Champion News

CHAMPION—January 17, 2011

           Champions are pretty sure that winter is not quite over and some are hoping for some rain and snow.  The ground needs it and it is well known that Champions, for the most part, love the weather no matter what it is, most of the time.  Champions sympathize with other parts of the world experiencing weather related difficulties and count their own blessings.  There is no controlling the weather so Champions just stay optimistic because it is such a pleasant demeanor to assume and it is so satisfying to be able to say, “I knew it would be fine.” 

          A note from a regular Champion reader points out the muddy nature of the sentence structure in the description of the tumult of the Fox Creek Rodeo. (Amid the hooping, hollering, and hoorawing, arms flapping—the farmer, four young friends and the uncle on the four-wheeler was cutting doughnuts in the dirt, with the air full of dust and hoofs, wire, hair and fence posts.) Extensive repair to that sentence renders it thus:  “Amid the hooping, hollering, hoorawing and the flapping of arms of the farmer and four young friends, the uncle on the four-wheeler was cutting doughnuts in the dirt, adding clouds of dust to the air already full of wire, hair, hoofs and fence posts.”  Hearsay had the young farmer pleased with the report of the avuncular doughnuts but not so much with the vocabulary.  Barbara, however, was ebullient at the return of her hero.  She announced that she will be introducing a new line of armadillo handbags later in the spring or early summer.  It will be a limited edition as Harley and Dakota only killed nine on their last hunting trip.  When the eagles, crows, and other scavengers have finished with them, the shells will be collected and painstakingly transformed into those unique couture items so prized.  Barbara indicates that time is too short to have one ready for the silent auction at the Skyline chili supper in March.  Her cachet—her artistry, however, will not let her bypass the opportunity to bestow an example of her creativity on the Volunteer Fire Department that she so admires.  Her submission will be a surprise unveiled at the event on March 5^th.  It is to be expected that the bidding competition will be stiff as the General is a long-time admirer of his sister-in-law once removed:  i.e. the wife of the brother of the husband of his sister.  It’s like that in Champion. 

          Pete Proctor of the Mountain Grove VFW Post 3770 reports that he and four other Veterans from their post participated in the funeral of Sgt. 1^st Class Robert Wayne Pharris in Seymour on Sunday.  He said that there was an enormous crowd and the Freedom Riders lined both sides of the street with more than 300 flags.  Pete and his friends assisted the Freedom Riders in filling out their ranks as they stand to protect the mourners from the protesters who are attending military funerals these days.  The Freedom Riders, on their motorcycles, escorted the body to Saint Louis on Monday for the flight to Arlington, VA where Sgt. Pharris will be buried at the National Cemetery.  Pete thinks that he will join up with the Freedom Riders, not on a motorcycle, but they need drivers to transport materials from place to place as they go about their work of honoring the fallen Warriors.  These disrespectful protesters seem to be saying that Military deaths are the result of God’s wrath at the toleration of the United States Government of homosexuality.  These deaths are the result of the willingness of citizen soldiers to serve their One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.  Champions all support their Veterans and those who are serving in the dangerous parts of the world with the Love and Gratitude they have coming to them. 

          Sgt. Parris was a farmer whose job it was to teach good farming practices to local farmers in the areas where he served—this time in Afghanistan   He was enthusiastic and optimistic about helping people learn efficient ways to make their soil productive and how to maximize their water.   World War I saw the beginnings of Victory Gardens planted to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort.  The gardens also boosted morale as everyone could contribute. “Dig for Victory!”  That was a British slogan of the times.  With the world in such turmoil currently, a little effort toward self-sufficiency goes a long way toward allaying fears of an unknown and uncertain future.  The future is always unknown, but it is pretty likely that a person can expect a crop of something if he has prepared the soil, planted the seed and tended to its needs.  In Champion the last frost is typically around early May, so patience is another quality along with enthusiasm and optimism that makes for a good farmer.  This is a good time of the year for planning and dog-earing seed catalogues and resting up.  Victory Gardens will soon enough be flourishing in Champion.

          Champions are just tickled at the sight of the beautiful light fixtures up on the west side of the Re-Creation of the Mercantile over on the North Side of the Square in Downtown Champion.  There are two matching fixtures on the front porch as well and they are charming.  The apparent sturdidity (spelled ‘stur-did-ity’) of the structure is not softened by these delicate appearing, but well wrought fixtures, but is rather defined by them as elegant indeed—elegant sturdidity.  It has been pleasant to accustom the eye to the sight of the building without the scaffolding up on the East side.  The building looks more at home every day particularly since the building site has been kept so tidy during construction.  Hats would be off to the builders were it not so chilly out and Champions certainly do not go inside uninvited lest they in some way impede the progress.  No Champion wants to be responsible for putting construction at a stand still. 

          A note from the eagle afficianda on the other side of the hill (not over the hill) indicates that bird watching is brisk.  She says that she has received two letters from Eva (Lois Henson) this week.  They had been to Florida and Tennessee to visit Bill and Berry, their sons, for Christmas.  It is awfully nice to get an old fashioned letter in the mail from family or friends.  Champions love getting good mail so much that as they get older they find themselves writing more and more, oblivious to the laws of diminishing returns. 

See what it gets you to write to Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 or to Chamion at getgoin.net.   Sing, “You’ve got me chasing rabbits, picking out rings, and howling at the moon!” January’s full moon is the Wolf Moon and requires being howled at just a little.  Especially in the moonlight in Champion—you’re looking on the Bright Side!