Tuesday morning finds frost on the Champion pumpkin–not a hard freeze, but just enough to verify that the seasons are changing. Abundant spring rain and a mostly, well partly, mild summer have us well situated for some autumnal splendor. Clouds obscuring Saturday’s solar eclipse failed to drop the rain needed to make for a safe burning of the pounds of paper being purged by Old Champions. The seemingly relentless wind hardly helps. Campions take fire safety seriously and genuinely appreciate those volunteers who help us when we need it, responding to fires, accidents, and serious health concerns.

“Shining a light on the past to illuminate the future” is what they say about Ken Burns who has made amazing documentaries about the Civil War, the Dust Bowl, Baseball, Jazz, Country Music, several other subjects and, currently, the American Buffalo. It may not be so much to illuminate the future that Champions are so interested in their past as it might be to understand how they got here. Chatter around the old wood stove in the Historic Emporium often centers around old family connections and antics of ancestors. The General and his big bunch just enjoyed the Ousley, Alsup, Livingston reunion. His great, great granddad on his mother’s side, James Ousley, is buried at Denlow. James’ brother, Crawford, kept the “Owsley” spelling. James’ dad was Joseph Owsley. Joseph’s brother, Richard, is the third great grandfather of J.c. Owsley up in Cross Timbers. J.c. and The General are fifth cousins. This is only part of the mind boggling information that The General has documented in genealogical binders for his children. Similar histories exist on his dad’s side of the family, which reveal him to be kin, a very distant cousin, to the Prominent Champion with whom he frequently exchanges good natured jibes out on the wide veranda. Some of the family trees in this part of the country look more like the briar patch, but they seem to be peopled by generally nice folks.

Those Skyline Volunteer Firefighters were well represented at the Skyline School Fall Carnival, helping with the games, and helping disappear some great chili. Skyline students celebrating birthdays soon are kindergartener London Coon on the 22nd. The 24th is for third grader Grant Strong and prekindergarten student Bo Lynn. Kayleigh Crownover, a third grader, will celebrate on the 28th along with prekindergarten’s John Sudderth. Seventh grader Addison Burns will party on the 30th.

Up on WW Highway, the lovely Darlene celebrates her birthday on October 18th. That is the same day for Champion grandson Carson Cline who lives over in Tennessee near his uncle Marty, whose big day is the 20th. The next day we remember fondly Anna Henson. She and Ed kept Champion supplied with its necessities for many years. Donna Moskaly has an award winning painting of the Champion store hanging in the store. Check it out. She is talented. Her birthday is on the 22nd and Ester Grace Ogelsby, also a Champion grandchild, will be six years old on the 23rd. Her Aunt Breauna Krider has the 24th for her big day. Esther Grace’s dad, Brad Ogelsby, and her great uncle Harley Krider share the 26th for their party day. That is the big one for Shala Clark too, mother of Champion great-grandchildren. The 30th is for the late Royce Henson, and for the charming Connie Landsdown, another pleasant lady up on WW Highway. Go east on that highway from Connie’s house and you will soon be at the end of the pavement where country roads meet at the banks of Fox Creek.

Look for pictures next week of the annual Champion Trail Ride, which is now considered to be the Bud Hutchison Memorial Trail Ride. Andrew Harden has taken the lead in Bud’s absence and will likely be abetting the hooky-playing of a couple of Skyline students. Among those pounds of paper the Old Champion is trying to dispose of is a yellowing scrap of undated newsprint showing a group of riders at the Champion Loafing Shed on the halfway point of their 43 mile trip from Crystal Lake to Champion and back. They were Bud Hutchison, Howard Price, Bob Herd, Mutt Stone, Gene Dun and Raymond Johnson. This week’s ride will be missing those old timers, but will be continuing a special tradition. While the expedition will be shorter in distance, just over to the Shannon Ranch and back, it will be long in memory making for young riders. The forecast is for a warm, lovely day. The intrepid equestrians will be glad for ice cream upon their return to Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

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