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CHAMPION—December 11, 2006

        News from Champion was late getting to the Herald last week.  Someone said if he had twenty thousand years to catch the bus, he would need twenty thousand years and five minutes.  Here is last weeks news with apologies for it’s tardiness.

CHAMPION—December 5, 2006

        Friends and neighbors of Wilburn and Louise Hutchison extend their sympathies at the loss of their dear son, Larry.

        December’s Full Moon is called the “Cold Moon.”  In Champion it shines ethereally on the bright white ice and snow and draws out the long blue moon shadows of houses and trees.  When it is so quiet and still at night thoughts of family and loved ones, those close and far away, come easily.  To experience those solemn moments with dear ones is a gift.  Beauty becomes Real when shared in Love and Gratitude.  One whispers, “Isn’t this lovely?”  The other sighs, “Indeed.” Or, perhaps no word is spoken and the silence says everything.

        Your observations, stories, and news are welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717, at the Champion Store, or at Champion News.

        This week’s news also comes from last week.

        L.L. Krider had his birthday on the 4^th of the month.  It was just three days before the attack on Pearl Harbor.  That didn’t damper his families’ enthusiasm for him, however, and they raised him up to be a good family man.  He has numerous children who love and admire him.  He is an accomplished musician of the ‘high lonesome’ and other varieties and is respected as quite a good citizen and good neighbor.  Still, he was heard to have said that what he would like most for his birthday was the end of some exasperating plumbing problems.  Alas!  He is fortunate to have such a comely young wife to comfort him in his trials.

        Spectators could have had an eyeful had they ventured down 95 Highway at W Highway one day last week.  A well regarded resident of that intersection backed her truck into her own garage where it became stuck due to unseasonable rains.  Realizing that not only was her truck stuck, but that she was locked out of her house on account of just having had her locks changed without having replced her secreted outside key.  She was doubly stuck.  Standing on her own porch she heard her phone ringing inside.  It was cold and getting dark.  Remembering the condition of a certain storm window, she plied her energies to prying it open.  After some time her efforts were rewarded and there lacked only the willingness to climb upon lawn chair in order to effect entry through the now open upper sash.  Of the two plastic lawn chairs available she chose the newer,  less fragile one and, without a thought for her recently sprained foot, took the challenge, stepped upon it, and was in short order comfortably ensconced in her own domicile with none the wiser until now.  Now the window has been repaired against any intruder and the new key secreted. At what age does one cease to be resourceful and self reliant?  Around here it must be well up past ninety somewhere.

        Mrs. E. Powell said that when she was a kid they said if your nose was itching somebody would be coming with holes in his britches.

        The last of last weeks news is that Dustin Cline said in front of eight witnesses that he was wrong (about something).  Staci asked that it be reported in the paper.  This week he was heard to say that Staci was right about something.  What is going on here?

        The last of this weeks news is that by the 11^th of December, sixty-five U.S. service people have lost their lives this month.  To their families Love and Gratitude is sent from Champion.

        Your opinions, observations, reminiscences, and rebuttals are welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717, at the Champion Store, and at Champion News.

CHAMPION—November 28, 2006

        The good news from Champion this week is that family and friends have been enjoying each other’s company.  Harley and Barbara Krider were down from Illinois to visit and look after their cattle.

        Donald and Rita Krider also made a rare visit and everyone of that bunch has enjoyed the opportunity to spend some time together.  Foster Emit Wiseman was the youngest to attend Thanksgiving dinner at the home of Vivian Floyd up in Rogersville. There was quite a crowd and much good food and fellowship.

        Zoey Louise and Alexandra Jean of Austin, TX, hosted their grandparents for a pleasant visit.  There were long walks, trips to the park, many stories read and much good food enjoyed.  Grannie came home with a cold but thinks it was well worth the trouble.  People will be dogging her until she at last wearies of showing off the pictures.  The Hamiltons over on 76 Highway were fairly overrun by grandsons and others over the holiday, but they don’t seem to be able to muster up any complaints.  That sweet Grandmother over on 14 Highway whose birthday was on Thanksgiving Day is reported to have had an excellent celebration.  Acknowledgement by loved ones is the best gift….  Love and Gratitude.

        The active solicitation of old stores from the past around here has gleaned this gem.  It has been said that Morton Upshaw could hit a sucker with a gig from thirty feet easy.  Often enough he’d come up with more than one sucker on the same gig.  Russell Upshaw is reported to have given Gary Procter his first chew of tobacco when Gary was about six years old.  He was sick all day.  Please send your stories or items to Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717, drop them off at the Champion Store, or send them by email to Champion News.  Please.

