend to you and track the problem.  The first of the month newsletter is always posted on the website at saludalifestyles.com and on the Saluda Lifestyles Facebook. Don't forget to add [email protected] to your address book so Saluda Lifestyles will be sure to land in your inbox!  

When Everything is New Again
The miracle of spring is the rebirth of nature as it awakens to the warmer weather and the mountains come alive. After a long winter rest, everything becomes fresh and new again. Keeping up with Nature's renewable energy, Saludians are freshening up their summer homes and yards, planning gardens, shaping up their minds and bodies, and businesses are preparing for the coming busy season.
 
Even as Saluda throws off its winter blankets and uncovers the beauty of a colorful spring, the authenticity of its people and town is still the same. A visit to Saluda, always feels like going home.

Congratulations to our National Park Service for celebrating 100 years of stewardship to our country's national parks.  Get out this year and visit a national park.  

Painting of downtown Saluda is by Bill Ryan courtesy of Jim Boyle. Bill Ryan Art Exhibit will be at the Saluda Historic Depot during April, 
What's Happening in Music and Art

What's Happening at the Purple Onion in April

 
NC Beer Tap Takeover
Pisgah Brewing Beer Dinner
Tuesday, April 5 At 6:30
 
April is North Carolina Beer Month with beer-inspired events, festivals, tastings and dinners across the state from the mountains to the coast. According to the NC Brewers Guild, the annual economic impact of craft beer in North Carolina is 1.2 billion dollars, with 300 million in annual wages and over 10,000 jobs. Boasting 135 breweries and 30 more opening this year, North Carolina is indeed the State of Southern Beer. Here at the Purple Onion we begin our celebration April 1 with an all North Carolina beer tap takeover. We plan to add four new taps this month and hope to feature several different breweries throughout April so come in often and check out our selections.
 
Tuesday, April 5 at 6:30 we follow up with a beer dinner featuring Pisgah Brewing beers. Benton Wharton will be on hand to enlighten us on the selected beers and the brewery. Chambli and Jeremy will be preparing some tasty dishes chosen to pair well with the beer. These beer dinners are always a lot of fun and fill up fast so make your reservation soon. The cost is $40 per person and reservations can be made by calling the Onion at 828-749-1179.
 
Thursday, April 28
You are cordially invited to join your friends, clients, family and co-workers on Thursday, April 28 for the 14th annual Dining Out For Life� benefit to support the mission of the Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP). The need is greater than ever this year with federal funding continuing to drop and an increasing number of clients who need help. For the eleventh year, The Purple Onion is pleased to be among over 115 of the finest restaurants in WNC who have agreed to donate 20% of their gross sales on April 28th to help WNCAP to meet its expanding needs. You can do your part by simply dining out for breakfast, lunch or dinner or all three at any of the participating restaurants. Please consider joining us for lunch or dinner.
 
Live Music in April
Every Friday at 7:00 Fred Whiskin on piano playing blues to Brubeck.

It is so much fun to have this fine band back. Be there or be square.
 
April 7 - Jay Brown 
Jay returns with his one-man band.

April 9 - Peggy Ratusz  
A night of blues, jazz, soul and R&B with this Asheville chanteuse.
 
April 14 -  Scoot Pittman 
High-energy and maybe a little crazy but his music rocks the house.
 
Their music is what Americana Music has always striven to be.
 
April 21 - Sally & George - making their first appearance here
This duo features Joel Timmons from Sol Driven Train and Shelby Means.
 
April 23 - Citizen Mojo 
Soulfully compelling interpretations of funk, soul, blues, and jazz.
 
April 28 - The Moon and You 
This duo from Asheville makes tender songs that feel like a warm homemade blanket.
 
April 30 - Red Honey 
Little bit of country and rock n' roll led by a bluesy and bold torch singer.

You may notice that most of the music this month is from groups that have performed here before. We only invite these performers back because you have told us that you like their music. You are welcome.

Music is scheduled by Robert Seiler.

The Purple Onion is located at 16 Main Street, Saluda, NC 28773. 828-749-1179 Click here for directions. Like us on Facebook 

GREEN RIVER BREW DEPOT
New Hours: 
Monday-Friday: 4-11pm
Saturday and Sunday Noon-11pm

Join us at Green River Brew Depot for live music, weekly drink specials, and events led by local talent. We offer 14 rotating taps and over 50 bottle beers along with an assortment of wines.
 
Mark your calendar for the Oskar Blues brewery tour May 8. 
 
Summer hours begin June 1, open daily from 11am to 11 pm.  

*The Green River Brew Depot is a private bar that requires a membership. Half Pint memberships are $5 and Full Pint memberships are $10 annually. Stop in the Depot today to find out more about what your membership will include!

Stay updated
on Facebook.   
 
Green River Brew Depot is located at 26 Church Street. 
 
    
Music on Friday Nights
Music is perfect to enjoy while dining, and it keeps even the youngest enthralled! It 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!
 
We are open: Tuesday thru Saturday, 11-3, lunch; Wednesday thru Saturday, 5-9, dinner; "Music on Friday Nights" at 7pm; Sunday 11-7.  
Visit us on the web at saludagradecafe.com or on Facebook.
 
Call 828-749-5854 or email us at [email protected].  Located at 40 East Main Street. Like us on Facebook
 
dancersextension The Dancer's Extension
The Dancer's Extension will be closed for Spring Break from April 11-15.  We continue to polish our dance pieces for the Spring Concert on Saturday, May 21.  Our Spring Concert is held at the Saluda Elementary School auditorium and in conjunction with the Saluda Arts Festival.  Admission to the 11AM show is free!  Mark your calendars and plan to join us for an entertaining performance.  We also want to thank Pat Bradley for working behind the scenes on our costumes as we prepare for our concert.  Thanks, Ms. Pat!
 
Adult beginner ballet continues on Monday evenings at 6PM.  Ballet teaches muscle strength and flexibility, grace, balance and agility.  It's a workout for your body AND your brain.  No experience or special shoes are necessary.
 
Please contact the studio for more information on classes or our schedule.  We hope to see you dancing with us soon!   
 
Our studio is located in Saluda, at I-26, in the Don Mintz center. Please contact the studio at 828-749-9398, email [email protected] or visit our website at thedancers-ext.com for more information and updated schedule.  Keep up-to-date with class changes on Like us on Facebook

Saluda artist Bonnie Joy Bardos will have an one-woman show at Millard & Company's Depot Gallery, Tryon, NC with an opening reception on April 8 from 5-7 p.m. Represented by Patricia Carlisle Fine Art, 554 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM, Bonnie's painting series include "Esto Perpetua", "The Haloed Birds", "Songs of the Earth", "Moon Hare" and more.   

Songs of the Earth features new paintings inspired by spring. All winter, I painted large canvases, even on days when paint froze and light was dim. These works are filled with joy, color, delight in the Earth and all her beauty.

Poppies bloom, branches, vines, fruit, fiddlehead ferns and stalks of flower pods emerge. Lotuses spike from water, circles of life and line float. Bamboo shoots, bees, butterflies, birds, tree frogs, words appear magically. Some works feature Moon Hare and haloed birds. They're all connected: as we are--to Mother Earth. Themes of my long time love of Jungian symbology intertwine.

