September 27, 2016

           It is hard to believe it is the last of September. Seems like it has barely begun and in just a few days it will be time to turn the calendars to October.

           Steve and Terry Mainini have returned from a trip to Ventura, CA. They have been gone about a week, visiting with family and friends where they grew up. When they left here their main goal was to spend some time with Steve's father and Terry's grandmother. They came home to Mink Creek with a change in our Idaho weather . Fall arrived while they were gone!.

           The youth of our community has completed another semi-annual roadside cleanup. They gather trash along the length of our main road, Highway 36, about 9 miles worth. Orange bags were filled and waiting the next day for pickup. After the task was completed the youth gathered for refreshments at the LDS Meetinghouse. Those refreshing rootbeer floats were perfect after hours of work.

           We have several youth involved in sports at Preston High School this fall. Travis Greene and Ben Seamons are playing Varsity football. Walter Iverson, with an injured ACL early on, is out for the season and now has some surgery on his horizon. His brother Andrew Iverson is part of the Freshman team. Izac Greene plays for the JV football team. David Seamon plays on the boys JV Soccer team and Abigail Janke plays on the girls JV Soccer team. McKinley Longhurst and Hayden Egley are on the cheer squad this year.

            Liesa Baird and her daughter Katiana have returned from a three week trip to the other side of the globe. They went first to Albania to meet LeeAnn and Terry Orton, Liesa's parents, who were being released from their LDS mission. The Ortons have been serving in that country for the last two years.. After time spent in Albania the group did some touring in Germany, Switzerland and France. Liesa told of beautiful scenery, farms and vineyards extending up and over hillsides, going on endlessly. Switzerland had numerous tunnels and bridges. They spent some time getting a taste of their genealogy with family lines going back to places where they were able to visit. Terry Orton took the family to visit relatives in Germany. This has been an exciting opportunity for Liesa and Katiana.

           Kelton and Denise Keller were up from Alpine, UT, for a weekend with his dad, Vernon Keller. It is always good to have a chance to visit with them.

           After three days of rain it felt like we had moved Mink Creek to the Pacific Northwest. Judging from the on-site rain gauge, which happens to be my old no-longer red wagon, we received about 4 inches of rain, possibly more because the wagon was full to the top. The whole countryside was nourished, and it needed that moisture badly. Those dry crack in the earth of our fields just soaked the wet like a sponge.

September 22, 2016

            Once again this post is a couple of days late.  Things are astir in my  mind lately,  too many things going on.  Have patience, please.

            Austin and Kathy Jones have moved to Thatcher, ID, to a home on one level with no stairs. This is a result of Austin's injury falling from a roof in his contracting business, and crushing bones in his ankle. Their Mink Creek home has been perched on one of our hillsides so even the entry to their house presented challenges after his accident.

          Tracy and Michelle Gibbs have their new baby girl. This tiny little girl is named River Anne Gibbs. She is welcomed by a good sized group of siblings. All the friends and neighbors in Mink Creek were happy to meet her.

          Johnny Iverson, newly returned missionary from the Japan, Kobe, Mission reported to the LDS Ward. He is the son of Kurt and Margret Iverson. Visiting relatives present to listen to his remarks were from both the Knapp and the Iverson sides of his family. His grandparents are Johnny and Jeaninne Iverson of Mink Creek and Sharon Knapp of Cub River. Johnny's parents and siblings took some days off to fly to Japan and see some of the country where he had been serving.

            Danalee and Gene Abernethy of Alpine, UT, spent a few days with her family, parents Bob and Claudia Erickson and sister Laural and Jody Janke and their children. The Abernethys had friends riding bicycles in the LOTOJA race and Mink Creek provided front row seats for that event. They enjoyed family soccer games and just hanging out, away from the bustle of Utah Valley.

           The Mink Creek LDS Ward sustained a new Sunday School Presidency. Jody Janke is the president, his counselors are Ron Norris and Justin Longhurst, with Douglas Bruderer serving as secretary.

           Fall temperatures, a full moon and the resident coyotes are excited enough to sing most of the night. A certain type of music for our country ears. The maples are red, showing off among those dark green evergreens. We are getting some yellow and orange leaf color down in our lower levels. There is the anticipation of a beautiful Fall. A strong wind that blew through a few nights ago broke off a few branches and scattered things about. One never knows when those winds might arrive.

            The rain that had been foretold arrived. They say more is to come over the next few days. This storm was not violent, just a steady gentle dropping of drops from the sky for several hours, if not all night long. Everything looking brighter today. Garden bits and pieces are in the process of being cleared off, root crops gathered in. The preserving process goes on for a little longer. Here and there, tthroughout the community one will see pumpkins and similar outdoor decorations appearing around our homes.

Sept 13, 2016

           Colleen Wilde and her sisters, Lynne Cherrington and Beth Alford, traveled to California to attend funeral for another sister, Ann Stephenson. Ann has been in poor health for several years. Recently Colleen and Warren drove down to Salt Lake City to check on the new home of their son Randy Wilde in West Jordan. It is a first time visit since the home was completed. A bonus was attending a Bee's ballgame, fun all around.

