Historic Rugby Receives Grant Award

A representative of the East Tennessee Foundation came to Rugby this past week to officially award Historic Rugby $2,500 as part of the Foundation’s celebration of 25 years of thoughtful giving -- Neighbors caring for Neighbors.

To mark the occasion and demonstrate what the Foundation does in its 25-county service area, ETF is awarding a grant to one nonprofit in each of the 25 counties served.  Historic Rugby was chosen for Morgan County.

Terry Holley, Senior Vice President for Programs & Regional Development at East Tennessee Foundation, presents the award to HRI’s Cheryl Cribbet.  Morgan County County Executive Don Edwards is shown in the red shirt.  Also present  are HRI Board members Rick Murphy, Benita Howell and Jim Meadows.  Photo by George Zepp

Café Introduces Wines and Ales

British Empire Selections Featured

By George Zepp

The new experiment by Historic Rugby with wines and ales in the Harrow Road Cafe was apparently received warmly this weekend. Word is there will be another reorder from the wholesaler later this week! Thanks to all who tried one or more items already since the debut on Thursday.

The wines are from the British Empire of the 1880s -- Australia, New Zealand & South Africa. The craft ales are imported from England and Scotland.

 The "Burton Bridge Old Expensive Ale" is the favorite so far among the offerings. Ales are not artificially carbonated like beer, which the Cafe is not offering. So don't expect a "head." Try them at room temperature with a chilled glass for better flavor!

 The first bottle of wine went to local residents and their guests for lunch on Thursday -- a chilled Australian white. We think they enjoyed it. None was taken home!

Check out the new menu of 9 wines and 6 Craft Ales!

History Club Explores Victorian Writers

Influenced Rugby’s Founder

 Rugby’s own Jessie Gully will be speaking at our History Club meeting this Friday, Sept. 9. Her topic promises to be an interesting one, especially for those of us who have always enjoyed Dickens, Mrs. Gaskell, Kingsley, etc. How did the literature and writers of the day influence Thomas Hughes' writing? How did Thomas Hughes' writing affect the literature that followed? The time is 7:30 p.m. Eastern, and it will be held at the Friendly House. The talk is free and open to the public.

Historic Rugby tour guide Fred Oliver in period outfit in front of mural showing Rugby Founder and British author Thomas Hughes and others.  Photo by George Zepp

Photos of the Week

 Saturday’s British Car and Bike Show was front and center Saturday. An interesting collection of British cars and motorcycles attended. 

 

Top left shows Historic Rugby Board Member John Hicks working at the registration booth (with his trusty bug spray) -  John has spent countless hours helping Historic Rugby with events like this and in spearheading other fundraising activities. Lower left shows volunteers Carolyn Bankston, Kathy Hicks, Barbara Mitchell, and Nora Meadows talking to Bethany Jackson while they worked in the heat at the barbecue booth.  Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with this event!  Photos by George Zepp

Victorian Decorations Workshop Sept.17

Trio of Dynamic Instructors

  

It’s not too late to register for the Sept. 17 Victorian Decorations workshop.  And it’s hard to imagine a workshop with a more dynamic group of instructors. There’s master basket maker Beth Hester, skilled heritage craft instructor Joyce Lantz -- who has, among other things, led several Rugby quilt related workshops -- and JoNell Hester, who is known for her quilts, her decorating and who has helped outfit half of the village of Rugby in Victorian costumes she helped make.

Photo above was the only photo I could find with all three of the instructors together at a quilt workshop held last year.  JoNell Hester is in the lower right.  Beth Hester is directly behind her.  Joyce Lantz is in the lower left.

The class will use fabric, lace, paper, ribbon and reed to create charming Victorian ornaments. At the end of the day, take home 6-8 ornaments plus many ideas and patterns.  10 a.m. - 3 p.m. EDT.  Call Historic Rugby to register, toll-free 1-888-214-3400 or 423-628-2441.

Rugby Loses a Friend

By Rick Murphy

Over the last year many of us In Rugby have had the pleasure of getting to know and work with Todd Kidd, an instructor with the Pine Knot (Ky.) Job Corps’ tree crew. He and his associate John and the young folks they have been training to be foresters and arborists have donated many hours of difficult work to Historic Rugby trimming dangerous dead limbs from trees, and in some cases removing trees that are rotted or diseased. 

So it was an extremely sad day Thursday when, soon after they came to work in Rugby once again, Todd suffered what appeared to be a massive heart attack.  In spite of the valiant efforts of his associate John, Rugby’s Tom Howell, and perhaps others, he did not survive.  Thanks to Cheryl Cribbet and those who helped comfort the young people who witnessed this tragic scene.

Rustic cross erected by the students near where Todd was stricken.  Top right shows Todd Kidd on left with Rick Murphy earlier this year.  Bottom right shows Todd Kidd on far right teaching the students in how to make a cut tree fall correctly.  Photos by Steve Logan, Rick Murphy and George Zepp

Todd, who was reportedly age 42, was always cheerful and energetic when he came to Rugby. It was clear that the youths he worked with had great respect for him. 

Our sincerest sympathies go to Todd’s family and friends.  Services for Todd were held Sunday in Whitley City, Ky.

Grey Gables Motivational Speaker

Management Skills Speaker Coming Sept. 21

 Grey Gables Bed and Breakfast Inn is sponsoring a speaker on Wed. Sept. 21 from noon until 2 p.m. Eastern. Marj Flemming will provide invaluable information about refining and enhancing your management skills. Marj has compiled essential foundational building blocks for successful leadership in her new book, Leadership Wisdom in a Nutshell.  Come as an individual or bring your staff to enjoy a lunch prepared by Innkeeper Linda Brooks Jones and benefit from Ms. Flemming’s expertise in management and coaching.  The cost is $12 plus gratuity for lunch. Marj will have her book for purchase and signing.

 Reservations are required: 423-628-5252. Reserve early as space is limited

BIRTHDAY

Sept. 9 - Kim Stagg and Harry Hester

 Sept. 10 - Robert Walton Crabtree

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely

Friday, September 9 – History Night, 7:30 p.m. Eastern. Jessie Gully speaks about other British authors in Rugby founder Thomas Hughes’ sphere of influence. Free and open to the public. Friendly House behind Christ Church.

Saturday, September 10 – Book Club Meeting - next selection, “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Reviews of the book, 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.

Saturday, October 1 – Michaelmas Festival, Christ Church Episcopal – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern. Free events including crafters in church yard, English Country Dancers, bake sale, children’s activities, tours of historic church. British Cream Tea, $10 per person – seatings at noon and 2 p.m. with reservations for tea recommended. Contact Dorcus McBrayer 423-628-1282 or grannymcbrayer@gmail.com

Saturday, October 1 – Community Potluck 7 p.m. Eastern

Saturday, October 8 – Cemetery Lantern Tour, 5:30 p.m. Eastern. Follows afternoon Benefit Chocolate, Wine and Cheese Sampling event at Uffington House. Details pending from Historic Rugby.

Sunday, October 9 – Historic Rugby Board Meeting 1:30 p.m. Eastern at the Community Building

 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.

NATURE NOTES

Chigger Invasion

 By Linda Konig

It's that time of year again when we're especially blessed with our little friends, the chiggers. Don't you just love 'em?

I got into a crop of them a couple of days ago in my yard, believe it or not. I'd always thought you only got them in weedy fields and meadows. I'm not too unhappy about it, though, because I have a great home remedy for the itching. It's lye soap! You may have heard that lye soap is good to bathe with before and after you get chiggers, and it's true. However, I find it's even more effective if you wet the end of a bar and rub the soap on the bites, repeating until you've covered all the bites with a film of soap.

From what I've read on the web this afternoon, I see that what I've been suspecting all along is true. Anything that covers up the bites enough to keep air from getting to them will greatly assuage the itching. Thank goodness! I was amazed at the number of home and other remedies that were suggested. I can tell you from past experience that diphenydramine (Benadryl cream) isn't very effective because the itching is only abated for a very short time. Then the itching returns, but you can't keep applying it so often and especially over large areas of your body. They tell you on the instructions that it's dangerous to do so.

Some of the other home remedies looked interesting. Rubbing alcohol was one of them, and I tried it this afternoon to see how effective it was. It felt great at first, and now I'm waiting to see how long the effect lasts. Listerine mouthwash is another, but I didn't have any. Ammonia, Windex, household bleach, Vaseline, cold cream, baby oil, calamine lotion, and fingernail polish were also mentioned. When I was growing up, we used fingernail polish. I don't recall how effective it was against the itching, but if you have multiple bites, you may not want to apply it all over your legs, etc. It looks rather comical, and later you've got to remove the stuff with polish remover.

There are many old wives' tales about chiggers. One of them is that they lay eggs under your skin. Nope. Another is that they drink your blood. No, they don't, but they do inject digestive enzymes into a hole in your skin to liquefy your skin cells. That's what causes the redness and intense itching. Then they drink some of your skin cells up. Sounds yummy, doesn't it? If it's any comfort, these almost-invisible pests also torture frogs, rabbits, turtles and other animals. And those poor victims can't go to the Rugby Commissary to buy homemade lye soap.

Historic Rugby’s Workshops

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