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.