        Concerning the photos of the albino white tailed deer, this response was received.  “Hi, I sent it to my Brother to see, I have to say it’s the sweetest thing I ever saw. And it does look like a baby goat, I can see why they mistook it for one.  I’m going to send this to all my email buds so they can have a look.  I live north of Dora store on W highway off of 14 and my other Brother saw my cat playing with five doe’s when he was hunting this afternoon, it’s so cool to see how animals interact with each other, it’s kinda unheard of to see a ones house cat playing with a bunch of deer.  He said my cat Timmy would run up to the deer and they would chase him around for a while then he would change to another deer and do the same thing. LOL, I do love my animals.  Thanks so much.  Donna.”  Again, it was learned that those photos were not taken from around here.  It is unclear where or when they were taken.  It was a case of misinformation, a mistake.  Here is another response however:  “To Whom It May Concern,  My mother and I are originally from Ava and get the Douglas County Herald.  We saw your article today about the deer that you rescued, and it said that we could see a picture of it…..however, the only connection given was your e-mail address.  Can you send us some pictures of the baby deer?  It sounds so cute and we would LOVE to see it!!!!    Sincerely,  Sherry and Faye Sims.”  (We did not rescue the deer, but did send the pictures to Sherry and Faye.)  Anyone who is interested in seeing these photos should send his email address to the Champion News email box.  It is odd and interesting that some of the nicest feedback has come as a result of this momentous blunder.

        Children of all ages are excited about the possibility of snow toward the end of the week.  The warm days have some people spoiled.  Some people don’t have all their wood in.  Some people have not yet mulched their tender plants.  There are some turnip patches that could use some attention.  There are garden hoses laying around in some peoples yards and other examples of neglect and general sloth.  When the snow and ice cover everything, it will all look clean and neat.  There will be plenty of time to worry about those other things when the thaw comes.   The snow is beautiful, but it can be treacherous.  Safe and prudent behavior does not rule out having fun and enjoying the spectacle.  Champion is, after all, a spectacular place!

CHAMPION—November 13, 2006

        More good news from Champion relates to our good neighbors over in Vanzant.  The fundraiser for the up-keep of the Vanzant Community Building was held Saturday night the 11^th of November.  Booger County Bluegrass entertained a lively crowd of local yokels and deer hunters.  They all enjoyed the chili as well as ham & beans cooked up by Sharon Sikes, and they forked over some nice donations to express their appreciation.  Danny Dry was the auctioneer for the homemade pies and a few other items.  Mrs. Esther Wrinkles’ coconut cream pie brought $60.00!

        There will be a benefit for Benny Pool, Booger County Bluegrass base player, at Squires this coming Saturday starting about noon at the community building at the firehouse.  There will be an auction and a lot of good music.  Honey Creek, will play as well as Backyard Bluegrass, the Kellies, and Wayne Anderson’s group The Blades of Bluegrass.  These kinds of activities generate “bushels of good” in the community, not just for the individual or the specific cause, but for everybody who participates.  It’s a good feeling to help good people who can use it. Everyone has been on the receiving end of good works at some time or another.

        A correction to last weeks news:  that wizened old Grandfather Weltanschauung had his birthday on the 8^th of the month instead of the 6^th and so it turns out that he is two whole days younger than we thought!  While youth is certainly a treasure, who knows what he might have accomplished if he had just been born two days earlier.  One of his many good friends, one of those Teeter Creek Lieberts, became a grandfather again himself on that very same day.  Willow had a beautiful son out in Arizona.  Grandmother Jan was there and all is well.

        A clever fellow up on Clever Creek said that he had heard that chiggers will lower cholesterol.  There has been a lot of gunfire around Champion but no big deer stories have been reported.  Louise and Wilburn host several hunters every year.  They left Wednesday morning with only one deer among them.  Something amazing was reported by a dear acquaintance over on the other side of Ava.  It is a real Albino Whitetail deer, just hours old.  It ran out in front of a car and was almost hit and was initially taken for a lost baby goat.  There was no mother nearby.  It took it’s bottle of food and followed them around the house doing fine.  The folks that found it did some investigating and learned that this ‘freak of nature’ is only one in more than a million ever born.  They called the Zoo and Fossil Rim who were both interested in taking it.  They have decided to send it to a Rehab farm.  Maybe it will make it in captivity somewhere and be appreciated.  It is such a rare occurrence and the finders really would like to keep him.  They know that it is not a good idea for the animal and also know that it is illegal to do so.  He is snow white, with pink eyes, ears, nose and hooves, a tiny guy.  Pictures are available online at Champion News.

        Good Gravy!  That squirrel hunt scheduled for last Thursday was a great success.  Seven big reds were taken between the two hunters and quite a few others were seen.  No use taking more than you can eat.  It has been said that squirrel makes the very best gravy.  (Some like to make it with white corn meal.)  The ladies were also quite successful in their junking expedition. The new bookstore in Mansfield called “A New Chapter“ proved to be a goldmine for Esther Howard who is a regular bibliophile.  She also wears nice hats and beautiful smiles.  It’s a joy to be near her.

        The prospect of snow looms.  Some hope for a hard winter.  It brings to mind the old adage….”cold hands, warm heart.”  Someone recently filled in the next part of that saying  with “dirty feet and no sweetheart.”  This was told to her by her mother, Gladys Joyce.  Any other versions of the saying would be gladly received at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367 Norwood, MO 65717, at the Champion Store, or at Champion News. Recent email to the Champion email box is to the effect: “Just want to let you know how much we enjoy your weekly column in the Douglas County Herald.  As newcomers to the area, it’s real interesting to read about the current adventures and history of people in our neighborhood.  Thanks for your efforts.  Bill & Karen Griswold, Route 2 Box 363, Norwood.” The response to their message is as follows:  “As this area has historically lost so many of its native young people to other parts due to economic necessity, the newcomers have played a large part in keeping the community viable.  There has always been a steady stream of people in and out of the area.  What is apparent is that this is a hard country, but it is probably not much harder than any other part of the country when you are new to it and just getting acquainted.  We all came from someplace at one time or another, so ‘Welcome Home!’  We are glad to have you.  Thanks for joining the Skyline VFD and for choosing this part of the world to settle.  We’ll see you around.”

        Some of those Griswolds were present at the regular meeting of the Skyline Area Volunteer Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary.  The meeting was held at the Champion Store on Tuesday night.  In attendance were Susie and Karen Griswold, Esther Wrinkles, Corrine Rodgers, Fae Krider, Louise Hutchison, Sharon Sikes, Betty Henson, Wilda Moses, Mary Smoody, Ruth Hamilton and Betty Dye.  That is about as many women as have ever been in the store at one time.  It was a productive meeting with detailed discussions of the gun fund-raiser and the upcoming chili supper.  The gun is soon to be purchased and tickets will be made available immediately thereafter.  It is reported that a hand-made red, white and blue Texas Star quilt will be donated to the Auxiliary as an additional fund raiser.  Items are already being collected for the silent auction.  Various members and spouses are securing the musical entertainment and excitement is running high for what will prove to be another outstanding event.  The opportunity to visit together and to get acquainted was not lost.  Ms. Henson provided excellent refreshments and a cozy fire on a cool evening. The group will meet again in  January for more planning…the secret to the Skyline VFD’s great successes.  All our little communities overlap to make this a wonderful place to live.  The country is beautiful and so are the people.

CHAMPION—November 6, 2006

        Good news from Champion celebrates the birthday Sunday the 5^th of Sharon Upshaw!  She’s just a kid!  She is married to such a much older man. He has been sparking her for years with homemade ice cream, music, and who knows what all?

        There was a shower held at Skyline for Deborah Barker on Saturday.  The baby will arrive in January.  Those attending were:  Nancy Barker (Grandma to be), Carrie Stewart, Inez Barker (Great Grandmother to be), Sharon Upshaw (Grandmother to be), Lucille Gayman (Great Grandmother to be), Loretta Upshaw, Elva Upshaw, Vivian Floyd, Lucille Ketchum (Great Great Aunt to be), Sue Upshaw, Fae Krider, Kay Johnston, Phoebe Ward & Madelynne, Liz Johnston, Staci Krider, Esther Wrinkles, Theresa Wrinkles, and Yvonne Unger.  It was a pleasant gathering with many beautiful gifts including some distinctive handmade items.  Deborah is the special education teacher at Skyline School and is special herself to a lot of people.

        Mrs. Eva Powell has had the pleasure of having had all of her children home over this last week end.  Some of them have come from considerable distance to enjoy her fine company.  They are all grateful for the wonderful recent rains though mud is an issue for them.

        If the crow were to fly a straight flight southeast from Champion just two or three miles it might light on the porch of an octagonal brown house at the bottom of a hill.  It’s the home of a wizened old Grandfather whose birthday has just passed on the 6^th of this month.  Grandsons Shamus, Zachary and Ethan probably have no understanding of just how old he really is.  They are fortunate for he is a mindful individual with an expansive weltanschauung who will always give them his full attention.  To them he will be timeless and ageless…forever young.  Nice going Gramps!

        Chester Chambers was buried at Denlow on Saturday the 4^th.  He was Dean Brixey’s brother-in-law, his sister Jane’s husband.  Chester loved to sing and was once with a quartet that sang on the Willow Springs radio station.

        Sunday the 12^th  is the anniversary  of the demise of Jack “Foxfire” Ryan, a real gentleman.  He was fun loving and generous of spirit.  He loved the old ways and the old days.  He loved kids and great ideas.  He was inventive and industrious.  Quick to laugh and slow to judge, he knew how to be a friend.

