Rugby Week

2012-02-13T07:43:00.001-05:00

Library with recent snow

2012 Valentine Gift – Return of Winter

After weeks of milder than normal temperatures, winter arrived with a vengeance this weekend, bringing frigid temperatures, wind and periodic snow flurries. Fortunately, Highway 52 had been salted and remained clear for the arrival of folks celebrating at the Valentine ’s Day events around town. On the other hand, the numerous flowers which had begun blooming early this year did not look happy in the icy snow.

In spite of temperatures in the low 20s, 12 hikers enjoyed the Soup Hike on Saturday morning. After the hike, Mary’s grilled cheese sandwiches and chili were much appreciated after the two-hour trek through the snowy woods and along the icy-looking White Oak Creek.

Hikers visited a rock bluff area that is set up with a rustic stone stove

Carrie's Weekend Wanderings – Beginning Saturday

Carrie Thornthwaite’s Weekend Wanderings begin this Saturday, February 18. She leaves from the Cafe around 10 a.m. for a 1½ to 2 hour hike in the area. On Sundays she'll leave, again from the Cafe, abouy 2 p.m. If you'd like to join her, please e-mail her at thornthwch@lipscomb.edu . She will leave no later than 5 minutes after the hour.

Print Shop Volunteer Effort Begins

Carolyn Bankston stands next to the wood stove at the Print Shop

It was great to see folks gathered around the little wood stove at the Print Shop this weekend. Carolyn Bankston’s efforts to assemble a group of volunteers to open the Print Shop for visitors seemed to be paying off. She said she hopes it will be open for special events and weekends when volunteers are available.

Forest Legacy Campaign

In recent years non-profit Historic Rugby, Inc. (HRI) has worked hard to protect the beautiful land around Rugby, including more than 725 acres that are now part of the Rugby State Natural Area. In doing that HRI had to incur substantial debt which they have been working hard to pay off. With the help of its faithful supporters, the debt has been reduced to only $52,854.

HRI has recently been offered the opportunity to retire this debt in full, and they need your help! A donor pledge has been made to match each dollar raised by April. So they need to raise $26,427 by April 1 in order to take full advantage of this donor pledge and retire the debt.

The Board of Directiors has raised $8,715 of this from supporters in the last few weeks. So Historic Rugby needs to find other generous donors for $17,712 by April 1.

The non-profit is asking for your support today. Your donation will also allow Historic Rugby to retain control over an environmentally sensitive 45+ acre tract that secured the debt. If you can help, mail a donation to Historic Rugby, P.O. Box 8, Rugby, TN 37733 or donate online at historicrugby.org

Friendly House to left of Church

Why Friendly House?

Benita Howell

Miss Lucy Archer encouraged everyone in the Rugby area to participate in Sunday School and other activities at Friendly House, so no one thought much about its welcoming name – not until Rugby descendant Elsie Taylor Dodson sent Historic Rugby archivist George Zepp a letter that a relative received from Helen Turner in 1919, written on “Girls Friendly Society in America” letterhead.

A history of the Girls Friendly Society compiled by Agnes L. Money in 1911 describes how churchwomen founded the organization in England in 1875. With patronage from Queen Victoria, it spread to many parts of the Commonwealth and Anglican Communion. Churchwomen in Lowell, Massachusetts formed a similar organization in the 1870s to support girls, especially young farm women recruited to work in Lowell’s textile mills who needed safe housing, positive guidance, and a network of friends.

Similar groups soon formed in Baltimore and elsewhere, banding together to form the Girls Friendly Society in America in 1882. Alliance with the British organization offered an opportunity for G.F.S. members whose families were immigrating to America to find a congenial group of new friends. Various artifacts from the organization can be viewed on eBay, including photographs of Friendly Society chapter houses. So perhaps we now know why the previous Christ Church annex was named Friendly House.

The Girls Friendly Society, U.S.A. is still active, serving girls 5-21 years old of any race, nationality, or religion. Chapters are based in Episcopal parishes in the Northeast and California. For more information, see gfsusa.org .

Sweatshirts for sale at Commissary

Notices

Commissary Sale

Sale at the Commissary Store - Historic Rugby T-shirts 40% off , sweatshirts 20% off!

Free Magazines

Fine Homebuilding Magazine, most issues 1991 - 2005. Free to anyone who wants them. Contact Eric Wilson at ericavi@highland.net

BIRTHDAYS

February

13 - Butch Hodgkins

14 - Marilyn Hury

17 - Liam Neary

18 - Linda Brooks Jones

19 - Mike Stagg, Peter Erickson and Donna Heffner

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern time zone, just barely.

Friday, Feb. 17 - Music at the Harrow Road Café – Our very own Donna Heffner on keyboard playing the oldies

Saturday, Feb. 18 – Hike with Carrie – Join Carrie Thornthwaite for 1½ to 2 hour hike meeting at 10 a.m. at the Cafe. Email her at thornthwch@lipscomb.edu to confirm.

Saturday, Feb.18– Craft Demonstration at the Rugby Commissary Store - Sue Duncan-Spinning with Angora rabbits

Sunday, Feb.19– Craft Demonstration at the Rugby Commissary Store - Mara Trumbo, Artist

Sunday, Feb. 19 – Hike with Carrie – Join Carrie Thornthwaite for 1½ to 2 hour hike meeting at 2 p.m. at the Cafe. Email her at thornthwch@lipscomb.edu to confirm.

Friday, Feb. 24 - Music at the Harrow Road Café - Victory Bluegrass with Wayne Rogers and Friends

Saturday, Feb.25 – Craft Demonstration at the Rugby Commissary Store - Bill Henry-Carving

Saturday, Mar. 3 – Soup Hike
.

Saturday, Mar. 10 – Outdoor Volunteer Activity - Invasive Plant Removal - State Natural Area representative Lisa Huff will lead volunteers in helping to remove invasive Japanese spirea from the Massengale Loop Trail. Meet at the Harrow Road Café at 9:30 a.m. Eastern

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

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

Christ Church Episcopal -- Sunday morning services, 11 a.m. Eastern year round; all are welcomed.

Historic Rugby Winter Hours

Harrow Road Café open every day except Wednesdays. Sundays through Thursdays - 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. EST. Friday and Saturday hours, including dinner seatings, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST (7:30 to 7:30 Central).

Visitor Centre and Commissary General Store - Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays through Thursdays. Weekday and weekend group tours can be arranged with advance reservation. Post Office in the Commissary is closed until March

Lodging Facilities are available year-round.

NATURE NOTES

Flowers on the Eastern Red Cedar?

Linda Konig

By Linda Konig

It's only February and we've already seen several kinds of wildflowers and cultivated ones, the hardiest ones that like to lead the parade of flowers every year. However I've only recently become aware that a certain common tree in Tennessee, the Eastern Red Cedar, always blooms in February. Most people are completely unaware that it even has flowers, let alone two kinds.

Yes, these trees are either male or female and each sex has its own distinctive flower. We have plenty of Eastern Red Cedar (actually a type of juniper) trees along the highways and roads as well as in yards and pastures. In Tennessee, we even have a state park named for them, Cedars of Lebanon in Wilson County.

I found some fascinating information this past week about the two different sexes of cedars and their flowers. I'd noticed before that oftentimes a cedar tree will have brown tips on its distinctive needles, but I had no idea what that meant. I'd just figured that perhaps the brown tips meant the green needles had been frostbitten on the ends. Little did I know! The brown tips are the pollen-bearing organs of the male trees. If a tree has plenty of them, sometimes you can shake a limb and get lots of pollen dust in a cloud. There are several male cedars along the path between Martin Roost and Uffington House.

Today I got outside and looked at some Eastern Red Cedar trees in Rugby. Just as the website said, they're blooming. Wind blows the pollen about and the miracle of pollination is achieved. The female flowers are harder to see because they look so much like the ordinary needles, but the flowers on the tips of needles do remind me a bit of a tiny open green mouth. Those two biggest cedar trees in front of Butch and Cheryl Hodgkins’ house on Highway 52 are both females, and it's easy to tell that by the fact that they bear frosty blue berries every year. These blue berries are highly prized by Cedar Waxwings and other birds. On the other hand, Cardinals like to strip some of the shredding bark off the cedar trees to use in nest building.

In looking at cedar trees, you may find what looks like some sort of hard dried-up brown fruit this time of year. Those aren't real fruits. They're cedar-apple rust, a fungal disease of apple and Eastern Red Cedar trees. For some intriguing photos of what these cedar-apple rust balls look like when spring/summer rains make them swell, see http://www.caf.wvu.edu/kearneysville/disease_descriptions/omcar.html .

An interesting summer project for kids and grown-ups, too, would be to gather a couple of these balls and put them into water in a white container. In a few hours, if the cedar-apple rust balls are still viable, they will expand and send out weird gelatinous orange strings from the ball—looking like something from outer space. They will also stain the water orange. Have fun!

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2012-02-06T08:16:00.000-05:00

February is for Hiking

Soup Hike Saturday – February 11

Saturday is the next Soup Hike . A beautiful hike of about two miles, rated "moderate" with one climb through the woods. Meet at the Harrow Road Café at 10 a.m. Eastern. Soup afterward at the Café. The trail to be hiked begins at the Beacon Hill home of Tom and Benita Howell, leads downhill to White Oak Creek, then over a rise to rejoin the White Oak, past the former "Letner property" (Riverside) and arriving at Rita Myers' gate. From there we follow the White Oak upstream to the Hwy. 52 bridge where cars will be available to shuttle us back to Rugby.

Carrie Thornthwaite

Carrie's Weekend Wanderings – Beginning February 18

As many of you know, Carrie Thornthwaite is a regular hiker in the woods around Rugby. She would like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to join her. On Saturdays, she leaves from the Cafe around 10 a.m for a 11/2 to 2 hour hike in the area. Similarly, on Sundays she'll leave, again from the Cafe, around 2 p.m. If you'd like to join her, please e-mail her at thornthwch@lipscomb.edu. She will leave no later than 5 minutes after the hour, so please be on time. This may be adjusted due to weather or other obligations... also she'll need to miss two weeks in March. Finally, for the weekends when there are regular hikes scheduled, like the Soup Hike, she will be joining those. She hopes to have several join her on the February 18.

History Club Meeting Friday

By Linda Konig

The February History Club will meet on Friday night, Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m.at the Friendly House. If you have an interesting artifact from Rugby's history, please bring it for show-and-tell. Though we already have some interesting ideas for programs this year such as Civil War stories from the area, Charles Wilson's family and what they meant to Emily Hughes, a Cumberland Mountain frontiersman presentation, etc., you may have thought of some other fascinating topics. So bring your thinking caps and join us for refreshments and brainstorming. Remember: we call ourselves a club, but there are no dues and no formal memberships. Just come as you are.

Thomas Hughes portrait

Rugby Founder’s Portrait Donated

A surprise donation from Scotland that arrived this week brought Historic Rugby an 1890 oil portrait of Rugby’s founder, British author, statesman and social activist Thomas Hughes (1822-1896).

The donor, Rod Salusbury-Hughes, descends from Thomas Hughes’ older brother, George. He contacted the organization on Nov. 21 with the offer. Salusbury-Hughes and his brother were clearing out their late parents’ home and faced with making a decision of what to do with the artwork.

“We (the family) would be delighted if you would like to accept it as a donation to your community museum, bearing in mind that it will need a little care before it can be displayed,” he wrote.

A Tennessee donor is financing the creation of a high-resolution digital copy of the portrait that can be digitally restored and printed on canvas, in anticipation of eventual professional conservation, cleaning and remounting of the original canvas itself.

Lowes Dickinson

The portrait is by artist Lowes Cato Dickinson (1819-1908), who painted a strikingly similar portrait of Hughes purchased by Historic Rugby a few years ago. The previous one (a copy hangs in the Historic Rugby Visitor Centre) was dated 1896, the year of Hughes’ death. However, an initial examination shows it may have been created at the same time as the newly received 1890 one and later repainted in 1896 to make Hughes look slightly younger.

Expert research may be needed to establish the most likely relationship between the two paintings.

The artist, like Thomas Hughes, was among the founders of the Working Men’s College in London, still in operation today. Yet a third Dickinson portrait of Hughes shows him seated full-length in a chair and is included in Hughes’ most definitive biography, published in 1954.

Other Dickinson works are held by the National Portrait Gallery in London, including one of Gladstone’s 1868 cabinet depicted in the cabinet room of No. 10 Downing Street, the London residence for British prime ministers. Queen Victoria herself and the author George Eliot were among his many other portrait subjects.

Barbara Stagg, Historic Rugby’s former executive director, said she saw the newly donated portrait hanging in the Hughes family cottage in Scotland on her visit there about 30 years ago and had long dreamed that it might eventually come to Historic Rugby.

Salusbury-Hughes’ late father, David Hughes, represented the family in Rugby, Tennessee, for the 1980 observance marking the centenary of its founding. The donor and his wife may someday pay a visit themselves, Salusbury-Hughes wrote.

Copies of the 1896 portrait are available for purchase at Rugby’s Commissary.

Little Creek Bridge Jan. 2012

Truck Bypass Hits Snag

Environmental issues are expected to cause a major delay in completion of the Highway 52 Truck Bypass near Rugby. Representatives of the road construction company have told a number of hikers and others from Rugby that due to the expense of removing soil which contains pyrite near the newly constructed bridge across Little Creek, the bridge will need to be removed and rebuilt to a higher level. Construction of the bypass was originally scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012, but this is reportedly expected to delay the completion for at least six months. Pyrite, used in the manufacture of sulfuric acid, can acidify area streams when disturbed.

BIRTHDAYS

February 12 - Barbara Stagg

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern time zone, just barely.

Tuesday, Feb. 7 – Afternoon Tea at Grey Gables - 1 p.m. Eastern, $10 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For Reservations: 423-628-5252

Friday, Feb. 10 - Music at the Café - Dusty Basye of Allardt playing the Oldies

Saturday, Feb. 11 – Soup Hike –Meet at the Harrow Road Café at 10 a.m. Eastern. Soup afterward at the Café.

