Champion News

The wild vicissitudes of weather and of life in general keep Champions on their toes. They are not tiptoeing through the tulips, but are awash in daffodils, and big fields of grass seem to have turned green overnight. Spring is almost here even as we have sprung forward in time. Folks with jobs and students are having to adjust for the time change, while old, retired people are hardly bothered at all. Garden planning and preparation is well underway. In the absence of a good yard dog, constructing a fence tall enough to discourage deer takes some serious effort. Living in the country includes serious challenges and daily delights. Lucky us.

Kay Dennis may still be making brooms. Her birthday is March 9th. Skyline third grader, C.J. Castillo, celebrates on the 11th. The 12th is the day we remember Champion Geoff Metroplos and Cathie Odneal. Geoff was a master of many trades. One of his old friends said of his own carpentry that Geoff would be the only person who would see that it was out of plumb or not level. Cathie and her sister, Myrtle Harris, were regulars at the Vanzant Jam. That is where J.R. Johnston could be found with his banjo every Thursday. March 13th was his birthday. Skyline seventh grader, Trinity Castillo, will party on the 13th and fifth grader, Lillith Jeffery, will do that on March 16th, as will Elizabeth Mastrangelo Brown. Meanwhile, over in Scotland, Ursula Donnely and Sam Sonite will share the Ides of March for their big day. Sam is exactly 30 years older than his distant cousin Jacob Masters, who lives around Houston Texas and has a serious background in baseball. Skyline eighth grader, Grace Spence, will have her birthday on March 18th, and her Champion friends and neighbors wish her and all our celebrants happy days and good memories.

“Camp Learn A Lot” at Skyline on Thursday evening was full of adventure, literacy and math exploration with hands on learning. And Friday students and staff gave a big shout out to Mr. Bud. He is the maintenance engineer that keeps the place running smoothly, fixing problems and keeping the building safe and ready every day. He can be seen taking care of the grounds and taking care of the buses and doing all the everyday things that keep our great little rural school going. What a Champion! Looking on the Bright Side!

The prospect of a rainy week ahead is one that Champions embrace. Rain on a tin roof is a particular kind of sweet music after such a long dry spell. Gardens drink it up. The lunar eclipse due on Tuesday morning will be the first total lunar eclipse visible in North America in years, with the next one not expected until June 2029 for the U.S. We will be pleased to witness it if the rain clouds allow it, but we would just as soon have the rain. While many gardeners already have potatoes in the ground, others figure they have until St. Patrick’s Day and will be hustling to get the ground ready. Sue’s Greenhouse is ready already. She has had her grand opening featuring various types of seed potatoes and onion sets and starts. Her Champion friends will see her often as Spring approaches.

Wednesday’s Champion Jam featured the Whetstone Kid, 1976 Guiness Book of World Records holder as Pickathon Champion. He has come a long way from Scratch Ankle, Kentucky and has fallen in with a good crowd. Gina Hollingshad brought her bass guitar, her amazing repertory, and her beautiful voice. The fair Carissa joined The General harmonizing sweetly on a high-lonesome cowboy song. They reprised that haunting melody at the Vanzant Jam Thursday evening. Young Jeff Dutton, who may be around two years old, brought rounds of smiles and giggles from the crowd that night. He was in fine voice and having fun. He came in the company of his parents and his musical sisters, Margo and Mena. Hopes are this music loving family will be regulars at the local jams. They will get acquainted with the nicest people.

A glorious seventy-seven degree Saturday had townsfolk meandering out on country lanes visiting great grandmothers and old neighbors. Others were out on a nostalgic tour of ancestral birthplaces and stomping grounds. Whether our ties to this part of the world are deep and ancestral or just a few decades old or only a few years or less, we count ourselves truly blessed to live amid such natural beauty and among genuinely good neighbors—Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!

The wide veranda hardly proved wide enough for the Sometimes Sunshine Porch Band on a seventy-five degree February Wednesday. Often enough comprised of just a couple of enthusiastic amateurs, the band suddenly had two guitars, two mandolins, two fiddle/violins, and two harmonicas. Jeff Bartch brought his harmonicas and his friend Dick Nugent, himself a purveyor of fine harmonics and a talented player. A pair of back forty-fence neighbors picked the mandolins and the fiddles bowed by an opera singer and the bright light of Red’s Slice and Scoop. The General flailed one guitar while the Whetstone Kid played rhythm and lead and learned some music theory from a violinist. Old waltzes and gospel tunes, bluegrass and country songs filled the air. It was a red-letter day, also a red-flag day. We are cautioned to take extra care when it comes to burning. The woods are dry. The humidity is low. The danger is high.

Ruth Fish Collins has a lot of twos and fours in her birthday: 02-24-42. We hope it was a good one for her. Ruth has a beautiful voice and sings, “It was colder than a well-diggers ankle in Cut Bank, Montana” and “Buelah Land.” Skyline sixth grader, Ryanne Harvey shares her birthday on March 3rd with Dennis Schumate, who wears a t-shirt sometimes that says, “Mandolin players fret a lot.” Linda Heatherington may bid a grand slam in her birthday bridge game on the 5th. Sue Murphy’s birthday is March 8th. Hopes are that she is still strumming her mandolin, singing “In the Gravel Yard” and “Jesus is Coming Soon.” Every culture across the world seems to have music of some kind–good medicine.

J.c. Owsley cut a wide loop through Douglas County Wednesday. He lives up in Cross Timbers on a beautiful cow farm where he often photographs the stunning sunrises and sunsets. He always likes to chew the fat with his cousin, The General, when he is this neck of the woods. He enjoyed the music and made sure to secure his copy of Katilyn McConnell’s “Ozark Pie Project and Diary” and his cow bell. He says, “Where else can a person buy a cow bell these days?” His growing collection has mostly been sourced in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another,” said Charles Dickens.  Don Hamby reminds us “The seed of good deeds become a tree of life.”  Emily Dickinson said, “Unable are the Loved to die, for Love is Immortality,” and she said, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.”   The precious love and support of family and a beautiful community of friends in sad, hard times is a blessing that an Old Champion hopes for everyone who is experiencing grief.  The world changes.

We have much to celebrate and many reasons to be grateful.  Skyline kindergarten student, Everett Nelson, had his birthday on the 15th.  We remember dear Trish Davis on the 17th and that is the day we celebrate Linda Clark, sweet daughter of Grannie Grunt. Skyline 3rd grader, Perry Banks and 5th grader, Rayleigh Harvey, party on the 18th, also the big day for Champion Pete Proctor and Fox Creek farmer, Madelyn Boehs.  We remember sweet Ruby Proctor on the 19th.  She once said that when she was a kid there would be snow on the ground in Champion from Thanksgiving to Easter.  Mike Powers and Skyline 5th grader, Jaylee Sudderth, will enjoy the 20th of February for their birthday and we sing to Joanna Bell on the 21st.   Native Champion Stacy Krider Cline will be celebrated over in Tennessee on the 23rd.  On the 24th Arne Ahlstedt will likely spend his birthday teaching young folks some gardening tips.  Second grader, Zachary Harvey will party on the 28th. Frankie Proctor, Ruby’s son and Pete’s brother, has Leap Day February 29 for his birthday.  Happy birthday to all of you. Leap about and celebrate.

Folks in Scotland are celebrating having vanquished England in the Six Nations Rugby Championship games in Edinburgh.  Scots might be ready to beat them again with another Independence referendum.  The last time they declined over fear of not being permitted to be in the European Union.  Then they were betrayed by Brexit. We’ve heard the Scottish proverb “Be sure to taste your words afore you spit them.”  That is probably good advice, though holding our tongues can sometimes be a struggle.

As we observe the birthday of George Washingon, Founding Father and first president this week, we remember our own struggle as one of sixty-two countries that can now celebrate independence from Great Britain.  Ken Burns’ documentary on the American Revolution is well worth the look.

Champions were much delighted with a rainy Valentines Day.  We learn from Edgar Allen Poets that long before chocolates and roses, Valentine’s Day had a far darker beginning. The holiday traces back to Saint Valentine, a Roman priest who lived in the 3rd century under Emperor Claudius II. According to legend, Claudius believed single men made better soldiers and banned young men from marrying. Valentine defied the order and secretly performed weddings for couples in love. When his actions were discovered, he was arrested and eventually executed on February 14, around 269 AD.  Another story claims that while imprisoned, Valentine befriended–and possibly healed–the jailer’s blind daughter. Before his death, he allegedly signed a letter to her “from your Valentine,” a phrase that may have inspired the modern tradition of love notes.  Over time, the Church honored him as a martyr.  Later, medieval poets connected the date with romance and courtly love. Eventually, the legend transformed into the celebration we know today. So, behind every red rose lies a story of rebellion, sacrifice, and a love that refused to bow to power.”  In 1959, which some of us remember, Connie Francis sang, “Stupid Cupid, stop picking on me!” Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Calvin Chambers said, “Things will not always go as planned, but even the unplanned can be beautiful.” Of course, we had planned for a mild January with a little warm rain every now and then. Instead, we are being dazzled as the sun catches and bedazzles the one drop falling from the crystalline icicle drooping from the roof. Then we ponder the number of Purple Finches at the feeder with the many Cardinals and observe that the Blue Jay and the Red Bellied Woodpecker are not friendly with each other. Before it all melts, we will marvel at February’s full moon lighting up the deep snow still lingering. This is not what we planned, but it is beautiful.

Some planned activity of making an inventory of their canned goods and dealing with all those empty fruit jars has some Old Champions grateful for the bounty of past gardens and hopeful for the growing season ahead. Edie over at the L and E Organic Farm said, “Might be lots of snow outside, but that means get dirty inside! Potting up for cold frame planting!” She is ahead of her Champion friends who have lots to learn from her.

Sandra Powell will have a birthday on February 13th. Her mother, Eva Powell, gave us a good tip about dealing with dogs that want to aggressively chase your rig out our country lanes. Her tip was to just slow down, way down. The dogs get bored and lay down in the shade. The 13th is also the day Claire Shannon celebrates. In times past she was a violin student and performed in “The Nutcracker.” Imagine having your birthday on Valentines’ Day. Shelby Ward can claim that distinction. We hope you are all well celebrated and appreciated for yourselves and for the parts you play in the lives of your friends and families.

What is the best idea for a Valentine gift? Candy and flowers can hit the spot, but so can lots of other things. They say a man who can cook is adorable, but the man who will wash dishes is irresistible. “I love you for a hundred thousand reasons, but most of all I love you ‘cause you’re you.” Jim Reeves put those beautiful words into music. Music as a purveyor of romance can hardly be beat. So, sing to each other. You know your song.

The General was unusually brief in his announcement that the Vanzant Jam was a ‘go’ for Thursday the 5th with hardly any superfluous information except that part where he talked about having been isolated, presumably due to the inclement weather, during which time he “made some cupcake size pot pies using hummingbird livers and gizzards using the recipe my cousin from Cross Timbers, MO gave me. They were delicious. Thanks J.c.” It turns out that The General is kin to any number of Champions, most of whom are happy to see him coming. Cousin J.c. Owsley plans to be back in these parts one of these days to buy his copy of Kaitlyn McConnell’s “The Ozarks Pie Project Diary” at the Champion Store. One time, a few years back, around 2016, he visited Champion riding a big white mule named Dot, an animal borrowed from a friend. He shared a story: “An old friend of mine once raffled off a dead horse and I asked him if it made anyone mad. He said, ‘only the guy who won, so I just gave him back his money.’” J.c. likely has many yarns to spin around the old stove, and his Champion friends will always be glad to see him coming.

Leo Buscaglia said, “Be careful about giving advice, for wise men don’t need it, fools won’t heed it, and you’ll wind up talking to yourself.” That sounds like some of the lyrics that singer, songwriter Jesse Welles from Ozark, Arkansas might write. When asked about how he felt about being nominated for a Grammy Award for his music he said that he had an innate feeling of a duty to be optimistic and to have faith in the future. He thinks it is the duty of artists not to grow cynical. He sounds like a Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.”  We translate Robert Burns’ words as “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”  Ain’t it the truth?  Robert Burns, born January 25, 1759, turned that phrase.  Volodymyr Zelenskyy, born January 25, 1978, is in a continual struggle with the plans and schemes of his people struggling for peace.

Last week’s birthday blowout for favorite Champions could have included Edgar Allen Poe, January 19, 1809, who gave us “The Raven” once upon a midnight dreary. With “The Tell Tale Heart” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Poe reshaped literature with psychological dread, unreliable narrators, and a haunting sense of the macabre that still echoes through horror, mystery, and pop culture today.  Janis Joplin born January 19, 1943, sang “Me and Bobby McGee.”  She became a prominent figure in 1960s rock and blues, known for her powerful, emotional mezzo-soprano vocals and electrifying stage presence. Pete Buttigieg born that day in 1982, a US Navy officer, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and 19th US Secretary of Transportation emphasizes optimism, activism, and freedom in his speech.

Last Monday there were 23 folks at the McClurg Jam, among them 11 musicians playing “Arkansas Traveler,” several sweet waltzes and an old Jimmy Rogers tune.  Tom Peters cancelled this week’s Jam asking everyone to stay warm and safe.  He says they plan to resume the weekly jam and potluck supper on Monday, February 2nd, Groundhog Day.  Champions will be looking for a groundhog to give us hopes of an early end to winter.

February 1st is the birthday of Champion Glen Cooley (1940), Champion grandson Zack Alexander in Springfield, and Sarah Cloud over in Cabool.  Groundhog Day is for Zack’s Aunt Angie Heffern, for Charlene Dupre in Norwood, for Catherine Mallernee, and quilter Connie Grand over on the other side of Cowskin Creek.  It is also the day we remember Felix the Farmer’s grandmother, dear Judy Sharon.  February 3rd is for Skyline prekindergarten student Hayden Trujillo.  The 5th is for Skyline middle school teacher Angela McKay and for Fox Creek Farmer Jason Boehs.  Joyce will make sure that Jackie Coonts will have a lovely day on the 7th.  Skyline kindergarten student EmberLeigy Miller celebrates on February 8th and fifth grader Makenzie Jonas will have the 9th for her big day.  Birth anniversaries give us the chance to acknowledge people for their importance in our own lives.  Happy birthdays all.

