Last day of November, 2016

          Thanksgiving Eve blew in with a snow storm that showed some promise, but ended up being a flurry. Morning light reflected off of a good sized skiff of the white stuff and nothing more than cold temperatures. Thanksgiving Day proved to be clear, cold and beautiful as only a day at the end of Fall can be.

           Kent and Tammy Beardall took a few days off to spend a few days in lovely Hawaii. They were soaking up some hours of relaxation before returning to the reality of life on the mainland. While they were gone their son Mikel and Rebecca Beardall put in some Mink Creek time.

         The Primary organization of the LDS Ward presented their program a little later in the fall than usual this year due to scheduling challenges. The theme was “I know that the Scriptures are True.” and many of the children spoke about why they felt this in their hearts. Juli Egley is the Primary President. Candy Longhurst directed the children's musical presentations with Judy Wilde accompanying on the piano.

         The family of Heath and Kaci Avery had one of those “mark your calendar” days recently. Their daughter Liberty Stanworth graduated from the Primary organization and now will be part of the Young Women group. Their son Brayden Avery was ordained a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood.

          Trevor and April Rasmussen and their three girls were happy to have some time with both sides of their family. Trevor's mom,Teresa Rasmussen, and her daughter Kierstin and Eric and RexAnne Nielsen, April's parents, enjoyed watching the 3 granddaughter in the Primary program.

          Nancy and Kevin Alder were home in Mink Creek for the Thanksgiving weekend. Their “other home” is in Orem, UT. It has been a while since they have been here for any length of time.

          Mike Jepsen has been having some father/son time with two sons, Joe and Jared Jepsen. The trio has been at the Baja peninsula of Mexico participating in the Baja One Thousand race. Joe was the driver, Jared the navigator. The report is that it was a great race and they had about two and a half weeks of fun.

           So far three days with snow for the beginning of the season, with warmer days in between. None of those storms left us with much white. The last one, on Monday, gave us a couple of inches in the lower levels, now mostly melted in the sunny spots. Another storm is expected in the next few days. Our youngsters have their fingers crossed and have been experimenting with their snow gear on the little we have. At this point it makes for a bumpy ride.

         My first Christmas cards have arrived in the mail. So nice to receive, and it reminds me that it is time to shift into December gear, because things will start moving pretty fast towards the end of 2016.

Thanksgiving week, 2016

           The moon watching from the dark hills of Mink Creek the last few days has been superb. It is nice living where there isn't the glow of electricity between earth and the heavens. Even the night temperatures didn't require more than a light jacket. Binoculars or telescopes added a big boost to the experience.

           Recently there has been a new family move into Mink Creek. Edward and Marian Beil have purchased the home of Austin and Kathy Jones. They come to us from Ft. Shaw, MT where Ed worked for the telephone company. Their daughter Mary lives with them. She is a graphic designer. They have two other daughters, one lives nearby in Riverdale, ID, the other lives in California. We welcome them and are glad they have experienced winter in these western states so that they won't be discouraged in the coming months when the snow arrives.

           The box elder bugs are enjoying the nice fall days we have been having. They are everywhere, as usual, but not in quantities as thick as in some past seasons. A freeze will be welcome to knock off their presence.

           Some of our residents have been involved in a great service effort called Operation Christmas Child. It is part of an international relief program, an effort organized by Samaritan's Purse group that follows the biblical instructions given with the story of the Good Samaritan, “Go Thou and Do Likewise.” Those wishing to be involved picked up shoe boxes, chose a child by gender and age and filled it with a gift appropriate to the child and meeting the requirements given by the Good Samaritan organization. These boxes will be dispensed around the world to needy children who would otherwise have nothing on Christmas Day.

           One day this past week we had areas of our community who were without electricity for several hours. When this happens it teaches us quickly how very dependent we are on this source of energy as homemakers and business owners. Life takes a whole new direction in striving to accomplish the tasks of the day.