Saturday, Feb.11 – Craft Demonstration at the Rugby Commissary Store - Mary Curren – Spinning

Saturday, Feb.11 – Valentine Dinner at the Harrow Road Café. – Four-course dinner options and special gift. Wine and champagne available. Call 888-214-3400 for required reservations.

Saturday Feb. 11 – Valentine Dinner at Grey Gables with entertainment. Reservations Required: 423-628-5252

Sunday, Feb.12– Craft Demonstration at the Rugby Commissary Store - Mara Trumbo, Artist

Friday, Feb. 17 - Music at the Harrow Road Café – Our very own Donna Heffner on keyboard playing the oldies

Saturday, Feb. 18 – Hike with Carrie – Join Carrie Thornthwaite for 1½ to 2 hour hike meeting at 10 a.m. at the Cafe. Email her at thornthwch@lipscomb.edu to confirm.

Saturday, Feb.18– Craft Demonstration at the Rugby Commissary Store - Sue Duncan-Spinning with Angora rabbits

Sunday, Feb.19– Craft Demonstration at the Rugby Commissary Store - Mara Trumbo, Artist

Saturday, Feb. 18 – Hike with Carrie – Join Carrie Thornthwaite for 1½ to 2 hour hike meeting at 2 p.m. at the Cafe. Email her at thornthwch@lipscomb.edu to confirm.

Friday, Feb. 24 - Music at the Harrow Road Café - Victory Bluegrass with Wayne Rogers and Friends

Saturday, Feb.25 – Craft Demonstration at the Rugby Commissary Store - Bill Henry-Carving

Saturday, Feb. 25 – Book Club at 7 p.m. Eastern/6 Central at the home of Kit and Candy Howes. The book the group will be reading is The Tiger, a true story of vengeance and survival, by John Vaillant
.
Quilters’ Group - Wednesdays and Saturdays, 2–4 p.m. Eastern, at the Friendly House behind Christ Church

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

Christ Church Episcopal -- Sunday morning services, 11 a.m. Eastern year round; all are welcomed.

Historic Rugby Winter Hours

Harrow Road Café open every day except Wednesdays. Sundays through Thursdays - 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. EST. Friday and Saturday hours, including dinner seatings, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST (7:30 to 7:30 Central).

Visitor Centre and Commissary General Store - Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays through Thursdays. Weekday and weekend group tours can be arranged with advance reservation. Post Office in the Commissary is closed until March

Lodging Facilities are available year-round.

NATURE NOTES

Love Among the Sexton Beetles

By Linda Konig

I found some intriguing information this past week about some of our local sexton beetles. Sextons in English church history were men who did the gravedigging chores in the churchyards. One kind of nocturnal sexton beetle we have here is named Nicrophorus orbicollis, the most common kind in the eastern U.S. These sexton beetles do us all a great service by burying and recycling dead birds, mice, and other small animals in the woods and nearby areas. I read that the adult beetles from last year start coming out again in February, especially if the weather is mild.

So what does a young male Nicrophorus orbicollis's fancy lightly turn to in spring? The females, of course, and he usually chooses an ideal spot to lure a female: a carcass heap. It's a good spot partly because, if he's timed it right, there are lots of fly larvae for the courting couple to feed on. During the night, he climbs up to the topmost point of the dead animal and rotates the tip of his abdomen in the air, thus emitting his pheromones for several hours or however long it takes to entice a female. If another male shows up, they will fight to the death. If two females show up, they fight each other to see which one gets to stay with the male. However, if the animal is large enough, the beetles may share it.

Afterwards a pair will equally share the workload of burying a small carcass. Why do they bother with this? Since there's sometimes a lot of competition for fresh carcasses, they want to hide it and also keep it moist. Sometimes they even move the carcass to a better spot for digging. How do they do this? They lie on their backs and move their legs like a conveyor belt. Would I make this up? They can heft carcasses up to 200 pounds their weight.

They delay the natural process of decay and molding by secreting a substance over the carcass. (This secretion is something scientists are interested in because it has antiobiotic properties which might prove useful to humans in the future. The study of these beetles has also proved useful in the field of forensics.) After the carcass is in a depression, they remove the hair or feathers and shape the carcass into a ball as much as possible. Next comes the covering, the tunnel digging and the egg laying, egg laying being the only part of the Nicrophorus orbicollis couple's life together in which he doesn't share the duties. They both feed the hatched larvae with regurgitated food from the carcass. If something happens to the female, the male will take over feeding duties! Studies have shown that the immature Nicrophorus orbicollis cannot reach the pupal stage without parental care. Both male and female share guard duties, keeping other burrowing insects from getting into their food ball and preventing enemies from attacking their young.

Well, there you have a greatly simplified version of a Nicrophorus orbicollis's life. For lots more detail in all the variations of the story, you'll have to look them up in books or get on the WEB. Here's a good site with photos: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicrophorus_orbicollis

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2012-01-30T07:12:00.000-05:00

Photos of the Week

Lantern Tour On Stage

Saturday’s performance at Rugby's theatre was excellent and very well-attended. Unfortunately, it is very hard to take photos in the Rebecca Johnson Theatre when the lights are low and camera flashes are not allowed. But here is one of some of the local presenters assembled on stage at the end of the performance. All of the cast and singers were great. And the historic photos display was remarkable.

Thanks to everyone for all of your hard work.

Road Trash Pickup

Last Tuesday was a pretty day for our litter pickup along lower Horseshoe Bend Road. Here are Benita Howell and George Zepp with a small bit of their collected trash. The four participants filled a small truck bed!

Historic Rugby Board Nominations

The 2012 nomination process for recruiting new board members for the Historic Rugby board has begun. This year three positions need to be filled. Historic Rugby members may submit suggestions for people to fill these positions any time before March 30, 2012.

Suggestions should be addressed to Historic Rugby Nominating Committee c/o Historic Rugby, 5517 Rugby Hwy., PO Box 8, Rugby, TN., 37733. E-mails should be sent to Rick Murphy at rickmurphy1@aol.com.

New board members begin their first term after the annual membership meeting on June 24, 2012. The first term lasts three years. Board members can serve another three-year term before they must go off the board for at least one year.

Board members must be Historic Rugby members and they are expected to attend a minimum of four Board of Directors' meetings each year.Their duties also include being active on one or more of the standing committees.

This year the Nominating Committee has identified several experience areas of particular need, including marketing/public relations, development/fundraising, and volunteer training and coordination. But more than anything Historic Rugby needs board members who share a love for Rugby and an unwavering determination to shepherd it forward.

Please determine that the person you are suggesting has the desire and time to serve. Include a brief biographical description and qualifications. The Committee will select the final slate of nominees. This slate, with brief descriptions, will be sent to the HRI membership by May 24 and voted on at the annual membership meeting in June.

BIRTHDAYS

Jan. 31 - Mary Ann Lovett and Jessie Gully

Choir from "Lantern Tour On Stage"

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern time zone, just barely.

Friday, Feb. 3 - Music at the Harrow Road Café - Butch and Doug. 6:30 - 8:30 Eastern

Saturday, Feb. 4 - Community Potluck at the Friendly House - 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 7 – Afternoon Tea at Grey Gables - 1 p.m. Eastern, $10 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For Reservations: 423-628-5252

Friday, Feb. 10 - Music at the Café - Dusty Basye playing the Oldies

Saturday, Feb. 11 – Soup Hike – A beautiful hike of about two miles, rated "moderate" with one climb through the woods. Meet at the Harrow Road Café at 10 a.m. Eastern. Soup afterward at the Café. The trail to be hiked begins at the Beacon Hill home of Tom and Benita Howell, leads downhill to White Oak Creek, then over a rise to rejoin the White Oak, past the former "Letner property" (Riverside) and arriving at Rita Myers's gate. From there we follow the White Oak upstream to the Hwy. 52 bridge where cars will be available to shuttle us back to Rugby.

Saturday, Feb.11 – Valentine Dinner at the Harrow Road Café. – Four-course dinner and special gift. Lodging packages available for Historic Newbury House B-and-B and Cottages. Call 888-214-3400 for reservations.

Saturday Feb. 11 – Valentine Dinner at Grey Gables with entertainment. $18.50 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations Required: 423-628-5252

Friday, Feb. 17 - Music at the Harrow Road Café – Our very own Donna Heffner on keyboard playing the oldies

Friday, Feb. 24 - Music at the Harrow Road Café - Victory Bluegrass with Wayne Rogers and Friends

Christ Church Episcopal -- Sunday morning services, 11 a.m. Eastern year round; all are welcomed.

By Linda Konig

As I intimated in last week's Nature Notes, it's interesting in winter to look beneath the surface, so to speak, to see what's hiding underground or in some other sheltered place, away from the winter's storms. Many of Mother Nature's children are sleeping, perhaps dreaming of spring days to come. One of the more common insects that do this in our area is the Goldenrod Gall Fly (Eurosta solidaginis). Go out to any field that has plenty of dry dead goldenrod stalks, and you'll see that, far from being totally uninteresting, some of the stalks have large marble-sized round swellings Inside many of these swellings, called ball or apple galls, you will find a Goldenrod Gall Fly larva sleeping through the winter. A judicious cutting into one of these galls will reveal a white larva or, a little later in the season, a pupa. By this late in the winter, however, the gall walls are rock-hard.

Many times, though, there will already be a hole in the gall made by either a Downy Woodpecker or a Carolina Chickadee, and the gall will be empty. Goldenrod Gall Fly larvae are just loaded with calories and one of these birds' favorite winter food items. The Downy Woodpeckers usually attack the gall fly larvae in late October as soon as the larvae have finished making their future spring exit tunnels. The larvae leave just the outside layer of stalk cells at the exit hole. That way the hole is visually hidden from the outside world, but also easy to exit as adults when spring comes. How do the Downy Woodpeckers know where the hole is? Good question. Perhaps they can hear them chewing away inside the galls before larvae's frozen sleep sets in? These Woodpeckers make a very neat round hole that is larger than the tiny precise Gall Fly hole. Woodpecker holes are much neater than the Chickadee holes which are larger and hacked open in a messy fashion.

There are also two other kinds of insects that inhabit goldenrod stems causing different-shaped galls. The Goldenrod Gall Midge creates the bunch (sometimes called flower) galls. These galls are actually very pretty in an arrangement if you separate them from the stems with goldenrod flowers on them and use both in the bouquet. They look like some kind of hybridized green zinnia or mum mixed in with the yellow goldenrods. The Goldenrod Gall Moth creates an elliptical gall. I haven't seen many of the elliptical ones, but we have plenty of the ball galls and bunch galls. By the way, the presence of any or all of these galls doesn't seem to be a bit harmful to the goldenrods. They go right on their merry way making flowers and spreading cheer along the roadsides. It's fun on a warm fall or winter day to look for these different galls. I usually find some in the grown-up field at the southern edge of the Brewstertown Church of God property if it hasn't been mowed. For glorious photos of these differing galls and flowers, as well as more information, you might check www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek051001.html . The Hilton Pond website is one of my all-time favorites, always well-written and entertaining.

Lantern Tour soldier Steve Logan heads home

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2012-01-23T06:23:00.000-05:00

Steve Logan plays a Civil War veteran

Lantern Tour “On Stage” Saturday

A Very Special Multi-Media Event

By Rick Murphy

Everyone I have talked to who has seen the rehearsals for this Saturdays “Lantern Tour On Stage” has said it is amazing. So don’t forget, Historic Rugby’s popular Laurel Dale Cemetery Lantern Tour goes on the stage this Saturday in a new multi-media version at the Rebecca Johnson Theatre at Rugby - Saturday, January 28, at 4 p.m. Eastern (3 p.m. Central).

Nine of the many colorful characters of Rugby's past will come alive for this event, telling their own true stories – several funny, some tragic. This time they will be accompanied by 150 historic and other projected images showing how they looked, their homes and their settings.

Find out where this bridge once took folks – photo courtesy of Linda Brooks Jones

Tickets are available at the door for $15, or $7 for students grades K-12. The Harrow Road Café will be open until 9 p.m. for dining before or after the show.

Photo of the Week

Taking Care of Rugby’s Historic Buildings

William Crabtree and son in front of ivy-covered downed tree

Marlee Mitchell loves the trees around Ruralia, the historic Rugby home that she so carefully restored a few years ago. But recently she realized that a tulip poplar in the front yard that had been dropping limbs had become a danger to the house. On Friday, William Crabtree from nearby Armathwaite and his son came to the rescue. They carefully removed two panels of Marlee’s fence and cut the tree, dropping it exactly in the middle of the opening in the fence. They removed the tree and put the fence panels back – just like they had been. They also removed a very dead tree in her back yard.

Marlee is already making plans to plant some more native trees in her yard.

Trail Cleanup Tuesday

It is supposed to be beautiful spring-like weather Tuesday. So, if you would like to get outside and enjoy that, and do some good at the same time, volunteers are needed to help pick up trash to get ready for the February Soup Hike. Trash pickup will be along Horseshoe Bend Road and maybe some of the hiking trail near Rita Myers’ gate. Anyone who would like to help should meet at the Café at 10 a.m. Bring work gloves and garbage bags. Thanks to Benita and Tom Howell, who are organizing this trash pick-up.

By the way, I should clarify the route for the Soup Hike that is planned for February 11. It is a beautiful trail through the woods that passes near the White Oak Creek several places. Eric Wilson says it begins at the Beacon Hill home of Tom and Benita Howell. It leads downhill to White Oak Creek, then over a rise to rejoin the White Oak, past the old "Letner property" (Riverside) and arrive at Rita's gate. From there we follow the White Oak upstream to the highway bridge where cars will be available to shuttle us back to Rugby. The hike is about two miles and is rated "moderate" with one climb through the woods.

