Champion News

Frankie and Jonnie frolic on the farm.

There is no shortage of Gratitude in Champion.  Gatherings of old friends over the holiday give everyone the chance to catch up with each other, with the joys and sorrows of the past year and the plans for the year ahead.  They revel in the successes and attractiveness of each other’s grandchildren.  They commiserate over health issues and the swift passage of time.  They shake their heads in disbelief at the sorry state of affairs they find themselves in as a society.  86 45.  They discuss remedies and find reasons to laugh and reasons to be optimistic.  Champions are indeed Thankful and are acutely aware of their good fortune in contrast to many of their neighbors and much of the rest of the world.

December slipped up on us.  The year has gone by quickly.  Three years have gone by quickly and already Luxe Krider celebrates her third birthday on December 2nd.  Her grandfather, for whom Lonnie Krider Memorial Drive in historic downtown Champion was named, is remembered on his birthday on December 4th.  The 5th belongs to Angela B. who is now at level 36 in the Farmville game on-line.  That is also the birthday of Michael Hall, a first grade student at Skyline R2 School.  His birthday is on the 5th of December.  Champion friends say, “Happy birthday Luxe, Angela and Michael—many happy returns of the day!”

The holiday or the arduousness of the task, or unexpected complications, or any number of things may have interfered with the completion of the bridge over Fox Creek just to the east of the Square.  It may just be that expectations were unrealistic, but significant progress has been made and those nice Douglas County men will, most likely, have it done in the week ahead or sometime soon.  Champions are a calm, patient people who know good things often take time.

Wednesday found a trio of Upshaw brothers enjoying the pleasant gathering at the Historic Emporium.  Several interesting things were discussed including the virtues of the Sound Choice Karaoke equipment, particularly the hard drive version.  They talked about the good old days when their folks owned the movie theater in Mountain Grove and what it was like being teenagers back then.  They remembered a lot of the movies from the time like “Planet of the Apes” and “Cabaret.”  Cowboy movies are a favorite of a number of the Wednesday regulars and one that was brought up in conversation was the 1942 film called “Arizona Trail.”  It featured Tex Ritter as the hero, Johnny Trent.  Trent’s friend, Kansas, was played by Fuzzy Knight.  There were some minor musical numbers and moments of humor that carried throughout the film in the easy going tone of the westerns of the 1930s.  The story had Trent and Kansas returning to Trent’s father’s ranch in Arizona.  His father was having trouble over water rights and someone trying to take his ranch away from him.  There was some animosity between father and son as they dealt with the mystery of who was pulling the strings of the gang trying to force old man Trent off his land.  One of the songs from the movie was “Stay Away From My Heart” by Tex Ritter and Johnny Bond’s Red River Valley Boys.  There may be songs being written now about the real life struggles of land owners over water rights and the threat of pollution from oil pipelines.  There are issues of eminent domain for private gain and broken treaties.  Indigenous peoples all over the western hemisphere are facing difficulties in controlling their tribal lands.  Greed seems to be the culprit.  Wind and solar technology and other sustainable sources of power have a hard fight to gain parity with the petroleum industry.  Like in the movie, it is hard to tell who pulls the strings.  Where there is money to be made, good behavior seems to lose out.  It appears to have always been that way.  Alas.

Jonnie and Frankie

A few drops of rain are forecast for the middle of the week.  Otherwise they say we are looking at warm temperatures and beautiful weather.  Champions will not complain, but will be hyper-vigilant about fire and will take advantage of the continued dry spell to call upon the kindness of dairy farmer neighbors to share the bounty of old composted manure to spread liberally on their gardens.  A couple of enthusiastic young folks visiting from the city for the holiday shared their good energy in some local gardens, cleaning up last year’s bean and squash patches, as well as tidying up flower beds.  They split, hauled and stacked firewood.  They asked for chores, did scullery and as a special gift played music.  They had to head back to the city on Sunday morning.  The old folks were sorry to see them go.  They had a big Catahoula swamp dog traveling with them named Frankie.  She is a sleek, black 60 pound beast with big feet and a bigger appetite.  She joined up with Jonnie, the resident 50 pound hound with boxer ancestry, for a great deal of hilarious dog romping and chasing–Frankie and Jonnie–what a pair.

The holiday season is officially here.  Already behavior is being modified in hopes of getting on Santa’s good list for the year.  Chances are good that friends at the Vanzant Bluegrass Jam on Thursday evening will be able to get Roberta to sing “Christmas Time’s a Coming.”  The official Champion Christmas Post Card is already available at Henson’s Downtown G & G (Grocery and Gas) on the North Side of the Square.  It is a peaceful scene of Champion in the snow taken years ago.  Snow may be a thing of the past.  Who knows?  Come down to the end of the pavement where country roads meet and make your own prognostication about the severity and duration of winter.  Sit around the ancient wood stove and talk about your favorite cowboy movies.  Learn some local history or teach some.  “Now some folks like the summertime when they can walk about.  Strolling through the meadow green it’s pleasant there’s no doubt.  But give me the wintertime when the snow is on the ground, for I found her when the snow was on the ground.”  Bill Monroe did a beautiful job with that song.  Come share your rendition out on the wide, wild, wooly banks of Auld Fox Creek.  You can belt it out, “I bless that happy day when Nellie lost her way, for I found her when the snow was on the ground” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Champion in the snow.

This is the seventh bridge that the Douglas County fellows have rebuilt since the May flood.

Progress on rebuilding the Fox Creek Bridge just east of the Square in Champion has been helped along by the dry weather.  Saturday’s wind might have blown some of those big chunks of concrete around, but, for the most part, conditions have been favorable for the work and the Douglas County gentlemen employed to move the work along are doing a splendid job of it.  One of the young men on the crew speculated that the project would likely be finished this week.  This is the seventh such bridge to be rebuilt since the May floods.  There are about that many more that need this kind of attention, some smaller and some more expansive.  The 815 square miles of Douglas County require a lot of tending.  It is a beautiful place to live.  The big winds stripped dried foliage away on some of the high ridges, exposing houses that had been secret the day before.  The extent of the view available from those lofty perches is the envy of folks in the deep valleys.  Country lanes have also been swept of leaves, leaving the old and new litter exposed.  It turns out that a little litter picking makes a person feel virtuous while being annoyed that other people are so thoughtless is more time consuming and aggravating.  Those bridge builders say they will take the old tinhorn with them so things will be tidy when the job is done.  Champion!

Uncle Al, the Lonesome Plowboy

The lists of reasons to be thankful will be passed around tables with the gravy on Thursday.  We live in a beautiful place and have family and friends and good fortune.  We have the gift to see that our troubles are no worse than those of many in the world.  Uncle Al, the Lonesome Plowboy, celebrated his birthday on November 27th.  Every so once in a while his birthday would coincide with Thanksgiving.  It was always a special time.  His son, the baker, would make a giant pumpkin pie and draw a turnkey on it with purple icing.  November 23rd is the Thanksgiving birthday of a spectacular grandmother living over the river and through the woods.  Her family and friends will be all over her place in another Thanksgiving extravaganza.  The 25th will belong to Skyline eighth grade student Levi Hicks.  Fifth grader, Faith Crawford, shares her day, the 26th, with Lannie Hinote.  Lannie used to teach at Skyline.  She is now up in Mountain Village, Alaska on the Yukon River.  She frequently posts pictures of what it looks like outside her classroom.  She has a view of the wide Yukon River at a bend.  It is frozen over now.  Her last picture is a snow scene stretching to the horizon.  It is time to get out her snowmobile or four wheeler or whatever interesting conveyance she has.  She has an exciting life.  Third grader, Billy Strong, will have is big exciting day on the 29th.  Jhonn Rhodes and Lane Watkins both celebrate on the 30th.  Jhonn is in the seventh grade and Lane is a fourth grader.  Your Champion friends and neighbors are wishing you all Happy Birthdays and a Beautiful Thanksgiving.

Tim Tamburinno of the Midwest Bluegrass Directory

Folks acquainted with the Midwest Bluegrass Directory know that Tim Tamburrino has recently spent some time in the Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital after his bypass surgery.  He thinks the place could use some music.  Call them up and mention Tim’s name if you have time and are inclined to play for some people who would really appreciate it.  The healing properties of music are well documented.  The place is located at 5904 S Southwood Road, Springfield, MO 65804, and the phone number there is (417)227-9000.  Tim’s mailing address is (c/o) The Campbells, 1469 E. Wayland, Springfield, MO 65804, in case you want to thank him for all the fine work he does to promote local music and bluegrass in particular and would like to encourage him to make a speedy, solid recovery and get back out there doing what he does so well.

Buffy Sainte-Marie is a Canadian singer-songwriter.  People of a certain age may remember her for her time on Sesame Street back in the late 1970’s.  She was also known for her brilliant songs that brought attention to difficult social injustices of the day.  She won an Academy Award Oscar for “Up Where We Belong,” which was featured in the movie “An Officer and a Gentleman.”  She has received two medals from Queen Elizabeth II in addition to many other awards and degrees.  She recently said, “I think a lot of things have changed for the better.  My motto is that the good news about the bad news is that more people know about it now.”  She says, “Progress is always too slow when you’re going uphill, but when you’re looking back downhill you realize how far you’ve come.  It doesn’t do us any good to just hate on the oil people—we have to find ways to settle things, like convincing them to reinvest in clean energy.  Aboriginal people are practical—that’s how we survived.”  The 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) of Keystone Pipeline oil that spilled the other day in South Dakota has clean-up crews racing to protect surrounding wetlands, aquifers, and land, but the worst damage has already been done.  It was for reasons like this that thousands of people traveled to Standing Rock last year to attempt to stop the construction of another pipeline.  Some of those people are still facing serious legal charges.  Some will be pleased to know that Ammon Bundy and his bunch have been exonerated for taking over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.  There has been no report about whether they will be held responsible for all the damage during their prolonged occupation.  Perhaps Buffy will write a song that will explain the difference in the law’s approach to these separate, yet similar, situations.

Retired journalist, Frank Martin, says, “The first half of yesterday/felt like the first day of May/a cold front moved in/Where the warmth had been/And blew my spring fever away.”  Come down to the wide, wild, wooly banks of Aulde Fox Creek and compose a limerick that lifts your spirit.  Inspect the new bridge on the east side of town.  Challenge someone you can beat to a game of horseshoes.  Get together with friends for some good conversation about folk music, the fair application of the law, and what you plan to cook for Thanksgiving.  Send some good recipes to champion@championnews.us or to The Champion News, Rt.72 Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717.  The days are slipping by quickly and it is like Nobel Laurette, Robert Allen Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) said, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

The old tin horn will be taken away.

The contraption turned the compromised portion of the bridge into rubble.  Progress is happening in Champion.

Back in May, Champions were pleased to report that difficulties caused by the heavy rains were not insurmountable and not as severe as many neighboring communities had experienced.  Evidence of the spring floods is seen in clumps of old hay still in the high up forks of creekside trees and great logjams of tree trunks, brush and debris in a bend or cut in the bank.  That evidence also appeared in cracks in the bridge over Fox Creek just east of Champion.  It is the bridge raised in memory of Dave Simpson by his family and friends.  The dedication stone says “1934—1993.”  After the water receded and things started looking normal again, the cracks began to appear in the concrete.  A big hollow area under the bridge was the result of water undermining the structure, the tinhorn not able to handle the volume.  “Bridge Closed” signs went up on either side, but people continued to use the bridge, just doing so with care and monitoring the difference in the surface from one passing to the next.  Our current drought made it possible to make a bypass loop into the dry creek bed, so there has been little interruption of traffic.  One day last week a little contraption started work from the downstream side of the bridge turning the compromised span into rubble.  It is exciting to see something important to the community getting done.  Farmers and gardeners are hoping for some much-needed drought relief and, at the same time, favorable conditions for bridge building.  There may yet be time for some environmentalist to stroll up the upstream side of Auld Fox Creek to pluck some of the white flapping plastic out of trees that was left there by the spring floods.  The opening of deer season may account for the extra beer cans and other litter along our country lanes.  We can stop to pick it up, but be careful.  There are armed people in the woods.  Good luck to the hunters and thanks to the bridge builders.

The closed bridge has not much interfered with traffic so far.

Our spring floods hardly compare to Harvey down in Houston.  Kenneth (Hovie) and Dawn Henson live down there and were spared damage themselves, but Dawn said ten of their church families had water in their homes.  One 99-year-old lady who lived alone flagged down a canoe and left with just the clothes on her back.  She is still in a shelter.  Hovie and Dawn spent a few days in and around Ava and Champion recently, making a trip to Rockbridge and to the Bryant Creek State Park.  He had been unwilling to join Royce and his bunch for the “Walk of Ages” back in September on the occasion of the Champion School Reunion because he said it was 110 degrees that day.  Just to prove he could, Hovie started off at Cold Springs and walked all the way to his old home place, about two miles, where Dawn was waiting for him.  She said that she walked about 100 yards up the road to meet him.  From there they made their way to the Historic Emporium in time to join up with the Wednesday bunch.  It was hard to tell if Hovie was growing a beard or had just stopped shaving.  He was his gregarious self, if grizzled, spinning yarns and greeting cousins.  He secured the tour guide services of The General who took him down the Fox Creek Road toward Denlow pointing out the precise spot of some mayhem (an ambush shooting) long ago.  Then they toured the Denlow Cemetery where there were probably many more tales told.  The next day Hovie and Dawn were to go to Springfield to visit with Royce and Jody.  From there the four of them were going to caravan down to Bella Vista Arkansas to see Eva Loyce and Harold Phillips for a family get-together.  Hovie said Eva had been brushing leaves off the top of a shrub in her yard when she encountered a copperhead there and suffered a bite on her finger.  It has been a difficult ordeal, but he said he thinks she is doing better after some aggressive medical treatment.  Her Champion friends wish her a speedy recovery.

A nostalgic Kenneth (Hovie) Henson looks out across the Square, remembering his childhood in Champion.

A person might have thought that one of the Soggy Bottom Boys had fallen off the turnip truck on Thursday.  David Richardson debuted his rendition of “A Man of Constant Sorrow” at the Vanzant Bluegrass Jam and had good help with the refrain.  Along with the music there comes a lot of laughter and good-natured fun.  Dave Medlock is a regular now with his wonderful banjo.  He says he is a regular but not all that dependable.  He played “Grandfather’s Clock” complete with the harmonics—nice.  There is a nice potluck dinner there at the Vanzant Community Building every Thursday (except Thanksgiving) starting at 6 o’clock.  The music begins at 7 going on until 9.  It is a pleasant opportunity to visit with friends and neighbors.  Mary Goolsby will show you pictures of her beautiful redheaded granddaughter who is going to college in Virginia.  You might get to hear Jerry Wagner sing a sweet ballad about a soldier boy writing to his mother from the trenches or Sherry Bennett singing “Five Pounds of Possum.”  That ditty requires more cowbell, which The General is pleased to provide.

