New Year's Eve, 2014

Neighbor hood gifts have been delivered, the celebrating now is more relaxed and peaceful. We enjoyed the caroling of our youth throughout the village. We are hoping for snow. So far we have had frequent dustings in the mornings, but only higher elevations seem to have any staying power. As with the rest of the world we are waiting for the arrival of 2015.

The LDS Ward had a beautiful Christmas themed program for the Sunday before the holiday. Scriptures were read, the choir sang, there were string instrument offerings, our primary and youth participated. All under the direction of Jennifer Seamons, ward choir director and it left us with the true spirit of the season.

We have more residents to add to our medical list. Beverly Bruderer has undergone surgery recently, Dennis Clark has had serious shoulder problems, Bret Hall has been in the hospital, Warren Wilde is getting some help with his vision. I repeat from last week, there still may be some of whom I am unaware.

Ben and Amy James and family have moved to Mink Creek, temporarily. They come from West Jordan and are renting the George Rasmussen home on Bear Creek Road. They have four children: twins Patrick and Adelle, Helen, and Sarah, the youngest, age 3. Amy is the daughter of Drew and JoAnn Ford of Mink Creek and these grandparents are loving having them so close for good visits. The children are enjoying the wide open spaces that compare so favorably to their small city yard. Ben works for Rio Tinto Mining Company, formerly known as Kennicott.

Brooke Corbett, daughter of Shane and Sherrie, is having fun playing basketball on Preston High Girls' team. Only four more home games according to the schedule so there will be lots of traveling for away games before the end of the season in February. 

If you are a new reader and feel like you have already read some of this you must be getting the Preston Citizen  newspaper.  I write the first paragraphs for the weekly print, but usually I have more to say than is needed for the issues so  I extend my thoughts about our little village each week in this blog.  It appears that I only have a few members that read, yet from conversations in the grocery store or other places around town, even as far flung as  California, I know there are more of you who check this out.  Welcome, glad to have you on board.

It has been a long time between blogging for the Mink Creek News.  I was on a "medical vacation" for three months, staying in Utah, and not knowing enough about what was going on in Mink Creek to make it worth your reading.  I  managed to keep up with the comings and goings to write the weekly column for the Citizen.  Now I feel like we are "back", hope you will feel that way too.

Mink Creek has been spoiled by that long fall with warm weather, not even any stayable snow until Christmas morning.  We woke up to the gift of a very white Christmas,  sufficient to do some sledding.   Enough so the neighbor would clear the area he turns into a local skating rink. Now he can start laying down some ice.  This isn't a process that happens in just one night. It takes layers and good freezing weather.  A strong wind  a couple of nights past moved the snow around, but it also dropped the mercury.  The temperatures reported today are in the minus 0 category-----a -6, a -10, perfect for getting the skate pond ready for fun.  See you next week, hope you have a good New Year's Eve.