Champion News

In olden days in Ireland, Halloween marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter.  Now it is celebrated all over the place with jack-o-lanterns and all manner of fun.  Skyline School will have its “Spooktacular Bingo” on November 1st in the gym.  It starts at 5:30 and will feature prizes, treats, and spooky surprises.  Costumes are encouraged. The event is hosted by the Skyline School Sunshine Committee and proceeds will go toward Christmas boxes and student supplies.  Over here in Scotland there will be torch light parades and effigies of winter burning summer—all very exciting.  Over the internet we see more excitement as a favorite Champion neighbor, Miss B.D. Woods, won first place in barrel racing at the Cabool Fun Show.  More pleasant news from there is that the Skyline VFD annual meeting and chili supper was well attended and the chili was good.

The Prominent Champion said he waited and waited for the rain that was supposed to arrive Friday and not much happened.  The little bit of drizzle on Saturday did not do much for the rain gauges, but Sunday morning had puddles in the road up Cold Springs way and about half an inch in the measuring device.  The General boasted three tenths.  No ships will be sailing down Fox Creek, because there is no water in it.  Over here on Sunday there was a glorious orange sunrise, then fog, drizzle, brilliant sunshine, some sprinkling rain, more sun, lots of wind, then a big gray cloud to obscure the sunset.  They say all four seasons can happen in a single day.  Champions report frost in the low spots, and we all know winter is coming.  Maybe there will be enough rain so that Fred the Firefighting Goat will not be called to duty.

Sunday found J.c. Owsley at the Wesley Church in Springfield.  He was attending the Jazz Band Fundraising Concert to benefit the people of St. Louis in their recovery from the devasting tornado last May.   In Champion the Sometimes Porch Band is reported to have had a short interlude with Carissa on Wednesday. Jeff Bartch played some harmonica with The General, so the tunes are still happening on the Bright Side.  There were fourteen in the circle at the Vanzant Jam with Mike Satterfield on fiddle. Little Willow Rose appeared with her Mom to brighten up the place.  She will have her first birthday around Thanksgiving.  She likes music.  Some Spaniards from Pamplona were enjoying tunes at The Captains Bar in Edinburgh on Friday.  They have the ‘running of the bulls’ over there, but no lively pubs that satisfy their musical needs.

“What a Wonderful World” is a great song recorded in the 1960s by Louis Armstrong is also being sung well by The General himself at the Vanzant Jam.  Some of the lyrics are “The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky are also on the faces of the people passing by.”  On the streets here in Edinburgh one sees people of every imaginable hue from the darkest to the fairest.  And the number of spoken languages is astounding. The Scotts speak English, but if they do not wish for you to understand, though it is English, it is indecipherable.  We hear French and are reminded that France was our first American ally and still a good one.  Had it not been for Ben Franklin, sweet talking in Paris for nine years impressing them with our desire for independence from Britain, our Founding Fathers might have been hanged as traitors.  Franklin’s efforts and France’s distain for Britain after their own war cemented an alliance that proved crucial for the founding of our Nation.  Even though some of us do not like the sound of their language, we have to appreciate the fact that they have always been champions of human rights and individual freedoms.  They are also the first to have imprisoned an ex-president for corruption and financial malfeasance.  Sarkozy will spend five years in jail.  Even far away on distant shores there are Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!

Bud Hutchison’s Memorial Trail Ride went off without a hitch!  No bad dogs, no rough creek crossings, only a mellow ramble through the beautiful countryside.  They bypassed their usual Shannon Ranch visit out of consideration for those little ground wasp yellow jackets that are likely plentiful and vigorous in weather conditions such as these. Stories about them are rampant among equestrians.  They can turn a trail ride into a rodeo.  At the end of the trail, they repaired to ice cream and pleasant palaver out on the wide veranda.  Joann Laurence had joined the regulars with her guitar for a few tunes then came Carissa Rene and Cheryl Hatch of Heroes’ Rest who added their lovely voices to some gospel tunes.  About that time too came Kaitlyn McConnell and Mike O’Brian with a pie and their usual curiosity and enthusiasm for the Bright Side.  As the day progressed Kaitlyn and Mike made their way to Mansfield to Wilder Day activities where Kaitlyn has some special history.

