March 28, 2012

Unit 45 of Boy Scouts met together for a Court of Honor.  James Baird conducted the meeting and the Webeloes presented the flag ceremony.   Merit badges were presented by Senior patrol leaders: Travis Green, and Chance and Dakota Hatch. Fifty-one merit badges had been earned  by seventeen young men.   Nine of them had also achieved rank advancements.

Cookie bars and punch were served to those attending.

Our community has benefited in many areas from projects performed by young men earning their Eagle ranks over many years.  Raising awareness of this fact, a video presentation was prepared entitled, “Take a Walk With Us Through the Community of Mink Creek and You Will See the ‘Fruits of Scouting’.”   This covered a time period of the last forty years.  Some projects reached into the other areas of the county.

The Cub Scouts held a Space Rocket Derby this month.  Cub Derby night is always one of excitement.  Mink Creek hasn’t had a rocket derby nearly 20 years. Eighteen boys raced colorful rockets they had made and each managed to race several times. In addition to the races, scout awards were presented to fourteen boys.  David Hawkes has just turned eleven  and with three years of Cubs, is moving to the ll-12 year old patrol. Cookies , a favored scout food, were served to all.

The family of Robert and Elizabeth Hawkes has recently moved into the Mink Creek community.  Robert and Liz  have eight children, ranging in ages from 14 1/2 , down to 18 months.  They are, in order: Lauryn, Nicholas, David, Michael, Matthew, Carissa, Aaron and Anthony, better known as Tony.  They come to us from several places this side of the Rocky Mountains, having lived in California, Colorado, Arizona and Utah before settling on Idaho.  Robert currently is employed at Presto in Lewiston.

Vernon and Sallee Keller and Bob and Claudia Erickson  recently attended the annual banquet for Lewis and Clark Volunteers in Lava Hot Springs.  They are a fun group of Mountain Men who take this interest seriously.   The first banquet was held 35 years ago.  Conducting for the evening was Curtis Keller of Soda Springs. (You might recognize that name, Curt has Mink Creek blood thick in his veins.) A gun stand was presented to Vernon as a token of appreciation from the group for providing them a place to shoot and fish several times each year.  The members hail from both Idaho and Utah.

The Canadian geese are making their way to their summer feeding grounds.  Some are stopping over in Mink Creek, announcing their presence with much honking while they rest up and forage in our fields for the next leg of their journey.

            Adding to the calls of the geese are those communications of our resident owls.  Some will even “talk” with the human sector as they  perch on poles or trees near our homes.   The “who-who” language is one readily used by all communicators.

March 21, 2012

The young men of our community have had a good time lately while participating in winter campouts, part of the scouting program.   Two groups headed up our canyons to enjoy a cold overnight stay in the mountains. 

One group chose a spot near Strawberry Springs.  They located a big drift on the north side of a ridge and were able to dig snow caves for shelters.  The boys involved were Ben Seamons, Clay Jepsen, Braxton Nye, Dakota and Chance Hatch, Berkley Checketts, Travis Green, Ty Beardall and Taylin Bosworth.  Leaders Paul McKay and Kerry Jepsen claim that the main purpose of this event was just learning how to camp, besides the fun and camaraderie.

The second bunch went up to Copenhagen with six young men:  Justin Coleman, Josh Greene, Kendrick Nye, Justin Longhurst, Johnny Iverson with James Baird in charge.  Their leader was Sheldon Longhurst with helpful fathers: Kurt Iverson, Jason Nye and Nelson Coleman.  Lacking sufficient snow their shelters were of a different variety. According to the boys’ report they played in the sun and enjoyed Dutch-oven potatoes and cobbler.

Joseph Seamons performed a violin concert, accompanied by his mother Jennifer Seamons. This was for his Senior Project at PHS.   He was given a short break when brother Sam played a bass solo and again when five of the brothers performed a string number.  Refreshments were served to the audience following the concert.

Johnny Iverson was ordained to the office of a priest in the LDS Ward.  His parents are Kurt and Margret Iverson.  He was presented his award of Duty to God as a Teacher.  McKinley Longhurst had her 12^th  birthday and, in so doing, graduated from the Primary organization to become a Beehive in the Young Womens.  She achieved her Faith in God award.  She is the daughter of Sheldon and Candy Longhurst. 

The yearly adjustment to the arrival of Daylight Savings Time is underway.  It will be nice when the sun arises a little closer to the normal time.  Right now that light seems an hour behind and gives days a slow start.

Bob and Claudia Erickson drove to American Fork for a wedding open house for their nephew, Burton Perkins and Sharon Phelps. The family of Jody and Laural Janke also attended. The Jankes spent the weekend with  another Erickson daughter, Danalee and Gene Abernethy and their family in Alpine, UT.

Our neighbor’s lambs are enjoying the warmer weather, kicking up their heels in fun as they run through the pasture.  The temperatures are also bringing out local wildlife.  Cougars with kittens are making their presence known.  Pheasants go marching across the highways.  The proverbial robins have put in their appearance.  Magpies have been around all winter, but they seem to have more bounce in both step and flight as spring knocks on our door.