Thanks to a Regional Artist Project grant from the Arts Council of Henderson County, in cooperation with the North Carolina Arts Council (a division of the Dept. of Cultural Resources) and the Tryon Fine Arts Center, etc., I was able to purchase several 48" x 60" canvases for the series "Songs of the Earth". I hope the gratitude I feel for this and life shines through.

Millard & Company's Depot Gallery is located at 22 Depot Street, Tryon, NC. The show runs March 31 to May 16, open business week hours to the public.
Visit Bonnie's Website and Facebook page. 

Random Arts

What do you get when you mix creative workshops with creative fashion style? The answer lies behind the colorful exterior and the bright orange doors at Random Arts & Apparel at the corner of Ozone & Louisiana.
 
Not only can you be creative with your art, you can dress the part as well and the gals at Random Arts are here to make that happen for you.
 
If you are ready to get your creative juices flowing and adopt a free spirit, then there is no time like the present. You can have it all here at Random Arts, including our newest selection of 2' to 6' Peace Poles for your garden.
 
Start out with an easy, "no fee/no-registration" Zen Doodle class on the 1st or 3rd Tuesday of each month; then work your way into a relaxing few hours of simple water color with Miriam Hughes. With only 3 tubes of paint and the gentle guidance of Miriam, you will find yourself totally mesmerized and immersed into mini works of art.
 
In April you'll discover...
Tues. 5th - ZenDoodle with us 10-Noon (No fee, No registration)
Fri. 15th - Imaginary Worlds with Wan Marsh 10-4 $125 (Filled)
Sat. 16th - Abstract Painting  Wan Marsh 10-4 $125.(FILLED)
Sun. 17th - Abstract-ed Collage & Painting with Wan Marsh 10-4 $125.(FILLED)
Tues. 19th - ZenDoodle with us 10-Noon (No fee, No registration)
Thurs. 21st - Red & Green do NOT make Yellow with Miriam Hughes 1-4 $45.
A color mixing class starting with the basics.
 
While the color is bursting out of the studio, you can make your way to the Random Arts Boutique and unleash your creative spirit with bright fashion statements that include vivid tunics, soft and cozy leggings, lightweight cotton scarves, fashion forward necklaces and so much more.
 
No need to look any further than Random Arts for all of your fashion needs. Come in and meet Jane, Joyce and Dee and you will be taken care of with a friendly smile and enthusiastic assistance.
 
Located "slightly off Main" at the corner of Ozone & Louisiana
Phone: (828-749-1165)
 
Please check our website or FaceBook page on a regular basis to find the updates on schedules, weather updates and new products.
 

back alley All Fool's Night & Oyster Roast at The Back Alley Barn 
A Benefit for the Saluda Historic Depot
 
Friday April 1, 2016, 5pm To 9pm
Tickets $25 for a Bucket of Oysters and a Beer, or Seafood Gumbo/hushuppies and a Beer.
Silent Auction
Music By: Carolina Express and Doug & Bunny Williams and Dick Goodman from Lexington, SC

Let's Make It Fun: Come dressed as your favorite "fool" and win a prize for best costume.
Pick up tickets at Thompson's Store or reserve tickets by calling 828-749-2321. Limited tickets sold so reserve early! Read more about Doug & Bunny.Topofpage

The Back Alley Barn is behind Thompson's Store/Ward's Grill, 24 Main Street, Saluda, NC.

FIFTH ANNUAL ART SHOW AT ICC
"Better Than Ever: Past, Present, and Future"
Presented by students of Don Blackwell
Opening Reception - Friday, April 1, 5pm -7pm
Please join us for the opening reception at Isothermal Community College in Columbus, NC. Come meet the artists and enjoy the fifth annual art show of artists who have been students of Don Blackwell, now or in the past. We hope to have beautiful art, impressive carvings, delicious snacks and a few surprises. The show will be open Monday through Friday during ICC's school hours in the auditorium on campus from April 1 to April 30. (Closed in the event of a class or meeting in the conference room). (Support Saluda students who will be in this exhibit.)

Pottery Workshop With Gary Huntoon
Gary Huntoon will be conducting a three-day small group workshop on hand building techniques in Saluda on April 21,22 and 23 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday). We are anticipating a second session later in the summer. You may sign up for one or both.
 
About Gary: Gary is a life long potter who focuses primarily on hand-building and on creatively texturing his pieces. You can see his work on his website: HuntoonPottery.com. Gary has created pottery and taught hand-building for 40 years and currently teaches at Tryon Arts & Crafts and at Spartanburg Art Museum.
 
The Workshop: This workshop will be great for any level from the beginner who is learning to envision a piece and join the forms to advanced potters who want to create more exotic forms and learn advanced texturing. Beginners will work on smaller, simpler pieces and the sky is the limit for the advanced! Gary will focus on joining techniques, textures and texturing.  We will make clay roller stamps for texturing and a series of texturing tiles (3 or 4"), explore some new ways with slab construction, learn how to make a bisque mold and learn a fun and easy way to make plates and platters. To the extent we have time, Gary will also show how to make tools for different handles, talk about glazing (his favorite), demonstrate different ways to use an extruder, and provide "meatloaf" recipes. It is going to be great, creative fun!! 
 
We'll have delicious soups and sandwiches so we don't have to stop for a restaurant trip. We'll talk about clay ideas over lunch and maybe watch a slide show of clay forms.
 
Tools:  Students may bring their favorite tools (mark your name with a magic marker), but Gary and I will share our tools and there will be plenty for everyone. Don't go out and buy tools if you don't have and if this is your first experience. Gary and I will provide bags of clay at cost and you can purchase a half or whole bag.
 
The completed work will be fired at no additional cost.
 
After this session, we will do two more sessions that will be optional...another 2 or 3-day class and a 1-day glaze session so that you can glaze the pots you make. These additional days will likely be in the early summer.
 
The cost for the three days is $135 per student. We have room for 6-8 students. Send me an email if you want to participate and I will confirm your space. Call if you have any questions.
Judy Thompson, [email protected]
828-489-6578
Saluda Historic Depot proudly exhibits
the work of artist, Bill Ryan, posthumously
Beloved by his friends, colleagues, and students, the work of William H (Bill) Ryan will be remembered in April during an exhibit of his life's work at the Saluda Historic Depot throughout the month. The exhibit will open with a reception on April 9, 2016 from 6:30 to 8:30.
 
Bill's partner in Ryan-Boyle Antiques, Jim Boyle is organizing the exhibit and will donate 50% of the proceeds from any sales to the fundraising by the Saluda Historic Depot to purchase the depot and operate a train and heritage museum.
 
"I know that Bill would be totally behind the efforts to raise the funds needed to purchase the Saluda Historic Depot. He believed strongly in preserving Saluda, not only its heritage but also its historic buildings.  I, too, want to see this endeavor succeed, and I hope this exhibition will assist in achieving this goal," says Jim Boyle.
 
Bill Ryan passed away February 20, 2013 and was so loved by his students, fellow Saluda residents and others, an endowment fund was set up in his memory. The endowment was earmarked for special workshops and classes to be held at Tryon Painters and Sculptors Gallery in Tryon.
 
He began his study of art with his mother, an accomplished artist and graduated with a combined art and English literature degree from the College Of William And Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and continued studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. After several years in retailing, he was hired by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. where he became senior editor, working on college textbooks in the areas of Political Science, Art and English Literature. During his time in New York, he attended several classes and workshops at the Arts Students League and continued study with several local artists.

