July 10, 2013

The week started out with the air conditioner on the blink at the LDS Mink Creek Ward for their Sunday meetings.  There was much waving of paper programs, fan-shaped or not, to create some sort of comfort in personal space.  Bishop Egley reminded the congregation that this was how it may have felt in the early days of the building  The doors were open wide, insects could be buzzing through and an occasional barn swallow may have winged its way into the chapel.    His reminder lightened the mood. We still have regular wasp visits, but no birds.

Fifteen of our Cub Scouts enjoyed Day Camp at Aspen Ridge Camp in Hull Valley.  Their leaders were Melinda and Clair Jepsen, Marie Keller with her Webloes, Lana and Ivan McCracken, Liesa Baird and Nathan  Bairid shepherding the Wolf and Bear Dens.  The theme for this year’s camp was Galaxy Trek and activities matched that theme:  planetarium, moonwalking, paper rockets, archery, cooking moonpies over hot coals, and, of course, knots.  A scout camp of any kind needs some training in knots.

With Dawnell Greene the overall go-to person at this event nearly half of the staff was made up of help from Mink Creek friends.  Those on the roster were:  Ty Beardall, James Baird, Chad Greene and his children Hanna, Izac, Josh and Travis, Tristin Thomas, Austin Straight, Avery Gomez, Chance and Dakota Hatch, Kalee Bair, Kerry Jepsen, and Lisa Christensen. Boys, leaders, and staff came home tired, but satisfied with the events of the day.

Angelo Crosland , son of Robert and Phee, was ordained to the office of  priest in the LDS Ward.  Malia and Jason Kunde and family came down from the Rexburg area for the occasion.  Giovanni and Kristine Crosland and children are staying in Mink Creek for the summer months.  Gio has just completed part of his medical training back east and is awaiting the next step towards becoming a doctor.

The recent production of Alice in Wonderland at the Worm Creek Opera House was laced with youth from Mink Creek.  There was a trio of directors and one of those was our own Cecelie Costley.  There were three casts because so many children auditioned and as a result more children were able to have this fun opportunity.  Those from our little village were:  Ty Jepsen, Keenan Janke, Ella Jepsen, Davanie Ostler, Tia Hatch, Jonathan Seamons, Sophia Janke, Abigail Janke, Haylee Hatch,  and Tara Jepsen.  The parents have had several months of chauffeuring  the little actors and actresses back and forth to rehearsals.

One of the main activities in this hot weather for visiting families is to “ride the river.”

Tubing down the Bear River makes for a cool afternoon, no matter what the temperature is.  It isn’t just county residents that enjoy this “sport”, there are plenty of out-of-state cars at the drop-off and retrieve spots.