Champion News

White River wiring high-speed Internet.

Talk around the cold wood stove in Champion Wednesday had to do with tomatoes and potatoes. Gardens are starting to produce. The Cowboy said that in years past people would have ripe tomatoes before the Fourth of July. The changes in the weather may have something to do with that, or maybe the older gardeners knew things we do not know. Jaime and Wes Woods dropped into Champion that day while they were enjoying some quality time together in celebration of their tenth wedding anniversary. Congratulations. Charlie Lambert popped in for a few minutes but did not bring his mandolin in to jam. He had been to the barber shop and said he was played out. Music is good for us. It was a treat to see Larry and Teresa Wrinkles at the Vanzant Jam Thursday. He said he drove down a creek bed to get there. The Day family, dulcimer players, also made an appearance after a long absence. They have been working hard and have not had time to practice much, so they did not bring their axes. Lorelai requested the Possum Song and Sherry complied with the five pounds in her headlights. Sherry and Ruby are part of “The Elderberries” dance group, and if one is to believe photographs in the newspaper, so is David Whetstone. Their performance at the Heart of the Ozarks Festival will be talked about for some time.

Kaitlyn McConnell is in Washington participating in and reporting on the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. She said despite the smoke from the Canadian wildfires, the festival is getting a good turnout. The internet is giving us some excellent glimpses and we look forward to seeing more about it. The Ozark Highballers, a band out of Fayetteville, Arkansas performed on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center on June 30th. You can find a YouTube video of their show online. The 30th was also the birthday of Susana Handcock who has been married to Wesley Handcock, a native of Denlow, since 1963. They live up in Wilder, Idaho. Dawn and Hovey Henson have been married quite a spell too. They are in the neighborhood attending the Mountain Grove High School Reunion. Mountain Grove is well dressed for the reunions and the 4th of July Celebration with beautiful flowers and beautiful Flags. Huzzah! It is a long trip from Houston for Dawn and Hovey, but they are likely enjoying the (relative to Texas) moderate temperatures. Saturday’s little rain showers were a real relief to gardeners. We harbor hopes for more rain and perhaps cooler evenings for the music, fun, and games of the Vanzant Picnic. Bring some pies, cakes, or cookies for the cake walk and help support the Eastern Douglas County Fire Department that does so much good for the area.

On the bright side, the lovely wildflowers growing along our beautiful country lanes get extra attention and appreciation as it is imperative to drive at a prudent seven to ten miles per hour to preserve the integrity of our shock absorbers and tires. It takes longer to get anywhere. Speed on up if you are looking to feel like a rock in a bottle and have no concern for the longevity of your rig. At times like these we remember fondly Jimmy Thompson, a knowledgeable hardworking gentleman, who was wont to go fox hunting and coyote hunting with the likes of Deward Henson, Russel Upshaw, J.T. Shelton, and others. They may not have killed many critters, but they loved to hear the dogs run through the hills. Along some of the paths north of Champion, friendly ITG Communications contractors for White River Connect are busy stringing fiberoptic cable with the electric lines. Once they get it all up and get it tested, thanks to the America Rescue Plan Act, very rural residents will be able to have truly high-speed internet, unlike the Bright Speed stuff that sometimes seems to require a kerosene pilot light and might well blow you up. Come down the wide, wooly banks of Old Fox Creek on the pavement if you can. You will find some optimistic Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!