Bill moved to Charleston, SC in 1970 and taught in the public school system there. He was assigned to a school on Yonges Island, and it was there that he learned to appreciate the beauty of the Carolina low country. During this time, he and four other teachers created a guide to teaching art in the elementary school which is still being used as the basis for elementary art education in South Carolina.

With his move to Saluda in 1981, Bill concentrated on watercolor and oil landscapes of this area and produced a series of seasonal floral arrangements inspired by the catalogues of English and American horticulturists of the 18th century.

In a past interview Bill commented, "I was once accused of 'painting for the people,'" he says, "Of course I do! All artists do that-- we simply choose different audiences. All art is communication and art that does not communicate is not art."

Bill taught in Saluda and at the Fine Arts Center in Tryon. His work is in collections throughout the United States and he received awards and commendations in several East Coast shows.

The Saluda Historic Depot is open to the public Thursday through Sunday, noon to 4pm and holidays. You are invited to visit the depot and view the creativity and talent of Bill Ryan.
 
For more information, please contact Judy Ward at 828-674-5958 or [email protected] or Cathy Jackson at 828-817-2876 or [email protected].
Saluda Scoop

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

To check business open hours or updates to schedules, please visit saluda.com and click on business website or Facebook page.

New Spring Glass Collection at Heartwood
Just in time for spring and summer gatherings, we are excited to announce some new additions to our hand-blown glass collection! Stop by and see these special collections from Baigelman Glass, Clancy Design, and Glass Rocks.
                                         
heartwood Heartwood Gallery, 21 East Main Street, Saluda, NC 28773, 828-749-9365Like us on FacebookView on Instagram



Orchard Lake Campground opens for the season, April 1. Come visit one of the most beautiful campgrounds in Western North Carolina whether you come in the spring while the apple trees blossom, summer when the cool mountain air refreshes you, or fall when God's display of colorful foliage is a magnificent sight to see.
 
460 Orchard Lake Rd, Saluda, NC 28773
Phone 828-749-3901

THE GORGE 
The team at The Gorge and Green River Adventures have some great things in store for us as they celebrate Green River Adventures 10th Annual Spring Green Bash on May 7th! Keep an eye out for more details on their Facebook pages and here in Saluda Lifestyles.

Green River Adventures - Celebrating 10 years!
Season is now open!
Reservations can be made online at GreenRiverAdventures.com or by calling our reservation staff at 828-749-2800 or emailing us at [email protected]


The Dressing Room Etc. will reopen on Saturday, April 2 in a newly renovated retail space at the Don and Sean Mintz Headquarters on Main Street in Saluda N.C.

Stop by and meet Corinne Gerwe from 1 to 3 who just released her new fiction, "Murder in a Moonlit Mason Jar."  Books will be on hand from  for purchase for her to sign.  
 
Not only is the space all new, but so is the great selection of new Spring and Summer lines, including purses, scarves and jewelry. The beautiful hand knitted baby clothing will be back.

I have worked feverishly to get opened to supply you with extraordinary chic and classic fashions and essential accessories for spring and summer.

Visit our website to see our line of clothing. Like us on Facebook

USA made clothing.
Looking forward, Irmy 
 
THE DRESSING ROOM ETC., located at 141 East Main Street in Saluda.  Phone is 828-749-9555.

Classes & Events at Kniticality
April Classes
New to Knitting: Pattern Sampler Scarf
Knit to Fit with Roberta Platt
Toe-Up Magic Loop Socks with Jan Hedden
Knitting Repairs & Remedies
April Events
Thursday April 21 - Knitting Potluck - Bring a dish for discounts!
Thursdays - TKGA Master Knitters Sit N Stitch
 
Call (828)749-3640 or visit us online at kniticality.com for more information!
Find us on Facebook.
 
Steamy Mug   
Welcome back spring and our wonderful Saludians. Just in case you haven't heard we are the town's new coffee shop. We have some fantastic new coffees for you to try. We offer mighty leaf teas (8 to choose from), ice coffees and specialty espresso drinks. If you are hungry we got you covered there as well. We offer fresh made pastries, cakes and muffins, as well as Joey's bagels and cream cheese. Our lunch menu is our pride and joy. We have some amazing sides made fresh everyday as well as our growing sandwich menu which includes a veggie wrap , paninis, sandwiches, and other mouth watering wraps and more.

Starting April 16 every Saturday, we will have a made-to-order omelet bar. And if y'all know Elizabeth Trumann, you know this omelet bar is going to be the place to be. Also keep an ear out--we will have live music on April 16, 1-4pm, and then once a month on random Saturday's. Come on down and meet us, Amanda Anderson and Elizabeth Trumann. We love seeing our locals near and far! We are located at 18 Church Street behind city hall on the one way street. Also find us on Facebook, instagram and now on yelp.

We will be closed April 8-12 for a family time.
WIFI available.

Hours:
Sun - Mon Closed
Tues-Fri 7:30am to 5pm
Sat 9am to 5pm

18 Church Street behind City Hall on the one-way street.

For more information, please email to [email protected] and keep up to date with their opening on Facebook.View on Instagram  
 
Our new spring clothing selections will knock your socks off!  Be sure to come see for yourself.  We have your favorite Jag Jeans for spring, some fabulously comfy leggings with adorable tunic -length tops, and much, much more. We're located next to The Saluda Grade on Main Street.  Our April hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11am-5pm and Sunday, 12:30-4:30pm. 
 
Joann, Connie, Lily & Catherine

We're located at 46 E Main Street, next to the Saluda Grade Cafe. In March, we're open Wednesday through Sunday.
 
  
 
Spring is in full bloom here on Orchard Inn Lane. The trees are a kaleidoscope of colors, pink, orange, red, and purple. The azaleas are magnificent as are the last of our tulips. And now we have our roses and peonies to look forward to. It's a wonderful time to be here in the mountains. It's the miracle of nature adorning us with its annual rebirth. 
 
Our fine dining restaurant, Newman's, continues to receive high accolades from food critics far and wide. We're serving dinner every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and an incredible Brunch every Sunday. Chef Stuart has been conjuring up some truly fantastic and innovative culinary delights using the best from our local farmers. He's also been on a mission this Spring planting our own organic vegetable garden in the true spirit of "farm to table".  Treat yourself to a most memorable fine dining experience! Call to reserve a place in our lovely dining room where every table has a stunning view of the surrounding mountains. Plan ahead for Mother's Day Brunch. It will be truly fabulous and will most certainly be sold out again this year. Call now to reserve your table 828-749-5471.
 
For reservations call 828-749-5471. 
Visit the Orchard Inn at orchardinn.com. They are located on Highway 176, Saluda, NC. 
thompsonsHistoric Thompson's Store & Ward's Grill
and Historic Boarding House Venue

(Thompson's Store est. 1890, Ward's Grill est. 1960)
 
Thompson Store, Ward's Grill and the Boarding House Venue.
 
New items coming to Thompson Store for your convenience.
 
Look for Taylor Farms prepackaged Salads, Fruit Cups and Sandwiches--great for afternoon in the park or a hike in the woods. We are also carrying more organic items and gluten free products. Try the best of homemade foods like pimento cheese, rotisserie chicken salad, chicken pot pies, fruit cobblers, potato salad, slaw, and local items from our community partners.
 
