Photos: Polly Allen welcomes guests to Ingleside. Carman Roberson wears a period outfit as he greets guests at his Beacon Hill home. Photos by Barbara Stagg While it can be a little confusing getting around to so many houses and other buildings, it appeared that the excellent program that Jim McBrayer and Donna Heffner helped prepare, with its very handy map, made a big difference. And the van drivers did a great job for those who needed a little help in covering the substantial distances involved in the tour.
Photos: Beth Hester and Jody Hester in period dress at Hester Knolle. Harry Hester mans the bar! Photos by Barbara StaggOne of the highlights for us were the many returning Rugby friends who came through to say they had been in the original Walton Court and were happy to see its reemergence. We also had a lady tour who remembers having tea at The Lindens with Will and Sarah Walton (Will died in 1958 and Sarah in 1959).
We heard lots of good comments about the other houses that were open, but without a doubt the house that folks mentioned most was Ingleside, the much-admired historic home that was opened by Polly and Jim Allen.
I hear that the shops and the Café all did very well. Historic Rugby’s barbecue stand was so popular that it sold out early. Historic Rugby’s Executive Director, Cheryl Cribbett, asked that we share her “heartfelt thank you to the homeowners who so graciously opened their homes for Pilgrimage, the volunteers who not only helped on event day but also worked to get the historic buildings and property ready, and to the wonderful Historic Rugby team members who worked incredibly hard in preparation and execution of this event. THANK YOU.”
Spirited Performance
Sister Act singers at Saturday night concert. Photo by George Zepp
The Saturday night benefit concert of the Rugby Singers was perfect for relaxing after a long day of helping with Pilgrimage. The Singers covered an incredible amount of musical territory – they took us through a selection of sacred music, to traditional songs of Stephen Foster, and on to the South Pacific.
Eric Wilson (or the Grand Ayatollah?) Photo courtesy of Mara Trumbo
But the undoubted highlight of the performance was the last segment called “Sister Act” in which the entire chorus donned headwear – I think they were supposed to look like nuns. Eric Wilson and Tom Howell looked especially fetching as their beards made them look like a couple of grand religious patriarchs.
Michaelmas Festival Space Available
By Lavonne Gibbs
Free space for selling and sharing homemade crafts is available October 3 at Christ Church's Michaelmas Festival. As a fund raiser and community gathering, Rugby's Christ Church members and friends are once again offering a cream tea along with free children's games and crafts and a few tables of home made crafts to sell and share. If you know of someone who does, or make things yourself, contact or leave a message for Kathy or John Hicks at 628-2873. This is the same weekend as the wonderful Allardt Pumpkin Festival and we encourage people to take part in both events. Volunteers to help Charles and Lavonne with the free children’s activities are also most welcome to call us at 628-5678.
Bridge for Sale
Rugby Week readers Brenda and Jim Duke of Sunbright are selling a wooden pedestrian bridge that Jim built. The bridge is 14’ long with 10’ span, and is approximately three feet wide. The lumber is all pressure treated and stained. It is very strong, functional and beautiful. $500. Call 423-628-6293 for more information.
Details of Next Book Club
By Vi Biehl
The next (2nd) Book Club meeting will be at Vi and Eric's place at 7:00 p.m. on October 17th. The chosen book is The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, by Louise Erdrich (Wikipedia says she is a Native American author and enrolled member of the Anishinaabe nation (the Ojibwa and Chippewa) also having German and French ancestors. This year she was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. She owns Birchbark Books, a small independent shop in Minneapolis MN (www.louiseerdrichbooks.com), from whence Vi purchased three paperback editions of the book for anyone who would like to borrow one to read for the Book Club discussion--not to mention great personal satisfaction.
This book is one of a cluster of books LE has written of the same people at the same reservation and surrounds, so one learns of the same events from many different folks' points of view/reality upon reading the entire "set". Questions? Call Vi at 423-628-2817 or email at ericavi@highland.net. Oh! Final note: listening to it by the reader on the cassette set I am lending to those wanting to hear the book is, I think, the absolute best way to experience it so let me know if you want to borrow it next. The wondrous reader enables you to think that the characters are speaking directly to you.