March 14, 2012

The Young Women group held the New Beginnings evening for parents and young ladies, 12 and older.  The girls sang “Arise and Shine” to introduce their theme for this year.  Anna Beth Olson accompanied Tiffany Longhurst, performing her solo, “A Light On the Hill.”  Tammy Keller of Riverdale was the chosen guest speaker.  Each new girl was spotlighted  with some of their interests and talents as they were introduced:  Brook Checketts, daughter of Hilary and Tim Checketts, McKinley Longhurst, daughter of Candy and Sheldon Longhurst, and Celina Crosland, daughter of Phee and Robert Crosland.  Refreshments of cookies, cheesecake bites and punch were served.

March is always the time for the Relief Society to celebrate the beginning of their organization.  This was definitely a Birthday Party with the cultural hall decorated with balloon, confetti and presents.  Debbie Heaton and Sherrie Corbett were responsible for the atmosphere.  Activities came under the jurisdiction of Tammy Coleman, Dawnell Greene and Kristi Hall.  Besides the usual fun of “just visiting,” there were  three games: 1. a getting to know your neighbor situation where once you discovered a bit of information that neighbor changed and you found a new person for interviewing,  2. a take-off of TV show Family Feud with questions based on the history of Relief Society, and 3. some excitement with everyone popping balloons—bang, bang,  like fireworks.  Inside the balloons a slip of paper revealed the possibility of winning a gift or enjoying a special quotation or thought.

Weather did not cooperate for this event and brought a heavy snowstorm.  Even so, there was a good turnout.    Betty Jo Jepsen, Jeannine Iverson and Mary Norris had the food plans well made: asparagus rollups,  pineapple bites, a strawberry jelly roll and a popcorn cupcake.  Every person received a birthday “loot bag” containing pencils, mints and candy bars.

Speaking of the local weather, my grandmother always told me a person had to be desperate to be writing about the weather. : )  It can’t be ignored, it is so much a part of our lives, particularly when a person resides in a farming community.   Lately it has been totally erratic. Few calm days, and the skies seem to flip-flop.  Heavy snowstorms, nearly whiteouts, then sun and freezing wind, followed by a balmy day that reassures that spring is on it’s way.  That is, until more snow the very next day.  Put it all together it spells ---unpredictable.  Early Spring fits that description, there is constant change from the skies and it behooves people to always have a “plan B” when thinking of activities. 

The family of Wynn and Cecelie Costley were here for the blessing of a new baby in the family.  The blessing took place in the Fairview Ward, a baby girl for Davin and Leah Gilbert.  She is named Nesia Adelle Gilbert.  Out of town family there for the occasion were Landon and Amy Costley , Kate and Eric Drake and family, Josie and David Hulme and children, all of Ogden, and McKay and Lynsey Costley and children of Richmond, UT.

Three of our residents play in the Cache Symphony Orchestra in Logan.  They recently performed in a winter concert at the Kent Concert Hall and are now preparing for the next performance scheduled in April.  Trumpeters are Jody and Laural Janke and Mikel Beardall is on bassoon.  Another member of the group from Franklin County is Amanda Crookston playing viola.

Earl and Barbara Craythorn came down from Declo to share some family time with Candy and Sheldon Longhurst as they make preparations for their son, Jake, to enter the mission field.

March 7, 2012

Our fine feathered friends are out and about.  Turkeys stand out stark and black against our recent snowy background.  With moonlit nights the owls are chatting across the hillsides.

 Two couples, Wally and Kim Christensen and Richard and Vickie Free, took a break from our local cold weather to bask in the warmth of Hawaii, staying at the Free’s time share.  This was a time for being laid back in Maui, snorkeling, watching the whales, feasting at luaus.  All this made for a reluctance to head back to home and reality.

Jeannine Iverson, scout lady extraordinaire, was awarded the Silver Beaver. In mid- February the Trapper Trails Council Recognition Night was held in Brigham City.  Awards were given to volunteers of scouting who have served at least 30 years.  Jeannine  has been active in teaching skills of scouting to young men  and serving on the advancement program, long before the Iversons moved to Mink Creek from Highland, UT.  She endeavors to make things fun and interesting for each boy in the troop.

The young people of Mink Creek enjoyed a tubing party.  Due to the scarcity of snow the location was in the upper part of our community on a hill behind the home of Mark and Debbie Heaton.  Snowmobiles were on the scene to haul the participants back up the slope after a swift ride down.  A bonfire at the bottom helped warm the kids and refreshments of hot chocolate and doughnuts kept the energy level up for lots of fun.

Kathy and Austin Jones needed a short get-away vacation and chose a four night Cozumel Cruise in Mexican waters.  They reported that the shopping was fine, especially for vanilla and blankets.  The beautiful blue waters were a little choppy due to the wind, but it was just the ticket for the Jones duo.

Some storms have come our way with snow, real snow.  Those flakes that stay around are so welcome.  If this is winter it is late in coming, but most welcome.  Some of the flurries would qualify as whiteouts.  So what if it is March!  This being “in like a lion,” may be a good thing.

Our teenage girls have had a successful year playing basketball this year.  They are coached by Laurel Wilde.  The team made their way through the Preston North Stake Tournament and has qualified to play in the Regional tournament soon.

Kelton and Denise Keller and their family spent a weekend here with his parents, Vernon and Sallee Keller.  They were celebrating a mission call for their daughter, Jennie, who will be serving in Brazil. She leaves in June for the Brazil MTC.