Conditions were right for one Old Champion to get her garlic planted on Saturday even though the almanac indicated that Monday or Tuesday would have been a better day.  Sometimes a person just has to get it done when the getting is good.  Saturday was Veteran’s Day and there were observances and ceremonies all around the country to acknowledge and express gratitude to all those who have served their Nation in uniform.  These good men and women are the ones who get it done for the rest of us.  Even as our Veterans have, those currently serving are putting themselves in harm’s way and do what is asked of them with courage and without complaint.  The percentage of the population who are active in our military is small, but the job is a big one that has far-reaching implications.  The whole world seems to be in an uproar these days and we are reminded by literary giants that during times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.  86 45. They say that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, come invariably from people who are not fighting.  Orwell said that a people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims, but accomplices.  Come down to the wide wild wool banks of Auld Fox Creek and sit on the sunny veranda to think about it all.  Mull it over during a game of horseshoes or sitting around the stove in earnest conversation.  A perpetual optimist declares that it will all be alright eventually, but it is going to take thoughtful people doing the right thing.  Our Thanksgiving holiday will soon be here and we have plenty for which to be grateful.  “My Country ‘tis of Thee, sweet land of liberty, of Thee I sing” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Some our our local Veterans enjoying the day in Denlow back in May…Champions all.

A Champion Pie [recipe here]

“As easy as pie” is a popular colloquial idiom which is used to describe a task or experience as pleasurable and simple.  The idiom does not necessarily refer to the actual making of a pie.  One Old Champion remembers moving back home twenty years ago after a lengthy absence and, in the process of becoming reintegrated into the community, found herself required to make pies for functions where pies were also being made by the likes of Louise Hutchison and Esther Wrinkles.  The new Old Champion suffered with weeping meringue and tough crusts until she found other ways to participate in local activities.  It was a relief to leave the pie making to the experts, though doubtlessly, Louise and Esther benefited from the comparison.  Sometimes you don’t know how good something is until you experience the less good version.  The good news now is that a friend has shared her mother’s No-Roll Cherry Pie recipe and it turns out beautifully for any fruit pie and for the most inept of bakers.  The lady’s name was Gladys Joyce and it is indeed a Joy to have some success in the kitchen.  Get the recipe on line at www.championnews.us or send a request to The Champion News, Rt. 72 Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717.  You will be Glad you did.

Skip and Ina routinely enjoy the Bluegrass jam at Vanzant.  This last Thursday was his birthday.

Skies were dramatic over Vanzant on Thursday.  As the bluegrass jam came to a close that evening, a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday to You” broke out in the peanut gallery.  It was for the benefit of Skip (last name starts with D) who, together with Ina, is a stalwart regular at the jam.  He was having another of his many 39th birthdays and was clearly having a good time.  So it was with Connie Brown and her Dad Robert.  Congratulations to Skip and to Jill Sterling, an absolutely sterling gal, who celebrates on November 13th.  The 13th is also the special day for Skyline second grader Madelyn Vivod.  “Where is Waldo?” you ask.  Well, it is up there in the middle of Kansas City where Richard Heffern is having his party on the 15th.  He makes it down to his home place here from time to time, but Champions rarely get to see him.  Raven Hull is a sixth grade student at Skyline with a birthday on November 16th.  Caleb Barker is in the second grade.  He has The General for a granddad (insert smiley face) and a birthday on the 17th.  Abigale Whitier also celebrates that day.  She is a sixth grade student.  Dean Brixie moved up to the Salem area where he might be partying on the 18th.  Champion Elva Raglan’s birthday is on the 19th.  Your friends and families are wishing you many happy returns of the day as you commemorate yet another trip around the sun.

Connie and Robert Brown are regulars at the Thursday night Vanzant bluegrass jam.

The Skyline R-2 School Foundation is looking for some added community participation.  The president of the organization stepped down recently and the Foundation is looking for someone to step up and take over heading it up.  It is partnered with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library which is a terrific program that promotes the love of reading and gets our youngsters ready for kindergarten.  The Foundation can also raise money to help with anything that the school could possibly need such as new school busses, technology upgrades, safety issues, new chairs and desks, etc.  If you or someone you know might be interested in heading up the Skyline Foundation, please contact Ms. Curtis for more information at 417-683-4874.  Our precious little rural school is one of just two left in all of Douglas County.  As state and federal funding continues to shrink, community involvement is all the more important.  Retired people, new to the area, may think they do not have a horse in this race, but these young folks are the ones who will be running things when those retirees get to the old folks home.  It will be nice to have some educated, thoughtful people in charge of things then.  Those people are in elementary school now.