Visit our full service butcher-style market and get special cuts of the best steaks, pork, bacon, chicken, and deli meats. Select from a variety of cheeses.
 
Remember to come by and pick up Charlie's Sage Sausage or get it frozen, too. You can't get that anywhere but here!
 
Saluda's local-craft Judd's Peak Chardonnay by Glen and Kathy Ratliff is back!
 
We will be opening on Sundays in April, so come by 11 to 4.
 
New at Ward's Grill. We invite you to meet our new employees to better serve you this summer. Come in and get to know them.
 
Remember Veteran's Breakfast April 21to 11 am.
 
Boarding House Venue 
Exciting changes are coming to the Boarding House Venue! We will soon be rolling out an elegant new look-including a new name, new logo, and new branding.
Our appreciation of Lola Ward, the decades-long matriarch of Thompson's Store and its associated businesses, will be clearly reflected in these changes. So keep your eyes and ears open for future announcements!
And of course, our venue will still feature the same great space, service, and atmosphere as it always has-only with a fresher look!
 
Shop Small and Shop Local!
 
Hours 
Historic Thompson Store, open Monday-Thursday, 8am to 5:30pm; Friday and Saturday, open to 6pm;
Ward's Grill, open Monday-Friday, 7am to 3pm, Saturday, 6:30am to 3pm.
Sunday, 11am to 4pm
 
The store and grill are located at 24 Main Street, Saluda, NC. Click here to visit the website.  Click here for directions. Phone is 828-749-2321.Like us on Facebook


Green River BBQ
Green River BBQ 
Celebrating 33 Years this month!
 
We have two more offerings to our local beers on tap! 12 total! We will be having specials on some of these--just check with us!
 
We should have our new spring menu sometime in April. Old favorites returning and some new items using locally sourced foods!
 
Try our daily special weekdays!
 
The Barking Lot (outdoor patio) has already been a big hit and on nice days stays full.  We are pet friendly so bring the entire family.  Chalk is provided for all those that want to unleash their inner artists.  We enjoy the quotes people leave! Corn hole is still available.
The House Smoked Trout Tacos have been a big hit so we will be adding more street tacos to the menu.
 
Enjoy spring and the beautiful bounty of flowering trees and flowers and join us for a relaxing meal and your favorite beer!
 
Our Hours:
Monday's 11am-8PM
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-9pm 
Patio open late on Friday and Saturdays
Sunday's Noon-8pm   
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! Like us on Facebook 
 
Green River BBQ is located at 131 Highway 176 West. Click here for directions.    
 
 
Wildflour Bakery   
Welcome April!  We are especially happy to greet the warm weather and see all the folks sitting out in the courtyard and on the front porch.  We will continue to work on the additional seating in front of the shop...so keep an eye on our progress.     
Our new menu for pizza is ready and we know you will love the new additions.  One of our favorites is Abe's sub sandwich with ham, Genoa salami, Provolone cheese and our own marinated onions on a freshly toasted Wildflour Italian bun.  Pizza nights are Wednesday and Friday from 5 to 8 pm.
 
Enjoy all your favorites on our winter menu this month....like the chickien pot pie and grilled reuben sandwich....our new summer menu will be ready for May.
 
We are now here 6 days a week (closed only on Tuesday) from 8 am - 3 pm and Wed. and Fri. nights from 5 pm - 8 pm.  Don't forget to join us on Sundays for Brunch from 10am - 3pm.
 
Monday: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Tuesday: closed
Wednesday: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm & 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm for pizza  
Thursday: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday
: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm for breakfast and lunch  &  
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm for pizza
Saturday: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
 
While you are checking out our Facebook page or website, you can sign up for our newsletter.  It's a great way to make sure you don't miss any of the specials and happenings at Wildflour.
 
qr codes
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 Like us on Facebook
 
 
Meanwhile, Back in Saluda Local Market 
Submitted by Mary Ann Asbill of Meanwhile, Back in Saluda
 
April Hours:
Open 11 AM till 6:00  PM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday
Open 11 AM till 8:00 PM Wednesday for Wildflour's Pizza Night
Open 11 AM till 8:00 PM Wednesday and Friday for Wildflour's Pizza Night
Open 11 AM till 5 PM Sunday

Changes are coming at Meanwhile, Back in Saluda
Submitted by Mary Ann Asbill of Meanwhile, Back in Saluda
 
"What we call the beginning is often the end
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from..."
~T.S. Eliot~
 
Meanwhile, Back in Saluda is proud to announce growth and changes at home and in our family businesses.  Meanwhile is fifteen years old this year and ready for new beginnings.  Our Homeschool, Eleanor Irene School, is entering it's twenty-fifth year and will soon graduate our last student.  
 
Egan Asbill-Beck will be graduating this summer from Eleanor Irene School and planning college.  Egan is a member of the Ashebots Robotics Team and will compete in the FIRST Robotics World Competition later in April in St. Louis. He will continue working in Saluda part time.  Patrick Asbill-Beck is now working with TD Bank in Asheville. He is a Volunteer with FIRST Robotics and also will travel to the World Competition.  Casey Asbill-Beck recently was hired as the new Director of the Glendale Outdoor Leadership Center in Spartanburg, SC.  Both Casey and Patrick will continue working in Saluda part time.  More changes are coming.  Stay tuned!  Keep in touch via our Facebook page and stop by our shop to see what is new there.    
 
To learn more about FIRST Robotics, visit their web site:  championship.usfirst. 
 
Meanwhile is located next to Wildflour Bake Shop and The Gardener's Cottage in Nostalgia Courtyard. 
171 East Main Street, Saluda, NC 
Wine Shop Phone:   828-749-9463
email:   [email protected]   
See us on Like us on Facebook.  
 
   
The Oaks Summertime The Oaks Bed & Breakfast
A Landmark in Our Town
The Oaks Bed and Breakfast stands as a landmark work of art--a testament to the architecture and craftsmanship of the 1800's.  Today, this elegant lady graciously welcomes guests with arms open wide as one of Western North Carolina's premier bed and breakfasts.

For over a century, this beautiful mansion has stood the test of time, serving its owners as a residence, a boarding house and an elegant bed and breakfast inn.

Throughout The Oaks radiant history, refinements and restorations have been made; a commercial kitchen, six private bathrooms and two cottage-suites added for the service and convenience of our guests - all the beauty and elegance of the Victorian era having been preserved for future generations.

Heart pine floors, ornate mantles and extraordinary imported crystal chandeliers transport guests to a time when ladies strolled Main Street with parasols and gentlemen dressed for dinner.

The whistles of the steam trains have fallen silent and the mill has closed. But the guests continue to come. They come to "stop, shop and explore" this remarkable place in the Blue Ridge.
Call The Oaks Bed and Breakfast today to reserve your restful spring/summer retreat.

The Oaks Bed and Breakfast, 339 Greenville St., Saluda, NC,   828.749.2000, theoaksbedandbreakfast.com  
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Saluda Concierge Services is a new service for Saluda, Hendersonville & Tryon. Catherine Fairbanks is offering the following services (and more, if not listed) to assist you with your home and business needs and concerns.
 
