Champion News

 

Long afternoon shadows tell us the year is winding down. In a couple of weeks, we can start observing the days getting longer by miniscule increments and before we know it, it will be June 21st after which the days will begin shortening up again. Meanwhile, every day has some unexpected beauty about it. Cloudy gray days give some housekeepers a break when the dirty windows, the dust and cobwebs hardly show up at all the way they do in a brilliant streak of sunshine. That brilliant sunshine lifts our winter spirits and lets us see deeper into the woods. New structures and old ones that we had forgotten about are revealed now that summer’s heavy foliage fills the forest floor.

Thursday’s all day drizzle with an occasional shower was welcomed by Champions who had been worried about fire and the dry summer foliage on the forest floor. The rain, what little of it there was, seemed to reduce the turnout at the Thursday Vanzant Jam, but those who were there had a good time. From a newcomer’s clear voice came a couple of murder ballads, one in first person, and from another newcomer with a beautiful voice, a melodic song that says change happens unexpectedly all the time everywhere whether you like it or not. Lyrics in a foreign language are always interesting. They could mean anything. But music speaks to all of us. We are connected deeply to our music friends. To name all those who have passed on might cause one to be left out, so we just hold on to the many songs and tunes they taught us and the memory of their voices. We still have some venerable musical treasures among us. You know who you are, and you know who they are. Music is good medicine. Good news comes from Jean’s Healthway that Jeff Barry is on his way to a great rehabilitation center in Colorado where he will get the best of care in his recovery. Ava has stepped up in a big way to help this family. It will be a long process. In a world so in need of help, knowing we cannot help everyone, we can still help someone.

Who does not relish the opportunity to straighten up, whether from stoop labor, accumulated years, or bad behavior, intentional or not? A recent straightening to The Champion News had to do with the reporting of birthdays, citing confusion in determining whether the person being celebrated on a given day is living yet or is being remembered posthumously. Living in Louisiana, Professor Zack Godshall celebrates on the 6th of December, as does Ed Bell, living in Wright County. The 7th is for the lovely Ethel Leach, with a Norwood mailing address from which she frequently sends thoughtful greeting cards, including the first Christmas card of the year. Noam Chomsky was born December 7, 1928, and is known for his work in cognitive science, among other things. Artist Chris Tharp lives in Veracruz and has his birthday on the 8th. Richard Johnston was born December 9th, 1955. He lives over around Salem these days. Skyline prekindergarten student Elizabeth Johnson has that day for her party too. Two third grade students at Skyline have their birthdays on December 10th. They are Levi Hall and Westin Nava. Felix’s aunt Kai, up in Portland, Oregon and Loretta Upshaw, The General’s fair daughter both enjoy the 11th. Sixth grader Kennedy Hinote celebrates on December 13th. We hope your birthdays are all happy and that you are blessed with friends who will help you straighten up and straighten out. Straighten up and fly right, Champions!

December 7, 1941, ushered the United States into World War II. World conditions these days seem almost as tumultuous. We live in an era with a mindset that divides–predator or prey, a grifter or mark. How about friends and neighbors who can amicably disagree? In football we see it all the time. Fierce competitors help each other up off the field and after the game, no matter who won, there is camaraderie and respect for the opposing team. There is no glory in defeating a weak opponent. Yes, it is just a game, but civility is still Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Between Wednesdays in Champion, the days have gone from sunny, bright and warm all the way to chilly, dank and drear—from dry to a little less dry. Yard dogs are worn out from barking at the trucks and side-by-sides wearing out the country lanes in pursuit of deer. The harvest seems to have gone well. A great deal of generosity shows up during deer season, as hunters share their harvest with neighbors and with the community at large through area processors. The deer that decimated various gardens had a healthy diet that makes them tasty on gardener’s tables. Most Wednesdays find a little music, some interesting reminiscing, some outright fabrications, some genealogy and laughter around the old wood stove. Some of that kind of thing happens on other days as well.

Cheerful givers have been contributing to the “Jeff Jar” at Jean’s Healthway, in support of the Barry family, declining to take the change from their purchases. The Peace Valley Poultry folks from West Plains shared a bunch of their wonderful free range chickens and others are finding creative ways to help the family through the difficulties arising from the accident that occurred on November 8th. It feels good to be part of a community that comes together to meet the needs of a valued member.

Champion granddaughter Luxe Krider was born December 2, 2014. She is Teagan’s little sister. Captain Whetstone, David Richardson, was also born on December 2nd, but quite a few years previous. Miss Lorelai Day celebrates her big day on the 3rd. Wade will likely sing to her. We remember Lonnie Krider and his wonderful music on his birthday December 4th. The Hub’s lovely Ms. Spivey shares her birthday on the 5th with Skyline seventh grader Michael Hall and with Levi Crownover, a kindergarten student at Skyline. Dawn Henson, Champion by marriage, down in Houston, Texas, parties big on the 5th. Happy birthday to all of you.

A computer virus slowed things down for some Old Champions. That, combined with an excruciatingly slow internet, gave them time to catch up on some of the neglected projects that have been lingering for a while. If nothing else, it rekindled the notion of balance. It helps to remember the time when no one had a computer. It was also a great help to get connected with Josh Abernathy at PC Express. Some folks of a certain age now consider themselves ‘analog people in a digital world.’ We are grateful to have Josh help us navigate it. We will be delighted when the White River Connect folks connect us, maybe after the first of the year.

Neighbors living just down the road from one another may not have their paths cross very often. It is a rare and enjoyable occasion when they meet at the Historic Emporium at the end of the pavement on Fox Creek or sometimes in town at the grocery store. Such a happy meeting on Monday added to the joy of the Thanksgiving holiday as they caught up with each other’s news and shared their plans for feasting with family and friends. They agreed that they all have much to be thankful for. Twenty wild turkeys spent Thanksgiving morning browsing big open fields along Cold Springs Road, taking their time on a beautiful day. Phone calls took the place of warm hugs for some and some chose to say their blessings over leftovers with a thought toward the unknown numbers of people here and elsewhere in dire straits, hungry and displaced in these turbulent times. We mix gratitude for our own good fortune with hope for an easing of the world’s suffering. We remember Rosalynn Carter and all the good work she did just because she thought helping each other is what people are supposed to do. She was a Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!