Does it seem early for daffodils? They are breaking out all over in Champion. They look smaller this year, but thankfully the deer are not eating them. They go by several names—daffodils, jonquils, and some folks around these parts even call them Easter lilies. They are a real harbinger of spring. Gardeners are raising fences, hauling manure, and thinking about starting some seeds. Felix the Farmer and his bunch already have some pepper plants started. Their fall planted spinach is growing and the garlic is looking good. Champions look forward to hearing what Edie Richardson has going on at her organic farm and how much honey her honey expects to harvest this year. Some rain will really help every growing thing. Creek beds are dusty and fire danger is ominous.

March is about to arrive and with it Skyline R2 School student birthdays. Fourth grader Lotus Winter, prekindergarten Kaison Lancaster, fourth grader Ryanne Harvey, and seventh graders Abigail Grace Rystad and Gabriel Castillo celebrate on March 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th respectively. March 3rd is a big day for Dennis Shumate, who frets a lot, and for The General’s lovely daughter Deborah Barker to celebrate their birthdays. Butch and Joyce Linder have a wedding anniversary that day. Linda Heatherington and Krenna Long have birthdays on the 5th of the month and so the first five days are full of celebrations.

There is so much to celebrate. On the 14th a couple from Wires and Wood, the Springfield bluegrass band, came to the midday Wednesday jam at Champion with a big doghouse bass and a well-played guitar—Mr. and Mrs. Wright. They left a couple of CDs that will circulate through the neighborhood, and they will be welcome back any time. Charlie Lambert made it for a visit on the 21st. He has a lot of good memories of Champion and would like to be living out in this part of the country again. His friends would like that too. That Wednesday was also the day a couple of regular visitors to the Historic Emporium discovered to their amazement that they are cousins, sharing the same great grandma. Neither of them would ever have guessed. Fortunately, The General was there to corroborate.

Various forms of sniffles, bad colds, flu, and whatnot whittled down the audience at the Vanzant Jam on Thursday, but everyone who attended had a good time. Father and son Shumate and a Medlock can play faster than some people can pat their feet—lively, to say the least! Ruth Collins had the birthday song sung to her and she treated the group to a song of her own, which we hope she will sing again. Those folks recovering from their maladies have something lovely to hear when they can come again.

A nice man calling himself David Brooks interrupted a call an Old Champion was having the other day to say that she had won $8,000,000.00 and a new Chevy Tajo truck from Publishers Clearing House. He said once you enter the contest your entry is always eligible. All was going well until he told her the balloons and flowers could not arrive at her door until she had purchased a $500.00 card from Walmart or a CVS pharmacy that would authorize the bank to receive the $8M. He said he was in Springfield and his accent was almost convincing, but the phone identification said he was calling from Jamaica. The Old Champion was grateful not to have been taken in. She is also grateful for a cozy home in a beautiful part of the world with good neighbors and none of the struggles and headaches associated with a sudden significant windfall. The caller-id has been a good tool.

Champions heard a good report of the Fish Fry Benefit for the Barry Family on Friday. The folks at St. Leo’s did a wonderful job and served twice as many people as they expected. Maybe there will be a report this week about who won the quilt and the Raku vase at the raffle. It is most heartening to see the community come together to support this young family. The Jean’s Healthway family of employees and friends has been taking care of the store for Rachel while she has been taking care of her family. Jeff shared a video on the internet that tells us he is making good progress and has a good plan going forward. It smacks valiantly of courage, good humor, and optimism—what a Champion!

While there seems to be no end to the conflict, anxiousness, and suffering in the world, in a moment when a little joy, hope or encouragement appears, it is incumbent upon us to grab on to it for dear life. Spread it all around if you can. Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

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