Leonard Peltier, an Anishinabe-Lakota Native American, remarked on the recent passing of Dennis Banks.  “We, as Native people, owe a huge debt to Dennis and other AIM leaders, for taking a strong stand to protect and preserve our spiritual and cultural way of life.”  Banks was 80 years old and was laid to rest at Battle Point Cemetery near the Leech Lake town where he was born.  Native people continue to endure even as Peltier remains in prison (40 years now) having been convicted of murder with false testimony, false affidavits, witness coercion and the withholding of crucial ballistics reports.  That was 40 years ago.  Today non-immigrant, indigenous people have filed a class action law suit against the sheriff’s deputies and police officers who used excessive force when they deployed impact munitions, like rubber bullets, as well as explosive teargas grenades and water cannons against pipeline protesters.  The suit argues that the tactics were retaliatory, punishing those involved for exercising free speech rights.  It was below freezing last November 20th when the water protectors were soaked at Standing Rock.  The same outfit for which the constabulary was working in North Dakota, Energy Transfer Partners, now owes Ohio some $2.3million dollars in civil fines and damages.  Its Rover pipeline has discharged several million gallons of drilling fluid into local wetlands among other violations, according to the state’s environmental office.  That is 228 words to say that our First American citizens could use a break.  It is appropriate to consider our resilient Native countrymen, particularly at this time of the year, i.e., between Columbus Day and Thanksgiving.

Saturday’s full moon was a fine time for the Eastern Douglas County Volunteer Fire Department to have its chili supper and auction.  The community turned out in full force to support its volunteers.  Esther made many pies for this event and events like this.  Her coconut cream pies have sold auctions like this for as much as $150.00.  Her daughter-in-law has her recipe and also produces some exceptional pies.  This event turned out to be a spectacular success and proceeds will go toward new turn out gear for the firefighters.

Spring bulbs need to be in the ground by December 1st according to a local garden expert.  Time is slipping away.  The time change gave late sleepers the opportunity to feel virtuous.  That kind of opportunity does not come around every day unless you are just naturally virtuous.  Champion’s Horseshoe Pitch is available for anyone who wishes to test his skill.  Virtue can be tested any time.  Julia Child said that you should never do anything in the kitchen when you are alone that you would not do if someone were watching, because surely you will forget and do it when someone is watching.  That is generally a good rule about almost anything.  Come down to the wide, wild, wooly banks of Auld Fox Creek and hone your virtue or flaunt it.  Bob Dylan sang, “Saddle me up a big white goose.  Tie me on her and turn her loose.  Oh me!  Oh my!  Love that country pie” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Skies were dramatic on Thursday evening.

Amazing horseshoe situation in Champion.

The mulberry tree down by the road is blunted by the trimming for the electric right-of-way. The birds like it for its fruit and the wide leaves provide shelter. Those leaves darkened with the frost until the morning sunlight moved across the valley floor and lit them up. They all let go at once and floated down in a hasty pile leaving the trunk a stark, abrupt alteration to the landscape. It is an annual happening. Expected changes can still seem sudden in Champion.

“Gallivantin Galveston Gal” is a Gene Autry song much appreciated by a regular Champion visitor who has a birthday on November 4th. That is also the special day for Skyline sixth grader, Hailey Hall. Champion granddaughter, Emerson Rose enjoys her birthday on the 5th. A sweet smiling, ever pleasant Vanzatiana has the 6th, and Wayne Wiseman and Skyline 4th grader, Mason Solomon, both celebrate on the 7th. Lizzie’s granddad over in Champion South will be getting better acquainted with his eighth decade on the 8th. The 9th is for Skyline 5th grader, Justin Borders. Each of these birthday celebrants probably has a favorite song apart from the routine one, but that one is still good.

Frosty conditions over the week end did not chill the numerous Halloween parties in the area. It must have been pretty exciting over in Vanzant. The internet was full of pictures of warmly costumed children and a report of car damage to shrubbery. The bush is reported to be “now teetering at about a 75 degree angle.” There was relief that the hurricane resistant gate post was spared and there was reference to a “grasshopper episode at the Amos place.” Mystery goes with the holiday. Extortion is another aspect of the observation—trick or treat.

Tim Tamburrino of the Midwest Bluegrass Directory was at Clark’s Eatery on Tuesday with Sara and his camera. He gets around to jams all around the area and generously posts videos on the internet. On Sunday he posted that he was at Mercy Hospital in Springfield getting ready for a bypass procedure. His many friends and fans send their best wishes for a speedy recovery. He does a lot for bluegrass. Clark sisters, Paisley and Brooklyn, met him and had their picture taken. They sang “Jesus Loves Me” and “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.” It is beautiful to see children loving music. They will enjoy lifelong benefits. Zoey and Alex, down in Texas, had their piano, guitar, and violin recitals on Sunday; a great experience for their granddad to witness, and the internet blossomed with the videos. There is now a piano in young Chase’s house and it is likely there will be lessons on-going there. Music is a critical part of childhood development and a great stress reliever for young and old. Cervantes said, “He who sings scares away his woes.”