        A question has been raised as to the truth of the buzzard story that appeared here recently.  The owner of those calves that broke the fence escaping the awful fowl tumult first learned of the affair in the Herald and made a frantic phone call.  “Were those my cows?”  An absentee landlord and cattleman might sometimes be at a disadvantage in terms of keeping up with his stock.  It is his good fortune to have a vigilant brother looking out after his interests.  The facts of the buzzard story were detailed exactly as they were told and so any question of veracity should be addressed to the farm tenant and the brother both of whom were principals in the incident.  It has been reported that this absent land owner is recovering from a long illness. Hopefully concern over his distant properties will not slow his recuperation.  A sister-in-law suggested that distress over his recent birthday may have exacerbated his ill temper as he is now so much older than both she and his own wife.  A trip home will be timely whenever it happens.

        A squirrel hunt is on for this week.  Raymond and Esther Howard spent Sunday with the Kriders and plans have been made to get out on a certain ridge early one morning this week to harvest some of those big reds.  The ladies will engage in an activity that they call ‘junking.’ Raymond and Esther live in Marshfield.  She is originally from Hannibal, MO.  She says that people are more friendly down here than they are up there.  Raymond grew up around Dora.  They moved to the Marshfield area in the 1950’s.  Champion is always more jolly place when they are visiting.

        Foster E. Wiseman, son of Tanna Jo and Roger,  is the proud owner of  a ukulele which he calls “Granddad’s mandolin.” He is working on a song about a rabbit and a log and has the “I know, I know” part of the chorus down pat.  Champions have plenty to brag about.  Feel free to do so at the Champion store, at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood 65717, or on-line at Champion News.

        The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Skyline Area Volunteer Fire Department will have its regular meeting at the Champion store on Tuesday evening, November 14^th.  On the agenda are plans for the upcoming chili supper and gun fundraiser.  Last year the gun fundraiser project turned into a free for all shoot out.  Everyone was lucky to have come out of it unscathed.  Skyline/Champion is lucky to have such productive women in its midst..  Some of them are election officials.  Hopefully many Champion residents will exercise their voting franchise.

CHAMPION—October 30, 2006

        Exciting and excellent news from Champion comes from the Wes Smith family.  The exciting part is the six point buck that Wes shot Sunday morning with his bow and arrow.  It was a handsome deer that he brought down to Champion on his four wheeler a little after noon to show his neighbor.  He asked if it had been his neighbor’s pet and if it were so he feigned remorse. All present were suitably impressed with the beauty of the animal and the cleanness of the shot.  The truly excellent news, however,  has to do with Wes and Pat’s daughter Charlee.  She is one of 52 girls chosen by Missouri State University to participate in the All Star Fast Pitch Tournament recently held at MSU. There were girls from a number of schools across the area including Hillcrest , Nixa, and Republic.  There were two girls chosen from Ava and one senior from Norwood–Charlee Smith.  The game was played Monday, October 23^rd.  There were 26 girls on each team playing in rotation and Charlee did not take the field until the seventh inning.  The score was 5 to 2 in favor of the opposition.  Bases were loaded when she had her first at-bat.  The first pitch came right down the middle and she slammed it clear over the fence.  It was a Grand Slam!  At her next at-bat she hit a triple that drove in two runs.  The game ended with the score of 8 to 5 and Charlee was named Most Valuable Player.  She is being courted now by various colleges including Crowder College of Neosho.  Her parents are understandably proud and she is exhibiting her typical humility.  It’s excellent news all around.

        The mailbox at Champion News has received its first e-mail.  It comes from Vicky Czapla.  She says:  “You have no idea how my mother enjoys going to the mailbox and finding that your paper has finally arrived.  We live in St. Louis.  Reading the Herald is like being home again.  Reading about the people, family and friends, places and events allows us to keep in touch.  My mother is Inez Proctor Davis and she is the youngest child of Andrew and Mollie Proctor.  George Tom Proctor and my mother were brother and sister.  [ I am her oldest child and I ] enjoy reading your paper because it brings back so many precious memories of my childhood.

        “We spent so much time on my grandparents farm and I always enjoyed going with my grandpa to Ed & Anna Henson’s store in Champion.  Just to walk in on the old wooden floor (you knew you were home)…the smell of the old wood stove, the folks sitting around talking about crops, hunting, telling tall tales or what ever topic of the day [that] was hot, going to the back refrigerator to get a pop…(the Crush pop was always my favorite and tasted so good), picking out my favorite candy; and listening to Ed…who was always the jokester.  The Champion store was and is the lifeline to the folks down there.  Even after my grandparents passed on, we always made a special trip to go to the Champion store and see the folks and visit with Ed before he passed on and to get that cold pop.  Time moves on and we get older, but our memories never fade.  Family and friends (from today and long ago) are always welcomed to call and chat:  Inez Proctor Davis (636) 391-6594 (Home Phone).”

