It was a week of rainy weather in Rugby, but, appropriately, on Sunday, the sun reappeared. Rugby is soaking wet, but there are advantages to being on the top of the Plateau. If you wish click here to see some pictures taken Monday, near the Gent's Swimming Hole.
Michaelmas Festival
Christ Church Episcopal's 4th Annual Michaelmas Festival will be held on the church grounds this Saturday, October 3. One of the highlights of the day will be a Traditional English Tea. Seatings are at 12:00 and 1:30. Cost is $10.00 per person and reservations are suggested. For reservations call: 423-628-1282. Other activities and attractions will include Arts, Crafts, Music, and English Country Dancing.
First Saturday Potluck
Also this Saturday will be the regular First Saturday Potluck, 7:00 at the Community Building. Come and relax after a busy day at the Michaelmas Festival.
Book Club
Vi still has a couple copies of the book, Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louis Erdrich. The books are available for anyone who would like to borrow one to read for the next Book Club meeting.
Rita's Decorating Committee
As we enter the fall season, a group of volunteers has come together to form a Decorating Committee to work with Rita to dress up the community for holidays. Work has already begun and will continue in the weeks ahead. Donations or assistance in obtaining pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, jute twine, mums, ribbon, scarecrows, and other miscellaneous fall items are much appreciated. Items can be left on the Commissary porch.
Fine Arts Class in Rugby
You've heard of "Dinner and a Movie", now Mara has come up with a new concept to promote her classes, it's "Lunch and a Picture", no not the moving picture kind, but a painting which will move you! How would you like to be able to complete a full oil painting in 7 hours? Well it's possible with Mara's step-by-step instructions in the Jenkins Fine Art oil painting technique. Clear your calendar for Friday, October 9th, when the group will be painting a graphic "Alstroemeria" bloom on a gallery wrap-around canvas, which requires no framing to look great on your wall! Class at Art Expressions studio, 160 Glen Avenue, Rugby from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm (Eastern) with Italian lunch at half time. Cost: $55.00 all inclusive of the use of studio materials and a top quality gallery canvas. Pre-book necessary at least 24 hours before. Call Mara at (423) 628-6591.
History Club
The field trip to Deer Lodge has been postponed. The club will meet at the Friendly House at 7:00. Michael Harris will talk about George Pearson, one of the Colony's English bachelors.
Darwin Bertram
Eric visited Darwin at his home last week and found Darwin to be feeling better every day. However, he will be slowed down for much of the rest of the year.
Next Newsletter
Rick Murphy will be back from Germany in time to return as editor of this Rugby Newsletter. Send your news to Rick. It should be noted that Eric and Carrie now have an even greater appreciation for the time and effort involved in publishing this newsletter on a weekly basis! Be sure to thank Rick for his tremendous work! The newsletter is certainly a valued asset to our community.
Birthdays
None to report this week.
Calendar of Events
October 3 - Michaelmas Festival at Christ Church Episcopal. See details above.
October 3 - First Saturday Potluck - 7:00 Easter time in the Community Building
October 9 - Fine Arts Class - 9:30 - 4:30 Eastern at Art Expressions studio. See details above.
October 9 - History Club will meet at the Friendly House at 7:00. Michael Harris will talk about George Pearson, one of the Colony's English bachelors. Note: The previously scheduled trip to Deer Lodge has been postponed.
October 10 - TTA hike at Cove Lake S.P.
October 17 - Book Club - 7:00 pm Eastern at home of Vi Biehl and Eric Wilson. The next book is Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louis Erdrich. Questions? Call Vi at 423-628-2817 or email ericavi@highland.net
November 14 - Joan Donaldson Book Signing
December 5 - Tour of Homes
Exercise Group - Monday and Thursday at 9:00 am Eastern at the Friendly House
Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2-4 pm Eastern at the Friendly House
HRI Workshops - Events are ongoing. For more details go to the Historic Rugby Website at http://www.historicrugby.org
October 17 - Learn to Play the Banjo - Appalachian Mountain Style - New Workshop - Instructo: Tony Thomas - learn how to tune the banjo, the cover old time picking techniques of frailing, two fingers, plectrum, strumming and rhythm; plus help with accompanying other musicians.
Nature Notes by Linda Konig
We are indeed fortunate to live in this area, so rich in wildlife of all kinds. Vi Biehl and I took the opportunities to visit Pickett State PArk this week to look for the rare fall wildflowers that Jack Carman had mentioned when he was here. Actually, we didn't have to look too hard because he told us where to look specifically. We took the Ladder Trail first, which neither of us had ever been on before, and it was a beautiful trail. We were especially impressed with the bluffline hanging over Thompson Creek just before you get to the ladders. Loved those sandstone bluffs with all the "shelves" with Filmy Ferns, Maple-Leaf Alumroot, and all manner of fungi growing on them. We found Lampshade spiderwebs (with one spirder) along with the more common webs, a cute little eft (the red phase of a Red-Spotted Newt), luxuriant sphagnum moss, Partridge berries, slime molds (Vi's favorites), and some of the more usual wildflowers of the aster family.
But did we find those particular wildflowers we went to see? Yes! We found Cumberland Featherbells and Cumberland Sandwort on the Ladder Trail. Unfortunately, the Cumberland Sandwort was a little past its prime, but Vi took photos anyway. This particular dainty flower is federally endangered, and there are warning signs against stepping on them in the rock shelters where it's found. The Cumberland Featherbells were also a little past their best blooming, but they were my favorites. We're determined to get up there earlier in the season next year to see these rarities at their best.
Lucy Braun's Thoroughwort can be found in abundance at Hazard Cave, a different trail. They, too, are considered rare, however. I try to remember when seeing a new flower because there may be plenty of them in that spot, but they may be hard to find elsewhere. In other words, don't pick, just take a photo. They were blooming like crazy. The flowerheads look like White Snakeroot flowers, but the leaves are different, and these plants, in general, are much shorter than the White Snakeroots, at least in that spot.
I'm reminded of that Appalachian expression, "Keep your eyes peeled." You never know what you might see out there.
Click on picture below to see a slightly larger version. Thanks to Vi for sending these images.
