August 30, 2016

             Naomi Wilde, our local centenarian plus 1, had a upper femur bone snap while she was chatting on the phone. That dropped her to the floor, but help arrived quickly and the ambulance was called. She has undergone surgery and is now in the hospital, entertaining the staff in Naomi's own unique way. Reports are that she is doing well.

            A good sized family group traveled to American Fork, UT, to attend a farewell meeting for Collin Nielsen, son of Carla and Mark Nielsen., who will be going on a mission to the Washington, Everett, Mission at the end of August. He will spend some time at the Training Center in Mexico City for language studies. Family members were: Grandparents Bob and Claudia Erickson, Layne and Karen Erickson, Terrie and Andy McKay, Jody and Laural Janke and their children.

            The Mink Creek Ballpark and various family parks are in use most weekends lately. Not long ago Preston 3^rd Ward camped out at the Ballpark. Egley's park has hosted the Tate Family Reunion. Garland Rasmussen's park was the site for the Harley and Lima Jepsen Family Reunion. They had some 70 people attending. The Preston 10^th Ward scouts were having a hard time finding a spot to throw their sleeping bags one weekend and ended up camping around the Erickson pond in that park. So nice to have these convenient, beautiful spots in our village.

             We are sorry to report that Elder James Baird, the son of LaRon and Liesa Baird, has been spending some time in the hospital in North Dakota. He is suffering with a MRSA infection, following an insect bite, while serving in the North Dakota, Bismarck, Mission.

            Samuel Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, was ordained to the office of an Elder in the LDS Ward. Before too long Sam will be headed to BYU to begin his college years.

           Brenda and Greg Belew have been down from St. Anthony, ID, to celebrate the wedding of their daughter Mariah to Bracken Atkinson. The wedding took place in the beautiful yard of Bracken's parents in Preston. Mariah is the granddaughter of Dennis and Judy Clark. Bracken and Mariah will live in Mink Creek while making plans to build a home of their own.

            A flock of buzzards are enjoying the recent cooler air. They take advantage of the updrafts and perform an aerial dance all dressed in their somber black costumes, ever having an eye for what might be delectable down below. It is quite a performance.

            Only one day left of the month.  The weatherman has reported that we can expect a fifteen degree temperature drop in the next few days.  It has been a hot, dry summer and the change to coolness will be welcome.  It may mean that we need to wrap up the remains of our gardens at night in order to get the squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins and such to the desired maturity.  Perhaps the cooler weather will discourage our marauding skunks.  Seems like we have a larger population of those than most years.  They are really hard on a corn crop.