A visiting young man helped an old guy cut down a poplar tree that was threatening the house. The old woman wanted a tall stump upon which she planned to sit a flowerpot. It was done. Rocks and flowerpots have topped the stump over the years. Its bark has finally fallen leaving a smooth surface for a dainty female downy woodpecker to peck away. Eventually she has pecked a nice round hole. A tiny chickadee has claimed it for her own and spent the day cleaning house. Trip after trip with a few wood chips she flits up to the red bud tree and lets them fly. People without a dog find entertainment. Also, back to the visiting young man and the old guy. Sometimes old folks feel bad about having to ask for help. They need to remember being a young person who had the privilege of helping someone they venerated and how good it made them feel. Ask for it if you need it. Help if you can. Check in with your favorite old folks.

Retired nurse and crochet artist extraordinaire, Kay Dennis, has just had a birthday. Flaco Jimenez, accordionist with the Texas Tornados, celebrates his 85th birthday on the 11th. On the 23rd, The General’s fair daughter, Elva Upshaw, will share her birthday with a couple of Dons—Don Bishop and Don Powell. Champion’s good neighbor Judie Pennington will celebrate that day with some of her hometown friends. We remember Champion Troy Powell who was born March 26, 1926, and passed away on his birthday in 2001. He loved gospel music and had a wonderful smile. The 27th is for Jocelyn Downs, Skyline R2 School’s language arts and social studies teacher, and for second grader Aliyiea Trujillo. Eighth grader Braxton Mayberry has the 29th for his big day. Fifth grader Tucker Johnson shares his birthday on the 30th with his fifth grade teacher Mrs. Melissa Willhite. Your Champion friends hope all your days are happy ones.

Skyline’s spring break starts on Saturday the 16th and will go all the way through Sunday the 24th. School resumes on the 25th, meanwhile all those students and staff can enjoy some good gardening days. Seed catalogues and warm days have made it exciting. The almanac says the 24th thru the 26th will be fine for sowing grains, hay, and forage crops. It says to plant flowers. The last two days will be good for root crops, but some folks will wait until the 27th or 28th to get their potatoes and beets in the ground. Weather conditions will have something to do with what they are actually able to get done. A hard freeze next week may but the kibosh on their plans. May 10th is considered the last day for a freeze in this area. The lilacs are leafing out. Maybe there will be some beautiful blooms. Some old Champions have wider walkways in their garden and smaller beds for growing things, but they persist. Farmer’s markets will soon be up and running. There will be one at Skyline starting on the 13th of April!

A charming gentleman from Cabool joined the circle at the Vanzant Jam on Thursday. He said he is rusty, that he has not been to a jam in ten years. He borrowed a bass guitar from David Richardson and shared a couple of songs. He did not sound very rusty. Art says he is more country music than bluegrass, but he enjoyed his evening and thinks he will come back again. His new friends hope so. They enjoyed a good conversation about the health benefits of music, listening to it and making it. We associate certain songs with certain people. How often does a song remind you of someone you love or someone you love remind you of a song? It happens often in Champion. Looking on the Bright Side!

Facebook