Someone said March 4th was John Phillip Sousa’s birthday. It was really November 6, 1854, but “March forth” was a cute joke as we are now all thinking about “Stars and Stripes Forever.” “Be kind to your web footed friends, for a duck may be somebody’s mother.” Kindness cannot be overemphasized, particularly in these contentious political times.

Spring forward? Yes! Sunday, March 10th at 2:00 am clocks are to be turned forward 1 hour. Sunrise and sunset will be about an hour later. (We can just move the clocks forward before we go to bed and not have to get up in the middle of the night.) Skyline first grader C.J. Castillo can sleep a little longer on his birthday the 11th. On the 12th we remember two interesting, talented men. Geoff Metroplos was a great builder and gardener and jack of many trades. J.R. Johnston played the banjo and loved all the old songs. He passed his love of music on, and it goes on and on because of Herbie. The 13th is the birthday celebration of Trinity Castillo, a fourth grade student at Skyline. The 15th, known as the Ides of March, is that ominous day when Julius Caesar met his doom, some while back in 44 BC. More recently three sterling individuals, Sam Sonite, Ursula Donnely, and Jacob Moffett, have claimed the day for their birthday celebrations. The 16th is for third grader Lillith Jeffery and for Elizabeth Mastrangelo Brown who was 23 in 2013. Skyline’s Jennifer Trujillo will enjoy the 17th. Your Champion friends wish you happy days all.

Spring arrives March 19th. The Lady Bugs are already here. Good neighbor Judie up on Tar Button Road found her first tick on February 28. The pesky pests should at least wait until spring is actually here. She said she had read about Sue’s Greenhouse here in The Champion News but had never been there. Last week when she had a friend from Little Rock visiting, they decided to check it out. She was much impressed with the enormous greenhouses, the great variety of plants and the friendly, helpful staff. She bought her seed potatoes, her ‘hens and chicks’ to replace ones from her mother that she had lost, and several Coleus. She plans return trips. Gardeners who plant by the signs will take advantage of the 8th and 9th for planting and transplanting. The 12th and 13th will be good planting days for above ground crops. “Oh! The night was dark and stormy. The air was full of sleet. The old man stepped out in the yard and his shoes were full of feet. Oh! It ain’t a gonna rain no more, no more…” The lake at Wolf Pen Hollow has gone bone dry. Forecasts seem fickle these dry days. Mushroom hunters are hopeful for some sprinkles to spark the spores. Frying pans await.

People in the Skyline area have something exciting to anticipate. Starting on April 13th there will be a Second Saturday Skyline Swap Meet/Farmers’ Market to be held in the parking lot of the Brushyknob Church just across the road from the Skyline School at the intersection of Highway C and 76. Helen Batten told us about it. She said it will be for small animals, baked goods, garden produce, jelly, eggs, just about anything. There will be no set up fee. Bring your own tables, tailgates or whatever from 8 to noon, the second Saturday of every month. It will be a chance to meet up with your neighbors and find some good stuff and get rid of some good stuff. While you are there you can check out the progress on the new firehouse construction for the Skyline Area Volunteer Fire Department.

Out along Cold Springs Road, way out in the middle of a big field on the west side of the road, finally sprouted the tiny clump of daffodils all by themselves. They found their way there in a flood several years ago. We may have another flood someday. We might have to take the long way around or maybe just have to stay home, but for now we hope for puddles and are being vigilant to fire danger in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

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