A Decade of 4th of July Celebrations at the Hicks
Be sure to attend this year’s 10th Annual Community Picnic! This event is held this Saturday July 5 at 6:00 pm EDT at Lizzie’s Place, John and Kathy Hicks’ home in Beacon Hill. This year’s get-together will feature entertainment by Lonesome County Line (Butch Hodgkins’ band). BBQ and drinks provided. Bring a dish to share.
Old Rugby Photos from England
A crumbling envelope with about three dozen negatives showing Rugby in the late 1880s arrived in George Zepp's mailbox this week from the UK. They were graciously donated to Historic Rugby by the daughter of the lately deceased Sir Charles Kimber, whose ancestor Sir Henry Kimber was a key financial backer of the Rugby settlement. George had met Kate Fox briefly on one of his trips to visit her father at his cottage on the Thames.
While many of the negatives show only scenery, a few offer new glimpses of old Rugby. The envelope says only "Rugby, Tennessee" and "no prints," so the file was apparently tucked away without much notice over the years. There are views of the newly built church (completed in 1887), the old schoolhouse (burned in 1906), The Lindens before its sunporch was glassed in, and the second Tabard Inn. A few show residences yet to be identified.
One intriguing shot is of a little windowless shanty deep in the woods with a raised wooden entrance porch above a lower level. A milk can sits outside the door. Could this be the home of Rugby's famous "hermit"? Note: Barbara Stagg thinks it might really be the spring dairy (noting the bigger milk can than a lone hermit would need). George sticks stubbornly to his romantic idea of a hermit lodge. We'll see.
George's grandmother's 1898 essay about the hermit quotes him as saying that when he takes meals "I kneel before a wooden bench, as an outward sign of thanks to Him who gives me food." Could that be the same bench, with a large bowl on it, seen on the porch in the photo?
Last Weekend’s Activities
Three major activities took place last weekend in Rugby. The first collage below shows images from the fantastic workshop on Victorian Gardens, taught by Bob Washburn. Bob discussed both the original Victorian gardens and the modern equivalent. The images show many of his plants
Be sure to attend this year’s 10th Annual Community Picnic! This event is held this Saturday July 5 at 6:00 pm EDT at Lizzie’s Place, John and Kathy Hicks’ home in Beacon Hill. This year’s get-together will feature entertainment by Lonesome County Line (Butch Hodgkins’ band). BBQ and drinks provided. Bring a dish to share.
Old Rugby Photos from England
A crumbling envelope with about three dozen negatives showing Rugby in the late 1880s arrived in George Zepp's mailbox this week from the UK. They were graciously donated to Historic Rugby by the daughter of the lately deceased Sir Charles Kimber, whose ancestor Sir Henry Kimber was a key financial backer of the Rugby settlement. George had met Kate Fox briefly on one of his trips to visit her father at his cottage on the Thames.
While many of the negatives show only scenery, a few offer new glimpses of old Rugby. The envelope says only "Rugby, Tennessee" and "no prints," so the file was apparently tucked away without much notice over the years. There are views of the newly built church (completed in 1887), the old schoolhouse (burned in 1906), The Lindens before its sunporch was glassed in, and the second Tabard Inn. A few show residences yet to be identified.One intriguing shot is of a little windowless shanty deep in the woods with a raised wooden entrance porch above a lower level. A milk can sits outside the door. Could this be the home of Rugby's famous "hermit"? Note: Barbara Stagg thinks it might really be the spring dairy (noting the bigger milk can than a lone hermit would need). George sticks stubbornly to his romantic idea of a hermit lodge. We'll see.
George's grandmother's 1898 essay about the hermit quotes him as saying that when he takes meals "I kneel before a wooden bench, as an outward sign of thanks to Him who gives me food." Could that be the same bench, with a large bowl on it, seen on the porch in the photo?
Last Weekend’s Activities
Three major activities took place last weekend in Rugby. The first collage below shows images from the fantastic workshop on Victorian Gardens, taught by Bob Washburn. Bob discussed both the original Victorian gardens and the modern equivalent. The images show many of his plants
that, as one of the participants said, “were eagerly scarfed up by the participants.”The second set of pictures show the Rug Making with Locker Hooking, taught by Becky Stower. (Thanks to Beth for taking both of the above collages and to Gayle for sending us this information.)
This busy Saturday ended with a marvelous concert, performed by our Rugby Community Singers. The concert was held Saturday evening in Rugby’s Rebecca Johnson Theatre. Maestro Ron Jackson directs this talented choral group.
New Dulcimer Class
On Tuesday, July 8th a Dulcimer class for Beginners is scheduled at the Friendly House. The instructor for this class will be Joan Rhyne from Allardt. Joan’s husband has played the dulcimer at Rugby’s Appalachian Festivals. Plans are in place to continue this class, every Tuesday morning. The class will be small, so Joan will be able to provide individual attention to all those who have little or no previous experience with playing the dulcimer. If you are interested in attending the classes, contact Jessie Gully of Rugby for more information. Everyone is invited.
