October 24, 2017

         The local deer cleanup crews are overdoing things. One resident went out to harvest her fall grape crop, only to find the grapes had disappeared as a deer feast. There went  her visions of grape juice, grape jelly and grape syrup. We have reports of bites taken out of squash, pumpkins, tomatoes. The critters are also hard on flower beds. The petunias that have survived the frost are evidently an entre on the deer menu.

            Garden spaces are becoming bare as they get cleaned off. It is time for the age old preparation for the coming colder months. Root cellars,bottles and jars, bags and freezers are getting their final fill of the season's growth.

           John Garr reports that his mother, Bobby Garr, has survived the cancer treatment she has been enduring this past summer in California. She is now declared cancer-free by her oncologists. We have missed having George and Bobby with us for several months and are delighted at receiving such positive news.

          It was a big day in the life of the Jeff Seamons family. Samuel Seamons, the son of Jeff and Jennifer, spoke in the LDS Ward prior to leaving to spend a few weeks at the Missionary Training Center in Provo before departing to the Philippines, Legazpi, Mission. This same family had a younger son, David, ordained to the office of a priest on the same day. Extended family members who gathered for the occasion were many: The family of Randolph and Janelle Seamons of Riverdale, ID, the family of Rebecca S. Liechty and family of Tremonton, UT. Andrea Haehnel, currently going to USU, represented the family of Jeff's sister Catharine. On Jennifer's side of the family were her siblings Mary Erasmus and family of Draper, UT, and Jamon Jarvis and family of Springville, UT. Both sets of Samuel's grandparents live in Mink Creek, Catharine and Scott Seamons and Kathy and Joe Jarvis.

            Pedro and Avery Gomez are happy to have a new granddaughter. Their daughter Nicole and Matt Van Buren brought their tiny girl to Mink Creek for her baby blessing by grandfather Pedro. The name she was given is Taylor Emery Van Buren. Welcoming relatives attending this event were great-grandmother Beverly Bruderer and Lacey and Kerry Christensen of Mink Creek, grandparents Joe and Denise Hardy of Thatcher, ID, Matt's siblings Sydney, Wyatt and Paige and two aunts, Donna and Lauralee.

         The Young Womens program of the LDS Ward has new leaders. Cecelie Costley is the new Young Womens president and Terrie McKay and Wendy Westerberg will be serving as her counselors.

           Julie and Jeff Workman enjoyed their UEA days at their Mink Creek home. Each time they come they find it harder to go back to their real lives down in Utah. Welcome to the Mink Creek fan club, glad to have them on board.

           As soon as the sun sets behind our western peaks the chill sets in on a daily basis. People are busy laying up a store of firewood judging by the pickup and trailer loads that go zipping down our main drag on their way south. The sounds of chainsaws compete with the gunfire accompanying deer season.

October 17, 2017

          Besides the colored leaves there is another sign of the arrival of fall. Farmers chopping corn fields. There is sympathy felt for those farmers down in valley of Franklin County who still have fields of corn to be chopped. The weather cooperated for a time, the stalks were at their peak for chopping, the machines moved in and the chopping got underway and then the rains fell, and fell some more. Wet stalks, muddy ground. At present time there are many fields still standing, looking for a finished job. Some are now being labeled “Corn Maze” and with a maze design within attract those looking for fall entertainment.

            The children of Drew and JoAnn Ford have been in and out during much of the summer months. The Fords have enjoyed visits from each one and the grandchildren. As summer drew to a close JoAnn went into the hospital for some surgery that has been on hold for quite some time. Now she is home and doing those things that enhance recuperation.

            Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen were able to enjoy the recent LDS Church Conference at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. Despite the rainy weekend it was a time of comfort and peace a befits such an occasion.

             On a crisp evening the community gathered at the Mink Creek Ballpark for the 2^nd annual Cider Fest. Due to the freezing of the our local apple blossoms this past spring, it was necessary to import some extra apples for the pressing of the cider this year. It did not dampen the event. A milkcan dinner was prepared for those attending and the homemakers furnished a favorite fall dessert to finish the menu.

           Katelyn Rasmussen, daughter of Trevor and April Rasmussen was baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church this month. Grandparents Kelly and Teresa Rasmussen and Eric and Rexanne Nielsen were able to celebrate with the family along with multiple aunts, uncles and cousins.  The following day the Rasmussen family traveled to the Salt Lake City area to witness the blessing and naming of a new baby on the Nielsen side of the family with April's brother.

            Conrad Scott, son of LuJean Jensen and Erick Scott, has been called to serve in the Washington, Tacoma, Mission. He will be entering the MTC in Provo on November 8. He spoke in the Riverdale 2^nd Ward recently. He will be missed not only by his family, but by customers of Adventure Video in Preston where he has worked in the family business.

               Our local deer are a bit more scarce than usual. Deer Season is underway, antlers only. Bow hunting has been going on for some time, but that is a more quiet version. When the rifles get into action it is a call for retreat for the wildlife, excepting raccoons and skunks. Soon the pheasants will be taking to the dense brush and grasses.

              The weather staying dry, fall plowing is still going on. There is a house for sale in Mink Creek, that of LuJean Jensen, located on the banks of the Bear River, just at the official beginning of the southwest edge of Mink Creek community.

              A new house is under construction, looks to be a large log affair with a great view from the front yard. This one is on the north east side of Ant Hollow. Bret and Jody Rasmussen have been working on this residence, one way or another, for a couple of years.

October 12, a bit late, 2017

             All the hype there is about the beautiful fall in New England --- we have a more localized rival. Mink Creek is so full of color this season. We have had several days of rains but the moisture we have been receiving has just intensified the beauty. A few days will pass and the inevitable change will take place, those beautiful leaves will turn brown, dry, and fall, making for a crunchy, and a bit noisy, passage underfoot for the coming hunters who are trying to sneak up on our wildlife as the various hunting seasons open.

             A neighbor has been trying to beat the racoons to the fruit in his orchard. Is there a hunting season on racoons? Those clever creatures can invade any place they want, short of using a padlock.

Karen and Layne Erickson attended the LDS Wellsville 10^th Ward in Wellsville, UT. The occasion was the sustaining of their son,Bryan Erickson, as the new Bishop of that ward. One of his counselors is a young man with Preston roots, Jeff Andrus, who married Audrey Jo Madsen.

           David Seasmons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, has been playing on the Preston High School soccer team this fall. As a sophomore, he plays on both the Jr. Varsity and the Varsity teams.

            Mariah Atkinson and her two girls, spent a fun week with her parents, Brenda and Greg Belew in St. Anthony, ID. The Belews love having grandparent time with these little ladies.

            Kent and Tammy Beardall enjoyed a trip down to Spanish Fork and spending a relaxing weekend with the family of Shawn and Callie Beardall. Shawn was on call with his firefighting job, but that didn't interfere with the togetherness of this bunch.

            Bob and Claudia Erickson spent a few days in Richfield, UT, at the home of Jody and Laural Janke. They attended lots of soccer games with family playing on four different teams. A visit to Cove Fort was a fun day, even though cold enough to be wrapped in a blanket while touring.

          Columbus Day, nearly a forgotten holiday these days. Anyone remember when it was a holiday, and also a time during elementary school that centered on the official discovery of the continent and some facts about the explorer? There were even some interesting tidbits about other explorers that were out there seeking the New World, before and after Christopher. Now the online information about him and most other explorers make them sound like monsters. Times and expectations have altered in those 500 plus years since the days of when the world was flat and civilization was quite different.

           I wrote this early, then forgot to post it when the rest of the day took off.  Just how life works!

And October begins, 2017

           What a gorgeous day this has been! It is a beautiful time of year in Mink Creek. Fall colors announce the season in the mountains and the valleys. Evans Hill on the south side is full of the red of the maple leaves amongst the dark green evergreens and the tan spots of hillside fields. Those red leaves stand out like exclamation marks up and down the length of the community. Bits of orange color is scattered here and there. Our quaking aspens' leaves offer a variety, trying to decide about staying bright green or starting on the way to being the yellow orbs of autumn. The dark brown stalks of Indian tobacco stand at attention on the creek banks and border the canals and fields of our village. Add all of this to a clear blue sky and plenty of dark green forest and it is the picture of our daily surroundings.

            It is time for the '17 Roundup of livestock that have been grazing in the Cache National Forrest during the past summer months. After the gathering this involves some sorting, the work to keep them separated before hitting the road back down the canyons. Time to “head 'em up and move 'em out'---in the direction of home pastures.

            JoAnn and Kevin Auger were up from Woodland Hills, UT for a short visit with JoAnn's brother and family, Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen. The Augers were returning home after a few days at island Park.

            Preston High School has two young ladies from Mink Creek on their cheerleading squad. McKinley Longhurst is a Senior, a daughter of Candy and Sheldon Longhurst. Hayden Egley, a Junior, is the daughter of Juli and Jared Egley.

            Joe and Kathy Jarvis attended the missionary farewell meeting for a grandson, Jackson Jarvis, in Fruit Heights, UT. He will be serving in the Australia, Sydney North, Mission. The following weekend the Jarvis family held a mini-reunion at Bear Lake. Along with Joe and Kathy, the family of Jennifer and Jeff Seamons, all boys, participated in this event that brought siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles together for a wrap-up of summer months.

            I wrote the first paragraph  six days ago.  Since then, days of rain and getting colder, it is that time of year. But it is still beautiful, colors still vibrant, time to get out my camera before it is gone. Anyone trying to harvest a 4^th crop of hay is challenged trying to get it dry enough to bale. There was even a little snow that fell yesterday. This morning we woke up to frost all around. It is definitely harvest time. The ever-bearing raspberries are doing well this fall, but it is challenging to pick them in the wet and mud. Guess it depends on how great the demand is at home for raspberry jam in the winter months and beyond.