ABILENE, TEXAS—March 14, 2016


Texan Wind Farm

        The Wednesday gathering at the Historic Emporium on the North Side of the Square in scenic downtown Champion was mild and jovial.  It was well attended but not rowdy, not overly stimulated.  Issues of red or blue were bandied about, but by and large, it was convivial, though as often happens when old people are together, conversations decay into issues of health.  Still, light hearted banter and stories of the distant past floated through the air with the enticing hint of something interesting in the works for the next assembly.  The General had made an internet posting showing the oldest building in Arkansas–the Rice-Upshaw house.  Local Upshaws are not direct descendants of the Arkansawyers but they are connected to that bunch through their fourth Great Grandad, Leroy Upshaw.  History is exciting.

        It was hard to leave home with the daffodils in glorious bloom and lilacs, elderberries, forsythia, flowering quince all starting to bud out.  Spring will happen quickly.  Going southwest through Oklahoma to West Texas was like driving into spring with dogwoods and redbuds already showing themselves in southern Oklahoma and bluebonnets beginning to make their beautiful presence known over the resting place of ancestors–mother, grandparents, great grandmother and many others.  The huge cedars surrounding the old cemetery rocked in the gentle wind and thousands of wind turbines whirled atop the mesas on the horizon.  West Texas has its own beauty, not at all like Champion, but beautiful for its rolling landscape and big, big skies.

        News from home is that the Skyline VFD Chili Supper was a most pleasant evening.  The food was wonderful, the pies were delicious, the music was delightful and the generosity of the bands is a gift that is much valued.  A good time was had by all.  Attendance was smaller than in previous years as there were a number of other functions going on in the area that night.  Nevertheless, some much needed funds were raised for the fire department that serves the community so well.  Auxiliary volunteers put in a lot of hard work to make it happen.  Among the many volunteers was Steve Moody, who always does a fine job as master of ceremonies.  Karen Griswold greeted people at the door.  Auxiliary President, Betty Dye, sold tickets for the Dobro.  Sami McCleary organized a great silent auction, as always.  Teresa Wrinkles used Esther’s receipt for her wonderful coconut cream pie that was auctioned off for a pretty penny.  Betty Elliot made a mean (marvelous) pot of chili with the help of Lisa Shephard, Sharon Sikes, and Fae Krider.  Diane and Xue Lynn Von Altendorf managed the desert table and Farrell Sikes was a Jim Dandy dishwasher.  He also made the phone call to the man, often referred to in The Champion News as “an Old Champion,” to inform him that he had won the amazing dobro that the lovely ladies of Downtown Pawn had so generously donated for the event.  (Most likely he will let his old Champion wife learn to play it.)  The funds raised at the chili supper will be used for necessary equipment for the fire department.  The community expression of recognition and appreciation of the men who put their own lives on hold at a moment’s notice to go out at any hour to battle the fires and to work the auto accidents and do the health checks that save lives are sentiments well expressed and well earned.  Champions all!

        Willow Townsend is a prekindergarten student at Skyline School with a birthday on March 15th.  That is known as the Ides of March and a number of charming people share the day with Willow.  Among them are Jacob Masters, now 13, and his dear Uncle Sam, 30 years older, and Sam’s friend Ursula, mother of Dominque.  Elizabeth Mastrangelo Brown was 23 in 2013, on the 16th of March.  That is also Skyline’s Ms. Helen’s birthday.  Myla Sarginson is a fourth grader celebrating on the 18th.  Happy birthday to all of you!  Have a Champion day!

        The primary election will have come and gone before this is in ink.  Hopes are that Missouri will have broken all records for voter turnout.  Historically, the nation over, only a small percentage of the eligible voters actually participate in their democracy.  So by not engaging, a person relinquishes his franchise to zealots with agendas.  Establish your own agenda with zeal down on the wide, wild, wooly banks of Auld Fox Creek.  Share your love of music and poetry there on the spacious veranda overlooking the Behemoth Bee Tree or with readers at champion@championnews.us.  Jimmy Rogers sang, “I had a home out in Texas, out where the bluebonnets grew.  I had the kindest old Mother.  How happy we were just we two.”  But now Mother is gone and home is in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!


Texan Bluebonnets
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