I guess everybody got too caught up in Festival last week to confide that a motorcyclist was killed when he ran off Highway 52 on the way out of Rugby on Tuesday, May 11. The 72-year old victim from Hawaii ran off the road on the east side of town where the road curves as it descends down to the White Oak Bridge, not far from the little pull-off picnic area. Our own fire chief, Gerald Hanwright, was among those on the scene and comforted him to the end. Here is a link to a news report about the unfortunate accident: Accident Link
Apparently, several other people have gotten killed or injured on this stretch of curved highway. This part of the road really needs a guardrail. And of course, Rugby still needs its state-approved Bypass, which could also help solve part of the problem by keeping most through traffic away.
WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS PLANT HARROW ROAD HERB GARDEN
By Benita Howell
Bob Washburn's gardening workshops have become an annual tradition in Rugby. Bob is a great entertainer and always brings a wonderful assortment of healthy plants from Wolf River Valley Growers in Pall Mall for us to buy. Usually the participants prepare planters to take home, but the main event this year was planting a new bed at Harrow Road Cafe with an assortment of culinary herbs. While the gardeners enjoyed a delicious luncheon afterwards, we had the pleasure of watching others stop to admire the bed and check out the plant labels on their way into the Cafe.
Thanks to Robin Sexton for the hard work of preparing the bed for planting, and to Bob Washburn and out-of-town workshop participants for giving Rugbeians one more thing to enjoy every day.
Workshop participants mulching the just-planted herb garden. Bob Washburn, with plants for sale arrayed behind him. Photos by Benita Howell
WORK ON JOE’S CABIN CONTINUES
By Jim McBrayer
Photo of Joe's clothes - by George Zepp. Due to technical difficulties before and after photos showing the work cleaning up Joe's Cabin could not be made available this week.
PLAY TICKETS SELLING BRISKLY
Jessie Gully, who plays Louisa, a woman with an attitude, in “Emmy and Granny,” tries on a period hat. Photo by Rick Murphy
RUGBY SHOOTING RETROSPECTIVE
"As the penalty for shooting on or near public roads does not seem to be known to some persons in Rugby, we quote from the Code of Tennessee two of the Statutes bearing on the subject, which ought to be strictly enforced:
" 'Any person shooting at a mark or other object for amusement within the bounds of any town, or within two hundred yards of any public road of the first or second class, or about the barn or stock-yards of another, shall forfeit ten dollars for each offense, to any person suing therefor.
" 'It is the duty of all justices of the peace, sheriffs, coroners and constables to give immediate information of any such offense committed within their knowledge, and see that the provisions of this chapter are enforced; in which case one half the forfeiture will go to the County." -- RUGBY GAZETTE, Aug. 22, 1885, "Notes and Comments" section
ART SPONSORS NEEDED
By Mara Trumbo
Art Expressions Studio will be hosting a noted PBS TV artist Darrel Crow for three days of workshops in October. In order to help Mara create more awareness of art amongst the younger generation, Darrell has consented to stay another two days to teach older school children. His class prices will be lowered from $75 to $25 to cover all materials used and a free lunch during the full-day workshop. If you have a child you know who may enjoy art, or wish to sponsor one from nearby schools, please contact Mara at (423) 628-6591 for the purchase of gift certificates.
BIRTHDAYS
May 23 - Tyler Myers and Louise Brewster
May 27 - Don Barkman and Irving Martin
May 31 - Vi Biehl
CALENDAR
June 5 – Community Potluck 7:00 p.m.
June 12 - History Club Field Trip to Barthell Mining Camp. Saturday morning. We'll be back in plenty of time to go to the concert that night. Let Linda Konig know if you plan to go at 628-5243 so she can determine if the group is eligible for the group rate of $2 off. Some may be eligible for the senior rate of $1 off. The regular price is $12 per person. We'll be carpooling there. The camp is a restored mining town that includes several buildings in a scenic setting. There is a doctor's office, barber shop, museum, etc. Mining is an important part of the history of our area. You can even go into the entrance of one of the mines. There is a down home cafe there that Linda has tried, and the food (hamburgers, barbecue, beans and cornbread, etc.) is good, so let her know if you're interested in eating lunch there.
June 12 – Rugby Summer Concert, Junction South with performers Gerald Hanwright, Trevor Adcock and Nay-Bob Adcock, with special guest Frank Hanwright. Location In front of the Visitor Centre 7:45 p.m. Bring lawn chairs. No alcohol beverages. In case of bad weather concert will move indoors to the Community Building.
June 12 - Rugby Book Club selection will be “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte. 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 - Annual Historic Rugby Membership Meeting 1:30 p.m.
July 3 - 12th Annual July Picnic at John and Kathy Hicks’ place (Lizzie's Place). 6 p.m.-9 p.m. 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 – or rugbylegacy@highland.net
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.
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 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Instructor: Fuzzy Orange. Fee: $30. Finally a use for that infernal kudzu! Learn to weave the kudzu vine into a basket to enjoy for years to come.
By Linda Konig
A group of us, Eric Wilson, Vi Biehl, Boyd and Barbara Mitchell, Margaret Erickson and I, drove to a wildflower-lined road north of Gainesboro on Saturday. We had a great time finding wildflowers, both familiar and unfamiliar. Though there weren't as many flowers in terms of sheer numbers as there were in April, there was still quite a variety. I learned three "new" ones - Downy Wood Mint, Tennessee Leafcup, and Smooth Beardtongue.
The biggest Solomon's Seals we'd ever seen were there. Wild Petunias, Wild Hydrangeas, Pale Leather Vase vine, Rose Vervain, Spiderwort, Columbine, Indian Pinks were some of the others. I will only divulge the location if you promise not to go and dig up stuff. This place is so wonderful largely because it's never been plowed, grazed, mowed, sprayed, dug up, trampled or otherwise molested by humans. Try to imagine an unspoiled world. One side of the road is a hillside with rocky bluffs. The other side falls down to the Cumberland River in most places.
We found one flower we couldn't identify precisely, but we could tell it had to be a kind of Cranesbill, which is in the Geranium family. It had bright pink tiny flowers. The Cranesbills make interesting seeds that have a long "beak" pointing upward, hence, the name Cranesbill. Vi took a photo which is being sent to Jack Carman who can probably identify it more specifically. I saw this tiny beauty a couple of years ago down on old Brewster Bridge and wondered what it was. Evidently it thrives on limestone.
Most of our group was unfamiliar with Widow's Cross, and there was quite a bit of it there growing out of the limestone bluffs. A member of the Sedum family, pink-topped Widow's Cross loves lime and so it's uncommon on the Plateau. You can see it here, however, if you go down to Brewster Bridge. It's blooming right now on the bridge itself, drawing lime-y nourishment from the slowly disintegrating concrete of the bridge.
This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp
