Independence Day Picnic

There was a really good turn out for the Hicks' annual Indepence Day Picnic Saturday.  Music was provided by Doug and Butch.  One of the highlights was getting to help Bob Hemminger celebrate his 80th birthday.  In the photo of Bob below he is cutting his cake with his brand new putty knife, symbolic of all the building restoration work he has done over the years and continues to help with.  Congratulations Bob.  And many thanks to Kathy and John Hicks for once again making the July 4th celebration in Rugby special.

Scenes from the Hicks picnic.  Photos by Rick Murphy

 Sunday at the Gentlemen’s Swimming Hole

 It was surprising to see how cool and relatively high the water still is at the Gentlemen's Swimming Hole on Sunday.  And the rhododendron are blooming!  So, it is a great time to visit the river.

Folks enjoying the Gentlemen's Swimming Hole on Sunday.  Photos by Rick Murphy

History Club Meeting Friday, July 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Friendly House

By Linda Konig

 This coming Friday night, we'll delve into newly-found information on the web about the Wellman family (of Adena Cottage) and the circumstances surrounding the shooting of young Sam Parker, a Scott County lawyer.  George Zepp has found some interesting Rugby entries in his grandfather Willard Keen's 1906 journal regarding that tragic event.  We'll also read some entries from Mrs. Bettie Phillips Toomey's diary (she was Judy Newport's great-grandmother) that speak of the Parker family at that time.  Was Sam Parker in love with Edith Wellman?  Where was Sam Parker buried?  What happened to the man who shot him?  For the answers, or at least some discussion, about these questions and others, join us as we look at photos and once more resurrect some of Rugby's and the area's history.

Repro. car in Rugby on Sunday

Antique Car Show and Legacy Concert July 9

The 4^th Annual Legacy Classic Rock Event will be held on July 9, this Saturday. This year, Historic Rugby will also be hosting an antique car show that same day. In addition, crafters from the area will be selling their wares and goods. Plenty of great food will be available at the Harrow Road Café including smoked pulled pork. The Café will be open 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time. The Antique Car Show and the Arts and Craft’s vendors will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Legacy will begin its concert at 7:45 p.m.  Eastern on the front lawn of the Visitor Centre.

There is no charge for these events. Donations will be accepted with all proceeds going to Historic Rugby’s Forest Legacy Land Conservation Campaign. Be sure to plan for a full day of fun, education and entertainment. Bring the family, comfortable chairs and enjoy the activities throughout the day. If you have an antique car that you would like to show, please call Historic Rugby as space is limited.

For more information, call toll-free 888-214-3400 or locally at 423-628-2441 or visit www.historicrugby.org. Lodging is available at 1880 Newbury House and the cottages.

Carrie stands on new temporary bridge

ByPass Update

By Carrie Thornthwaite

Work on the Highway 52 bypass around Rugby continues at a steady pace. It is truly amazing to look back at some of my pictures and realize how much has changed.

For me, the most dramatic change has been in the area of the Little Creek... especially the west side of the creek where the woods have been stripped, altitude has been added and the roadbed seems to be a width sufficient for an eight-lane highway. Even a temporary little bridge has been added to allow the cranes and trucks to pass over Little Creek.

It's a quiet hike down the giant dirt path on Saturdays, but on most all weekdays in Rugby, noise of the huge machinery can be heard rumbling in the distance.

Forms for concrete support columns are now in place at both the White Oak and Little Creek sites.

SEE THE LATEST ONES HERE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thornthwaite/sets/72157626089751808/show/

 

BIRTHDAYS

July 4 - Jim Meadows

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely

Saturday, July 9 - Antique Car Show and the Arts and Crafts - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, July 9 , Craft Demonstrator on the Commissary Porch - Fuzzy Orange , Kudzu basketry

Saturday, July 9 - 4^th Annual Legacy Classic Rock Concert – 7:45 p.m. Eastern in front of Visitor Centre

Saturday, July16 - Craft Demonstrator on the Commissary Porch - Sue Duncan, Spinning with angora rabbits

Saturday, July 16 – Book Club. 7 p.m. at the Friendly House behind Christ Church. We will discuss Hadley Hury’s book of short stories, “It’s Not the Heat.” This is a special chance to ask the author questions and get your book signed. Readers are also welcome to read Hadley’s novel, set on the Gulf Coast – “The Edge of the Gulf: A Novel of Suspense.”

Saturday, July 23 - Craft Demonstrator on the Commissary Porch - Chris Threet , Pencil Drawing

Saturday, July 30 - Craft Demonstrator on the Commissary Porch - Mara Trumbo , Oil painting

Saturday, August 6 – Community Potluck 7 p.m.

Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2–4 p.m. at the Friendly House

Rugby Yoga – Wed. 8:30 a.m. at the Friendly House.

NATURE NOTES

Reek! Rake!

By Linda Konig

I recently read an article about the three-day bio-bliz that the TWRA held in Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area and surrounding lands.  The biologists were particularly interested in finding certain species that are on Tennessee's Greatest Conservation Need list.  One of the frogs on the list was the Mountain Chorus Frog (Pseudacris brachyphona).  I didn't know before that they were of any particular concern, but I'm glad the bio-blitz found some in Campbell County.  I'm even gladder that we have them right here in Rugby!

As some of you have probably heard me say, I haven't had much luck in actually watching most of our 14 species of frogs and toads that we have in our local ponds and wet spots.  They're too quick for me.  For several good photos of Mountain Chorus frogs, go to www.uga.edu/srelherp/anurans/psebra.htm.  However, I've learned to identify each one by their calls, and I've had a lot of fun doing it.  The best place I've found to hear Mountain Chorus Frogs is near the wet-weather stream that meanders through Boyd and Barbara Mitchell's wooded lot and on downhill in Beacon Hill, roughly paralleling the Laurel Dale trail.  Sometimes I hear these frogs on the opposite side of Cumberland Ave. in the ditch across from Boyd and Barbara's woods.  They're pretty much through with their mating and laying season now, but from early spring through June, you can hear them, especially at night after rains.

If you can stand quite near them, you may be lucky enough to hear two males singing a strange duet.  One of them will sing out Reek! Immediately, another male quite close by will quickly yell Rake! From my observations, I don't think any one particular male will sing both syllables, but I may be wrong.  They seem to choose one or the other of the two calls.  Could it be that each frog simply has a natural pitch that's either higher or lower than the other frog?  The Reek is always on a higher pitch than the Rake.  Could it be they sense that more females will respond if they sing this way?  Sometimes, I hear only the Reek or the Rake. These frogs are pretty loud, and you can hear them all along the edge of the woods against Boyd's orchard.  If you don't hear them at first, just wait about five minutes and they'll start up again.  Every few minutes, they take a break from their singing.

By the way, thank you so much, Boyd and Barbara, for allowing that wooded area to remain wild.  Deforestation, urbanization, and loss of wetland pools are thought to be the greatest cause of the decline in Chorus Frog numbers.

Historic Rugby’s Workshops

Saturday's Workshop Instructor Mara Trumbo reports:  "It was off to a slow start, so much so that the proposed “Christmas in July” painting of Christ Church almost got cancelled a week ago. At the persistence of art instructor Mara Trumbo, the Historic Rugby workshop with two sign-ups was held and moved from the Community Hall to her home studio. The artist put two ads in the Scott County news and Herald Tribune in Jamestown as well as sent out last minute e-mails, Facebook entries etc…..and then they came! Nine ladies enjoyed a day of painting instructions, laughter around the lunch table, and it was a group decision to melt the “snow” on top of the Christ Church roof, trees and grounds and make it a happy summer scene. Kudos to everyone but especially to Jennifer Sexton who lives in Oneida and works as a science teacher at Wartburg High School. She had never painted before and this is her very first attempt. A hidden talent worth discovering don’t you think?"

 Saturday, July 9 - Ferns of the Cumberland Plateau ~ 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. EDT. Instructor: Dr. Patricia Cox. Fee $18. An overview of fern morphology and ferns of the Cumberland Plateau will be presented followed by a hike to put your newfound information to the test and to see how many species of native ferns we can find along the way.

Saturday July 16 - Kudzu Basketry ~ 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. EDT. Instructor: Fuzzy Orange. Fee $35. Learn to create a simple or complex basket woven with kudzu. Once student learn to weave a kudzu basket, they will have the skills to weave any vine basket.

Saturday August 27 - Vegetable and Flower Gardening For The Fall ~ 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. EDT. Instructor: Bob Washburn. Fee $15. Planting a fall garden provides an opportunity to garden with fresh vegetables and flowers throughout the fall and early winter. The cool season enhances the flavor of vegetables. You will also learn the varieties and proper times to plant for the best fall garden ever. Bob will have a delightful selection of vegetables and flowering plants from his 52-greenhouse nursery available for sale.

Saturday, August 27 - It’s All Done With Mirrors – “The Kaleidoscope” ~ 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. EDT. Instructor: Sara Senft. Fee $65. The world of kaleidoscopes will be explored. This includes various mirror configurations, how object boxes are constructed, etc. Each student will complete a kaleidoscope to take home.

Saturday, September 10 - English Country Dancing For Beginners ~ 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. EDT (with a two-hour break). Instructor: Mary Hemminger. Fee $25. Come learn simple historic dances that were written and compiled in England in the 1600s and 1700s, the earliest being published in 1651. The dancing will be to recorded music. Individuals will use walking steps for most dances, as well as some slipping and skipping steps during the course of the day.

Saturday, September 17 - Victorian Decorations ~ 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. EDT. Instructors: Beth Hester, JoNell Hester and Joyce Lantz. Fee $25. Using fabric, lace, paper, ribbon and reed, create charming Victorian ornaments. At the end of the day, take home 6-8 ornaments plus many ideas and patterns.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23, 24, and 25 - White Oak Basketry ~ 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. EDT. Instructor: Bobby Edwards. Fee $130. This very popular 3-day workshop teaches the art of White Oak basketry from tree selection, splits, rims and handles to weaving a beautiful traditional basket. This is an experience not to be missed even if it does require “hand strength.”

Saturday, October 15 - Autumn Gathering and Arranging ~ 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. EDT. Instructor: Linda Konig. Fee $24. Join us in the fields and roadsides to gather dried wildflowers, seed heads, berries and nuts to create your own fall arrangement. Learn the names of and interesting information about all your “autumn gatherings”.

To register for workshops, call toll-free 1-888-214-3400 or 423-628-2441. Lodging may be available at 1880 Newbury House and local cottages at a 10% discount to students. Food service is available at the Harrow Road Café.

Historic Rugby’s website at http://www.historicrugby.org/ lists all workshops for the year.


This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp