Meet Your Neighbors

In the Company of Paul Rhodes: Saluda’s Literary Luminary  

By Jeanne Ferran

If you have ever spent an afternoon in the Saluda library, then you have had the pleasure of being in the company of Paul Rhodes. Paul is quiet and unassuming, a kind and polite gentleman with sharp, observant eyes. What you may not know is that Paul is undoubtedly one of the best-read and well-versed members of our Saluda community.  

Paul descended from pioneer farmers Jesse and Adeline Rhodes, who settled the area between Pearson and Melrose Falls in 1820, and the Arledges, who settled the Green River area. His family members were Union sympathizers during the Civil War. Paul weaves the story of his family history with that of Cherokee history, one of his many interests.  

Besides growing a garden, Paul’s father raised sheep and pigs, but settled on running a dairy farm. He grew up with a sister and two brothers, and they were up milking before daylight. “When I lived on the farm, I used to hide in the woods to avoid chores. I attended Saluda School. There were 16 in my graduating class. Of those, 6 went to Cullowhee. We had a strong community,” he says. “Other than the ten years he went to Western Carolina University to study history and political science and work, Paul has lived on the same family property in Fork Creek.  

Paul grew up an avid reader. “I have a memory from first or second grade. We were reading the “See Spot Run” Primary readers. But then, my teacher gave me an excerpt of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn– it was the scene where Jim and Huck were lighting out on the raft. That’s when I realized books were like magic. The librarian at Saluda Library claimed that I checked out every single book.” When he wasn’t reading, he was out exploring and fishing. “Every mountain had a trail across its ridge, so I could wander anywhere I wanted, even down to the Narrows. It was our paradise.”

To get into a conversation with Paul Rhodes is a privilege and a practice in cerebral acrobatics. Thomas Rain Crowe, the author of Zoro’s Field, dedicated a few pages in his book to Paul. He writes:

“Paul…comes from a community that lies beautifully in the bottoms of a valley a few miles southeast of Saluda. Paul is among the few people of my generation who exude, in speech and practice, the dignity of the disappearing southern Appalachian culture. Not a throwback exactly, he has one foot in each world- the old -style mountain life and the modern dominant culture. He moves with ease in and out of both. This ability, combined with his extraordinary skill as a natural born storyteller, makes him one of the most interesting and sought-after members of the Saluda community. 

Paul Rhodes is a walking encyclopedia of human history-able to roll off names, dates, and minutiae from world events going back to the beginning of recorded time. Locally he is considered by many to be the unofficial oral historian of Polk County- centuries of the area’s history filed neatly in his head. Along with his knack for human history, Paul is one of the savviest woodsmen I have met in the three years I have been living here. His considerable knowledge of the natural world is based on personal experience rather than on book smarts. Stories of his experiences in the wild could fill volumes. They are rich with detail, drama, and mountain dialect. In fact, the unselfconscious dialect of his speech is one of the things that attracts me most to Paul Rhodes and is, I think, the source of the bond between us: our love of language. Turns of phrase and idioms slide off his tongue like sourwood honey from a slice of cornbread on a hot day…Paul is not only one of the best-informed people I’ve met in my stay in Polk County, but one of the best read. And not just on the subject of history. In addition to his wealth of knowledge of nonfiction subject matter, he’s up on contemporary novelists and poets, American and international literary figures and titles alike.” 

I usually see Paul in the afternoon when I am at the library picking up my sons. He says, “When I was a kid, the world seemed infinitely larger than it does now. But now, a new wave of people- especially young families, are moving to Saluda and calling it home. One of the things I love about Saluda is that memory is constantly exposed. In Saluda, each generation carries the flame, and it burns brightly. And each generation consumes the generation that came before.” 

Treat yourself to a conversation with Paul at the Saluda Branch of the library in the afternoons.

Do you have a question about Saluda’s flora and fauna? If so, please email jmferran1@gmail.com

Please help welcome Keith and Kathleen Chobot to Saluda.

This wonderful couple has recently moved into their new home in Skyvue on Greenville Street and can be seen walking in our beautiful community almost daily. I asked Kathleen what brought them to Saluda, and this is what she shared:

"Keith and I decided to give up the coast of Folly Beach, South Carolina and sell our beach cottage of nearly 29 years. We spent a lifetime surfing, windsurfing, and sailing. In our retirement years we wanted a slower pace of life amidst the beautiful mountains, trees, and waterfalls. Saluda seemed like a great fit because of its proximity to long-term ties to Charleston. Also, I will be much closer to my sister, Susan who lives in the Chateau Elan area of Georgia.

We are slowly finding our way in this welcoming community. We try to walk six days a week in order to get outside and breathe the crisp mountain air and relish the lovely surroundings that Saluda has to offer. We noticed how the people here seem to be happy and enjoying their lives. We look forward to contributing to the community in some way as we have learned that you get so much more in return from giving rather than receiving. We hope to have many happy and healthy years in this lovely town."

Keith and Kathleen have been wonderful to work with and will be a special addition to our community. I hope you'll say hello to them when you see them out and about and welcome them to Saluda.

Submitted by Lauretta Cook

JIM CARSON AIS OPA

STUDIO / GALLERY

20-2 Main St., Saluda, NC

WORKSHOP: MASTERING THE LIGHT AND SHADOW FORMAT

SUNDAY-TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 18-20, 2024

9:00 AM-4:00PM

JIM CARSON STUDIO/GALLERY. 20-2 MAIN STREET. SALUDA, N.C.

COST: $450

This indoor oil/acrylic workshop will focus on the Impressionist Painter’s favorite painting format: Light and Shadow.

The students will discover how to see the unique patterns of light and shadow in a scene, and then how to block those patterns in on the canvas. Learning these patterns both in the scene and then on your painting will give your paintings a new solidity, structure, and pop.

Remember, you cannot learn how to finish a painting until you learn how to start one, and this process is helpful for making great starts.

The accompanying painting, titled “A Saluda Fall” 12x16, is an example of using these patterns.

The workshop is limited to eight (8) students, so as to give both students and the teacher more access.

To sign up and hold a place, send a deposit of $200 by the payment method on my web site at www.jimcarson.net, under Workshops, use Venmo , Jim Carson 16, or send a check to 151 Archer Rd., ,Saluda, N.C. 28773. The balance is due by February 5.

You will receive a materials list and instructions after registration.

Jim’s Studio/Gallery at 20-2 Main St., in Saluda, N.C. is open,

in the Winter, on Friday-Saturday, 11:00 AM-5:00 PM, on Sunday, 1:00 PM -5:00 PM,

and Monday-Thursday by appointment or chance.

William Jameson

Welcome to February! The best news is that it is a short month and is one step closer to Spring after a brutal January! In March, we have our first class of 2024, the ever popular “Working Large without Fear” workshop. We already have painters signed up so please let me know if you are interested. Then comes “Spring Greens” in May, one of my favorite plein air classes. It always fills up fast too because of the subject matter, the time of year and maybe even the teacher!? Look below at the two offerings we have so far and stay tuned for more as 2024 rolls on!

“Working Large without Fear”

Ransom Road Studio

519 Ransom Road

Saluda, NC                                                    

March 14-16, 2024

  We will begin our journey with a “Get Acquainted” party at the home and studio on Wednesday, March 13th. Each day will start with a serving of conversation about technique over coffee, tea and pastries. We will break for lunch (“Dutch”) at one of Saluda’s delightful cafes and return to the studio for an afternoon of painting. You will

leave your “comfort zone” for three days and work larger than usual, identifying and conquering the compositional problems so often encountered when moving to a large format. Learn to be spontaneous in the beginning, creative in the middle and analytical in finishing your large works. By the end, you will understand how to solve problems specific to large scale paintings. We will have six hours of painting and demonstrations daily.

“Spring Greens”                                

Ransom Road Studios 

519 Ransom Road

& Saluda Surrounding Area

Saluda, NC

May 16-18, 2024

  In Spring, these mountains rival Ireland in the number and amount of “greens”. The different hues blanket the scene with fresh avocado, emerald, lime, and jade shades that are close to unbelievable! The Spring foliage is a real awakening for the senses and the greens just beg to be captured on canvas. Daily, we will begin in the studio with demos and discussion, then continue the day painting “plein-air” at great sites where we will work to interpret these Spring colors in and around Saluda. We will be practicing “social distancing” which suits plein air painters perfectly!

On Wednesday, May 15th, we will have our “get acquainted (or reacquainted) get together” at our home and studio.

For questions, please contact Bill at 843-729-0593 or BillJameson0593@gmail.com.

Please visit Bill at www.williamjameson.com.

Live Music & Events at Saluda Outfitters and

Green River Eddy’s Tap Room & Grill

Friday, Feb. 2, 6-9 p.m. | Renee Russell is a Charleston musician who recently moved to Waynesville, N.C. She has a percussive 12-string way of playing her music, which sparks the urge for her audience to dance. Her original Americana rock world music style cover tunes in a wide variety of genres from Fleetwood Mac to Johnny Cash. You will hear undertones of bluegrass and reggae. Renee has crafted her bass style thumping, claw-hammer pulling finger-picking technique since 1971. An SC native, she played 30+ years from Charleson to Nashville and is now happy to bring her music to WNC.

Saturday, Feb. 3, 6-9 p.m. | South of Charlotte is a Spartanburg based, acoustic trio consisting of Steve Cantrell, guitar/vocals; Larry Wyles, guitar/mandolin/vocals; and John Hambright, bass/vocals. The band plays a wide and diverse range of songs, classic rock, 90’s rock and some country and R&B with a handful of original songs thrown in.

Friday, Feb. 9, 6-9 p.m. | Dog Day Blue Jay is a low-key acoustic duo/trio based in Greenville, S.C. The band plays originals and singer/songwriter-type favorites of Dylan, Parsons, Willie, Waylon, Clapton and more. Acoustic guitars, standup bass, mandolin and Dobro create great entertainment by these veteran musicians. The trio consists of Mark McAfee, a Greenville native, on guitar/vocals; Joanie Sanders on bass/vocals; and Matt Puritan on mandolin/vocals.

Saturday, Feb. 10, 6-9 p.m. | Roots and Dore is an American blues duo from Asheville. Riyen Roots and Kenny Dore have played music together for more than 16 years around the Western North Carolina mountains as well as abroad and are committed to keeping the blues alive “one show at a time.” They have toured Europe twice and performed at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. Their album, “The Blues and Beyond” features a host of well-known musicians. They will add their unique sound to covers of such performers as Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke and Marshall Tucker and share their popular original “Womens.”

Feb. 16, 6-9 p.m. | Mike Pauer is a Hendersonville, N.C., musician who brings a mix of favorite folk, American, and alt rock covers to his performances, adding a variety of original storytelling tunes into the mix. A talented singer/songwriter, he enjoys covering greats like Jim Croce, Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers. His originals often include lyrics about the meaning of live and the importance of family.

