June 7, 2016

          Yesterday was D Day, a day that should be remembered, not just in the history books.  Much loss, much gain of a different sort.  Without that day, and it's following events, our current world and way of life would be much different.

            Oops, a goof on my part. Last week I reported on five high school graduates from our community. Turns out that I missed one. He is Chet Jensen, the son of Kalee and Russell Bair and the late Shawn Jensen. My apologies to Chet and all of his family.

            Bill and Myrna Despain took a week, plus, to enjoy family and high school graduation exercises in Wyoming. They had two granddaughters graduating from Lovell High School.

           Eldon and Danita Wilcox celebrated the graduation of their daughter MaKenzie Gunter from Idaho State University. The Wilcox children and grandchildren were in Mink Creek over the weekend for a family reunion. This means lots of cousins having lots of fun: games, swimming, eating, a perfect agenda.

            The Lewis and Clark Volunteers, headquarters in Soda Springs, ID, held their annual Memorial Day Rendezvous on the banks of Mink Creek at the Vernon Keller Farm. The sounds of musket loaders were heard up and down our valley with the echoes from their fun.

            A mini McGregor Reunion gathered at the Erickson Pond on Memorial Day. The children of Jody and Laural Janke and Robert and Sherie Scott had great cousin time. These adults, plus Connie and Adam Westenskow of Logan, Layne and Karen Erickson, and Bob and Claudia Erickson caught up with visiting and a potluck dinner topped off the afternoon.

             The Crane Cabin was bustling with memories of family. Bruce and Shawna Crane were up from Logan, leading the way with other family members. The Mink Creek cemetery over the past few days has featured pictures from their generations in this community.

             Do you remember the rose bushes filled with bright yellow and copper blooms? They add splashes of color to our beautiful green countryside right now. Snowball bushes are at their prime a well, loaded with white fluffy globes of flowers.

           The general question in the neighborhoods is “How does your garden grow?” The next question is regarding which wild critters are already invading the  plants that are starting to grow. One reports sandhill cranes gobbling up the tiny stalks of corn, another has problems with the cottontail rabbits eating the tender broccoli. Flowers are also providing  grub for the local foragers. I am sure the deer are anxious for the strawberries to get ripe. These are some of the prices of “life in the country.”