January 27, 2016

            Our annual Night Ski Party at Beaver Resort took place early this month up Logan Canyon.  Our community connected with Preston 4^th Ward to fill the slopes with skiers and boarders. All ages were welcome, at their own risk, of course. Participants brought their own lunches and Richard and Vickie Free organized our end of food offerings for the general public's taking. It was a successful evening, no broken bones and lots of fun.

          Patti Keller, wife of Hal Keller, passed away after some years of suffering with illness. Services were held for family and friends at the Webb Mortuary in Preston.

          Dan Jolley, son of Bill and Myrna Despain, visited Mink Creek for a few days with his parents. His job keeps him traveling much of the time so it was a good break to feel some stillness in this winter community.

         Ignoring a night of winter storm on Saturday the LDS Ward held their Ward Conference. Members of the Preston North Stake attended and taught various classes. The theme centered on appreciating and enriching family life.

          Eldon and Danita Wilcox entertained a large group of family recently. Tom and Ami Fenton and children were up from Tooele, UT. Jeff and Elise Hardy and family are at home in North Ogden. Matt and Brittany Durrant and girls reside in the Salt Lake City area.. Brigham and Jennifer Wilcox and children live in Idaho Falls. Jesse and Annaevelyn Wilcox are here in Mink Creek. Only Lesli and MaKenzie of the Wilcox siblings were absent.

         Our local deer make nightly raid on our haystacks. In an effort to lessen the loss of the crop we call in the troops, better known as the Fish and Game Dept., for some help in efforts to control their antics. This means laying wooden barriers next to the stacks. This isn't foolproof, but at least the deer have to figure out a new approach. And, yes, they do just that.

          My progress down the highway was slowed as a group of turkeys marched ahead of me. In my lane they were four abreast, stepping in the same direction as I was traveling. I am not even counting all these feathered folk who flutter in and out of the road as they peck their way along the side lines. Between Mink Creek's population and that of Cub River there has to be hundreds.

January 19, 2016

          State snowplows have been busy on our highway the last few days. There may be fog and gloom down in the valley but there is snow on our higher levels. On occasion we hear the sirens of our county law enforcement headed up the canyon to help someone who has gone off the road. So grateful for the services they render.

            Church basketball has started and Mink Creek community has both a young women team and a young men team. The ladies are coached by Brooke Corbett, the young men are under the tutelage of Richard Free. Eldon Wilcox is a referee for the Preston North Stake from this community.

            Mark and Karen Arnout had a full house with children and grandchildren all gathered in. The sons all live in Utah: Travis and Amber in Logan, Dusty and Jessika from Saratoga Springs, UT, Lance and Tosha Arnout in Midway. The Arnout daughter, Kelly and Adam Jensen call Rockland, ID, home. All together they made 26 family members having fun.

             The upper reaches of Bear Creek were loaded with the family of Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen during the holidays and a bit beyond. Jill and Mark Neitz came down from Albert, Canada, with their four children. Jana Musgrave and her five are from North Ogden. Kyle Jepsen is in Dallas, TX, and of course, Kerry and Melinda Jepsen and their bunch live just across the road from his folks.

           Hannah and Spencer Singleton and their two boys came to Mink Creek and home with Wynn and Cecelie Costley for the holidays. They live in El Dorado, AR, so this gave them the gift of snow and grandparents for Christmas.

            Eric and Lisa Hickman drove up from the sunshine of California. They were here to assist Eric's dad, Van Hickman with an opportunity of warmer climes for a few months.

         Your weekly weather report is snow, we have been getting quite a bit. There is sufficient that some of the less experienced drivers have ended up needing to dig themselves out of snowbanks when they have taken a corner at their usual speed.I think you would call this “hands-on learning.”

           There has been a flock of cute little chickadees making the rounds in our neighborhood. On warmer days they are scratching through the snow for any tidbits they can find. Those little grey and black bodies look like moving punctuation marks on the snow.

January 14, 2016

            There has been travels galore over the past few weeks. Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen went to San Jose, CA, for the holidays with their daughter Annie and Steve Earl. After a good week of warmer temperatures it took the courage to return home. On the way they delivered their granddaughter back to school at BYU in Provo, UT.

            Richard and Vickie Free have been hither and yon, but no cruises this time. They have been to Hawaii, to Arizona, and Colorado. Closer to home they spent some time in St. George, UT. They have also had visits from their children: Jacob and RaNette Free and children from Pinedale, WY, and Heidi and Brendan Brown from Logan.

            Layne and Karen Erickson and Paul and Terrie McKay and family gathered at the home of Bryan and Shannon Erickson in Mt. Sterling, UT. This is a first since Bryan's family have relocated with his job as CEO at Sunshine Terrace in Logan.

            Larry and Mary Jean Rasmussen were happy when their son JR and Elaine Rasmussen and their family came up from Ogden. Nothing like getting some grandparent moments during the holidays.

           Sandy Wylie entertained a close friend from the warm temperatures of Texas. Felicia Paskize flew up from Cameron, TX, for a few days in the snowy north country.

            Twin daughters of Ben Keller dropped in for a visit with Ben and Marie. Becky and Josh Oliverson and Stacey and Josh Westover all live in Pocatello. Yes, both girls married a Josh.

           From Almo, ID, Juliana Packer bought her little girl, Cedar, for a grandparent visit with Liesa and LaRon Baird. Great-grandparents are Lana and Ivan McCracken, who had great fun with Miss Cedar.

           Shawn and Callie Beardall and their four children kept the home of his parents, Kent and Tammy Beardall, full of action for a few days. Shawn is a firefighter in Spanish Fork, UT.

            This is a case of “too many irons in the fire” for the blog this week. Two days late, not a bery good way to begin 2016.

          Owls must like with the winter months. Their night time conversations punctuate the dark as they chat back and forth across our valley. They may stay pretty secluded during the daytime but when the sun goes down and the hillsides sparkle in the moonlight they become rulers of the sky. Their favorite perches include barn tops and yard lights as well as trees as they survey the territory for any unwary creature to add to their menus. Owls hold a special place in this writer's heart.

No. 1, 2016

          Winter in Mink Creek means sleigh riding, playing in the white stuff, giggles and shouting. With plenty of outdoor space no one objects. The roar of snowmobile motors is a daily expectation. The scent of burning wood from home fireplaces fills the air. Anyone for a cup of hot chocolate while warming up after a cold few hours? No problem!

           Neighborhood gifts have been delivered and enjoyed. There was a cookie exchange here and there. The youth split up into nice sized vocal groups and toured the community singing Christmas carols.

           Julie and Jared Egley have had a visit from her father. Neil Lemon, from Colorado, was able to stay for several days, enjoying being a grandparent.

           Drew and Hilary Erickson and three children were home with his parents, Bob and Claudia Erickson, a few days prior to Christmas. It was a long drive from Tempe, AZ. Soaking up snow and activities that go with it made the trip worth it. The children learned that getting stuck in the snow or sliding down a slope is part of real winter.

         Keenan Janke, son of Jody and Laural Janke, arrived at his 12^th birthday. He was ordained to the office of a deacon in the Mink Creek LDS Ward this past week.

         Our community expresses appreciation to the county road and state highway crews for the hours they spend, even in the middle of the night, to make our moving about much easier. Those cleared roads make all the difference in greeting the day. Another thanks goes to our local farmers who rev up their tractors or trucks with snow blades to clear areas still clogged with snow.

         Patti and Forrest Christensen took a few days going to Florida to visit Patti's daughter, Sarah Hutchinson. She lives in Naples and they enjoyed the warmth, roaming the beach, gathering shells, riding bikes, in the balmy temperatures.

         Rural life is back to normal. The college set has returned to their various educational pursuits north or south of Mink Creek. The younger set are moaning about getting up early again to catch the school bus. Festive decorations and lights, both indoors and outside are back in storage. 

          Today warmed up enough to make our neighborhood ice rink  too soft for skating.  But it is nice to have some days away from the below zero temps.  Let the New Year, 2016 begin----not that there is any way we can stop it!