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CHAMPION—July 15, 2007

        Champions, like good people everywhere, can sometimes take a good thing for granted.  A couple of weeks ago up on Cold Springs Road (‘up’ because it’s North of Champion) an enormous stone (as big as a small car!) responded to all the wonderful rain and took a trip down into the road.  It occurred on a hill, on a curve, in a steep and rugged place with a big drop off and the thing blocked more than half the road.  It was an early Monday morning and those Douglas County fellows were right on it with a back hoe, a dump truck and a road grader.  In no time it was cleared away, squared away and a now a lollygagger wandering down a beautiful country lane has no idea of the effort it takes to keep the roads open and in such lovely condition.  So Thanks to those nice men out of the Drury Shed.  They are our Champions!

        Champion’s Soldier, SSG Raul Moreno (4-319^th, TF SABER, FOB NARAY, APO AE 09354) raul.morenojr(at)us.army.mil has had a busy week.  He and his fellow soldiers are doing what is asked of them out there in Afghanistan.  Dear Raul,  It’s Saturday night here.  Not too much is going on.  Some of us old people play bridge.  It is a partnership card game with many rules.  We are trying to use it to keep our brains working.  Someone remarked this evening that we seem to forget a lot of things with our brains, but our old bodies remember everything that has ever happened to them…every broken toe and sprained elbow.  We hope you enjoy getting old as much as we do.  When we were your age we thought 40 was old!  Now some of us are looking at 70!  It’s funny.  We just wanted to say that we are thinking about you and your fellow soldiers and your family back home.  Send us a picture sometime if you can….  We think of you as one of Our Boys and so we know that you are truly Handsome!  Keep you heart as light as you can.  People over here think a lot of you.  Sincerely, Your Friend in Champion.”  There are envelopes addresed to Raul at Henson’s Store for any who would like to write to him or to include a note in the package being put together for him there.

        The Ladies of the Skyline VFD Auxiliary had a productive meeting on Tuesday the 10^th.  Esther Wrinkles made everyone welcome in her home and the ladies got right down to business.  Betty Dye and her sister have made and donated an exquisite quilt called Jacob’s Trail.  It is done in gold and brown tones and has been beautifully executed.  All aspects of the upcoming Picnic were discussed.  It was agreed to buy the new freezer.  Arrangements were made to distribute the tickets that will go on sale for the quilt and for the $100.00 in free power being donated by White River Electric CoOp.  Soon posters and flyers will be up all over the place with all the wonderful details.  There is a tremendous amount of behind the scenes work that goes on to make one of these Country Fairs’ go over so well.  Again this year Gary Hutchison will bring a group of Inmates for Action down to help with the grooming of the grounds and other preliminaries.  They were a great help last year.  There will be some new attractions this year and some surprises.

        Mrs. McCallie of Nowata, Okalahoma wrote that Justin Carter of Mansfield, who was killed in Iraq in February of 2005, could have been “…. a little shirt tail relation to our family.  My great grandmothers name was Lucretia Carter, and was born and raised at Atlanta, Georgia, so you probably can guess who I am related to.  Yep, a 4^th Cousin to Jimmy Carter, and I don’t care what folks say or think of him.  I think he’s one of the most moral and best most decent presidents we ever had and he is still doing things to help poor people.  I’ve had several letters from him.  I was and am very sorry to hear this 21 year old Carter young man had died or got killed.  Well, we are loosing our young men very swiftly….”  The number of US Service People who have lost their lives in Iraq is now 3616.  Among them was Sergeant 1^st Class Randall L. Lamberson of Springfield, MO, who died there April 10, 2006.  408 American troops have died in support of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom — the War on Terror — in Afghanistan.  At least 1,380 U.S. personnel have been wounded in action there according to the Pentagon.  Ms. McCallie is joined by Champions in expressing Love and Gratitude for their service.

        Another nice person from Oklahoma, the friend of a Champion friend is suffering terribly from a cat bite.  Her name is Purna Mae and she lives out Tulsa way.  She is hospitalized and being treated with powerful antibiotics.  Champions all know someone who can benefit by being remembered in their best thoughts and prayers.  Many are thinking now about an Upshaw family that has just lost its home to fire and news that Lannie Hinote has been ill is distressing for all who know her and admire her great energy and selflessness.

        C. Maria Escondida wrote to correct the spelling of her name (ending in ‘a’ not ‘o.’) and to praise Champion for adopting a soldier.  “Champions!  I commend you for adopting your soldier!  It is absolutely insane that those dear young people should be without one thing that they need.  Your Country is giving Billions of dollars to huge corporations in no-bid contracts to take care of those soldiers and that they may be lacking anything that they need is Criminal!  The CEO’s of those corporations should be prosecuted!  We read that North American Mothers have had to buy the body armor for their kids and that the field soldiers do not always get the best protection while ‘important’ people get good quality ‘dragon-skin‘ body armor.  Pardon me,  I was not going to Rave at you this time.  It is enough to say that you are special people in Champion to do this thing to send your love and letters to them over there.   The kindness of the people and the beauty of the place is what lingers in my memory, though I have not been to Champion for many, many years.  I remember summers there as being hot and steamy.  Here is my poem and tell me does it describe a place down of your Fox Creek, your Clever or the Bryant?  ‘The South Breeze breaths sighs and a quiet light glides, Through dense boughs overhanging the deep cool soft sand.  Dragonflies dance while small spiders dangle by sticky silk strings among silent sun beams in the still air.’  Con amour, s. s. s. C. Maria Beatifica Escondida, Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico.”  Yes.  Ms. Escondida’s poem does sound like an afternoon down on a beautiful creek bank.  Perhaps she will reveal some day how she came to live in Champion and when she was here.

        Grandmothers and Granddaughters are planning some creek bank activities soon.  Linda’s granddaughter, Danniel, will be down from Kansas City for a few days.  Things are kind of slow over at the Plant Place this time of the year, but they say Linda has put in a wonderful herb garden where a person can go pick a bag of fresh herbs for a nominal price.  It’s a great idea!  Judy Sharon’s granddaughter, Sierra, is visiting from Portland.  They have been doing a lot of art work over there.  Charlene Dupre’s granddaughter, Olivia, out in Virginia is almost four years old and is a world Champion talker who doesn’t know that Grandmothers sometimes like it quiet.  It sounds like a sweet problem to have!  Plans are for Danniel and Sierra to get acquainted over some craft projects and then go to the creek with their Grandmothers.  There will be other Grandmothers there whose Granddaughters can’t come this time, but Champion Granddaughter Day will be a good time nonetheless.

        Memories of Champion good times, poetry, some generalized raving about good things or bad things if necessary, and tales of summertime adventures on the creek are all welcome at Champion Items Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717.  Those things or any stories about the old days, and old folks around Champion can be sent by e-mail to Champion News.  Someone objected to Champion being called a ‘languid backwater,’ because it makes the place sound kind of backward and lazy.  The place is Remote and Peaceful!  Verify this information with a first hand visit to Henson’s Store in the Bucolic Middlemost.  Leave any Champion News with the proprietor there and leave the place with an renewed vision of its Placid Prosperity and Enduring Enlightenment.  CHAMPION—LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!

CHAMPION—July 9, 2007

        It was Champion’s pleasure to host Esther and Raymond Howard again down from Marshfield for the day.  They joined friends for lunch at the North/South where Raymond discovered his cousin to be a principal in that going concern.  Their Grandmothers were sisters.  Perhaps this chance meeting will encourage more frequent visits.  There was no squirrel hunting, but a pleasant time nonetheless.  They reported adventures avoiding the flood waters on a recent trip to Texas to see their Grandson marry.  Champion is glad they made a safe return and they are glad to have their New Granddaughter.

        Bachelor Brothers Ewoldt, from up in Iowa were down visiting with their Champion sister.  They come every year and turn their hands to help out around the place.  They seem to like it here and say that they are also from a hilly area, but not so steep and rugged as these hills.  Their friendly smiles and dispositions must be a family trait.

