August 22, 2017

          We have our share of river runners at the lower end of Mink Creek, close by where the creek empties into the Bear River. It is a sufficiently active spot that a little area now has blacktop for the parking area, be the users fishermen or river runners.

            Several Mink Creek residents were part of a group that took on the watery ride down the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. One participant commented that “it is an amazing white water rush.” The water craft were five rafts and six kayaks. Good food, good fishing, natural hot springs, wildlife and perfect weather, all pieces that make this trip great fun. Especially the great people. Our participants were: Lin and Sharla McKay, River McKay, Paul and Andy McKay, Brian Westerberg and his son Kayson.

           Arianna and Ben Hostetter and family of Colorado Springs, CO, have been vacationing on the banks of Birch Creek at the home of her parents, Robert and Phee Crosland. Actually Arianna gets a bit homesick now and then so this visit is a temporary cure, until the next time. She and Ben are fixing up their home in Colorado, getting it ready for the scheduled arrival of a new baby.

           Reunions continue to abound in Mink Creek, The descendants of Oscar and Martha Wilde met together. Two Fairview Wards have used facilities up this way for a ward reunion or a youth activity.

         Hannah Costley Singleton and her two boys, Samuel and Grey, of El Dorado, AR, have been soaking up time at her parents home on Strawberry Creek. This is an annual event and grandparents Wynn and Cecelie Costley consider it a highlight of their summer months. All sorts of projects develop when family members from around the area gather. Generally Spencer Singleton, Hannah's husband, takes some time off and heads west for some days before the Singleton bunch head back south for school and the change of season that comes with it.

          Bug battles are ongoing, spiders, earwigs, wasps, hornets, garden pests  There is always extra interest this time of year to find a specimen that will be just right to become a part of the bug collections needed for the Jr. High School science classes. How about a praying mantis, or a gorgeous moth, a red winged grasshopper? The whole county knows to be alert for these.

          There is that hint of fall approaching, just a hint. Things are still growing, no frosty nights yet, but that special feel is in the air. Walking outdoors, even a short distance during daylight hours, brings on an attack of grasshoppers as they bounce about. The yellow seem to dominate, but there is plenty of those big black winged ones with the yellow strip on their wings, the red winged are in the minority. They all pack a wallop bigger than their size.

           Today was that first day of school in our district, new duds, new friends, new supplies, reconnections, old friends, new teachers, old teachers. Sigh, back to the normal routine, more or less.  Hopefully the beginning of a happy year.