Last Saturday night’s potluck was more lively than usual as it was followed by a performance of the Rugby English Country Dancers. The group was led by teacher and “caller” Mary Hemminger and expertly accompanied by Tom Howell on various wind instruments. After a couple of demonstration dances the experienced dancers went into the audience and invited “volunteers” to join in the dancing.Mary did an excellent job teaching the novices a circle dance. She says she “appreciates everyone’s enthusiastic participation” and hopes everyone will come to the next dance. I will be sure to put the date for the next dance in Rugby Week when it is announced. I think it is great what Mary has done to bring this dancing experience to Rugby.
Thanks to George Zepp for taking the two dance photos.Mary also brought a guest to the potluck - a young woman from the West African country of Ghana named Hilda who impressed me by being able to dance with the experienced group even though she had just been introduced to the dances the night before. Hilda has been going to school at David Lipscomb College in Nashville.
Chief Doublehead and Cornblossom
Linda Konig says that some historical markers in the Big South Fork have sparked interest in the topic of certain native Americans who lived in the region. Apparently the historical markers refer to Chief Doublehead and his daughter Cornblossom who married a local man named Jake Troxel.
Jim Meadows has researched this interesting topic and is going to talk about it this Friday, May 8. The History Night meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Friendly House. Everyone is welcome.
Dog Problems
Eric Wilson mentioned that he and several other people are concerned about a pitiful stray dog that has been hanging around and getting into his garbage. Also, Lisa Donegan says that she has four uninvited dogs living under her porch in Beacon Hill. As far as I know, neither Morgan, Fentress, or Scott Counties have a public program for dealing with stray dogs, although there is a program in Fentress County that takes puppies to an out of state location for potential adoption every few weeks.
If anyone has any suggestions about dealing with these strays or is able to take them to a county that will accept them, please let Eric or Lisa know.
More Bees for Rugby
Thanks to Boyd Mitchell, Rugby’s plants will have more honeybees for pollinating this year. He has installed some beehives at the edge of the field behind The Lindens. John Gilliat says that Boyd learned beekeeping from his grandfather in Virginia.Some good honey is expected after the linden trees bloom in June. I don’t know if it is still there, but there used to be a beekeepers hat with netting in the small barn at the Lindens, so maybe these are not the first beehives to ever be there.
Trail News
By Carrie Thornthwaite
The large tree, over Lizzie's Trail... that required the hiker to bend under it to pass... has finally fallen. Its support on either side had been small trees, so this isn't surprising. I marveled that they supported it as long as they did. Now, stepping over the tree is easier than the former stepping under. Above is a photo of whitewater Carrie recently took while hiking along the trail to the Meeting of the Waters
Rummage Sale Donations Needed
By Benita Howell
Christ Church will have a rummage sale again during Spring Festival this year. Please set aside items to donate for the sale as you clean and reorganize closets for spring. We'd like to gather all donations by the weekend of May 10. Someone is usually at Friendly House around 9:00 a.m. all weekdays except Tuesdays, or bring your donations by on Sunday morning.
Rummage Sale Donations Needed
By Benita Howell
Christ Church will have a rummage sale again during Spring Festival this year. Please set aside items to donate for the sale as you clean and reorganize closets for spring. We'd like to gather all donations by the weekend of May 10. Someone is usually at Friendly House around 9:00 a.m. all weekdays except Tuesdays, or bring your donations by on Sunday morning.
Our best sellers last year were household items such as kitchen equipment, dishes, linens, and small appliances; clothing, toys, games and other items for children; and decorative items. Of course, we also welcome adult clothing, books and DVDs, etc. Whatever we don't sell will be donated to the Habitat store at Sunbright or to Goodwill in Oneida. If you have questions or want to arrange to deliver items, please e-mail Benita Howell at bjhowell@highland.net.
Artists Celebrate Rugby’s Iris
By Mara Trumbo
Have you noticed Iris blooming everywhere round Rugby? Art Expressions Studio added to the Spring floral debut in its own creative way. Under my guidance, aspiring artists Lavonne Gibbs, Deanna Oliver, Jessica Erikson and Jessie Gully each painted their own hybrids in every color. Their smiles say it all.
Artists Celebrate Rugby’s Iris
By Mara Trumbo
Have you noticed Iris blooming everywhere round Rugby? Art Expressions Studio added to the Spring floral debut in its own creative way. Under my guidance, aspiring artists Lavonne Gibbs, Deanna Oliver, Jessica Erikson and Jessie Gully each painted their own hybrids in every color. Their smiles say it all. Mara took the photo above of Deanna, Jessica and Jessie holding their Iris paintings.
Birdwatching Report
In case you have seen the interesting birds outside the window at the Café, Mary Hemminger says they are Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. The male has a back head and upperparts, white belly and a bright red breast. The females are very different looking with dark brown on top, white below and the head has a distinctive looking white line starting above the eye.
We have also started seeing hummingbirds on the trumpet honeysuckle vine at the corner of the Walton Court front porch.