Birthdays
September 9 – Kim Stagg & Harry Hester
September 10 – Robert Walton Crabtree
September 13 – Ted Chrisman
Calendar of Events
September 11 – History Club Meeting – Jessie Gully will talk about Emily Hughes. 7:00 p.m. Eastern at Uffington House
September 12 – Community Potluck – 7:00 p.m. Eastern (Note date change due to Pilgrimage)
September 19 – Hike at Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area, Wartburg, TN. Hike is rated moderate with total distance of 7 to 7.5 miles. Meet at the Harrow Road Café at 9:00 a.m. Eastern to carpool to the park, or meet at the Park Visitor Centre at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. For information and to register for the hike contact Tom Howell at tshowell1003@highland.net.
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.
September 19, 2009 - Photo Tour and discussion of the smoky mountains in celebration of the 75th birthday of the Smoky Mountains National Park by Dr. Lin Stepp –11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern. at Grey Gables Bed & Breakfast. Call Bill and Linda Brooks Jones for reservations: 423-628-5252. Lunch: $11.00 plus gratuity, lodging, evening meal and country breakfast: $125.00 plus tax.
October 3 –Michaelmas Festival at Christ Church Episcopal. Traditional English Tea, arts, crafts, music and English Counry Dancing. Tea seatings at noon and 1:30 p.m. Eastern, $10 per person for tea, reservations suggested – call 423-628-1282.
October 10 – History Club – field trip to Deer Lodge (details to be announced)
October 17 – Book Club – 7:00 p.m. Eastern at home of Vi Biehl and Eric Wilson. The next book is “The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse” by Louise Erdrich. Questions? Call Vi at 423-628-2817 or email at ericavi@highland.net.
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/ )
September 12 – Fall Wildflowers – Instructor Jack Carman - Wildflower walks, slide presentation and book signing.
October 17 - Learn To Play the Banjo- Appalachian Mountain Style (New) Instructor: Tony Thomas - learn how to tune the banjo, then cover old time picking techniques of frailing, two fingers, plectrum, strumming and rhythm; plus help with accompanying other musicians.
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
Mike and Debbie Harris had something interesting on the side of their house last Saturday during the Rugby Pilgrimage. It was a female wolf spider, and she had almost completed the process of creating her bundle of eggs. You may have seen one of these spiders crawling about in your yard or some other likely place on the ground. She's especially noticeable when she's dragging her rounded white bundle of eggs behind her. She's quite maternal and would never think of leaving her eggs in some forgotten spot and going merrily on her way. After her spiderlings hatch, they climb up her legs onto her back, spinning themselves a sort of "seat belt" so they won't fall off as she crawls about making her living.
It was only recently that I learned of the craftsmanship "Mama" wolf spider employs to create her egg bundle. First, she usually finds an out-of-the-way hidden spot on the ground on which to make her bundle. (Don't ask me why Mike and Debbie's spider chose the side of the building.) Then she spins a special fuzzy silk from several spinnerets (like nozzles) onto the ground to make a soft pallet, attaching it to vegetation, etc. Next she extrudes a big clear drop of liquid from the front bottom of her abdomen onto the middle of the pallet. As the outer layer of the drop gradually hardens into a balloon shape, she lays her many yellow eggs into the clear balloon. This she covers with more of the soft fuzzy silk. That layer she covers with a tougher silk, weaving strands back and forth, back and forth, across the egg ball. Next she cuts the pallet loose and--believe it or not--pinches the edges together just as a housewife pinches the edges of pie crust together and creates a bundle that looks like a hobo's bundle. Now comes another layer of silk, and this layer is waterproof. All this to protect her precious eggs as she crawls over pebbles and varied terrain for a few weeks, dragging it behind her.
It won't be long till the next generation of wolf spiders will be ready to leave their "home" on "Mama" spider's back and make their own way in the world. Fall is the time when the young spiders crawl to the top of bushes, wild flowers, etc., tip their abdomens upward and spin a single strand of silk into the air, hoping to catch a lift from a passing breeze. This is the wolf spiders' "sport" of ballooning. Some will travel only a few feet, but some will catch a wind that can take them many miles. They've been seen miles out over the oceans and miles up in the clouds. Bon voyage!
This Week’s Editors – Rick Murphy & George Zepp
