By Rick Murphy
While Rugby has had plenty of wind and rain the last few days, we did not get the disastrous flooding rains that Nashville and Middle Tennessee and other areas have received. I certainly hope that all of the many friends of Rugby are safe.
Rugby did have a water-related incident earlier today (Sunday). There were Rescue Squad cars at Martin Roost around 6:00 p.m. While I do not have all the details, a Morgan County Deputy Sheriff told George Zepp that there had been concern about a couple of people possibly missing while tubing down one of the rivers. But apparently the missing people turned up.
REENACTORS RETURN
By George Zepp
Rugby’s “British military friends” returned for WWII maneuvers here this past weekend. It’s become a springtime tradition to see these proud Americans parading in their authentic uniforms in the village – from Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee – Nashville, Mount Juliet, Maryville and Vonore. The Harrow Road Café was the site on a rainy Saturday night for their “Annual Regimental Dining-In.” They represent the 7th Battalion (Light Infantry) and the 6th Airborne Division (British). Welcome back, our British WWII paratrooper living historians! (But where was Metro Nashville Archivist Ken Fieth, a faithful participant? Hope to see him again next year!)
Participants toast each other with assistance from Andrew Kirk Black, age 3, and his father, Lance Corporal Black of Nashville. At right, Terry Stefanski of Fayetteville, NC, in her civilian white, reminisces with friends after dinner. Photos by George Zepp
BLUEGRASS AT CAFÉ FRIDAY
By Chuck Leeds
This Friday evening, May 7, the Harrow Road Cafe will present the bluegrass sounds of The Victory Bluegrass Group. The music will begin at 6:00 p.m. The group’s members include Wayne Rogers, Dwight Smithers and Tony Huling. So come out and enjoy a night of fun and food. Hope to see you there.
By Benita Howell
The time is fast approaching to bring rummage sale donations to Christ Church’s Friendly House. To focus attention on the book donation/giveaway at the Community Building, we've decided not to include books in our rummage sale this year. All other items mentioned in the previous post are welcome: used clothing, linens, and household items in good condition; CDs and DVDs; games, puzzles, toys, and sporting goods; crafts, gift items, etc.
We'll be at Friendly House to receive your items following the potluck on May 8, before and after the 11:00 a.m. church service on May 9, and between 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday, May 10 and 12. Other times between Saturday and Wednesday you can leave items on the Friendly House porch, or give Tom and Benita Howell a call at 628-5521 for help carrying boxes.
If you can help price and organize the merchandise on Thursday or Friday, May 13 or 14, please call or e-mail Benita at bjhowell@highland.net.
Photo above shows the incredible blooms on the snowball bush in front of the Lindens. Photo by George Zepp
TENTS NEEDED
By Rita Myers
Historic Rugby is in need of some extra tents to use for Spring Festival. If you have a tent, please let me know at the Commissary, 628-5166. Thanks.
PASTOR GIVEN AWARD
Peter Keese was recently awarded the Helen Flanders Dunbar Award from the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. The meeting was held in Kansas City, Missouri, on Apr. 21. The award is given for pioneering or innovative work in the field of clinical pastoral education, which Peter had done for Salvation Army officers.
LIBRARY BOOK SALE
By Lavonne Gibbs
We are planning to go ahead with the used book sale/donation/giveaway from the lending library at the Spring Festival, May 15 and 16. We have to get busy on his project and will be having several work days in the very near future. If you would like to help, please contact one of us for dates and times.
Lavonne Gibbs: clgibbs@highland.net
Nora Meadows: jhmnhm@highland.net
Jody Hester: jonell@deceelabs.com
Anyone who may have donated books, etc. to the lending library, and would like to retrieve their book may do so. Please contact one of us by May 8.
PICNIC SCHEDULED
By Kathy Hicks
Mark the Date - July 3 - 12th Annual July Picnic at John and Kathy Hick's place (Lizzie's Place). 6 p.m - 9 p.m. This will take the place of the first Saturday Potluck Dinner.
BIRTHDAYS
May 6 - Kristin Schelling
CALENDAR
May 8 – Community Potluck – 7:00 p.m.
May 8 – Rabies Shot Clinic for dogs and cats - Brooks Store - 2:30 p.m. - $8.00/$12 for 3-year dog vaccination. Sponsor: TN Department of Health.