            Thanksgiving, the holiday, is upon us. There will be much planning, cooking, baking, just as it has been for years, and years. Families will gather and feast on on another's company as well as the banquet on the table. It pleases me that we have a day set aside for Thanksgiving in this nation , hopefully that feeling exists in our lives daily, year round.      Regardless of the election results during this month we have a nation for which I give thanks. It disturbs me that there are so many violent negative responses to the outcome of the  recent election. I have said it before, and I am certain I will say it again, whoever is the President of the United States, they are a person who needs the prayers of its citizens.

           The storms of nature have been flitting about our little valley the last few days. Cold and wet, but only one day brought the snow level down to our yards. Most of the white is high on our mountain tops as of this writing.

           Happy Thanksgiving to you all. While you are giving thanks for the bounteous lives we lead include both the new administration of our nation in your prayer, along with the old residents of the White House. There is never a time when we don't need that extra help.

November 15, 2016

         The geese are on their way south. Several sightings of their V flight formation, plus accompanying honking were reported this week. The beautiful blue sky of fall makes for the perfect backdrop for these aviators. One more sign that winter season is approaching.

          Election Day was an active one at the Mink Creek polls. This year it was staffed by Lorraine Christensen, Vickie Free, and Sharla McKay. They kept busy all through the long day and reported a good turnout, including the absentee ballots, more than 93% of our registered citizens cast their ballot in this Presidential election.

           Two grand babies of Mink Creek residents have arrived this week. Landon and Amy Costley have a new baby boy, who will be named Wynn Maxwell. The grandparents are Wynn and Cecelie Costley. Chad and Dawnell Greene are please to announce another little boy in the family of their son Josh and Lizzy Greene. Oaklan Joshua is warmly welcomed by big brother Bentley.

          Bob and Claudia Erickson enjoyed nearly a week's visit with Davis Collins. This grandson goes to BYU/I in Rexburg, ID, and was able to spend nearly four days in Mink Creek with family. His parents are Jay and Kristin Collins of Lakeview, OR.

          Jeff and Deborah Olson have returned from a “little trip” that involved a few weeks this fall. Actually the title of the event would be appropriately called the Book of Mormon in the Heartland Chronology tour. Places visited were much of the midwest and eastern part of the United States. They went to museums, listened to anthropologists and archaeologists and met some new friends. Beautiful scenery and good company.

          We have a list of recoverees in our little burg. Kent Egley has had shoulder surgery, and is now fighting cabin fever. Joe Jarvis had knee surgery and is happy for physical therapy and his handy cane. Drew Ford is on the mend. Layne Erickson spent some hospital time with stomach distress, but is now home. There are many cases of the “fall cold” in our community. There is a variety, but we hope all this lessens in the coming weeks. 

           It is still seeming a little strange to have darkness by 6 pm. Strange, but nice, knowing the day is over and it is time to wrap things up in the chore department and spend some time with family, doing family things whether it is homework for school, or gathering around the table for the evening meal., or something in the line of entertainment.

          Very few leaves are left on the deciduous trees up and down our valley. The fall winds have made good sweepers as they have blown through. Though without their leafy garb the tree forms are more visible and still beautiful. We are so lucky to live in this small village nestled against the mountains.

            Help me with this, please.  The Citizen has changed the policy of only 300 words for the Rural Route columns.  I have no idea if those of you who read this blog  also subscribe to the paper and are just reading it for the little extra I tack on each week (or nearly each week ).  If you like having this in blog form please comment so that I can tell if it is a worthwhile venture.  I am not in favor of being redundant, but I also realize that most of the add-ons are just me gabbing about MC and not so much newsy stuff.   I have only 11 subscribers, but my statistics tell me that there are more readers than those 11.  Thanks, to everybody.

A month for extra Thanksgiving

            A strong south wind swept up our little valley the last Sunday of October and did a dandy job of redistributing the leaves that had already fallen and ripped many more leaves off to add to the piles. Many of our trees now stand naked and shivering as the temperatures drop, bit by bit.