The General shared some important information online on Saturday: “VANZANT DATELINE: From the local Space Station First Alert Accurate Weather Report Team and Misinformation Center. Due to the temperature, it appears the rain previously forecasted will come in the form of snow, and likely will stick on grassy surfaces and anywhere it lands. One of the neighbors was out this morning listening to the chirping birds and seen a hummingbird under a dandelion. He said, if the snow flurries continue he would put a hubcap over it to provide better shelter. Long range future cast: A probable chance of above normal temperatures for a few days in July.”  We count ourselves lucky to have such good neighbors in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Champion’s birthday extravaganza celebrating Betty Henson, Dolly Parton and J.C. Owsley drew friends from far and wide.  Ethel Leach furnished the fabulous chocolate cake again.  She had just shared one on a recent Wednesday—yummy.  Kaitlyn McConnell brought her amazing Apple Crumble pie and her stalwart traveling companion Mike O’Brian.  Mike is in wonder that Kaitlyn seems to know every interesting spot in the country. The long table was full of pies and cookies and snacks adding to the sweetness of Saturday midday out on the Bright Side!  Good wishes and expressions of genuine appreciation for the good humor and hard work required to keep our precious community hub spinning arose from near fifty friends and neighbors gathering to sing that song.  Betty’s Skyline friends shared a “Go Tigers!” shirt with her in appreciation for all her support of our vital little rural school.  Carissa Rene sang “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem.”   She had planned to sing it for Betty at Christmas, but for various reasons had been delayed.  Her beautiful voice is a gift she shares happily.  As the crowd left the store keeper was seen going about her regular work.  Thank you.

More birthdays to celebrate are those of Skyline sixth grader Paxton Elgie and the amazing Brenda Massey on January 22nd.  Brenda seems to be in the middle of many good works in the area, generally adding an unexpected element of fun. Eighth grader Blake McIntosh has the 24th for his big day.  The 25th will be celebrated worldwide in honor of Robert Burns who tells us in verse, “O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!”  That line comes in a 1786 poem, “To a Louse, On Seeing one on a Lady’s Bonnet at Church.”   He also gave us “Auld Lang Sine,” where we are encouraged not to forget our old acquaintances.  Joyce Coonts will party on the 26th.  Jackie will make it a good day for her.  Shannon Alexander will do that for Skyline alum Kay Alexander on the 27th.  Dax Loveless is a prekindergarten student at Skyline with a birthday on January 28th.  We remember Dwane Collins on the 29th.  The 30th is the big day for dairy farmer James Brixey who was reported to have been 40 in 2012.  The 30th is also party time for the lovely Loneda Bennett.  We wish you Champion-style birthday extravaganzas one and all.

Karen Ross joined the fun in Champion Saturday remembering the ten years she carried the mail to us here on her 122-mile route, always carrying dog treats for our friendly canines.  She retired at the end of the year with 26 years of service on her three different routes for the post office.  Kirt Dooms had been her postmaster in Norwood.  She enjoyed seeing him and Judy at her retirement party on January 3rd.  She said her first postmaster was also there to welcome her to retirement.   Hopes are that she will have time to meander back this way often, though retirement often marks the start of really getting busy.  Her friends here will just count ourselves lucky when we see her coming.

News has come that Eva Loyce Henson Phillips passed away on January 5th.  She attended all eight years of elementary school at Champion, graduating in 1949.  She had been living with her son in Nashville for a while.  They enjoyed coming to the Champion Reunion usually held on Saturday of the Labor Day weekend.  Her son said that she was very much looking forward to this year’s event.  Her brother down in Houston, Texas, Kenneth (Hovie) Henson, is now the last of the Ezra Henson children living.  He says he is the last of his clan now.  Hovie has had health problems of his own, but hopes are that he and Dawn will make it back home for the festivities this summer.

Football fans enjoying the weekend games get to hear the National Anthem performed by a variety of talented people.  In these tumultuous, troubling political times it is worth the effort to listen to the words of our song to reflect on whether we are still the land of the free and the home of the brave.  One Old Champion who has heard that song often in his eighty-plus years says that none of them lately have done nearly as good a job as David Richardson does.  David is a busy guy, a genuine local talent, flying around and still playing basketball in his 60s (early 60s) and making music all over the place–Mansfield, Norwood, Mountain Grove, Dora, Vanzant and sometimes on a Wednesday in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!