Washington's True Day, 2016

             Happy Birthday, President George Washington!  So glad you were available when this country needed you so very badly and that you were willing to serve.

              Kim and Wally Christensen have returned from a lovely break from winter, missing a big storm that visited here in their absence. They were on a Hawaiian Cruise for ten blissful days, out of the cold. The cruise stopped at the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the big island Hawaii. They soaked up lovely beaches, sunshine and beautiful rainforests. Still, it is nice to be home.

           February, the time for Blue & Gold Cub Scout Banquets and Cubmaster Sharla McKay carried out the theme of Round Table, providing fun for boys and families. There was a castle complete with towers and walls, blue and gold pennants flying from turrets. A blue river ran down the middle, with chocolate rocks lining its banks. Not one rock was left by the end of the evening! The cubs had made shields and a coat of arms and dressed with silver headgear and tunics that River McKay had sewn for them. A wooden sword completed the costumes. Each introduced themselves as Knights of the Round Table.

            Seven cub scouts attended with their families. As befitted the time period the menu was all finger foods: Chicken legs, rolls, olives, pickles, carrots, apple slices and a homemade apple or cherry pie tart. The entertainment was a skit by the boys of the Sword and the Stone of King Arthur's Court, then all helped with cleanup before heading home.

          Our community held a dance to celebrate Valentine's Day. Posters advertised it as Cowboy Valentine and dances taught were a western line dance and the two-step. When Kurt Iverson popped his bullwhip a couple of times to announce a guest presenter, Bryan Winward all were ready to listen. The food was delicious, most prepared by Linda and Clare Christensen. The dancers brought exotic desserts, suitable for the occasion. There was even a decorated photo shoot available. It was a great night enjoyed by a good turnout.

           Our canyons are still filled with snowmobile enthusiasts, particularly on weekends. The lower snow is receding but it appears there is still plenty for good riding higher up.

           The season for bronchitis and pneumonia is upon us.  If someone doesn't show up at a community function you can almost bet it is one of these maladies that has kept them home. Some recovery periods have been a couple of months.

           Robins have flown in and are working over any thing that resembles bird food. Residents with yard bird feeders are being high on the aviary hit list with all the returning feathered friends.

February 16, 2016

            The youth of Mink Creek spent several hours on ice one evening, skating at the Longhurst Rink. It was a night of 10 degree temperatures and activities encouraging moving about were uppermost. Hockey sticks provided some extra motivation. The Beehive class were in charge of this event and provided refreshments of rice krispie treats and hot cocoa. The music wafting out from the warming shed sounded throughout the neighborhood.

            Devin and Maria Flake and their son spent a weekend with her parents, Lana and Ivan McCracken. Then it was back home to life in Saratoga Springs, UT.

           It is lambing time for those in our community who raise sheep. This year's season has been a hard one for all concerned: the ewes, the newborn lambs and the rancher who needs to keep an eye on the proceedings 24/7. It helps to have the lambing sheds and the warmth they can offer from the freezing weather. As with the birth of any living creature it is not an easy task and often requires some human assistance.

           Greg and Brenda Belew are in a staggered process of moving from our community. Staggered, because Greg is already working in law enforcement in St. Anthony, ID, with the city police department. Brenda is tying up the loose ends here and will be joining him shortly. The Barber place where they have been working has been sold.

           Anyone getting tired of coping with February weather, maybe winter in general? It has been a very long time since we have had such a depth of snow overall that has stayed. Now, with the melting then freezing, we have that sheet of ice underfoot to make all movement perilous. Ice skating is only fun when you volunteer and are equipped. What we have had this past week only makes for frazzled nerves.

           Then to add even more threat a storm moved in with snow, followed by rain. In Mink Creek that makes for icy slopes to walk upon. Our flat ground is very limited. Most readers will be familiar with the old adage stating all Mink Creekers have one leg shorter than the other due to walking the hillsides.

           These conditions can be a challenge with machinery as well. A neighbor had his tractor slipping, bit by bit, down toward a drop-off into the creek waters below. He had to call for help and a bigger tractor to pull all things to safety before the icy slope took charge completely. Yes, good fences make good neighbors, as the poem goes, but having the tractor savvy is a big plus in these moments.