Carrie’s Contribution for this Week’s Newsletter
Carrie Thornthwaite thanks those who sent her information for this week’s newsletter. Carrie’s appreciation for all the work that Rick has been doing has now been strengthened manifold times. Hopefully everyone will remember to thank Rick for the outstanding work that he does on a weekly basis! The Newsletter certainly is a marvelous asset to our community!
Birthdays
2 - Bob Hemminger
3 - Jerry Boone
4 - Jim Meadows
Calendar of Events
July 5 - 10th Annual Community Picnic - Saturday July 5 at 6:00 pm EDT at Lizzie’s Place, John and Kathy Hicks’ home in Beacon Hill- Featuring Entertainment by Lonesome County Line (Butch Hodgkins’ band). BBQ and drinks provided. Bring a dish to share.
July 12 – Burial Service for Art and Mary Ann Gehring 2:00 pm EDT at Laurel Dale Cemetery.
July 12 – Legacy Classic Rock Band performance at 7:45 pm EDT. A benefit concert by Larry Edmondson’s popular band out of Cookeville. Outdoors at the Rugby Visitor Centre. Donate at the concert. Bring lawn chairs. No alcoholic beverages.
July 26 – Tennessee Trail’s Burnt Mill Bridge Loop hike. This is a 4.3 mile loop with moderate difficulty and some short stairs. Much of hike will be in shade and follow the Clear Fork River. Also bring snacks for a lunch somewhere along the trail since we will be going at a leisurely pace.
Hikers will be leaving the Harrow Road Café at 9:30 AM EDT with plans to be at the Burnt Mill Bridge parking lot at 10:00 AM. Hikers can either meet at the café where we can carpool or meet at the Burn Mill Bridge parking lot.
Burn Mill Bridge can be reached by turning on West Robbins Road off TN 52 near a dead end intersection with US27 at Elgin, TN. Follow West Robbins Road through Crossroads Church intersection and look for Burn Mill Bridge brown signs. Turn to bridge will be on left side of road. Parking area is across bridge on left.
Hike Leaders: Wil & Carrie Thornthwaite E-mail: wil@thornthwaite.com Phone: 423.628.5862. The morning of the hike use Wil’s cellphone (615.390.9716) for any late calls Saturday morning.
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
July 12 – Miniature Cathead Shaker Basket – Veronica Ludlow will help you learn to weave a basket on a mold. Design was borrowed from Native Americans and refined by the Shakers. The basket shape resembles a cat’s head. 10:00 am to 5:00 pm EDT. Fee $38.
July 13 – Miniature Appalachian Egg Basket – Veronica Ludlow teaches technique for weaving a miniature hat basket. 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm EDT. Fee $38.
July 19 – Rugby’s Hidden History Series – Barbara Stagg leads a leisurely stroll around Uffington House and the Tabard Inn site informing and entertaining with details few known about. Outing begins at Harrow Road Café with lunch and discussion. Fee $24 (including lunch).
Exercise Group - Monday and Thursday at 9:00 am EDT at the Friendly House
Dulcimer Class – Tuesdays, 2:00 pm 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
There seems to be no end to the interesting insects in and around Rugby. For instance, ant-lions or, as they’re sometimes called, “doodlebugs”. The name doodlebug sounds as if this “bug” is quite harmless and playful. In fact, the ant-lion is one of the most insidious of predators – if you’re an ant strolling near the ant-lions’ conical trap.
The ant-lion hides in the sand beneath the trap, head-up, poised for action. The instant an unsuspecting victim touches the rim of the cone, the ant-lion throws sand on the ant with perfect aim. This causes the victim to stumble, starting a minor avalanche that take the ant downhill with it. Downhill to the waiting jaws of the ant-lion. What looks like giant pincers are actually modified jaws. These jaws (mandibles) have tubes from which flows a poisonous fluid that paralyzes and liquefies the insides of the victim. Then the tubes suck up the liquid. Nice, huh?
What I didn’t know until recently is that the doodlebug is just the larval form of the ant-lion. After two molts, the doodlebug spins a silk cocoon. At the end of its pupal stage, it cuts a hole in the end of the cocoon and soon emerges. It works its way out of the hole and climbs the nearest vertical surface to dry its wings and adjust to life topside, sipping nectar and fruit juices at night. There’s a whole tribe of ant-lions living under the open shed that the Rugby Lumber Co. uses. So far, I haven’t seen any adult ant-lions, but my next plan is to leave a porch light on, as they are attracted to light.
The hikers to Pogue Creek also saw and took pictures on one doodlebug and many of sand traps the doodlebugs create:
http://www.thornthwaite.com/PogueCreek/index.htm
If you wish, below is a 6-minute video of “A Doddlebug Making a Hole, Waiting for Food, and Getting it!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phUOQbYLXwo&feature=related
