Monday, February 11, 2008

PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS
It was interesting voting for the first time last Tuesday at the Methodist Church in Burrville – they have a sign saying the church was founded in the 1850’s. A lot of friendly campaign workers seemed to be enjoying themselves with cookies and conversation. They almost wouldn’t let George Zepp vote because they didn’t have a list of any registered voters with names that started with Z, but after checking with election central in Wartburg they decided his voter registration card was ok. Anyway, in Morgan County Mike Huckabee won the Republican primary vote with 673 votes to John McCain’s 464 votes. Hillary Clinton won 1331 votes to Barack Obama’s 204.

HIKING NEWS
Benita Howell asked that I announce that Julian Bankston will lead a hike on local trails Tuesday morning – February 12. Meet at the Visitor Centre at 9:30 am EST. Rain is forecast as on the past few Tuesdays, but hikers have been able to finish before anything more than mist fell on us.
Next Tuesday, February 19, a hike is planned for the Point Loop at Lilly Bridge.

Due to recent wet weather, the rivers around Rugby have been getting higher and more rapid than they have been for a while. Michael Harris sent me this picture of the White Oak at the spot known as the Slides which I believe he took before last week’s rains.

NEW SCHEDULE FOR MAIL DELIVERY
During the week one of the big social events in Rugby is going to check your mail at the mailboxes and then stopping in at the Commissary to say hello to Rita Elliott. Anyway, Rita says she loves having everybody visit, but you need to start coming in a little later because Bill the mail delivery guy has taken on more stops so he arrives in Rugby later than in the past. She says that most days the mail will not arrive until about 12:30 pm EST. I noticed that one day this week it was actually delivered around 1:00 pm.

WORKSHOP UPDATES
Rita Elliott wanted to announce that the painting workshop originally scheduled for February 10 has been rescheduled for March 30. It is called One Stroke Acrylic Painting and will be held from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm EST. Instructor Mara Trumbo says students will paint on beautiful slate slabs, suitable for welcome signs etc. Cost is $45, all inclusive.

Rita has provided information about several other workshops coming up in March. Several of you have asked about these and there has been some confusion because as of yesterday the Historic Rugby website had not been updated to include these.

The ever-enthusiastic Joyce Lantz is leading two quilting workshops – the first is Saturday March 15 called “Personalize and Decorate with Quilting” and the other is Sunday March 16 called “Create a Unique Table with Quilting.”

Judy Zugish is teaching a “Birdsnest Basket” making workshop on March 22 & 23.

And for those of you who want to mark your calendars, the Wildflower Walk is scheduled April 19 with Jack Carman, author of the book “Wildflowers of Tennessee.”

HISTORY CLUB DINNER MEETING AT GREY GABLES
On March 14, Linda Brooks Jones, Ila Brooks Hull, and Bobby Brooks will share history of the Brooks family in Armathwaite and Rugby, including memories of the Charlie and Nellie Brooks era at Uffington House. Everyone interested in this program, whether or not you've regularly attended History Club, is invited to a Dutch treat dinner at Grey Gables at 6:30 Eastern time, with the program to follow at 7:30. Linda Jones wanted us to be sure to announce that you'd be welcome for the program whether or not you had dinner, but you won't want to miss a delicious Grey Gables meal (price will be $11.00 plus tax and gratuity). Please call Linda Konig (423-628-5243) by March 1 if you're interested in the dinner and let her know if you have any special dietary needs. She will need a firm head count to relay to Linda Jones by Sunday, March 9.

NEW AND RETURNING FACES
It was good to see that Ashley Trammell’s smiling face back at the Café last Monday after having a baby girl on January 18. Zoey Ann was born at the Jamestown Hospital and weighed in at 7 pounds five ounces.

I saw new Rugby resident Jessie Gully leading a tour of the historic buildings for Historic Rugby on Saturday. She has recently been hired and is working part-time training as an interpreter. I get the impression that she is a quick study as Jessie was at the history club meeting on Friday night asking good questions that made it clear that she has been getting up to speed on Rugby history.

HELP WANTED
Historic Rugby is advertising for additional full or part-time interpreter/tour guide positions for the coming season.

WHERE TO GET PIZZA?
Wil Thornthwaite mentioned that Dicky's Stop-N-Go Market in Elgin (627-4100) has started selling pizza. He says that they are not made from scratch but that he and Carrie had one recently and it was pretty good. He thought this might be the closest pizza place to Rugby. When he went there they were throwing in a two-liter bottle of soda with the pizza.

BIRTHDAYS
January 12 - Barbara Stagg
January - 13 Butch Hodgkins
January -14 Marilyn Hury
January - 17 Liam Neary

NATURE NOTES by Linda Konig
It amuses me that people have names for the cold snaps we have in spring. You know them -- dogwood winter, blackberry winter, locust winter, etc. But we don't have names for the warm spells we have in winter. I think we should give them names. For instance, last week we seem to have had "snowdrop spring," because the snowdrops at Uffington House, Newbury House and The Lindens started to bloom. Our next mini-spring might be called "daffodil spring," then we might have "trillium spring" or "violet spring" and so on.

Last week also brought the first wood frog choruses back in the woods. They're fun to listen to because they sound just like a flock of ducks squabbling. Julian Bankston was probably the first to spot some wood frog eggs. They were behind Allonby on Bella Vista Road. I've been on the watch for spotted salamander eggs, too, but so far haven't found any. I've learned that spotted salamanders always return to the same ponds or vernal pools each year for their mating and egg-laying, so there should be some again this year at Villa Ray's pond. These salamanders sometimes travel a mile or more to get to their home breeding pond. Who knows? Maybe the spotted salamander that was found near Ingleside was trying to make it to the Villa Ray pond. They can live up to 20 years in captivity -- though, of course, not nearly so long in the wild.

Editor’s Note: In the spirit of Linda’s column here is a photo of an early blooming daffodil that Carrie Thornwaite picked near her Beacon Hill home.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February 12 – Hike led by Julian Bankston on local trails – meet at 9:30 am EST at the Visitor’s Centre.

February 19 – Hike Point Loop at Lilly Bridge.

March 1 – Community Potluck

March 14 – History Night at Grey Gables – The Brooks Family at Rugby and Armathwaite. Dinner at 6:30 pm EST. History meeting at 7:30 pm EST. Dinner is $11 - call Linda Konig (423-628-5243) by March 1 if you're interested in the dinner and let her know if you have any special dietary needs.

Historic Rugby Workshops – contact Historic Rugby at 1-888-214-3400 or locally at 628-2441 for details and reservations
March 15 – Personalize and Decorate with Quilting - instructor Joyce Lantz
March 16 – Create a Unique Table with Quilting – instructor Joyce Lantz
March 22 & 23 – Create a Birdsnest Basket – instructor Judy Zugish
March 30 -Acrylic Painting - instructor Mara Trumbo.

Exercise Group - Monday and Thursday at 9:00 am EST at the Friendly House

Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Friendly House