Champions ushered out the old year with a rather ragged rendition of the Happy Birthday song to The General.  Chuck and Karen Peterson from over by Mountain View made their first trip to the Bright Side and neglected to tell us that Karen’s birthday was to be on January 3rd, otherwise the song may have had more gusto. There was gusto aplenty though with Skyline neighbors joining in on banjo and violin.  Mena is getting good encouragement in her aim to transition from violin to fiddle.  Dairy farmers from up on the High Road and ranch hands from the Fox Creek Beef operation joined the usual bunch of Wednesday loiters enjoying the music and the chatter.   Champion Elizabeth Johnston Lawrence has a birthday on January 9th.   Bob Liebert down on Teeter Creek celebrates on the 11th.  That day we also remember Champion Wilburn Hutchison.  The 12th is for charming Jamie over in Ava doing good work at Jean’s Healthway and for master gardener and herbalist Edie Richardson out Norwood way at L and E Organic Farm. Diane Wilbanks down on Bryant Creek will party on the 13th.  That is the day we remember Norris Woods who played banjo and sang “Hot corn, cold corn bring along a demijohn.”    Skyline School’s PE teacher Shane Gray and school secretary Jamie Woods also celebrate on the 13th.   Happy Birthday to all of you.  Your Champion friends wish you and the rest of us the best for the new year.  The big Wolf Supermoon peaked Saturday—a beautiful way to start.

Out with the old and in with the new!  “Lang may yer lum reek!” Is a traditional Scottish Hogmanay greeting. “May you never be without fuel for your fire.” It translates “Long may your chimney smoke!”  Black eyed peas on the New Year’s table says you will eat at least that well all year.  They go well with ham hocks and collard greens or make a nice Texas caviar.  The New Year’s Possum Drop was erroneously attributed to half a dozen Denlow guys about a hundred years ago by one of their descendants given to hyperbole.  Extensive research reveals the practice to have started in 1990 with the drop of a ceramic possum from the roof of the Clay’s Corner convenience store somewhere in rural North Carolina.  Little country stores seem to be where good and interesting things happen.  Look at McClurg.  While no longer a mercantile, the old store is still in the business of Monday Music, thanks to Tom Peters.  He shares Saturday’s Oldfield Opera online as well as Monday’s magic. This week it was “The Prisoner’s Lament,” “The Last Train Home” and “Goldrush” as well as others.  Hopes are that Mena Dutton can connect with some of those fine young fiddlers over there and with David Scrivner, the fiddle teacher who learned from Bob Holt.  Roy’s Store in Dora is another excellent example of music and goodness.  Enjoy Bertie’s pies which are legendary and enjoy her great songs like “Lady Muleskinner” and “Arkansas.”  We thank Gina Hollingshad for her music with the Whetstone Band and for the effort it takes to organize the Tuesday Jam there in Dora.  Then there is Wednesday in Champion, Thursday in Vanzant under the leadership of The General himself, and Friday at Red’s Slice and Scoop in Norwood where Herbie Johnston might show up to illustrate extraordinary fiddling for Mena.  Music is good for community.  Community is where we feel connected, protected, and respected the way it is in Champion —Looking on the Bright Side!

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