Print Shop Volunteer Opportunity

Mike Harris volunteering at print shop

Rugby has a wonderful historic asset in the print shop located on the main road near the Café. Printing was an important part of the early days of the Rugby. The Rugby Printing Works published the first newspaper, The Rugbeian, in January 1881, shortly after the opening of the new town. The print shop building that now stands in Rugby was built in 1887 and was moved to Rugby in 1977 from the nearby town of Deer Lodge.

Unfortunately, although the shop is sometimes open to visitors for special events, most day-to-day tourists do not get to see the inside with all of its wonderful old printing equipment, type cases and type, and samples of things printed from these presses.

Carolyn Bankston would like to help change that. She is seeking volunteers to open the print shop on weekends for visitors. No experience is necessary, but it would be helpful. An interpreter manual will be provided to help answer questions. People interested should contact Carolyn at 628-2845.

Obituary Information

Lavonne Gibbs wanted to express condolences and make sure everyone in Rugby knows that the son of Bobby and Margaret Brooks of Rugby passed away a few weeks ago. Clark Brooks, age 43, of Clarkrange, died Thursday, January 5 at the Jamestown Medical Center, according to a recent obituary in the Fentress Courier.

Squirrel Update

Several folks have asked about our project of safely relocating the flying squirrels who had taken up residence in the Walton Court attic. Knock on wood, all appears to be quiet in the attic at the moment. We caught seven squirrels. Five have been successfully relocated.

One poor soul gave up hope in the cage before we could get to him/her for relocation.

Another was caught on Friday morning. Rick took him to the park in Allardt, thinking that would be a very nice home for him (my apologies to the folks in Allardt). Rick took the cage out of the car and put it on the ground. When he opened the cage door the squirrel seemed hesitant to leave. After some coaxing, it ran out of the cage, but alas, did not get more than 20 feet before a large bird, maybe a hawk, swooped down from nowhere and grabbed it without even landing. Now we see why flying squirrels are nocturnal in their wanderings.

BIRTHDAYS

Jan. 23 - Sara Senft
Jan. 26 - Benita Howell
Jan. 27 - Jessica Erickson
Jan. 28 - Peter Keese

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern time zone, just barely.

Friday, Jan. 27 – Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m. - Robin Branstetter and the girls

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Commissary Craft Demonstration – Sue Duncan spinning with Angora bunnies

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Lantern Tour Onstage – 4 p.m. Eastern at the Visitor Centre Theatre. Adult admission $15 at the door. K-12 students, $7. Dinner specials, wine and ale will be available after the performance at the Harrow Road Café.

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Catfish Dinner at Grey Gables - Beginning at 6 p.m Eastern. Entertainment $12 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Call Linda or Tiffany for reservations 423-628-5252

Sunday, Jan. 29 – Commissary Artist Demonstration - Mara Trumbo-Painting

Saturday, Feb. 4 - Community Potluck at the Friendly House - 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 7 – Afternoon Tea at Grey Gables - 1 p.m. Eastern, $10 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For Reservations: 423-628-5252

Saturday, Feb. 11 – Soup Hike – This is a beautiful hike of about two miles and is rated "moderate" with one climb through the woods. Meet at the Café at 10 a.m. Eastern. Soup afterward at the Harrow Road Café. The trail to be hiked begins at the Beacon Hill home of Tom and Benita Howell, leads downhill to White Oak Creek, then over a rise to rejoin the White Oak, past the "Letner property" (Riverswide) and arrive at Rita's gate. From there we follow the White Oak upstream to the highway bridge where cars will be available to shuttle us back to Rugby.

Saturday, Feb.11 – Valentine Dinner at the Harrow Road Café. – Four-course dinner and special gift. Lodging packages available for Historic Newbury House B&B and Cottages

Saturday Feb. 11 – Valentine Dinner at Grey Gables with entertainment. $18.50 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations Required: 423-628-5252

Saturday, Feb. 25 – Book Club at 7 p.m. Eastern/6 Central at the home of Kit and Candy Howes. The book the group will be reading is The Tiger, a true story of vengeance and survival by John Vaillant
.
Quilters’ Group - Wednesdays and Saturdays, 2–4 p.m. Eastern, at the Friendly House behind Christ Church

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

Christ Church Episcopal -- Sunday morning services, 11 a.m. Eastern year round; all are welcome.

Historic Rugby Winter Hours

Harrow Road Café open every day except Wednesdays. Sundays through Thursdays - 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. EST. Friday and Saturday hours, including dinner seatings, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST.

Visitor Centre and Commissary General Store - Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays through Thursdays. Weekday and weekend group tours can be arranged with advance reservation. Post Office in the Commissary is closed until March

Lodging Facilities are available year-round.

NATURE NOTES

Some of Next Spring's Beauties

By Linda Konig

Boyd Mitchell brought me a present late yesterday afternoon that fit in his hand—a brown papery object covered with dark brown hairy stuff. It was about the size and shape of a small sweet potato, but very lightweight. He said he got it off a tree in his yard in Beacon Hill. It looked familiar, and I knew it was some kind of cocoon that I'd seen before. But I couldn't quite remember what it was. I looked up pictures in my butterfly and moth guides and decided it was a Polyphemus moth cocoon. The Polyphemus moth (Polyphemus being another name for Cyclops) is named for the four eyes on its exotic wings, one on each. The front wings have small eyes with clear windows you can see through. The rear wings, however, have larger dark-ringed clear-windowed eyes that probably scare off birds and bats, etc.

I've found a couple of these big brown cocoons myself in years past in the woods or on the ground. I've tried keeping them, but the adult moth never came out. Reading about them today, I learned a couple of reasons why this can happen. The most prevalent reason is that the Polyphemus caterpillar was already infected with parasitic eggs or larvae when it made its cocoon and went into its pupal stage inside the cocoon. At the same time the caterpillar was changing, so were the parasitic larvae. They ate away the Polyphemus pupa from the inside out.

I learned a lot today about how these interesting-looking cocoons are made. Since the Polyphemus moth is a member of the silk moth family, it spins silk. (One woman online tells how she detaches the silk from the cocoon, boils it, etc. and then has silk threads with which she makes silk cloth. It seems like an awful lot of trouble.) It wraps the sticky silk under and around a big leaf from the tree it's been living on, wrapping itself up in the leaf as it spins. In spring, the moth will exit its dark pupa inside the cocoon, secrete a chemical onto one end of the cocoon to loosen the sticky silk, and then make its grand entrance to the outside world.

A week later, the male and female Polyphemus moths will have mated, and she will have laid her eggs. That is, unless they spend too much time around street lights and other all-night lights. The lights distract them from their proper mission in life and make it easy for bats and night-flying birds to catch and eat them. They only have one week of life after emerging, partly because, as adults, they can't eat. One website reported that the Polyphemus moth is practically extinct in cities. I'm so glad that we live in the country and still have these beauties fluttering about on spring nights. Meanwhile, for a truly amazing close-up website where you can see each phase of a Polyphemus moth's life from egg, through all the caterpillar instars, cocoon, and on to adult, click on http://lifecycle.onenessbecomesus.com/Life.html .

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2012-01-16T08:25:00.007-05:00

Historic Rugby Photos Revealed

Several historic Rugby photos were donated this week to the Historic Rugby Archives by Steve Logan. The photos were Steve's grandmother's from the period when she taught school here in 1917-18. She lived at Uffington House that year, the house that was then home of Nelly and Charles Brooks (and originally the residence of founder Thomas Hughes' mother, Margaret Hughes).

Snow at Uffington House: Harold, Ernst Brooks

Here's what Steve’s grandmother, Alleen Phelps (later Gardner, of Nashville) wrote on the back of this snowy Uffington House photo about her year as the teacher in Rugby's one-room school:

"Thomas Hughes... a dreamer, colonized Rugby, Tenn., and the place is beautiful with English houses, gardens and mountain shrubs. 'Uffington,' now the home of Mrs. C.C. Brooks, contains much that was formerly the Hughes'. This was my home while in Rugby and here I spent five very happy months. Someday I want to return to this 'Deserted Village' in the 'Switzerland of America' to roam in the woods, wander in a dusty library, and see my 'Dearest Lady Nell,' Mrs. C.C.B."

"On the big rock in the middle of Clear Fork River: Elie and Neely Hammond, Ernst [Brooks] and Edith, Harold and his Mama. Rugby, 1917"

"At the Swinging Bridge: Harold, his Mama, Edith Hammond, Neely Hammond, Ernst and Elie Hamm., Rugby, 1917."

This Week in Rugby

Friday, Jan. 20 – Music at the Café –Butch and Doug, 6:30 - 8:30 EST

Saturday, Jan. 21 – Commissary Craft Demonstration – Bill Henry carving

Saturday, Jan. 21 – Historic Rugby Board Meeting – 1 p.m. at Community Building

Sunday, Jan. 22 – Commissary Craft Demonstration – Mara Trumbo - Painting

Next Book Club Scheduled

The Tiger

The next book club has been scheduled for Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. Eastern/6 Central at the home of Kit and Candy Howes. The book the group will be reading is The Tiger, a true story of vengeance and survival by John Vaillant.

Property of the Week

We are going to start providing information about properties that are for sale in Rugby –if the seller provides us with information.

This week we are highlighting the Beacon Hill home of Don Barkman which is for sale for $217,712. The link below to Infotube gets you tons of info about the house.

http://www.infotube.net/search_detail.php?u=DONBARKMAN&photo=1&Adnumber=188565

Here are also two YouTube videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtS_nxhyvUE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp5p-tepIrs

If you have property for sale in Rugby and would like to be mentioned please email us.

Historic Rugby’s Cemetery Lantern Tour On Stage

With 150 Photos

Historic Rugby’s popular Laurel Dale Cemetery Lantern Tour goes on the stage in a new multi-media version at the Rebecca Johnson Theatre at Rugby on Saturday, January 28, at 4 p.m. Eastern (3 p.m. Central).

Nine of the many colorful characters of Rugby's past will come alive for this event, telling their own true stories – several funny, some tragic. This time they will be accompanied by 150 historic and other projected images showing how they looked, their homes and their settings. Surprises are in store!

Costumed players from a Rugby resident cast will be the presenters. The words will be largely the characters’ own, thanks to Historic Rugby's archives. All of them rest in Rugby’s Laurel Dale Cemetery.

Earlier versions of the Lantern Tour began in 2010, but all were on the grounds of the cemetery where audience numbers had to be limited. This time the 100-seat Rebecca Johnson Theatre at Historic Rugby’s Visitor Centre will bring a different dimension to this real-life drama.

Tickets are available at the door for $15, or $7 for students grades K-12. The Harrow Road Café will be open until 9 p.m. for dining before or after the show.

Grey Gables Announces Winter Events

Grey Gables Bed and Breakfast will be busy this winter. Linda Jones sent the following event information which I am adding to the calendar.

CATFISH DINNER: Saturday January 28. Beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern. Entertainment $12.00 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Call Linda or Tiffany for reservations 423-628-5252

AFTERNOON TEA: Tuesday February 7 at 1 p.m Easter, $10 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For Reservations: 423-628-5252

VALENTINE DINNER: Saturday February 11. Dinner with entertainment. $18.50 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations Required: 423-628-5252

BIRTHDAYS

Jan. 18 - Deanna Oliver

Jan. 23 - Sara Senft

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern time zone, just barely.

Friday, Jan. 20 – Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern - Butch and Doug

Saturday, Jan. 21 – Commissary Craft Demonstration – Bill Henry carving

Saturday, Jan. 21 – Historic Rugby Board Meeting – 1 p.m. at the Community Building

Friday, Jan. 27 – Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m. - Robin Branstetter and the girls

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Commissary Craft Demonstration – Sue Duncan spinning with Angora bunnies

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Lantern Tour Onstage – 4 p.m. Eastern at the Visitor Centre Theatre. Adult admission $15 at the door. K-12 students, $7.

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Catfish Dinner at Grey Gables - Beginning at 6 p.m Eastern. Entertainment $12.00 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Call Linda or Tiffany for reservations 423-628-5252

Sunday, Jan. 29 – Commissary Artist Demonstration - Mara Trumbo-Painting

Tuesday, Feb. 7 – Afternoon Tea at Grey Gables - 1 p.m. Eastern, $10 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For Reservations: 423-628-5252

Saturday, Feb. 11 – Soup Hike – Hike the beautiful Thomas Hughes trail along the White Oak. This is a relatively good trail, but there are a few fairly steep areas and a few short areas that are a little rocky. Meet at the Café at 10 a.m. Eastern. Soup afterward at the Harrow Road Café.

Saturday, Feb.11 – Valentine Dinner at the Harrow Road Café. – Four-course dinner and special gift. Lodging packages available for Historic Newbury House B&B and Cottages

Saturday Feb. 11 – Valentine Dinner at Grey Gables with entertainment. $18.50 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations Required: 423-628-5252

Saturday, Feb. 25 – Book Club at 7 p.m. Eastern/6 Central at the home of Kit and Candy Howes. The book the group will be reading is The Tiger, a true story of vengeance and survival by John Vaillant
.
Quilters’ Group - Wednesdays and Saturdays, 2–4 p.m. Eastern, at the Friendly House behind Christ Church

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

Christ Church Episcopal -- Sunday morning services, 11:00 Eastern year round; all are welcome.

Historic Rugby Winter Hours

Harrow Road Café open every day except Wednesdays. Sundays through Thursdays - 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. EST. Friday and Saturday hours include dinner seatings, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST.

Visitor Centre and Commissary General Store - Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays through Thursdays - weekday and weekend group tours can be arranged with advance reservation. Post Office in the Commissary is closed until March

Lodging Facilities are available year-round.

NATURE NOTES

Secret Goings-On

By Linda Konig

It's easy to think Mother Nature is resting on her laurels in January, taking a well-deserved rest. T'aint so. True she isn't working full steam, but she's still mighty active.

