Valentines Day, 2017

           Hope your Valentines Day has had some moments of feeling appreciated and cared for.  If you received a card, or chocolate or candy, even flowers it is great, but it is that feeling of connection to others that makes my V Day something to look forward to.

           The deer feeding stations in this area have reduced the number of deer that are generally posted near the roadsides, licking salt left from the highway runoff, or finding some exposed grasses for feed. This winter has been hard for them in many ways, little grazing available, deep snow, predators. Starvation doesn't make for a healthy herd. The deer fatalities on our highway have been pretty high these last months, enough to make up a small herd.

           Bryce and Terry Stromberg are back home after serving a mission in Salt Lake City, he in security, she in family history. It was a bit of challenge to get into their home after the snow that has piled up in their yard this winter. From the driveway entrance to the front door was a fair distance and they were glad to have some neighbors with snow removal equipment to help dig the way through. Just getting past the snow buried gates was no small feat. We welcome them home, so nice to have them returned.

         Cecelie and Wynn Costley are home for a refresher course on life in the USA, after spending some time in China. Family visits are frequent and the couple are in high demand while trying to relax and recharge.

           Jacob Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons was recently baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The date had been set for earlier, but was postponed due to illness. He was baptized by an older brother, Ben Seamons.

           Carla and Mark Nielsen drove up from American Fork, UT to spend a night with her parents, Bob and Claudia Erickson. They were up this way to cheer for a young friend who was competing at a USU gymnastics contest in Logan.

          The kitchenof the LDS Meetinghouse was a coveted space the other night for the youth of the community. The Young Women were making a batch of vinegar taffy and learning the art of pulling it to completion. The Young Men were baking scrumptious cookies and fruit pies. The Scouts needed to create some Jello. It may have been a bit crowded, but cooperation and good attitudes won that evening for all concerned.

           With the warmer temperature and some rain storms our snow depth has decreased dramatically. As it has done so the runoff has struck us fairly hard. There are some  mudslides, ice jams that caused a canal to overflow.  A few of our homes are fighting water in their basements. Mink Creek and all its tributaries are running high. In a quiet outdoor moment one can hear the creek charging down our valley on its way to the Bear River. Of course, that waterway is also rising. We have had a few dry days to regroup and consider the forecast that tells of more rain this week. We look at some of the flooding down around Preston and are grateful to be living on our slopes.