In years past a dozen and more riders have made trail ride, sharing their stories of Bud and adventures along the trail.  Cavin Chambers and some of his buddies had just returned from an epic trail ride up in Utah, Colorado and Kansas.  They may have been saddle-sore which kept them from showing up this time.  Karen Brown has been on a number of rides recently and enjoyed this one.  She was seen with a shovel cleaning up after her mount.  Loran Cockrum came over from West Plains for the fun of it.  He had stories to tell and good reasons to get home.  Andrew Harden was riding one of Bud’s horses.  Lots of exciting things are going on in his life. He endured some significant teasing from The General who likes to keep things jovial. 

Earlier in the day Johnny Burkdoll spent some time around the cold wood stove.  He was haggling with the Prominent Champion over some twelve-foot one by sixes.  He is making a good recovery over some health problems and enjoys being in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

In 1697, the English poet and playwright William Congreve said, “Musick has charms to soothe the savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.”  We do not know about rocks and oaks, but we know that music is a good calming force for us. The Prominent Champion reported that Johnny Cox from up around Kansas City joined The General, and Cheryl Hatch and Carissa Rene from the Hero’s Rest out on the wide veranda Wednesday.  He commented on Carissa’s beautiful voice, which it is.  The General reported that she and Cheryl were at Vanzant Thursday in the musical circle of fifteen, where Cheryl surprised and delighted the room with a beautiful rendition of “Ashokan Farewell” on her violin.  We did not know she was a fiddler!  The jam has been much in need of one, so maybe she will become a regular.  Meanwhile, over here in Edinburgh, Scotland, Paul (someone) on cello and Eddie Hanson on fiddle did that beautiful old tune in a crowded and usually very noisy pub on Friday and brought the room to a sublime stillness.

Music is so good for us that we will sing “Happy Birthday!” to Champion Leslee Krider and Skyline fourth grader Tinsleigh Miller on October 14th, to Joe Moskaly on October 15th, to Darlene Connor and Champion grandson Carson Cline on the 18th.  Your Champion correspondent will celebrate on the other side of the Atlantic on the 21st and will remember Champion Anna Henson that day.  October 22nd is for Donna Moskaly and Skyline second grader London Coon.  The 23rd is for Champion granddaughter Esther Grace Oglesby and her Aunt Breauna Krider has the 24th for her big day.  We remember the great singer songwriter, Roger Miller (1936-1992) on October 25th.  He wrote great tunes like “You Can’t Roller-skate in a Buffalo Herd” and “Dang Me.”  That is also the birthday of Skyline fifth grader Grant Strong and first grader Olyvia Wagner who moved to Champion this summer.  The 26th is for Brad Oglesby, Esther Grace’s dad, and Champion Shala Clark and the day we remember Champion Harley Krider. Harley had a wonderful singing voice.  Skyline fifth grader Kayleigha Crownover and kindergarten student John Sudderth share the 28th for their birthdays along with Nicholas Georges.  Connie Lansdown will party on the 30th and on that day we will remember Champion Royce Henson.  May the music uplift your spirits.  Tom Peters has been sharing good music online and good stories about music.  He also reports that Kaitlyn McConnell’s new book “The Ozarks Pie Project Diary” includes McClurg.  It includes Champion too and it is said that pie, just like music, brings people together.

The General reported that the Owsley family reunion was another enjoyable event.  He said there were twenty-four in attendance this year, down from the usual fifty or so of recent years.  His nieces from Idaho and Florida did not make it this time and a nephew who lives in Ava just waved as he drove by.  Cathie Alsup Reilly and her daughter Linda came over from Kentucky and said they had a great time. Johnnie and Lori Kline Cox made it down from around Kansas City for the gathering and then over to Champion for the fun of it.