May 15 – No History Club meeting this month
May 15 and 16 – Spring Festival - Starts on Saturday May 15, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. ends on Sunday May 16, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. Continuous British Isles & Appalachian Music & Dancing Traditional Arts & Crafts..... Folk Demonstrating & Selling Their Work.....Storytelling.....Historic Building Tours....Delicious Food
June 12 - Rugby Book Club selection will be Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. June 12, 7 p.m., at Judy Newport's house, 1043 Range Cemetery Road. Turn off Hwy. 52 onto Sam Smith Road then right on Mt. Helen Road, then 1/4 mile down on the left is her road. It's in Fentress County near Armathwaite. Call Judy for other details at (931) 704-7946.
June 19 – Premiere – Rugby Play - “Emmy and Granny” 7:30 p.m. Eastern at the Rebecca Johnson Theatre. Adults $19 (65+ $18), K-12 Students $10. Tickets on sale now 1-888-214-3400 or 423-628-2441
June 20 – Matinee Performance - “Emmy and Granny” - 3:00 p.m. at the Rebecca Johnson Theatre. Adults $15 (65+ $14), K-12 Students $8. Tickets on sale now 1-888-214-3400 or 423-628-2441
June 27, 2010 - Annual Historic Rugby Membership Meeting 1:30 pm
July 3 - 12th Annual July Picnic at John and Kathy Hick's place (Lizzie's Place). 6pm-9pm. This will take the place of the first Saturday Potluck Dinner.
Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2-4 p.m. Eastern at the Friendly House
HRI WORKSHOP CALENDAR
For Workshop Registration contact Historic Rugby at 888-214-3400 - rugbylegacy@highland.net
May 22 - Gardening With Herbs - From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 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 Washburn always delights the group with having a selection of favorites from his 58-acre greenhouse nursery available for purchase. Bob is co-owner of Wolf River Valley Growers in Pall Mall, this area's largest greenhouse. He has served as the president of the Tennessee Flower Growers Association and past chairman of the Southeast Greenhouse Conference. Workshop fee $15, plus $9 lunch at Café.
June 5 - Crazy Quilting Rugby Style - Instructor Joyce Lantz. Create unique quilt blocks called Victorian Shadows with shared fabrics from fellow quilters. Students can make pillow tops, shams or a wall hanging. Suitable for all experience levels. From 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Eastern. Fee $45
June 12 - Bark Basketry Workshop 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Instructor: Fuzzy Orange Fee: $30 Step back to a time when “everyone made and used baskets”. Learn to harvest poplar bark and create an original style Native American basket, taught by one of the Rugby area’s talented artisans.
July 17 - Kudzu Basketry Workshop 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Instructor: Fuzzy Orange. Fee: $30. Finally a use for KUDZU! Learn to weave the Kudzu vine into a basket to enjoy for years to come.
OTHER WORKSHOPS
By Mara Trumbo
Tulips have bloomed in Mara's studio, and you can grow your own variety on canvas at her full day "painting in one day" workshop on Tuesday May 11th from 9:30am Eastern (8:30 Central if you come from ET Zones) to 4:30pm Eastern. Cost = $55.00 with everything provided including a light lunch. Call at least 2 days ahead to reserve your place. (423) 628-6591.
By Linda Konig
Eat more Corbicula fluminea (Asian clams)! There's an absolute bumper crop of them in all our local streams, and they're free for the taking. I've finally learned what those little mystery fingernail-sized shelled creatures are in our creeks and rivers. We often see their empty shells on the banks. The outer shell is usually dark brown, and most of the time there's a white spot on the shell where the outer coating has been knocked off or eroded, revealing the snow-white inner shell. The twin shells come apart easily.
Yes, I was wrong last week in thinking they're a kind of mussel. They're invasive Asian clams, and in the last 50 years or so they've spread throughout our state and many others. In fact they're all over Asia, Europe, Africa, and North and South America. It's thought by some that these highly-successful bi-valves are part of the reason that many mussels are on the decline. They're also guilty of clogging up the ventilation systems and water intake valves of power plants. Rebecca Schapansky, one of the park rangers at Obed WSR, was nice enough to help solve the mystery and let me do some reading in her copy of The Freshwater Mussels of Tennessee, which also included information on other similar shelled animals in our streams. There are sites about Asian clams on the Web, too.
As is the case with some of our other invasive species problems, it would help if Americans would make use of the invasive whatevers, using them up in some way that didn't spread them. After reading that the Asian clam is a major food item in Asia, I asked Jessica Erickson, a resident of Rugby, about them. Her face lit up and she said, yes, they're delicious. Her family goes down to the Clear Fork behind their house, digs them up, and she makes soup with them. I've read that one clam can produce 100,000 offspring in its full lifetime. Friends, we're falling behind. Get out there, dig 'em up, and make soup or clam sauce or something with these things. I can see it now--fried Asian clams as a Harrow Road Cafe special!
This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp
