Poet Lisa Coffman and her daughter.

A Rugby Sunday Afternoon Poetry Reading

A poetry reading at the Friendly House on Sunday afternoon turned out to be a very special experience.  Former Rugby resident Lisa Coffman read from her newest poetry manuscript, "To the Less Obvious Gods.”   In between her amazing readings, she reminisced about the months in 1995 that she lived in the Yellow Cottage in Rugby after being awarded a Pew Fellowship in the Arts for her poetry.  Some of her poetry is influenced by her time in Rugby and the Cumberland Plateau while she did research about her family who had lived on the area.

Coffman is the author of "Likely," an award-winning book of poetry published by Kent State University Press. An East Tennessee native, she currently lives in Los Osos on California’s Central Coast and is on the faculty at California Polytechnic. She has received numerous awards for her poetry.


 Yard Sales, Potlucks, and Bears

There was considerable evidence this weekend of the 127 World’s Largest Yard Sale going on nearby, mainly a lot more traffic than usual through Rugby. I saw one family of tourists stopped to take pictures of the Church Saturday night.  The back of their truck was overflowing with an odd assortment of stuff, presumably from the yard sale.  They looked very happy.

Fred Oliver saw a bear amble through Beacon Hill early last Monday morning while he was on his front porch.  Fred said the bear walked off into the woods near the Howells' house.  Charles Gibbs said the bear did not get into the local beehives, which was fortunate since the honey was ready for collecting. He said that he and Boyd Mitchell started collecting honey a few days after the bear’s appearance. Charles saidTennessee honey is famous for its taste and color. Most of our honey, here in Rugby, comes from trees (maple, holly, poplar, linden and sourwood).

 A frame of honey, with cappings being removed. Photo by Charles Gibbs.

At the Saturday night community potluck; Glenda and Darwin Bertram said a bear has been a frequent visitor to their yard recently. It was great to see them both at the potluck since Darwin had a visit to a hospital recently and is using a wheelchair. Glenda's blackberry pie was a great treat.

 Some of the folks at Saturday night's potluck, with Darwin in suspenders. 

 
Happenings this Week
 

Friday, August 12 -  History Night - Jake Fletcher Rides Again

The History Night program this Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Friendly House will mainly be about Jake Fletcher (Aunt Lizzie and Aunt Dicie's brother) and his son, Thomas Denver Fletcher, although other family members may be touched upon. Come learn recently unearthed information and see photographs & documents that have come to light, thanks to Cathy Williams and Kenny Stilts of Fentress County and George Zepp.  Linda Konig will be giving the program. 

Minnie Fletcher Kidd, daughter of Jake Fletcher, holds a photo showing Jake and other Fletcher family men.

Saturday, August 13 – Theatre Presentation –

Join Historic Rugby on Saturday, August 13 at 5 p.m. eastern time in the Rugby Visitor Centre Theatre for an evening with Knoxville’s Earl Henry Jr.  He will share the stories of his late father, Earl O. Henry, bird artist and WWII veteran who would have celebrated his 100^th birthday this year. Featured will be the Tennessee Crossroads TV episode about this special man as well as his cherished bird illustrations.  Earl Henry Jr. says his father has been described as the “only Tennessee dentist to die on active duty in World War II with the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in 1945.” Art was his hobby and his passion. This event is free and should allow plenty of time to go to the Harrow Road Café for dinner.

Photo of the Week

George Zepp took this photo of a huge spiderweb in dew outside Walton Court. 

Movie Review

By Vi Biehl

'DEPARTURES': a DVD of rare depth, perception and beauty relative to life decisions, gentle caring/love, the value of ceremony; presented without artifice. I recommend this most highly.  http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/departures/

BIRTHDAYS

August 12 - Steve Bell and Susan Dunaway

August 14 - Jim Allen

August 15 - Helen Keese and Christopher Buck

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely

Friday, August 12 – History Night – 7:30 p.m. at the Friendly House

Saturday, August 13 - Knoxville’s Earl O. Henry was a unique bird artist who would have turned 100 this year. His son, born just six weeks before Earl’s wartime death, will visit Rugby to tell Earl’s story. 5 p.m. EDT at Rugby’s Visitor Centre Theatre. FREE. This story has been featured on a television segment and in the press. His son, Earl Henry Jr. of Nashville, will give an illustrated talk on Earl’s life and bird prints. We’ll also see the episode of Tennessee Crossroads about Earl, presented on Nashville Public Television (NPT).

Saturday, September 3 - British Cars and Bikes - Labor Day Weekend's Saturday will bring Historic Rugby's British Car and Motorbike Show. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern. IT'S FREE TO SPECTATORS. "People's Choice Awards" will be presented along with prizes for both automobile and bike categories. Registration of vehicles is just $7 during August or $10 starting Sept. 1. Vendor booth spaces will be available for $20. Call Historic Rugby (423-628-2441) to make arrangements or email rugbylegacy@highland.net .

Saturday, September 3 – Community Potluck – 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 10 – Book Club Meeting - next selection, “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Reviews of the book, which is set in Barcelona in the 1940s-1950s, can be viewed at http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Wind-Carlos-Ruiz-Zafon/dp/1594200106. The meeting will be at the Beacon Hill home of Debbie Harris at 7 p.m. Eastern.

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

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

Linda Konig

NATURE NOTES

Monkey Hunting

By Linda Konig



This is the best time of year for monkey hunting on the Cumberland Plateau.  Believe it or not, the meadow around the pond near the Dollar General store in Allardt is just full of monkeys right now.  Would you believe dainty pink monkeys?   Well, I am pulling your leg a bit, because these monkeys are actually wildflowers called Square-Stemmed Monkeyflowers or Allegheny Monkeyflowers.  I've seen them before in that wet meadow but never before in such great numbers.  This rainy year has been so favorable for them.

Unfortunately, I've never seen their cousins, the Sharp-Winged Monkeyflowers which are more lavender in color and have larger corollas, but they're supposed to be blooming now, too, on the Plateau.  However, the Sharp-Winged Monkeyflowers are found more often along wooded streams and ditches.  I'll just have to keep looking.  Both these cousins are in the Snapdragon family.  Maybe someone somewhere thought they looked like monkeys, but I don't see the resemblance.

More monkeys?  There's a member of the orchid family that's supposed to be blooming now on the Plateau that's commonly called the Monkey-Face Orchid.  Although I've not seen them yet, I'm on the lookout for them.  Unlike the Monkeyflowers, the Monkey-Face Orchid does actually resemble monkeys.  Each flowerhead looks as if it has little white monkeys with yellow faces stuck all over it.  Unfortunately, this striking wildflower is in sharp decline and mostly found in McMinn County, yet still found in a few places on the Plateau. They're usually growing in wooded wet areas and seepage slopes.  These beauties are mostly pollinated by Sphinx moths at night, the flowers being especially adapted for this, though they're sometimes pollinated by bees in the daytime.

You will note that all three of these monkeys I've mentioned are found in wetland areas.  The unnecessary draining of wetlands is causing a decline in these species and others, and the Monkey-Face Orchid is listed as a threatened species.  Can't make it to the wetlands to look for these monkeys?  Well, you can hunt them from the comfort of your own home by consulting either or both of two excellent wildflower books: Wildflowers of Tennessee by Jack B. Carman or Wildflowers of Tennessee the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians by Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, and Duhl.  Happy hunting!

Historic Rugby’s Workshops

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