NEWSLETTER

APRIL, 2006

What’s not to love about April. The natural world around us teems with burgeoning life. The baseball season starts (see below). The outstanding music at the café continues:

APRIL 1 – HICKORY GROVE. Outstanding bluegrass from our old friends from Green Creek.

APRIL 6 – DAVE TURNER. This pianist, singer and songwriter from Asheville is here for the first time.

APRIL 8 – MICHAEL RENO HARRELL. We love this singer/songwriter who is also a wonderful storyteller.

APRIL 13 – DARLYNE CAIN. Formerly of Asheville but now from Chicago, this sassy singer/songwriter returns.

APRIL 15 – CHICKEN-BONE. This group will ease your tax-paying frayed nerves.

APRIL 20 – DOUG & TELISHA WILLIAMS. This wonderful duo from Virginia, formerly calling themselves No Evil returns with a new CD.

APRIL 22 – GIGI DOVER. Our favorite diva returns to the adulation of her many fans here.

APRIL 24 – ROBERT SEILER. Soothing piano in these hectic times. All tips go to the Children & Family Resource Center in Hendersonville. You can visit their web site at www.childrenandfamily.org.

APRIL 27 – AARON BURDETT. One of our fine local Saluda performers is back.

APRIL 29 – JONATHAN BYRD. It has been entirely too long since this North Carolina singer/songwriter was with us.

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In last month’s newsletter, I talked about the renovations at the café; principal among them being a new bar for eating and drinking. It has been a huge hit with our patrons. Special thanks from Susan to all those who helped with this successful project:

“To my husband, Stoney, who had to explain to his gallery owners that the reason he couldn’t get any work done in February was because he had a bar in his studio. He not only loaned us his studio to build the bar but put in many hours planning the work, doing some of the work on the bar itself and cleaning up after us.

To Adam Henry, the Master Builder and Problem Solver, who masterminded the studio construction and restaurant reconstruction of the bar. To Allen Tulip, electrician, Sam Bradley, plumber, and Tom and Josh Swanner for converging upon the café as scheduled to put it all back together again. To Shand Howie, General Manager of the café, who kept things rolling here while I ran around with my tape measure. To our other staff who helped tear things apart and put them back together again.

To you all, kudos, thanks and cheers!”

I was reminded by Susan that it is still March Madness as I write this. Thank goodness for the North Carolina and Duke women who remain alive in the NCAA tournament so that we still have something to cheer about. Nevertheless the baseball season begins this month. Thanks to my friend, Phill Cutright, who introduced me to the poet, Linda Pasten, who wrote this wonderful ode to the game:

Baseball

When you tried to tell me
baseball was a metaphor
for life: the long, dusty travail
around the bases, for instance,
to try to go home again;
the Sacrifice for which you win
approval but not applause,
the way the light closes down
in the last days of the season –
I didn’t believe you.
It’s just a way of passing
the time, I said.
And you said: that’s it.
Yes.

Another author whose name I have forgotten said that life is a lot like baseball. It is full of ordinary tasks, skills and experiences that become indispensable in achieving the exceptional and extraordinary. Small things lead to big things. Working on them and getting good at them enhances both our lives and those around us.

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I’m done now. I have to go outside and smell the flowers.

Robert Seiler & Susan Casey
Purple Onion Café
www.purpleonionsaluda.com