Errands: Grocery shopping at area stores and specialty stores: Whole Foods, Earth Fare, Trader Joe's.
  • Pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy.
  • Gift shopping and mailing.
  • Meet service people at your home. 
  • Check home for security while away, bring in mail, water plants, etc.
Transportation to doctor appointments, airport (my car is fully insured).
Organizational services (your office or a room in your house).
Service referrals - Locate a pet sitter, doctor, handyman, etc.
Research and Writing - Business Plans, Book research, Articles and more (I have graduate degrees in research and information studies from USC).
Internet and Computer Assistance - basics or more. Help with email, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook. If you need to buy a computer, I can help select one for your needs.
Bibliotherapy - If you are dealing with difficult issues, I can select reading material and deliver to your door.
Craigslist and Ebay Listings - If you have items to sell, I will take photos and write a description, place the ad on either Craigslist or Ebay for you.
"Peace of Mind" Check - will check in with people who may need a bit of care.
 
If what you need is not listed, please ask.
Email:[email protected]     Phone: 803-457-2198 (I live in Saluda)
 

Queen Bee's Errand Service
Regina Burgess has started an errand service and will be providing the following types of services:
  • Grocery shopping and delivery (Ingles, Food Lion, BI-LO or IGA) / Weekly trips to Fresh Market and monthly trips to Traders Joes, Earth Fare)
  • Drug store and pet store, etc. shopping and delivery
  • Meal Delivery (call in to your favorite restaurant and I will pick up and bring to you)
  • Dry Cleaning pickup and delivery
  • Courier services
  • Personal Assistant (Schedule appointments, filing, paying bills, etc.)
  • Home Organization (Assist with organization of desks, files and drawers, etc.)
  • "While Away" services (collect mail, water plants, security check, small pet care, etc.)
  • Senior Services (companionship, run errands, schedule appointments, etc)
  • Small Business services (Purchase and deliver office supplies, pick up/deliver to post office)
Visit her website to learn more about Regina. Contact her at 828-778-2646 or email [email protected].
 
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Crust & Kettle Eatery and more.....
Open for Breakfast and Lunch Monday - Saturday, 7am-3pm
Home Cooking menu
Local Artists, Crafters, Gifts and more
 
Local YARD SALE, April 2, 8am until you are done--space still available, $5 a space and proceeds go to RELAY for Life
 
April 1 thru 15 Upstairs/Attic mark downs-toys, whatnots, books, Home D�cor.
 
We are hiring and will hold job interviews by appointment Friday, April 15 and Saturday April 30, 2-4 both days. Call 828-749-3503 for your best time slot.
 
We will be closed April 16-29. We are traveling to Scotland for a Teaching assignment, "What's in My Backyard," as well as spreading Nannies ashes.
 
Now serving on Outside Porch where we are Pet friendly. We also have a pet walking area in back. Water and treats served.
 
Call ahead for box lunches or catering.
 
Save the date May 2 Dinner by Reservations, 5pm-8pm.
 
For more information, please call 828-749-3503. Located at 1487 Ozone, Saluda, NC.
 
FoolsAll Fool's Night Entertainment
April 1, Back Alley Barn
Those attending the April 1 fund raiser benefiting the Saluda Depot will be in for a special musical treat from Doug and Bunny Williams of Chapin, South Carolina. Doug and Bunny have been entertaining audiences in South Carolina and the entire southeast for decades. Doug blends smooth vocal arrangements with a guitar and bass accompaniment to the songs of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, the Great American songbook, beach classics, and their own compositions.
 
Doug and Bunny are regular performers at the Newberry Opera House and at the the Villa Tronco restaurant in Columbia each Wednesday evening. They also host jazz and bluegrass concerts at their home entertainment complex featuring national, regional, and local musicians.
 
Doug and Bunny will be joined on the The Back Alley Barn stage by Dick Goodwin who has wowed audiences with his Dick Goodwin Bog Band and Dick Goodwin Quintet--both nationally, and abroad. He finds time to perform with the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra playing double bass, piano, and trumpet. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of South Carolina School of Music. Also playing with Doug and Bunny will be percussionist Tom Graham.
 
Doug and Bunny have produced their own recording, "Talkin' Southern," which will be available at their performance in Saluda.
Return to Top. 
The Gorge - Third Anniversary
By Ken Webb

The Gorge, billed as the "steepest and fastest zipline canopy tour in the USA," seems to be zipping along nicely as it completes its third year of business in Saluda, North Carolina.

"We are very happy with the way things are going," said Sara Bell who opened The Gorge in 2013 with husband Tim Bell.  She runs the operation from its Honey Bee Drive location just off Holbert Cove Road east of Interstate 26.  There are a dozen year-round employees, Sara said, with that number reaching 60 during the busy times of the year.  "Our staff is dedicated, professional, and committed to the safety and comfort of those who ride our ziplines," she said.  The Gorge is certified by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and meets or exceeds all industry standards with respect to guide selection and training, equipment, and inspections.

There are billboards and media articles promoting The Gorge, but repeat business has been a welcomed surprise, according to Sara.  "We thought people would come just once, but we have return clients and the good things they say about us to their friends and family have been stunning," she said.

"We are actually in the Town of Saluda," Sara said, noting that the limits were extended to include The Gorge property.  She added that contact with Saluda businesses and residents has been positive and supportive.

The Gorge's economic impact hasn't escaped Saluda Mayor Fred Baisden. "The Gorge has brought in new jobs, tax revenue, and new visitors to our town," the mayor said. "It's also important that this business is very easy on our environment.  It's the kind of new business we like to have."

Melinda Massey, travel and tourism director for Polk County, described The Gorge as "a shining star for Polk County.  It's always one of the features of my talking points when I'm promoting tourism for our county."  She also praised the Bells and the way they "create and deliver" quality outdoor recreation products for the area.  "The Gorge has become one of Polk County's top tourism draws," Ms. Massey said.

"Blue Ridge Outdoors" magazine has also tapped The Gorge as the "Best of the Blue Ridge" for 2016.

The Gorge is Sara's second venture into the outdoor recreation business in Saluda. She opened Green River Adventures on Main Street in 2006, offering whitewater trips, waterfall rappelling, kayak instruction, and guided fly-fishing trips. Tim is the operations manager there.  The couple met at Brevard College while students in the Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education program.

Sara oversees The Gorge's operation from a modern, tin-clad building--the outpost, as it's called.  It is the take-off point for the 11 ziplines that drop 1,100 feet through old growth and protected forests. Sara brought in her mother, Betsy Brown of Betsy Brown Interiors, and architects of Bates, Cockern Studio, all of Birmingham, to design the building and interior with a rustic twist.  The outpost is situated on the rim of the Green River Gorge and at the top of The Gorge's 125 acre-tract.  There are long range views out across the gorge to soft blue-gray mountains which include thousands of acres of Green River gamelands.

"It's all about the Green River and these mountain forests," Sara said, explaining how the special river with the whitewater reputation drew her to Saluda in the first place.

"Our outdoor training at Brevard College helped a lot," Sara explained, "but developing two businesses was quite a learning curve."  Planning the ziplines required specialized builders, along with arborists, to insure that the right trees were selected to support the ziplines.
 
Safety features for riders is paramount, Sara said, and include auto-breaking systems that end the ride without the rider's help. "We want their time with us to be exciting and as safe as possible."
Students from Saluda Going to World Championship!
*Ashebots Robotics Team Headed to FTC World Championships*
Submitted by Mary Ann Asbill of Meanwhile, Back in Saluda
 
Students with Saluda connection head for the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) World Championship in St. Louis, MO, April 27 - 30, 2016. Egan Asbill-Beck (Son of Mary Ann Asbill and Danny Beck of Saluda) and Logan Dixon (Grandson of Edna McKee of Saluda) are members of Ashebots Robotics Team 7300 "Guzzoline Robotics", a youth robotics team and part of FIRST Robotics. FIRST programs are dedicated to the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.  
 
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 "to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology". It's about more than just robots. Students learn to work together, not only on their skills in engineering and programming but also on cooperation, courtesy, and teamwork. To learn more about the FTC program, visit firstinspires.org.
 
Ashebots (Guzzoline) recently placed first at the North Carolina State Championship, where they achieved 1st Place Winning Alliance, as well as the highly coveted 1st Place Inspire Award. These accomplishments earned the Team the opportunity to represent North Carolina at the South Super Regional Championship in San Antonio, Texas. It was an enormous privilege to be the top FTC robotics team in the state, and the Team was honored to be the only team representing the WNC region.
 
Guzzoline then traveled to San Antonio, Texas and competed in the Super Regional Competition. There they won a place in the World Competition in April. Team 7300 was chosen as Alliance partner by the #2 Team entering the semi-finals, were chosen as #2 Finalist for the Promote Award and won the 2nd Place Think Award.
 
The team welcomes support from the community as they tackle the challenge of competing at the World Championship. Donations and sponsorship information, as well as a GoFundMe link, can be found at the Guzzoline Robotics website: ashebots.org. Every donation is helpful, both to help the team fundraise and also as a means to encourage the team of hard-working students with the feeling of community support.
 
Meanwhile, Back in Saluda is a proud sponsor of Ashebots. Thank you to everyone for all the support and encouragement through the years. To see more photos of the robot and team, visit our Shop at 171 East Main St., Saluda.
 
Jerry's Baddle - Multi Sport Green River Race 
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Jerry's Baddle is a dual sport race that began in 2006 to honor a good friend, Jerry Beckwith, who had been diagnosed with ALS. The race was born out of a desire to keep his spirit and passion alive by raising money to help fight the disease that eventually took his life and to foster the community he loved.  
 
The race consists of 4 miles of whitewater kayaking through the Green River Narrows, followed by 26 miles of road cycling with 4000 ft of cumulative climbing.
 
Following the race, there will be a festival for all racers and spectators at Wilderness Cove Campground. All race fees include entry to the festival. For those not racing, a $20 festival fee covers music, food, and parking. There are men and women's shower houses available for racers to clean up.
 
The festival will start around 1:00 pm on Saturday, April 30 and continue into the night. There will be live music for most of the afternoon and evening. There should be plenty of food for racers and spectators.
 
For more information on how to register, route maps, rules, how to donate, and more,
click here.  For daily updates, check their Facebook page.
Wildnerness Cove Campground is located at 3772 Green River Cove Road, Saluda, NC 28773 (828)749-9100, [email protected].
Call for Artists Saluda Arts Festival
Waddil Arts Festival Call for Artists 
SALUDA ARTS FESTIVAL
  Historic Downtown
Saluda,  NC
   May 21, 2016  
10am - 4pm
 
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 5 
Cultivating and promoting its heritage in the arts, the Saluda Business Association invites you to enter your work in the 13th annual Saluda Arts Festival scheduled for May 21, 2016.  Showcasing fine arts and crafts from local and regional artists, the Saluda Arts Festival draws thousands of spring tourists visiting Western North Carolina.  
 
Exhibit Fee:  $75 
Entry Deadline:  April 5, 2016
 
 Download application by clicking here or visiting saluda.com after January 1 and linking to the arts festival page.

For more information, please contact Susie Welsh at 828-749-3900, [email protected] or Wendy Hamil at [email protected]
 
Saluda Arts Festival Music & Entertainment
In addition to the artists, we are thrilled to announce incredible musical venues. 
 
At the Ella Grace Mintz Stage in Top of the Grade Park of McCreery Park, Saluda. NC:
 
Hummingtree Band 12pm to 1:30pm
A remarkable mixture of classic songs across multiple genres including Americana, rock, bluegrass, and folk, laced with original compositions and a high energy stage presence. 
 
Dave Miles (bass, guitar), Earl Turner (guitar) and Randy Wykoff (mandolin, octave mandolin, and harmonica) came together as the Hummingtree Band in the 1980s. The three singer/songwriters came from diverse musical backgrounds but were able to meld their styles and create a unique sound and musical experience. After only three years, major life changes forced an unexpected hiatus for the band. Then, after 23 years and various relocations, the band realized they lived close enough to get together again for weekend jam sessions. These sessions soon turned into a "Reunion Tour."
 
Now, performing regularly across the Southeast, The Hummingtree Band has found popularity again. Their unique blend of humor and musicality is something you'll want to see!

 
Sound Investment 2pm to 4pm
A favorite band for those who like to dance to classic rock and beach music. Sound Investment adds a new twist on tunes from the Beach Boys, Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Sam & Dave, The Four Tops, Young Rascals, Temptations, Righteous Brothers, Kinks, Supremes, Johnny Rivers, Doobie Brothers, Atlanta Rhythm Section, and many more. With Rodney Gibson on keyboard and guitar, Rick Gunderson, lead guitar, Kevin Filson on bass, and Michael Leyshon playing drums, you will be on your feet!
 
Hog Town Squealers  11am - 2pm
Brevard's Hogtown Squealers have delighted audiences and dancers for more than twenty years with their creative exploration of old time music traditions. Their music is flavored with honkey-tonk, ragtime, and "obscure musical miscellany". Currently the band consists of Tom Anderson (fiddle, vocals), Susan Brown (fiddle), Matt Gardner (bass), John von Stein (accordion, vocals), Keith Ward (guitar), and Gary Wells (banjolyn, vocals).

In their eclectic approach to old time music, they share much of their musical attitude with the early incarnations of the Red Clay Ramblers and the Double Decker String Band. The Squealers are influenced by the early greats of recorded Southern stringband music. They cite Uncle Dave Macon, Gid Tanner, and North Carolinian Charlie Poole as influences. In the same set as a rollicking version of Uncle Dave's "Old Plank Road" and the Carter Family's "Dixie Darling" might be a Squealerized version of "Thunder Road," the Robert-Mitchum-penned theme song from the movie of the same name about moonshine bootleggers.
 
Over Mountain String Band
Formerly known as the Saluda Grade String Band, they are a favorite at the Saluda Arts Festival each year. This string ensemble gathers at different areas along the festival site to play historic tunes, popular in the Southern Appalachians before the days of radio. You will want to see their unique instruments and hear the history they continue to preserve.
 
Dancer's Extension Spring Concert
The Spring Concert is planned for 11am at Saluda Elementary School's auditorium on the day of the festival. Approximately 50 students will perform with numbers in the genres of ballet, jazz and contemporary dance. Admission is free.  
 
Children's Art Tent
Children can unlock their creativity at the "Children's Art Tent". Face painting combined with an interactive art creation will delight all. Located at the Shelter in McCreery Park.
 
Balloon Artist and Stilt Walker
For the enjoyment of the children and amazement of all, talented Balloon Artist, Stephanie Miles will create art out of balloons, and Stilt Walker, Ananda (Heather Springsteen) will bring a colorful array to the skyline.  

Saluda Arts Festival - Sponsorships
saf 
We sincerely thank our sponsors for their gracious contributions, which continue to support the Art culture and history in Saluda. Without these sponsorships, we would not be able to offer the same top quality, family-oriented cultural event for which we are recognized. We are grateful to all our sponsors who contribute funds to support the Saluda Arts Festival.
  
Be recognized for supporting the Arts.
If you would like to be a sponsor of this year's festival, please contribute by April 15. 

Sponsorships can be made to Saluda Business Association and mailed to PO Box 1085, Saluda, NC 28773.  
 
Individual sponsorships can be made for any amount.  Business sponsorships will be recognized on a "Sponsor Banner" that will be on display during the festival. Here are business sponsorship categories: Bronze-$50, Silver-$100, Gold - $250. With contributions of $250 or more, a special banner will be made for you and placed in a highly visible area. Sponsors are also recognized in our media releases and announcements.
  
We promote the festival within a two to four hour driving distance of Saluda. We advertise on two NPR public broadcasting stations, electronic boards, regional trade magazines, circulated marketing literature and appear on local TV spots.
    
We invite you to visit saluda.com and click on the Saluda Arts Festival to get more information. See what you're missing and expand your business footprint in the surrounding area.
 
For more information, please contact Beth Carson at [email protected]
 or 828-749-1118.  
 
Call for Volunteers for Saluda Arts Festival
Volunteer. Have fun and Make New Friends!  We need smiling faces. Volunteering for the Saluda Arts Festival is great fun. Be a greeter or area leader, lend a hand to clean up before and after and help in the children's tent. Volunteer shifts are only two-hours. The time passes in a blink. Have some fun. Sign up today!  Contact Tangie Morgan at [email protected] or 828-777-9158.
Top of the Grade Concerts
Launches 2016 Season May 13
totg 
Top of the Grade Concerts at Top of the Grade Park at McCreery Park in historic downtown Saluda begins its 2016 season on Friday, May 13 with five concerts planned this year. This is going to be an exciting concert series with some favorite performers returning and an introduction to some new and fun musical talent. Concert dates are synchronized with the Summer Tracks concerts in Rogers Park in Tryon so there will be live music in Polk County all summer and you won't miss any of the fun.
 
All performances will be held on the Ella Grace Mintz Stage from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at Top of the Grade Park at McCreery Park.
 
Attendees should bring their own chairs or blankets. Food, soft drinks, beer and wine, and coolers are allowed. No food will be available at the park, but all of Saluda's delicious restaurants will be open serving everything from hamburgers and pizzas to gourmet meals. Events are rain or shine so you may need to bring an umbrella if rain is in the forecast. In some cases, rain events may move to the Pavilion.
 
May 13 - Dogwhistle, fun traditional and country-western and swing band that includes Scott Allen from Saluda, NC. 
June 10 - The Secret Band , rock & roll, 70s and 80s and originals
July 8 - Scoot Pittman, along with his power trio will rock up in the pavilion the night before Coon Dog Day
August 12 - Bob Sinclair & The Big Deals, Americana, new swing, fun stuff
Sept 2 - Aaron Burdett Band, a great finale for the 2016 season.
 
Top of the Grade concerts are coordinated by the Saluda Downtown Foundation and funding for the Friday night concerts has been through a community grant from Polk County Community Foundation. All concerts are free to the public through a Free Community Events grant.
 
Top of the Grade Concerts are being produced and coordinated by Peter Eisenbrown of Blockparty Productions this year. Peter has been producing the Summer Tracks concert series in Tryon for 17 years.
 
For more information about the concerts, please contact Peter at [email protected], 828-290-4316 or Cathy Jackson at 828-817-2876 or [email protected].

Saluda Faces
Billy Shand

Saluda Faces recognizes Saluda citizens that you may see often and wonder who they are, what they do, and why they live or work in Saluda. If you would like to refer someone for Saluda Faces, please email [email protected].   

In Billy Shand's family, both of his paternal great-grandfathers built houses in Saluda. Robert Shand built one of the first summer houses on what is now Shand Street in 1878, and John Stricker Coles built his summer house in Columbia Heights in 1898. Every summer since then the families came to Saluda, so it was natural that Billy would spend part of his summers here from childhood on.
 
(Billy and his wife Jennifer Shand live on Shand Hill located across from the playground off Main St. The city named it Shand Hill as well as Shand St. since his two grandfather's on his Father's side (Shand and Coles) bought houses there about the time the railroad was being considered as part of the new Asheville- Spartanburg line of Southern Railway- about 1870.)
 
The night of March 18, Billy spoke at the
Saluda Depot about his history as a young man in town and as he says it "spending all my waking hours at the depot". But this piece will be more about them as a couple and how they came to Saluda as permanent residents.

Retired as an Episcopal priest just recently, it seems there are many connections with the church on both sides of the family. Jennifer's father was in the Air Force. After leaving the service, he attended the University of the South, or Sewanee, located in Sewanee, TN as a seminary student. He finished and was ordained an Episcopal priest. They moved to Texas and there he became a bishop of the Diocese of Texas.
 
Finishing their degrees at different schools, Jennifer and Billy met when they both took teaching jobs at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, SC. After they married, they continued coming to Saluda in the summers.  After they had two sons, Ben and Peter, they would come and it would become a great place for short summer vacations for the family. Billy fondly recalls a picture he has of the boys with Robert Pace and Charlie Herron at Pace's store.
 
From 1987 until his retirement last summer, Billy was rector of St Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC. For ten years, Jennifer was the librarian at the parish school the church owned and oversaw. Billy worked there until retiring last year and moving permanently to Saluda.
 
They bought the house where they live now, on Chisholm Street, from Don Mintz in the spring of 2005. Since the connection to town had been made in the past, the boys now could come as young adults and spend as much time as they wanted in Saluda. Since Jennifer spent a lot of her summer time here in town while Billy worked as the rector in the Maryland church, she ended up getting to know more about the town and its residents than Billy did. He knew who might have lived in a certain house generations ago, but she knew the current owners.
 
At this point they are settling into their new lifestyle. Jennifer is gardening, mostly flowers, and Billy would like to enter his "second Jeffersonian period" of sitting on the porch reading, writing and sipping wine. Did I mention his Masters in History gave him a rich appreciation of Thomas Jefferson?
 
They would like to travel and see more of this country. They wanted to see all 50 states before 50. He and Jennifer are working on that as well as trying to visit all the US President's graves and seeing the sites along the way.
 
No grandchildren yet since the boys are not yet married. So when you see them around town, ask about where they will travel to next and "How do your flowers grow?"

Submitted by Mike Boyce
Pisgah Chapter of Trout Fly Fishing School
Have you ever wanted to learn something truly special for this area?  The Pisgah Chapter of Trout Unlimited is holding its annual Fly Fishing School on Saturday, April 23, 2016, from 8:30 am to 4:45 pm at Harmon Field in Tryon.
 
Students will receive not only a full day of practical instruction from experienced anglers covering the basics of fly fishing, including equipment, casting, line management and stream tactics, but they will also get a � day session of "hands on" learning on one of the area's trout rich rivers or streams. The combination of the classroom instruction and on-the-water guided practice makes this one of the most unique and economical fly fishing schools available in our area.
 
