Beautiful Rugby Fall Greets Visitors

 Visitors experienced spectacular fall weather in Rugby this week as the leaves have become very colorful and mild temperatures have encouraged people to get out and walk around the village. 

Percy Cottage is a perfect setting to show off fall leaf colors and some of the Michaelmas Daisies that are blooming throughout the village - photo by George Zepp

Two of the highlights that involved many of the community were the Wine, Cheese and Chocolate benefit at Historic Uffington House and the Lantern Tour at Laurel Dale Cemetery.  Both events involved lots of volunteers and Historic Rugby staff and were beautifully done.  The benefit at Uffington showed what a beautiful setting Madame Hughes' historic home is for special events.

 Attendees at the Lantern Tour listen to Mary Hemminger as she portrays Patricia Wichmann.  Lower right shows George Zepp portraying the Rugby Colony's Irish accented manager, Robert Walton, who was George's great grandfather.  Lower left shows actor Bob Hemminger taking a break.  Photos provided by Steve and Jane Logan

 Historic Uffington House never looked better as it did for the benefit for Historic Rugby this weekend.  Rita did an amazing job with the fall decorations inside and outside.  And Cheryl created two beautiful serving tables with wines that are now available at the Cafe, and gourmet chocolates and cheeses from folks near Knoxville.  Brian did a great job of helping folks pair their wines and chocolates in his very handsome new outfit.  Photos by Steve Logan

History Club Meeting Friday

 Mystery Rugbeian To Be Revealed

 By Linda Konig

 Which Rugbeian (he lived in Armathwaite but spent a lot of time in Rugby) wooed and won a beautiful East Indian bride in England, though it was a forbidden marriage? Why would Rugby residents want to take the train to Cincinnati to see him and his wife at work?

Which man who figured in early Rugby's history had a skill similar to one of Ron Jackson's hobbies?  And how is Rita Myers' life similar to this man's?

Come to the Rugby History Club meeting this Friday night, Oct. 14, to find out.  The meeting will be at 7:30 in the Friendly House behind Christ Church.  As usual, all are welcome and it’s free.

Rugby Library Brush Cutting Friday

 Volunteers Needed

By Rick Murphy

 Several of us will continue the cutting of underbrush and small trees that have grown too close to Rugby’s historic library building on Friday at 10 a.m. This is part of the Firewise program we have started in Rugby and was also recommended in a professional conservator’s report about how best to preserve and protect the library.

 If you would like to get outside and enjoy our beautiful fall weather, plus help a good cause at the same time, we could use your help.  Please bring gloves and loppers or brush cutting tools, if you have them.  And we could use someone with a chainsaw.

What’s Happening Behind Christ Church?

By Benita Howell

There is new landscaping in the bed behind Christ Church and to the right of the Friendly House entrance. These were planned and planted by Overhill Gardens of Vonore, Tenn. All plant materials included are native. Anyone interested in learning more can visit their web site www.overhillgardens.com

Burn Permits Required Oct. 15

Everyone should be reminded that burn permits are required beginning this Saturday, October 15. Tennessee Fire Prevention now has a website http://burnsafetn.org with a link for burn permits that explains what is permissible to burn and how to obtain burn permits. Fire prevention and safety information also can be found on this website.

BIRTHDAYS

Oct. 10 – Teresa Coker and Tom Lee

 Oct. 11 – Mary Marlow

 Oct. 16 – Laurie Lee and Debbie Harris

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely

Friday, Oct. 14 – History Club meeting, 7:30 Eastern at the Friendly House just behind Christ Church. 

Saturday, Oct.15, Fuzzy Orange, demonstrating basket making, on the porch at the Commissary

Saturday, Oct. 15 – Book Club Meeting – Selection: The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage http://www.amazon.com/Power-Dog-Don-Winslow/dp/0375405380  The meeting will be at Barbara Stagg and John Gilliat's house, Roslyn, at 7 p.m. Eastern

Saturday, Oct. 22 - Bill Henry, wood carving demonstration, on the porch at the Commissary

Saturday, Oct. 29 - Randy Wallace, chair caning demonstration, on the porch at the Commissary

Saturday, Nov. 5 – Community Potluck - 7 p.m. Eastern

Quilters’ Group - Wednesdays and Saturdays, 2–4 p.m. Eastern, at the Friendly House

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

NATURE NOTES

Autumn Leaves

By Linda Konig

Oh, how glad the autumn leaves are beginning to look. Joyful colors make you want to get out to admire them before they're gone, because as we all know, they don't last long.  I plan to go up to Cumberland Gap this week.  My hopes are high that the view from the Gap will be breathtaking.

Photo by George Zepp shows the beautiful leaf colors around Newbury Pond

I've looked this up in other years, but once again I looked up the process that makes the leaves change color. It's somewhat complicated, and all factors have to be just right in order to have the most splendid fall leaf colors. The leaves' main task in life, as I understand it, is to manufacture sugars (food) out of sunshine for the rest of the tree to consume. The leaves, as a rule, contain chlorophyll which, for most of the year, hides the natural yellow carotenoids in them. As daylight hours decrease, less chlorophyll is made in the leaves, thus allowing the yellow-gold-orange carotenoids to show up. In early  autumn, we generally have a series of warm sunny days and cool, but hopefully not freezing, nights. The crisp nights keep the leaf sugars from leaving the leaves thereby causing the gradual closing down of leaf veins.  Meanwhile, anthocyanin pigments are being manufactured in the leaves in varying amounts according to the kind of tree.  It's the anthocyanin that accounts for the reds and purples. 

So, there you have it.  It's all Mother Nature's work. All we can do is hope for sunny days and that winds won't blow the leaves off too soon.

Here's a little tip for leaf-viewing that I learned years ago. Wear brown-tinted sunglasses. It's amazing what a little brown will do for fall colors, making them warmer and more colorful. Try it. Don't wear gray, green, or blue-tinted sunglasses since they bleach away the golden colors.

Historic Rugby Workshop

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 the workshop, 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.


This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp