Volunteers Make Ghostly Gathering Special
Photos clockwise from top left: Storytelling with Tabard Inn backdrop (photo by Cheryl Cribbet), Volunteers Barbara Mitchell, Julian Bankston, Boyd Mitchell, Cathy Hannaway and Marily Hury at Community Room (Photo by Cheryl Cribbet), Nora Meadows, Teresa Coker and Jody Hester as the Witch at the Cafe (Photo by Rick Murphy), Barbara Mitchell fine tunes the Cafe mantel decoration (Photo by Rick Murphy)
While the event was going on, the Café was filled with other guests who enjoyed the beautiful fall decorations (again thanks to the decorating committee) and even experienced a brief visit from Rugby’s costume maven (Jonell Hester) dressed from toe to pointed hat as a frightening witch.
The timing of the complicated event went off so smoothly that the 110 attendees followed the lighted lanterns to the last stop of the evening, the ghost story bonfire, 45 minutes early – causing a brief moment of panic as the hot cider had not yet arrived! But the cider soon appeared and the guests were all served. Visitors then settled in with their warm drinks on seats made of bales of hay to listen to the storyteller weave her scary tales.
George and I were at the bonfire helping serve the cider. Everyone was impressed with the new venue and look of the outside storytelling. It was held in the open field where the Tabard Inn once stood. The “seats” faced a large backdrop with a blow-up sketch of the first Tabard Inn which long ago burned to the ground. A bonfire burned off to one side. The storyteller stood in front of the lighted screen as large trees silhouetted the night sky behind and above it.
Executive Director Cheryl Cribbet said the event went off so well because community volunteers performed their magic. She wants to thank everyone who helped!
The second and final night of Ghostly Gathering is this coming Saturday night.
Costuming a Village
Jonell Hester brought a big early bag of Halloween treats to Rugby Sunday afternoon as a dozen of Rugby’s ladies, and a trio of gents, gathered to discuss Victorian-era dress. The workshop was held in preparation for the Dec. 5 Christmas home tour, but also to encourage more appropriate dress for all occasions, indoor or out, as Hester explained it. “Once you put together something that works for you, you’ll have it to pull out whenever you need it,” she said.
Five tables and two racks displayed vests, hats, braces, blouses, skirts, ties, shoes, jackets, buttons, feathers and other finery for both sexes. Live models showed off a few outfits.
Jonell said Rugby’s historic styles, documented in many original photos, were quite varied. Clothing of the era could be a little fancy, but also could be comfortable and fairly plain with a few of the tricks she demonstrated. Earlier residents of the Plateau/Appalachia area, Rugby settlers from the cities, young people, tennis players, picnic-goers, young and old each had their own favorites.
All workshop participants left with ideas, but several found actual items to start their own Victorian wardrobe or patterns to put their sewing machines to work.
There will be a follow up workshop on Nov. 14th at 9:00 a.m. at the Community Room.
More Award Recognition
Historic Rugby’s stewardship award this month from the National Trust for Historic Preservation was reported in Sunday’s “Homefinder” section of The Tennessean newspaper. The article said Rugby and other winners of awards would be appearing in the November/December issue of the Trust’s Preservation Magazine. Also, details about all award recipients are online now at: http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/awards .
Birthdays
October 27 - Nora Meadows
Calendar of Events
October 30 – Community Halloween Party at the Olivers at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. You may bring food for the Spirits if you feel afraid. Come stir the caldron and feed the rats and bats. The witches and goblins will be out that night.
October 31 - Ghostly Gathering - A Calling of the Spirits from Rugby’s Past. Story telling, Ghostly Film, Chili and Cornbread Dinner, Candle and Lantern Lit Tours, Druids Bonfire Stories. Admission: Adults $19; Students $10.00 (ages 6 and above ONLY please). Advance reservations required. Call Historic Rugby at 423-628-2441 or Toll-Free 1-888-214-3400.
November 7 – Community Potluck 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Potluck will be followed by a fire prevention presentation.
November 14 - History Club field trip to Deer Lodge. Barbara Stagg will lead. Meet in the parking area behind Print Shop to carpool at 1:30 p.m. Eastern
November 14 - Joan Donaldson Book Signing – 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Her new book “On Viney's Mountain” has been released and is already available at the Commissary. This historical novel for young adults is set in the Rugby Colony and features a heroine suggested by Aunt Dicey Fletcher (imagined as a young girl). For more information on Joan or the book, see www.joandonaldson.com or Google “On Viney's Mountain.”
November 27 – Thanksgiving Marketplace
December 5 – Christmas Tour of Homes 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
December 12 – Christmas at Rugby
January 16 –Book Club Meeting - The next selection is “The Known World,” by Edward P. Jones. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel explores the moral complexities of slavery in antebellum Virginia through the experiences of free and enslaved blacks, black and white slave owners, and their interactions with one another and with whites in a society shaped by slavery. The book was published by Amistad, a division of HarperCollins, in 2003 (paperback edition 2004).
Exercise Group - Monday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m. Eastern at the Friendly House
Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2-4 p.m. Eastern at the Friendly House
HRI Workshops –
November 7 - Walk About Basketry - Walking Stick – New Workshop – Instructor Judy Zugish - All levels can learn to weave a classy walking stick handle from prepared bark and plant fibers for those glorious Cumberland Plateau hiking trails. Treasure and use your walking stick often.
November 8 - Walk About Basketry - Water Bottle Basket - New Workshop – Instructor Judy Zugish - All levels can learn to weave a unique belt or shoulder carrying basket for your water container, woven with prepared bark and plant fibers.
TO REGISTER FOR WORKSHOPS: Call 423-628-2441 or Toll-Free 1-888-214-3400. Lodging is available at Historic Rugby with a 10% discount to all workshop participants.
by Linda Konig
Last week, some of you may have seen an article in the Knoxville News Sentinel about a colony of Rafinesque's Big-eared bats being found in Beggar's Castle in Fentress County. Beggar's Castle was a popular German restaurant south of Jamestown about 20 years ago. Since then the building has been abandoned, at least by humans. See Knoxville News
Rafinesque's bats are rare and endangered, and bat conservationists are working to move this colony to a safer habitat. I used to think that a bat was a bat and that was that, but within the last year or so, I've learned more about them, thanks partly to Charles Gibbs who gave me a small booklet on bats of the eastern U.S. Rafinesque's bats have some interesting habits that are a little different from most. For one thing, they often curl up their large ears when asleep, making their ears appear like rams' horns. Scientists think they do this to help conserve body moisture and heat, critical factors for their survival during the winter.
These particular bats eat many kinds of insects but are really fond of moths, especially Noctuiidae moths (whose larvae are cutworms, army worms, corn ear worms--farmers take note) and Geometridae moths (whose larvae are inchworms, spanworms). Their roosting sites usually have dead moth wings on the floors because Rafinesque bats often take the moths home to eat--sort of like take-out food. Another of the Rafinesque's bat's characteristics is that they can hover somewhat like a butterfly while in flight. This comes in handy while attempting to snatch an insect such as moths, craneflies, etc. from foliage. The night world is a world of continuing marvels.
This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp
