Champion News

CHAMPION—July 26, 2010

          Champions find themselves curious beyond good decorum when it comes to the construction of the replica of the Historic Emporium on the North side of the Square.  The great nephew of the builder of the original emporium is in charge of this building and is representing his family trade well.   Sunday found the four walls up all the way to the top plate and a stack of trusses blocking the West entry to the Square.  Windows and doors are framed in and the overall configuration is beginning to take shape in the imaginations of happy Champions who see that change is a positive thing.  It is clear that the tenor of the place will not have changed.  The Bright Side will still be in clear view.  It is Champion.

          The 29^th through the 31^st will all be good days to plant root crops for the fall according the Linda’s Almanacs from over at the Plant Place in Norwood.  The turnips and beets can go in now as well as another bunch of radishes and some lettuce and greens.  Champions are lucky to have such a good growing season.  Last frost is typically considered to be May 10^th, but it has been earlier in recent years.  The first one of the Season can come as early as the end of September, but is frequently weeks later.  A little planning can have food coming in out of the garden for much of the year.  Linda has started the Cole crops and in a few weeks the fall cabbage and broccoli plants will be ready to set out in the garden.  The Plant Place will be closed for the month of August while some remodeling happens there, but the doors will open again just at the right time.   “They” say that if you see a pretty garden there is generally someone in it. 

          The political candidates are out in full force campaigning and a-politickin.  The ladies of the Skyline Auxiliary are laying in wait for them to come knocking.  Since the summer fundraiser for the fire department comes after the election, chances for the candidates to tangibly exhibit their support for the community are few and needs must be aggressively addressed.  While there are certainly some beautiful babies in the neighborhood to be kissed, of more service is the purchase of big blocks of quilt tickets.  This year’s quilt is called Stripes and Scraps and it is just stunning.  Esther Wrinkles pieced the quilt and it has her mark of excellent craftsmanship and her good eye for color all over it.  Political candidate, Mary Lou Sallee, in years passed purchased the winning ticket for the Picnic Quilt.  Last year the presiding commissioner bought the winning ticket for the free power that Jeff Pardeck from over at the White River Valley Electric Cooperative awards the fire department every year.  Some old Champions are thinking that their electric bill will be pretty high this month on account of the air conditioning and a hundred dollars worth of free power will be worth the dollar it takes for a ticket. The real winning ticket is the chance to be of help to the fire department.  The July Mascot Monkey of the Month finally made it to Henson’s Store in Downtown Champion.  It is a real cutie with patriotic attire suitable for the month of July.  The Picnic Society sponsors this monthly silent auction to assist the fire department in making its big truck payment.  The bidding ends at 5 p.m. on the last day of the month.  There will surely be some good pictures on the www.championnews.us website of the lucky winner holding the patriotic monkey.  Just now that quilt is up on the Neighborhood Events page and it is dazzling!

          Summertime finds people coming and going in Champion.  Visiting double-cousins have brought some fun with them from Texas and Champions took some real fun with them to Tennessee.  Foster and Kalyssa were glad to see their Grammy home again and to see lots of visitors from Tennessee in Champion.  There has been a young people’s meeting going on over in Marshfield and Champion has benefited from the proximity.  Louise and Wilburn Hutchison have been entertaining two of Louise’s brothers from Iowa and her sister and brother in law from Oklahoma.  It is pretty well figured that some serious cooking and eating has been going on in the general area.  It seems that the General has been laying low for a while, however and the mischief quotient is on the low side as a result.  Things will all be getting back to normal soon…whatever that may be.  The picnics and summer gatherings are what Champions think about during the wet cold months of the year.  There is to be a three on three benefit tournament for Sharon and Buzz woods on Saturday the 7^th of August at the Skyline School.  They lost their beautiful home to a fire recently and it will be a great opportunity for the community to lend a helping hand. These folks have been wonderful supporters of the Skyline VFD for years, and of the Skyline School and every community organization and cause.  “What goes around comes around,” they say, and so Sharon and Buzz can look for a lot of help to come around, delivered up with much affection and genuine good humor.

          Sarah Bettens is a singer from Belgium.  She sings “The Soldier Song” that says, “Mother, I’m fine, everything’s ok.  It doesn’t help to miss me anyway.  I’ll be in your heart you know and you will be so proud to know I was strong, I didn’t let you down.” The story of the song is the story of soldiers serving today.  They tell their Mothers they are fine, but Mothers know they are not.  They will be needing some comforting and some understanding when they get home.  Those serving in and out of uniform have the Love and Gratitude of their Nation and they will need it just like they need a Mother’s love. 

          Sing your own sweet or sad song out in the Loafing Shed in Historic Downtown Champion.  Tell some stories of the old days to whoever is there to hear them or send those old yarns to Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 or to Champion News.  There are changes going on in Champion but big chunks of the past will tenaciously hold on and before long the old and the new will be indistinguishable from each other.   It will take a little time, but shoot! Champions have plenty of that going way back and stretching way out into the future.  It’s Champion…Looking on the Bright Side!

CHAMPION—July 19, 2010

          The good news in Champion is all about family and friends.  That is just the way this place is.  Cousins, brothers, sisters, children, parents, aunts and uncles and those grandparents, as well as long time dear friends, are all having a field day with visiting and feasting.  It is a great time of the year in Champion to do just that.  In the winter time a trip out into the snow for an armload of wood, or a shoulder against a brisk wind to finish up the outside work just requires pulling on a sweater or a chore coat and a visitor is happy to lend a hand.  In the summertime, the hard work better be done early in the morning, and while a visitor may have it in his heart to turn a hand to help, the oppressive humidity might suffocate that good impulse.  Some may rail about the softness of a society that cannot do without its air conditioners, but few will turn them off.  Older folks find themselves enjoying the softness of a good sofa and quiet visiting on the hot afternoons.  Naps are also nice.  Some visitors have said that they have never seen Champion so very green this time of the year.  They need to come back more often.  Champion!

          A week later finds the construction of the Replica of the Historic Emporium on the North Side of the Square in Downtown Champion well under way.  In spite of rain delays and a great surplus of supervision, the rest of the floor joists are in and the whole thing has been covered by quite a substantial sub-floor.  It is amazingly flat–big and flat and very square.  “All the world’s a stage,” they say, “and all the men and women merely players:  they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.”  The they in this case is that old square Willy Shakespeare.  The quote comes from his play “As You Like It.”  Champions like it fine.  There was talk of mounting an impromptu stage play on the big, flat, square stage of the sub-floor, but the timing was a little off.  By the time the General could get his rabble of players together the walls would be going up and he would just be a complication. Now if there is one thing the General is really good at, it is complications.  His music career is a prime example.  It may be that the Backyard Bluegrass will be willing to let him sit in again the Skyline Fire Department Picnic.  His last appearance on his custom made instrument with that group was captured in a series of still (silent) photographs which can be seen in color in the Champion Friends Category on the website www.championnews.us.  Look under ‘Generally Speaking.’   Those pictures do a good job of conveying the lively atmosphere of the picnic.  It’s going to be a doosie this year.  Anyone interested in volunteering to help ready the grounds, can show up Tuesday morning, July 27^th at 9 a.m. at the picnic grounds.  There will be plenty to do and an opportunity for meeting friends and neighbors.  A great colored photo of the Picnic Quilt is right on the neighborhood events page.  It is Bright and Beautiful.

          Sixty pounds of protective gear and equipment is what the soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan carry around in the same kind of intense heat that Champions are experiencing these days.  The Love and Gratitude for those who serve cannot be expressed often enough or completely enough.  World War II Veterans still remember clearly their military experiences and the friendships forged in that difficult time in their youth.  Every age finds young people bound together by the common experience of National Service.  For each group the feeling is that nobody who was not there can possibly understand exactly what it was like for them.  Veterans cross generations to help and understand each other.  They are Champions every one.