The Great American Pastime is another timely diversion from the perpetual kerfuffle of political absurdity. (86-45) Old folks remember baseball on the radio with names like Sandy Koufax, Whitey Ford, Hank Aaron and Ted Williams. Red Barber was one of those great announcers that could paint a picture that you could see in your mind’s eye. “It’s a high fly out to center field. It’s going….going….gone!” It was exciting in a different way from today. Now there are cameras that show every conceivable angle of every play. The tension is palpable. The visible jubilance of players and fans as a run is scored is something that does not happen in the lives of every day folks. Certainly we have fun and experience joy, but rarely do we leap up in the air and gallop about yelling with complete abandon. The camaraderie and affection of the players for each other is unlike what most of us are accustomed to in our daily lives. The back slapping alone would tax our endurance. Meanwhile there is the entertainment of critiquing facial hair, haircuts, chewing and bubble blowing techniques, and spitting distances. Ten innings in six hours on Sunday exhausted people sitting at home watching—the fifth game of the series.

Week end temperatures were down to as low as 18 degrees by some thermometers. Summer gardens are definitely over for the year. There are green tomatoes ripening on counters and that dish that Ethel of Omo talks about, The Last of the Garden, is bubbling on area stoves. A great bowl of chili is to be had on Saturday, November 4th, at the Eastern Douglas County Volunteer Fire Department chili supper and auction over at the Vanzant Community Building. It kicks off at 5p.m. and is always one of the excellent events of the year. Steve Moody will be providing his famous pulled pork. Proceeds will go toward purchasing new turn-out gear for the volunteer fire fighters. Our little rural fire departments are part of what makes this a great place to live.

The Champion Horseshoe Pitch has seen some exciting action recently. On Wednesday players came into the Historic Emporium looking for someone to witness the phenomena when each of the competitors had his horseshoe leaning on the post. It was a first time event. Look for pictures on line at www.championnews.us. There are ten years of archives there to give you the flavor of the place. Weather will have a lot to do with the outside action there from now on. A checker set is available inside near the stove for anyone who thinks he can beat The General. He could use some practice if he is going to go up against the reigning Douglas County Checker Champion. His school chum, Sharon Sanders, has issued the challenge and will be ready for a match any Saturday (between 10:00 a.m. and 2 p.m.) at the Douglas County Museum in Ava. Come down to the wide, wild, wooly banks of Auld Fox Creek to play checkers or to enjoy a friendly conversation with your neighbors. Talk about history, or sports. Spin yarns. Learn something. Teach something. Get together and decide if you think the tax cut proposal is really going to be good for folks here in Booger County, almost all of whom are not millionaires. You can sing that song, “Once I lived the life of a millionaire, spending my money. I didn’t care. I carried my friends out for a real good time…” to Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Paisley and Brooklyn at the Clark’s Eaterie Bluegrass Jam.

Deer are on the move in Champion and all around the country.

By way of connection with a great friend of The Champion News, J. C. Owsley, the pleasant acquaintance with poet, Frank Martin, has been made. One of his latest gems is called, “By and By.” “In clouds far off to the west/Nature is beating her breast/She is eyeing our sky/ Which means by and by/ She plans to disturb our rest.” Saturday night to Sunday morning found thunder rolling and lightning flashing, but not too much in the way of rain. Though it came down hard and fast, there was not much in the bucket when the storm passed. It was drizzly all day Sunday and hopes are that every drop soaked in for the benefit of the water table and a little insurance against brush fires. Fall arrived overnight. Deer are on the move and drivers are urged to be alert. Fog rising from valley floors on Monday morning softens the landscape in an ethereal way and adds to the danger for early travelers. Every season is beautiful in Champion.

Birthday celebrations are some of the best fun that some people have. Some people do not like anything about birthdays, but children of all ages do. Here are some upcoming birthdays of friends and family in the area: Haylee Surface, Skyline 3rd grader, October 22; Roger Miller, gifted song writer, October 25, 1936-1992; Brad Oglesby, Harley Krider, Shala Clark all on October 26; Nicholas Georges, Skyline 1st grader, October 28; Champions Royce Henson and Connie Lansdown, October 30; Cheyne Hall–Skyline 8th grader, Ms. Curtis–Skyline Superintendent, and Felipe Heston–Austenite, all celebrate on October 31. Happy Birthday everyone and “Boo!” to you Halloweenies.