February 8, 2016

            Layne Erickson underwent surgery on his right shoulder recently. He is home recuperating on a nice comfy couch now, in between sessions with the physical therapist. His son Bryan and Shannon Erickson drove up from Mt. Sterling, UT, for a visit while he was hospitalized.

           Terry and Bryce Stromberg were home a few days before they begin their mission duties in Salt Lake City, UT. They are part of Temple Square Mission. Terry will be working in Family History and Bryce, a retired law enforcer, will be in security. Bryce is clean-shaven these days, so if you run into a guy that looks familiar, but not quite, there are possibilities that he may be our Bryce Stromberg.

           We have had a flock of snow geese visiting our area. They are a little hard to spot because their color just blends in with our white landscape. They look like a bunch of lumpy snow until a person is able to focus on the heads that go with the lumps.

            Other wildlife sightings recently have been moose in the lower part of our community. It doesn't take those critters long to travel over a long distance. We also have a report of cougars in the upper part of the valley, even coming up to our homes and buildings, checking things out. It behooves us to keep alert when we step outside.

            A group of our young men have been working to understand aluminum castings. This is a fire and brimstone project. Andy McKay, Clay Jepsen,  Angelo Crosland, Ty Beardall, Kris Wilkinson and Ben Seamons gathered with their leaders, Terry Westerberg, Kerry Jepsen and Bishop Kurt Iverson. at the forge on Andy's grandparents' farm. They have been collecting tin cans, old radiators, anything junk aluminum, for this event. Their main instructor was Andy and all learned new things, even terms like forge, crucible, melt through, and dross and how they all go together for this process.   Some of their castings were too frail and broke, others held, but much education happened.

           The snow, rain,warm, melt, freeze weather we have been having lately has added some extra challenges to life around here. There is the constant threat of slipping on the invisible ice when afoot, damaging a limb or head on our way down. The off roads that are dirt have been known to require chaining up the tires in the effort to get around.

           Happy Birthday, Boy Scouts of America! Today, Feb 8^th, marks 106 years of scouting. With all its ups and downs, it is a worthwhile program. Thus writes a scout leader from the past.

Groundhog Day, 2016

            Some of the Crosland family have been home recently. Giovanni and Kristina Crosland and children have come down from Blackfoot, ID, where Gio is doing his residency at a hospital. Malia and Jason Kunde and their little ones drove from Rigby, ID. Marco and Mario, the Crosland twins, come up from Provo, UT, every so often. All are helping with the construction of the Crosland home that is in process on the shores of Birch Creek. Angelo Crosland, a senior in high school, is home to stay after spending several months in Colorado with his sister Arianna and her family. Welcome home, Angelo.

           Alexis and Scott Strong took a few days away from school in Provo, UT, at BYU, for some snow fun on the Mink Creeks hillsides. She is the daughter of Kurt and Margret Iverson and a trip home is good for the soul.

          The Olson twins and their families spent some time at home on Station Creek with their parents, AnnaBeth and Jimmie Olson. Dana and Charlie Peterson and their four children live in Meridian, ID. Peggy and Jon Flinders and their little girls live in Rigby, ID. Those cousins had two plus days of sleigh riding on our perfect snow.

           There hasn't been a January thaw, but on days that are a little warmer than others the deer inhabitants of our area are out grazing on what they can find. Usually they are spotted on the southern slopes of our hills, one here, there another. As always they are down next to the highway so the warning of “Watch Out For Deer!” is constantly in effect.

            Kelton and Denise Keller and their daughter Mauri came up from Alpine, UT. They visit regulary with Kelton's dad, Vernon Keller.

            That old groundhog might have been out dancing with his shadow today, if he had the courage to  poke his nose out without it freezing.   It has been teeth-chattering cold, but the sun was shining. 

           A person just can't help but notice the beauty of winter. Surroundings that were beautiful in the warmer months are lovely still. The pond on our farm isn't blue, but it is a a steely gray and reflects the light in a different way from the sunshine. The water birds flock here in greater numbers now than in the summer, likely because other sources are frozen over for now. Even the breed of duck is different, they match the surroundings in their colors, black, gray and white.

           However I cannot wax poetic about the fog that visits, especially in the early hours when our population is driving down valley to get to their work stations. Fog and I are not friends, I grew up in country where the wind didn't allow much fog accumulation. Generally Mink Creek is above the valley fog, but its tendrils find their way here occasionally.