          Cheryl and Mitchell Cowgill and their children of Oregon spent some happy days with Cheryl's dad, Craig and Elaine Larsen. The children particularly lived the horseback rides and the 4-Wheeling. The goal now is to move the Cowgill family closer to the Mink Creek farm and grandparents.

          There has been a reorganization of the Elders' Quorum in the Mink Creek LDS Ward. The new president is Royce Christensen. His first counselor is Kim Rasmussen, second counselor , LaRon Baird. Forrest Christensen will be the secretary for the group. Shane Corbett has been released as Asst. Financial Clerk in the LDS Ward. Clifford Jensen was called to fill that position.

            Marco Crosland, son of Robert and Phee Crosland, brought his fiance, Christina Segovia home to meet friends and neighbors in this part of the world. The wedding plans are for October. Christina is from Peru.

            We are announcing that our Naomi Wilde, senior citizen extraordinaire, at age 101, has just had another surgery, this one on her knee. That makes two surgeries in the last month and she is doing well, her attitude and smiles still intact.

            Nearly all of the children, plus spouses, and grandchildren of Wynn and Cecelie Costley gathered in Lewiston, UT at the home of McKay and Lindsey Costley. The special event was for the blessing and naming of McKay's newest tiny daughter. She was named Helen Jean Costley.

           Sam and Sylvia Stanger have received their mission call. They will soon be serving in the Florida Cattle and Citrus Ranch Mission.--located in Florida, obviously.

           Howard and Colleen Hawkes spent a few days here at the Pearson Lodge. It is time to consider battening down the hatches with the approach of fall weather.

          There hasn't been any frozen gardens yet, but we had a nice night of gentle rain that should give the earth a much needed drink.

           One more LOTOJA Bike Race from Logan to Jackson, WY, has come and gone. Those first riders met with some chilly temperatures through our village and on up the canyon. No snow this year, most likely something to always be considered. Some bikers that came through a little later stopped along the way and shed some of the layers they had needed in the early hours.

Sept 6, 2016

         The day after Labor Day,  hope you gave a few minutes to of thought to the joy of having a job.  We moan and groan about work in general, but life would be pretty boring without it.

           Our Scouts enjoyed the last camp of summer at Camp Bartlett, over on the Montpelier side of our mountains. The scouts worked on all kinds of merit badges , totaling 66 while they were there. Activities included: archery, shotgun safety, a mile swim, a Polar Bear swim in early morning, a 5K run, wilderness survival, along with nature facts, new songs, and new games. The young men were Ty Jepsen, Bracken Christensen, Keenan Janke, Charles Iverson, Bryce Egley and Dallon Baird. Their leaders were Robert Crosland, Jared Egley, Kim Rasmussen, and LaRon Baird.

           Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen have had their daughter Jill Neitz and her four children visiting for a month. The Neitz family live on a ranch in Stettler, Alberta, Canada. Oldest son, Carson went back early, having been notified he would be the starting quarterback for his high school team and needing to be there for the practices. The rest stayed for all the family fun. Part of it was the Freeman and Ada Jepsen Family Reunion held at the Mink Creek Ballpark. There were representatives from every branch of the family tree, 72 in all. The Neitz family have headed back to Canada when their school year commences for the children and for Jill who teaches second grade at the elementary school.

           Kent and Tammy Beardall have been involved in family occasions. They were able to participate in the baptism and confirming of their granddaughter, the daughter of the late Adam Beardall and Laura and Cameron Reeves. Beardalls enjoyed having Shawn and Callie Beardall and their four youngsters come up from Spanish Fork, UT, to start harvesting firewood for the coming winter season.

            Marco Crosland is home for a few days before being back in school at BYU in Provo. He has been on an internship in the area around Dallas, TX. Marco has been doing landscaping and getting a feel for that as a possible business. He is glad to be home for a break before going back to school. Now he can help his parents as they work on completing the building of their home on the banks of Birch Creek. Giovanni and Kristina Crosland and their children have been down from Blackfoot, ID, for a day or two to welcome Marco home

           Our hospital list is shrinking we are happy to report. Jerry Hatchett and Nate Olson are both back home recuperating from their stay at the Logan Regional Hospital. Naomi Wilde is still under the care of the Franklin County Medical Center.

           We are happy to report that Eldon and Danita Wilcox have arrived safely in Quezon City in the Philippines and will soon be immersed in serving the people of that area. They were able to come home for one weekend after training at the MTC in Provo before their flight was scheduled.

             Highway fatality statistics in this neck of the woods are that we have more skunks getting hit during our night-time hours than deer. The normal warning to drivers has always been, ” Watch out for deer” when driving through our hamlet after dark. Lately it has been altered to “Watch out for those skunks!” Hitting a deer may do damage to your vehicle, but the aromatic affects of connecting with a skunk are long lasting to one and all.  That includes any residence within smelling distance of the collision.

             Our days are still warm, though a little cooler. But when darkness approaches a jacket is getting to be a requirement.