A lot of what's going on, however, is hidden from our eyes. I've recently learned a lot more about earwigs, thanks in large part to a new book I got for Christmas called National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America. Wow! I'd heard and read a little bit about earwigs before, but with this book I've learned what these useful little ground insects with the evil-looking pincers are up to at this time of year. We probably have about four kinds of earwigs around here. They're nocturnal creatures, and some will fly to lights at night in summer.

Yes, winter is one of their busiest times. Late fall is when a pair of male and female earwigs set up housekeeping in a chamber she's made in the soil. About this time of year, however, she either kicks him out or he leaves on his own, and she starts to lay her eggs.

Entomologists have marveled at the tender loving care some kinds of earwig females give their eggs and new-born hatchlings. First she gathers them up if they get separated during the laying. Then she refuses to leave her eggs, keeping them warm with her body and guarding them from other adult earwigs that might eat them. Meanwhile she turns them over periodically, licking them to moisten them and to clean any fungus that might start to grow on the eggs. She may even help them to hatch. Then they live with the mother until about July, and while they're still living at home, she feeds them with regurgitated food. If she dies, they eat her, the final sacrifice.

To see some really neat photos of a female earwig with her eggs in a rounded nest and a later photo of that same earwig with some newly-hatched young, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earwig . The site also has more information on earwigs.

About those vicious-looking pincers: they're mighty handy since they're used for grooming, defense, courtship, and to help fold their hind wings underneath a sort of shield on their backs. Why are they called earwigs? Because people used to mistakenly believe that earwigs liked to crawl inside sleeping people's ears at night and bore inside their brains. I'm not kidding! Well, that could be a handy explanation as to why some people act the way they do, but, no, it just isn't so.

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2012-01-09T07:32:00.000-05:00

Winter in Rugby is for Hiking

A really good turnout was in evidence Saturday for the Soup Hike to Jones Waterfall. The group also went down to a sandy area along the Clear Fork River and to the area believed to be the historic Ladies’ Swimming Hole.

The next hike is planned for Saturday, Feb. 11, although if anyone wants to invite folks on an earlier hike, just email us and we will put it in Rugby Week.

Clockwise: A scenic spot looking down the Clear Fork. Jonell Hester peeking through the rhododendrons at a beautiful rocky stream. A small waterfall. Eric Wilson, Tom Howell and Benita Howell at a sandy spot along the Clear Fork. Photos by Rick Murphy

This Week in Rugby

Friday, Jan. 13 – Music at the Café- Leonard Anderson, 6:30 - 8:30 EST

Friday, Jan. 13 – History Night – 7:30 p.m. – Friendly House – discuss history topics for 2012 and share “show and tell” items

Saturday, Jan. 14 – Book Club - 7 p.m. at Benita and Tom Howell’s house. Two of Kentucky author Wendell Berry's works will be discussed, The Long-Legged House, a collection of essays, and Nathan Coulter, the first novel in his Port William series.

Rugby Donkey’s Great Adventure

Our History of Mischievous Donkeys

A booklet for sale at Rugby’s Commissary Store and at the Visitor Centre tells about a donkey that lived in Rugby from the 1880’s into the next century. His name was Tom Donkey, and he was known for getting out of his enclosure at Walton Court, wandering the village and getting into great mischief. He could open gates and get into people’s gardens, which is why there is a special type of gate latch on the gates at Kingstone Lisle and Walton Court. (The gate latch at Walton Court was found in the ruins of the burned house and restored onto the new gate when the house was reconstructed.)

Tom Donkey at Walton Court about 1906

In recent years we have had the occasional horse or dog get loose in Rugby. Plenty of wild critters have wreaked havoc, but as far as I know it has been quite a while since a donkey has wandered around the village.

So, there was great excitement in Rugby a few days ago when the Ericksons’ new donkey decided to go for an excursion. We first learned about it when tourists at the Café said they had seen a donkey walking down the side of the road as they drove into town. Jessica Erickson quickly left the Café where she was working (Shelia was there to cover the tables) and rushed down to secure the donkey, later safely returned to his home.

Donkey at end of its 2012 excursion

When I have been down to the Uffington greenhouse recently I have sometimes heard the donkey braying, so I guess he is still getting used to his new surroundings. Hopefully he will settle in soon, and maybe when the new bypass is completed next winter it will be a little safer for him to wander through the village.

Mail Delivery Issues

Rita Myers wants to make sure everybody understands that the Rugby post office will not be providing any services until March due to the reduced winter hours at the Commissary.

Someone mentioned that there might be some special issues related to mail delivery during January and February since the Commissary post office is closed those two months.

I called the Robbins post office and the representative there said that if the mail deliverer finds a package is too big to be put in the large package boxes at the bottom row of the mail box kiosk, then he will put a note in the person’s box telling them to pick up the package at another post office. In most cases that will be the Robbins post office.

They also said that outgoing mail will only be picked up once a day from the slots at the mail box kiosk.

I was also told that the mail deliverer usually carries a supply of stamps, so that if someone needs stamps they can request them when he is putting in the mail at the mail kiosk.

Otherwise, mail delivery for Rugby is not expected to be any different. If you have additional questions, call the Robbins post office at 423-627-2520

Flying Squirrels Relocated

We have had critters in our attic. For months. After some sleepless nights, I bought a live animal trap. In the last few days we have caught three flying squirrels. It may actually be just two. The first one we relocated only three miles away, and that may not have been far enough. Next time: 10 miles out!

Miss Annie the cat admires the first trapped flying squirrel

BIRTHDAYS

Jan. 14 - Drew Martin and Charles Crabtree

Jan. 15 - Margaret Erickson

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern time zone, just barely.

Friday, Jan. 13 - Music at the Café – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Eastern - Leonard Anderson

Friday, Jan. 13 – History Night – 7:30 p.m. at the Friendly House.

Saturday, Jan. 14 – Book Club – 7 p.m. at Benita and Tom Howell’s house. Two of Kentucky author Wendell Berry's works will be discussed, The Long-Legged House, a collection of essays, and Nathan Coulter, the first novel in his Port William series. The snow date will be January 21.

Friday, Jan. 20 – Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern - Butch & Doug

Saturday, Jan. 21 – Commissary Craft Demonstration – Bill Henry carving

Saturday, Jan. 21 – Historic Rugby Board Meeting – 1 p.m. at the Community Building

Sunday, Jan. 22 – Commissary Artist Demonstration - Mara Trumbo-Painting

Friday, Jan. 27 – Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m. - Robin Branstetter and the girls

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Commissary Craft Demonstration – Sue Duncan spinning with Angora bunnies

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Lantern Tour Onstage – 4 p.m. Eastern at the Visitor Centre Theatre. Adult admission $15 at the door. K-12 students, $7.

Sunday, Jan. 29 – Commissary Artist Demonstration - Mara Trumbo-Painting

Saturday, Feb. 11 – Soup Hike – Hike the beautiful Thomas Hughes trail along the White Oak. This is a relatively good trail, but there are a few fairly steep areas and a few short areas that are a little rocky. Meet at the Café at 10 a.m. Eastern

Saturday, Feb.11 – Valentine Dinner at the Café. – Four-course dinner and special gift. Lodging packages available for Historic Newbury House B and B and Cottages

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

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

Historic Rugby Winter Hours

Harrow Road Café open every day except Wednesdays. Sundays through Thursdays - 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. EST. Friday and Saturday hours include dinner seatings, 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. EST.

Visitor Centre and Commissary General Store - Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays through Thursdays - weekday and weekend group tours can be arranged with advance reservation. Post Office in the Commissary is closed until March

Lodging Facilities are available year-round.

NATURE NOTES

Hazel Alders

By Linda Konig

I've recently become interested in a common native bush/tree that often grows around ponds and other bodies of water around here. It has many names: Hazel Alder, Common Alder, Smooth Alder, Tag Alder, Red Alder, ad infinitum. The Latin name is Alnus serrulata. When Wendy Whitten gave me a few twigs from a Hazelnut tree last week, I noticed how much their catkins looked like the alder bush catkins around ponds, so that got me to studying the alders.

I went to the big pond at Clear Fork Farm and immediately saw how these two different species of bushy trees could be confused. I broke off a branch of one of the bushes to take it home for comparison. The hazel alder catkins are larger than the hazelnut catkins and were a reddish tint. They looked as if they could start blooming at any time. These alder catkins usually bloom in February. I'm hoping they bloom even earlier this year. The tiny red female flowers, on the same stem (again like the hazelnut's red female flowers), bloom in the spring. The hazel alder's female flowers will eventually form little cone-like fruits containing many seeds in the fall.

When I first discovered these hazel alder bushes in winter a few years ago, I gathered a few tiny cones and used them as Christmas tree decorations. I didn't spray them, but you could spray them gold or silver, and they would be lovely on a small tree or on a wreath. Right now, I have a couple of twigs in water near a window, hoping I can force the male and perhaps even the female flowers to bloom. To see good close-up photos of the leaves, flowers, and cones, try www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/alse.html .

The seeds in the cones are highly prized by birds: among them, Wood Cock, Ruffed Grouse, Black-Capped Chickadees, Pine Siskins, and Goldfinches. Some birds like to build nests in hazel alder bushes: Red-Winged Blackbirds, Goldfinches, etc. Deer and beaver eat the twigs in winter. Wild ducks like to use the bushes as cover when they spend the night on ponds. In summer, several kinds of caterpillars graze on the hazel alder leaves. On the other hand, the Harvester butterfly caterpillar only eats the wooly aphids that feed on the alder bushes. They do this while being concealed by the wooly aphids' wooly fluff that has gotten caught on the caterpillars' hairs. This is the only caterpillar in the U.S. known to be carnivorous. The adult Harvester butterflies live on the aphids' honeydew, again, found on the alders. You could write a book about a year in the life of these bushes!

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2012-01-02T08:01:00.004-05:00

Queen Jessie Gully - photo by George Zepp

Rugby Greets the New Year

Fireworks and Flowers

Folks seemed to enjoy New Years Eve in Rugby – at least we could hear some loud booms, evidence that somebody stayed up until midnight and set off a few fireworks.

Earlier in the evening at the Cafe folks had fun with all the party hats, noisemakers and party streamers that Barbara Mitchell had provided. And Chef Brian outdid himself with his chocolate cake dessert!

Tom Lee (right front), family and friends at Cafe New Year's Eve

Rugbeians have enjoyed the mild temperatures lately. I have seen lots of folks out walking and hiking. The weather has triggered a few early blooms which seem out of place for this time of winter. The pink flowering quince behind The Lindens is starting to bloom, the English primroses at Kingstone Lisle have put out a few blooms and our winter jasmine and Lenten roses are putting out buds. One Lenten Rose is in full bloom. All of this is a lot earlier than last year.

But alas, this is winter. The temperature is supposed to get down into the teens tonight with a possibility of snow!

Jones Waterfall Winter 2009

This Week in Rugby

Monday, Jan. 2 – Winter Hours Begin at Historic Rugby; café open daily except Wednesdays, and Visitor Centre and Commissary open Fridays-Sundays.

Friday, Jan. 6 – Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m. – Dusty and the Oldies

Saturday, Jan. 7 – Soup Hike to Beautiful Jones Waterfall - Mike Harris will lead a hike to Jones Waterfall along a trail behind Uffington House - not a very difficult hike, and the waterfall can be spectacular. Hikers will meet at the Café parking area at 10 a.m. and walk from there. We will end up back at the Café in time for a warm bowl of soup or chili by the fireplace.

Saturday, Jan. 7 – Community Potluck – 7 p.m. at the Friendly House. Please note the change of location for the winter

Rugby Bypass Work Progresses

Photos by Carrie Thornthwaite

Carrie merged three photos to create this image of Little Creek Bridge

Carrie's photos above show the huge beams that are now in place on the bridge over Little Creek. Jenny Hubbard Young and George Zepp pose on some of the beams. And Mike Harris, Jenny, Rick Murphy and George pose in front of one end of the bridge.

It appears that the bridge beams crossing Little Creek are now all in place and other work seems to be proceeding at various spots around the site. We were told unofficially that there is now a plan to deal with pyrite removal in areas where some of the work had been halted. So it appears that work is progressing throughout the site.

Literary News

Hury Poetry to be Published

Hadley Hury has just learned that one his poems will appear in The Avatar Review, a well respected online magazine, in a later spring issue.

Trumbo Book Now Available

Bob Trumbo said that his book "A Guide to Proper Governance for Dummies" is now officially out and available to order directly from the two largest book stores, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I think maybe this is the link to the Barnes and Noble site – I guess it is under a pseudonym:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-guide-to-proper-governance-for-dummies-a-m-freeman/1108068498?ean=9781468531480&itm=1&usri=a+guide+to+governance+for+dummies

Quilter Dorcus McBrayer

Commissary Demonstrations This Weekend

The Commissary will be featuring two local craft and art demonstrators this weekend. Dorcus McBrayer will be demonstrating quilting on Saturday, Jan. 7. Mara Trumbo will be demonstrating her painting techniques on Sunday, Jan. 8. See some thoughts from Mara at the end of the newsletter below.

Betty Silcox Obituary

Rita wanted to make sure everybody knew that one of our Rugby neighbors passed away recently. Betty Silcox, who lived with her husband on Horseshoe Bend Road passed away recently and was buried last week at Laurel Dale Cemetery. Here is a link to her obituary: http://www.fouroaksfuneralhome.com/cgi-bin/CompanyInternal?stdout+115+fouroaksfuneralhome.com+1689+4+9103:Lcgi_html/

BIRTHDAYS

Jan. 3 – Gayle Minor

Jan. 6 – John Gilliat and Dorcus McBrayer

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern time zone, just barely.

Monday, Jan. 2 – Winter hours begin at Historic Rugby

Friday, Jan. 6 – Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m. - Dusty & the Oldies

Saturday, Jan. 7 – Soup Hike to Jones Waterfall. Meet at Café parking lot at 10 a.m.

Saturday, Jan. 7 – Quilting Demonstration at the Commissary

Saturday, Jan. 7 – Community Potluck 7 p.m. at the Friendly House

Sunday, Jan. 8 – Painting Demonstration at the Commissary

Friday, Jan. 13 - Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m. - Leonard Anderson

Friday, Jan. 13 – History Club – 7:30 p.m. at the Friendly House.

Saturday, Jan. 14 – Book Club – 7 p.m. at Benita and Tom Howell’s house. Two of Kentucky author Wendell Berry's works will be discussed, The Long-Legged House, a collection of essays, and Nathan Coulter, the first novel in his Port William series. The snow date will be January 21.

Friday, Jan. 20 – Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m.- Butch & Doug

Saturday, Jan. 21 – Historic Rugby Board Meeting – 1 p.m. at the Community Building

Sunday, Jan. 22 – Commissary Artist Demonstration - Mara Trumbo-Painting

Friday, Jan. 27 – Music at the Café – 6:30 p.m. - Robin Branstetter & the girls

Saturday, Jan. 28 – Lantern Tour Onstage – 4 p.m. at the Visitor Centre Theatre. Adult admission $15 at the door.

Sunday, Jan. 29 – Commissary Artist Demonstration - Mara Trumbo-Painting

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

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

Historic Rugby Winter Hours

Harrow Road Café open every day except Wednesdays. Sundays through Thursdays - 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. EST. Fridays’ and Saturdays’ hours include dinner seatings, 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. EST.

Visitor Centre and Commissary General Store - Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays through Thursdays - weekday and weekend group tours can be arranged with advance reservation. Post Office will only be open when the Commissary is open

Lodging Facilities available year-round.

NATURE NOTES

Winter Flowers

Lenten Rose at Walton Court

By Linda Konig

Winter flowers: That may sound like a contradiction in terms. But I've been delighted to learn that yes indeedy, it is possible to have winter flowers in our area without growing them indoors. The ones I've learned of recently are all hardy bushes that bloom in winter, provided we have a warm spell as we've had recently. Wendy Whitten, a new friend, surprised us with bouquets that she brought to Christ Church on Christmas Eve, and she brought a bouquet for me Sunday morning. The Christmas Eve bouquet had greenery graced with blooming Rosemary, Winter Jasmine, Wintersweet, Winter Honeysuckle and Winter Viburnum.

I was most interested in the Winter Jasmine because I recall reading in old local newspaper clippings written years ago by Nellie Brooks, and perhaps Patricia Wichmann, that Winter Jasmine was blooming during winter in Rugby. Somehow those Winter Jasmine bushes have disappeared, but I'm thinking it might be good to bring them back. These vining bushes are great on banks to prevent erosion. They can spread to areas where they're not wanted, however, if you don't cut them back every 3 years or so. Like the wild black raspberry canes that grow so well here, the Winter Jasmine branches also start a new plant if a branch tip touches the ground and the branches are arching. They behave well on trellises, etc., though, and if you'd like to cover up something unsightly. . . . When your winter-weary eyes are hungering for outdoor color, Winter Jasmine bushes are especially appreciated. Their bright yellow blooms on the green stems will continue to open for 6 to 8 weeks, barring a hard freeze. I assume that tiny wild bees pollinate them, since local wild bees often come to Winter Honeysuckle.

The Winter Viburnum, which I'd never heard of before, is fragrant and has pale pink blooms in clusters. Wintersweet is pale yellow with purplish-brown centers. They're usually fragrant, depending on the kind of hybrid you buy. I've noticed that the Mahonia bushes around here have started to open their sweet-smelling yellow flowers recently, too. Get out and see and breathe in all these before the winter weather gets to them. If you're interested in planting any of these, it would be wise to choose a protected side of the house, perhaps on the south. Since I have brown thumbs, you might like to visit a Website I discovered that gives a lot of advice about growing Winter Jasmine and also has photos of these little beauties. It's http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/3297510/How-to-grow-winter-jasmine.html .

Jim McBrayer's photo of Mara at work

And a Word From Mara

By Mara Trumbo

Winter is a perfect time to slow down, regroup and energize one’s creative thoughts. There is no better time, or more congenial place to be in for an artist, poet and writer, than in Historic Rugby this time of the year. Nature provides a continuous colorful landscape with its countryside rapidly changing from green to gold and soon hopefully silvery white when the first snows fall. Cardinals have replaced the hummingbirds visiting our gardens. Raccoons, deer and foxes join our squirrels in playing hide-go-seek in our woods. Streams run full, blue skies still outnumber bleak days and there is no lack of inspiration here!

With that in mind, local artist and international art instructor Mara Trumbo is busy dreaming up new projects for her “How To” book and Spring teaching tours of Florida and Italy. Mara is also a part-time employee of Historic Rugby and the Spirit of Red Hill. During quieter times in the stores, Mara paints, sketches and makes notes every time inspiration hits her. She invites visitors to watch and feel free to ask questions on her various techniques and class dates in the area. Mara will be demonstrating on Saturday January 14 from noon to 3 p.m. and whilst volunteering behind the counter. She’ll also be happy to talk to you on Sundays: Jan. 8, 22 and 29. On special offer this winter are house portraits of your own home done from your favorite photo on a 16”x 20” canvas for only $99 – an original for less than the cost of a print… a perfect New Year gift. So come along and visit us at The Commissary. The fire in the stove is warm, the coffee hot and the art very cool!

Mara’s virtual gallery can be visited at:

www.PictureTrail.com/MaraTrumbo

and the artist can be contacted at:

Cadisama@earthlink.net

Or Tel (423) 628-6591

Editor's Note: Jim McBrayer recognized the orange critter shown in last week’s Rugby Week – he wrote “the critter isn't a lizard at all, it's a salamander. It's the "red eft" stage of the Eastern Newt. The red eft larval stage is terrestrial; the adult is aquatic, with external gills. Usually it's the other way around with salamanders.”

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2011-12-26T08:38:00.001-05:00

Rugby’s Annual Christmas Hike

We will not be back in Rugby until later today, but saw this from the annual Christmas Day Hike on Facebook.

“What a beautiful day for Rugby's annual Christmas hike to the Colditz Natural Area. The waterfall was running at full flow. Here is a picture of our own John Muir -Eric Wilson.”

This Week in Rugby

Thursday Dec. 29 – English Country Dancing at the Friendly House – contact Mary Hemminger at mejs@juno.com

Friday Dec. 30 – Music at the Café - Lesia Terry and Great Day in the Morning

Saturday, Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve Dinners at

Harrow Road Café - Reservations – call toll-free number 888-214-3400 or 628-2441.

Grey Gables Bed’n Breakfast – Reservations – call 423-628-5252.

History Club Meeting Jan. 13

By Linda Konig

The first meeting of the Rugby History Club in the new year will be held at the Friendly House on Friday, Jan. 13th. 7:30 p.m. We will discuss ideas for future meetings, etc., and some Rugby historic artifacts will be shown for our amazement and amusement.

Spirit of Red Hill

SALE UPDATE: For our sale being held this week (December 26 thru the 31) there will be at least a 20% reduction taken on everything in the shop. Some items will be further reduced, such as tools and Christmas vintage items (30%), and all books on the bookwagon usually seen on the front porch will be reduced 50%. (All inside books will be 20% off.)

Reminding all that the shop will close for the winter as of January 1, 2012 (whew – can’t believe it!). We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday time and we look forward to seeing you this week before the old year shudders to a halt and 2012 comes bounding in. We are so grateful for your patronage of Spirit of Red Hill, but most of all for your continued friendship and support.

Peace - Donna and Annie

Bob Trumbo’s New Book

By Bob Trumbo

My first book titled "A Guide to Proper Governance for Dummies" has finally been published and will be in paper just after the first of the year. My publisher is "Authorhouse" and will have the book available and also available electronically with all major bookstores etc.

I think most of you know my passion to restore our once great Republic to the status once envisioned by our forefathers. It is incumbent upon all of us to do everything in our power to achieve this goal and start the process by the next election. I strongly feel this Guide is a good start to motivate everyday people to take action before we "Face the eternal
Abyss and end up on the ash heap of History."

Happy Holiday and a great New Year.

BIRTHDAYS

Dec. 30 - Ron Jackson

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern time zone, just barely.

Thursday, Dec. 29 – English Country Dancing

Tuesday, Jan. 2 – Reduced winter hours begin at Historic Rugby

Saturday, Jan. 7 – Community Potluck 7:00 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 13 – History Club – 7:30 p.m. at the Friendly House.

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

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

Historic Rugby Winter Hours

Harrow Road Café open every day except Wednesdays. Sundays through Thursdays - 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. EST. Fridays and Saturdays include dinner seatings, 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. EST.

Visitor Centre and Commissary General Store - Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays through Thursdays - weekday and weekend group tours can be arranged with advance reservation.

Lodging Facilities available year-round.

NATURE NOTES

Olive Hairstreak

Orange lizard photo from last week by Carrie Thornwaite

By Linda Konig

You may think I'm besotted, but I'm already looking forward to spring and thinking about Olive Hairstreak butterflies. I just learned about them the other day when I was looking up information about the Eastern Cedar trees (Juniperus virginiana). You see, the Olive Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus) spends most of its life on or close to Eastern Cedar trees. In fact, this tiny butterfly is totally dependent in the Southeast on Eastern Cedars for survival as a species. I've seen these green butterflies around Rugby in other years but always on wildflowers where they were sipping nectar. They love henbit, winter cress, common milkweed, butterflyweed, white sweet clover, wild plum blossoms, Queen Anne's lace, hoary mountain mint, dandelions, and many others.

The male butterflies, when not sipping nectar or puddling*, can be found on Eastern Cedar trees, usually near the tops. I plan to shake a few trees to see them as they start up and flutter about. They're quite territorial, keeping other males away from their spot, meanwhile waiting for females.

The females come, choose Mr. Right, mate in the trees, and lay their eggs on the cedar needles, one minute pale green egg per twig tip. The tiny green caterpillars that hatch nibble on the cedar needles, growing fatter and longer. When I saw a close-up photo of one of these caterpillars by googling Olive Hairstreak butterfly caterpillars, I immediately knew why I haven't noticed them before. They're an exact imitation of a cedar needle tip! You'd have to look very closely, and then you probably wouldn't spot one unless it moved. When ready to form a chrysalis, they drop off the tree and, if conditions are right, they form a chrysalis under leaf litter directly under the tree. If not, they have to crawl elsewhere in search of leaf litter. In other words, conditions are more favorable for them at the edges of woods than in a well-kept lawn.

There are two generations of these butterflies in our area, the early spring generation and the mid-to late-summer generation. This second generation overwinters as a chrysalis.

*Puddling. Only the male butterflies puddle. When you see a damp spot or puddle with several butterflies clustered there, they're getting mineral salts they need in order to be able to mate. It's a great photo op! They seem especially drawn to spots where dogs and other animals have relieved themselves. They also like to find mineral salt puddles among rocks along a creek or river.

Editor's Note: Obviously the photo of the orange lizard above has nothing to do with the butterfly story. Carrie Thornthwaite and Rick Murphy came across it on the trail to the Meeting of the Waters last week while we were looking at the dramatically high and fast water. Does anyone remember the name of this creature from one of Linda's earlier Nature Notes?

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2011-12-19T06:56:00.005-05:00

Wishing You a Rugby Christmas

In the spirit of the holiday, George went through his family collection of antique Christmas cards and we chose this beautiful card to share with you. It’s an early 1920s card originally sent from Rugby's Berry family to Elizabeth Walton.

We hope all of you have a wonderful Rugby Christmas.

Rick and George

Christmas Decoration at Jessie Gully's house

Rugby Gives Toys for Local Children

By Annie Patterson

Appalachia Habitat would like to thank all the folks who brought toys to Rugby’s Harrow Road Cafe for the toy drive. Last Thursday evening a Christmas party was held at the Robbins community center for over 100 children. Santa, Mrs. Claus and a band of elves (including our own Betty Burton) distributed toys and snacks and a festive time was had by all. Another party is being held in Wartburg with a return visit from all the North Pole principal players.

Thanks again for all of your support. It has been a tough year for a lot of families, so a time dedicated to the kids seems to be just the ticket.

Christmas Day Hike

By Eric Wilson

The annual Christmas Day Hike at Colditz Cove has become a part of the day's activities for many Rugby folks. As usual, we will meet at the Cafe parking lot at 2 p.m. Eastern time to drive to Allardt for the hike.

Job Fair Tuesday

There will be a Fentress County Job Fair on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Jamestown Community Center. This event is sponsored by your Chamber of Commerce and the Crossville Career Center.

Mary and Bob dance on the Church lawn

English Country Dancing Dec. 29

By Mary Hemminger

Bob and I would like to offer English Country Dancing on Thursday, December 29 at the Friendly House. We hope that families in the village over the holidays will want to join us for an evening of lovely music, dancing and good friends. If you have questions you can email me at mejs@juno.com

New Year’s Eve Events Announced

Rugby Offers Two Options for Celebrating

As you start thinking about what to do New Year’s Eve, keep in mind that Rugby will have two options for special dinner events.

Grey Gables Bed’n Breakfast – New Year’s Eve Dinner - 7 p.m. Several menu options available. $20 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations – call 423-628-5252.

Harrow Road Café – Seatings from 5 p.m. until 8:45 p.m. Several menu options are available from $17.95 - $24.95, plus tax and gratuity. Wine and champagne available. Reservations – call toll-free number 888-214-3400 or locally 423-628-2441.

Historic Rugby Announces Winter Hours

Slightly Reduced Hours Effective January 2

Historic Rugby’s facilities including the restaurant will remain open throughout the upcoming winter on a slightly abbreviated schedule.

The Harrow Road Café will be open every day except Wednesdays. On Sundays through Thursdays hours will be 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. EST. Hours of operation on Fridays and Saturdays are later to include dinner seatings, 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. EST.

The Visitor Centre and the Commissary General Store will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. While both will be closed Mondays through Thursdays, weekday and weekend group tours can be arranged with advance reservation by calling the numbers above.

