The New Year came in a lovely way in Champion. It was a Wednesday, always a good day. Among those present was Deward’s granddaughter and her farm hand who operate their Century/Centennial Farm. The Cowboy who hasn’t been on a horse in years had to leave in time to get home for “The Young and the Restless.’ The General, fresh off a birthday celebration celebrated by most of the world with fireworks, came in smiling and in the company of Brenda Massey’s lovely sister. Fence building Denlow cattle ranchers and their pig farming neighbors joined other local yokels around the ancient wood stove. A young Arkansawyer had a little Austin guitar and picked some nice Johnny Cash Folsom Prison licks. The Prominent Champion always request the Unicor Song, but no one has come up with any of the verses yet, jus the ‘green alligators and long neck gees’ part of the chorus. Sandy and Carissa performed a beautiful duet in German about a traveler from town to town who sand his songs and then moved on, his choice, perhaps unremembered. Kaitlyn’s sweet potato pie was a real hit. Her Champion friends love to see her coming with that pie basket, though she is very welcome even without it. It is said that the way one spends New Year’s Day is the way he will spend the year. If so, we count ourselves supremely lucky.
           The Eighth of January is Earth Rotation Day, which commemorates the day in 1851 when it was proved that the Earth rotates on its axis. It is also the name of an old fiddle tune that is also known as “The Battle of New Orleans,” a city much in our thoughts these days, also the birthday of Elvis (1935-1977). Elisabeth Johnson Lawerence has a birthday on January 9th. Bob Liebert of Teeter Creek, and the late Wilburn Hutchison were both born on the 11the of January. Wilburn liked the song “The Eastern Gate” and told a story about himself and Fleming Gear having seen a dirigible over the field where the Skyline School sits now. Herbalist and master gardener Edie Richarson can be celebrated on the 12th. At her L and E Organic Farm she has springtime plantes started already. The 13th is for Dianne Wilbanks who used to travel behind white mules. Blaine Denlow’s mother and her great grandfather, Norris Woods, shared a birthday on the 13th. Norris played a wonderful banjo–a favorite tune was “Life is Like a Mountain Railway.” Skyline 4th grader Joshua Eaves as hte 14th for his big day and Miley Schober has her birthday on the 16th. Miley’s cousin Reese Kutz has the 17th of January for his big day. Somewhere out west an old friend known as Brook Quiet Timber celebrates that same day. Jacob Brixey is a local dairy farmer and cattleman. He shares his birthday with Marybeth Shannon, married to a guy call Sparky, and with Skyline 6th grade student Railynn Dixon on the 18th. We start the new year grateful to celebrate all the people who touch our lives in a positive way. Happy birthday everyone!
          Winter took its own sweet time getting here, but it is here now. Be safe if you must travel. School closings make for happy kids. By the time this is in our rural mailboxes out her in the middle of Booger County, we will have experienced a wide variety of winter weather. While some of us are lucky enough to spend these frigid days around a cozy fire, there are many hardworking individuals out there in it. Farmers still have their chores. There are folks working to keep our electricity going and our roads safe and our volunteer firefighters are always ready to help when we need them. Thank you all. Cold winter days inside around the fire give us a chance to do what Kurt Vonnegut said, “I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or thing at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.'” We know what is in Champion–Looking on the Bright Side!

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