        Champion has adopted its own soldier!  His name is SSG Raul Moreno Jr.  His address is: SSG Moreno, Raul,  4-319th, TF SABER  FOB NARAY  APO AE  09354  Email:  raul.morenojr(at)us.army.mil  Raul is a staff sergeant with a number of soldiers in his care.  He says that he is a religious person and that he prays every day.  He is married and has a daughter.  His e-mail said, “Dear Champion,  I would like to take this time to thank each and everyone of you there in the Champion community.  I too grew up in a small little town, Grafton N.D.  There is a lot of hard working people there in Grafton just like in Champion.  So thank you very much for the news letter, it does make me feel like home.  Well “F.O.B. Naray means (Forward Operations Base) and Naray is just the name.”  In an e-mail to a volunteer with the Adopt a US Soldier program he says, “My Solders and I are in a remote FOB here in Afghanistan.  We do not have a store.  A phone center is set up here, but it only has 3 phones.  Sometimes they don’t work and we’ll be without phones for days.  We have computer slots here, but only four of them for about 400-500 Soldiers.  We hardly see mail but once a week, even then depends on the current situation.  We would appreciate anything that you can send that we can cook without having a stove—microwavable or food that can be heated with/by water (ramen noodle, tuna packages, crackers, cookies, canned foods, beef jerky…etc.)”  There are envelopes addressed to him at Henson’s Store for any Champion who would like to write to him.  Anyone who would like to add items to the package being put together for him or to contribute to the cost of postage may also do that at the store.  The opportunity to support soldiers in the field is a gift.  Expressions of Love and Gratitude are always appropriate.

        There are eleven deaths waiting Department of Defense confirmation currently, bringing the number of US casualties in Iraq to 3606.  Sixty three of those people were from Missouri, including Corporal Dallas L. Kerns of Mountain Grove who died July 5^th, 2004.

        Down at Vera Cruz, the Mill Pond, was just overrun with the same bunch of tree-huggers and old friends that rendezvous there every year on the 4^th of July.  It was an excellent gathering with many old acquaintances renewed and stories of the past year past around.  New grandchildren and old timers mixed with good results.  Someone suggested that getting in the water was very like climbing into a Margarita.  That must mean cold.  There has been a lot of good fortune among the group and in the mix a story of some hard dirty dealing in Douglas County full of Murpheyisms and Shenanigans.  There was a song written about it:  (1) “There was some Dirty Dealing down in Douglas County,  It was one of those Real Estate Deals.  Neighbors met in the woods and agreed on a price  For those acres of trees and hills.  But along came a logger with a few more bucks That the seller could realize.  He went back on his word, The miserable bird, And his Neighbor has a tear in his eye!  He went back on his word, The Miserable Bird, And his Neighbor has a tear in his eye!  (2)It’s a cautionary story of Money and Glory, One designed just to break your heart.  How a Big Wheel Rolls with his land and gold  Never minding his own part In the meeting of Honor and Neighborly Trust.  His morals he’s completely forgot.  But his pocket’s full of money And he and his honey  Can just go to Blazes and Rot!  But his pocket’s full of money And he and his honey Can just go to Blazes and Rot!”  There are several more verses to it and the tune to it is kind of reminiscent of an old saw called “The Little Black Book.”  It ought to be played on a radio before it gets on the Missouri Song list.  In Mrs. Ethel (Haden) McCallie’s letter of June 24^th, she remarked that she liked the emphasis on music and was interested in getting the tapes and CD’s of the songs on the List.  It sounds like a lovely notion to have a single CD with all these songs on it, but for now the List is all there is.  It goes like this:

1. The Missouri Waltz
2. Meet Me in St. Louie, Louie
3. I’m Goin Back to Whur I come From
4. The Westphalia Waltz
5. The West Plains Explosion
6. My Missouri Home
7. Kansas City, Here I come
8. May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You
9. Walking in the Sunshine
10. Keep a Little Song Handy
11. Company’s Comin’ 

        “Beyond the Missouri Sky” is a collaboration between Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden and is much anticipated in Champion.  If “Dirty Dealing” makes it to the Hit Parade, it will go on the list as well.

        Neighbors over in Vanzant had a wonderful picnic on the 6^th and 7^th of July.  The fireworks were said to be spectacular as was all the music and food and particularly the home-made ice cream.  There were many freezers going at the same time and everyone just raved about it.  Bill and Karen Griswold hosted his brother and family visiting from Illinois for a week and impressed the daylights out of them with the fireworks display over in Norwood and then those at the Vanzant’s Picnic were just icing on the cake.  They didn’t see the Champion Stealth Parade, but Karen said they heard it was lovely.

        The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Skyline Area Volunteer Fire Department will have had its meeting before the Herald goes to press.  Among the items expected to be covered in this meeting will be the success of the Concession Stand at the Bluegrass Festival back in June and plans for the Skyline’s Annual Picnic that will occur the second week end in August.  Jeff Pardeck of the White River Valley Electric Cooperative has contacted the Auxiliary to confirm that another gift certificate has been awarded to the Fire Department to be passed along to one of it’s lucky members.  Look for more details of the Auxiliary’s activities next week.  Last year Susie Griswold bought the winning ticket and it was a nice welcome to her and her family.  They had just moved here from Florida.  They have pitched right in to make Champion their home and to contribute their efforts to the overall good of the community.

        Examples of Shenanigans, stealth, good humor, good pitching and good deeds are welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367 Norwood MO 65717.  Any kind of pleasantry connected with Champion, past, present or future, or any musical delight or original ballad is eagerly accepted at Champion News.  Opportunities for impressing the daylights out of Champions with any of those things or any other things abound at Henson’s Store in tranquil center of the languid backwater.  CHAMPION—LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!

CHAMPION—July 1, 2007

        Champion has been awash with luscious rain and Patriotic Ecstasies!  The First Ever Secret 4^th of July Parade came and went with fanfare enough to leave shreds of crape paper, burst balloons, colorful confetti, drooping bunting and an unusual number of spent shotgun shells.  Odd it was that none heard a thing!  The phantom echo of crashing cymbals, piccolo and tinkling glockenspiel in Stars and Stripes Forever lingers, haunting the damp forest undergrowth surrounding Champion.  Humidity and Expectation combine to steep the deep thoughtfulness of a Grateful citizenry.  Happy Birthday! America!  Huzzah!  The detritus was discovered by Henson’s Store proprietor at the opening of business on Wednesday.  The July 4^th Stealth Parade remains a Mystery, though it must have been a doozie.  Neighbors came in to help with the clean up and just looked at each other in Wonder.  The Champion Parade Committee is to be commended!

        Happy Birthdays were in order for those Nettleton girls too!  Saundra took her Mother, Eva,  up to Lamberts to meet with her sisters Shirley and Helen to celebrate their mutual birthdays on Friday the 29^th.  Among them they have accumulated 202 years!  They are a lively group.  There were stories about how Helen of Ava poured the brown beans on their Father’s head and how Shirley, now of the Purdy area, lost her doll in the outhouse and who had to clean it up and why.  Very interesting stuff.  Happy Birthday Ladies!

        Corrections have to be made from last weeks column:  It was Danny Dry, not Gray who came out from the courthouse in Ava to Esther’s Birthday party.  He has always been fond of Esther (join the club) and very supportive of the Skyline/Champion communities.  Then there is the matter of the travesty of having attributed the Ice Cream Fandango at Esther’s house on Saturday the 23^rd of June to Robert Hamilton instead of Robert Upshaw.  This is a grievous error since this ice-cream maker has such an excellent reputation for his craft.  It is, however, an easy mistake to have made, since there has been no real first hand knowledge of the ice cream, its purported excellence and variety, only hearsay from satiated ice cream-aholoics.  Apologies, nevertheless, are extended with the caveat that nothing further will be said about the ice cream until it has been tasted.  Both Roberts, however, are active in the Skyline Fire Department and both have lovely spouses and grandchildren, so the mistake is understandable if not excusable.

        Donna Moskaly is the proud owner of the Blue Ball Mason Jar, a quart, that was the Grand Prize in the First Ripe Tomato in Champion Contest!  She came down to Champion on Thursday afternoon, the 28^th, with the complete willingness to share her luscious ripe tomato with the judges.  She didn’t know the name of the variety.  It was a medium sized bright red jewel.  It was the first ripe tomato to be entered into the Contest, but not her first ripe tomato of the season since she and Joe had previously enjoyed one at their own table.  Therefore, any dispute or disparagement that could be brought by Louise and her Parks Whoppers is rendered Moot.  Fortunately, these ladies are convivial neighbors and while everyone knows how competitive Louise is, they also know she is gracious to the bone.

        An e-mail from Carl O. Johnson of West Plains says that all the members of the group touring in Champion last Sunday will plan to come back sometime when the store is open.  “ Have a great 4th of July Independence Day ‘Secret’ Parade—-I like the idea of celebrating it ‘all the time.’”  Carl O. Johnson.

        A letter  has arrived from Ethel McCallie of Nowata, Oklahoma!  “To the Writer of the Champion Items in the Ava paper:  Dear Sir, Or Madam,  I read and love your items, I think you are a great writer.”  (Thank you.)  “Now I’ll tell you who I am.  I’m a cousin to Darrell Haden and he suggested that I read your items.  I’m not aware of where Champion is.  I’ve heard of it all my life, but had no idea where it was…or is.  I was born at Smallett.  It’s about 9 miles S.W. of Ava and near Rome, McClurg, Bradleyville and some of the other small areas’………  “When I was a child we never got any farther away from home than Squires.  That’s where my Mother’s parents lived, their name was Warden.  My Grandpa was s school teacher, lawyer and Justice of the Peace.  You may have known of him as he taught school all over that area around Ava, Squires, Noble, Wasola and Kolb.”  …..”I seen Esther Wrinkles name in the paper and her photo saying she was having her 90^th birthday, June 28^th, so I sent her a card with a note in it congratulating her and telling her that I though 1917 was a very good year because it produced her and me and I told her I’d be 90 on August 11^th.  I hope she doesn’t mind me doing that.”  (Esther said that had received her card and appreciated it.)  She goes on:  “Have you heard of any Hadens besides Darrell?  He is my Dad’s oldest brother’s first grandchild.  My uncle’s name was Walter Haden, and my Dad’s name was Blake Haden.  We have a Haden Family reunion first weekend in September and if I get to come, My cousin and me are going to try to find your place of Champion.  Maybe you’ll have a sign back up by then.  I liked what you said about someone taking the sign, but not the hole.”………”I also enjoyed your comments about gooseberries.  My Granny had some bushes in her yard near the back porch and us kids and our cousins used to go and pick a bunch of them, then go behind the old cellar shed and see who could eat the biggest mouth full without frowning.  Haha!  It was fun, but those berries were so sour, I never could get enough sugar on a pie to make it sweet enough for me.  I said you have to use 13 sugars to each berry!”  Ms. Ethel (Haden) McCallie writes a lovely letter and covers a wide range of subjects which will be reported in future items.

        The article in the Herald concerning the Adopt A US Soldier program has been well received.  Any opportunity to show Love and Gratitude to those serving their Nation is Welcome.  When Champion’s Own Soldier is assigned, the name and address will be made available to any Champion who would like to correspond.  To date, in Iraq there have been 3,580 US Service People who have lost their lives there.  Lance Cpl. Patrick R. Nixon, 21, of St. Louis, MO was killed when his amphibious assault vehicle was hit by enemy fire in Nasiriya, Iraq on March 23, 2003.  He was with the 1^st Battalion, 2^nd Marine Regiment, 2^nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade.

        Some people complain that the rain is making for too much mowing.  Some people figure all the rain will make the tomatoes split on the vine.  Some people just don’t know how to be happy.  That’s not the Champion way!  No one has answered the question about Gene Autry’s horse yet, but some are studying on the matter.  A copy of Champion School Memories, a very interesting book compiled by a real Champion has surfaced and merits some study.  Perhaps there will be copies available for the Champion School Reunion that will be held on Labor Day.  Between now and then there will be many picnics, reunions, and ice-cream socials.  This promises to be a delightful Summer.  July’s full moon is called The Thunder Moon, its flower is the Larkspur and its birthstone is the Ruby, says Linda’s Almanac.  Compliments, complaints, corrections and any charming correspondence are welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717.  E-mail those things, tales of Summer Delights or garden tips (Linda’s almanac says that the 8^th and 9^th of July will be good for planting root crops) to Champion News.  Hand deliver those items or any excuses and commendations to an exhausted Patriot and Inspect the sight of the Great Invisible Parade from the lofty perch of Henson’s Store in the blissful bosom of CHAMPION—LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!

CHAMPION—June 25, 2007

        The official Summer Social Season was set in full swing at Skyline on Saturday with the Celebration of the 90^th Birthday of Champion’s own Esther Wrinkles.  Well over a hundred of her friends and family enjoyed refreshments and each other’s fine company for an afternoon.  The occasion was full of smiles and laughter and lots of photographs as well as some good natured humor and a fine rendition of the Birthday Song.  Among the dignitaries attending were Kerry Davis, Douglas County Clerk and her assistant, Valery.  They came out from Ava for the party as did Tax Assessor Danny Dry.  Ashley Reece flew out from North Carolina for her Grandmother’s birthday, joining her parents, Theresa and Larry, and many other family members in the celebration.  It was a pleasant gathering full of sweet reminiscences and Love and Gratitude for Esther.  She has received over a hundred birthday cards she reported on Monday and they are still coming in.  Esther raised some nice children who Love their Mother and sure know how to throw a party!  The party continued on at Esther’s house until late in the evening as she then hosted twenty-six people for home-made ice cream.  Her neighbor Robert Hamilton is fairly King of Homemade Ice Cream, they say.  Everyone agreed it was wonderful!

        It was pleasant to see Jack and Sue Slagle at Esther’s birthday party.  They are long time supporters of the Skyline Volunteer Fire Department even though they live quite East of the district.  Sue was kind enough to donate one of her beautiful quilts to the Fire Department for it’s raffle a couple of years ago.  She is currently finishing a quilt that she is making for her Grandson, Kirk, who is a US Marine currently home on leave from Iraq.  He is touring around the country visiting friends a family for a few weeks before he will go back to Iraq where he works in communications.  He is their only grandson and Jack and Sue will be glad to see him in a few days for a few days.  Champions all wish for him “God’s speed.”

        Wilma Hutchison, the charming spouse of a Champion’s double cousin, inquired about the Champion sign.  Stephanie Stogsdill called on Monday to say that the sign has been special ordered and it will be made in Jefferson City.  It will be a few weeks or perhaps a little longer before it will be given to the instillation specialists to put in place.  As soon as MODOT releases the date of the sign instillation, arrangements will be made and announced for The Dedication Ceremony.  Someone suggested that it probably won’t be long before the sign is stolen again once it is back in place since it has had so much attention.  Attention was drawn to an episode that occurred a few years ago when a Champion had described in the press, or on the radio, a certain historic hand pump that was still in use and functioning well.  Within a very short time the thing had been stolen.  The pump had to be replaced at quite a significant expense.  The new one works but without the charm and memory evoking history of the old one.  One person muttered that it’s not right to be so afraid of losing something that you wonder whether or not you want to get it to begin with. “Nobody would ever have anything.  It’s like being held hostage by vandals!”  Well, Champions won’t be held hostage and they want the new sign.  It was one of the party-going Ms. Hutchisons or perhaps the proprietor of Henson’s Store who suggested that a bad dog might be kept tied at the sign for a while.  There were only a few veiled comments directed toward Spotted Hog when the matter was under discussion.  It is nice to have some of those tensions easing somewhat.

        Saturday evening did see a spectacular rainbow draped over Spotted Hog after a brief but heavy downpour, and there were sounds of early July 4^th fire-works around the Norwood area.  No one knows how long The Champion Parade Committee has been meeting in secret.  A key member, who would like not to be identified, has reported that the secret meetings are so much fun that the committee has decided to keep the Fourth of July Parade a secret too!  “It’s going to be a Happening!”  extolled this committee-member, just at an undisclosed time and location.  “It will be ‘happening’ all the time,” he continued, “…..continually any time Champions are thinking about Freedom and The Great Good Fortune they have to live in this Fine Country!  Just come to Champion any old time and sit on the porch at Henson’s Store.  Listen for the drum and fife!  It beats to the time of Champion’s heart!”  Such emotional patriotic zeal suggest the Champion Parade Committee might be ‘tipplers.’

        A Texas double cousin inquires if there is a ‘blush of pink’ showing yet in tomato patches around Champion.  Indeed!  Louise claims to have three Parks Whoppers on her table right now (Saturday) getting red ripe.  As it turns out, she already has a blue Ball Mason jar just like the one being given as the Grand Prize for the First Ripe Tomato in Champion Contest so when she learned that the tomato being entered in the contest would be judged by the eating of it, she decided that she will not share her first ripe tomato and forego the prize.  It is to be hoped that off in the future when the Grand Prize is Awarded, that Ms. Hutch will refrain from spoiling the moment for the Real Winner with dispute.

        Young Dillon and brother Dakota are back in Tennessee after making a fine showing at the fair.  They went home with various ribbons and awards as well as some wild calf experiences.  There were bruises earned by several in that camp.  The camp seems sort of quiet without their ruckus.  Harley, weary of gooseberries and hay-making, headed back to Barbara to enjoy their own ruckus of grandchildren and community.  He said he didn’t know if they would make it back for the CHAMPION REUNION which comes up on Labor Day.  Other Champions hope they do make it, Barbara is such fun!

        A big wheel came rolling through Champion!  Carl Oscar Johnson, of West Plains was showing his family and friends the sights of the area on their way to a rendezvous at Rockbridge for Sunday dinner.  He became acquainted with Barbara Henson Cogdill when he lived in Branson and used to buy Christmas Trees from her farm there.  It was a pleasant coincidence to learn of Barbra’s connection to Champion when he happened in to the store by chance a few years ago.  The store was closed on Sunday, but the group took some pictures and visited with some locals for a few minutes.  Mr. Johnson is the Executive Director of the West Plains Civic Center.  He said that when his Mother had just become a school teacher she moved into West Plains and rented a room from the Mayor.  They were all on the veranda of the Mayor’s house when the West Plains Explosion occurred.  He said that they saw the huge fire ball and that the town was very affected by the disaster for many years.  Champions have interesting neighbors.

        Specialist Benjamin J. Ashley, 22, Independence, MO, died May 24^th, 2007.  Corporal James E. Summers III, 22, Bourbon, MO, died May 28, 2007.  Sergeant Shannon V. Weaver, 28, Urich, MO, died May 22^nd, 2007.  Specialist Justin B. Carter, 21, Mansfield, MO, died February 16, 2005.  1^st Lt. Amos C. R. Bock, 24, of New Madrid, MO, was killed when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq, on October 23, 2006.  He was with the 4^th Battalion, 320^th Field Artillery Regiment, 45h Brigade Combat Team, 101^st Airborne.  There are now 3,549 deaths of US Service Personnel in conflict in Iraq confirmed by the Department of Defense and eleven more deaths pending confirmation.  The total is now 3,560.  Champions, together with the Whole Nation, will acknowledge their sacrifice with Love and Gratitude as they celebrate the Nation’s Birthday on July 4^th.

        Come to the first ever Champion 4^th of July Secret Parade!  Please send any reviews of the parade, or any other community news to Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717.

        Champion Friend Darrell Haden recently queried, “Was Gene Autry’s horse from your community?”  Answer that question or pose one by mail or e-mail to Champion News.  Elbow the hot-dog and apple pie vendors out of the way and hand deliver those things to Henson’s Store somewhere on the parade route (maybe) in The Throbbing Heart of the Community!  CHAMPION—LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!

CHAMPION—June 18, 2007

        Dads, Daddies, Pops, Papas, Pappies, and Grand versions of all those Fathers and others were Hailed and Lauded, Revered and Appreciated with Love and Gratitude in Champion on Sunday.  Phone calls from far places and cards with and without money poured in.  There were many fine gatherings and many meals out.  A sudden,  violent and very noisy little thunderstorm came up and left a little rain and no damage.  No complaints were heard from the City Fathers on any account..

        In Champion they say if you see a pretty garden there is generally someone in it.

        Things are fairly burgeoning.  The First Ripe Tomato In Champion Contest is spurring a modest amount of enthusiasm, though it is thought that as things “pink up” the excitement will surely swell.  It is to be noted that if blossoms are only now appearing, there is scant chance for a victory.  Linda’s almanac says that the 23^rd all the way through the 27^th will be good for planting anything that bears fruit above the ground—the 25^th-27^th will be especially good.

        It was a swell time for Foster Emit’s second birthday!  He had cousins from Nebraska and Tennessee and a Great Uncle from Illinois at his party last week.  Another Great Uncle and Champion ice-cream maker furnished two kinds of the good homemade stuff to go with the cake and burgers and other excellent fair.  Foster entertained a substantial crowd with his mandolin and several selections from his expanding repertory.  His Tennessee cousins, Dakota and Dillon, have recently attended a singing school where they learned fundamentals of music together with some songs about skunks and bees.  They are having adventures in breaking some wild calves to show at the Fair in Mountain Grove on Saturday morning.  They are already Champions, but locals are wishing them good luck in their efforts!

        Saturday afternoon will see the community gathering to honor Esther Wrinkles at her Party at the Skyline School at 2 p.m.  It promises to be a lively affair with well wishers pouring in from all segments of society, from near and far.  Some of Esther’s friends are going to give her gooseberry bushes and plant them wherever she wants them in her yard so that when she gets old she won’t have to rely so much on others for her gooseberries!  Linda has three or four of them over at the Plant Place and she’s starting a sale on Thursday that will provide some great bargains.  As to the lies about gooseberries and the people who love them, apologies are to be made.  The admonition had been, “Don’t go telling any big lies about me.”  The thought had been that there would be fun in a small lie about a small thing.  Apparently, it was a Big Thing, since he hates gooseberries sooo much and he is now hesitant to talk about anything.  It just goes to show that there is no profit to be made from lying on any scale.  And Esther’s birthday is on the 28^th, of June and not the 27^th as was reported last week.  That was just a mistake—not a lie.

        Stephanie Stogsdill is in charge of District Eight of the Missouri Department of Transportation.  Her office is in Springfield, but she is quite well acquainted with this area.  She says that the Champion sign is on order and that she will release the date it will be installed as soon as it is available.  Nothing was said about whether the same hole would be used.  It still has not been taken.  Anyone wishing to compliment Ms. Stogsdill’s efforts for the betterment of her District can do so at MODOT, 3025 East Karney, Springfield, MO 65803, or go to www.modot.org on line.  Speculation that someone from Spotted Hog took the sign is slanderous.  That’s the way rumors are started.  It is agreed that is too bad that they don’t have their own sign over there, but Champion’s sign would clearly be of little use to them.  In an effort to quell further contention, nothing more will be said concerning this matter.

        Louise Hutchison and Sharon Sikes have been slipping around to do extra cleaning on the sly in the cook shack at the Skyline Fire Department Picnic Grounds.  They seem to feel that it’s OK for them to work harder than everyone else.  They dismantled the new refrigerator and cleaned it thoroughly, cleaned the deep fryer and the grill, and who knows what all?  Wilburn was there too sweeping and pitching in as a solid citizen.  Membership in the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Skyline Fire Department is a year-round thing.  These are some special Ladies (and gentleman.)  A good buy on a big deep freeze from a local merchant is being pursued.  The old one has finally given out and there will be a real need come Picnic Time.  These things and others will be discussed at the next meeting which will be held July 10^th, at Esther Wrinkle’s house.

        Spec. Justin B. Carter, age 21, of Mansfield, Missouri died at Forward Operating Base McKenzie near Samarra, Iraq on February 16, 2005.  He is one of sixty who died there that month.  The total of US Service People who have lost their lives in this conflict as of June 18, 2007 is 3,526.  Neighbors near and far are active in the US Military Services on behalf of the Nation.  The pride and patriotism of their service must be reflected in the Love and Gratitude of their Nation.

        The first foreign e-mail to the Champion News e-mail box is from Piedras Negras, Mexico!  It is subject line says “Bare it or bear it.”  The e-mail is as follows: “Salud! Champion!  The bare facts are that you barely speak your own language if you choose to use ‘bare’ for ‘bear.’  English is the official language of Champion, no?  I find your column a curious mix of charm and tedium, but it is a reminder of a place I have loved so well.  s.s.s.  C.Maria Beatifica Escondido, Piedras Negras, Mexico”  The response is:  “Dear Ms. Escondido, Thank you for reading the Champion Items.  Thank you for correcting the poor word choices.  Every effort will be made to do better.  Please feel free to share any fond memories that you have of Champion.  Sincerely, Your Champion Friend.”  A chance meeting with a great nephew of Ed and Anna Henson the other day promises to yield some good stories about them in the future.  The ‘old timers’ set the tone for this lovely place and it is a pleasure to know that they are remembered.

        Champions here and those abroad are welcome to correct spelling, usage, grammar, facts, dates and moral principals or principles (so much pressure!) by writing to Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717.  Send those things and any stories or good memories of the old timers to the e-mail address that Ms. Escondido used, or drop them off in person to one of the City Fathers of Champion who may be found at any odd time lounging about at Henson’s Store on the tree lined boulevard in the nerve center of the fair town.  Any examples of good works done on the sly will also be accepted.  CHAMPION—LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!

CHAMPION – June 11, 2007

        Gardeners and haymakers are at odds over the rain in Champion.  Some like it and some don’t. Folks are not overly contentious about it, however, since no one has control over the weather.  The hard freeze that came back in March wrecked havoc with the peaches, blueberries and other fruit in the area.  Worst of all is the possibility that the gooseberries will yield poorly this year!  This is a devastating blow to Harley Krider, who fairly lives for them.  He’s been known to wade through snake infested waist high brush to pick gooseberries.  He likes them green.  He likes them pink.  He likes to pick them and to stem them and to have them in a pie.  If he doesn’t get enough he’s liable to cry!  He comes home to Champion on the pretext of helping his brother make hay and to look out after his property but everybody knows he just can’t resist the Lure of the Gooseberry.  Linda may have some Gooseberry bushes over at the Plant Place in Norwood.  Her Almanac says that the 15^th to the 17^th will be good for planting crops that yield above ground.

        “Oh, Mama, I’m excited I’m almost out of breath.  What I saw the light that made me run myself to death.  I was on the mountain side when I looked down below.  And, Glory be!  I thought I’d better come and let you know.  We got company comin’ company comin’, we got company comin’ up the road.  They’re down the road about half a mile.  They’ll be here in a little while.  There’s company comin’ up the road!”  That is the first verse of the Johnny Mullins song made popular by Porter Wagoner and now the most recent addition to The Missouri Song List that goes like this:

1. The Missouri Waltz
2. Meet Me in St. Louie, Louie
3. I’m Goin Back to Whur I come From
4. The Westphalia Waltz
5. The West Plains Explosion
6. My Missouri Home
7. Kansas City, Here I come
8. May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You
9. Walking in the Sunshine
10. Keep a Little Song Handy
11. Company’s Comin’

        The latest addition was suggested Mr. Al Nance over on the Western Edge of the Ozarks.  A copy of the CD “Beyond the Missouri Sky” is on its way to Champion.  This is the collaborative effort of Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny which has been offered for consideration by Tennessee Champion Darrell Haden.  In his recent letter he said that he had recommended the Champion Items to the AHS Class of 1950, and that the next time he was in the neighborhood he would find Beautiful Downtown Champion.  For future reference anyone starting out from Ava to find Champion needs to go east on Highway 14 for about 17 miles and turn left (North) on Highway C at Evans.  In two or three miles the first paved road to the right will be WW Highway.  Turn there and find Champion sprawled out at the bottom of a long hill about two miles later on just before the pavement ends at Fox Creek.  The Champion sign has been missing for about two months now.  There had been some talk that someone from over in Spotted Hog, jealous about not having a sign of their own, had taken it.  That hardly seems likely.  When the theft was reported to the Department of Transportation by Champion’s most prominent businesswoman she indicated that the thieves had taken the sign but had left the hole.  Champions will take the High Road and say, “If a man should steal your sign, give him also your hole.”  So the thief will be admonished to Return the Sign or Take the Hole too!

        Sometimes something can be gone for a long time before its absence is noted.  Such is the case of the moustache of the illustrious Postmaster of Norwood.  Practically everybody in Champion who gets mail gets it from Route 2, Norwood.  Kirk Dooms said that he had done away with that moustache back in the fall and that nobody had mentioned it until now.  Probably someone had noticed, but was just too polite to mention such a personal thing—until now.  Well, mustached or not, Mr. Dooms is doing a fine job of post mastering and Champions are glad to get some of their mail.  (They get it all, but are only ‘glad’ about some of it.)  Mr. Dooms was glad to hear that a Shindig is in the works for his Aunt Esther Wrinkles’ Birthday on Saturday the 23^rd of June.  It promises to be a lovely Afternoon Party at the Skyline School.  Everyone who wishes to celebrate a milestone birthday with Mrs. Wrinkles is welcome to join the fun from two o’clock until five.  Those who can’t attend may send her a card at Rt. 1, Box 845 Vanzant, MO 65768.  Her birthday is actually on the 27^th but there are no rules in Champion that prohibit starting early to Enjoy Life!

        Those schoolboys from down on Cripple Creek in Tennessee will be back visiting with Krider Grandparents this week.  They’ll be getting ready to show some cows at the Fair and generally being good help down on the farm.  They can watch their Mother in the milking parlor to see how its done and particularly to see how to go about being a helpful appreciative child.  Linda joins three sisters and a brother exemplifying that delightful attribute.

        Sgt. Shannon V. Weaver, 28, of Urich, MO, and two other soldiers were killed in Baghdad when multiple improvised explosive devices blew up near their vehicle.  The three were assigned to the 425^th  Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 45h Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25^th Infantry Division based at Fort Richardson, Alaska.  This occurred on May 22^nd.  So far in June 36 US Service People have lost their lives there bringing the total to 3512.  Their sacrifice elicits Love and Gratitude from the whole Nation and from Champions especially.

        Bald face lies about gooseberries and the people who love them, admonitions to thieves, lessons in music appreciation, things that are notably absent and Birthday Party Invitations are all welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 or Champion News.  Hand deliver those things and examples of taking the High Road and delightful attitudes to Henson’s Store if the congestion and hubbub of Champion’s urban sprawl is not too much to bare.  Look for the hole where the sign used to be and turn right.  CHAMPION—LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!

CHAMPION – June 4, 2007

        Champion has seen a lot of grandchildren and great grandchildren in the past couple of weeks.  The Tennessee boys stayed through Memorial Day to help their Grandmother celebrate at the Denlow School Reunion.  Mrs. Eva Powell had four grandchildren and one great grandchild visiting on the third.  Great granddaughter Serena had a mishap when the kitten she was carrying accidentally touched an electric fence.  She has some deep scratches on her arm and a new set of experiences to take to kindergarten with her.  Her cousin, Derek, was heard telling her about his kindergarten days.  That was a long time ago and now he is getting ready to do some traveling that will take him all the way to Timbuktu!  Really!  It is a good sized town (about as big as Springfield) in the West African country of Mali and has long been the metaphor for remote, exotic places.  Champions wish safe journeys to all their precious travelers from Champion to Timbuktu and beyond.

        Neighbors Duke and Connie over in Drury certainly threw a lovely Bluegrass Festival.  There were rain showers from time to time, but nobody’s spirits were dampened and the music was wonderful.  Skyline VFD Auxiliary ladies had a good time and hope to be asked to participate again next year.  Some of those ladies, (Louise, Sharon and Ruth) put in some very long hours.  There were a couple of menfolk involved in the process as well, but they shun the limelight!

        An e-mail came to the Champion News box that goes like this:  “Greetings from the western edge of the Ozarks–Scotts Valley, CA.  This ol’ barefoot plowboy grew up in Ozark County, between Old Romance and Almartha.  The Navy took me out of the hills in 1945; while in the service I met a young lady and we eventually “slipped into the double harness”–city girl and country boy–that was 60 years ago.  We subscribe to the Herald and I began noticing your articles sometime ago.  Now, I read these through every issue.  I don’t know where Champion is located, but notice your address is Norwood.  Fifty years or more ago, one of my sisters and her husband operated a store in Norwood for a period of time, perhaps three years.  One of the items of interest in your article recently was the “Missouri Song List.”  May I propose a candidate for the list:  “Company’s Comin’,” by Johnny Mullins, of Springfield, who grew up around Cassville.  It was written in 1954 and recorded that same year by West Plains boy Porter Wagoner and which, I believe, may have been Porter’s first big hit on his road to success.  A couple years ago, I saw one of Porter’s albums advertised and which still listed “Company’s Comin’ ” among the songs.  This song is nominated as it was written and recorded by Missourians and is still quite popular.  You perhaps are aware that Johnny wrote many songs, several of which were recorded by country music artists, including “Blue Kentucky Girl,” written for and recorded by Loretta Lynn in 1964, and again by EmmaLou Harris in 1979 or ’80 and for which Johnny was nominated for a Grammy award (he didn’t get the award, just a free trip to Hollywood.)  I suppose I should mention Johnny is married to my niece Peggy, from the Noble/Nottinghill area of Ozark County and who lives in Springfield.  Unfortunately, Johnny is now quite ill and in a care center.  Thanks for your time.  By the way, I also put out an e-mail letter periodical which goes to family and friends in about twenty states and some foreign addresses.  It is called a “Humocom” with comments, musings and humor.  Peace and blessings, Al and Wanda Nance.” 
        It is exciting to hear from far off Herald readers, and good to know there is interest in the Missouri Song List.  “Keep a little song handy wherever you go, and nothing can ever go wrong.  Keep a little song handy and sure as you know, the sunshine will follow along.  Any little single jingle that sets the toes a tingle is welcome when you mingle in any single throng, so keep a little song handy wherever you go, and nothing can ever go wrong!”  That’s that Rudy Valley song that Chimera Bea Latent liked so much.

        Corporal James E Summers III, 21, of Bourbon, MO, was one of five soldiers who died May 28, in Abu Sayda, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.  They were assigned to the 6^th Squadron, 9^th Cavalry Regiment, 3^rd Brigade Combat Team, 1^st Cavalry Division, Ft. Hood, TX.  As of June 4^th there have been 3,495 US Service Personnel who have lost their lives in the conflict in Iraq.  Love and Gratitude for their service is the by-word in Champion.

        Linda, survivor of the Bad Sow of Spotted Hog and proprietor of the Plant Place in Norwood, has the June Almanac out that says the 7^th and 8^th will be good days for planting late root crops and also good for vine crops and for setting strawberry plants.  The First Ripe Tomato In Champion Contest is getting some interest.  Some are just sure Louise will win, but there may be some stiff competition from unexpected sources.  Many Champions are “making hay while the sun shines.”

        It is to be reported that when Robert Upshaw got up to make his speech at the Denlow School Reunion, he said, “Well, Hello, all you thieves and thugs, scoundrels, bootleggers and bushwhackers of Denlow!”  When he realized that he was not talking to his regular crowd he modified his speech to match the group in front of which he stood.  The day was full of fun and stories including one from an unnamed source about Ed Henson who was heard to have said something like, “Well, Dean, if you want to train a dog, you’ve got to be smarter than the dog.”  Mr. Henson had a genuinely sweet smile and a most infectious laugh.  The spirit of good natured fun that he exemplified has spread from Champion to all its good neighbors.

        Gardening tips, songs, good natured fun, travel reports and close calls are being received at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO. 65717.  E-mail to Champion News or hand deliver those things or any kind of good neighbor gossip to Champion’s seat of urban culture, Henson’s Store, in picturesque downtown Champion.  CHAMPION — LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.

CHAMPION – May 28, 2007

        Champions have been a busy bunch, dodging rain drops and lightning bolts to get together over the Holiday.  Like communities all over the country they gathered at local cemeteries and churches to honor all the war dead from all the Nation’s wars.  That takes a lot of honoring.  Champions do it will Love and Gratitude for all those who have served and continue to serve.  Benjamin J. Ashley, 22, of Independence, MO, died May 24^th, 2007 in Balad, Iraq of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.  He was a Specialist of the 1^st Battalion, 5^th Artillery Regiment, 1^st Brigade, 1^st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas.  It is hard to decide whether or not to send condolences to a family who may not be feeling like hearing from strangers at such a time.  Still, it might do some good.  Everybody has to decide those things for himself.  In the first twenty eight days of May 109 US Service Men and Women have left behind families in sorrow.

        Over in Denlow the School Reunion was a delightful affair.  When questioned, an official spokesperson said that sixty-five was a conservative estimation of the number of attendees.  The kick off ceremony for the Civil War Soldiers Memorial had a smaller audience, he reported.  The Memorial will be dedicated next year and will be a stone located near the Flag pole in the center of the cemetery.  It will have a metal plaque that will contain the name of the Civil War Soldiers known to be buried there and some history of the battles and skirmishes that occurred in the Denlow area.  More research is being done to verify the names of three or four more individuals to be added to the list of the twenty eight known Veterans.  The new pavilion certainly saw some good use over the holiday.  It is a lovely spot for music and fellowship.  There was a lot of fellowshipping going on, as well as yarn spinning, and recollecting.  One fellow, who spoke with the condition of anonymity, related a story about Ed Henson who had said something like, “Dean, if you want to train a dog, you’ve got to be smarter than the dog!”  There was a lot of laughter in every corner.  Robert Hamilton got up and gave a speech that started out with words to the effect:  “Well, Hello, all you thieves and thugs, scoundrels, bootleggers and bushwhackers of Denlow!”  He finally realized that he was in not in his regular environs and altered his speech to suit the crown in front of which he stood.  He was fairly well received, nonetheless, and as late as Monday was heard to have said, “….I will not seek the nomination, and if elected I will not serve.”  Madelyne Ward was the “Queen of the May” being sported about in her red convertible by her Grandfather.  Her Great Grandmother was there with some sweet photographs of the child and some stories to tell about her own little boy.  She says that Richard can build anything and that was clearly evidenced by the enormous table in the pavilion.  It will get a lot of use from generations to come.  It was a disappointment to many that Cleetus Upshaw was unable to attend on Saturday.  He did make a showing on Sunday at the Proctor Family Reunion.  Esther Wrinkles has promised him an apple pie if someone will deliver it.  Someone certainly will be happy to do that and to have a good excuse to sit with him to soak up some real local color.  People like Vicky Czapla and her Mother Inez Proctor Davis travel from great distances to enjoy these annual gatherings, to touch home again, renewing old acquaintances, making new ones, and remembering other times.  These are some very good times too.

        Times are very good in Champion indeed, with so many grandchildren scampering about.  Tennessee school boys and local cousins have been hooping it up down on the farm.  One of Mrs. Eva Powell’s grandsons, Derek, is getting ready to do some traveling that will take him all the way to Timbuktu!  It is in the West African country of Mali and has long been the metaphor for remote, distant, exotic places.  The place name is said to come from a Tuareg woman named Buktu who dug a well in the area where the city stands today; hence “Timbuktu”, which means “Buktu’s well.  Perhaps he will send a postcard from that exciting place back down to the old home folks in Champion.  Champions wish him a safe journey as they do to all their precious travelers.  Just a jaunt over to Mountain Grove represents quite a trip for some folks.  It is a pleasant thing to have a chance meeting at a gate with a good neighbor.  The theme Good Fences Make Good Neighbors is being demonstrated at the “Between Fences” traveling exhibit in the over in the Mansfield Community Center and is well worth the viewing.  It is the result of a collaborative effort between the Smithsonian Institution and the State Humanities Council and local Historical Societies, Museum on Main Street.  There are some excellent photographs of the area in days gone by and some beautiful old friendship quilts and other historic items.  It will be there through June 23^rd.  Anyone looking for Champion will just have to stop and ask somebody.  The sign is gone.  The wild speculation that someone from over in Spotted Hog has taken it is just flat rediculuous since their sign would need to say “Spotted Hog” and not “Champion.”  No, the mystery is greater than local rivalry and there is no interest in sparking a contriversy with heresay and inuendo.  When the proprietress of Champion’s most prominent business reported the theft to the Department of Transportation, she indicated that the sign had been taken, but the thieves had left the hole.  So Champions will take the High Road and say, …”And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat (sign), let him have thy cloke (hole) also.”  Champions will go ‘the next mile’ to get their sign back for sure.  It’s been gone for more than six weeks now.  Anybody looking to steal the hole is welcome to try.

        It’s funny how something can be gone for a long time before its absence is noted.  Such is the case with the mustashe of the illustrious post master at Norwood.  Now, practically every Champion who gets mail gets it from Rt. 2, Norwood.  Kirk Dooms said that he had done away with that mustashe back in the fall and nobody had mentioned it until now.  Probably someone had noticed, but was just too polite to mention such a personal thing.  Well, mustashed or not, Mr. Dooms is doing a fine job of postmastering and Champions are glad to get some of their mail.  (They get it all, but are only ‘glad’ about some of it.)  Kirk was glad to hear that a shindig is in the works for his Aunt Esther’s birthday coming up next month.  He’s thinking about making homemade ice cream.  While still on the subject of noteable absences, a total of six trees were removed from the school grounds at Skyline.  It was reported that they were diseased.  It is sad to see them go.  Newcomers to the school will not miss them.  Next winter the firewood will warm people all over the area.  To every season there is a purpose.  A thoughtful Champion has decided not to enter her cherry tomato in the First Ripe Tomato In Champion contest because the plant is two years old.  That is another nice example of taking the High Road.

        The Skyline Auxiliary Ladies will be serving up some ice cream on cobbler and other good things at the Home Coming Bluegrass Festival down at the Wagon Wheel Bluegrass Park on the first and second of June.  The weather should be dried up by then and a good crowd will be expected.  Some will be headed down to Brixie to hear Herbalist Bob Liebert talk about the local herbs.  Some would like to be two places at once.

        While some scholar proclaimed that Rudy Valley was not from Missouri, the nature of the song makes that a moot point. It goes:  “Keep a little song handy wherever you go/ and nothing can ever go wrong./  Keep a little song hand and sure as you know/ the sunshine will follow along./  Any little single jingle that sets the toes a tingle/ is welcome when you mingle in any single throng/ so keep a little song hand wherever you go and nothing will ever go wrong!”  Champion is certainly…….. ‘Wherever!’

        Another nice letter has arrived from Champion’s Tennessee friend, Darrell Haden.  His cousin, the famous basssist, Charlie Haden, has collabarated with guitarist Pat Metheny on an album called “Beyond the Missouri Sky.”  That certainly sounds like a candidate for The Missouri Song List.  Mr. Haden says, “Charlie’s grandfather, Homer Fielden Haden and my grandfather, Walter Dewitt Haden (1876-1961), grew up together in Smallett.  Their fathers were father and son while their mothers were sisters.”  It sounds like the son was also his own uncle-in-law.  Mr. Haden has agreed to share a copy of his poem “Strawberry Flats” soon and it is eagerly anticipated.

        Regarding the story of the Bad Sow of Spotted Hog that worked such mischief on Linda back in ’81, Steinbecks story, “St. Katie, The Virgin,” comes to mind.  S. T. Latent used to love to read this story in any gathering that had a preacher in it, much to his sister’s distress.  The story was about a mean farmer who wouldn’t pay his tithes.  The church sent over a young monk to collect the over due tithes and the farmer sicked this bad sow on him.  The sow was so mean that she would eat her own young if provoked.  Well, the long and the short of it is that the young monk wound up in a tree preaching to the sow down on the ground.  It sounds kind of like the old song about the Preacher and the Bear that says “Dear Lord, if you can’t help me, please don’t help that bear!”  Well, anyway the monk preached until he worked a miracle on the sow and thereafter she could spin on her tail like a top and was reported to be able to effect cures of minor ailments like hair-moles.  It is quite a good read.  George Washington’s 88^th rule was “Be not Tedious in Discourse, make not many Digressions, nor repeat often the Same manner of Discourse.”  That is good advice.  Meanwhile, Linda’s almanac says that the 2^nd and 3^rd will be good days to plate late root crops.

        Gardening tips, reports of delightful affairs, old timer stories, travel logs, examples of taking the High Road or happy songs, noted absences, good advice and good poetry are all welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717, or e-mail those things to Champion News.  Anyone wishing to hand deliver items to Champion’s seat of urban culture, Henson’s Store, can go down to the end of WW highway where the pavement is about to end and look for the hole that the sign used to set in, if it’s still there.  CHAMPION—LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

CHAMPION – May 20, 2007

        The very Good news in Champion this week is that Bob and Sue wish to announce the birth of their only granddaughter, (3 boys before), Elizabeth Heffern, born at Cox on May 15, 2007.  She weighed 8lbs l.2oz.  “We could not be more pleased and wished to share this with all of you.”  Shamus will be an excellent big brother and Ethan and Zach will be the kind of cousins that will keep a girl on her toes.  She is a lucky girl indeed to have devoted Champion grandparents living in the country but not too far away.

        Dillon and Dakota Watts will be in the country visiting Grandparents this week.

        There will be stories to tell of the Tennessee turkey hunts and much reveling to be done concerning the end of the school year.  Some Skyline students have been stunned and heartbroken over the loss of the enormous tree from the playground at the school.  Laying on its side with its great limbs lopped off it looked like a huge fallen giant.  Generations ahead will not enjoy its expansive shade and the secrets of its long past will have to live in the memories of Tigers young and old.  They will say, “Goodbye, Old Friend.”  The tree was assessed to have lived beyond its maturity.  Let that be a lesson.

        Alumni of Denlow U. are getting ready to swarm!  They will be saying “Hello” to old friends and new ones at the Denlow School Reunion on Saturday, May 26^th.  The festivities will begin around eleven in the morning, but people will be arriving earlier.  North Woods, a local band, will be playing at eleven and the pot luck lunch will take place at 12:30.  At two in the afternoon there will be a dedication ceremony for the kick off of the Civil War Veterans Memorial Project.  This is a fine opportunity to show off the new pavilion.  The weather is portentous for a lovely event and it is hoped that the turn out will be substantial.  Everyone is welcome.  Cleetus Upshaw will be there and hopefully some old stories can be wrung or pried from him.  Robert Upshaw will most likely have something to say.

        Armed Forces Day was first celebrated in 1950.  It is a day that affords the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces … to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world.  This year it was celebrated on May19^th.  Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in Our Nation’s service.  It will be celebrated Monday, May 28^th.  Champions observe these holidays with Love and Gratitude.

        As of May 20^th, there have been 3,404 confirmed deaths of US Service Personnel in Iraq.  There are currently 18 Deaths that are pending Department of Defense Confirmation.  The total since the beginning of this conflict is now 3,422.

        It is good news to hear that Mrs. Vivian Floyd is making some substantial progress in her recovery.  Some of her old friends are getting in touch with her again to wish her well.  Things are going well generally in Champion.  Hay is down waiting to get bailed if it will dry out.  Louise has tomatoes the size of quarters already.  The Race for the first Local Ripe Tomato is on!– The First Ripe Tomato in Champion Contest.  A quorum of Local Yokels (to be appointed) will judge and verify ripeness and the Grand Prize will be an Antique Genuine Ball Mason Jar—a Blue one!  It will be on display in Henson’s Store in the Heart of Champion.

        Auxiliary Ladies of the Skyline Volunteer Fire Department are busy already with preparations to provide the concessions at the Home Coming Bluegrass Festival to be held at the Wagon Wheel Bluegrass Park on the first of June.  E-mails with schedule information are flying back and forth on the internet, phone calls are being made about ice cream and trips to the big town for supplies are being cooked up.  It promises to be a lively affair.

        “Well, what happened to Linda up in Spotted Hog in 1981?” someone asked.  Well, it must have been pretty early in the Spring because Linda was wearing her heavy denim coveralls and the pigs were still quite small.  Bob was on the tractor moving a big bale of hay.  Uncle Kenneth and his friend, visiting from Shreveport, were just out enjoying the beautiful morning.  As it happened, one little pig out of the litter wandered off and became entangled in the brush.  Linda saw the situation and set about to free the little fellow.  As she struggled in the tangle of the brush to pull the piglet out, it began to squeal in a frantic panicked way.  It wriggled in her grasp and continued its desperate squealing.  This alarm reached the Sow whose attention had been elsewhere.  She turned her fierce pink eye toward the sound of her young one in distress.  This is a good point to talk about this pig.  She was a Chester White.  All three breeds of white pigs commonly raised in this area are considered desirable for their large litters and excellent mothering ability.  There is a breed called Landrance and then there is the Yorkshire which has a long big frame and erect ears.  The Chester White is large and has medium sized drooping ears and boars of this breed are usually quite aggressive.  This was a huge white sow.  Herman Melville devotes an entire chapter, Chapter 42, of Moby Dick to “The Whiteness of the Whale.”  He goes into the awe-filling spiritual aspects of the color with its array of angels and its specter of death and ghostly foreboding, its history of heraldry, the symbolism of purity and surrender and on and on.  On this day, this enormous beast vied with Ahab’s nemesis for fury and speed and cunning.  It bore down on Linda with a rage, knocking her down and then picking her up in incredible strong jaws, tossing her in the air like a rag doll.  Linda yelled for help and tried to protect her head and neck while the sow continued to throw her about.  Bob, with the tractor running, couldn’t hear her, and by the time Uncle Kenneth and his friend ran to her aid, this nearly 400 pound monster had thrashed Linda soundly.  The men armed with sticks, beat the sow until she relinquished her prey.  It was Linda’s good fortune to be wearing her heavy coveralls so the sow did not break the skin with its massive gnashing.  She managed to walk away from the scene but with deep bruises on both arms and both legs, on her shoulders and torso.  A friend asked her the other day if she still felt the effects of that incident and she reported that until quite recently she still had some knots in muscle tissue as a result of the hog bites.  She said that she has been using an herbal drink called Mangosteen that seems to have caused these knots to dissolve.  So that’s what happened all those years ago.  Linda doesn’t raise pigs any more.  She spends her time in town at The Plant Place enjoying the calm benignity of the botanicals.  Her almanac says that from the 26^th through the 30^th it will be an excellent time to plant corn, beans, peppers and other crops that bear yield above-ground.  These are also good days for starting seedbeds and planting leafy vegetables.  Her almanac also fills us in on the Blue Moon this month.  Once in a Blue Moon … is a common way of saying not very often, but what exactly is a Blue Moon?  According to the popular definition, it is the second Full Moon to occur in a single calendar month. The average interval between Full Moons is about 29.5 days, whilst the length of an average month is roughly 30.5 days. This makes it very unlikely that any given month will contain two Full Moons, though it does sometimes happen.  On average, there will be 41 months that have two Full Moons in every century, so you could say that once in a Blue Moon actually means once every two-and-a-half years.

