The mild and welcome winds in Rugby this week have been rustling beautifully colored fall leaves. With the dry conditions recently, the peak leaf period appears to be here already. The village was bustling with visitors this holiday weekend, particularly in the restaurant.
Visitors of other kinds are also here to mark that fall has arrived. A flock of plump turkeys showed up this week beside Walton Court, as seen in the photo here.
A few lucky structures seem to repulse the swarms for some reason. Among the largely ladybug-free so far are The Lindens and Rita Elliott’s house in Horseshoe Bend. There’s just no betting on what the critters find attractive and when.
Ghostly Gathering upcoming
Historic Rugby’s annual Halloween Ghostly Gathering is starting – this Saturday night, October 18, and then again on Friday, October 24 and Saturday, October 25. [NOTE that both Saturdays are now sold out, but spaces remain for Friday, Oct. 24. Make reservations soon for that.] The featured storyteller is Marcia Donovan who has been a professional storyteller since 1964 and the Putnam County Library Storyteller since 1988. This year’s event will begin each night with a chili dinner at the Community Building followed by a haunting film and storytelling in the new Rebecca Johnson Theatre. Guests will tour several candle and oil lamp historic buildings. The event ends with hot cider and more ghostly stories around the Druid’s Bonfire at Beacon Hill bandstand, weather allowing.
Reservation information is in the Calendar of Events below. There won’t be a trip to the cemetery, but the road leading to it is a great daytime hike on the newly resurfaced roadway, seen in this photo.
Hikes and eats
Hiking friends from Knoxville, Crossville and Nashville joined five Rugbeians for a Saturday hike at Frozen Head State Park below Wartburg. “We got a good view of the Panther Branch stream bed but saw only a few pools of standing water where normally we would have seen and heard water tumbling over those rocks,” wrote Benita Howell. “Nevertheless, we hiked about six miles over well maintained trails and enjoyed the end of fall wildflowers and beginnings of leaf color along the trail. Fall colors are further advanced around Rugby and should be at their peak for the Ghostly Gathering weekends.”
Meanwhile, Historic Rugby Inc. said thank you to 34 major donors Saturday with a catered dinner at Hester Knolle honoring members of the Thomas Hughes Society and the Brian Stagg Society. A fine meal of pork and trimmings was enjoyed thanks to the skills of chef Jay DeYoung, on a rare Saturday night hiatus from the Harrow Road Café. Guest musician Judy Newport entertained on the piano, playing tunes from antique sheet music in the collection of a former Rugby resident. Harry and JoNell Hester were the always-welcoming hosts. Rick Murphy (who was unable to be present because of his father’s knee-replacement surgery earlier in the week) was made a permanent member of the Thomas Hughes Society in recognition of his ongoing financial support for HRI. Jenny Hubbard Young popped in from Atlanta for the event, but leaves soon for a Wales-related outing to Argentina with hubby Bob. Bon voyage, y’all.
Teresa says thanks
Teresa Coker wants to let folks know that her brother, Gary Matthews, is doing better after a serious horse accident that has kept him in Vanderbilt Hospital for several weeks now. She also wants to thank everybody for their prayers and concern.
Special offers for fall
The Rugby Commissary is offering 10% off all items in stock, even consignment ones, (and 20% off to Historic Rugby members) in a FIRST EVER fall and winter sale starting now, manager Rita Elliott says. The one exception is Butch Hodgkins prints. Rita wants to move merchandise and hopes everyone will rush in to help her. With Christmas just around the corner, she suggests shopping now while the selection is still good. As always, all sales benefit Historic Rugby.
Also, Father Peter Keese is offering free copies of the texts of his sermons at Christ Church. Anyone wanting to get them may e-mail him at pkeese@knology.net and ask to be included in his new e-mail distribution list. Be sure also to list him as an approved sender in your e-mail filtering system.
Musical memos
The Dulcimer Club will have an organizational meeting for both current and new members on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Friendly House, in addition to its regular 2 p.m. meeting. At the organizational meeting the club will discuss changing to or adding an evening meeting, what music to use, and the general direction the club should take. Amy Barnes says anyone interested in joining is invited to attend.
The Legacy classic rock band of HRI’s board president will be performing this Friday (Oct. 17) at 8:30 p.m. at Nick’s in Cookeville, at 925 South Jefferson. Anyone interested in going should call beginning Tuesday for reservations, he said, since tables may prove hard to get later. Nick’s can be reached at 931-528-1434.
Burning issues
Here’s a reminder that Oct. 15, this Wednesday, is the beginning of burn permit season this year. Call 423-346-6655 early in the morning of the day you want to burn to request a permit number, Benita Howell reminds us. Also, weekend burning requires a call the Friday before since the permit office is closed on weekends and by then it’s too late.
Birthdays
October 16 - Laurie Lee and Debbie Harris
October 19 - Brenda Hanwright
Calendar of Events
October 18, 24 & 25 - Halloween Ghostly Gathering (Always a Sellout - Reserve Early for the remaining Oct. 24 tickets) A Calling of the Spirits From Rugby's Past...With Story Telling...Chili & Cornbread Dinner ... Candle & Lantern Lit Tours...Druids Bonfire Stories. Admission: Adults $19; Students $10.00 (6 & Above Only Please). LIMIT 100 Each Night: Advance Reservations Required. Contact Historic Rugby for reservations 888-214-3400 or locally at 628-2441
Oct. 31 - Deanna & Fred Oliver’s third annual Halloween Party, 7 p.m., at their house in Beacon Hill. Costumes are encouraged, but not mandatory.
November 1 - English Willow Basketry Workshop – 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern - Instructor: Veronica Ludlow - $60 per person. Contact Historic Rugby for reservations 888-214-3400 or locally at 628-2441
November 2 - English Watercolor Workshop – 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Eastern - Instructor: Veronica Ludlow - $40 per person. Contact Historic Rugby for reservations 888-214-3400 or locally at 628-2441
Exercise Group - Monday and Thursday at 9:00 am Eastern at the Friendly House
Dulcimer Class – Tuesdays, 2:00 pm Eastern at the Friendly House
Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Eastern at the Friendly House
Nature Notes by Linda Konig
Bob Hemminger has been keeping me on my toes this week with various nature finds and questions. I love it when people ask me questions because it usually makes me have to dig around trying to find some answers. The other morning, Bob brought a cucumber magnolia cone into the café. He wasn’t exactly sure what it was. Fortunately, I recognized it.
Later in the day he said he picked up another cone like it that still had some of its orange-red seeds. When he pulled one of the seeds out, it was still attached to the “umbilical cord,” a whitish string. He said the string seemed to stretch like a rubber band. He tried another one and it did, too. Well, I knew the seeds are attached to strings at first, but I had never noticed the strings were elastic.
Of course, I had to find some of the cones then and try it myself. Sure enough, the strings seem to be made of some kind of natural latex. If you slowly pull the string, it will get thinner and thinner until it breaks. Unlike real rubber, however, the strings don’t spring back to their original length and thickness. They’re limp. It doesn’t take much to entertain some of us, does it?
Please note that this week’s edition was prepared by George Zepp with greatly appreciated technical assistance from Carrie Thornthwaite.