        Louise and Wilburn Hutchison have just returned from a holiday in Oklahoma City where they visited with Louise’s sister Doris and her husband George Gillis.  Louise and Doris attended the “Affair of the Heart Craft Show.”  This was quite a large production that took up five big buildings.  Louise reported that the bulk of the merchandise was not hand made and much of it was made in China so she did not come home with many new purchases.  Wilburn and George had a great time at the Cowboy Hall of Fame.  There were saddles there with price tags of $32,000.00 and belt buckles worth $28,000.00.  The men were not shopping but just soaking in the wonder of it all.  They had a good time.  It’s good to know that Wilburn is feeling better, as is Louise who is finally getting over a cold that has lasted much too long.

        The Champion woman who boasted of her four and a quarter pound sweet potato contrived to make pies of the monster.  It yielded two real beauties in high fluted delicate crusts made with ‘both butter and lard.’  She returned from her outside chores after the requisite hour of baking to find her oven belching the most acrid fumes.  Her whole house was reeking with the noxious odor.  While they were beautiful, the pies smelled so bad that she took them outside to cool.  From Friday afternoon until Sunday morning nothing touched the pies.  Finally, Blanche, the dog, gave the top of one of them a lick and knocked it over.  She had no taste for it though and neither did any other dog, nor possum, nor coon, nor squirrel, nor cat, nor bird.  A few unwary ants became trapped in the overturned pie and died there.  It seems that it does not take much sense to raise a big sweet potato and apparently not much sense was exhibited in reading the expiration date on the can of sweetened condensed milk used in the filling, as it was several years old.   A wise person told her that just because it’s canned does not mean it’s good forever.  The remaining pie is now ten days old and still in perfect condition in spite of having been out in the recent rains and having made numerous trips to Champion in the back of a pick up truck.  All those who have seen it remark that it is indeed a lovely looking pie.  Several lessons are to be learned here.  Boasters beware!  Pretty does not necessarily mean good, and ‘canned’ does not mean it’s good forever.

        One hundred and one U.S. Soldiers have died so far in the month of October, Champions every one.  Share your news and stories at the Champion store, at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, Mo. 65717, or online at Champion News.

CHAMPION—October 23, 2006

        The trail ride that met up at the Champion Store on Saturday the 21^st was a grand success.  There were 41 riders and 5 wagons.  Bud Hutchison was the trail boss. Residents between Champion and Drury were treated a pleasant spectacle. Someone said it came off without a hitch which is a joke, wagons notwithstanding.

        The first reported eagle sighting this year was October 8^th just west of Champion.  While there are some permanent breeding eagles in the area according to the Conservation Department, the more frequent sightings are of birds wintering here from Truman Lake and other parts north.  As the weather gets colder sightings will be more common.  Champion residents count themselves lucky to live in a place where eagles can be seen much of the year and bear as well.  The black bear was reintroduced to Arkansas a number of years ago.  They are territorial so males have migrated to this area.  There are documented reports of females with cubs in Douglas County and undocumented but highly believable reports of them from the very close suburbs of Champion.  The bears  are considered to be quite shy unless there are chickens or beehives close by.

        L. Lowell Krider is pondering a mystery.  Sunday morning he went to feed some recently weaned calves penned up just behind the old barn at the J.T. and Betty Shelton residence.  He found two calves there and twelve missing.  There was a splintered and trampled section of board fence and mangled cattle panels down in another fence where they had been wired over a gap for future gates.  It was obvious that the missing calves were severely spooked to have wrecked all this destruction because they had “settled in so calmly and so nicely to being fed,” according to Krider.  While he was surveying the scene, J.T. came out of the house and filled in some of the blanks for the farmer.  J.T. has some coyote dogs that he keeps tied up outside the house.  About 4:30 that morning they set up to howling and carrying on.  He raised the window and yelled at them to shut up to no avail.  Finally about ten till five, he got up with his flash light and went out and made them hush.  It was pitch black dark out.  By the time he got back in the house they had started in again raring and barking so he turned on the big dusk till dawn light that stands in his yard between the house and the barns.  That’s when the ruckus started.  There were buzzards everywhere.  The ground was just black with them, he said, and the air was full of them.  The walnut trees up behind the house were full of them.  They took off flying in every direction, hitting the high lines and squawking and screaming with their big old wings flapping.  “It was a wonder they didn’t break those wires,” he said.  They were trying to light on the roof of the barn, but the roof was so steep and it was so slick with frost that they would just slide down, their talons scraping on the tin.  “It was the awfullest racket you ever heard.”  Then they hit the shed roof and bounced onto the ground.  That’s where the calves were.  So it’s no wonder that the calves bolted and ran and tore up everything in their path.  The mystery is in why the buzzards were there to begin with.  This huge flock generally roosts down the creek south of Champion a ways.  Speculation by a certain well regarded bear spotter is that a mountain lion may have spooked the buzzards in the early morning hours.  Perhaps it was one of the Booger County boogers, nevertheless, it was noted that in the late afternoon all but three of the calves were back at the feed troughs.  The mystery remains.  By the time this appears in the Herald,  Elmer Banks will have heard the story and his take on it will be of some interest to local mystery lovers.

        Madelynn Jean Ward made her first trip to Champion over the week end.  Her birth was reported here last week, the time but not the date, which was Tuesday, October 17^th.  She attended a family gathering which celebrated the birthday of her Grandmother, Kaye Upshaw Johnson and her great aunt Fae Upshaw Krider.  Robert Upshaw, (much) older brother of the twins,  made some chocolate ice cream that was so good he only wished he had written down the receipt.  Somewhere between 20 and 30 people sampled it.

        Dustin Cline of the Republic area has been dawdling in the neighborhood.  He and a certain third grade school teacher were seen picking up copious quantities of walnuts.  Once again they got lost on their way home from the huller down on AB Highway.  Again the plan was to come back to Champion through Vera Cruz and to wind up on the Camp Joy road at C Highway.  This time they left the dirt road and joined the pavement at 76 Highway much closer to Ava than to Champion. Last year they found themselves on C Highway south of WW when they came to the pavement.  Mr. Cline was heard to disparage the merits of maps in favor of adventure while simultaneously blaming his charming navigator for their predicament.  She was heard to say it would have been a more interesting trip in the daylight.

        Larry Wrinkles has a funny story to tell about ‘getting’ Ed Henson one time.  Ed did not know that Larry was working at a hospital when he asked him how he had been.  Larry said, “Well, I just got out of the hospital, Ed.”  Surprised and concerned, Ed pursued the subject only to realize that he had been ‘had.’  It was a rare situation to get one over on Ed.  Larry said that there is a story about a loose mule that roamed the neighborhood and got fed at the expense of several different farms.  Perhaps someone will add details to that story.  The storekeeper at Champion said that everyone wants to read the news but nobody wants their name in the paper.  Still, news or stories of Champion and its illustrious residents past or present will be accepted at the store, at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood 65717, or on-line at Champion News.

CHAMPION—October 16, 2006

        Some of the very best news in Champion this week is the birth of Madelynn Jean Ward.  She arrived at 5:41 p.m. at Cox Hospital in Springfield.  Her parents are Phoebe and Jason Ward.  Everyone is well and happy.  Toney and Lorene Johnson of Gentryville are Madelynn Jean’s great-grandparents.  The biggest news is that Richard Johnson is now married to a Grandmother and, as it turns out, is a Grandfather himself!  Pictures are circulating on the internet that show Kaye with her first grandchild.  The tenderness of that smile is lovely.  This little girl joins a large close family and can expect a lifetime of love and support.

        There were 45 to 50 people attending the Shannon Reunion which was held at the Hayloft Restaurant in Mountain Grove on October 15th.  The reunion celebrates the descendants of Henry Wayne Shannon.  His sons, Joe and Harry, lived at Drury.  Joe was the eldest of 10 children.  The oldest in attendance at the reunion were Ruby Shannon Anderson, 95, now of Republic, MO., and Vivian Shannon, 94, of Mtn. Grove, who was married to Harry Shannon.  The youngest attending was Ruby’s great granddaughter who is 17 months old and resides in St. Louis.  Entertainment for the day was well provided by Robert Upshaw and young J. D. Shannon, son of Joe Shannon of Denlow.  J.D., it is reported, will make a fine auctioneer when he learns not to laugh so much, according to Robert Upshaw.  Robert Upshaw and Fae Krider are the grand children of Joe Shannon and Madelynn Jean Ward is the great great great granddaughter of Henry Wayne Shannon.  It’s a small world.

        The papaw parfait, the receipt for which appeared in last week’s column, was received by Champion residents with mixed reviews.  It was easy enough to double the receipt and to foist it off on unsuspecting persons.  Some polite people around the store who had an opportunity to sample the parfait said, “Well, it’s different.”  Those same persons should be alert to the fact that the frost is pinking up the persimmons and the harvest looks prodigious.  Wanda Sloan’s Persimmon Cookies receipt appears in the Tastes for All Seasons, the most recent cook book offered by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Skyline Volunteer Fire Department.  Anyone with a special persimmon receipt to share is welcome to do so.

        Eighteen degrees was the low temperature reported from a local Champion dairy barn early one morning this week.  It was good to have sufficient warning of the frost this year.  Wilda Moses brought in a sweet potato weighing 4lbs 4oz.  That may not be the biggest one around, but it’s the biggest one she has ever grown.  She is also older than she’s ever been and will have her SIXTIETH birthday on Saturday the 21^st.  She shares her birthday with the late Anna Henson.  Mrs. Henson was a large part of the business sense of  store at Champion for many years.  She had an extraordinary memory and a sense of humor that rivaled that of her husband, Ed, though it was somewhat more subtle and less often exhibited.

        Corrections to recent columns include the information that Edgar Henson and Ezra Henson were not related.  This information comes from the niece of Ezra, daughter of Deward Henson, who said that they have traced the family back to the 1700’s and found no connection between the two Henson families.  She also reported that Jess Henson had purchased the old store at Evans from the Viles family back in the 1930’s or 40’s.  She had heard that at one time that store had been on the other side of the road.

        Recently several new families have moved to the Champion area.  They have come from various parts of Florida and from areas near Chicago, from Minnesota and Wisconsin.  The families who’s roots have long been here still remember that their forbearers also came here from elsewhere.  It is to be hoped that the newcomers will feel welcome and will join in to keep Champion the most pleasant place in Douglas County.

        Anyone with good news or old stories of Champion and it’s people are welcome to leave them at the store, or mail them to Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, 65717, or e-mail to Champion News. Persimmon receipts are welcome.

CHAMPION—October 10, 2006

        The good news from Champion these days is the walnut harvest.  Prices are good and the walnuts are plentiful.

        Some industrious individuals are doing well.  Nature’s bounty is evident when marauders come in from other parts to make off with papaws, butternuts and chick pins.  Beth and Dennis Caffey of Conway, MO. spent Sunday in Champion and enjoyed the afternoon at the Krider farm.  Lengthy discussions were held concerning the relative merits of various breeds of laying hens and similar subjects.  The Caffeys supported each other in a story about one of their dogs who eats fresh vegetables.  The dog will go into the garden and pick himself a cucumber or a zucchini without disturbing the vine.  As they left it was noted that the trunk of their car was fairly burgeoning with wild local produce.

        Skyline students celebrated Columbus Day by not going to school.  There were picnics and play groups and probably a number of them shunning the beautiful weather to enjoy some much needed video gaming.  Teachers, however, attended programs designed for their enrichment and encouragement.  It is to be hoped that they gained much from the day as they are the backbone and builders of the community.

        Frost is immanent this week, they say, and gardeners are busy getting the last of the season’s harvest in.  There will be aching backs from lugging in the boxes of sweet potatoes and winter squash.  Louise Hutchison has sung the praises of  Parks Whopper tomato, saying that it produces right up to frost.  There are lots of beautiful green tomatoes on the vine to prove her statements correct.  The variety, Mr. Stripey, also has a resurgence of productivity after the heat of the summer wanes, though the tomatoes are generally smaller.  It’s a gamble to leave them in the garden.  If the frost is not too hard they will just continue to ripen, but if it is too cold they will be ruined.

        Papaws were the subject of much interest at the store this week.  Their heavy sweet fragrance is pleasant, though it is probably not a good idea to have them ripening indoors since the aroma is so pervasive.  The famous naturalist, Euell Gibbons, had a favorite papaw receipt:  “In a saucepan, mix together ½ cup of brown sugar, 1 envelope unflavored gelatin and ½ teaspoon of salt.  Stir into this 2/3 cup of milk and 3 slightly beaten egg yolks.  Cook and stir the mixture until it comes to a boil.  Remove from the fire and stir in 1 full cup of  strained papaw pulp.  Chill until it mounds slightly when spooned.  This will take 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  Shortly before the mixture is sufficiently set, beat the 3 egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gradually add ¼ cup of sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.  Fold the partly set papaw mixture thoroughly into the egg whites.  Pour into a 9-inch graham cracker crust, or into parfait glasses and chill until firm.  Then lock the doors to keep the neighbors out.”  Ironically, Mr. Gibbons died from a heart attack at age 64, most likely brought on as a result of smoking cigarettes and a lack of exercise in his declining years.  He was not from around here or his old thumper would have had to work some just to get up and down the hills and he might have lived longer.  It was remarked that his premature aging did not speak well of his natural diet.

        If anyone has good news or old stories of Champion or it’s people, write it up and drop it off at the store, or drop it in the mail to “Champion Items” Rt. 2, Box 367 Norwood, 65717, or e-mail it to Champion News.  Otherwise be content to read of the exploits of distant dogs and dead naturalists.

CHAMPION—October 3, 2006

        Some of the excitement around Champion this week was the annual visit of the West Plains Wagon Club, with Clifton Luna of Dora as wagon master.  This year the train passed through Champion around noon on Thursday.  It proceeded north up Cold Springs Road.  There were four covered wagons and quite a large number of people on horseback.  For residents along the road it was quite a treat to see the past parading by though the origin and destination of the train were unknown.  It brings to mind the difficulties of the lives of their forbearers and makes them grateful to live in an area where such happenings are still possible.  Perhaps there will be better reporting on this subject next year.

        Hopefully someone will do some good reporting on the Pioneer Descendants Gathering.  Several people were seen taking pictures, so there is a chance that Herald readers will be treated to some sights of the event soon.  Several stories have been told about the steep dirt road that leads down to the Yates Cemetery.  They include reports of a sign that said, “Check Brakes…End of the World!”  Now days our vehicles have the horsepower to climb out of the low spots, but the old days were a different story.