All Historic Rugby lodging facilities are available year-round. To make reservations for lodging, group tours or meetings, or to get Historic Rugby general information, please call the numbers below, visit the website at www.historicrugby.org or email rugbylegacy@highland.net. All inclusive packages will be available from January 2 until mid-March.

Winter hours of operation are WEATHER PERMITTING, so be sure to call first to avoid disappointment. Weather on the Cumberland Plateau can be very different region to region. The toll-free number is 1-888-214-3400 or use 423-628-2441.
Historic Rugby will resume normal seasonal hours in mid March.

Spirit of Red Hill After-Christmas Sale

By Donna Hefner and Annie Patterson

The end of our seventh season (can you believe it!?) is fast approaching. From December 26 through December 31, everything in the shop will be on sale with discounts ranging from 10% to 50%. The shop will then be closed for the winter while we work on creations for next season as well as plans for the Alexander-Perrigo construction adventure of 2012 across the street.

Thanks to everyone for a wonderful 2011 and sending best wishes to all of you for a joyous, joyous holiday season.

BIRTHDAYS

Dec. 19 - Mary Hemminger

Dec. 21 – Tiffany Terry

Dec. 22 - Nicholas Coker

Dec. 24 - Charles Gibbs

Robin Branstetter and Daughters

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern time zone, just barely.

Friday, Dec. 23 – Music at the Café – Robin Branstetter and the Girls

Sunday, Dec. 25 – Christmas Day Hike – meet at Café at 2 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 29 – English Country Dancing

Friday, Dec. 30 – Music at the Café – Lesia Terry and Great Day in the Morning

Saturday, Dec. 31 – New Years Eve at Harrow Road Café and Grey Gables - Call now to book your table for a festive evening.

Saturday, Jan. 14 – Book Club – 7 p.m. at Benita and Tom Howell’s house. Two of Kentucky author Wendell Berry's works will be discussed, The Long-Legged House, a collection of essays, and Nathan Coulter, the first novel in his Port William series. The snow date will be January 21.

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

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

NATURE NOTES

Old-Fashioned Christmas Trees

By Linda Konig

When I was a very young child, we always used Eastern red cedars as our Christmas trees. Daddy would go cut one down, and they were extremely plentiful in southern Middle Tennessee. They didn't usually have the loveliest of shapes. Their branches wouldn't hold up heavy ornaments. They would get terribly scratchy when they dried out, but their fragrance will always linger in my memory. I'll bet a lot of you reading this have similar memories. Another childhood memory involving their fragrance is that our school pencils always smelled like Red Cedar because they were made from the wood. Oh, the smell of a freshly sharpened pencil!

A few days ago, I went out to gather a few stems of red cedar to stick into the branches of my artificial tree so that it would smell like Christmas and seem more real. That got me to thinking about these Juniperus virginiana trees. Yes, technically our so-called Eastern red cedars are actually in the juniper family. I looked them up on the web and found out that a lot of our wildlife depend on these trees for food. Bluebirds, wild turkeys, quail, ruffed grouse, pheasant, rabbits, foxes, raccoons, possums, skunks, coyotes and probably many others enjoy eating the pale frosty-blue berries, though they're reportedly poisonous to humans. However, cedar waxwings seem to love them more than any other species and flock to the trees in—well, flocks. Hence, their name.

I learned that red cedars are dioecious, that is, they are either male or female. The male trees send out their pollen on the winds of March. One website said that when you hear the peepers in Spring, it's time to look for the male trees' brown twig tips that cast their pollen to the winds. At the same time, the female trees have put out their strange-looking tiny greenish-pink flowers.These flowers exude liquid drops. The cedar pollen sticks to the liquid, and then the liquid recedes back down into the ovaries. A few months later, and we find the frosty-blue berries on the female cedar trees. By the way, it takes approximately 10 years for cedar trees to reach sexual maturity. They have the potential to live 850 years! I wonder how old those big female trees in front of Butch Hodgkins’ house are?

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2011-12-11T21:49:00.005-05:00

Rugby Folks Share Their Homes

Jessie Gully with her decorated fireplace - photo by G. Zepp

Home Tour Helps Historic Rugby Through the Winter

More than 100 people from all over the Southeast came out on a cold but sunny Saturday to catch a glimpse of how seven Rugby homeowners decorated their homes for the holidays. They also were able to see historic Uffington House beautifully decorated for the season, where there was also a holiday quilt exhibit and music with Robin Branstetter and her daughters.

Those who came through our house seemed really interested in the uniqueness of Rugby homes and how the homeowners have put their own interesting interpretations on the holidays. A few of them even got to hear Edith Piaf’s famous recording La Vie En Rose, on the Walton Court wind-up Victrola while they waited for the van to come to take them to the next home. To see Edith Piaf perform this song, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g4NiHef4Ks

Historic Uffington House was decorated with greenery, fruit and beautiful holiday quilts - photos by R. Murphy and G. Zepp

A lot of folks worked really hard to make this event a good experience. In addition to the homeowners, a large number in the community helped out with decorating, preparations, marketing, and logistics. And the Historic Rugby staff worked really hard to make sure that everything was organized.

Funds raised by this event go to help pay expenses to keep Historic Rugby operating during the winter.

Upcoming Rugby Speaker Reviewed

New York Times Reviews "The Sisters"

Recently Rugby Week mentioned that author Nancy Jensen was coming to Rugby on April 14 to talk about her book, The Sisters, which has received a lot of national attention recently. There is a new review of her book in the New York Times at
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/books/review/the-sisters-by-nancy-jensen-book-review.html

It’s a Blue, Blue Christmas at the Commissary Store

The Rugby Commissary Store still has plenty of Rugby blue sweatshirts which would make perfect Christmas gifts.

This color has just been available for a few months and is perfect for the winter holiday season. There are two different designs based on Rugby buildings available,Christ Church and the Tabard Inn.

In the photo Angela models one of the sweatshirts in front of the beautifully decorated tree at the Harrow Road Café.

Lost and Found

By Benita Howell

Last Saturday evening as we were locking up Christ Church after "Christmas at Rugby" my flashlight picked out a necklace with a broken clasp laying between two of the stones on the front walk. It probably belongs to someone who attended the Choir Concert, because no choir member or other church member claimed it Sunday.

Connie Phillips is now keeping the necklace in the Historic Rugby office.The owner can call Connie at 423-628-4421 or email rugbylegacy@highland.net, give a description of the lost necklace, and make arrangements to reclaim it.

BIRTHDAYS

Dec. 15 - Matthew Stagg, Rita Myers and JoNell Hester

Dec. 17 - Barbara Mitchell

Dec. 19 - Mary Hemminger

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely.

Friday, Dec. 16 - Music at the Café - Butch and Doug

Friday, Dec. 23 – Music at the Café – Robin Branstetter and the Girls

Friday, Dec. 30 – Music at the Café – Lesia Terry and Great Day in the Morning

Saturday, Dec. 31 – New Years Eve at Harrow Road Café - Call now to book your table for a festive evening.

Saturday, Jan. 14 – Book Club – 7 p.m. at Benita and Tom Howell’s house. Two of Kentucky author Wendell Berry's works will be discussed, The Long-Legged House, a collection of essays, and Nathan Coulter, the first novel in his Port William series. The snow date will be January 21.

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

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

NATURE NOTES

Mistletoe

By Linda Konig

English Mistletoe, or rather the lack thereof, figured in Rugby's first Christmas in 1880. The young English bachelors, who were accustomed to having mistletoe at Christmastime, looked for it in the Rugby area, but didn't find any. They probably wanted to put a sprig of it on their English plum pudding or to hang it up for a kissing ball (though there were only about two girls in Rugby at the time). There was mistletoe in our area, but it was American mistletoe, which is native to the eastern U.S. and maybe they didn't recognize it. It's been around for over 20,000 years. The main difference I can see in the two kinds is that the English one has fewer berries and its leaves are more elongated; ours are more oval. I was amazed to learn from websites that there are about 1,300 kinds of mistletoe, globally.

People often call mistletoe parasitic, but actually it's only partially so. Its green leaves do produce some of its food through photosynthesis (making food from sunshine). However, it does send roots into the bark of trees to obtain more nourishment.Mistletoe can kill trees, but it takes many, many years. Usually, mistletoe only slows their growth. Mistletoe likes oak, hickory, walnut, maple, sycamore and many other kinds of trees.

A question might be: does mistletoe serve any useful purpose? Well, this plant is absolutely vital to a beautiful butterfly that lives in the Southeast, the Great Purple Hairstreak (called purple, but it's actually blue). We don't see many of these flying about, probably because they spend most of their lives up in the mistletoe balls in trees! Their eggs are laid on mistletoe, the caterpillars feed exclusively on the mistletoe leaves, the adults drink the mistletoe flower nectar, and they do their courting and mating in the mistletoe balls. Does mistletoe impact any other species? Yes! Various insects and birds love it. Their nectar is sought by both wild bees and domesticated bees. Many birds eat the berries -- bluebirds, mourning doves, robins, grouse, among others. House wrens, mourning doves, chickadees, pine siskins, and others even make their nests inside the mistletoe balls.

I know of a huge tree with lots of mistletoe on it in Allardt on Hwy. 52. You may have seen it. It's at the second house west from the Allardt Post Office on the left side of the street as you drive from Rugby to Jamestown. So look up as you go by.You can also see some great photos and read more about our mistletoe by going to http://www.hiltonpond.org/thisweek051208.html.

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2011-12-05T07:16:00.002-05:00

2009 Xmas Home Tour

Christmas Home Tour This Saturday

Holiday Quilt Exhibit included at Historic Uffington House

Join Historic Rugby and the Holiday Home Tour this Saturday, December 10, from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. Eastern time (noon to 5 p.m. Central). Tour privately owned homes and historic buildings in the comfort of a van provided for the occasion. Light refreshments and wassail will be served at the Historic Uffington House, home of Mrs. Hughes, the founder's mother. See a Christmas quilt exhibit while enjoying the refreshments. Shopping is available at the Shops of Rugby, including the Commissary.

Dinner will be served at the Harrow Road Café from 5 to 9 p.m. Eastern time with hours of operation from 8:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Call Historic Rugby toll-free at 888-214-3400 or 423-628-2441 for more information. Reservations are not required.

Book Club’s Next Good Read

By Benita Howell

The Rugby Book Club will meet at Tom and Benita Howell's home at 7 p.m. on Saturday, January 14. We'll be discussing two of Kentucky author Wendell Berry's works, The Long-Legged House, a collection of essays, and Nathan Coulter, the first novel in his Port William series. Our snow date will be January 21.

There are also plans to have a book event with writer Nancy Jensen. Her event will be April 14. We're planning a Saturday afternoon reading that day and book signing in the theatre, followed by dinner or some other opportunity for book club folks who have already read the book to discuss it further with Nancy. For those of you who would like to go ahead and order her book, it is The Sisters. http://www.amazon.com/Sisters-Novel-Nancy-Jensen/dp/0312542704

BIRTHDAY

Dec. 8 – George Zepp

Dec. 9 - Cheryl Cribbet

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely.

Saturday, Dec. 10 – Christmas Home Tour – 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern

Friday, Dec. 16 - Music at the Café - Lesia Terry and Great Day in the Morning

Friday, Dec. 23 – Music at the Café – Robin Branstetter and the Girls

Friday, Dec. 30 – Music at the Café – Leonard Anderson

Saturday, Dec. 31 – New Years Eve at Harrow Road Café - Call now and book your table for a festive evening.

Saturday, Jan. 14 – Book Club – 7 p.m. at Benita and Tom Howell’s house. Two of Kentucky author Wendell Berry's works will be discussed, The Long-Legged House, a collection of essays, and Nathan Coulter, the first novel in his Port William series. The snow date will be January 21.

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

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

NATURE NOTES

Witches' Hats

By Linda Konig

You may think I'm about a month late in writing about witches' hats, but actually I'm writing about a certain kind of gall that's formed on witch-hazel tree leaves. These cone shapes are one of the easiest ways to identify our local witch hazels (Hamamelidaceae virginiana). I've often seen these galls, but only this past week I learned that these cones are formed by an aphid with a very complicated life-cycle. Usually in April, a female wingless Witch-Hazel Cone Gall aphid hatches from an egg that was laid the autumn before on a witch hazel limb.

She crawls to the top of a new leaf and looks for an intersection of leaf veins. She jabs her needle mouth (about the size of a printed hyphen) into the intersection to suck up the juices. She keeps doing this in a circle around herself, alternately injecting the growing leaf with a substance that causes a wall to form up around her, a wall that encases her inside. When the circular wall is finished, it's a hard cone shape, a sort of witch hat pointing upward. This cone is about the size of the writing end of a pen and offers protection from enemies and the elements. Sometimes you can find several of these on one leaf. Interestingly, this doesn't seem to hurt the leaves. She will spend the rest of her life there and expel 50 to 70 smaller cloned versions of herself inside the cone. This method of reproduction is called parthenogenesis and probably would take an entire book to explain.

Aphids of all kinds live by sucking juices from plants. Plant sap mostly contains sugars, yet the aphids can't use most of the sugar. The juice and sugars they don't need are then expelled in copious amounts as honeydew, much loved by ants. So how do ants get access to honeydew waste from these aphids which are enclosed? The aphids' bodies produce a waxy substance that coats the honeydew, forming balls. As far as I know they're the only kind of aphids that do this. In the floor of the cone is a miniscule hole from which the honeydew balls are dropped. How convenient for the aphids and the ants as well, who only have to pick up the minute honeydew balls from the ground beneath the tree.

Finally it's time for the third generation of aphids, the sexual generation with wings, to leave the enclosure in early fall to fly about, mate and lay eggs. They leave through the hole in the floor. For some good photos of witch-hazel leaves, flowers, green seed pods, and witch hats, try http://www.nyctophilia.net/plants/witchhazel.htm . Just click on the photos to enlarge them. Also, there's a short poem by Robert Frost about late fall that mentions witch-hazel.

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2011-11-28T07:30:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Events Raise Historic Rugby Funds

Lots of visitors were in Rugby Friday for Thanksgiving Marketplace. They were greeted with sunny, mild weather and a beautifully decorated village. It appeared from the crowds that the British Tea and the sales at the Rugby shops went very well. And the silent auction and the good-natured election for the Council of Curmudgeons together raised a bit over $1,000. Auction organizers Benita Howell and George Zepp want to thank all who participated in these activities as the funds will help Historic Rugby during the slower winter months.

Donna Heffner and Father Christmas (Fuzzy Orange) pose with Nick the reindeer dog. British pillows sold at the silent auction. Visitors dressed in period costumes. Photos by Rick Murphy

It was not clear what the powers of the new Council of Curmudgeons will be. It may just be “honorary.” Perhaps “Mayor” Julian Bankston will call it into session sometime over the next few months so that all can be “sworn into office” and this can all be sorted out. Rugby has always been very fond of its curmudgeons, which probably includes just about all of us at some time or another. (One can’t help but wonder if the real curmudgeons weren’t the ones who voted heavily – at $1 per vote – for this year’s winners!) An exception was Bob Trumbo who was actively soliciting votes, telling visitors that he is indeed Rugby’s only true curmudgeon. Sadly, Bob lost his campaign, but only after getting votes from an unknowing visitor or two. This year’s council is dominated by the women. Elected were Benita Howell, Ted Chrisman, Rita Myers, Barbara Stagg and Lisa Donegan. To all the also-rans, better luck next year!

Christmas at Historic Rugby This Saturday

Christ Church Choir Performs at 4:30 p.m.

Candlelit visits to traditionally decorated historic buildings, glimpses of 1880s Rugby Christmases, seasonal music, and a traditional Victorian dinner all await visitors to Christmas at Historic Rugby, this Saturday, December 3.

An actress portraying Madame Margaret Hughes, the founder’s mother, will greet visitors at Kingstone Lisle. The fragrance of plum pudding steaming on the kitchen wood stove will fill the house.

The Harrow Road Cafe will serve a four-course Christmas dinner by oil lamp light at two reserved seatings each evening. The 5:45 p.m. seating is SOLD OUT, but there are still spaces available at the 8 p.m. seating. The menu includes Prime Rib with herb roasted potatoes, French green beans, and Cherry Chocolate Mousse plus beverage (a vegetarian offering can be made with advance notice; beverages from the wine/ale menu available at menu price). For event and dinner tickets and area lodging information, call Historic Rugby toll free at 1-888-214-3400 or cell/local at 423-628-2441.

Hot wassail will be served fireside at the Rugby Community Room where visitors can take part in old-time carol singing led by musicians Tony Thomas and Judy Carson. Join Robin Branstetter and Christmas Carolers and The Choir of Rugby who will be caroling throughout the Village.

At the Rugby Printing Works, the 1880s Chandler-Price letterpress will turn out hand-printed hot wassail recipes for visitors.

The choir of Christ Church will also present a short concert of Christmas music and carols at 4:30 p.m. in the church. Everyone is welcome to attend this 45-minute program. The concert is free of charge, but donations to support the preservation of the church are welcome.

Event hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time. Event tickets are $12 and can be purchased in advance, or on Saturday at the Visitor Centre. HISTORIC RUGBY MEMBERS ARE $9 and high school and elementary students are $5. Dinner Tickets must be purchased in advance and are $29, tax and gratuity included. Call 1-888-214-3400 for event and dinner tickets

Christmas Tree Farm

We went to the live Christmas tree farm near Allardt on Saturday and were pleasantly surprised at how nice it is. They had beautiful Fraser fir trees that were just recently cut in East Tennessee. And they have white pine, Scotch pine and Norway spruce trees growing on the site from which you can select a tree to be freshly cut.

This is a truly interesting and well run operation. Their brochure says they are committed to educating children and families about the importance of agriculture, conservation and forestry. It also says they strive to promote reducing their carbon footprint by reusing, recycling and renewing their resources.

The farm will be operating from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends through Dec. 22. Sycamore Springs Farm will have trees and fresh greenery and garlands available. It is located on 2125 Country Club Road. Turn across from Allardt School and follow the signs 1.5 miles on the right. It’s open weekdays by appointment – 931-879-5526. The website is http://www.sycamorespringsfarmtn.com

BIRTHDAY

Nov. 28 - Walter Young

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely.

Dec. 3 – Christmas at Rugby – 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern

Vultures at Walton Ct. from last week's NN

Dec. 10 – Christmas Home Tour – 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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

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

NATURE NOTES

Fall Echo

By Linda Konig

Though it's pretty dreary and rainy as I write this, we've been enjoying a spell of mild spring-like weather recently. Those who were alert to something besides Black Friday madness or TV football may have seen a few early spring flowers in bloom.

I've been trying to keep track. I've seen violets in my yard, a few dandelions here and there along the roadsides, Forsythia bushes showing some yellow, a pale blue Quaker Lady in Laurel Dale Cemetery and Thrift flowering in a yard on the way to the dump. Best of all, my Winter Honeysuckle (also known as First Breath of Spring) bushes have 3 blooms! I can't think of any others right now, but you may have seen some. Boyd Mitchell said he saw some trees (Sarvis maybe?) blooming the other day.

This seemingly out-of-season blooming really isn't all that unusual. It's known as the Fall Echo. Some animals even participate. Spring Peepers (tiny frogs) are noted for this. I've heard a scant few of them a couple of evenings recently. The Fall Echo is a bittersweet fond farewell to the growing season, but it's also a promise that if we are patient, spring will eventually come again.

But wait! There's still one more wildflower left to bloom. At least I haven't seen it yet. The Witch Hazel usually doesn't bloom around here until November. You have to be alert to spot its yellow blooms that look like short little ribbons on the bare small scrubby trees. Ordinarily, I find them against the BSSF Park Service road that leads to the boat put-in spot on the Clear Fork River near old Brewster Bridge. Hopefully, I'll see some next week. Yes, it's the same plant from which Witch Hazel lotion is made.

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2011-11-21T06:08:00.002-05:00

Rugby Holiday Events Begin Friday

Thanksgiving Marketplace, Silent Auction, and British Tea

Yes, indeedy … the Holiday season officially begins this week. And Rugby is ready. The Christmas wreaths and sprays were made by volunteers over the weekend and are already hung throughout the village.

Jim McBrayer's photo of some of the wonderful Greens Workshop volunteers

On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, make sure you make your way to Thanksgiving Marketplace. Stop in at the Visitor Centre and the Commissary where craftspeople will be demonstrating their skills. And stop by all the shops in Rugby. In particular, make your way upstairs at the Commissary to see what items are available in the silent auction and to vote for Rugby’s Council of Curmudgeons.

Friday afternoon features the Victorian Cream Tea at historic Newbury House – I believe there are still spaces available for the 3:30 p.m. seating (the earlier seating is sold out).

And if you are tired of turkey, stop in at the Harrow Road Café Friday evening for some good food and live music.

Photos from the Week

Jim McBrayer photos related to greens workshop - top left is Rita Myers, bottom left is Carolyn and Julian Bankston

Joel and Kathy Zachry and friend

Bear Talk

There seemed to be a very interested audience for Saturday’s presentation by experienced backcountry guide and author Joel G. Zachry who shared some of the stories from his book "Bears We’ve Met, Short Stories of Close Encounters."

Joel emphasized that black bears, like the ones we see around Rugby, are normally shy and not aggressive around humans unless they feel threatened. He stressed the need to avoid attracting bears by not leaving pet food, barbecue grills and bird food outside and by keeping garbage inside or in bear-proof containers.

He said deer on the highways are probably a greater danger to people than bear as 1,000 people a day are injured in car accidents resulting from deer on roads in North America. He said only one person has been killed in the Smokey Mountain National Park as a result of a confrontation with a bear, and there are many fewer bear in the Big South Fork area around Rugby than in the Smokeys.

Recent Bridge work - photo by Carrie Thornthwaite

Bypass Road Work Halted

Villagers may have noticed that there has not been as much noise and traffic from the Bypass construction lately. Blalock Construction representatives said that road construction ground to a halt recently due to environmental concerns. Apparently more iron and pyrite were discovered than anticipated in some areas that need soil removed. They said stopping the work puts approximately 30 local employees out of jobs, just before the holidays.

While the road construction has been halted, work on the two bridges continues.

Blalock representatives said they hope to get word soon from TDOT to resume road construction It is not known whether this will delay opening of the Bypass, scheduled for late 2012.

CHRISTMAS AT HISTORIC RUGBY SET DEC 3

Christ Church Choir Performs at 4:30 p.m.

Candlelit visits to traditionally decorated historic buildings; glimpses of 1880s Rugby Christmases, seasonal music, and a traditional Victorian dinner all await visitors to Christmas At Historic Rugby December 3.

A live actress portraying Madame Margaret Hughes, the founder's mother, will greet visitors at Kingstone Lisle. The fragrance of plum pudding steaming on the kitchen wood stove will fill the house.

The Harrow Road Cafe will serve a four-course Christmas dinner by oil lamp light at two reserved seatings each evening - 5:45 and 8:00 pm Eastern Time. The menu includes Prime Rib w/herb roasted potatoes, French green beans, and Cherry Chocolate Mousse & Beverage (a vegetarian offering can be made with advance notice) - For event and dinner tickets and area lodging information, call Historic Rugby toll free at 1-888-214-3400 or locally at 423-628-2441.

Hot wassail will be served fireside at the Rugby Community Room where visitors can take part in old-time carol singing led by musicians Tony Thomas and Judy Carson. Join Robin Branstetter and Christmas Carolers and The Choir of Rugby who will be caroling throughout the Village.

At the Rugby Printing Works, the 1880s Chandler-Price letterpress will turn out hand-printed hot wassail recipes for visitors.

The choir of Christ Church will also present a short concert of Christmas music and carols at 4:30 p.m. in the church. Everyone is welcome to attend this forty-five minute program. This concert is free of charge, but donations to support the preservation of the church are welcome.

Event hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time. Event tickets are $12 and can be purchased in advance, or on Saturday at the Visitor Centre. HISTORIC RUGBY MEMBERS ARE $9 and high school and elementary students are $5. Dinner tickets must be purchased in advance and are $29, tax and gratuity included. Call 1-888-214-3400 for event and dinner tickets.

Condolences

We were sorry to hear that Barbara Mitchell’s mother passed away this week. Grace Lorene Shelton, age 94, died November 19. According to the obituary in The Tennessean she was survived by a large family including 14 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren. Funeral services were scheduled for today (Monday) in Dickson.

Did You Know?

A live Christmas tree farm is opening in nearby Allardt on Saturday, Nov. 26, operating from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends through Dec. 22. Sycamore Springs Farm will have trees and fresh greenery and garlands available. It is located on 2125 Country Club Road. Turn across from Allardt School and follow the signs 1.5 miles on the right. Open weekdays by appointment – 931-879-5526.

Tracey Stansberry on TV

Historic Rugby Board member Tracey Stansberry was on Knoxville TV recently talking about the Scott County theatre group's new space at the old county courthouse. See her in costume on the video clip at http://www.wbir.com/rss/article/192043/2/Scott-County-theater-group-performs-in-courthouse

BIRTHDAYS

Nov. 25 - Marilyn Young

Nov. 28 - Walter Young

Robin Branstetter and daughters JoBeth and Bobbie Jean last Friday at Cafe

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely.

Tuesday, Nov. 22 -- Noon deadline to nominate yourself or someone else for Council of Curmudgeons election during Thanksgiving Marketplace.

Friday, Nov. 25 – Thanksgiving Marketplace and Victorian Cream Tea (2 afternoon seatings) plus Silent Auction

Saturday, Nov. 26 – Book Club - The next book club selection is the nonfiction book In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Beasts-Terror-American-Hitlers/dp/0307408841. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at Lisa Donegan's house in Beacon Hill.

Dec. 3 – Christmas at Rugby – 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. Eastern

Linda Konig when not thinking of vultures

Dec. 10 – Christmas Home Tour

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

Vultures Overhead

By Linda Konig

(Editor’s Note: If you are eating breakfast, you may want to read this later!)

For the last week or so we've been seeing a multitude of vultures sailing serenely over Rugby in the late afternoons. Sometimes they're called buzzards in the South, but this name was handed down by our English forebears since American vultures reminded our English ancestors of the buzzards in England. Technically, our vultures are different from European buzzards. It's hard to tell whether we're seeing Turkey Vultures or Black Vultures as they soar overhead. However, today I saw in Kaufman's Field Guide to North American Birds that Turkey Vultures have rounded tails and Black Vultures have squared-off tails.

At first, I figured there must be some gigantic animal or animals that had perished down in the river gorge or that they might be migrating through, but since we're still seeing them every afternoon, I've decided they may be living down near the river, at least temporarily. They like to live in wooded areas and make their homes on rocky ledges, laying their eggs right on the ground or on rocks, not building a nest.

Though vultures will never win any beauty contests, they should be high on our lists of birds we appreciate. The fact is, they eat large amounts of carrion which would otherwise be left to rot. These birds are uniquely equipped to take care of this problem in a sanitary fashion. Their digestive systems kill any and all bacteria that's contained in the carrion. A vultures' poop or vomit contains no bacteria. Since we're talking about a disgusting subject, I'll go on to tell you a unique way that vultures have of cooling themselves in hot weather. They will urinate over their bare legs so that the evaporating liquid will cool their body temperatures. To each his own! I think I prefer fans and air conditioning.

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2011-11-14T07:17:00.000-05:00

Happenings in Rugby

There’s a lot going on in Rugby this coming weekend.

Friday Night – Music at the Café – Robin Branstetter and the Girls

Saturday – Christmas Greens Workshop – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Saturday Evening – Theatre Presentation about bears & encounters! - 7:30 p.m.