The cost of the school (which includes lunch on Saturday, the 18th) is $125 for adults and $75 for students (ages 12 to 18).  Equipment for the class will also be provided.  For more information and to download registration for the school, please visit the PCTU website at pisgahchaptertu.org.  Class size is limited.  Early registration is recommended. Deadline for registering is April 11.
 
All proceeds from the school help support Trout Unlimited educational and environmental programs in Western North Carolina.
 
Trout Unlimited is dedicated to the conservation, protection and restoration of coldwater fisheries and their watersheds in the Western North Carolina region.
 
In Times Gone By
by William H Russell
 

This story is being printed with permission of William H. Russell who is the author of "In Times Gone By" which is a collection of stories about growing up in Saluda. You can purchase the book at M.A. Pace General Store.  
 
April Spring
Each year when the warm winds of April blow the last cold breeze of winters away, the earth renews its self. With the green of new growth, with blue and yellow violets and dandelions and daffodils all proclaiming that spring has come back to the mountains and winter was just a bad dream soon forgotten. Memories of spring and the old home place where I grew up draws me. Like a moth drawn to a light, back there to spend some time remembering. The old house is gone and only the rock wall above the field remains to testify that at some time in past years a home stood there.
 
I stood on the wall in the warm spring sun and wondered at how small the field was now compared to how big it was when I was young and grew a garden there. The wild strawberries were blooming near the wall reminding me of how sweet they would become in May, across the creek a red bird sang a song over and over Pretty! Pretty! Pretty!--as he perched in the top of an old oak tree.
 
As I stood looking across the field, suddenly a boy about twelve appeared plowing a mule, turning up furrows of gray dark earth. As he drew near I could smell the fresh turned soil and the sweat of the mule as he stopped near where I stood. I could see that he had a shock of black curly hair and that he was dressed in old faded overhauls, no shoes and no shirt. The plow lines were around his neck and under one arm as he guided the plow in the furrow across the field.
 
"Hello! Mister I didn't see you there," as he tied the plow lines to the plow. "You must be new around these parts; I don't think I've met you before. I've been plowing sense early this morning. I've got to give the mule a rest and let him take his time, he is old you know." "The taters have to be planted in the full of the moon, with eyes all turned up, if they are going to be any size."
 
He wiped the sweat off his forehead as he dug his toes in the fresh plowed soil. "My dad told me how to grow them, before he went away. He is in the army somewhere over seas. Have you been in the Army, Mister? I'm going myself when I get old enough. You sure have nice clothes and I really like your shoes. Are you rich mister?"
 
I wanted to reach out and ruffle up his curly hair and plow a few rounds to rest him for a while and to tell him the best was yet to come. "You sure don't talk much mister; you never said who you were. Do I know you?"
 
I almost said, "Young man I am you and you are me." Suddenly he was gone--faded into memories of many years ago.
 
I could taste a salty tear as I turned to walk away back up the path to today. The red bird still sang his song on a warm spring day.
 
(William H. Russell) Furman University 1996
Saluda Classifieds

Space available in Saluda Historic Depot.  
625SF for $500/month plus utilities.  For information, please call Judy Ward at 828-674-5958.

For Sale -
Saluda United Methodist Church is selling a Lowrey Genius, Digital Stereo Rhythm Gx Organ. If Interested, please call 828-749-3789.

Time for Spring Cleaning!
"Deep cleaning" 
"One time cleaning"
"Moving jobs"
Call Kathie for estimates at 828-674-6108.
 
In Gratitude Bed & Breakfast
Repose for Body and Soul - Accommodations and Retreats, 635 Louisiana Avenue, Saluda, NC 28773. Classic 1900 cottage with separate retreat cabin. Secluded, set back in the woods, on 2 acres of land. Only a ten minute walk to downtown. Accommodations for 6 in cottage: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living area, kitchen, dining room, screen porch. Retreat cabin for one set apart from cottage with kitchen, deck overlooking the woods and separate meditation room. For reservations and additional information please contact:
Ben Coonrod at 803-378-8760 [email protected].

Bookkeeping Services

Timely and accurate bookkeeping services for your unique business needs. Call Debbie Hahn for more information 828-749-3388 .

Private Guitar, Voice And Violin Lessons
-
I come to you. Retired from church music ministry. 20 yrs teaching private music lessons. Proud, new Saluda resident. Call Rob Herbst at 828-489-1592 or email [email protected].

Number of Beauty Shops in Tryon:  8
Number of Beauty Shops in Columbus: 8
Number of Beauty Shops in Saluda: 0
Beautiful shop space, ready for the only beauty shop in town!  Special offer for the first three months.  Call Debi 828-749-9224. 

Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
Relaxing, healing massages are available in the comfort of your own home, rental cabin or at your favorite B&B. My portable table can go almost anywhere! Advanced scheduling is recommended. 14 years of experience. Cassandra Nelson, Lic#7386, (828)749-3794.
 
Piano Lessons with Patricia!
Experienced International Music Educator-MA-- All ages/ levels. Call Patricia Roskens at 828-424-0017 or email [email protected].
 
Art Studio for Rent in Saluda
Space available for potters, sculptors, painters, jewelers, bead/fabric artists, writers, etc. Great atmosphere, affordable rent, flexible lease, large and small work spaces available. Call Ruth at 828-749-9718 chickenhousestudios.org.
 
Office space available. 
Beautiful, quiet location right off Main St below Wildflour Bakery.  Private bathroom, entrance and two rooms.  Approx 530 sq.ft., $310 monthly includes water, sewage and trash pickup.  Not for residential use. 828-749-9224 (Ask for Debi or leave a message.) 

Saluda Pet Sitter.  Three years experience, responsible, references available. Will come to your home up to three times a day, feed, exercise and general care of your pet. Experience in dogs, cats, and even goats! Call Lance at 828-284-4811 or 828-284-5660.

House Sitting & Animal Care
Take your vacations without the guilt and worry. I am familiar with a variety of animals and houses. I will do my best to be available for emergencies due to family, flights, or other unforeseen doings! References are available upon request. Contact Cassandra at (828) 749-3794.
 
Piano lessons by experienced teacher.
Ages 4-Senior Adult.  Beginner - Advanced.  I have over 30 years experience and have excellent references. Please call Stephen Stone at 828-273-4209 or email [email protected] for more information.
 
Need your piano tuned?
References available. 
All work comes with a money back guarantee! Call Stephen Stone at 828-273-4209 or email:  [email protected]
to make an appointment.

If you have any news, announcements or stories you would like to submit to Saluda Lifestyles, please email them by clicking on this link saludalifestyles.com.

Thanks for your continued support and your feedback.
 
Happy Spring!
Cathy Jackson
Saluda Lifestyles
828-749-3504
828-817-2876
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All material contained in Saluda Lifestyles is original work by Saluda residents and others with an interest in Saluda unless otherwise specified.  None of the material may be reproduced in whole or in part except by written consent of the editor or by the originator of the material.  Views and philosophies expressed by contributors of material in this publication do not necessarily represent those of Saluda Lifestyles.

 

To submit articles to Saluda Lifestyles, please email to [email protected] by the 25th of the previous month.  

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