Riders getting ready to take off out of Champion on Bud Hutchison’s Fall Trail Ride. [enlarge]

Bud Hutchison’s Fall Trail Ride was another galloping success. Bud was not in the lead this year. He had been a little under the weather and, though he was on the mend, he sat this one out and passed leadership to Andrew Harden. The thirteen riders started out around ten on Wednesday morning and made their loop around Fox Creek Road and the hinterlands of Denlow, up around the Shannon Ranch and back through Drury to Champion. They came ambling in in a bunch about three in the afternoon ready for ice cream. The riders were Jeff Alcorn on Lace, Cody Alcorn on Lilly, Nancy Perriman on Ginger, Melissa Harrington on Katy, Hershel Letsinger on Duke, Calvin Chambers on Summer, Andrew Harden on Cloud, Shirley Emerson on Buddy, Bill Winkelman on Cookie, Don Hamby on Domino, Cindy Hufham on Dolly, Carmen Watchinsky on Blue and Terry Redman on Danny Boy. The general assessment of the ride was that it was without any troublesome incident and pleasant in the extreme.

Friends and neighbors whiled away the hours out on the wide veranda waiting for the riders to return. Fellow correspondent, Ella Mae Daugherty, came over from Gentryville with Paul Uhlman to enjoy the non-participating part of Bud’s Trail Ride. She has written articles for The Herald over the years and has many friends in the area. She said that maybe Paul would bring her back to Champion sometime and Champions hope he will. Paul does not ride much anymore, neither does Cowboy Jack, still they enjoy meeting up with their friends and being around the livestock. Neighborhood children filled in the waiting time with singing. Young Chase Cauthron and Krider sisters, Taegan and Luxe, encouraged The General to sing funny songs. His version of the ABC song particularly pleases them when he sings, “J, I, b, r, d, u, p, f.” and the like. It is a joy to see young children with a love for music. A pair of charming young ladies, Brooklyn and Paisley, sat in with the jammers at Clark’s Eatery on Tuesday evening. They sang “You Are My Sunshine” and they really lit up the place. Lynette Cantrell remarked that the omelet they serve there was also very tasty. It is a great kindness that the folks at Clark’s are willing to open their banquet room to keep Lynette’s acoustic jammers off the street and out of the cold. They can be found there from 6:00 to 8:00 every Tuesday. The Vanzant jam drew a big crowd on Thursday. They start out with pot luck at 6:00 and music from 7:00 to 9:00. It has been going on for some while now and is the high point of the week for many people.

Don Hamby’s Domino smiling for the camera. [enlarge]

Last week it took too many words (670) to say: 1. The new tax proposal will benefit 4.59% of the population of Missouri. The rest of us will pay for it in diminished services and benefits. 2. What some see as disrespect for the Nation others see as the Nation’s disrespect for its people? 3. American Citizens in Puerto Rico are suffering. That only took 52 words.

Halloween is one of the world’s oldest holidays. It is celebrated in Mexico and other Latin American countries as the Day of the Dead as a way to honor deceased loved ones and ancestors. In Scotland the origins of Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (summer’s end). The Celtic year was determined by the growing seasons and Samhain marked the end of summer and the harvest, and the beginning of the dark cold winter. The festival symbolized the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead. There are torch light processionals and rituals connected with this celebration. Trick-or-treating is a custom in this part of the world, though people deep in the country rarely have a goblin threatening at the door. Terri Ryan says that Thursday will be a half day of school at Skyline and the day for wearing Halloween costumes. (There will be no school Friday to allow for parent/teacher conferences.) The halls of our wonderful little rural school will be full of super heroes and princesses, nurses, hunters and farmers and space men and women. There may be some animals represented among the costumes—cats and squirrels. James Whitcomb Riley wrote the best poem for Halloween. It is called “Little Orphant Annie” and the last verse is: “When the night is dark and scary, and the moon is full and creatures are a flying and the wind goes Whooooooo, you better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear and cherish them that loves ya, and dry the orphans’ tears and help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about, or the goblins will get ya if ya don watch out!!” Unafraid of goblins, the neighborhood is in good spirits with the rain, the coming of fall and bountiful harvests. Champion! Looking on the Bright Side!

The trail riders came back into the Square in a bunch on Wednesday afternoon.

After the rain Champion has that bright clean look of fall about it.

On the way to Champion Sunday morning, just before getting to the pavement, there was a puddle! An unmeasured amount of rain had fallen during the night and soaked instantly into the thirsty ground. There was enough rainfall at Champion’s open door to make a pretty puddle about a foot wide and two feet long and so shallow that it was gone before nightfall. The dust is settled for the nonce and the countryside has a bright clean autumn look about it. A stroll about the grounds on such a day is a real pleasure. One Old Champion suggests that if you are out and about, best pay good eye service to the ground. If a bird song grabs you ear or the blue sky draws your gaze, best stop in your tracks and stand still to do your observing. When the ground is as dry as it has been, it can be as slick as ice in spots and, if you live around walnut trees, the many chances to roll an ankle and take a tumble are scattered all over the yard. Old folks particularly need to pay attention to where their feet are. Life can change dramatically in less than a second. Of course that has always been true, but young folks bounce better.