This magnificent New Dawn Redwood tree has turned red in the yard of the historic Rugby home called The Lindens. I think there is also one in the back yard of Martin Roost. Even though these trees had been identified in fossils in North America, they were thought to be extinct until some were rediscovered in China in 1944. They are similar to the redwoods that the west coast is known for, except that Dawn Redwoods are deciduous. Photo by George Zepp

Café Music Friday Night

Back by Popular Demand

Friday night Robin Branstetter and her daughters are back at the Harrow Road Café. We were captivated when we heard them there last month. Their beautiful acoustic family harmonies are the perfect accompaniment to an evening of food, wine and quiet conversation. Music is 7-8:30 p.m. Eastern (6-7:30 Central) in the west dining room.

Photo above shows Robin singing at a previous year's Christmas event in Rugby. Photo below shows the new Wine and Ale sign that Julian Bankston made for the Cafe.

Calling all Wonderful Elves

Christmas Greens Workshop

By Rita Myers

It’s that time of year again to make the fresh wreaths and sprays to decorate Historic Rugby for the Christmas season. The Annual Christmas Greens Workshop will be this Saturday ~ November 19 ~ from9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Eastern at the Rugby Community Room.
You are welcome to come either all or any part of the day that you can. We will have a light lunch, desserts and hot wassail at the workshop.

Be sure to bring hand clippers or pruning shears and work gloves. And if you have any boxwood clippings and nandina berries, please bring those too.
PLEASE INVITE any friends who would like to come help – We need all the help we can get!!!

If you can help with this Workshop, e-mail rugbycommissary@gmail.com or call us toll free 1-888-214-3400 or 423-628-2441.

Bears We’ve Met

Free Theatre Presentation – Understand More About Rugby’s Bears
Join Historic Rugby on Saturday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern in Rugby’s Rebecca Johnson Theatre for a close-up look at bears.

It’s an evening book event with experienced backcountry guide and author Joel G. Zachry, sharing stories from his book "Bears We’ve Met, Short Stories of Close Encounters." Since black bears are sometimes spotted in and around Rugby, the insights into these majestic forest animals should prove very interesting.

In this documentary the author and his wife, Kathy W. Zachry, share early blunders and tense moments, including humorous and intriguing confrontations, as they encounter one of the largest of North America’s land mammals. The book recounts their time backpacking along the Appalachian Trail, hiking within the Southern Appalachians, Colorado, and Shenandoah and Yellowstone National Parks, plus experiences exploring Alaska and Kodiak Island.

Bring your family and join us for this FREE event. Donations are always appreciated. Zachry will be signing and selling his books after the presentation. Dinner will be served at the Harrow Road Café from 5 to 9 p.m. Eastern time.

Spend Day-After Thanksgiving At Rugby

Reservations Being Accepted for British Tea at Historic Newbury House

If you are looking for a fun way to spend the day after Thanksgiving with your guests, come to Rugby and enjoy Thanksgiving Marketplace.

Bristish Tea: Step back in time for the annual British Cream Tea at historic Newbury House. Join us at the fireside in the parlor for traditional teas and delicious sweets surrounded by festive holiday decorations.

Shopping and Silent Auction: As a delightful alternative to the Black Friday madness, visit with the welcoming shopkeepers of the Rugby Commissary General Store, Spirit of Red Hill, The Shoppe at Zenith Cottage, and antiques and original art at The Carriage House where they can assist in selecting that perfect gift. Bid on Silent Auction items donated by Historic Rugby,its Commissary, Harrow Road Café, Jansch Nursery, Lay Furniture, Ellis Electronics/Radio Shack, Scott County Nursery, Sexton Ford, Grey Gables and many others.

Artists: Meet the friendly local artists demonstrating their crafts: NPS Ranger Sue Duncan, with her Angora rabbits demonstrating hand-spinning; Fuzzy Orange, Father Christmas and his “Deer” Dog; Mhairi Gehlhac, handmade dolls and Aran knitting; Linda Asberry, spoon jewelry; Chris Threet, pencil artist; Mara Trumbo, fine art-decorative artist; and Tony Thomas providing bluegrass music.

Historic Tours: Tour five historic buildings decorated in their Christmas finery. See our award winning film and mural at the Rugby Visitor Centre.

Tea will be served 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern (12:30 and 2:30 Central). Reservations are advised for this very popular event. Tickets for the tea are $10 per person. The Tea is a lovely event for all. Call Historic Rugby toll-free at 1-888-214-3400 or 423-628-2441 to make reservations for the tea.

Fire Department Suggestion of the Week

Rugby’s Got Gas!

By Tom Howell

Due to the number of houses in Rugby that are left unoccupied for long periods of time, we may be facing a serious structure fire hazard.

That hazard is sewer gas. Traps in unused drains gradually dry out, eventually ceasing to function as traps and allowing sewer gas to enter the house. Sewer gas is explosive (as well as malodorous).

Todd Niner, assistant fire chief at Joyner (midway between Wartburg and Oliver Springs), is also an arson investigator. He has recently investigated several fires thought to be of suspicious origin, but in doing so he has found a few cases (typically large houses with multiple bathrooms, some unused) where sewer gas ignited when a heater kicked on, sometimes after the owner opened the garage door.

Prevention consists of preventing the buildup of gases. If you're going to be away from your house for a long period (typically the case with vacation homes or carriage houses), have your key holder run water in all drains and flush all toilets at least once a month. Have septic tanks pumped as needed (at least every four or five years).

BIRTHDAYS

Nov. 17 - Cheryl Hodgkins

Nov. 18 - Joe Beavon

Nov. 19 - Fred Oliver

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely.

Friday, Nov. 18 – Music at the Café

Saturday, Nov. 19 – Christmas Greens Workshop

Saturday, Nov. 19 – Presentation by Joel Zachry and Kathy Zachry about their book Bears We've Met - 7:30 p.m. Eastern at Johnson Theatre in the Visitor Centre. Free

Friday, Nov. 25 – Thanksgiving Marketplace and Victorian Cream Tea (2 afternoon seatings)

Saturday, Nov. 26 – Book Club - The next book club selection will be the nonfiction book In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Beasts-Terror-American-Hitlers/dp/0307408841. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at Lisa Donegan's house in Beacon Hill.

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

Our Most Famous Garden Spider!

By Linda Konig

If you ever read Charlotte's Web as a child or have read it to a child, you probably were quite taken with the hard-working, sensible, intelligent Charlotte, the heroine spider who saved Wilbur's life. Well, if you're lucky you've had some of Charlotte's descendants (Argiope aurantia, otherwise known as Black-and-Yellow Argiope, Golden Writing Spider, Golden Garden Spider, Golden Orb Weaver, etc.) living at your place all summer. They're very common and arguably our most beautiful large spider in North America with eye-catching yellow markings on both sides of their bodies. Of course, they're experts at catching and devouring flying insects which are drawn to the stabilimentum in the middle of their webs. The stabilimentum is the vertical white broad zig-zag line she patiently sits on, waiting, waiting, waiting for dinner to arrive.

I became well acquainted with one of these spiders that I watched for several weeks. One of the interesting things that happened to her is that she somehow lost two legs at one point. I don't know how this happened. Well, I thought, she probably won't live too long since she's maimed, but I was wrong. After a couple of weeks she disappeared, and I wrongly assumed she'd died because of her handicap or that fact that she hadn't been catching many meals. But some days later, she showed up again in the exact same spot, this time with all eight legs! I had to get on the web (no pun intended) to learn some more about Ms. Argiope. Could spiders possibly regenerate lost legs? Yes! They do this when they molt. I didn't even know they molted, but they have to do this in order to keep growing.

There are a couple of Argiope aurantia egg sacs hanging on Boyd Mitchell's old garage now, one under the quilt block and the newest one hanging from the back door facing. I don't know if my favorite spider made one of these, but there have been a couple of other Argiope aurantias around. These egg sacs are quite different from any spider egg sacs I've seen. For one thing, they're white when fresh but gradually turn brown as they're exposed to air. They're about the size of a large marble. According to what I've read, the baby spiders will hatch this fall, but remain in the round egg sac till spring. Alas! The last week's cold night temperatures have been hard on Ms Argiope aurantia, and I guess she's pretty old now, as spiders go. I haven't seen her for the last couple of days. We can always find some wonderful photos of Argiope aurantia and her egg sacs, webs, etc. on the web. Just Google Argiope aurantia.

Want a Free Compost Bin?

By Rick Murphy

I am giving away this compost bin. It is in good shape, made of very heavy plastic and is 27 inches wide by 32 inches long and is 33 inches tall. Contact me at rickmurphy1@aol.com or 423-319-7842.

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp

2011-11-07T06:44:00.000-05:00

History Night this Friday

Robbins BrickWorks

The massive ruin of the Robbins, Tenn., brickworks has amazed folks for decades. What's the real story behind it?

It stands in Scott County, but some evidence points to Rugby as a part of its enterprises. True?

It produced millions of bricks. Some we still see today, as far away as Florida. But did Rugby have an important early role in that?

We'll find out when Rugby resident Julian Bankston tells all from his research. It's Rugby's monthly History Night program. Come see!

Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m. Eastern (6:30 Central) at the Friendly House, behind Christ Church. FREE and everyone welcome

Photo of the Week

In honor of Rugby’s British connections, Jenny Young summoned a gathering to burn Guy Fawkes in effigy on Saturday night. To learn about Guy Fawkes Day, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes

Jane Fuchs, John Gilliat, Annie Patterson, Bob Fuchs, George Zepp, Jenny Young and Jody Hester deal with sparklers around the Guy Fawkes bonfire. The remains of Guy are seen staring back at you from the fire! Photo by Barbara Stagg

Schoolhouse Painting Underway

The Rugby Schoolhouse has been getting some much needed attention lately. The old wood siding is being carefully prepared and painted as the weather allows. This follows recent work done on the Café, the Commissary, Pioneer Cottage and the historic Thomas Hughes Library. Exterior work is also planned for Newbury House in the near future. Photo by George Zepp

Silent Auction Election Announced

Council of Curmudgeons

By Benita Howell

The pace of activities in the village has increased markedly since 2010, when we elected Julian Bankston mayor of Rugby, so much so that we think it advisable to elect a Council of Curmudgeons to assist the mayor in his duties. After all, Andy Rooney isn't able to voice the curm concerns anymore!

Who are your favorite Rugby curmudgeons (or curmudgeonesses)? Nominate them now to stand for election during the Thanksgiving Marketplace Silent Auction. Registration of candidates begins today, November 7. Nominate your favorites by listing their names with Rita Myers at the Commissary and paying a $5 registration fee for each nominee. The filing deadline for nominations is noon Tuesday, November 22.

The polling place, located upstairs in the Commissary, will be open on Friday, November 25, during the hours of the Silent Auction. Come and stuff the boxes of your candidates with as many votes as you like, one dollar bill per vote. Nominees should be full or part-time residents of the village, but there are absolutely no qualifications for voting in this election. So come one, come all, and vote early and often.

Results will determine how large the 2012 Council of Curmudgeons will be. Those who succeed in buying this election for their nominees will be contributing to Historic Rugby’s general operating funds, with great appreciation from everyone here.

This Week at the Café

The Café will be having live music on Friday featuring Tim Ledbetter and Chuck.

BIRTHDAYS

Nov. 10 - Michael Harris
Nov. 11 - Boyd Mitchell

CALENDAR

Rugby is in the Eastern Time zone, just barely.

Friday, Nov. 11 -- History Night, with Julian Bankston telling the strange story of the Robbins brickworks. 7:30 p.m. Eastern at the Friendly House behind Christ Church Episcopal. All are invited.

Sunday, Nov. 13 - Christ Church covered dish lunch at noon followed by an old-fashioned Hymn Sing. Rugby Road Methodist Church will be guests. Everyone in the community is invited. Bring your favorite dish to share and then join in for an afternoon of singing, singing, and singing.

Saturday, Nov. 17 – Presentation by Joel Zachry and Kathy Zachry about their book Bears We Have Met - 6:30 p.m. Eastern at Johnson Theatre in the Visitor Centre. Free

Friday, Nov. 25 – Thanksgiving Marketplace & Victorian Cream Tea (2 afternoon seatings)

Saturday, Nov. 26 – Book Club - The next book club selection will be the nonfiction book In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Beasts-Terror-American-Hitlers/dp/0307408841. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at Lisa Donegan's house.

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

Copperheads!

By Linda Konig

Someone asked me this past week if the copperheads were still out. They've probably all gone into their winter seclusion by now. That got me researching copperheads on the web. One of the fascinating facts I learned is that young copperheads have yellow tips on their tails and use these as bait to catch prey. Hiding in leaves, the snake will wiggle the end of its tail enticingly. It looks like some kind of squirming worm. Mice, frogs, lizards and other small animals living in the forest are attracted, thinking it's some kind of delicious prey. But when they lunge for it, they usually find that they themselves are prey for the hidden snake.

One fact that may make you feel safer in the woods is the smell of the copperhead. Someone told me years ago right after I moved to Rugby that copperheads smell like cucumbers and that if you smell cucumbers in the woods, just stop and carefully move away. Well, one day I became aware of this cucumber smell as I was walking down toward the river on the old unused highway roadbed. Didn't see any Copperheads, but you'd better believe I moved over from the edge of the road to the middle!

The great majority of snakebites in Tennessee are copperhead bites. Their bite is extremely painful and requires medical attention, but it may surprise you to know that these bites are very seldom fatal. Copperhead venom is only about half as deadly as rattlesnake venom. The copperhead's fangs aren't as long either, which means the wound isn't as deep.

Believe it or not, roughly 50 percent of copperhead bites are dry bites. In other words, the snake hasn't injected any venom at all into the victim. I also learned that copperheads control how much venom they inject when they bite. They will only use as much venom as is needed to kill their prey. Since, they don't consider us as being a menu item, they don't like to waste venom on us, but usually only bite out of self-defense. Would you like to guess how many people in Tennessee have died of snakebites of any kind since 1960? Snake-handling cults notwithstanding, there have been only five.

This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp