February 8, 2017

          There is concern for our local deer herds. They are having a hard time finding food, unless they are raiding the hay stacks on the farms. With the depth of snow this year, it is difficult for all the wildlife and the deer struggle to even move around much. The coyote packs and the cougars are also hungry, so this makes for a threatening combination. Some feeding stations have begun.

              The southern slopes of our hillsides are still quite deep in snow. The turkeys flock to the few spots that are showing some bare dry grasses. With the weather as it is the turkeys head for their roosting spots earlier in the day. A late afternoon trip to town will show big black blobs that are the birds all settled in for the night up in the trees at the lower end of Mink Creek and down into upper Riverdale.

            Robert and Phee Crosland are publishing a grandparent announcement. Malia and Jason Kunde of Rigby, ID, welcomed a new baby girl into their family last week. She was 7 lb., 5 oz and has three 'big' sisters.

           Joseph and Rebecca Jones with their two little girls, came with his mother Kathy Jones for a Mink Creek visit. Joseph and Rebecca live in Herriman, UT.

          David and Judy Wilde were pleased to have a visit from their son Christoper's fiance. Chris is now at home in Mink Creek. His fiance is Heidi Morgan is from West Jordan, UT.

           After his fall from a snow covered roof and the resulting surgery in Idaho Falls, Jeff Olson has been transferred to the Franklin County Medical Center. He has been holding court at that location while impatiently waiting for the medical staff to release him to come home to Station Creek. We are all hoping that will soon come to pass.

           January's thaw has come with considerable force in these last few days in the month of February. Last night's Chinook wind came strong and constant for several hours. The runoff from the melting snow and ice is headed downhill, regardless of what might be in its path. Some residents are filling sandbags in an effort to divert the water's direction from their homes. There are a few places where it is flowing over the highway, and there is a certainty that will be a challenge as the temperatures warm up to the coming of spring. We are hoping for things to be gradual and that nature will be helpful in this regard, rather than the harmful possibilities