Antique Car Show

The first Antique Car show in Rugby on Saturday turned out to be a really interesting event.  There was a very good selection of cars in separate locations around the village based on categories - pre-World War !!, British, and post World War II.  And after a fairly wet week, the weather turned out to be great.  It was a wonderful day -- if a bit warm -- to sit out on picnic tables and eat barbecue and the Edmondsons’ cast iron desserts.  I understand that Senator Howard Baker made it to the event even though his old car did not (due to mechanical problems). We hope he'll be back soon. Kudos to the organizers and all the volunteers.  Here are a few photos:

Photos by George Zepp and Rick Murphy

More Photos From the Week

Donna Heffner shows off her great-uncle's gloves. He was a sod-buster out west. She verified this week that they are real fur from black bear.  (No, this is not what happens to her when the air conditioner goes off!) Photo by George Zepp.

Bob Trumbo helps at the Antique Car Show (did Mara bring him this hat from her Italian trip?). Linda Konig prepares to talk about the tragic story of the slain Sam Epps Young Parker at the History Group meeting on Friday night. Boyd Mitchell, Charles Gibbs and Steve Logan solve the problems of the world at the Antique Car Show (now we know why that tree stump is there). 

Photos by Rick Murphy and George Zepp

LITERARY NEWS

Book Club Meeting Saturday

The Rugby Book Club meets this Saturday at 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 -- a resident of Rugby when he's not in Memphis -- 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."








Grey Gables Author Event       

By Linda Brooks Jones

Mark your calendar to enjoy lunch and a program by author Barbara Howell, noon to 2 p.m., Saturday July 30. $12 plus gratuity. Meet Barbara Howell, a woman who beat the odds. Her book, "Splinters," is the true story of a woman who faced her fears and overcame daunting obstacles to become successful in a man's profession. Her commitment to succeed, her courage and undefeated attitude will be an inspiration as you read this story of struggle and ultimate victory. Reservations required: call 423-628-5252

Allardt Bookstore Worth a Look
By Hadley Hury

After countless pass-bys on Highway 296 (between Allardt and Route 127), Marilyn and I finally ventured into the Read 'Em Cafe and Bookstore last week. Although the "cafe" part of the sign hasn't really happened yet, we were very pleased to find a small but interesting inventory of used books. The owners, as they put it, are "horse people." They relocated from Florida and also owned a small bookstore there. There are decent sections of non-fiction, fiction, historical fiction, history and biography, romance, inspirational, educational textbooks, etc. We left with gently used paperbacks as wide-ranging as a Goren bridge handbook, a novel by May Sarton, Gore Vidal's "Creation," and a juicy bit of summer trash fiction by Robin Pilcher. The owners are helpful and really know their stuff. They're going to look for one rather obscure title I mentioned because they knew they had one still in a box somewhere "and it has a sort of grass green cover."

BIRTHDAYS

July 12 - Jim McBrayer

July 17 - Virginia Lee

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely

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 23 – English Country Dancing at 7 p.m. at the Friendly House

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

Saturday, July 30 - Lunch and program by author Barbara Howell. Noon to 2 p.m. at Grey Gables. $12 plus gratuity. Meet Barbara Howell, a woman who beat the odds. Her book, Splinters, is the true story of a woman who faced her fears and overcame daunting obstacles to become successful in a man's profession. Her commitment to succeed, her courage and undefeated attitude will be an inspiration as you read this story of struggle and ultimate victory. Reservations required: 423-628-5252

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

Sunday, August 7 – Poetry Reading.  Former Rugby resident Lisa Coffman will read from her newest poetry manuscript "To the Less Obvious Gods "at the Friendly House at 3:30 p.m. EDT. Coffman is the author of "Likely," an award-winning book of poetry published by Kent State University Press. Coffman, an East Tennessee native, currently lives and works on California’s Central Coast. Her poetry has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pew Charitable Trusts.

 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

Wings of Night

By Linda Konig

Judy Miller, one of our Rugby tour guides, and I are both admirers of moths who come to porch lights and stay till morning where we find them on lit porches.  One that she asked me about the other day is distinctive, quite handsome, and readily found all over the Eastern U.S. from Maine to Florida.

I couldn't think of its name when she asked me, but it is Clymene.  However, I'd seen it around here for years before learning its real name. To myself I had always called it the Crusader moth.  I named it that because the striking image on its upper wings when they're folded over its back looks just like a broadsword to me (with the hilt at the rear end of the wings).  There are numerous photos of this moth on the WEB.  Try miacy.homestead.com/moth38.html.  Or mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=8107.  See what you think it looks like.  It wasn't until I looked at these photos today that I saw what its orangey  underwings and body looked like, because every time I've seen it on a porch, it was resting with its forewings covering its rear wings and body, and I didn't disturb it.

The man who first described and named this moth in 1776 named it Clymene for one of the Greek goddesses.  Don't know why he chose that name except that educated people were really into the classics back then.  Clymene moths are in the Arctuiid family, and they're known for overwintering as caterpillars which seems like a really nifty trick to me, especially for those that live up in frozen New England.

I don't know for sure about the Clymene moth, but some of her relatives in the Arctuiid family are able to play a special trick on bats. This is extremely useful since bats consider moths delicious. These Arctuiid moths can hear and respond to bats' radar-like sounds by producing an ultrasonic sound of their own! Bats soon learn to associate it with a bad taste and thus avoid those particular Arctuiid moths. This kind of defense is called acoustic mimicry. Some Arctuiids also generate ultrasounds during courtship, producing a sound by buckling numerous tiny microtymbals on the thorax.

So are these Clymenes harmful in any way?  Not that I could tell.  In their caterpillar form, they like to munch on Joe Pye weed, thoroughworts, and dog fennel as well as leaves of oak, willow, and peach trees.  Since they only have one brood each year and they dine on a variety of leaves, they never cause any serious damage. The adult moths visit flowers in the daytime, so I assume they're aiding in pollination.  So get out tomorrow morning and look for tone of these handsome moths!

Historic Rugby’s Workshops

Saturday’s workshop, Ferns of the Cumberland Plateau was excellent.  After a presentation at the Community Building, the attendees walked to several locations to identify Rugby ferns.  Here, Marilyn Hury and Mary Hemminger try to identify ferns right outside of the Community Building.

 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