Redbud
Pink Dogwood
Flowering Quince
 

A morel mushroom

On a happy note, the IRS and Treasury have extended the deadline for filing taxes all the way to May 17th, so we can spend April 15th this year working in the garden, enjoying the glories of blooming spring and gathering ticks and chiggers while out looking for mushrooms. A friend up on Tar Button Road has started to find a few morels, and while she did not mention ticks, she said the pollen had made her cough and sneeze all through the next day. Springfield children visiting family down on Teeter Creek found a few small black morels over the week end. It is an exciting time of the year. A self-described intelligent woman up north of Ava said she looked out her window at the redbuds and dogwoods and was just so truly grateful to be living in this part of the world. She wonders why people live anywhere else, but she is glad they do–live other places.


Dogwoods and lilacs

More happy notes will come this week with the arrival of kinfolks from Idaho. They will most likely be put up at the Biscuits and Gravy Chateau and treated like royalty. The General is furiously practicing his guitar licks and rehearsing that Johnny Horton song, “Go and Wash Your Dirty Feet” (before you go to bed). He as much as cautioned the few attendees at the Vanzant Jam to be on their best behavior for Darcy and her party. Musical entertainment is part of his version of hospitality. Music is still going on at the barber shop in its new location. Lena Bell extends an invitation, saying the music starts at 9:00 a.m. and goes on for a couple of hours. She does not go, however, since Wednesday is the day for her weekly scrabble game. Because she is currently ahead by three games, she reckons her brother, the score keeper, is being honest about it. She says they are both sore losers. In all the years they have been playing she said they have only had a tied score a couple of times.
Pete Proctor said, “If you get lost in the woods, find a possum and follow it. You’ll be in the middle of the road in no time.” He has been fishing. He shared a picture of himself holding a couple of nice ones. He said he found them in the water at Warsaw, 23 in all, but he got wet. The next day there was a picture of him and his brother, Fred, each holding two fish. Fred’s were a little bigger, but they were both sort of smiling—the brothers not the fish. Going fishing with a brother is a good memory that a number of Champions enjoy. The internet has been glowing with photos of brothers and sisters this week celebrating National Siblings Day on April 10th. It gives us the opportunity to acknowledge the people who know exactly how we grew up. They are our friends, our enemies, and our competition. They are the people who love us, encourage us, aggravate us, embarrass us and keep us tied to family. The holiday has only been going on since 1995, but family ties go back to Noah. Enjoy your relatives if you are currently speaking to each other and know that nothing pleases parents more than seeing their children getting along and supporting each other. Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!


White and pink dogwoods
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