           Warren Wilde, Layne Erickson, and Lin and Sharla McKay drove up to Lewiston, ID to attend a Snowmobile Convention with lots of plans for the coming winter months. River McKay, daughter of Lin and Sharla, joined them where she received a scholarship award from the Snowmobile Association that will assist in her college finances this year,

          The Mink Creek Community Halloween Party took a different twist this year. It was held at the Mink Creek Ballpark, costumes were many and varied. Those attending were encouraged to bring their best carved pumpkin and enter it in a contest. We had a chili cook-off, and those wanting a different brew brought soups. There were sooo many varieties to choose from that it made the potluck supper a tasting experience, a little of this one, a little of that. Prizes were awarded for costumes and the soups. With a fire going in our firepit and some space heaters on the other end of the pavilion the chilly air was kept at bay. The evening finished with all youngsters heading to the parking lot for the Trunk-r- Treat, loading their containers with candy. The event was organized by Melinda Jepsen and Lacey Christensen and they enlisted friends and neighbors to round out the production crew. Many thanks for those who helped make it a fun night.

          The weather of the past month has brought quite a bit of moisture. Our parched earth has welcomed every drop and judging from the results of plowed fields the soaking has gone straight down.

           The fall plowing is done and the fields lay ready for a winter's sleep, hopefully under a nice blanket of white snow.

          I hope you are aware that the Chicago Cubs won the baseball World Series this year. At our house it was a big deal, our son-in-law growing up not far from Chicago.I love the song "Go Cubs, Go," especially if it is performed by my grandchildren. 

          Visitors to our community have lessened with the coming of the school year. However, judging from comments I get around town, you readers are at least just as interested in the surroundings as you are the people. While I was raking those many leaves that the wind removed from our trees I heard a honking racket overhead. Looking up there were two flocks of geese, in V formation, headed south. At first they were separate, a V apiece, but as they made a wide turn they closed and the Vs interlocked to form a W. With the blue fall sky as a background it was a sight to stir the heart, and the audible honking added to the moment. Feeling of gratitude for the many natural beauties that are part of this spot on the earth.

November 1, already

           Jimmie and AnnaBeth Olson, of Station Creek, hosted a couple that they had known when serving their mission in Great Britain. Linda and George O'Neill of Hull, Yorkshire are spending nearly a month touring about “the states.” The foursome did some sightseeing during the days the O'Neills were in Idaho, going to Yellowstone Park and Teton National Park and the Ft. Hall reservation. They took a tour during the open house of the new LDS Temple in Star Valley, WY. George discovered what it was like to ride a horse, an interesting experience. They enjoyed becoming acquainted with the residents of Mink Creek community at the Cider Fest and supping on the “milk can dinner”, also a new experience.

           The women of the community gathered together to tie some lap quilts and enjoyed the visiting time around their lunch table.. It felt good to have children playing beneath the quilting apparatus, a throwback to days gone by in this village. The quilts are intended for use by the residents of the Franklin County Transitional Center. Cathy Seamons directed this activity.

            The rains keep coming, although it has let up a little. Some fall plowing of our fields has been detained because the hillside was just too slick. That says quite a bit for the Mink Creek farmer who has farmed these slopes for decades. The water being received is penetrating deeply into the earth judging from the depth of a plow point being moist beyond that measure.

           The family of Marco Crosland gathered in Utah to celebrate the marriage of Marco to Christina Segovia. Marco is the son of Robert and Phee Crosland, Christina's parents, Ed and Megan Segovia, live in Mountain Home, ID. The young couple were married on Oct. 22^nd in the Ogden LDS Temple. A ring ceremony and reception took place in Salt Lake City at the Arbor Manor Reception Center. Marco and Christina are students at BYU in Provo.

            November, seems impossible. We haven't had snow down on the living level but it has come and gone, come again, with the frequent rainstorms we have had this month. It is a matter of watching the snowline descend and rise according to the whims of the weather.

            Hunting seasons are all but gone. I had a few pheasant hunters still roaming around last week. The elk season has turned from “only bulls” to cows.

            We are looking forward to the end of Daylight Savings Time this weekend. The kids getting on the school bus around 7am are doing so in total darkness. Those flashing lights on the bus make quite an announcement as they pause for kids to board.