Just being able to stroll out to the garden to bring in a little picking of black-eyed peas or a few peppers is enough to wear out some old Champions. There is still time to get some good gardening done and Linda’s Almanac from over at the Plant Place in Norwood, says that starting the 25^th root crops can go in the ground again.  The 22^nd and the 23^rd will both be good days to prune to discourage growth…a nice time to get a haircut. Louise Hutchison has more welcome company coming and one of the bunch is an Iowa brother who is bringing her a sack of corn…ten dozen ears.  That is quite a lot of corn.  A Champion’s Aunt used to stand the ear of corn up on the middle part of an angel food cake pan to cut the corn off the cob.  It is not supposed to make such a mess that way.  Linda Mallernee takes eight cups of corn, a cup of water, a teaspoon of salt and a stick of butter and boils it for three minutes.  She lets it cool and freezes it, and it is said that it is the most delicious corn imaginable.  If Louise says it is good, it is good.   Louise is all smiles over the birth of another great-granddaughter.  Ryleigh Elizabeth Deal arrived on Friday the 16^th.  She has a two-year-old sister named Emily, and the family lives in West Virginia.  Louise will have pictures to share soon. 

          Take a moment out of your busy schedule to stop in at Champion.  The rare opportunity to see something substantial rise up as an example of how things just ought to be does not often come along.  Wood frame construction is exacting and quite interesting.   While many feel free to ask questions and make comments about how if they were doing it, they would have done it thus and such a way, most Champions are just standing back and enjoying the spectacle.  One of the duties of a non-participating observer is reticence.  One is reminded of an old Earnest Tubb song, “I love my gal, she’s a little bitty booger, just as cute as a bug and sweet as sugar.  I’m a gonna buy her a diamond ring, and we’ll get married in the spring.  Do you need any help?  No help wanted.  Could you use a little help?  No help wanted.  Just call on me if you need any help. Do you need any help?  I’ll handle this job all by myself!”  That July Monkey is finally there on the counter at Henson’s Store and you never saw a cuter monkey!  The silent auction is a monthly endeavor by the Skyline Picnic Society to help the fire department make its truck payment. Sing your favorite Earnest Tubb song in the Loafing Shed next to the Temporary Annex on the West Side of the Square while enjoying progress in the making.  Spin a yarn there or at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 or at Champion at getgoin.net.  Change is in the air, but Champion is always the same at heart—Looking on the Bright Side.

CHAMPION—July 12, 2010

          Champion is poised for change.  It is an attribute that distinguishes the character of the place.  Poised.  Stable and steady, yet ready.   An evenly balanced place, carrying itself in equilibrium, supported by the fulsomeness of the past, near and distant, bears the wonderful weight (wait) of tradition and history.  Residents had become accustomed to the unadorned foundation of the Replica of the Historic Emporium as it baked in the sun of haying season with the promise of the finished edifice hanging heavy in the air.  A great mound of pea gravel covered the piping inside the foundation and it baked in the summer sun a while.  Then, as if suddenly, a stem wall appeared and evened out the foundation that now had a sill beam of pressure treated two-by material fastened to the jay bolts.  Now a forest’s worth of two by twelves are lined up on narrow centers—hundreds of feet of perfectly parallel floor joists are lined up just waiting for all that sub-floor stacked up under the big tarp. Things will move quickly now—except for rain delays and the like.  Poised and patient—Champion!

          Ladies of the Skyline Auxiliary, meeting in the Loafing Shed, were entertained at their last meeting by a pair of young deer who wandered out of the dense woods on the Fox Creek side of town.  The sleek young animals strolled about at the crossroads with impunity to the delight of the onlookers. However, the ladies soon got down to business with the serious planning for the Skyline VFD picnic.   A workday at the picnic grounds has been scheduled for Tuesday, the 27^th of July.  Members and volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. to ready the kitchen and to begin the work that will need to be done to the grounds to make them pleasant and comfortable for the many hundreds of people who will attend the stellar event of the summer.  Anyone interested in joining the skyline Ladies Auxiliary or who would just like to pitch in for a little old fashioned volunteering is welcome to come.

