Happy New Year, 2017

             Snow depth up the canyon is good and it is loaded with wetness. The cross-country skiing and snowmobile crowd are enjoying the gift of snow that has been received. One skier reported that the snow is similar to the usual in the early spring. Due to the heaviness the avalanche warnings abound in our back country. Cliffs and smaller drop-offs are easily disguised to the unwary enthusiast.

              Kurt and Margret Iverson and their entire family, 6 kids plus one son-in-law, along with grandparents, Johnny and Jeaninne Iverson spent a 10 day holiday in Hawaii. They soaked up whatever the warm paradise had to offer, the food, the snorkeling, the sunshine, the beaches, the snorkeling, the overall beauty and time for relaxation. Snorkeling was high on the list of preferred fun.Totally unplanned, they ran into Elder Iverson, a grandson to Johnny and Jeannine, who is serving an LDS mission. That was a bonus, along with a trip to the LDS Laie Temple.

             Lana and Ivan McCracken traveled to Salt Lake City for the blessing of a great-grandson, Alonzo. He is the grandson of Brian Baird, Lana's son. Brian was here for this occasion, having flown in from Springfield, MA. The McCrackens have had a big family gathering over the holidays. Maria and Devin Flake and son Jude were up from Saratoga Springs, UT. Daniel and Heather Baird and their children came fro Sugar City, ID, and Tamara Taylor and her children drove up from Woods Cross, UT. LaRon and Liesa Baird's family live here in Mink Creek, just across the road. Put this bunch together and the McCracken home has been rocking. It worked as the perfect time to throw in a birthday celebration for LaRon and Liesa's daughter Katiana.

            Jeff and Leigh Knudson are back. They took some time off to visit Jeff''s son Cameron and Rebecca Knudson in Marysville, CA. The special event was the sendoff of a missionary grandson, Adam Knudson to the Argentine, Posadas, Mission. He enters the MTC in Provo this week. Cameron and Rebecca have another son, Dallin, serving a mission in Brazil.

           Connie and Adam Westonskow of Logan spent the holiday with her parents, Karen and Layne Erickson. The holiday time here included some with the Paul and Terrie McKay family.

           Happy New Year, to you all. It arrived in a timely fashion in Mink Creek. The teenage set were provided with a dance on Dec 30^th, in Preston. Since the New Year came in on a Sunday, celebrations adjusted themselves to be more agreeable. The community of Preston held a big party at the old gymnasium of Preston High School the night of Dec 31^st. Obviously there was plenty of activities available for some sane welcoming in of 2017.

           Looking around our snowy hillsides we are well populated with deer. There seems to be bunches in the fields in all directions. There has been some cougar hunting in the upper reaches of our village and that may explain why the deer are hovering closer to the humans. We aren't as threatening as those big cat predators.