For some of us in Rugby getting counted in this year’s census has turned into an exercise in frustration. George Zepp has called the U.S. Census Bureau twice trying to get a census form for us. The first time he left an automated confirmation of our address and request for a form. Last week he called again and was told by a human male that forms could not be requested until beginning April 12 (TODAY). Benita Howell learned only by chance from an NPR report that census forms are not delivered to PO boxes, which applies to lots of folks in Rugby. We’ve now confirmed this through several news reports.
Blank forms are supposedly available at County Clerk offices and certain libraries. There's a list by county at the census.gov web site.
George plans to call the Census Bureau again today at 866-872-6868 and again request that the form be sent to our street address, hoping it will actually be delivered to our PO box, since that is the only place we receive mail. In fact, it seems it more likely will be hand delivered to our doorstop NEXT MONTH (May) by a Census Worker at a cost to government of roughly $60. If we’re not here, one will be left. It’s the rules, you know. If we pick up a form somewhere and return it, we’ll get at least a call of some sort for confirmation, if not a visit as well.
The phone workers offer to speak six languages, so some of our multi-lingual Rugbeians who call today to see about a form might want to practice their Italian, Chinese, etc., if they so desire. We truly plan to persist and be counted to help this rural area of Morgan and Scott counties get its fair share of state/federal/local per-capita funding in coming years.
Boyd Mitchell and Charles Gibbs spent Sunday afternoon fine-tuning honeycombs in the beehives behind The Lindens. There was some resemblance to outer space folks or Homeland Security workers, but the white outfits just kept the overly friendly bees at a respectful distance. Rugby is thankful for its bees to keep the trees and flowers blooming, so thanks to Boyd and Charles! Here’s a view of the strange scene seen by anyone who passed.
Photo by Rick Murphy (click on photo to enlarge)
QUILT RAFFLE FOR RUGBY QUILT TRAIL
By Lavonne Gibbs and Linda Brooks Jones
Jonell Hester made the quilt shown in the photo below as one of her donations to raise funds for establishing a quilt trail running through Rugby. Jonell’s quilt is 80 x 80 and named "Morgan County Crossroads." It is machine quilted by Becky Stower. In the photo Jonell is pictured with Bethany Jackson and Kathy Hicks who are working with Jonell and other members and friends of Rugby Quilt Guild to extend the quilt trail of Morgan County through Rugby. Rugby will then be connected to the Upper Cumberland Heritage Quilt Trail. Dollar donations for possible quilt winners were taken Saturday night at the Grey Gables History Club dinner and Sunday morning after services at Christ Church.
Donations in support of this effort may also be made Saturday the 17th at the Wartburg Courthouse square.
Quilt trails being established throughout the country feature wooden quilt patterns attached to barns and sometimes other structures. Maps with directions and information about the patterns and communities are drawing in visitors and locals.
HELP BRING STUDENTS TO RUGBY
By Amy Barnes
I'm trying to bring the Robbins Elementary 5th grade class (where I'm currently student teaching) to Rugby for a tour on April 30. Because it's a poor area and times are hard, it's difficult for many of the students to come up with the money to cover the admission price and the cost of the bus. I'm hoping that some of the Rugby residents might want to help out. If anyone would like to sponsor a child on this trip to Rugby, $6.25 would cover the cost of admission and their shares of the bus cost. A total of 15 students are in the class, so it's not a very big group. If you have sponsorship funds to donate, contact me at acbarnes1989@yahoo.com.
I'm also sending along a picture of a cute little guy we found living in Windwood last week. We apparently disturbed his sleep while we were working on the house. It's a flying squirrel that we got to see soar across the dining room while we were trying to get him out of the house. We were successful in getting him outside and we haven't seen or heard any sign of him since then.WILDFLOWER WALK
By Benita Howell
Here is a photo from Saturday’s Spring Wildflower workshop, showing most of our 18 participants.
As you can see they were intent on observing and making notes on a wildflower find in the cemetery lawn, probably the small bluet. We had wonderful weather and found 37 or more species in all, despite some of the showier species not being fully in bloom. A highlight of our trek down the first section of Thomas Hughes Trail was a handsome box turtle, who held his ground in a sunny spot and posed for many photographers as we passed him going down into the gorge and returning.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Historic Rugby is in need of volunteers interested in greeting visitors and serving as tour guides. Volunteers will get the opportunity to learn how to show the Visitor Centre film, and will be trained to guide the guests through the three historic buildings. Anyone interested please call Cathy at 423-628-2441.
BIRTHDAYS
April 13 Betty Stokes
April 14 Hadley Hury
CALENDAR
April 17 – Historic Rugby Board of Directors Meeting – 10:30 a.m. at the Community Building
April 17 – Rugby Book Club at the home of Kit and Candy Howes in Armathwaite. Two popular books about Afghanistan: "A Thousand Spendid Suns" (2007) by Khaled Hosseini (who also wrote the popular "Kite Runner"), and "The Places in Between" (2006) by Rory Stewart. You can read either book or both. The Howes’ house is at 446 Big Creek Road in Armathwaite. Go west on Hwy. 52 approximately 3.5 miles from the Rugby bridge, look for Sam Smith Road and then Noah Buck Road. Scenic Bluff Road (on the left coming from Rugby – its Hwy. 52 gate will be open) is just west of Noah Buck. Take Scenic Bluff to Big Creek Road. Follow Big Creek Road to the end. Their wonderful fireplace will be lit and warming (if needed then).
April 24 – Rock Concert beginning at 7:45 pm Eastern. Historic Rugby brings back what many say is the Upper Cumberland’s finest classic rock band – Legacy. The Harrow Road Café will start serving dinner at 5:00 pm for guests who would like to enjoy dinner before the concert. Arrival for dinner by 6:30 pm Eastern at the latest is recommended. Bring you own seating - limited seating available. This is a benefit concert; tax-deductible donations will be requested. NO COOLERS - non-alcoholic beverages will be available. Call toll-free 1-888-214-3400 or locally 628-2441 for information.
May 1 - Grey Gables Bed ‘n Breakfast Inn Spring Vineyard Dinner. Five-course dinner, Highland Manor Wines and David Howard light mix of acoustic original music. 7:00 p.m. Eastern. $160.00 includes: Vineyard Dinner, Lodging, Country Breakfast, double occupancy (Does not include tax or gratuity on dinner) - $30.00 per person plus tax and gratuity. For Reservations: Linda Brooks Jones, 423-628-5252.
May 15 and 16 – Spring Festival
June 19 – Premiere – Rugby Play - “Emmy and Granny”
June 20 – Matinee Performance - “Emmy and Granny”
Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2-4 p.m. Eastern at the Friendly House
WORKSHOP CALENDAR
For Workshop Registration contact Historic Rugby at 888-214-3400 - rugbylegacy@highland.net
Saturday, April 24 - Wet on Wet Iris Painting - Students will learn how to master the principles of the Jenkins “wet on wet” oil painting technique by following her personal step-by-step instruction. Instructor Mara Trumbo was born in Italy, raised in Southern Africa and now lives in Rugby. She has studied and acquired various techniques, which reveal themselves in her romantic paintings and pottery creations. Mara is a member of the Cumberland Art Society and displays her work in Crossville and Cookeville galleries. The fee is $60 and includes all materials and canvas.
Saturday, May 22 - Gardening With Herbs - From 10 am to 2 pm Eastern. Learn to plant an herb garden to be used for your culinary delight! A garden will be planted for the Harrow Road Café. Following the class join us for an herbal luncheon tasting some of the varieties used in the workshop. Bob always delights the group with having a selection of favorites from his 58-acre greenhouse nursery available for purchase. Bob Washburn is co-owner of Wolf River Valley Growers in Pall Mall, this area's largest greenhouse. Bob has served as the president of the Tennessee Flower Growers Association and past chairman of the Southeast Greenhouse Conference. Workshop fee $15 - $9 lunch at Café.
Saturday, June 5 - Crazy Quilting Rugby Style - Instructor Joyce Lantz. Try your hand at this Victorian and Appalachian patchwork pastime in your own style--silk, satin or velvet, cotton and denim, plain or fancy! Make a pillow, a picture, a wall hanging or a quilt. This class will start you off.
By Linda Konig
Those handsome purple-black Martins have returned now to Tennessee from their winter-long sojourn in South America. At least they've returned to nearby Allardt, as I noticed this past week at the 4-way stop. I took time to watch them at the Martin house on top of a tall pole through my binoculars as I waited for the gas station attendant to fill my tank.
I was surprised to see that a couple of house sparrows had moved into one of the purple Martin house "apartments." The sparrows had already built a nest, with hay and plastic bag strips hanging out of the round entrance. House sparrows actually aren't sparrows but are members of the weaver finch family and, like their more exotic cousins, weave domed nests of whatever comes to hand. Maybe house sparrows have built at the gas station before, but this was the first time I'd noticed their doing so. (They often build in the Burnett's grocery store sign letters across the street.) I was surprised that the much bigger Martins seemed to be tolerating the sparrows in "their" apartments.
When I got home I looked up house sparrows and learned that they're quite aggressive, even to the point of killing the young of other birds when in competition for nesting sites. So that may explain why they've had the temerity to build a nest in the Martin house. Also, the fact that house sparrows are here year-round means that they probably got the jump on the Martins and had already claimed one of the house "apartments" and built a nest before the Martins arrived last week.
All the Martins I saw were male. Either the females hadn't arrived yet (the males always get here first), or else the females were all inside the "apartments" working on their nests. Unfortunately, house sparrows' habit of co-opting other birds' nesting sites may be leading to a decline in some bird species in America, notably the purple Martins, cliff swallows, and eastern bluebirds.
This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp
