August, already, 2016

          Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen have had families of two sons visiting. All are based in the Salt Lake City area. Jared and Andra Jepsen, plus children, and Joe and Kate Jepsen with family made enough for good cousin fun.

          Johnny and Jeaninne Iverson have enjoyed the company of her brother, Allen Pack and his wife, Vilma, for a few days. The Packs live in McKinney, TX.

         Rozann and Tom Baker came home for a revisit to Rozann's roots. Although she loves her home in Los Angeles, CA, Rozann knows that coming home to Mink Creek explains much about her.. They were in this area for a family reunion in Utah and took advantage of the close proximity.

          The home of Bob and Claudia Erickson has been buzzing for several weeks with children visits lined in a row. Drew and Hilary Erickson and their three children of Tempe, AZ, took a lengthy road trip hitting California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Utah, visiting family and friends in their path. As their tail lights faded the family of Claudine and LaMar McKague arrived from Vancouver, WA, for a week's stay while they were picking up their son, Jarin, returning from his mission in Texas. During that week the Erickson home put in a new fence with the muscle and savvy of the McKagues and the Jankes. Midway, the family of Jay and Kristin Collins pulled in. Nice to overlap visits with siblings. With many cook-outs and plenty of cousin time, things are now back to normal at the Erickson household.

        Tamara Baird Taylor and her girls spent some summer days with her parents, Lana and Ivan McCracken. Tamara just needed a break from her home in Woods Cross, UT and knew that Mink Creek would be just right for Tabitha and Autumn.

           Family reunions are all over the place. Just this past weekend there have been at least three in progress. The Archibald family at Garland Rasmussen's park A Gunnell reunion on the Trevor and April Rasmussen place, plus a Girl's camp for the Preston 8^th Ward going on at Egley's park tucked down in the shade of a curve of Mink Creek.

           With two funerals on my agenda last week, one oout of town, plus a training meeting, also out of town on another day, this blog was totally overlooked.  My apologies to my readers, my mind was on overload.  As a result you get an extra long, two weeks worth of Mink Creek happenings this week.

               Raspberries, strawberries, red currants, all have come and gone, with much delicious eating and jam production while they were with us. The chokecherries are racing towards their peak, the black currants are on the march. Sad to say, so are the earwigs and the grasshoppers. A person can't take a walk anywhere without being hit by a flying hopper!

             Rita Cargill, daughter of John Warburton, has been visiting her dad for a few weeks. Besides mingling with neighbors she has been Dad's housekeeper and companion, taking him to a Warburton Family Reunion in St. George. Rita lives in California.

            Abigail Janke spent a week in Vancouver, WA, while she was attending Especially For Youth with her cousin, Sage McKague. She had lots of fun, learned many things, met new friends, and had her first solo flight when she returned home. Now it is back to soccer and softball games and her role as big sister in her family.

            The family of Vance and Connie Christensen congregated at the home where Vance grew up at the top of Mink Creek Road. Vance and Connie now live in Vernal, UT. They had more than forty family members, including children and grandchildren: some from around Vernal, others from Texas and Colorado. Connie said it looked a bit like a tent town on the old home grounds.

            The family of Basil and Molly Crane gathered here for the funeral of Molly. She has been living in an assisted living center in Colorado near her daughter Sandra. The family had planned a birthday party for her to be held the first part of September, she would have been 100 years old on August 29^th. Molly has never been one to like lots of fuss and bother and it appears she kept her own schedule. She and Basil left a positive imprint on this small community in Idaho where they grew up.

           

           The weather has taken a bit of a shift today. Overcast much of the time and a couple of intense rain showers. This was welcome by all things. Some green has been reinjected and the slightly lower temperature has made it easier for outdoor work.

           Rodeo weekend has passed and the return to normal routines is welcome. With that passing however comes the awareness of the rapidly approaching first week of school and the need for school supplies, health checkups, fee payments and all the many things that go with that coming event.