Champion News

Plenty of space to isolate.

Those of us lucky enough to have plenty of space in which to isolate ourselves think about our city-dwelling friends and family and hope they can find a comfortable way to stay apart from one another.  We can still have lunch together, but in different places.  Telephones and the internet are real blessings.  Imagine what it was like 100 years ago when a similar thing happened to the whole world.  Of course there are many more people now.  During the 20th century world population grew from 1.65 billion to 6 billion.  In 1970, there were roughly half as many people in the world as there are now.  Look at https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ for an eyeful of up to the minute information that will surprise and amaze you.  Up until this current pandemic it was estimated the 150 people die worldwide every minute.  Who knows how this virus will affect the numbers?  Champions just focus on the here and now, being grateful for the ones we love in the world with us now.  Call them up and say, “Hidy! High’s ya mamanem?” (i.e. Howdy, How is your mama and them?)  Jerry Wagner sings, “I Wonder How the Old Folks Are at Home.”

Champion Hummer

We called Bob and Ethel Leach the other day.  They are doing fine.  Ethel misses restaurants.  Perhaps she is acquainted with Alice’s Restaurant.  A phone visit with Kenneth and Barbara Anderson lets us know that they are safe and doing well.  So is Corrine Rodgers, who is happy about spring, but like Kenneth and Barbara, she misses the Vanzant Jam. Bertie misses the jam too.  She is still making pies down in Dora and thinking that these might be some good days for learning new songs.  Wyoming snowbird, Marge Carter, hopes they will get back home at the end of April, but says she does not know what will happen.  None of us do, but there are baby bluebirds that have hatched in one of her boxes and her kitchen is full of good smells as Doug has to have his cookies.  She says Tammy is okay out there on the west coast and looks forward to getting back this way someday.  Marge will have to get her hummingbird feeder out soon.  A look back at The Champion News from a year ago reveals that the first hummingbird appeared on April 6th so those hummingbird feeders are coming out of the pantry and sugar stores are being assessed.  Those little birds lift spirits.

The 7th is auspicious because of the full moon.  It is called the Pink Moon and it is the closest super moon of the year.  How often has it happened that a big super full moon occurred on your birthday?  That is what has happened for Beverly Coffman Emery!  It is such a special occurrence that she had people calling her the day before to sing that song just to get her excited and happy about accumulating another candle on her cake.  Butch Linder had a birthday the other day, April 3rd.  A number of years ago, at a Skyline Area Volunteer Fire Department Chili Supper, he said, “I’m surprised ain’t nobody shot you yet.”  He was responding to what he perceived as a liberal leaning of The Champion News at that time.  He turns out to be a descent sort of a fellow, does a lot of good work for the Veterans and has children and even in-laws who like him.  These days he will till your garden.  Give him a call at 948-2744 or 543-9154. His motto:  Butch Linder–Garden Tiller.

We miss Bud Hutchison on his birthday, the 8th.  He was as nice a fellow as you would ever want to meet.  His trail riding buddies still tell stories about him.  Bud probably enjoyed hearing The Strawberry Roan.

Meanwhile, The General sent a thank-you note to Darcy Upshaw Cecil, a cousin, thanking her for the “Brief” case that she gave him last summer.  He had put it to good use, dumping the contents and using it as a face mask.  He said people at the grocery store had given him some disgusting looks, but the social distancing rule of six feet increased to 25 plus feet.  It is to be noted that this “Brief” case was made from a pair of sparkling white jockey shorts. Cute.  He declined to be photographed in his mask, lest he lose the patent rights or get arrested by the Facebook police.  He did report that last week’s earthquake up in Idaho had shaken Wesley Hancock, another cousin, slightly in his recliner.  Nothing fell from shelves so there is another piece of good luck.

Champion Tulips

One of the interesting things that has been repeated on Facebook lately has been a note, “Today the devil whispered in my ear, ‘You aren’t strong enough to withstand the storm.’  I whispered, ‘Get back six feet, you idiot!'”  Another answer was, “Well, at least I wasn’t whipped in a fiddle contest by some hillbilly from Georgia!”  That, of course, is a reference to the recently departed Charlie Daniels.  Some say that Johnny fiddled faster while the devil was more melodic.  Listen to it for yourself.  See where it leads you and get back with us at champion@championnews.us with your assessment.

What a joy is a hand written letter!  One recently came to The Champion News from Micah Foulke up in Portland, Oregon.  The letter was written in a small neat hand, saying some kind and lovely things including how much Micah and family enjoy reading about Champion online and how happy they are to see their names pop up.  Spread some joy around with letters to people who will appreciate them and in the process thank our intrepid letter carriers who keep us in the loop.

Butch Stone has three hens that provide him and Dawn with all the eggs they need.  He said that at one time he was aware that his chickens were suddenly laying significantly more than usual.  About that time he found his lost hatchet in the hen house.  The Skyline R2 School’s food service is offering a grab-and-go meal program on Tuesdays free to any child eighteen years or younger.  The drive-up service is open from 10:00-12:00.  For more information call Skyline at 417-683-4874.  On Tuesday, the 7th of April, they served 86 people, giving out 10 meals each.  That is 860 meals supporting the community in a substantial way.  Hopes are the community will respond in kind at the polls on June 2, 2020.  Perhaps these times will help the students, their parents, the school staff and the community at large to Accentuate the Positive.  That is what we try to do here in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side.

Connie Lansdown says, “God left a Light on at the Farmhouse.”