Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Happy Birthday, Abe, 2014



Birds of prey and coyotes are competing for any animal that has met its demise.  Whether the carcass is found along a road or out in a field, these creatures gather to argue about feeding rights.   Turkeys, raccoons and deer are top items on their menus.
Stan Keller is now at home with his father, Ben, and Marie Keller.   Stan is looking for employment and working as a handyman around the house in the meantime.
It is looking like we may have enough snow for the annual youth tubing party after all.  The year’s snow accumulation has been scanty until this week.  So far the snow has fallen for a good part of the last five days, and it has been welcomed with open arms.   Occasional winds blowing have caused some drifting, but it has been manageable in this community of tractors and pickups with snowplows attached.  Every home owns at least one snow shovel.
Abigail Janke, daughter of Jody and Laural Janke, recently qualified for the BYU/Idaho Middle School Honor Band.  A 7th grade student, she auditioned with her trumpet.  Ten middle school students from the Preston School District were chosen and traveled to Rexburg for a day of practicing as they prepared for a concert to be given that evening.  The concert was performed in the Barrus Concert Hall on the BYU/I campus, the music being directed by faculty members Diane Soelberg and Daryl Brown.
The wrestling season is drawing to a close.  Mink Creek has four young men involved in the Preston High wrestling program:  Kyle Christensen, son of Phillip and Krysta;  Justin Longhurst, son of Sheldon and Candy;  Travis Greene, son of Chad and Dawnell; Sam Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer. Tyson Hall, an alumnus of that program a few years ago, has been an assistant coach this past year.  He will soon be leaving to serve a mission in South America. 

The snow storm lasted most of last week so there was an accumulation and today we get a thaw., drip, drip, drip!  Water running, ice melting, and yet this is not a Chinook, just a warmer day. We are happy to be anticipating more snow this week.  Glad to have that bottom layer of ice disappear.
Some people  ask the question, “What do farmers/ranchers do in the winter time?”   Judging from my front row observations, the answer is:  They go to Agricultural Expos, they attend classes about hay production, they hang out at auctions of used farm equipment, they repair their own machinery, they take upon themselves the task of neighborhood snow removal, and in off moments they plan and dream about what crops they will be planting and harvesting during the next growing season. All of this in addition to the daily chores of caring for farm/ranch animals. These are just a few of the things that occupy the “down time” of an ag man’s life.  
Happy Valentine's Day, it is a great day to do a kind deed, share some of  the goodness we have.

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