By Peter Erickson
Our son Ryan and daughter Margaret have recently returned to Rugby after spending nearly two months in Central Asia (Margaret in Siberia, Ryan in Tajikistan). They will hold a slide show on their adventures at the Friendly House at 7:30 p.m., Monday, August 2. Everyone is welcome.
SCHOOL DAY MEMORY’S TEA WEDNESDAY
By Linda Brooks Jones
Please come join us at Grey Gables Bed ’n Breakfast Inn on Wednesday, August 4, for a School Day Memory’s Tea from 1 to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The menu includes Gazpacho, Roasted Turkey Salad with Raspberry Pecan Vinaigrette, Fruit Crepe with Orange Syrup, Scones, Assorted Teas, and Beverage Selection. $10 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Call Linda Brooks Jones for reservations: 423.628.5252.
MARK TWAIN COMING TO RUGBY
Actor Ron Jewell greets a fan after his 2006 performance in Rugby as Mark Twain. He returns for "Mark Twain At Large" on Aug. 21. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Twain/Samuel Clemens' death.
LONG YARD SALE BEGINS THURSDAY NEAR RUGBY
Lots of shopping opportunities will be around this week near Rugby. The annual "World's Longest Yard Sale" is just a few miles away on U.S. 127 near Jamestown. It begins Thursday, August 5, and ends on Sunday, August 8.
This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the sale, now stretching 675 miles from Hudson, Michigan, all the way down to Gadsden, Alabama!
More than three hundred attractions along the route are billed to provide enjoyment for the family. Whether it is majestic hills, beautiful scenery, river boats, railroads, toe-tapping music, arts, crafts, horses, fishing, hiking, bits of Civil War or Indian History, there are many opportunities to enjoy the beauty and culture of the land along the 127 Sale route.
The Fentress County Chamber of Commerce in Jamestown, Tennessee, has served as headquarters for the 127 Corridor Sale since 1995. Fentress County can also claim the origin of the event. Mike Walker, the county executive in 1987, came up with the idea of the sale, worked hard to make it happen, and planned for it to be an annual event.
Whatever the mode of travel chosen, please do expect plenty of traffic. The pace may slow to that of a snarled rush hour. It may be bumper to bumper with everyone stretching their necks to see what is on a seller's table or in a front lawn. Expect sudden stops to occur without warning, and drive carefully and defensively.
A good break from the traffic on the shopping route is to detour over to Rugby for a few hours. Come have a meal at the Harrow Road Café, take a tour of the historic buildings and shop at the local stores.
For more information on the annual Hwy. 127 Corridor Sale, visit its website at http://www.127sale.com/ .
BEAR SIGHTING IN BEACON HILL
By Charles Gibbs
Sunday morning at 4 a.m. I was awakened by a big black bear in my garbage can. Fortunately, I scared him off (he left slowly and reluctantly as I yelled at him) without getting any food. Also, I was fortunate that he had not disturbed my three bee hives behind the house. The electric fence may have helped. I have moved my garbage can into the basement of the shop.
I mention this incident to keep our neighbors aware of the presence of bears in Beacon Hill.
BIRD AND BUTTERFLY GARDEN OF THE WEEK
Hadley and Marilyn Hury stand in their garden. Photo by George Zepp.
BIRTHDAY
Aug. 3 - Scott Britt
CALENDAR
August 2 - Central Asia Slide Show - 7:30 p.m. - Friendly House
August 4 - School Day Memory’s Tea from 1 to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Grey Gables Bed ’n Breakfast Inn. $10 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Call Linda Brooks Jones for reservations: 423.628.5252.
August 7 – Farmers Market 9:00 a.m. Eastern to about noon, Ivy Cottage lawn
August 7 – Community Potluck 7:00 p.m. Eastern
August 13 – Wine in Rugby, a special History Night presentation telling the little-known story of viticulture and wine-making here in Rugby’s early days, 1881-1892. 7 p.m. Eastern, Friendly House behind Christ Church. Free.
August 14 – Book Club 7 p.m. Eastern at Kathy Hicks’ home. The reading selection is “The Good Earth” by Pearl Buck
August 21 – Mark Twain Visits Rugby - 7:45 p.m. Eastern. A one-man theatrical presentation, “Mark Twain At Large,” at the Rebecca Johnson Theatre. Adults $18 – Seniors $16 – K-12 Students $12. Call 1-888-214-3400 to reserve seats. Dinner at the Harrow Road Café is being served from 5 - 8 p.m.
August 27 – Dedication of the Rugby State Natural Area and its first public trail - the Massengale Homeplace Loop. 11 a.m. Eastern at the trailhead near the Rugby Workshop, behind the Community Building
September 4 - Rugby Village Pilgrimage - Historic Building Tour... Visit private historic and new homes, museum buildings, and historic lodgings
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 email rugbylegacy@highland.net
August 14 - Lessons with the Mountain Dulcimer. Come enjoy a day of lessons for playing this beloved Appalachian instrument with one of the instrument’s most enthusiastic teachers and musicians. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Eastern. Instructor: June Goforth. Fee: $35.
August 28 - Introduction to Kaleidoscope. This class explores the world of kaleidoscopes. Each student will learn mirror configurations as well as construction of object boxes. The final product is a completed kaleidoscope to be shared and enjoyed by friends and family. 10 a.m. Eastern. Instructor: Sara Senft. Fee: $65.
By Linda Konig
I've been seeing more blue-tailed skinks lately. This is the time of year when the "brand-new" blue-tailed youngsters are out and about. Actually, their tails are only that eye-catching electric blue when they're young. As they grow older, the color will dull to brownish, but the male's head will have some orangey coloration during their spring mating season. Their common name is Five-Lined Skinks (Eumeces fasciatus), and they're a type of lizard often seen in our area. Although they're spread all over the Eastern U.S., I never saw them in the city. They prefer damp, woodsy, rocky places.
One of the things they're famous for is being able to lose their tail and grow it back. (Another is that domesticated cats will sicken and sometimes die after eating these skinks, and they seem to love the taste of rare skink steaks.) These little lizards are extremely lively and quick, and their tails break off easily. This is quite handy when a predator grabs the tail, which they're prone to do since the tail is naturally the last thing to disappear under a rock or log. What is particularly fascinating is that the tail will twitch after it's broken off which keeps the predator preoccupied while the skink makes its escape. Although the tail will grow back, it isn't as long or as colorful as before.
In reading about Five-Lined Skinks, I've been struck by the maternal care that the mother skink gives her clutch of 15 to 18 eggs. She broods them, turning them daily, and sees that they're kept moist, even urinating on them if they are in danger of getting too dry. If an egg falls out of the nest, she will roll it back with her head. Several female skinks often nest very close together and share egg-sitting duties. That way, one female can go forage for food while another one watches over her eggs. After 24 to 55 days, the eggs hatch. When the hatchlings leave the nest in a day or so, mother’s maternal duties are over. She's done her job. Her babies have a life expectancy of about 6 years – barring cats, raccoons, foxes, and other predators.
You can see an amazing photo series of Five-Lined Blue-Tailed Skinks hatching on www.pbase.com/lejun/birth_of_a_lizard
This Week’s Editors: Rick Murphy and George Zepp
