Rugby continued to see sure signs of spring this week. We saw a flock of noisy sandhill cranes fly over Rugby heading north one day right after Linda Konig had told us to be on the look out for them. The primroses are starting to bloom at Kingstone Lisle. The daffodils are blooming on the slope behind Villa Ray. The winter honeysuckle bushes in the front, side and back of Martin Roost are just full of fragrant flowers. And snow drops are blooming all over the village.
Another sure sign of spring is the return of the group that reenacts World War II British military activities. Actually I did not see them marching around or anything, but I saw a number of men and women at the Cafe playing dress up in British military outfits – except there was one woman dressed up in very bright red clothes. Wonder what her role was? Sorry, I didn’t catch a picture of the lady in red.
BABY SHOWER THIS WEEK
Well, as most of you have surely noticed by now, Bobbie Jo at the Cafe is expecting (a baby). Teresa Coker is inviting everyone to a baby shower for Bobbie Jo this Thursday, February 28 at 6:30 pm EST at the Community Building. Bobbie Jo is expecting a boy and Teresa says she can use just about anything. If you have any questions about what to bring, contact Teresa at the Cafe.
HISTORIC RUGBY NEWS
Just a reminder that Historic Rugby is holding a Community Information Meeting this Saturday, March 1 at the Rugby Community Building beginning at 4:00 pm.
A picture in last week’s Morgan County News shows Barbara Stagg accepting a check for $12,500 from State Senator Tommy Kilby and State Representative John Mark Windle recently in Wartburg. The funds awarded through the state legislature’s community enhancement grant program will be used to purchase and install a new heating and cooling unit at Uffington House.
Go to http://www.southerntravelnews.com/ to see a great online article about Historic Rugby. The writer, Katy Koontz, visited Rugby several times, including for the Christmas event. The article will be featured on the main page for a week or so, and then will be permanently on the site for at least a year. Click on "read more" at the bottom right on the main page.
FREE WINE DELIVERY SERVICE
Mara Trumbo has accepted a position with Highland Manor Winery as a sales associate. Mara says she is no stranger to the wine industry, coming from a family of Italian wine-makers. She helped her father with the marketing and sales of Ferrata Wines back in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) three decades ago.
Her love of people and art will certainly come in handy as the new job entails guiding tours of the winery, as well as assisting with the sale of wine and grape-designed artifacts from the winery galleries, where her own art will also be exhibited and sold. Rugbeians can place their orders by phone and Mara will gladly do home deliveries after work. Wine lists are available by calling Mara at (423) 628-6591.
BIRTHDAYS
Happy belated birthday to Linda Brooks Jones – I just found out her birthday was February 17
March 2 Rebecca Russell
NATURE NOTES by Linda Konig
Looking forward to spring and summer and all the “new” exciting things I might see out there. One of the things I will be looking for on summer nights is a Bola spider. They are hard to see in the daytime because they “wad up” on leaves and do a great imitation of bird droppings. Some of them even smell like bird droppings! Have you ever? I haven’t either.
These spiders are probably easier to find at night when they are actively “fishing” for certain moths. They don’t spin webs. Instead they make bolas by spinning a single thread with a blob of sticky liquid silk on the far end. These threads are like the bolas the Argentine gauchos use to bring down cows. The Bola spider hangs from a leaf head-down clutching her bola. When she hears a moth approach (experiments have proven that they hear the moth wings), she swings her bola toward the sound to catch a meal. If she fails to catch a moth during the first 15 minutes or so, she eats her line and begins again. Sooner or later she will succeed, because she has another trick up her sleeve.
As amazing as her talent with a bola is, her ability to create special perfumes that mimic two different kinds of female moth pheromones is beyond amazing. The first part of the evening, she attracts male cutworm moths in this way. Then after midnight, the Smoky moths show up – and the Bola spider has changed her perfume by that time. I’d sure like to see this spider in action.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
February 29 - Women's Tea Time Bible Study at 2:00 pm EST will be held at the Olivers’ house in Beacon Hill, 160 Cumberland Ave. Will continue the study of Women of the Bible. Next up is Rahab. Her story can be found in Joshua. Call Deanna Oliver at 628 6394 for information.
March 1 – HRI Information Meeting for the Community 4:00 pm EST Community Building
March 1 - Community Potluck 7:00 pm
March 8 – Cafe returns to regular hours
March 9 – Return of Daylight Savings Time
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.
March 15 – St. Patricks Day Dinner at Harrow Road Cafe – reservations recommended
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