Saturday, Feb. 17, 6-9 p.m. | The “Dirty South” Acoustic will bring the best in country music to the stage. Whether performing as lead singer in his popular group The “Dirty South” Band or performing as a duo with one of his band mates, BJ Cates of Tryon shows his love of country music through a lively and energetic performance of classic rock and blues.

Friday, Feb. 23, 6-9 p.m. | Jim Tatum & Ed Esposito are musicians probably best known locally as part of the 5-piece Double Naught Spies band based out of Tryson. Jim plays lead/rhythm/slide guitar and sings while Ed also plays lead/rhythm guitar and sings. Together, they will bring a lot of energy to this duo performance.

Saturday, Feb. 24, 6-9 p.m. | Matt A. Phillips Trio of Easley, S.C., has been performing around the Upstate for the last few years. The group plays an eclectic mix of covers including favorites like the Allman Brothers “Whipping Post,” John Mayer’s “Gravity,” and The Beatles’ “Come Together.”



LIVE Music at The Purple Onion

Thursday Evening @ 7:30 p.m.

Saturday Evening @ 8 p.m.

*Cover Charge*

February 1st ~ Bob Sinclair & The Big Deals - $10

Bob Sinclair and the Big Deals is a North Carolina-based acoustic band with 15 years of performing original, upbeat, gypsy-jazz music. Using acoustic instruments this ensemble could be playing in a Paris café or a barn dance – comfortable, a little sophisticated, and more than a little fun! A thoroughly unique spin on country and jazz, Sinclair’s narrative coupled together with great melodies will have you looking for a dance partner in no time. At the heart of it ....Original Front Porch Swing Played By Happy People.

Ticket Link

Feb 3rd ~ “The Doors: Unhinged!” (An AMC Production) - $10

This Asheville-based quintet, fronted by the charismatic and electrifying Reggie Headen, features an all-star, highly sought after group of musicians: Jonathan Pearlman, Taylor Pierson, Connor Law, and Jay Hoots. Reggie Headen started his professional career as a featured performer at New York’s famous Broadway concert venue Town Hall, playing to giants and peers in the industry. The power and panache of his live performances are ones for the history books. A fearless performer and heartfelt old soul vocalist. Pearlman says, “There’s something very daring, dangerous, and dark about the Doors’ music. We’ve tried to capture that. We found it challenging to approximate their chemistry and alchemy. I believe that we got it right!” 

Ticket Link

Feb 8th ~ Life Like Water (Duo) - $10

A contemporary folk group that attempts to harness traditional sounds from around the world. Life Like Water is the creation of multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter, David Matters. A communal effort to celebrate the human experience. The group takes its name from a Lao Tzu quote in the Tao Te Ching. One of the poems says, “Life should be lived like water, for water benefits all things and goes against none of them.” With a focus on hypnotic rhythms, elegant vocal harmonies, and melodies that contain flavors of Africa, Ireland, and the Middle East, the music of this eclectic group is sure to uplift and inspire. Life Like Water brings all of the catchy familiarity of modern folk music with a deep rooted Appalachian authenticity. 

Ticket Link

Feb 10th ~ Peggy Ratusz Trio - $10

A tambourine totin' Blues Chanteuse named Peggy Ratusz and her Trio perform an infectious, sultry, multi-layered brand of original, traditional and modern Blues, Soul, R&B, and Jazz. She and her backing bands are particularly impressive during live performances where audiences witness her very core as it shines and is inspired by the rhythm, the melodies and content of the stories she tells. 

Ticket Link

Feb 15th ~ Anya Hinkle - $15

Using the medium of Appalachian string band tradition, Anya Hinkle is a force when it comes to storytelling through song. With arresting honesty and a beautiful voice reminiscent of whiskey – smooth with an alluring hint of smoke – Hinkle straddles the bounds of bluegrass and country, resulting in some of the best Americana Roots has to offer. Playing tunes that flutter through beautiful finger-picked themes, invoking folk melodies from the past, Anya Hinkle will walk you through an artfully crafted story, evolving into an unknown inner psychological and surreal music space. It’s the honesty and grit in Hinkle’s music that pulls you in.

Ticket Link

Feb 17th ~ Time Sawyer - $14

Time Sawyer’s name reflects the pull between the past and the future. The character Tom Sawyer evokes the rural background and love of home that the band shares. Time is a muse for songwriting; it’s the thread that runs through life, bringing new experiences and giving us a sense of urgency, while still connecting us with our past. A folk-rock band whose songs call out the attitudes and behaviors that lead to our divisions – the way that we show understanding to our friends and family, without thinking about how folks outside our social circle are experiencing their own problems, and are, at heart, just like us.

Ticket Link

Feb 22nd ~ Underhill Rose -$10

Harmonies. Soul-touching lyrics. Eye-catching stage presence. Underhill Rose has become synonymous with beautiful music, charming personalities, and rippling success. Since 2009, the band from Asheville, North Carolina has independently released four albums, with two landing in the top of the Americana Music Association Airplay Chart and Roots Music Report Chart, all the while garnering critical acclaim from around the globe. Get to know the joyful soaring voice of Molly Rose and her acoustic guitar and the distinctive styling of Eleanor Underhill’s open-back banjo and salty-blues vocals. Underhill Rose creates music that is real and inspired.

Ticket Link

Feb 24th ~ Brooks Forsyth - $10

Hailing from the mountains of North Carolina, Brooks Forsyth is a musician of Appalachia and beyond. He began busking on street corners in his hometown of Boone, NC and has since become a Nashville recording artist. Encompassing a variety of sounds within Americana, he has a large repertoire of original songs, and a versatile guitar style consisting of both flatpicking and fingerpicking techniques. This versatile guitar player reels in the audience with a masterful flat and fingerpicking style and his melodic storyteller voice. With three albums under his belt, Brooks is an accomplished songwriter whose music can be heard worldwide.

Ticket Link

Feb 29th~ Wilder Flower - $10

The Wilder Flower is an Upstate SC and Western NC based trio, featuring Danielle Yother on guitar, Madeline Dierauf on fiddle, and Molly Johnson on banjo. Playing throughout the Carolinas, the group has traveled and toured as far as Ohio, Alabama, and Georgia. Their collaboration flexes between folk, Americana, bluegrass, and Old-time tunes. Vocally, the trio thrives on three-part harmonies and originals. 

Ticket Link

CALLING ALL SINGERS ABLE TO SING THEIR PART IN FOUR-PART CHORUS MUSIC.

• Come join Saluda's own Mountain Song Community Chorus and find your place in our musical family.
• Rehearsals begin Monday, February 12 for our Spring Season and continue each Monday 6:30 to 8pm at the Saluda Senior Center
• Spring concerts presented during the first week of May plus sing for the Saluda Arts Festival, Saturday May 18.



Go to www.MountainSong.Info to enroll or

to access more info about our chorus.

COME JOIN US, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU!



Curl Up And Cringe

Cappy Hall Rearick

Which twin has the Toni?

On a cold Valentine’s Day in nineteen something or other, after surviving twenty long hours of hard labor, my mother gave birth to me.

When I was brought to her wrapped in a fluffy pink blanket, she took one look and burst into tears. The doctor chalked it up to postpartum depression. She disagreed.

“I don’t know whose baby this is, but it is certainly not mine.”

 “Yes, it is, Mrs. Hall,” the doctor insisted. “Say hey to your new baby girl.”

Mama took another look. “This is the ugliest child I ever saw. She does not belong to me!”

I don’t know who convinced Mama otherwise, but she took me home with her. By and by, as though on a mission from God, she tried her best to transform me into Shirley Temple.

While spooning oatmeal into my toothless mouth, she would sing, “Animal Crackers in My Soup,” trying her best to sound like Shirley. While sprinkling bubble bath in my tub water she would hum, “The Good Ship Lollipop.” My first words were spoken in the key of G-Flat.

On my seventh birthday, instead of a new doll, she gave me a Toni Home Perm. Mama said Shirley didn’t play with dolls; Mama said Shirley was a curly top. Since Shirley was her personal holy grail, my mother put so many ringlets in my hair my head bounced like a slinky.

She plopped me down in the bathroom to begin that arduous task while the radio blasted out a soap opera sponsored by the Toni Home Perm Company. That endorsement was enough to convince Mama that it was perfectly okay to saturate my virgin hair with chemicals.

She held me captive in that tiny bathroom for three long hours. The permanent wave solution smelled like rotten eggs, but the stink was nothing compared to the tight curlers twisting around my hair. I whined the entire time it took her to wrap each strand into what she hoped would turn my straight-as-a-stick hair into curly Shirley ringlets.

“Pride knoweth no pain,” she quipped as though reciting the Ten Commandments. I didn’t have the faintest idea what she was talking about. If I complained, Madam Makeover would try to snatch me baldheaded and to emphasize her point, she would twist another strand of hair so tight my eyes crossed.

Only an act of God could ever turn me into the tap-dancing child star of her dreams, and God wanted no part of it.

“We’re all done,” she finally announced, grinning as if she had discovered uranium.

When I looked at myself in the mirror, Shirley Temple did not look back at me. The stringy blonde locks that had previously hung down to my shoulders like coils of frayed rope, were history. Instead of Shirley-style ringlets, corkscrews sprang out of my head as if each lock of hair had been forced into the prongs of an electric socket until it sizzled.

I thought if Mama opened her mouth to sing, “Animal Crackers in my Soup,” I might become the first seven-year-old in history to commit matricide.

When Daddy came home, he took one look at me like I had an incurable disease and told Mama to send for the doctor.

Big as you please, she spun around and glared at him. “She’s not sick. She’s my curly Shirley girl. Ittn’t she pretty?”

“Oh, for Gawd’s sake,” Daddy muttered, and left the room.

When the bell rang at school the next morning, Miss Dibble made an announcement that even after all these years makes me want to curl up and cringe.

“It’s school picture day, class. Now, I want y’all to smile real big for the camera.”



Preserving A Picturesque America at Saluda Studios has big news!

  Some of you may remember Saluda’s Scott “Doc” Varn from Train Tales and the Night at the Museum, but for the last 14 years, he has been exploring and working with historians, park rangers, and adventure artists all over the country with the non-profit Preserving a Picturesque America (PAPA). He is the Executive Director of this organization, which aims to “preserve natural and historic places through the power of the arts.” PAPA’s mission has been discovered by PBS, and they are introducing a pilot for a possible new series. It will be airing soon via local affiliates during the Spring Pledge Drive and on their streaming service “PBS Passport”.

PAPA needs your help to spread the word, to build awareness of their mission, and help reach their goal to protect America’s natural and historic landmarks. Stay tuned here as we will give you sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes fun.

