April 14, 2015

         Spring break scattered quite a few of our residents. Liesa Baird loaded up her children and drove to Nevada for a visit with her oldest daughter, Juliana and Blaine Packer, and their family. The big project during the stay was building shelves for Juliana's home. The Packers are living in Battle Mountain where Blaine is a welder for Phoenix Mines.

           Laural Janke took her mother Claudia Erickson and the Janke children to the northwest. They made a loop, first to Lakeview, OR, spending a few days with sister Kristin and Jay Collins and Claire. Next stop was Vancouver, WA, home of sister Claudine and LaMar McKague and family. All sorts of fun: a forest picnic, a trip to the gorgeous Oregon Coast, a tour of a Pendleton Wool Factory, waterfalls, boy scout activities.  Along with this was the daily rain of the northwest, a different experience for those of parched Idaho.

           The family of Sheldon and Candy Longhurst spent their days in southern California, visiting people and places that were part of 18 month mission for their daughter, Tiffany. She refers to the location as the “sunnyside of CA.” Along with the friends made there, the family enjoyed some beach time at the ocean and various tourist spots.

            PHS track competitions are underway with the coming of spring. Mink Creek youth participating are Andy McKay doing sprints and relays, and Brooke Corbett whose specialty is long jump .

            Terry and Steve Mainini had their whole family home for the Easter weekend, Mario, Tony and Angelina. They reconnected with their Italian nationality, having fun making homemade pasta and dishes that went with it. High on the menu list was homemade ravioli.

           There is a new baby girl in Mink Creek. She is a bit of a celebrity, being the 2015 Farm Bureau Ag Baby born at the Franklin County Medical Center.. Her parents are Harvey and Tiasha Britton and she is named Adrianna June Britton.

           Our Easter day was one of beauty, reassuring of the rebirth of the world. The sky was bright and clear and, with this season a bit ahead of itself, there was plenty of lacey greenery on bushes and trees.

           Spring weather awakens many wondrous things in this part of the country. It also stirs the bugs and insects. The dormant box elder bugs are in evidence. Lifting a lovely green leaf in the flower garden is apt to reveal earwigs, on the run to escape the sun. The flying bug varieties are being plastered on the windshields, leaving their varnish remains to be removed.

           And, not to be ignored, is the return of allergies to various types of growth. The human respiratory system goes on overtime to reject its own individual enemies. Maybe a positive note is the boost to the economy with the increased purchase of tissues, nose sprays and antihistamine meds.