Riding in taxis and buses over the ancient cobblestones here in Auld Reekie feels just like bouncing along our beautiful country lanes in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

CHAMPION—October 6, 2025.
            “In your heart you know he’s right.” The Prominent Champion remembered Barry Goldwater’s slogan during the Wednesday chat around the cold wood stove. There was something too about Fritz Mondale, “Fritz and grits give me…something.” The General lamented having lost his “I Like Ike” button. At Sen. Hubert Humphrey’s funeral, President Jimmy Carter quoted Mahatma Gandi as he listed the seven deadly sins. “Wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice and politics without principle.” Seneca, the Roman Stoic philosopher who passed away in 65AD said, “Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk.” Politics seem to play second fiddle to sports these days. The Kansas City Chiefs have won a game, and the NFL season is well underway. The major league baseball playoffs are happening to determine who will be in the Worlds Series. Basketball, soccer and rugby can keep our attention diverted nicely, though as citizens it behooves us to be informed—awakened to what is going on in the country.
           Before long, the musicians retired to the wide veranda about the time Fox Creek farmers showed up talking about planting rye, turnips, and radishes with GPS operated tractors. Then came Lorrie with an adorable puppy she had rescued from a dumpster in Mt. Grove. She is looking for a home for the little girl dog, thought to be six or seven weeks old, tiny, maybe some Chiwawa mixed with a Beagle, a friendly little critter. Joanne Metroplos, visiting from Seattle, sat a spell on the porch. It is nice to see friends with Champion connections touching base from time to time.
            Bob and Mary left the Vanzant Jam early on Thursday, headed to Tulsa on a lark, where Bob won another ‘best of show’ prize with the 1963 Lark at the 50th Annual Zone Meet by the OK Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club. It was a joy at the jam to see little Willow Rose who will have her first birthday on November 28. She likes music. Her papa is a fiddler. The jam needs more fiddlers. Banjo picker Carol Green, also at the jam, will celebrate her birthday on October 6th. Betty Dye and Vickie Trippie will enjoy the Full Hunter’s Supermoon on their birthdays, October 7th. Teresa Tost and Skyline first grader Preslee Trujillo share the 8th for their big day. Champion granddaughter Madelyn Ward has October 10th to party and Steve Conner shares his birthday with kindergartner Chloe Porcello on the 11th. October 12th is for Janet Chapin, and we remember our friend Cathy Baldwin on her birthday October 13th. She and Chuck were swept away in the election day flood last year.
            We figure that the absence of something bad is the same thing as something good. Often enough we hear what is wrong, aggravating, and what needs fixing. We always have the chance to say right out loud when things are good, when someone smiled, when the sunrise was glorious, when the road was not so rough and rocky. It is still rough and rocky, Johnny and Bobby, but it is much, much better, and we appreciate the work that goes into maintaining these beautiful country lanes. Jane Goodall said, “Live in joy, even though you know the facts.” Someone else said, “I cannot do all the good the world needs. But the world needs all the good I can do.”
            The Skyline R-2 PTO hosted a splendid potluck dinner during the Fall Carnival on Friday. And what a carnival! The bounce house and all the interesting, innovative games, including “Pick Fred’s Nose,” made for a lot of fun for the kids. Grownups had a chance to enjoy other people’s cooking and to visit during the festivities. Community support for our great little school was on full display.
            Another chance to support community comes up on Saturday, the 11th, at the Skyline School. Two of the Fimon children, Landon and Dusty, suffered serious burns in a recent accident. A benefit for the Fimon Family starts at 4:00 with dinner, an auction at 5:00 and then live music by Cheyenne McIntosh and the New Grass Attack. Chris Degase will be the auctioneer, taking bids on the many donations of everything from dog food to a five-day four-night cruise. The chance to be of help when help is needed is one for Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!