Tidbits - May 4, 2023
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- Category: Archives
- Published on Tuesday, 02 May 2023 21:11
- Written by Ralph Shealy
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TIDBITS by RALPH SHEALY
GREAT DAY
Hats off to all those who had anything to do with the great events our county citizens had the opportunity to enjoy Saturday.
We had four events, and I attended three of them, walking two and half miles Saturday morning!
I started at the “Gathering” at Patchwork Farms on the Denny Hwy. (where June Etheredge’s Store was located). I tried to take a picture of every booth. It was impressive.
I enjoyed seeing old friends. Buddy Coleman, Lynette Black Forrest and I ended up at the same location, and I got Buddy’s wife Mary to take a picture of the three of us. We began first grade together in Mrs. Annie Mae Riser’s first grade class at Saluda Elementary in 1957. That’s 66 years ago, folks!.
From Patchwork, I drove to the Saluda County Farmers Festival at the Tractor Pull site. It, too, featured crafters, and fair rides, games and food.
It’s been a long time since Saluda had a fair. It was good to once again hear stories of kids riding rides ... and throwing up. Ah, the memories!
One year at the Newberry County Fair in the days of my youth, I rode the ferris wheel, a good, peaceful ride, I had thought previously.
That day, however, there were no riders waiting to get on, and the operator probably thought he was doing us a favor by giving us a free extended ride.
It was neat at first, but about round thirty, I felt myself turning green. I was happy I didn’t lose my Polish sausage dog 50-feet in the air. It would not have been pretty.
I saw a lot of compliments to the Chamber of Commerce and Town of Saluda on social media for bringing the four-day festival to the county. The children really enjoyed it.
Finally, I left and drove up the road a short distance to the car and bike show, sponsored by Chad Martin’s Custom Dreams. It had over 100 entries of old and new cars, trucks and bikes.
If you know me, you know how much I enjoyed it.
My favorite car was a pristine 1959 Chevrolet Impala two-door coupe.
As I’ve mentioned many times in the last 47 years, my first car was a 1959 Chevrolet Impala four-door, “The Blue Streak,” purchased with the proceeds from the sale of my cow, Daisy.
I guess you could say I was driving because of Miss Daisy! (I couldn’t help it!)
The event I didn’t make was the antique tractor pull at Richland Creek Farms. I heard it went well.
SCOOPED
I went by Saluda’s new ice cream shop, Nana Sweets, last Wednesday.
The flavor selection was amazing. It was a tough decision, but I chose a cup of pistachio, one of my favorites from long ago. It was great.
The shop brought back memories of Calk’s Store from my youth.
For my family, going to the store to get ice cream was no big deal, because the store was a stone’s throw away and we went there every day.
For the rest of the “world,” it was a place to go to get a special treat, an ice cream cone.
I think they had six flavors, nothing like the 40 or so at Nana’s. The joy was Uncle Homer Calk piling the ice cream on a single a nickel cone. You could barely carry the ten cent double cone, often featuring three scoops of different flavors.
The store won prizes for selling the most ice cream in the area on many occasions.
People came from miles around, and on the weekend, you could rarely find a place to park.
Sweet days of youth in Saluda County....
THE JINX
Last week I proved to myself I am definitely a jinx when I comes to watching teams and players I support.
Last Thursday, I turned on the Carolina-Florida game and Carolina’s pitcher walked the first batter. I turned the game, never to return. Carolina won.
Friday, I turned to the game and Florida’s lead-off hitter smacked a home run. I turned the game, never to return. Carolina won.
Saturday was an afternoon game, and was already in progress when I awakened from my nap. I turned on the game. The first thing I saw was a Florida batter hitting a home run. I turned it, never to return. Carolina won.
I’ve watched bits and pieces of several Clemson games, but I’d never seen Saluda County’s Billy Amick bat. Saturday, I finally got to see him bat against N.C. State. He struck out.
I did not turn it, however. The next time Billy came up, he got hit by a pitch!
I should have turned it earlier to protect him, but Clemson did win, despite me.
Billy is having a great year. He is hitting .400 with six homers and 24 RBIs.
I DID
We get a Letter to the Editor from Jerry Barnes on privacy.
He mentioned all the personal information I mention in my column, and concluded with “everything except your underwear.”
Jerry is a truck driver, who passes through Saluda, so he doesn’t know I even mentioned my underwear a few years ago.
I got several letters of complaint on that one. I learned not to mention unmen-tionagbles!
THE DRUG STORE
I believe it was the late 70s or early 80s that Saluda got the strip mall on the Greenwood Highway.
One of the stores was the national drug store chain, Revco.
Two of the pharmacists who endeared themselves to this community were Terry Nye and Mark Patterson.
Both were good men, with great personalities, who would help you in anyway they could.
It’s sadly ironic that the two men would die within six months of each other, Terry in November 2022, and Mark on April 24.
They are missed, and appreciated.