Rugby got some strong thunderstorms this weekend. Tom Howell said 2.4 inches of rain fell Saturday night/Sunday morning.
The worst known damage came when a lightning bolt struck the stone chimney of a house not far across the Clear Fork into Fentress County on Hwy. 52. Angelina Whitehead said the guest house she and husband Charles have on their property sustained a good bit of smoke damage in the resulting 5:45 a.m. fire Sunday. The Allardt Fire Department responded quickly, but another blaze reignited after firefighters controlled the first one and left, she said.
The house can be repaired, and fortunately it was unoccupied unlike the previous weekend, she said. The force of the bolt blew a large stone from the middle of the front of the chimney out into the yard, leaving the rest of it considered unstable, she said. The Whiteheads have an insurance business, so fortunately the house was insured.
Lightning strike fire damage is visible on the right to "Whitehead Retreat," the guest house of Charles & Angelina Whitehead on Highway 52 just across the Clear Fork from Rugby (photo by George Zepp).
Butch and Cheryl Hodgins also had a single lightning strike damage three walnut trees in the woods not far behind their house on Hwy. 52 in Rugby in a previous recent storm earlier this month. Bark on all three trees was stripped in a line to the ground.
Josie Captivates Rugby Audience
Barbara Stagg reported that a very enthusiastic audience of about 50 attended the performance of “Josie” on Saturday night at the Johnson Theatre. Jennifer Rose, the Kentucky entertainer, captivated the audience with her beautiful soprano voice, guitar and dulcimer playing, and ability to make Josie very believable.
Photo above by Barbara Stagg Rose used an interesting stage technique -- a table with wigs, mirror, etc. along with a clothes rack to the right of stage center, and changed from a 15-year-old girl to a bride in her 20s, etc., to a gray-haired middle aged woman before the audience. Quilts made up the backdrop, including a 1930s quilt borrowed from Rugby’s Spirit of Red Hill shop, one that Jennifer was pleased to use.
After the production her daughters, ages seven and ten, spontaneously joined her on stage following a question-and-answer period to sing several play-songs with her, much to the delight of the audience.
Historic Rugby Names Committees
Following the Board elections in June, Historic Rugby has now finished naming its new Executive Committee: Greg Reed is President, Jane Logan is Vice President, Rick Murphy is Treasurer, Michael Stagg is Secretary, and Beth Hester and Lummy Massengale are At-Large members.
In addition, the Nominating Committee has also been confirmed with the following members: Jane Logan, Jessica Neary, Glen Wright, Marlee Mitchell and Wil Thornthwaite.
As mentioned a few weeks ago, the Nominating Committee is accepting suggestions of names of Historic Rugby members who would like to be considered for one open slot on the Board. I believe the deadline for receiving those names is mid-August. The Board will fill this position at its September 27 meeting.
Hawks, Owls, And Snakes Coming To Rugby
Don’t miss the chance to look a beautiful hawk right in the eye or “pet” a snake! The next natural resource workshop at Historic Rugby is “Understanding Birds of Prey & Reptiles” this Saturday, August 1, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern at the Rugby Community Center.Expert instructors Katie Cottrell, Kathy Strunk, and John Byrd from the Clinch River Raptor Center near Clinton will bring a collection of live hawks, owls, and snakes to the program. Attendees will learn first-hand about these animals so important to our local and regional eco-systems. Raptor Center instructors will also present a slide program and have multiple handouts.
The Clinch River Raptor Center has been rescuing, tending and releasing wounded or ill birds of prey and snakes back to the wild for 23 years. They have tended more than 1,700 animals and are experts in demonstrating with birds and reptiles that for various reasons cannot be released.
The workshop fee is $12 adults, $4 students K-12 when accompanied by an adult. The fee will cover a donation to the Clinch River Raptor Center. Call 1-888-214-3400 or locally 423-628-2441 to register for the workshop.
TRASH AND TREASURES TEA
Grey Gables Bed ‘N Breakfast Inn is having a tea on Wednesday, August 5, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. EDT observing the annual Highway 127 Yard Sale. Linda Brooks Jones says “we celebrate the coming together of people from every part of our nation in search of their defining treasure. Our Tea Time will reflect and share the treasures of our hearts as we commune with food and tea.”
The menu for the tea includes roasted turkey with raspberry pecan vinaigrette salad, melon fruit cup with yogurt dressing, strawberry muffins and frozen chocolate mint pie. The cost is $10 plus tax and gratuity. For reservations call Linda at 423-628-5252
Free Strawberry Plants
From Mara Trumbo's strawberry patch comes the offer of free shoots from her prolific perennial strawberry plants. Mara has no time to repot the shoots, but hates having them wasted. “So bring your secateurs, actually a small pair of scissors will do, a plastic bag and come and help yourselves to the tendrils, even if Bob and I are not home.” For more information, call Mara at 423-628-6591.
Birthdays
July 27 – Linda Konig, Lovell Atkinson & Louise Zepp
July 31 – Jane Fuchs
August 3 – Scott Britt
Calendar of Events
August 1 – Rugby Farmers Market – 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Eastern – located west of the Commissary on Highway 52
August 1 – Community Potluck – 7:00 p.m. Eastern
August 5 - Trash And Treasures Tea – Tea observing the annual Highway 127 Yard Sale -1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern at Grey Gables Bed ‘N Breakfast Inn. $10 plus tax and gratuity. For Reservations call 423-628-5252
August 8 – Book Club at 7:00 p.m. Eastern at Debbie Harris' house. The book will be “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” by David Wroblewski. Please let Debbie Harris know if you’re interested at harrisdl1@hotmail.com
August 22 – Rugby Summer Film Series – “Sergeant York” at 7:30 p.m. Eastern with audience conversation afterward with York’s son, Rev. George Edward York, and Dr. Michael Birdwell, an expert on Alvin York’s history and on this classic film that starred Gary Cooper. This event is co-sponsored by the Alvin York Patriotic Foundation.
September 5 – Rugby Pilgrimage, with rare tours of private homes, as well as Historic Rugby buildings. The previous chance for the public to see inside many of Rugby’s homes was in 2007.
September 5 – Concert – Rugby Community Singers
September 19 – Rugby Summer Film Series – “Amazing Grace” at 7:30 p.m. - chronicles the life of William Wilberforce, an 18th century Christian politician in England who dedicated his life to abolishing slavery and to the prevention of cruelty to animals.
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
HRI Workshops
(For more details about workshops go to Historic Rugby Website at http://www.historicrugby.org/ )
August 1 – Understanding Birds of Prey & Reptiles – Instructor Katie Cottrell, Kathy Strunk & John Byrd – Slides and live exhibits of birds of prey and reptiles with a focus on natural history and ecological roles of various predators. Donation will be made to the Clinch River Raptor Center.
August 15 – Pie/Casserole Basket – Instructor Veronica Ludlow - Make an English origin basket which was historically called an herb basket, it also makes a fabulous single pie or casserole tote.
August 16 – Corn Shuck Wreath for All Seasons – Instructor Veronica Ludlow – get ready for fall and Christmas decorating by making your own versatile corn shuck wreath.
August 29 – Beginning Knitting – Instructor Veronica Ludlow - Learn to knit – start a hand knitted scarf with embellishments.
August 30 – English Watercolor – Instructor Veronica Ludlow – Step-by-step instructions in English floral and landscape techniques. You will create art to take home.
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.
Nature Notes
By Linda Konig
Wouldn't you think I would have seen all the wildflowers in our area by now? After all, I've been looking for over 11 years. Yet I still find wildflowers that are new to me. Just this last week, I saw three species I hadn't seen before. Two of these I found at Leatherwood Ford. A good many little white Starry Campions were blooming, and I wondered why I hadn't seen them till now. Maybe it’s because I just hadn't gone looking at the right time. Some wildflowers have extremely brief blooming periods.
Another new one was Leathervase flowers. They grow on vines and really do look just like raspberry-pink rounded vases. When I picked up one that had fallen off the vine, I found out why they're called Leathervase. The petals fell apart, and I could see that each one was unusually thick and leathery.
The third one was a tall orange lily that Teresa Coker had found near a stream. It turned out to be a Canada Lily, not too frequent around Rugby but not extremely rare, either. These are rather exotic looking but still show a family resemblance to the common day lily. Happy wildflowering!
This Week’s Editors - Rick Murphy and George Zepp