Birthdays
Birdwatching Report
In case you have seen the interesting birds outside the window at the Café, Mary Hemminger says they are Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. The male has a back head and upperparts, white belly and a bright red breast. The females are very different looking with dark brown on top, white below and the head has a distinctive looking white line starting above the eye.
We have also started seeing hummingbirds on the trumpet honeysuckle vine at the corner of the Walton Court front porch.
Birthdays
May 6 - Kristin Schelling
May 10 - Bob Trumbo
May 11 - Valerie Donegan
Calendar of Events
May 5 - Appalachian Regional Commission Community Forum in Rugby - to identify opportunities to promote sustainable tourism and asset-based economic development. 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern with lunch provided. Registration is required at http://www.arc.gov/ or by calling 202-884-7767.
May 8 – History Night – Jim Meadows talks about Chief Doublehead and his daughter Cornblossom at 7:00 p.m. Eastern at the Friendly House.
May 16 & 17 – 35th Annual Festival of British & Appalachian Culture. 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday
May 30 – Big South Fork Chapter Hike – Edwards Mountain and Rice Hollow, Wayne County, Ky. Carpool leaving Harrow Road Café at 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Tour a 400 foot long sandstone cave (easy walking – only flashlights needed) and hike along Big Hickory Road into Rice Hollow, an easy 1.7 miles on level and downhill slope to the Gibbs cabin for a picnic lunch. Contact Charles and Lavonne Gibbs clgibbs@highland.net to register.
May 10 - Bob Trumbo
May 11 - Valerie Donegan
Calendar of Events
May 5 - Appalachian Regional Commission Community Forum in Rugby - to identify opportunities to promote sustainable tourism and asset-based economic development. 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern with lunch provided. Registration is required at http://www.arc.gov/ or by calling 202-884-7767.
May 8 – History Night – Jim Meadows talks about Chief Doublehead and his daughter Cornblossom at 7:00 p.m. Eastern at the Friendly House.
May 16 & 17 – 35th Annual Festival of British & Appalachian Culture. 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday
May 30 – Big South Fork Chapter Hike – Edwards Mountain and Rice Hollow, Wayne County, Ky. Carpool leaving Harrow Road Café at 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Tour a 400 foot long sandstone cave (easy walking – only flashlights needed) and hike along Big Hickory Road into Rice Hollow, an easy 1.7 miles on level and downhill slope to the Gibbs cabin for a picnic lunch. Contact Charles and Lavonne Gibbs clgibbs@highland.net to register.
Exercise Group – Monday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m. Eastern at the Friendly House
Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern at the Friendly House
Nature Notes
By Linda Konig
Bob English, who was here for the Frog and Toad Program a couple of weeks ago cleared up a mystery for me. Every August and September after rains, I would hear a “toady” sound near wet ditches, puddles, and pond edges. It was a soft low grunt repeated in rhythm of about two grunts per second. Yet I never found any strings of toad eggs that late in the season, nor could I find any toads calling at these spots no matter how much I searched on hands and knees. A toad would have hopped away, revealing his presence.
Bob English, who was here for the Frog and Toad Program a couple of weeks ago cleared up a mystery for me. Every August and September after rains, I would hear a “toady” sound near wet ditches, puddles, and pond edges. It was a soft low grunt repeated in rhythm of about two grunts per second. Yet I never found any strings of toad eggs that late in the season, nor could I find any toads calling at these spots no matter how much I searched on hands and knees. A toad would have hopped away, revealing his presence.
When I asked Bob about it, he suggested perhaps I had been hearing male crickets. Male crickets? Last year, I bought a book called The Songs of Insects that included a CD of all the songs of American crickets, Katydids and their kin. According to this book, we have the northern male cricket here, and when I listened to the CD I realized that must have been what I have been hearing.
The reason I have been unable to catch even a glimpse of these secretive crickets is because they live in sealed burrows. Their calls must really be loud if we can hear them aboveground. It’s a mating call that the males send out after late season rains. The female hears and travels aboveground or through tunnels to find the male whose call has impressed her. After mating, they fight. She usually wins and kicks him out of his own burrow so she can lay her eggs in it. He has to go off and dig a new “bachelor pad.”
HRI Workshops
(For more details about workshops go to Historic Rugby Website at http://www.historicrugby.org/ )
May 30 - Lessons With The Mountain Dulcimer – Novice/Intermediate 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. Instructor: June Goforth. Cost = $30.
May 30 - Nature Night Safari 8:30 p.m. until… Instructor: Linda Konig. Cost $8
TO REGISTER FOR WORKSHOPS:
Call (423) 628-2441 or Toll-Free 1-888-214-3400. Lodging is available at Historic Rugby with a 10% discount to all workshop participants.
Call (423) 628-2441 or Toll-Free 1-888-214-3400. Lodging is available at Historic Rugby with a 10% discount to all workshop participants.
This Week’s Editor is Rick Murphy
