RUGBY’S HIDDEN HISTORY STARTS THIS WEEKEND
I wanted to remind everyone that this coming Saturday is the first of the new Rugby Hidden History series. Barbara Stagg, Executive Director of Historic Rugby will inform and entertain you beginning with lunch at the Cafe, followed by a walk to the Massengale Homeplace and the site of Hill House (a mile walk on an easy trail with several steep places).
HIKING NEWS
Carrie Thornthwaite reports that five hikers went on last Saturday’s hike, which included a 1,500 foot climb along a 7-mile loop at Frozen Head. They went slowly while looking closely at the wildflowers and so spent 6 1/2 hours on the trail!
Carrie’s photos of the hike are at http://www.thornthwaite.com/frozenhead .The website shows mostly unnamed flowers seen blooming. She says the hikers weren't able to identify several, but once they have been identified, she will change the website to include the names.
HIKING NEWS
Carrie Thornthwaite reports that five hikers went on last Saturday’s hike, which included a 1,500 foot climb along a 7-mile loop at Frozen Head. They went slowly while looking closely at the wildflowers and so spent 6 1/2 hours on the trail!
Carrie’s photos of the hike are at http://www.thornthwaite.com/frozenhead .The website shows mostly unnamed flowers seen blooming. She says the hikers weren't able to identify several, but once they have been identified, she will change the website to include the names.
The Tennessee Trails monthly newsletter provides information about an April 12 “easy beginner-level” hike over ridge top terrain to Double Arch and Potter’s Cave which are inside the “Double Arch Retreat” residential development. Hike leader Charles Gibbs will lead a short walk to the arch and the large rock shelter. Then the group will drive to the Honeycreek Trail Head parking area and hike to White Oak Overlook which is about three miles round trip. See details in the calendar below.
PROJECT TO IMPROVE SIGNAGE BEGINS
A new site sign went up in the Historic Rugby entry area between Kingstone Lisle and the Schoolhouse recently. Barbara Stagg says this is part of an overall project to get all needed signage up at or near the new Visitor Centre. Several more signs will be put up shortly, mostly dealing with parking for visitors and Percy Cottage lodgers. HRI also hopes to replace some of the street signs around Rugby and in Beacon Hill which have peeling paint.
HISTORIC RUGBY NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
At the last history club meeting Barbara Stagg said Historic Rugby could use volunteers to help with a Rugby display at the Fentress County History Roundup on April 25. If you would like to help you can contact Cathy Hannaway at rugbylegacy@highland.net. What is involved is taking Rugby books over and setting up a display. The round-up is especially interested in cemetery information and photos. I believe it will be from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Central time.
EVEN MORE PIG INTRIGUE
Nora and Jim Meadows said they saw a couple of the pigs near their home in Beacon Hill recently. Jim thought about shooting at them, but then decided the McBrayers might not appreciate shots fired toward their house. They said that the pigs have also tilled a new garden area for the Hicks behind their new carriage house. Those of us on the south side of Highway 52 appreciate the efforts of the Beacon Hill folks in keeping the pigs entertained on the north side of the highway.
ANOTHER NEW BABY
Congratulations to Bobbie Jo who works at the Cafe on the birth of a son. I don’t have much in the way of details but Teresa seems to think they have named him James Ray and that both mother and son are doing well.
YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF RUGBY
I noticed that there are three videos of Rugby on YouTube now. One of them is a little older than the other two but has a nice segment with Eric Wilson and other members of the community helping out when Jerry Weiler was very ill. The videos can be accessed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdxuEvb6YZQ
BIRTHDAYS
April 3 - Luke Martin
April 4 - Tom Howell
April 6 - Lavonne Gibbs
April 7 - Gerald Hanwright
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
APRIL 5–Tales of the Massengale Homeplace & Hill House – First of New Hidden History Series with guide Barbara Stagg. Entertaining lunch and walk to historic Rugby home sites. Includes a mile walk on an easy trail with several steep places. $24 fee includes lunch. Contact Historic Rugby for times and to register at 888-214-3400 or locally at 628-2441.
April 5 – Community Potluck – 7:00 pm EDT
April 12 – History Club Cemetery Crawl. Group will carpool to several cemeteries including Stockton Cemetery in Mt. Helene to see the “comb-back” graves. Meet at the Harrow Road Cafe in Rugby at 10:00 am EST.
April 12 – Hike to Double Arch, Potter’s Cave and White Oak Overlook in Fentress County. Meet at the Harrow Road Cafe in Rugby at 1:00 pm Eastern time or meet at the trail head at 12:30 pm Central time. To register or for detailed driving instructions, email Charles Gibbs at clgibbs@highland.net.
Historic Rugby Workshops – contact Historic Rugby at 1-888-214-3400 or locally at 628-2441 for details and reservations or check online for more information at http://www.historicrugby.org/workshop/workshop.htm
April 19 – Wildflower Walk and Slide Show – instructor Jack Carman
April 26 & 27 – Honeysuckle Basketry with instructors Beth Hester and Scott Gilbert
Exercise Group - Monday and Thursday at 9:00 am EDT at the Friendly House
Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm EDT at the Friendly House
NATURE NOTES by Linda Konig
Old Man Winter just doesn’t seem to want to let go, but surely soon we will be having more spring-like days. In spite of the fact that we seem to be behind in some signs of spring this year (we haven’t seen any sarvisberry trees in bloom yet), I was amazed when I looked back over my records for March that I had seen 21 different blooming kinds of wildflowers. Here is my list so you can compare it with the flowers you have seen: Solitary Pussytoes, Field Pansies, Common Speedwell, Poverty Rush, Mountain Stonecrop, Spring Beauties, Indian Strawberries, common Purple and “Confederate” violets (both the same violet, just different colors), Cut-Leaf Toothwort, Cypress Spurge, Bloodroot, Early Meadow Rue, Small Bluet, Quaker Lady, Round-Leaf Ragwort, Dutchman’s Breeches, Wild Mustard, Hoary Bitter Cress, Henbit, Chickweed and Dandelions.
If I count the ones that were originally planted on purpose, but have gone wild, I would have to add Ground Ivy, Myrtle, Daffodils, adding the count up to 24. Add to these the ones that are on the verge of blooming any day now, such as trilliums and Trout Lillies, and maybe March was not so bad after all.
Exercise Group - Monday and Thursday at 9:00 am EDT at the Friendly House
Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm EDT at the Friendly House
NATURE NOTES by Linda Konig
Old Man Winter just doesn’t seem to want to let go, but surely soon we will be having more spring-like days. In spite of the fact that we seem to be behind in some signs of spring this year (we haven’t seen any sarvisberry trees in bloom yet), I was amazed when I looked back over my records for March that I had seen 21 different blooming kinds of wildflowers. Here is my list so you can compare it with the flowers you have seen: Solitary Pussytoes, Field Pansies, Common Speedwell, Poverty Rush, Mountain Stonecrop, Spring Beauties, Indian Strawberries, common Purple and “Confederate” violets (both the same violet, just different colors), Cut-Leaf Toothwort, Cypress Spurge, Bloodroot, Early Meadow Rue, Small Bluet, Quaker Lady, Round-Leaf Ragwort, Dutchman’s Breeches, Wild Mustard, Hoary Bitter Cress, Henbit, Chickweed and Dandelions.
If I count the ones that were originally planted on purpose, but have gone wild, I would have to add Ground Ivy, Myrtle, Daffodils, adding the count up to 24. Add to these the ones that are on the verge of blooming any day now, such as trilliums and Trout Lillies, and maybe March was not so bad after all.
