August 3, 2015
CHAMPION—August 3, 2015
When the family comes traipsing in by the carload with armloads of groceries and readiness for fun, time gets suspended and memories boil up from the past as new ones flower in the moment. Some are fortunate to live in the midst of their kinfolks, but others languish solitarily, sometimes for years, until the generations come pouring in from distant parts. Hearts swell. Young folks lend their hands to farm chores, weeding ferociously, digging potatoes, and then there is all the fun in the kitchen. Sweet.
Pete Proctor called to say that he and the fire chief had been busy digging holes (pick and shovel) and filling them with concrete (12 bags) down at the Skyline VFD Picnic grounds. Their purpose was to prepare the place for the setting of a flag pole sponsored by the American Legion Post 30. Eldon Mackey, retired from the U.S. Air Force, is a member of the American Legion and has made flagpoles for the Vanzant Community Building and for the Holt Picnic grounds. This one will be 20 feet tall with a stone marker at the foot with the date and dedication information. It will be located at the east end of the stage. Chaplin Howard Anderson will do the dedication as part of the ceremony surrounding the presentation of the colors. It will all start with the Star Spangled Banner at about 8 o’clock on Friday evening, August 7th at the Skyline Picnic. The picnic will start at 6:00 and everyone is welcome to attend. The music line up will be Backyard Bluegrass, Big Creek, Finley River Boys, Kaylee Downs, Turner Brothers and Whetstone. Bring lawn chairs for your comfort and pies and cakes to donate for the cake walk and the concession stand. Picnic food is always wonderful. Friends and family are glad that Teresa Wrinkles still makes Esther’s coconut cream pie. Auxiliary members wish someone would join who has the quilt ticket sales ability of their old friend, but this quilt is so lovely the tickets almost sell themselves. Broken Dishes is the pattern. Ruth Hamilton did an excellent job of the piecing and Twin Valley Quilting stippled it beautifully. It will go to some lucky winner on Saturday night of the picnic.
Her friends and former students will be pleased to know that Lannie Hinote arrived in Anchorage, Alaska safely on Sunday afternoon. Her new adventure begins. She will be teaching in Mountain Village which is somewhere in the Yukon. The courage it takes to pull up stakes and start anew elsewhere will serve as an example to all the young people she has influenced over these many years. Skyline students will miss her, but will be happy to keep in touch. Terri Ryan has reported that the new water fountains have been installed at the school. The Skyline School Foundation together with grants from the Douglas County Health Department made this possible and the students will benefit greatly. She also says that James Brixey has volunteered to remove some of the stumps from around the school. Over the years a number of big trees have been removed and now all trace of them will be gone. Terri says it will make the school look so much nicer and will be safer.
Wednesday at the Emporium was a pleasant experience last week. Bob and Ethel Leach were back after an absence of a couple of weeks during which time they were engaged in looking for their young bull who has developed an attraction to some neighboring cattle. Once he discovered that he could get out of his confinement, he has been regularly absent. He is a nice young bull who sires small calves easy to birth and has some other sterling qualities all of which will benefit the new owner after his trip to the sale barn when they catch him again. Meanwhile back on the farm, Bob reports having harvested 328 big round bales of hay on 40 acres. 8.1 bales to the acre is a good count. Last year the field produced 210 bales. This year May, June, and July rainfall totals up in the headwaters of Fox Creek were 12, 11, and 14 ½ inches respectively. Almartha reported only 11 inches for July. Deward’s granddaughter, Jenny, happened in and visited with Ethel. The two of them share a great grandfather, great for Ethel and great, great for Jenny. They have stories of the gentleman to share, one James Beldon Henson, however it will take coaxing. For the time being, it seems that they will just share them with each other. There is written history. Perhaps they can be persuaded to part with a few gems.
Birthdays bring out the best in people. Children having them are on their best behavior with the notion of a party, a cake or a present in the balance. Celebrating other people’s birthdays is a way to acknowledge a friend and a loved one. Keeping a birthday book is an easy activity. It is a great gift from one generation to the next and encourages consideration of others. It is a surprise to children sometimes to learn that everyone has a birthday and most everyone thinks they are special days. Elitta January celebrated her birthday on August 1st. She has been gone from the community for several years now, but is well remembered by many and loved still. Seamus Heffern is a big kid now, heading into high school, celebrating on the 2nd. Caleb Harden is a kindergarten student at Skyline. His birthday is on August 5th. Lavon Carter of Ava celebrates on the 6th of the month. She has a lovely smile, a beautiful daughter, great grandchildren and a son who is a judge. The Nation’s 44th President will be 54 years old on August 4th. He was born in 1961. Francis Scott Key was born on August 1, 1779. He wrote the Nation’s great song: “Oh! Say, can you see……?”
Someone turned an antique manure spreader into a float for the Mountain Grove Alumni parade back early in July. It had bucket seats and was positioned at the end of the parade. Pete and some other fellow rode back there through the whole parade. Eva Powell saw him and waved. She was there with her sisters in front of Richard’s Brothers. Someone yelled as the float passed, “We ain’t got a shovel big enough to get you two out.” Ms. Powell laughed about it. She has had some health issues and will be in the Marshfield Care Center for a spell. Her friends send her best wishes for a speedy recovery.
The broad veranda on the Recreation of the Historic Emporium has been the scene of many a family photo. If you would like your own family photo to be included in The Champion News website, www.championnews.us send it to The Champion News, Rt. 72 Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 or to champion@championnews.us. Bring the whole bunch down to the wild, wooly banks of Old Fox Creek to get a good perspective on family and community in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!
