Jonnie

Champion has been improved again by visitors. Lately they have come from everywhere—from Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Washington, and other places closer by. Foster has been in the neighborhood working as a field hand, brush-hogging and moving big bales around. He made it over to the Vanzant Jam on Thursday with his Grandmother and made some good music. Several people in his immediate and extended family have had experience with the Covid virus. That seems to be the case with many people. Sheriff Degase posted on Monday that the Douglas County Sheriff’s office will be operating on emergency status this week as employees and some inmates have tested positive. Pete Proctor over in Mountain Grove said that everyone is being touched one way or another. Whatever our feelings are about the pandemic, we appreciate having freedom of choice—to vaccinate or not—to mask or not—to socialize or not, recognizing the consequences of our choices and taking responsibility for them. It turns out that it is not easy to be a grown up.

“These are the best fried green tomatoes you’ve ever made. I really enjoyed them.” Those are some fine words for an Old Champion to hear. She stopped whining because they were not ripening fast enough for her and just fried up a couple of the beauties. Dredged in flour, dipped in egg mixed with cream, coated with a mixture of seasoned cornmeal and breadcrumbs, the half inch slices sizzled in the hot oil, browned to perfection and made him happy. She has stopped worrying about the tomatoes being slow to ripen in the way he stopped grouching about having to mow the lawn and started thinking of it as harvesting mulch. If you see your glass as half empty, just pour it into a smaller glass. Being able to grasp the concept of different perspectives is a gift. Carry that idea further and imagine being able to understand the point of view of your good neighbor who voted the other way. What a gift that would be. Your imagination has more for you. A friend said, “Don’t be afraid to be open minded. Your brain will not fall out.”

The gentleman farmer who only had one hen and one rooster, now only has the rooster. Dogs, he said, got the hen. He did not say whose dogs they were and, while it is hard to blame the dogs for doing what comes natural to them, their owners bear the responsibility. This is not a new problem in a rural area, and, over time, it has been addressed in a variety of ways. Jonnie, the friendly dog does not even worry Wilbur the groundhog.

Blackberry Blossom is a great tune for the nimble fingers of bluegrass pickers. We celebrate the healing properties of music. Meanwhile, blackberries are being picked by the gallons these days in this part of the world. Six cups make a cobbler. J.c. Owsley up in Cross Timbers says to remember the Deet before you go to your favorite patch. Ms. Brixey makes sure to wear her tall boots and long britches when she goes picking. Those who thought the late hard freeze would ruin the harvest were wrong. Sometimes it is good to be wrong. Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!


Blackberry Cobbler
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