        Ms. Marion Conradi remarked the other day on the bulldozing of the old store at Evans.  Many knew it as the Coonts Store.  It has fallen into disrepair in recent years and was near collapse.  The store was originally built by Jesse Henson, older brother of Edgar Henson of Champion.  W.D. Coonts bought it and ran it for many years.

        An infrequent, but a most welcome visitor and double cousin from South Texas, recently passed on the information that every hour this year 300 people in the United States have a milestone birthday.  That does not diminish the celebrating of a number of Champion residents, however, and Fay (of Champion) and Kaye (of Marshfield), with family and friends, enjoyed a good time in Mtn. Grove at the Pizza Hut over the week end.  Their birthday is the 4^th of the month.  Dillon and Dakota Watts with their mother Linda Krider Watts came from Murphysbourough, Tennessee, to spend a few days helping their Grandmother enjoy her birthday.  There were trips to Silver Dollar City and to the Pioneer Descendents Gathering, as well as a lot of opportunity to help out on the farm.  Grandchildren are some of the excellent aspects of reaching the ‘milestone’ birthdays.

CHAMPION—September 25, 2006

        Some of the good news around Champion these days is that Mrs. Eva Powel is home and feeling better after a short and productive hospital stay last week.  Her friends and family are happy to see her out and about.

        To correct the errors of last week, those ladies named Louise who celebrated their birthdays did it on Thursday the 21^st.  Zoey Louise of Austin, TX had her party on Sunday with balloons and chocolate cup cakes.  Louise Hutchison had dinner out in West Plains and enjoyed the company of her husband, Wilburn, who is said to be feeling better.  She said that Ed Henson used to call her up at 6 a.m. every New Year’s Day to ask her if her refrigerator was running.  She would say it was running and he would say, “Well, you better catch it!” and then he would laugh like it was the first time he had pulled that prank.

        Pioneer Days are being held at the Yates Cemetery all day Saturday and Sunday the 30^th of September and the 1^st of October.  From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  There will be live music and old time exhibits and demonstrations.

        A nice letter has arrived from Mrs. Eva Lois Henson Phillips who now lives in Okalahoma City.  She moved to Cold Springs from Iowa in 1941 when she was six years old.  Her parents were Ezra and Sylvia Henson.  They were distant relatives of Ed Henson.  They bought their farm from Cleve and Lottie Riley.  She attended all eight grades of school at Champion.  Vivian Mallernee Robertson was her first grade teacher and Opal Proctor was her seventh and eight grade teacher.  Her brothers Royce, Kenneth and Randy also attended Champion school.  Eva said that she had some sad memories of the farm including five milk cows struck by lightening and killed.  (A large sycamore tree met a similar fate this last Thursday just a mile or so north of her old home place.  It was wildly twisted and blown apart.  About an inch and a half of rain came along with that bunch of weather so that part of it was good.)  In 1946, Sylvia Henson was writing the Champion Items for the Herald.  She made note of the birth of a set of twin girls into the Upshaw family on October 4, 1946. Those girls will have a special birthday this year!

        The 28th Brixey Reunion was held September the 9th at Wagon Wheel Park, Drury, Mo. Those attending were:  Sylvia, Joe, Audrey & Kayelun McClellan, Willow Springs, Mo., June Chambers, Willow Springs, Mo., Robert Dean Brixey, Norwood, Mo., James and Jana Brixey, Norwood, Mo., Shirley Brixey, Springfield, Mo., Ernie and Sheryl Williams, Battlefield, Mo., Jeff and Bev Schellenger, Douglass. Ks., Ralph and Arlene Mullens, Lincoln, Arkansas, James and Mary Gwen Brixey, St. Pauls, North Carolina, John and Jan Brixey, Rock Island, IL., Richard and Kaye Johnston, Marshfield, Mo., Robert and Sharon Upshaw, Vanzant, Mo., Elva Upshaw, Springfield, Mo., Reitha (Andrews) Forrest, Ava, Mo., Bob, Mary, and Bill Camdenton, Mo., Douglas, Susan, Tessa, Trace Chambers, Fayette, Mo., Calvin Chambers, Dora, Mo., Dwayne Brixey and Pat Cohn, Florida, Ruby Proctor, Mtn. Grove, Mo., Charles and Kay Brixey, Umberton, North Carolina, Charlie and Mary Brixey, Moline, IL., Pete and Bonnie Mullens Wichita, Ks., Pete Proctor Mtn. Grove, Mo., Lorene Johnston, Marshfield, Mo., Ed, Sonja, Zack, Allison Williams Seymour, Mo. Mae Lemons and son-in-law Mtn. Grove. Mo., Russell, Dean Upshaw Mtn. Grove, Mo., Lon, Fae, Krider Norwood, Mo., Teahna Oglesby and Eli Perry, Mo., Tanna, Foster Wiseman, Marshfield, Mo., Phoebe Ward, Marshfield, Mo., Staci Krider Norwood, Mo. and Dustin Cline Republic, Mo.