Carson Cline has his birthday on October 18th. He was in Champion together with Drayson and their Mom for some wonderful family functions and fun over the week end—a gaggle of cousins to please a smiling Champion grandmother. The lovely blonde motorcyclist on the top of the hill over there on WW Highway celebrates on Carson’s birthday too. Skyline pre-kindergarten student Wyatt Shannon has his birthday on the 19th and Cyanna Davis, seventh grader, has hers on the 20th, as does Carson’s grandpa Marty. The 21st is a big day for Zoey’s grannie, for a Texan named Cidney, and a sweet guy named Randy. It was also the birthday of Champion Anna Henson who has long been gone from the neighborhood but is still fondly remembered by many. Donna Moskaly has the 22nd for her celebration and the 24th will be the day Taegan and Luxe sing, “Happy Birthday, dear Mommy!” Happy birthday to you all!

Who has a television that they do not watch too much? There are a lot of options available these days and it is easy to let it take up too much time. By the time the news is over in the evening with reports of natural disasters, political turmoil, worldwide chaos, bad behavior by individuals and so much suffering across the planet, some are thinking like Luke, “…and being in agony, he prayed more earnestly.” This may be the age of earnestness. People are outraged by the perceived disrespect for the government and its symbols while others are outraged that government has such harsh disrespect for some of its people. The score is 86 to 45. Every kerfuffle has two sides and everyone has an opinion. There is a beautiful young woman who shows up several times a day in the programming of all the local television stations. We do not know her name but she looks like a Nancy. Nancy has shoulder length red hair and a pretty symmetrical face and a nice voice–just the kind of girl you would like your daughter to be or for your son to marry. She looks right at us and says, “People are sick of politics. I am too, but fixing our tax system isn’t about politics. It means that the wealthy, the powerful, the well-connected will stop benefiting from a rigged system. It means everyday Americans will have more to spend on what’s important to them.” She has a calm, pleasant demeanor and speaks with an air of conviction that tells you she is earnest. That particular earnestness was purchased with a flat rate for making the ‘spot’ and then a residual every time it is broadcast. In another video, our girl, the talented, beautiful actress, with long blonde hair this time, extols the virtue of some litigators who pursue financial vengeance against the malfeasance of pharmaceutical companies on behalf of sufferers. Nancy has residuals coming in from a number of places and you know she must be making a good living. Chances are pretty good that she is not making a good enough living to really benefit from this particular Tax Plan Proposal. In contrast to the script she recites so convincingly, even a superficial study of the proposal reveals that the cuts will benefit the wealthiest of the wealthy like Charles and David Koch who fund the outfit called Americans for Prosperity. It is one of the most influential American conservative organizations and the very outfit that paid our Nancy. If she is a self-employed actress, she would be advised to be putting something aside in addition to paying her FICA taxes, because this proposal could clearly have some long range ramifications for Social Security. The enormous tax relief for the billionaire brothers, Chuck and Dave, and folks like them will remove $3,000,000,000,000.00 to $7,000,000,000,000.00 (3 to 7 trillion dollars) from the tax revenue over the coming decade. What that means for everyday Americans is even less support for education, infrastructure, health and safety and all the benefits of being a proud citizen of the Great Nation—clean air, safe food, aid in the time of distress, etc. All the machinations of the new tax plan proposal are complicated and couched in legal language that is difficult to decipher, so busy everyday folks are not digging into it too deeply which is fine with Chuck and Dave. It would be nice if Nancy could explain the flip side in that easy pleasant way she has. Her kinfolks probably smile every time they see her on TV. They know, as we all do, that she is an actress, not an economist, and is just saying what she is hopefully being paid well to say. When we get rich, perhaps we will employ Nancy to say, “Champion! Looking on the Bright Side!” Meanwhile, in Puerto Rico there is suffering by American citizens that does not seem to titillate the media or the government. It is an embarrassment—a disgrace—reference Ephesians 6:12.

Should a person wander unconnected into this part of the world, he or she might acknowledge having fallen into a sweet spot—with jam every day of the week. When Lynette Cantrell’s acoustic jam on the square in Mountain Grove needed a home out of the elements, the folks at Clark’s Eatery on the South Side of the Square opened their banquet room for the musicians—every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. Lynette had a cold and could not attend the first evening, but here were a dozen or more musicians there and a lively couple of hours of music ensued. Acoustic musicians are welcome as are folks who just like to hear a good eclectic jam. Come down to the wide, wild, wooly banks of Auld Fox Creek for good conversations about music or any other subject. Elmer is fond of Earnest Tub. He may have sung, “Farther along, we’ll know all about it. Farther along we’ll understand why. Cheer up, my brother. Live in the sunshine. We’ll understand it all by and by” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

A dozen musicians showed up for Lynette Cantrell’s first acoustic jam at Clark’s Eatery on the South Side of the Square in Mountain Grove on Tuesday Night.  Everyone welcome from 6 to 8 p.m.  Bring your acoustic instruments or just your enjoyment.