We are happy to share PBS’s official press release for the upcoming show:

AMERICA: THE LAND WE LIVE IN takes viewers on a modern-day adventure to rediscover America’s hidden treasures, forgotten national wonders and rich history through the lens of a 19th-century book, Picturesque America. Hosts “Scott” Doc Varn and Sophia Michelen follow the clues in the epic tales and intricate engravings of this masterpiece to retrace the steps of the early adventurers who created America’s first travel guide. AMERICA: THE LAND WE LIVE IN is part of special programming premiering on PBS stations beginning Friday, February 23, 2024 (check local listings) and streaming on PBS.org and the PBS App.

With no GPS coordinates to guide them, Doc and Sophia begin their treasure hunt in the majestic mountains of North Carolina, where they seek out guidance from locals, historians and river guides to find locations along the French Broad River — from rocky outcroppings and sweeping vistas to a mysterious old farm and a needle in a haystack “mountain island.” Here, they venture off the beaten path on rugged adventures that take them hiking, whitewater rafting, kayaking, to find these important landmarks.

The journey continues in South Carolina, just a few hours away but worlds apart, where Doc and Sophia search for treasures among Charleston’s preserved architecture and polished gardens. They experience Lowcountry traditions and hunt for one of the most impressive, giant live oak trees east of the Mississippi. Along the way, they visit a world- famous artist’s studio, meet basket weavers who share their inherited craft, and explore the coastal waterways with a Gullah Geechee fisherwoman. With a new twist around every corner, Doc and Sophia’s treasure hunt across America uncovers the “then and now” of each 150-year-old location while also discovering the culture, history, and beauty in each place. PBS special programming invites viewers to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. Viewer contributions are an important source of funding, making PBS programs possible. PBS and public television stations offer all Americans from every walk of life the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content.



Come Share Smiles At The Saluda Open Mic

Every couple of months there is an evening filled with stories, jokes, songs, dances, happy tears, and smiles that happen at the Open Mic right here in Saluda. The night starts with people hustling to plug in microphones, move benches, and set out a sweet treat for guests.

People often start trickling in before six, talking and laughing before the show really starts. Nervous musicians, young energetic and information filled fact sharers, excited storytellers, rowdy dancers, and tired dad joke tellers fill the pavilion with their talents.

Afterwards people linger to talk before saying goodbye thinking of when the next Open-Mic might be.

Come join us on February 11th, at 6:00 pm at the Saluda Community Center.



Saluda Arts Festival

Call to Artists

March 1 Deadline

Artist applications are running strong for the 19th Saluda Arts Festival, to be held Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Saluda’s historic downtown. The deadline for artist applications is 5 p.m. March 1. 

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature approximately 90 artists from the Carolinas and Tennessee, as well as children's activities and a variety of live music around downtown. 

The Saluda Downtown Foundation invites area artists to submit applications and photos of their art and crafts. The exhibit fee is $110, due with the application.

Applications can be accessed at saluda.com then following the "Events" menu, or accessed directly via the following link: 

https://form.jotform.com/233453926770159

For questions, please contact saludancartsfestival@gmail.com

Arts Festival Needs Sponsors and Volunteers

If you would like to be a sponsor of the 2024 Saluda Arts Festival contact Beth Carson at bethcarson151@gmail.com. Sponsors are listed in press releases, banners and on social media. 

The Saluda Arts Festival needs volunteers to work one of four shifts the day of the event. The shifts are 7 to 10 am, 10 am to 12 pm, 12 to 2 pm, and 2 to 4 pm. Jobs include section leaders, section assistants, SAF information tent, parking supervisors and golf cart drivers.

If you are interested in volunteering, apply online at the following link:

 https://form.jotform.com/233455353355154 

You also can contact Linda Bailey at boblindabailey@hotmail.com.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole is the featured book for February for the Saluda Book Club. 

We will meet at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 1st in the Saluda Community Center on Greenville Street. We welcome all interested persons! If you want to get a head start on reading for our March 7th meeting, Happiness Falls by Angie Kim will be our featured book for March.

Please join us!

Tryon Little Theater’s “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”

Tryon Little Theater is thrilled to announce its next big musical, “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”. The show will run on the big stage at the Tryon Fine Arts Center on Melrose Avenue in Tryon, March 1-3 and 8-10. Tickets are $25 for adults, and $12 for those under 18.

This award-winning show earned Drama Desk Awards, Tony Awards, and in 1981 the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Written by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson, with music and lyrics by Carol Hall, the musical is based on King’s story inspired by the real-life Chicken Ranch - a legendary brothel that operated in Texas from the 1840s to 1973.

Known as one of the better pleasure palaces, governors, senators, mayors, and even victorious football teams frequent Miss Mona’s cozy bordello, until a crusading do-gooder radio commentator and his conservative audience shine the spotlight on the shenanigans and cause uproar in the small town of Gilbert.

This production is directed by Lori Lee with musical direction by Pam McNeill.

Visit www.tltinfo.org for tickets and more information.



We need your help to keep the newsletter printed.

Venmo - @bryantgregoryT

Zelle - 8283882600

Check - made out to Saluda Lifestyles

mailed to P O Box 84, Saluda

Our I am so Saluda T-Shirt inspired by local resident Erica Shanks, celebrates the many aspects that make us So Saluda! T-Shirt profits go to the cost of printing and maintaining this newsletter.

($20.00)

Our T-Shirts are a 50/50 Cotton/Poly blend.

They come in one color and one style.

(S-M-L-XL)

(Larger sizes can be special ordered)

If you would like to buy a T-Shirt, they are available in three locations around town.

Mewdlic's

171 East Main Street

(Look for our new SO Saluda Coffee Mugs also at Mewdlic's)

eARThly Minds Galley

19 Pearson Falls Road 

Wakey Monkey

18 Church Street

Saluda Living in Place Helps Us Learn about Artificial Intelligence

On February 21^st at 10 am at the Saluda Senior Center, Dan Rickert, the Faculty Coordinator at Blue Ridge Community College will lead a forum on the future of Artificial Intelligence. It is a fascinating development, that if harnessed properly, can make a huge difference in not only our lives, but in society and culture as a whole.

WE’RE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE

It’s a new year

Are you new here?

Wondering what to do here?

Want to get to know who’s who here?

It’s a new year

Is your life getting blah here?

Want to meet a new peer here?

Remember again what is so dear here?

Want to find out where you can fit in here?

Saluda streets can get pretty quiet during the winter months. So, if you’re not waking up excited by each new day. If you’ve lost your reason to bound out of bed every morning, lost your oomph, feeling lonesome, lost your purpose. Then come join me and a couple of my On Track Saluda friends for a New Year Meet and Greet. Or re-meet and re-greet.

Not sure what On Track Saluda is? Again, we invite you to join us to learn more about this local organization, based on the international Blue Zones Program. Explore the importance of having a purpose in your life. Remember why you moved here and begin to explore or re-discover how you fit in, where you fit in, where you can find your ‘tribe’ to make each day an adventure in Saluda living.

Why this focus on Purpose? Research shows that Purpose in our lives correlates with increased happiness, fewer health issues, less depression, and greater longevity.

So, if you are interested in meeting with your neighbors to discuss On Track Saluda and the role that it can play in finding or renewing your purpose, contact Karen Neff at (404) 226-1113 or email her kneff366@yahoo.com to register for this event.

This gathering will be held:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2024

Saluda Library, 10am - 11am.

Gentle Yin Yoga community class is at the Laughing Elephant

Thursdays at 9 a.m.

Cassandra @ (864) 326-8923

Laughing Elephant Yoga

1171 Spartanburg Highway

Hendersonville, NC 28792

828-595-9747

laughingelephantyoga.com

Mountain Karate

Authentic Traditional Karate

Adults

Kids - Ages 6-10

Seniors - Ages 60 and Up

For information on classes Contact Jeff Brooks at

828 699-0909 or

mountainkarate@gmail.com or

visit MountainKarateNC.com

54 Carolina Avenue

Saluda Presbyterian Church

Tai Chi and Qigong Classes

Weekly Tai Chi and Qigong Classes are held at 54 Carolina Avenue in Saluda.

Tai Chi class is every Wednesday morning at 10am and Qigong class is every Thursday morning at 10am.

For more information contact Rob Bruce at 828-435-0816 or rbtbrc@yahoo.com. Donations are requested and appreciated.

Saluda Acupuncture

Asha Woo, LAc

48 E. Main Street #200

by appointment only.

Gentle, heart-based acupuncture and bodywork that helps reset the nervous system, relax the body, reduce pain and inflammation, and increase clarity of mind. 

To learn more, please visit saludaacupuncture.com

Or reach out to asha@saludaacupuncture.com

Deb Dunn is a physical therapist and owner of [Re]Living Performance - a PT and wellness practice that is all about helping you to achieve your goals on your terms. She has mobile and gym - from physical therapy to rehabilitate an injury to performance improvement to help you move better.

Call or text 561-504-6511 to schedule your free phone consult!

Meditation/Self Exploration Group

Meets every Tues at 5:30pm

at WNC Functional Health

711 S. Grove Street, Ste B

Hendersonville, NC

For additional Information Contact

Frank Trombetta, 828-388-1794

Sundara Yoga and Sound has opened on Main Street. This intimate studio sits above Thompsons Store and Wards Grill in the Saluda Wellness Center.

Kendall Harbour guides Gentle Yoga Classes, often integrating meditative instruments such as singing sound bowls into the practice. These practices were created with the intention of soothing the nervous system, therefore helping us connect mind, body, and spirit. Sundara offers a monthly schedule of classes as well as private and corporate offerings.

Class schedule for the month of February:

Mondays 9:15am & 6:30pm

Wednesday 9:15am & 11am

Friday 9:15am, 11am & 6:30pm

Text 423-946-0881 to reserve your spot, there are limited spaces in our intimate studio.

First Class $15

After that:

Single drop ins $20

5 class Bundle $75

For the quickest updates about class scheduling and events

follow Sundara’s instagram @sundarayogasound



Introducing Saluda Skincare – Where Radiance Begins!

Unlock a world of beauty with our innovative skincare solutions. Grand opening special: First 5 customers receive an exclusive gift of 15% off!

Visit us at 24 E. Main St. above Thompsons Store and embrace a new era of skincare excellence.

Call Leah at Saluda Skincare 803-795-9414 for an appointment. L2skincare.com

Reiki 1 Course with Leslie Carey

Date: 2/4/2024 & 2/11/24

Time: 2/4/24: 9:30am-3:30pm      2/11/11: 1:30pm -7:30pm

Cost: $150

In Leslie Carey's Reiki I Workshop you will practice and receive Reiki and also learn:

 - The History of Reiki

 - The Chakra System

 - To Establish your Energetic Boundary, and

 - The first symbol in Reiki and how to use it

*Notes:

-With this course you will receive your Reiki I certificate and materials from William Rand and other sources.

-Please wear loose fitting clothing and bring a notebook and water bottle

Exploring Reiki with Leslie Carey:

Reiki was developed in Japan, in 1922 by a Buddhist monk during his meditation, though some believe it has been around for much longer. Reiki is a metaphysical modality which promotes balance and harmony. Reiki is not a religion or a contradiction of other spiritual foundations.

I have been a Reiki practitioner since 2007 and have been working with a wide range of clients from those struggling to overcome addiction, become pregnant, decrease anxiety, relieve Multiple Sclerosis pains, those in hospice, PTSD, eating disorders, depression or going through cancer treatments to others who feel ‘stuck’ or conflicted, or just want to have general increase of well-being. Even dogs enjoy receiving Reiki.

I consider myself a conduit for healing. I do tune-in with people and their body/emotions, from there, darkness or negativity can surface, be healed and therefore, people feel better.

Reiki has helped me by healing my emotional wounds in such a way that incidents of my past don’t cause me current struggle. Living a Reiki life allows me to live a much more joyful, peaceful and meaningful existence. I encourage all types of people to give Reiki a chance because it’s a refreshing style of bodywork. Not only do our muscles need attention, but so do our energetic fields.

Love without Pain Meditation with

Sharon Lovich

Date: 2/17/2024

Time: 10:30pm-12:30pm

Cost: Self Investment: $30

We all wish for good relationships in our lives, but relationships between family

members, couples or even just between friends often suffer from misunderstanding,

unrealistic expectations and conflict. We may love each other, and yet we are not

always happy together. This is because we do not understand the real nature of love

and how to practically improve our love in our close relationships.

In this Saturday morning course we will explore simple and practical methods to help

find greater meaning and enjoyment in all our relationships. Then by keeping this

practical and timeless advice in our heart we will find that we are happier in the

company of our family, friends and anyone we encounter. Includes guided meditation, a

talk and time for Q&A.

Self Investment $30

10:30 - 12:30 with a 10- 15 minute tea break in the middle.

Discovering SoulCollage® an introductory workshop with Ann Douglas Pickney

Date: 2/3/2024

Time: 2:00pm-4:00pm

Cost: Self Investment:$40

Discovering SoulCollage® an introductory workshop with

AnnDouglas Pinckney, SoulCollage® Facilitator

SoulCollage® is a gentle, intuitive, and creative process that involves making collaged cards to use as a powerful tool for self-discovery, self-acceptance, and personal empowerment. Workshops focus on two essential elements that are the essence of SoulCollage® - Finding compelling images, cutting out and pasting them & speaking aloud or journaling from the image’s point of view. Artistic tendencies are not required, just an open heart and a willingness to engage. A personal deck of

cards can reflect the many aspects of ourselves and provide unique insights when cards are read revealing our personal and profound soul wisdom.

  Please bring your journal and favorite pen!

Self investment: $40, early bird pricing of $35 valid through 1/25 ~ Basic cardmaking materials will be provided.

Call us at 828-595-9747 or email us at info@leyogawnc.com for more info.

Laughing Elephant Yoga

1171 Spartanburg Highway

Hendersonville, NC 28792

828-595-9747

laughingelephantyoga.com

Pearson’s Falls and Glen

 On February 1 Pearson’s Falls and Glen re-opens after its winter break! It will be quiet, peaceful and cool in the glen. The trail is a moderate 1/4-mile hike along Colt Creek to the 90’ waterfall. It is the perfect place to spend some time out in nature. Benches and picnic tables are available if you wish to bring a picnic, sit, read, or take photos.

In honor of Valentine’s Day on Saturday, February 17 we will have a 2 for the price of 1 entrance fee PLUS children are free. Bring the ones you love on a woodsy adventure!

Pearson’s Falls is located three miles south of Saluda off Highway 176. You will see signs with directions to the Pearson’s Falls entrance at 2748 Pearson’s Falls Road.

Admission is $5, ages 6 - 12 $1, and under 6 free. No dogs are allowed.

Hours are 10 AM to 5 PM Monday through Sunday (The gate closes at 4 PM).

For more information go to www.pearsonsfalls.org. or call 828-894-0301.

The Tryon Garden Club has owned and maintained Pearson’s Falls since 1931.

The Tryon Garden Club is a proud sponsor of Saluda Lifestyles.

Submitted by Lucy Brannon

RECALL MEMORIES, FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND HONOR THEM WITH A PACE PARK PAVER

Our engraver is now officially licensed to engrave Military Emblems on your Paver. 

Purchase a paver for those you love or in memory of loved ones.

Pavers for Pace Park is a community fund raiser to support the completion of public restrooms in this pocket park on Main Street. The 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.

Bricks are $50 & $60 with one clipart payable to City of Saluda.

You may have three lines of copy with a maximum of 15 letters per line.

Forms can be obtained from City Hall, City of Saluda website, or can be requested from Catherine Ross at carnc@charter.net or 828-749-3534. Applications can be sent to City of Saluda, PO Box 248, Saluda, NC 28773. Contact Catherine Ross for gift cards to be sent.



Saluda Garden Club

The Garden Club would like to thank all those in the community who have made this a growing organization. 

Club members maintained Spring Park, the lovely garden behind City Hall, delivered bouquets of flowers to shoppers at the food pantry every week throughout the summer and handmade glass ornaments for shoppers in November, donated to the replanting of the Depot Museum and provided books and gifts to children through the Polk County Holiday program. 

Members also participated in several hands-on workshops, hiked together, and visited local operations of interest. 

If you are interested in joining this vibrant group, please contact

Susan Cannon, President at 937 623 1998. 

Annual dues are $25. 

It’s a great way to meet your neighbors in Saluda and make deep connections.

Have a happy, healthy and joyful 2024!

Conserving Carolina Raising Funds for Cedar Cliffs Preserve

  A property that is a top priority for conservation in Polk County could become a gorgeous new nature preserve—but only if the community acts quickly to save the land by this February. Conserving Carolina has a window of opportunity to purchase 192 acres in the North Pacolet River Gorge that would connect the Melrose Falls preserve with Norman Wilder Forest. It also borders the proposed Saluda Grade Trail. Conserving Carolina has until February to raise funds needed to buy this exceptional property, called Cedar Cliffs at Twin Bridges.

  Executive director Kieran Roe says, “For many years, Cedar Cliffs has been one of our highest priorities because it has so much potential to link protected lands, provide clean water for the North Pacolet River, and preserve this area’s rich biodiversity. In the past, Pacolet Area Conservancy—one of two groups that merged to form Conserving Carolina—tried to buy the land without success. Now, we have another chance, but only for a short time.”

  Conserving Carolina is under contract on the property and is working quickly to raise funds in time to buy it in February. The local nonprofit has identified funding sources for about 90% of the project. This leaves $100,000 needed from local donors, which Conserving Carolina has a goal of raising by Feb. 1.

  The proposed Cedar Cliffs preserve includes two separate sections, one on either side of Conserving Carolina’s Melrose Falls preserve (also called Twin Bridges), which is known for its extraordinary spring wildflowers. The north section of Cedar Cliffs includes 162 forested acres on Buck Mountain. Here, unique communities of plants and animals thrive among steep forests, rocky cliffs, and mountain streams. This section of the property includes eight headwater streams, all flowing into the North Pacolet River.

  About half of this northern section lies within a state-designated Significant Natural Area that is ranked “very high” in conservation value due to its rich diversity of plants and animals. This natural area harbors rare species that include French Broad Heartleaf and the Mottled Duskywing butterfly. The northern section of the proposed Cedar Cliffs preserve touches Conserving Carolina’s Norman Wilder Forest, home to popular hiking trails. 

  The southern section of Cedar Cliffs includes 30 acres with a long boundary along the proposed Saluda Grade Trail. This means that a section of the rail trail could have nature preserves on both sides—Melrose Falls and Cedar Cliffs. The southern section of Cedar Cliffs would offer a potential access point for the Saluda Grade Trail.

  On a landscape scale, Cedar Cliffs would add to two growing conservation corridors. One corridor runs east-west, following the stunning North Pacolet River. The other corridor runs north-south across mountains to link two vast protected areas, the Green River Game Lands and Mountain Bridge Wilderness. Conservation corridors like these provide unbroken migration routes for wildlife. They also help plants and animals adapt to climate change by shifting their range when necessary.

  Cedar Cliffs is also a strategic location in the fight against kudzu, which is choking out biodiversity and scenic beauty along so much of Highway 176—a designated NC Scenic Byway. Kudzu has taken over steep banks along the road on the edge of the Cedar Cliffs property. If Conserving Carolina is able to purchase the land, it will work to control kudzu as it has done at other nature preserves. The project budget includes funding to control invasive plants and restore native habitat.

  The total project cost is $980,000. So far, Conserving Carolina has identified funding from generous contributors including the Stanback family, the Polk County Community Foundation Bradley Fund, and a potential grant from the NC Land and Water Fund. These sources may provide nearly 90% of the project cost, leaving $100,000 to raise from local private donors. Of that amount, community members have already donated $60,000, leaving only $40,000 still needed to protect the land.

To make a donation, go to conservingcarolina.org/cedar-cliffs or reach out to Planned Giving Officer Sierra Hoisington at sierra@conservingcarolina.org or 828-697-5777 ext. 220.

Conserving Carolina is a local land trust that has helped protect over 48,000 acres in Polk, Henderson, Transylvania, Rutherford and surrounding counties, including the Landrum, SC area. The mission of Conserving Carolina is to protect, restore, and inspire appreciation of the natural world. Learn more and become a member at conservingcarolina.org.

Unveiling Nature's Secrets: Gardening for Life Celebration 2024

  The Gardening for Life Celebration returns to Polk County High School March 30, 2024. The inaugural Celebration occurred in March 2023 when more than 700 people traveled from across the region to hear a presentation by conservationist Doug Tallamy, to shop for native plants and to explore educational exhibits. The day was designed to engage the community in meaningful conversations about the many ways conservation begins at home. 

  Corrie Woods, who serves on the project’s leadership team, says, “The March 2023 event kicked off a tremendous amount of excitement. That was our goal! Attendees left the day asking questions like, What’s next? How can I put this information into action in my yard? Where can I find resources to continue the learning?” In response, we created a Learning Center at gardeningforlifeproject.org where folks can discover helpful links to resources on everything from invasive species to backyard ecology to what native plant grow best where. In addition, given the overwhelming response, we decided that another day of celebration was called for.”

  The Gardening for Life Celebration 2024 will be on March 30, 2024 from noon to 5 p.m. This free event will explore the many ways that true conservation begins at home, right outside our doors.

Highlights of the Day:

·       Gardening for Life 2024 Conservation Speaker - Jim McCormac. Jim is an award-winning author, botanist, conservationist and acclaimed photographer. He will take the stage to deliver a captivating presentation on the mysterious world of moths. Prepare to be amazed as McCormac unveils the crucial role moths play in pollination and maintaining a healthy, biodiverse ecosystem.

·       Native Plant Sale offering a wide selection of native plants from many of the region's finest growers.

·       Educational Exhibits featuring more than a dozen exhibits by organizations and community educators who will provide valuable insights, tips and tools for nurturing habitat at home and in the local area.

·       Student Engagement in Conservation spotlighting ways area students are actively participating in conservation lessons and activities.

·       Attendee perks include free packages of pollinator friendly seeds and entry into a free drawing for some outdoor fun and adventure.

This free event is made possible by the support of dozens of community partners. Lead partners include The Congregational Church (UCC) Tryon, Conserving Carolina, New View Realty, Claussen Walters Real Estate, Champions for Wildlife, Mast General Store, Wild Birds Unlimited Hendersonville, Modera Wealth, Green Blade Garden Club, Tryon Garden Club and Denny and Skip Crowe.

Visit gardeningforlifeproject.org to stay updated on the latest news.

Visit conservingcarolina.org for information on event registration.

Gardening for Life Project is an all-volunteer community initiative based out of Polk County, NC. The mission of GFLP is to inspire our community to preserve and protect biodiversity in the Carolina Foothills by beginning right outside our doors. Conservation begins at home.



News from

The Saluda Visitor's Center

Did You Know?

Winter in the Blue Ridge Mountains is great time to visit…AND a great time to live here. Hiking or scenic drives offers views that are not seen any other time of year. The air is clear and crisp, and you can find a breathtaking view of the winter sky just by looking up. Also, infrequently we have snow which only adds to the beauty of the Blue Ridge. Waterfalls freeze making great photography opportunities. So, take those back road drives. Grab your camera and ask yourself, “I wonder where that road leads?” and “Let’s find out.” You’ll be amazed at the beauty that surrounds our town of Saluda in winter. Stop by the Visitor Center for maps and hiking suggestions.

Stop in the Visitor Center to find out about special area winter events. There are many activities posted in the Visitor Center. If you have events or activities that you would like to post in the Visitor Center, please send them or email them to Lynn Casey at caseysaluda@gmail.com

The Visitor Center will be closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays until Spring. Operating hours are Thursday through Monday 11.00-3:00.

The Visitor Center, located at 20 W. Main Street, has a nice open room with information about Saluda and the surrounding area and two ADA-compliant restrooms. The Center features a slideshow created by the Saluda Historical Society that highlights Saluda’s history.

  The center is run by an all-volunteer staff and all operating expenses are split equally between the Saluda Downtown Foundation, Saluda Business Association, and the Saluda Tourism Development Authority.

    Additionally, we’d like to invite visitors and residents alike to visit the Center to learn about Saluda’s Historic walks or scenic drives, get hiking trail maps and area maps. We also have a “Things to do in Saluda” list, restaurant menus, lodging choices and a variety of business pamphlets. We continue to put out a call for more volunteers for short shifts to provide information and keep the facility in shape. The shifts are easy and fun, you meet nice people, and you will be properly trained before starting. Please consider volunteering or just drop by during hours to say hello!

If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about the Visitor Center

please contact Lynn Casey at caseysaluda@gmail.com.

Joyous New Year from the Saluda Pop-Up Pantry!  

As we leap into 2024, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on 2023 Pantry accomplishments.

Over 90 volunteers gave more than 3500 hours of time in service to this community. 

We distributed nearly 160,000 pounds of food to our neighbors experiencing food insecurity and provided groceries to 12,908 individuals, including 4566 families, of which 3503 were children.

Our Farm to Table program partnered with local farmers to provide over 23,000 pounds of fresh produce to our shoppers. This is a unique initiative and we’re especially proud to both support farmers and offer beautiful, high-quality produce to our patrons.

While there are concrete ways we collect stats and track trends, many things that happen at the Pantry are immeasurable. Some of this incalculable data includes smiles both given and received, robust, resilient community building and a sense of gratitude and purpose from both shoppers and volunteers. Although these things can’t be tracked on a spreadsheet, they nonetheless add up to reflect the true community spirit of the Saluda Pop-Up Pantry. 

Numbers are important but the things we can’t measure make all the difference.

If you’d like to know more about volunteering or donating, please contact Kerri at kpelz@saludapantry.com

The Saluda Community Library  

Storytime

Tuesdays @ 10:30am

Saluda Library

This program is designed for ages 2-5 and features books, songs, and a fun craft or activity. 

Desiree from Partnership for Children of the Foothills will present a healthy teeth themed storytime on February 6th.

A dance party with Laura from Polk County Parks & Rec will follow storytime on February 20th.

February 27th's storytime will feature bilingual (Spanish and English) books.

iPhoneography

Tuesday, February 6 @ 1pm

Saluda Library

Join Fernando Porras, internationally renowned artist, as he guides you through the tips and tricks to take your iPhone photos to a professional level. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll cover principles of design in photography, hidden iPhone features, and selecting subject matter that’s both inspiring and aesthetic. Stay from 1-3, or, if you’d like, head outdoors with Fernando for an additional hour to practice what you’ve learned on the streets of Saluda.

Ben Sellers Artist Reception

Friday, February 9, 2-4pm

Saluda Library

Ben Sellers is a self-taught artist and painter born and raised in Tryon, NC. His work has been described as pop-surrealism and is presently mostly watercolor and ink while occasionally working with acrylics and spray paint. View his artwork at Saluda Library through the end of February or at this special reception with the artist where light refreshments will be served. Ben’s work can also be viewed at bensellerspainter.com.

Native Pollinators and the Habitats They Require

Tuesday, February 13 @ 2pm 

Saluda Library 

Explore the beneficial creatures in your backyard through an exploration of the habitats needed to help pollinators survive and thrive with Brannen Basham and Jill Jacobs, owners of Spriggly’s Beescaping. Take a deep dive into the life cycles of native bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, wasps, birds, and more! Learn how to care for your space throughout the year to support the widest diversity of creatures. This program is made possible thanks to Polk County Public Libraries’ partnership with Conserving Carolina, and a generous Free Community Events grant from Polk County Community Foundation. Contact Pam Torlina at pam@conservingcarolina.org with questions or for more information.

Cozy Cat Cafe

Tuesday, February 20 

Saluda Library 

To sign up for an afternoon time slot to hang out with adoptable kitties from Foothills Humane Society, email Jen at jdickenson@polklibrary.org.

Enhancing Mental Health Part 2

Thursday, February 22 @ 2pm

Saluda Library

Join Vaya Health for this workshop on how to enhance mental health with alternative treatments such as mindfulness, meditation, and yoga.

Take & Make Kits

Saluda Library offers free monthly Take & Make craft kits for all ages! 

Pick up your kid, teen, or adult kit starting February 1st.

Kids - heart bookmark

Teens - heart magnet

Adults - heart wreath

Spice It Up 

A monthly cooking challenge to try something new and spice up your kitchen! Each month, pick up a free spice sample and simple recipe. February's spice is chia seeds.



Ellen W. Rogers, a Saluda Elementary School teacher and long-time resident of Saluda, invites you to join her as she shares her travels to Northern Ireland in the summer of 2023. Her exploration in Ireland focused on the influence of the Ulster-Scots immigrants on Appalachian culture. The trip was funded by the immense generosity of a Polk County Community Foundation Slater Excellence in Teaching Award.

Ms. Rogers will take you on a visual and historic tour across the northern half of the Emerald Isle.

Her presentation will take place at the Saluda Community Library Meeting Room on Saturday, February 24th at 11:00 AM. The event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Céad Míle Fáilte ~ A Hundred Thousand Welcomes



Saluda Community Table (SCT)

“Love is the secret ingredient that always makes food taste better.”

  We want to spoil you with a mouthwatering meal on the 2^nd and 4^th TUESDAY in FEBUARY from 5:30 to 7pm at the Saluda Senior Center!

Gather with neighbors for lively conversation and music that will make you smile! Meals are always free, with donations gladly accepted!

February 13^th Dori Ray will serve Arroz Con Pollo, a flavorful rice, chicken, and vegetable dish (vegetarian option) & Costa Rican cabbage and mango slaw. Desserts and free Valentine’s Day hugs as well as a photo booth!

February 20^th is the Holy Smokes Pastor’s Cookoff! Who will cook up Saluda’s best chili and cornbread:

Chip Broadfoot - The Church of the Transfiguration

Rob Parsons - Saluda United Methodist Church

Tony Reese - First Baptist Church of Saluda

   Join us for a smokin’ good time—the winner will be determined by crowd applause!

  Please bring your own plate, utensils, & cup/glass – be a good earth steward!

To receive updates or ask questions, contact Charlotte Lovett (https://clovett5987@gmail.com) and to become a SCT volunteer, contact Gayle Jones (gaylejones016@gmail.com).

As the crisp winds of winter envelop Saluda, I have been out working with clients and checking on past clients' second homes to be sure that the water is turned off and nobody's pipes freeze. After a long day at work, I occasionally indulge in a cozy cup of hot chocolate with a delightful twist of cinnamon and ginger, just like my grandma used to make it for me. In light of the recent cold weather, I have decided to share my grandmother's hot cocoa recipe with you all, and I hope this simple treat warms your heart and home.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups milk (dairy or non-dairy)

- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

- 2 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste)

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

- Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it's warm but not boiling.

2. Mix cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger in a separate bowl until well combined.

3. Gradually whisk the cocoa mixture into the warm milk, stirring continuously to avoid clumps.

4. Continue heating and stirring until the hot chocolate is well blended and reaches your desired temperature.

5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, and if you are feeling adventurous, add a pinch of chili pepper.

6. Pour into your favorite mug and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or grated chocolate if desired.

7. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

May each sip bring back cherished memories spent with family or create new

memories with loved ones. Submitted by Ana Lilburn

Lasagna Dinner is a sellout!

Thanks, Saluda! We’ll have to find bigger space for next year! Watch for the winners in the Mid-February edition.

LASAGNA DINNER IS LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR SALUDA STUDENTS

The Lasagna organized by Sister City for February 3 has turned into a learning opportunity for the students at Saluda Elementary. Sister City made a large poster for the school that provides “The Story of Lasagna.” Who knew that the word” lasagna” is derived from Ancient Greek or that lasagna originated in Naples, Italy? Over the years, different areas of Italy developed their own versions, so there are many different varieties of pasta, sauces, and cheeses, depending on where you are in Italy. Elizabeth Taylor, a member of the Sister City Board, baked a huge pan of Lasagna and took it to the after-school program. It was a resounding success! She said several students had three servings! We should get her to be a chef next year!   



ITALIAN FOOD EXPERIENCE AT THE ORCHARD INN

  Saluda’s Orchard Inn has teamed up with Saluda’s Sister City organization to highlight Italian cuisine. On Thursday, March 14, The Orchard Inn will present “Italian Fine Dining Night” and donate a portion of the proceeds to Saluda Sister City to support its work with the children.

  Food from four regions of Italy will be featured by Chef Stewart Turner including Oysters Al Forno from Capri, Risotto with Black Truffle from Abruzzo, Ossobuco over Polenta from Milan, Espresso Panna Cotta from Piedmont, and Limoncello as a digestif. On arrival, guests will be able to order specially prepared Italian aperitifs including the aperol spritzer, negroni and others. The Mountain Page Players will be in attendance in costume offering Italian music throughout the evening. There are a limited number of tickets available. Get yours on the Orchard Inn website.

  The Orchard Inn has long been an enthusiastic sponsor of Saluda Sister City. In February of 2023, the Inn hosted a spectacular Venetian Carnivale with elegant dress, masks, amazing decorations by Joel Kirby of the Saluda Inn, and music to dance the night away.

  These community events introduce our Saluda residents to the food and customs of Italy and raise funds to support the work of our Sister City organization. Marianne Blazer of The Orchard Inn pointed out that “Marc and I feel it is our role in the community to support our local non-profits which offer so much to our citizens. Sister City had focused its attention on our Saluda Elementary School, and we feel that opening the eyes of children in our small town to the larger world cannot help but make them better citizens when they are grown.”

  Saluda Sister City prioritizes work with the children of Saluda Elementary by working with the teachers to provide materials and programs to Saluda students and foster connections to the children of Carunchio. Two teachers from our elementary school recently went to Carunchio at Sister City’s expense and brought back a myriad of ideas and ways to enhance Saluda’s curriculum and better connect the children of the two towns, opening their eyes to the broader world. That trip also resulted in a new Italian language program available to all Saluda Elementary students in grades two through five. Research shows that studying any second language in these years when the brain is growing, significantly enhances brain development in an amazing way.

  Join us for this wonderful dinner and support Sister City and the children we serve.

THE ITALIANS ARE COMING!!

  This time it is two charming young ladies from Abruzzo, the region where Carunchio is located. Let’s meet them:

My name is Nora Criscio. I am the one on the left. I’m 16 years old, I am in my third year of a high school in a business and economy course, and I’ll be visiting Saluda with my best friend Marta in July. I am a green belt in judo, which is my favorite sport. I live in Vasto, in the region of Abruzzo, Italy. My father runs a cooking school in the nearby village of Carunchio, which is Saluda’s sister city. I am bilingual because my mother is American and I’m looking forward to experiencing the American daily life including shopping, food, and hoping to try some activities that I’ve never tried in Italy like zip lining and go-carting. I love to cook and bake, and I also want to try North Carolina’s BBQ and all kinds of other local foods that my dad has highly recommended.

My name is Marta Pignatelli. I'm 16 years old and I'm Nora's best friend. I'm in my 3rd year of high school in a classical and humanistic course and I'll be visiting Saluda with my best friend Nora in July. I love playing the piano, guitar and I really enjoy singing and acting in our local theatre in Vasto. In fact, I live in Vasto, in the region of Abruzzo, in Italy. My mom is an opera singer and now she teaches music in middle school. I'm bilingual because my mother is Bulgarian, I learned the language when I was young. I also really love English, and I've always wanted to experience a daily life only speaking English, mostly to improve my pronunciation, but I've always dreamed of seeing in real life shops like Target or big department stores. I am very easy going. I really like eating new dishes and specialties of different cultures and I'm looking forward to it.

  In the coming months Sister City will be looking for three families with children approximately the same age who would like to host Nora and Marta for about five days during their visit. We’ll also look to the community to give them experiences. More information to come on this. Watch the Sister City website for ways to sign up to offer experiences to them. For questions about hosting, contact Ellen Rogers at ewrogers1970@gmail.com.

SEPTEMBER TRIP TO CARUNCHIO CATCHES GRAPE HARVEST

Massimo Criscio, CEO of Abruzzo Cibus in Carunchio, has rearranged some of the usual activities at the Palazzo to take advantage of the fall grape harvest in Abruzzo. Here’s how Massimo describes the experience: “As the sun-kissed vineyards come alive with the hum of excitement, you're invited to partake in the age-old ritual of grape picking. Engage in the artistry of harvesting alongside local experts, as you pluck ripe clusters straight from the vines. Feel the connection to the land and witness the dedication that goes into crafting Italy's world-renowned wines.” Of course, there will also be the usual fabulous cooking lessons with Chef Dino, touring around Abruzzo, the best seafood meal of your life on an ancient trabucco on the edge of the Adriatic, and Chef Dino’s amazing meals, with unlimited red wine, of course. The Sister City rate is 2400 Euros if paid in cash on arrival. The only extra is your airfare. For full information on this trip which begins September 8, 2024, contact Sister City below and the trip brochure will be sent to you.

Congratulations to Asheville Sister Cities

Our neighbor Sister City, Asheville, won the award from Sister Cities International in 2023 for Innovation in Art and Culture. The award was based on the work they did to support the Meliponia Bees and their women bee tenders of Yucatan and Meso-America. More info at Mayanmeliponabee.org and https://ashevillesistercities.org/mayan-melipona-bee/.

For information on Saluda Sister City contact Judy Thompson,

jdt@JDThompsonLaw.com or 828-489-6578.

Saluda Sister City invites all local young artists and authors (ages 13-18) to participate in the first Saluda Young Artists and Authors Showcase.

This local competition kicks off the International YAAS which focuses on the theme “ClimateScape: Resilient Cities for Tomorrow’s Climate.” This theme not only aligns with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, but also resonates deeply with Sister Cities International’s commitment to fostering cooperation among cities. 

Original works will be accepted in six categories: Classic Art, Digital Art, Photography, Music, Writing, and Poetry. 

Those wishing to participate must be a dues paying member of Saluda Sister City. Annual dues range from $10 for a student to $40 for a two-parent family.

The deadline for the Saluda Showcase is April 1, 2024, by 5 PM. Cash prizes of $100, $50, and $25 will be awarded to the best of all submissions. Judges will be local artists, authors, and musicians. The application can be accessed at this link: h YAAS 

More information about the international competition, the theme of this year’s contest, and the winners of the 2023 YAAS can also be found on the application page.

If you have any questions, please email Ellen Rogers at ewrogers1970@gmail.com ,

with “YAAS” in the subject line.

The Women's Club of Saluda will hold its monthly meeting on February 13th in the Saluda Methodist Church fellowship hall. 

The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m.  

Our featured speaker this month will be Judy Thompson, the director of the sister city program for Saluda and Carunchio in Italy. Light refreshments will be served. 

Please join us for great fellowship and an enlightening program!

The Saluda Historic Depot and Museum and Sweet Shoppe are closed but will reopen March 28th. However, requested special group tours can be scheduled any day of the week and any time of year.

  We invite all groups and organizations to take a guided tour of the Depot. To arrange for a tour, please contact Mike Reeves at 828-674-9598 or email Nita High at nitahigh@rsnet.org

Railroad Dinner at the Orchard Inn  

  Unlike many of the old inns of its time, the Orchard Inn was not originally open to the public. Built by the Brotherhood of Clerks for Southern Railway in 1926, the simple farmhouse-style lodging was created as a summer getaway for railroad employees and their families. Today, the Orchard Inn is a premier 5-star restaurant and Inn.

  In conjunction with the Saluda Historic Depot and Museum, the Orchard Inn and Newman’s Restaurant will host a Depot fundraiser dinner on April 25^th. The cost is $150 per person and only 65 tickets will be sold. To make reservations contact Helene Pasternak at hpast@bellsouth.net or call 954-439-0172.

Looking Forward to the 2024 Saluda Train Tales

March 15- John Pezzano, speaker

And we will have the 2024 Depot Kick-off. Come and enjoy refreshments and our program entitled “Railroad Depot Agents in the 19^th Century”.

April 19- Pearlie Mae Suber Harris-“The sounds of Growing Up Along the Saluda Grade.”

May 16- Historian Tom Perry will discuss the “Dinky Railroad”, a narrow gauge railroad that ran from Mount Airy, NC to Kibler Valley, VA.

June 21- TBD

July 19- Professional Photographer, Jeffery Stoner will present “Photography and Trains”

August 16- Marion Mayor Steven Little will discuss “Convicts who built the Railway”

September 20-Ray Rapp will speak on “Real Prospects for Restoring Passenger Rail Service to WNC”

October- TBD

November- TBD

December- Saluda Hometown Christmas

  Saluda Historic Depot and Museum Contains a Valuable Collection of Railroad History

It was only a few years ago, in 2015, that the Saluda Historic Depot and Museum opened its doors to visitors. Since that time, the Museum collection has grown and become an exemplary collection of Railroad history. The growth of this collection is mainly due to the contributions of Saluda area residents, rail enthusiasts, and avid Museum supporters. Those gifts include artifacts that bear strong family ties and represent great sentimental value as well as monetary value. We, at the Depot, realize the importance of all artifact donations and loans and we greatly appreciate those donors allowing us to preserve and care for those donations.   With each donation, we try to gather as much information about the artifact as possible. To emphasize this fact, one such contribution was made recently by John Wilkerson, a SHD volunteer and Saluda resident. His story follows. 

My Father and the “Bug”

“My father, John G. Wilkinson, Jr., grew up in Ulmer, SC and began work with the Seaboard Railroad as a telegrapher and freight agent shortly after he completed high school in 1939. His father was also a railroad man who worked in Ulmer SC and taught my father telegraphy. Telegraphy was the way railroad men in offices communicated in those days. Most freight agents and other railroad office workers were trained in telegraphy. My father learned telegraphy on a typical simple “clicker” that created the dots and dashes that formed words sent over the copper wire throughout the country. As his skills increased, the speed at which he could telegraph required a telegraph instrument that could keep up. 

  The Vibroplex “bug” was patented by Horace Martin in August 1904. The first public showing of the Vibroplex by Martin was at the Telegraph Superintendent's Convention in Chattanooga, TN on May 17, 1905. When the first semi-automatic keys appeared on the telegraph wires around 1904/1905, they were first advertised and called transmitters. Around 1908, a change occurred when telegraphers started to call them by the nickname, "bug," because they frequently sounded like one on a circuit. The “bug” was the preferred tool for all skilled telegraphers. I don’t know when my father acquired the “bug” but I don’t recall him using anything else other than the telegraph.  

  As a boy growing up in Fairfax, SC, I would go after school and sit in my father’s office and watch him work. He could send at least 40 words per minute using the “bug”, and he was so fast, it really impressed me. He could also type at an astounding rate to prepare reports, etc. When my father died in 1982, he left me his “bug”. The telegraph had a significant impact on the railroads, and I am happy to donate it to the Saluda Historic Depot and Museum.”

  There are hundreds of other stories surrounding the Saluda Historic Depot and Museum collection. All come with family ties and personal histories that bolster the importance of each museum display. Another recent donation made by one of our volunteers, Ralph Mayer, is a set of Southern Railroad Educational handouts given to all 4^th graders when Ralph was a boy. Here is his story:

  “I got that kit when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade living in Newberry, SC. That was around 1959 or 1960. A man from Southern Railroad came to our class and talked to us little kids about railroading. Of course, at that time, passenger train travel was still a very viable way to travel, and we had a Southern RR passenger train that rolled through Newberry daily.

 I found my original packet when we were cleaning out my mom & dad's house after they passed away (2009 & 2016 respectively). The kit has a letter from the president of Southern RR, along with a nice Q&A booklet compiled from many questions that kids asked about the railroad. The overall packet is full of things about railroading that an inquisitive kid might be interested in. The packet of information and pictures is so cool that I wanted the depot museum to have it. We'll just have to figure out how best to display it. 

  The Southern RR “Carolina Special” that ran from Charleston to Cincinnati carried me to and from Camp Lutheridge in Arden, NC when I was 10 years old, and again at 11. In 1967, my whole family and I rode it from Columbia to Cincinnati where we changed trains to go visit cousins in Evansville, Indiana. At the time, I didn't realize I was riding up and down the famous Saluda Grade, going right through the town that would later become my home. As a kid, I just figured we'd always travel by railroad, but now we know the rest of the story related to travel, so to speak.”

All displayed items such as the donations made by John Wilkinson and Ralph Mayer, are archived and catalogued by our team of dedicated volunteers who know and appreciate the value of each artifact. We consider John’s father’s telegraph, called a “bug” , and Ralph’s school boy collection two of many precious displayed items and we will do our best to preserve and protect their donation for years to come--- while at the same time, sharing it with all of our visitors.   



Featured Photograph

Working on the Railroad

Join us on Facebook where we have a great time sharing and enjoying vintage Saluda photographs. This is a very rare photo that may show the early construction of the Saluda Grade Railroad. Date unknown. We are uncertain if this is a photo of the construction of the original rail line or if this is repair work. Opinions are welcome.

The Saluda Grade opened to rail traffic on July 4, 1878. However, the project slowed in 1879, due to the depletion of financial resources and manual labor, at which time the North Carolina legislature ratified a bill to provide financial support and to allow convicts, mostly black, to work on the construction of the line. The price paid by all workers, free or otherwise, was high, due to sickness and accidents resulting in a high death rate. Despite this adversity, the tracks reached the top of the grade three months after the convicts began work on the project, resulting in the completion of the steepest mainline standard gauge railroad in the United States. This photo is compliments of the City of Saluda and the Historic Saluda Committee. 

Mark Your Calendars Now for the 2024 Historic Saluda Home Tour!

It doesn’t happen yearly, so you don’t want to miss this one! It will be here before you know it. Join us on Saturday, June 8, 2024, for a day of touring some of Saluda’s most historic homes. We have lots of surprises up our sleeves. Follow our progress on our Facebook page.

Put Your Name on It! By sponsoring the Historic Saluda Home Tour you are helping to preserve history. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/historicsaluda/ or call Lauretta Cook at 828-808-0287.

Our YouTube is Trending

Please visit our YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/@HistoricSaludaNC/videos to like, share and subscribe to our channel. Some of our videos have thousands of views. Most recently our on-site vlogs have become very popular. Check it out!

Our Next Meeting

Our next meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 9, 2024, at 2:00 PM at the Saluda Public Library. The public is invited to attend. For scheduled meetings, updates, or cancellations, please visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/historicsaluda for more information. Join us and see what it is all about!

Who Are We? The Historic Saluda Committee (HSC) is an official committee under the jurisdiction of the City of Saluda. The Saluda Board of Commissioners appoints a seven-member panel and the HSC Chair may appoint additional at-large members. For more information about the Historic Saluda Committee go to www.historicsaluda.org or contact us at historicsaluda@gmail.com. Check us out on Facebook. Follow our oral history project on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@HistoricSaludaNC.

The Saluda Senior Center

“Your community center in Saluda!”

Winter Market

Visit the Saluda Winter Market Saturday February 10 and February 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. You’ll find home-baked treats and locally-made pickles, jellies, soups and more, in addition to beautiful hand-crafted items perfect for giving and collecting. Arrive early for the best selection!

Pot Luck & Bingo

Join us on Monday February 26 at 6 p.m. for home cooking and free entertainment! Bring a side dish or salad if you can – main dish provided by the Center. Bingo (with prizes) following supper. Come on over and meet your neighbors! 

Shop the Thrifty Barn

The Thrifty Barn offers gently used clothing, books and housewares at bargain prices. Proceeds support your Saluda Senior Center. Check out our ever-changing inventory Wednesdays through Fridays from 10 to 4 and Saturdays from 10 to 1. Donations accepted on Wednesdays. Volunteers wanted! Please stop by any Wednesday during shop hours to learn more. 

Basement Reopens With OVERSTOCK SALE February 2 & 3

Shop the bargains at the Thrifty Barn’s Basement Fridays and Saturdays in February. Special sale Feb 2 & 3 from 11 to 3: Fill a bag with any back-room household items for $5.50; furniture and other front-room items deeply discounted!

Can You Give An Hour Or Two Of Your Time?

Are you handy with a hammer? A devotee of Antiques Roadshow? Consider volunteering at the Basement to support your Saluda Senior Center. Call Cindy Keeter: 828-551-1039.

Community Table at the Center

Enjoy supper provided by the Community Table on Tuesday February 13 and February 27 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Plan to bring your own plate and utensils (and take them home again). 

Coming to the Center in March: Free Gardening Workshop

Just in time for Spring, Dan Wells will share his expertise growing vegetables in Saluda at a 3-hour workshop 10 a.m. March 16.

Need a Room? 

Are you planning a party, class or meeting? In the heart of Saluda, the Center has two large rooms, a cozy fireplace, a full catering kitchen, plenty of tables and chairs, and is accessible from the free town parking lot. Public and private functions can be accommodated at the Center -- priority is given to events serving the community. To reserve the Center call Louisa Williamson: 803 707-8747.

About The Saluda Senior Center…

The Center is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization that organizes activities and provides a gathering place to meet the needs of the Saluda community. Donations are cheerfully accepted and tax-deductible. Although “Senior” is in our name, events at the Center are open to all. Join us!

The Saluda Senior Center

64 Greenville Street

Saluda, NC 28773



Chris Williams Joins Looking Glass Realty in Saluda

Chris Williams is a recent addition to the dynamic team in Saluda, bringing an impressive 13 years of professional real estate experience and a history of award-winning performance. Hailing from the Midlands of South Carolina, Chris has consistently emerged as a top producer, garnering numerous accolades for his outstanding achievements. His expertise spans various property types, from equestrian properties and aviation facilities to lake homes and expansive farms. While specializing in land sales, Chris demonstrates equal enthusiasm whether listing a small home or a grand estate.

A dedicated father of three girls – Daisy, Charlotte, and Abigail – Chris finds unparalleled motivation in his family to approach all his professional endeavors with unwavering enthusiasm. Beyond his commitment to real estate, Chris has deep roots in the region, having been a frequent visitor for over three decades. He holds a Bachelor's degree from The Citadel, and it was during his college years that a professor introduced him to the charm of Saluda.

An avid lover of the outdoors, Chris's passion for cycling, hiking, and nature aligns seamlessly with the picturesque landscape of Western North Carolina. Licensed to sell real estate in both North and South Carolina, Chris is well-prepared to assist you with your real estate needs in Henderson County, Polk County, and beyond. With his wealth of experience, local knowledge, and genuine enthusiasm, Chris is your go-to professional for navigating the real estate landscape in this stunning corner of the Carolinas.



Fe-brr-uary at River Dog Run

Yes, it is still cold outside, but we have items that will warm your hearth!

Our tea towels can’t help but make you smile and the newest one “That’s a horrible idea! What time?” is flying out the door to homes. For those ever-important girl gatherings we have a new one too: “Girl’s Weekend: Because life is too short to remain dignified.” Both are very real sentiments for treasured family or friends!

We are well-stocked with our romper/aprons for chefs or those wanting something new to wear for daytime. With a turtleneck and leggings these outfits are a perfect winter wear. We have a wealth of delicious pottery (with recipes) for gifts or a treat for yourself. Pillows, lamps and one-of-a-kind silver items, bookends, cards and candles are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg of items here. One of our newest items, cards, are a popular buy; we have colorful prints of hummingbirds and letterpress options for lots of occasions.

Along with our unique merchandise we have an exceptional staff; four women who are dedicated to helping you find what you want or leaving you alone to browse if that is your favored approach to shopping!

Merry Trask, a transplant from Abbeville and Beaufort, SC is one of the best. A former art teacher and EMT, she has a great eye for our offerings and ear for what someone says they want!

Merry found Saluda back when she was a camper at Pinnacle and enjoyed summer hiking here even after the camping experiences. She decided to move here and established roots by purchasing a house, volunteering for several non-profits, and making friends in the community. As a former art teacher, she has a great eye for our artwork and sculpture. One of the things she loves about our store is “there is always something new that Lisa finds for River Dog Run. She curates it so well it is a pleasure to just be here. I love talking to our regulars and meeting new people each week; finding items for customers is my favorite treasure hunt!”

And thanks to all who came to our chilly warehouse sale. Folks came away with a great deal on great merchandise!

So, meander on into River Dog Run and leave with a one-of-a-kind item and a warm feeling inside!

Our winter hours are Thursday through Saturday 11AM to 5PM, Sunday noon to 4PM. Visit us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram. Call 828-551-1461 if you have questions or need to shop other times.

Like the rest of Saluda, we are people and dog friendly!

For the short and sweet month of love, Wildflour Bakery is ready with seasonal desserts and pastries... with an extra dose of chocolate! Stop by for special desserts, pastries and brunch specials, and enjoy familiar favorites like Wednesday and Friday night pizza. Wildflour will continue to be closed on Mondays during February but will resume normal Monday business hours starting March 4th! February's chilly weather invites you to cozy up with loved ones, so come enjoy some Wildflour sweets with your sweetheart while you're at it!

February Sunday Brunch Specials

Sunday, February 4th

Italian Meatball Sub

Savory sausage and beef meatballs coated in house-made marinara sauce and melted mozzarella on a warm sourdough bun. Served with a side of Southern-style coleslaw.

Blue Ridge Biscuit

Fluffy garlic ancho butter biscuit layered with crispy bacon or breakfast sausage and a fried egg with cheddar cheese. Served with cheese grits or hashbrowns.

Sunday, February 11th

Sweetheart Strawberry Cheesecake Waffles

Fluffy waffles stuffed with cheesecake filling and drizzled with pink strawberry sauce. Served with cheese grits or hashbrowns.

Smoky Mountain Strada

Fresh eggs, breakfast sausage, roasted red peppers, onion and smoked cheddar layered with Wildflour sourdough and baked until golden. Served with either cheese grits or hashbrowns.

Sunday, February 18th

Banana Foster French Toast

Bread pudding style fresh toast stuffed with bananas and topped with New Orleans style caramel and a hint of rum to make you happy! Served with your choice of cheddar grits or hashbrowns. 

Chicken & Dumplings

The perfect cozy comfort soup! Our savory herbed chicken and dumplings is served with a warm crescent roll and a garden salad.

Sunday, February 25th

Meatloaf Grilled Cheese

This hearty special is loaded with a thick slice of meatloaf, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, and grilled on fresh sourdough bread. Served with a side of pasta salad.

Key Lime Pancakes with Blackberry Sauce

Golden brown pancakes paired with key lime pie filling, fresh blackberry sauce and a swirl of whipped cream. Served with either cheese grits or hashbrowns.





Winter has definitely arrived, and the frigid air makes us all want to wrap up in a warm coat and other outer wear designed to fight the cold. Saluda Outfitters’ retail has everything you need to stay warm and comfy, from our KÜHL jackets to our Cotopaxi lightweight Fuego down coats and puffer vests. There is still good selection of ultra warm clothing for both men and women, along with stocking caps, branded hoodies and stocking caps, socks, shoes and boots.

Our candle selection provides some of the best aromas you can buy, and they come in a variety of types and sizes. Our owners love to offer items that “give back,” including our Rescued Wine recycled bottle, all natural, 100% soy candles made in California with a portion of proceeds donated to animal rescue missions.

A colorful supply of Fahlo animal tracking bracelets offer something for all ages. The kids love getting a bracelet where they can choose the animal they want to track. Fahlo partners with nonprofits to create bracelets that come with a real animal to track, like gorillas, sea turtles, elephants, polar bears and more. Ten percent of net profits go to the specified animal nonprofit organization.

To stave off the cold weather effects on your dry skin, check out our goat’s milk products. If you love the smoothness that goat’s milk provides, stop by today and stock up on our variety of soaps and lotions.

Live Music Venue: After a short hiatus during January, we are back on track with our indoor live music venue bookings every Friday and Saturay evening. Our indoor Sound Garden Stage provides a warm and cozy atmosphere for fall/winter live music. We have had an overwhelming response by musicians reaching out to book dates. Unfortunately, we can’t use everyone as much as we would like to, but we continue to build our music database for future openings. We appreciate all types of music and try to provide our patrons with a good variety during our FREE music events. We continue our music hours at 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during February. Check back in March to see if we have returned to our 7-9 p.m. time frame.

Sign up for our Newsletter: To stay informed all year long about activities, music events, menu updates and other special offers from Saluda Outfitters and Green River Eddy’s Tap Room & Grill, visit https://saludaoutfitters.com/ and sign up for our brief weekly newsletter emails.

Winter Hours: Check out our winter hours listed below. We are open 6 days a week, only closed on Tuesdays. We have beefed up our kitchen and bar area and our chefs are planning some great menu additions and specials for those cold days. Also, as they look toward spring and summer they are already dreaming up new menu ideas, as well as cocktail specials for the bar.

From the Grill and Tap Room:

Retail & Tap Room Winter Hours: Closed on Tuesdays until further notice

—10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

—11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday

—11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays

—10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays

Kitchen Hours:

—11 a.m. to closing daily (closed on Tuesdays)

Contact Information:

Call the store at 828-848-4060; email, info@saludaoutfitters.com or stay in touch via our Facebook pages https://www.facebook.com/saludaoutfitters or https://www.facebook.com/greenrivereddystaproom/ where we routinely post updates; on Instagram @saludaoutfitters; or on our website: www.saludaoutfitters.com.



The Orchard Inn & Newman's Restaurant & Spa

  February is the month for romance and there's no better place in Western North Carolina to experience a romantic getaway than the Orchard Inn & Spa. We'll be serving a fabulous Valentine's dinner all weekend from Wednesday, 2/14 thru Saturday, 2/17 for $95 per person. Seating is limited and available inside our dining room and outside on our new heated terrace. Reservations are required so call 828-749-5471 as soon as possible to guarantee your place at our romantic venue. Here is a link to view the special Valentine's Dinner menu: https://orchardinn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Valentines-Weekend-2021-1.pdf

Now serving awesome cocktails and mixed beverages for your enjoyment!

  As you ascend the winding driveway to our 12-acre elegant mountain oasis, restaurant and spa, framed with beautiful winter plants, the stress of normal day to day life immediately starts to drift away. The official welcome committee (our Boxer Roxy) will be standing by to challenge you with a stick and walk you up the steps to our antebellum front porch where she will attempt to lure you into a game of tug of war. Don't be tempted - you're sure to lose. Welcome to the Orchard Inn & Spa and Newman's Restaurant where the temperature is cool, the atmosphere is serene and the hospitality warm. Come help us celebrate 98 years of gracious southern living. 

  Our fine dining restaurant, Newman's, continues to receive high accolades from food critics far and wide. We've created a lovely outside dining area on our back terrace, serving dinner every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights starting at 5:30 pm, and an incredible Brunch every Sunday beginning at 11:30 am. At Newman's Restaurant we strive to bring diners a true "farm to table" gastronomic experience. Treat yourself to a most creatively prepared and delicious fine dining culinary adventure! You don't have to be a guest of the Inn to enjoy a meal at Newman's. Our amazing 3-course brunch is only $45 and goes from 11:30-1:30 every Sunday. Our 4-course dinners are a great value at $89. Every seat in the elegant dining room has a fabulous view of the surrounding mountains, and the fire table on our terrace is a perfect place to enjoy a cocktail, glass of wine or local beer prior to dinner. It's hard to find a better meal in the great culinary towns of Asheville, Greenville or Charleston. We are literally a diamond in the woods. Call 828-749-5471 now to book a table this weekend. Voted #1 fine dining restaurant in Western North Carolina by OpenTable.

  Our beautiful Spa is open and all are welcome. We've created a very zen-like environment where you can de-stress, unwind, relax and be pampered with an array of therapeutic massages or restorative facials by highly skilled therapists. We are also offering local discounts, so come by and check us out! The Koi fish are waiting to greet you. It's a perfect place to have a girl's afternoon off and sit by the fire while sipping a glass of wine after a heavenly treatment. 

  Originally built in 1926 and called the Mountain Home of Southern Railway Clerks the Inn sits on 12 acres, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a member of the distinguished Select Registry and Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. There are 8 rooms upstairs in the Inn, all with private baths and lovely mountain views, a suite downstairs, 5 private cottages with decks or screened in porches, Jacuzzi tubs, and gas fireplaces, plus 2 new mountain view luxury suites. All rooms are tastefully decorated with antiques and period pieces, and our linens are ultra luxurious. The gracious hosts, Marc & Marianne look forward to welcoming you to their little slice of heaven. 

We look forward to greeting you soon!

Marc & Marianne

The Orchard Inn & Newman's Restaurant & Spa

an elegant mountain retreat & fine dining restaurant

Saluda, NC  28773

828-749-5471

www.orchardinn.com

As February unfolds in Saluda, The Purple Onion welcomes you to a month of warmth and connection. In this season of serene beauty and crisp mornings, we celebrate love in all its forms. From our cherished community, families, loved ones, partners of all kinds, to the seasonal bounty on our plates, February offers us an opportunity to acknowledge and inspire those around us that help support and make life possible. Our specially curated menu offers comforting flavors and innovative creations, perfect for savoring in the company of friends, family, or someone special. Join us in embracing the simple joys and heartfelt warmth that define this wonderful time of year in our beloved town.

Valentine’s Day

Double the Love at The Purple Onion this Valentine's Week! With Valentine's Day landing midweek, you've got two weekends to celebrate love this year. Whether it's a romantic date, fun with friends, or family time, we're here to make it special. Savor our delicious house-made desserts, enticing aphrodisiacs, and a variety of bubbles. Open Monday, and Thursday through Sunday, we offer ample opportunities for you to indulge. Join us in our delightful town and make this a week of love to remember. Book your table now and let’s celebrate love not just on Valentine's Day, but all week long.

The S.P.O.T.

What does cold weather have in common with the SPOT? Chill factor. Come and join us for some “chill” evenings at the SPOT this winter season with chili infused margaritas and house made tacos. We’ve got just the right amount of spice to warm you up. Join us for themed nights on our heated porch or see us in action by the bar. 

Open Thursday, Friday, and Sunday 3 pm - 8pm.

Open Saturdays 12 pm - 8pm.

Themed Nights:

Thursday Tequila Night – Find out what fun specialty tequila cocktail we’ve come up with this week

Friday Fire Night – Join us by the fire pit for a rustic evening. 

Saturday Night – Movie Night (weather permitting)

Sunday Family Game Night – free board games to bring the family together. 

Sunday Concert

We have two amazing Sunday Concerts coming up in our Sunday Concert Series. You don’t want to miss these shows. Tickets are available online.

February 4^th - Seth Walker - $22

Ticket Link

Over the past 15 years, Seth Walker has become recognized as one of the most revered modern roots artists in the United States; a three-dimensional talent comprised by a gift for combining melody and lyric alongside a rich, Gospel-drenched, Southern-inflected voice with a true-blue knack for getting around on the guitar. Having lived all along the East Coast, he’s used those experiences imparted by many heritages wisely, soaking up the sounds and absorbing the musical lineage of these varied places. With a bluesman’s respect for roots and tradition, coupled with an appreciation for—and successful melding of—contemporary songwriting, Seth sublimely incorporates a range of styles with warmth and grace.

March 3rd ~ Paul Thorn & Steve Poltz - $50

Ticket Link

Similar backgrounds yet different paths. Paul Thorn and Steve Poltz have a 20+ year friendship and are taking it on the road and in the ring together this Spring for a multi-city tour, surely to bring love, laughter, and mischief along with them. Equal parts humor, poignant stories, and expert musicianship, these two storytellers with contagious smiles will put on a show that will make you laugh one minute and cry the next.

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"Everything I know, I learned from dogs." –Nora Roberts

My Wonderful Dogs!

My companions on this glorious journey.

Kaya (on the right) was adopted from Foothills in August 2019, she is 6 years old this month! My heart.

Please consider rescuing or adopting, if you decide to bring an animal into your family.

Foothills Humane Society

LO (on the left) was dumped here in Saluda in 2020 and found her way to us. She is our unstoppable tank, running full speed into every blessed day. She turned 4 years old on November 1st!

We have so much to learn from these amazing animals. And, all the other amazing animals.

There is a great group of dogs and companions who meet on Sunday mornings at 10:00am, at the Saluda Dog Park. Come join the pups and some people too.

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