          Gardens are burgeoning and neighbors are sharing produce with each other.  Linda’s Almanac from over at The Plant Place in Norwood says that the 17^th through the 20^th will be good days for planting above-ground crops and seed beds.   The 21^st and 22^nd will both be good days to prune to discourage growth.  Eva Powell and her family enjoyed the bounty of granddaughter Emily’s garden as she cooked dinner for the bunch on Sunday.  Tennessee boys with their parents were visiting over on the Krider Farm and the merriment spilled over to much of the Champion community.  Summer-fun is Champion.  Look for Linda’s Almanac in the ‘links’ section on www.championnews.us.  There is also a beautiful picture there of the Skyline VFD Picnic quilt that will be a featured part of the fundraiser this summer.  A big colored picture of Jr. Mudd and his June Monkey can also be found there.  He surely has a sweet smile.  The Skyline Mascot Monkey of the Month for July is said to be ‘on its way.’   Champions are patient.

          Neighboring Vanzant had a grand picnic success with a huge turn-out. The politicians were out in full force pressing flesh and making their positions clear.  Every psephologist in the area will have eyes on the upcoming elections.  They will be clean and orderly—an example to the rest of the world.  All eyes were on the spectacular fireworks display as the picnic came to an end Saturday night.  Roger Wall had just finished his presentation when the sky across the road erupted in booming showers of colored light.  It went on for twenty minutes with the spiraling, whistling, crackling, sputtering and spewing effusions of brilliance and the boom, Boom, BOOM.  Those sounds were softer on Esther Wrinkels’ front porch.  She left the picnic a little early so she could be home in time to see the fireworks from there.  She gets a nice view.  She had really enjoyed the picnic and the chance to visit with many old friends as well as the chance to finally meet Taegan Krider, who was at her first picnic in the arms of her parents.  Ruby Proctor had a good time as she usually does.  She just brings a good time with her, wherever she goes.  She came to the picnic with Pete, who was still reporting on his excellent experience at the Viet Nam Memorial Wall that had been in Cabool over the 4^th of July.   Many conversations included statements to the Love and Gratitude felt for the Veterans who served during the Viet Nam era and those who serve today.  A whole new generation of Veterans will hopefully be met with the understanding and support they have earned from the Nation.

          Some Champions were mighty pleased to make the acquaintance of Mark McIntosh.  He is from Norwood and works for those nice Centurylink people.  After years of struggle and waiting, Champions are one by one getting connected to the high speed internet.  Mr. McIntosh has been in the area doing the final hook ups and everyone is happy to see him coming up the drive.

          During these ideal summer days when the temperatures are about to rise again, Champions are encouraged to spend some time in the Loafing Shed next to the Temporary Annex of the Historic Emporium on the West Side of the Square in Downtown Champion.  The opportunity to see magic happen—to witness History in the Making does not come around every day.  “Your cares and troubles are gone.  There’ll be no more from now on.  From now on Happy Days are here again.  The skies above are clear again.  So, let us sing a song of Cheer again.  Happy times, Happy nights, Happy days are here again!”  This was a popular song in 1932, about the time of the original construction of the Emporium.  Spin some yarns, make inquires, or report any kind of happy times to Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 or to Champion News.  A trip to the bustling burg itself is the best idea.  If you are there, you are in Champion and perforce Looking on the Bright Side!

CHAMPION—July 5, 2010

          Champion again finds itself uplifted and improved by the observance of the Nation’s Birthday.  Grand Marshall, Dustin Cline, led the parade in his slick, black, souped up show truck festooned with extra chrome, while his charming wife dazzled the crowd with her radiant smile and regal wave.  Miss Taegan Rae Krider was this year’s Champion Parade Princess and appeared in a very fetching black and white ensemble featuring a patriotic motif in Red White and Blue.  She has been enjoying the company of visiting Aunt Linda and cousin Dakota as well as other close and distant family.  Over a month old now and already a full participant in all community activities, this young lady is a Champion!  The parade route started in the church parking lot and proceeded out the Eastern Gate to the pavement, thence west past the city limits sign, reentering the square from the north.  The Loafing Shed provided comfortable viewing while dignitaries had available to them the prime location of the Emporium West Annex Veranda.  This is perhaps the most ‘green’ parade in the Nation, as there routinely is less detritus at its conclusion than at its beginnings.  Not a trace is left except the fullness of heart borne of the Love and Gratitude for the Founding Fathers and their Great Idea:  America!  That is Champion. 

          The high-speed Internet connection is almost connected in Champion.  The Centurylink people are out in the area getting everything in place to tie Champion to the rest of the world through the Ethernet.  Cool.  It will be delightful to get into the www.douglascountyherald website and rumble around.  It looks as if the Champion column and all the other correspondence columns will eventually be available there.  Another very interesting place to visit online will be the State Historical Society of Missouri website.  It is at http://shs-umsystem.edu.  Links to both these sites can be found at www.championnews.us.  That is also the place to see photos of Jr. Mudd, who won the silent auction at Henson’s Store for the Skyline Mascot Monkey of the Month for June.  The picture of July’s monkey will soon be there as well, together with a good color photo of the Skyline Picnic Quilt.  It is a real beauty!  The Ladies Auxiliary will have had it’s meeting on Tuesday the 6^th dealing with preparations for the Skyline Picnic coming up on the 13^th and 14^th of August.  The picnic season is in full swing now, so there will be many chances to meet up with friends and family while supporting local community efforts.  This is a good time of the year in this excellent part of the world.

          Esther Wrinkles said that Rege  Kelly’s 4^th of July celebration in Norwood was another great success.  She said there was a great turn-out and the music and fireworks were good.  She had a dozen for dinner at her house and spent some of the rest of the holiday fishing.  She went with Larry and Theresa to a springfed pond down by Hunter Creek.  It is a comfortable place to fish and she caught quiet a few.  Fishing is good pastime anytime. 

          That bunch of tree-huggers were together again at the Mill Pond for the Fourth.  Old acquaintances made the time to reacquaint with news of empty nesting and grandchildren and a wide variety of other topics.  It seems that there will be many people turning sixty-four this year.  “Will you still need me?   Will you still feed me when I’m sixty-four?”  Back when the Beatles wrote this song, sixty-four seemed old!  Gardening was a great topic of conversation during the afternoon.  A nasty little black flea-beetle has appeared in profusion to wreck havoc in many gardens.  Dave Miller has 500 yellow tomato plants out over in Woodpeckerville and many others elsewhere—a new variety with which he seems quite taken is called “Hillbilly Delight.”  There was also much conversation concerning the Viet Nam Memorial Wall that was brought to Cabool.  Some had been to see it and some were unwilling to go because of the deep emotion that it evokes.  Jan Liebert from over at Teeter Creek said that she receives the new public radio station from Cabool well at her place.  She said that Sandy Ray Chapin had been on the radio in marathon since the evening of the first.  He was interviewing Veterans who had come to see the wall.  As he told their stories he played the music that they were listening to while they were serving over there.  Jan said that Sandy was doing a splendid job.  This is a great radio station that some people are just now discovering.  It is KZ88.1 on the FM dial.  They play a lot of local music and focus on local events of interest.  A link to their website, www.mykz88.org can be found in the www.championnews.us site.  World affairs, philosophy and politics were fairly well hashed out among the group as a potluck feast of mammoth proportions was consumed.  The day passed sweetly, another year gone by. 

The 7^th and 8^th will both be good days to plant root crops.  The 11^th and 12^th will be first good days of the month to plant crops that bear their yield above the ground.  This is from Linda’s Almanac from over at the Plant Place in Norwood.  Gardeners are reminded that now is a good time to plant for a nice fall harvest.  Citizens are also reminded that it is important to be registered to vote by August the 3^rd for the upcoming primary elections.   It is to be noted that the complaints of nonparticipating observers bear little weight.  It has been said that the General has been having a little trouble bearing his own weight.  Champions all wish him good luck in getting the lead out and getting back to his routine mischief making and surprise hijinx.  The fun quotient slips a little when the General is not quite up to snuff. 

Amble on over to the Loafing Shed on the West Side of the Square.  It is adjacent to the Temporary Annex and offers an excellent vantage point for kibitzing the construction of the replica of the Historic Emporium.  A substantial amount of fine pea gravel now covers the water pipes inside the foundation.  It is obvious that progress is pending, just about to break out all over.  The changes will be substantial if not what one might call swift in the here and now.  Time is so subjective.  “Send me a postcard, drop me a line, stating point of view.  Indicate precisely what you mean to say, Yours sincerely, wasting away.”  There are still available plenty of those Champion Picture Postcards with views of the previous permutation of the most pleasant place around.  Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!