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CHAMPION–October 14, 2007

        As if Champions were not still reeling from their trip to the “edge of the world” at the Pioneer Descendants Gathering, many ventured over to Mountain Grove for the Quasquicentennial and Autumnfest on the week end.  It was reported to have been an excellent celebration with many renewed old acquaintances and interesting sights to see.  Coming on the heels of Norwood’s Farmer’s Day and just before Douglas County’s Sesquicentennial Celebration to be held the 19^th – the 21^st, it is apparent that organizers of these affairs are not concerned about getting their work done this Fall.  Perhaps they are on top of their harvest time chores or maybe they have hired hands to do the work.  Champions, like country people everywhere, are easily drawn off to town this time of year leaving their shovels in the manure piles and their forks in the hay.  With the lure of an undisclosed number of $150.00 cash prizes to be awarded willy-nilly and the spectacle of the costumes and hope of meeting old friends seldom seen , the sweet potatoes that ought to have been dug by now and the firewood that should be in can wait.  Someone remarked that the hard freeze last Spring has made harvest time easier this year with so few walnuts and not a persimmon or apple to be seen.  With no dogwood berries to speak of and few pawpaws, the wild critters are likely to have a hard time of it this winter.  So Champions flounce off to town to socialize and leave the wild things to harvest what little there is to be had.

        That’s what the folks attending the Alsup, Ousley, Livingston Reunion on the 13^th did.  Tom Alsup told a good story about his Dad, Noël Alsup, when they had the farm at Denlow.  Judy Kent and Mary Martha Williams kept the family laughing which has usually been Robert Upshaw’s job.  He made a fair showing of it however, and family from as far away as Alaska and Idaho enjoyed the day.

        Harley Krider is about to have a birthday.  He is not as old as his brothers but he is much older than most people in Champion.  He is an absentee cattle farmer living off in Illinois leaving family and neighbors to keep track of his interests here.  It is to be reported that the new Angus bull, Alexander the Great (perhaps), has made himself quite at home and seems to have a lovely domestic arrangement with the numerous cows and calves in the herd.  There are pictures of him circulating on the internet taking his ease by the pond with his harem busy by grazing and gestating–such a peaceful pastoral scene.

        Foster Wiseman spent some time in Champion over the week end.  He is learning about climbing that steep hill and running down it.  Over the years many a Champion has sped down that hill sometimes hanging a toe and face planting in the dirt with lunch buckets and McGuffey Readers flying.  Foster has been cautious, however, and so far has enjoyed the thrill of speed without mishap.  He was heard singing, “Sadie’s got her new dress on,” to Dustin Cline who is still loitering about the neighborhood when it pleases him to do so.  He has just returned from a trip to Colorado where he killed antelope which were just playing as they do in the song:  “….where the deer and the antelope play.  ”He came close to shooting a little duck and was heard talking about the fun it would be to ‘plink off’ little prairie dogs.  As to the duck,it was unclear whether he was just considering shooting it or if he had shot and missed.  Local turkeys don’t seem especially worried.

        The sumac is just dripping red, sassafras is starting to change color and some dogwoods and oaks are finally taking on the autumn hues.  This has been an unusual year weather-wise.  Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize for saying the world is getting warmer.  Colin McEvedy and Richard Jones published the Atlas of World Population in the Penguin press.  According to them in 30 A.D. there were 170 million people in the whole world.  Right now the United States has almost twice that many people and the whole world boasts six thousand million people….that is six billion people—the number six and nine zeroes.  Since people are mostly made up of water (65% by some accounts), someone said that’s where all the water is going and that’s why its getting so warm.  (He’s thinking of them all standing around together in a line at Silver Dollar City.)  Population density in Champion is still pretty sparse and for as long as it stays that way Champions will be glad.  It is a relative term, however, and Champions are glad when their kinfolks move home and glad to welcome new neighbors.  The world is changing fast but things are still pretty mellow in the hills and hollows in the middle of Douglas County, Missouri.

        It is not so in other places.  Three thousand eight hundred and twenty nine US. Service Personnel have lost their lives in Iraq so far.  Sixty eight of them have been from Missouri.  Everybody is from somewhere and Champions continue to send Love and Gratitude to all those serving their country in the dangerous places or just far from home places.  Still no word has come from Champion’s soldier, Staff Sergeant Raul Moreno who is serving in Afghanistan.  It may be that he has been transferred or that his time is up.  Until their mail gets returned to them though,  Champions will continue to write to him at SSG Moreno, Raul / 4-319^th TF SABER / FOBB NARAY / APO AE 09354.

        There is an old fellow in Champion who has been invited to his 50^th high school reunion.  It would be a long trip to get there and cost quite a bit of money, but it could be done.  He has decided not to go though, because he says that he remembers his classmates as having been young, beautiful, vital people and he doesn’t fancy looking at them all old and unhealthy and saggy.  He doesn’t want to know that their lives turned out any other way than the way they all thought it would be when they were kids together.  Somebody said that he just doesn’t want to have to report on his successes and failures or to have his accomplishments compared with others for fear that he wouldn’t measure up.  Apples and Oranges.  Could a person hope to accomplish more than a tranquil life on the side of a hill in Champion with spring water flowing down and the seasons changing?  The Dali Lama is visiting in the United States.  He lives in exile and has not been to his home in Tibet since 1959.  He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 and accepted it on behalf of oppressed people everywhere.  He says that he believes in hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.  His residence is maintained in London where it is getting damp and chilly this time of the year.  It sounds like he would fit in quite nicely in Champion and the weather is better here.

        It would be good weather to plant the gooseberries that Esther Wrinkles received for her birthday if they aren’t in the ground already.  Inquires will be made and services offered.  So much of next spring’s garden has to do with what gets done this fall.  Linda, over at the Plant Place in Norwood, has some excellent suggestions about soil amendments and preparing the garden for winter.

        Suggestions and inquiries are welcome and people or things that would fit right in Champion can be reported to Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717.  Spectacles of any sort, examples of flouncing, and of tranquil or pastoral scenes may be emailed to Champion News.  Sunday the 21^st of October is the birthday of Anna Henson who was born in 1905.  She passed away when she was 77 years old and Champions miss her still.  Enjoy some fond memories of her and Ed at Henson’s Store in the Heart of Champion…where like the Dali Lama….Champions are looking on the Bright Side!