        “Blue Moon, You saw me standing alone,/ Without a song in my heart/ Without a love of my own.”  There are many artist who have recorded this song and it is indeed a lovely one, but for Champion purposes Rudy Valley’s “Keep A Little Song Handy” will be the focus of the musical news this week.  It goes:  “Keep a little song handy where ever you go/ And nothing can ever go wrong./  Keep a little song handy and sure as you know/ The sunshine will follow along. /  Any little single jingle that sets the toes a tingle/ Is welcome when you mingle in any single throng/ So Keep a little song handy wherever you go/ And nothing will ever go wrong!”  Rudy Valley was quite a popular fellow in the early 1930’s.  Even Chimera Bea Latent liked him.  It was because he parted his hair in the middle and had big round eyes that smiled down on just her from the movie screen.  S.T. would mimic Valley crooning and wearing a bow tie with his overalls to aggravate Chimera, which was not a difficult task to accomplish.  It’s a wonder he lived so long.

        Wonders, once in a Blue Moon stories, escapes from pigs, happy songs, any kind of Good News about Champion is all welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 and at Champion News.  The First Ripe Tomato in Champion Contest rules and Grand Prize may be viewed at Henson’s Store in the municipal center of Champion.

CHAMPION – May 13, 2007

        What a fortuitous week for Champions!  Mother’s Day on Sunday brought younguns home from far and wide and cards, letters, and phone calls galore.  It was a regular extravaganza of attention and appreciation for Champion Mothers.  Cards and photographs were displayed and compared and sweet stories of childhood pranks and pleasures were exchanged.  Wednesday, the long awaited Last Day of School for Skyline, made the whole week extra wonderfully special.  The swimming holes will soon be full of kids and they think that the summer will last a long time, that there will be plenty of time for every thing they want to do.  Old timers know that a beautiful summer day just passes in the blink of an eye.  Seasons slip by.  It’s a good thing that Champions understand the importance of living in the moment.  The past has great value and it’s good to review it for it’s lovely parts and good information.  The future is just a maybe, so Now is the best time we can have.  Richard Saunders said in Poor Richard’s Almanack, “Dost thou love Life?  Then do not squander Time; for that’s the Stuff Life is made of.”

        In Champion, as in other places, when a group of friendly people get together, it is hard to keep track of all the conversations going on at the same time.  Larry Powell, visiting his Mom, Mrs. Eva Powell, for Mother’s day, was heard spinning a yarn about someone having tied a brick on to the tail of a cow in an attempt to keep the cow from swatting the milker in the face so often.  As it turned out the milker then enjoyed a brick in the face.  The eavesdropper did not learn who tied the brick, who got it in the face, when it happened or where, but this was not the only yarn spun that day.  Mrs. Powell reported that she has been cooking some poke salat in with her fresh spinach lately.  The subject of edible wild greens came up and she and her daughter-in law, Mrs. Betty Powell, talked about ‘nar-dock,’ maybe ‘narrow dock,’ as opposed the wider leafed variety known as ‘bitter dock.’  Several Champions think they know exactly which plants are being discussed, but are looking for some confirmation.  Euell Gibbons doesn’t have much to say about ‘dock’ other than a contrived way to make it produce in the winter time for salad greens, of which he, by the way, is not overly fond.  Frances Densmore’s book, How Indians Used Wild Plants, which was published in 1928, shows both bitter dock and yellow dock as being used as medicine for cuts, ulcers and eruptions.  A friend named Crespo used dock immediately on a copperhead snake bite, or maybe that was plantain.  In any event, his home remedy proved better than the town doctor’s treatment on an earlier occasion when he had been bitten by another copperhead.  He needs to keep his hands way from the snakes!  Meanwhile, Betty Powell reported that her sister, Mona, reads the Champion Items to her on the phone on a regular basis.  Mona and her husband own and operate the café across the street and to the south a little bit from the Court House in Ava.  The café is called Mona’s Café and they are open from early in the morning until about two in the afternoon on week days.  That is a hard business to maintain, every bit as hard has dairy farming, just a few different kinds of duties required.

        An e-mail came in the Champion News.  It’s subject is  “Old Turner Stories”  Here is what it said.  “Dear Champion, I seen your article in the Douglas Co. Herald.  I have been doing research on my Turner & their connecting line’s for several years to pass on to our future generation’s so they may know who we were.  My great great grandparent’s were: Edward Turner/Elizabeth Nancy Clements.  They migrated to Douglas Co Mo. in the year of 1865 from Blue Mound, Illinois, and homesteaded near Arno, Mo. [They had] nine children, all raised in Arno, Missouri: John Ward, Daniel Edward, George Washington, Martha Elizabeth, Charles Vallandingham, Jesse Vorhess, Perry Oliver (died young), Samuel Edward, Willis Washington.  I am interested in old stories that might have came to light with your program on any of this family.

        “Edward & Elizabeth helped organize the old Mt. Tabor Church–donated land for it & Mt. Tabor Cemetery.  They are buried there, as many Turner’s are.  The first old church was burned by a angry father, when his boy’s caused a disturbance at one of the church services.  He was sent to prison, but was released soon afterwards.  Any early, old info on this church would be greatly appreciated, or old pictures, if [there are] any.  The old church was replaced in 1947, by a donation from Neiman, in honor of his mother who started Sunday school at the beginning of the old church for the children.  The church is now known as the: Mt. Tabor General Baptist.  Respectfully,  Bob Turner, PO Box 1733, Owasso, Oklahoma 74055 (919) 274-0474,  Alct3@aol.com.”  “Dear Mr. Turner,” went the reply.  “Thank you so much for your e-mail.  It will be included it in the next Champion Items.  Perhaps someone will be able to give you more information about your family.  It is most encouraging to know that there are people who wish to preserve their past in order to give their future generations some solid footing.  It sounds like your family has a rich history.  Good luck in your search.  Sincerely, a Champion Friend.”

        “Ifn you got to swaller a frog, don’t look at it too long!”  Ms. Satterfield’s advice from over in Little Creek is some excellent advice.  The richness of the local native tongue is treasure indeed.  A long time Champion resident says, “I don’t care to….” to mean that she would not mind doing whatever.  Champions certainly don’t mind having such interesting neighbors.  Good neighbor and former Champion, Ms. Vivian Floyd is making slow progress in recovering from the auto accident that occurred a couple of weeks ago, but progress nonetheless.  She has the good wishes of many Champions helping her along.  Champions also send Love and Gratitude to the families of the seventeen US service people who lost their lives this last week in Iraq and to the families of the three missing soldiers.  Now the total is 3,398.  The total of the wounded is estimated to be in the neighborhood of 42,400.  Memorial Day will be coming up soon.

        On the television news on Monday morning, it was reported that singing causes the brain to release endorphins that help the immune system to fight off disease, infection, and depression.  Therefore, Roger Miller’s song, Walking in the Sunshine, will summarily be added to the Missouri Song List.  Some of its lyrics are:  “Walking in the Sunshine/ Sing a little Sunshine Song.  /Put a smile upon your face as if there’s nothing wrong. / Think about a good time we had a long time ago.  /Think about, forget about your worries and your woes./  Walking in the Sunshine/ Sing a Little Sunshine Song.”  The song list now stands:

1. The Missouri Waltz
2. Meet Me in St. Louie, Louie
3. I’m Goin Back to Whur I Come From
4. The Westphalia Waltz
5. The west Plains Explosion
6. My Missouri Home
7. Kansas City, Here I come
8. May The Good Lord Bless and Keep You
9. Walking in the Sunshine

        Champions are urged to sing at every available opportunity, especially out in the Garden. Linda’s almanac says that the 19^th and 20^th will be most good for corn, cotton, okra, beans, peppers, eggplant and other above ground crops.  Plant seedbeds and flower gardens.  After a little more investigation a complete report of what happened to Linda over in Spotted Hog in 1981, will be reported.

        Fortuitous occurrences, narrow escapes, information about edible wild greens, songs suggested for the Missouri Song List, any information about Bob Turner’s family or the Latent family, and always any old stories about Ed Henson and his crowd are welcome by mail at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO. 65717, and by e-mail at Champion News.  Any of those things, together with any good advice, gardening tips or good neighbor gossip is welcome to be told right out loud in Henson’s Store in the Heart of the Business District of bustling Downtown Champion.  CHAMPION—LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE