Halloween Eve, 2018

         Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen, grandparents, and Kerry and Melinda Jepsen, parents with their children were able to all be together to attend General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Salt Lake City. They were pleased to be nearby when granddaughter Macy Jepsen was translating a session into the Cambodian language, which she learned in her own missionary experience. While down in that part of the Wasatch Front they also took in the Utah State /BYU football game.

            A Scout Court of Honor was held in the LDS Ward. The setting was a campfire and all ages—Cubs, 11-year-olds and on up were part of it. Some had enjoyed the Fall camporee not too long before this occasion. Awards were presented to several of the young men, wrapping up their summer efforts with rank advancement and earning merit badges. As befitting a presence of a campfire, the refreshments were s'mores. Can't beat that!

           Benjamin Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, was a featured speaker in the LDS Ward, prior to his departing to serve a mission in the Brazil, Rio de Janeiro area. He will enter the MTC in Brazil at the end of October. Friends and family from both the Seamons and the Jarvis sides of this family gathered to celebrate this new chapter of Ben's life.

           Nick Hawkes stayed at home with his job while the rest of his family, that of Robert and Liz Hawkes of Treasureton, took a lengthy drive to Santan Valley , AZ, to spend a few days with Liz's mother. In spite of the heat they had a great time and extended their stay one day longer than had been planned.

           Bill and Myrna Despain have moved to Preston. We are glad they haven't gone too far and are within reach. They will be sorely missed.

            Deer hunting season has kept our hills and canyons busy the past few weeks. Soon those critters will be trimming off any remnant of flowers or greenery left in our yards or gardens. The freezing that took our our plants also discouraged the box elder bugs and other fall creepers but with the return of some warmth the bugs are back, dropping onto the human population at unexpected times.

            Happy Halloween! It is proving to be a chilly one this year in Mink Creek, so far not wet, just chilly. More than chilly, Cold! Tomorrow is November, no cause for complains, we have had a beautiful fall. When that first hard freeze hit we thought winter had arrived. Instead it has warmed up and the days have been jacket-worthy,but enjoyable. The wind has picked up and the ground floor is filling up with leaves that have been waiting for a big swoosh!  The moon should be perfect for tomorrow night, unless clouds move it.  No guarantees around here.

October 23, 2018

         Mink Creek has had several of its teenagers involved in high school sports programs this fall. Walter Iverson, Andrew Iverson and Stetson Ostler have been on the Varsity football team. Charles Iverson, Bracken Christensen, and Ty Jepsen played with the Freshman team. Emily Longhurst took part in the JV Volleyball program and Hannah Greene worked with the JV Soccer team. Hayden Egley is a tall willowy blond on the Cheer Squad.

         Kelton and Denise Keller were up from Alpine, UT, to check on his dad, Vernon Keller. They got to have a first hand view of the fire blackened hills, some of which are on his ground.

         Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen had a fun fall weekend when Joe and Kate Jepsen and their two little boys came up from Salt Lake. It is always a good time at these grandparents home. Playing in the outdoors of Mink Creek is quite a change from their life in Salt Lake City. Natalie, another granddaughter, who attends USU in Logan joined the bunch and added to the activities.

         Terry and Steve Mainini are happy to have his father, Ted Mainini, finally move in with them. They have wanted him here for years. Ted is from Santa Maria, CA, an area around Ventura where Steve spent his younger days. Welcome to Idaho and Mink Creek.

           Kim and Dianna Keller drove to Logan to witness the baptism of their grandson, Dean Keller. He is the son of Austin and Allison Keller.

          Several deer fatalities have happened on the length of road from Mink Creek to Preston. These bodies are off to the side of the road. There is also the remains of a skunk, it remains on the blacktop and efforts are made to avoid contact, but the odor reminds drivers of its presence. It is hard to ignore a skunk!

          There were lots of chokecherries left on the trees this year, both domestic and wild. This fall the birds are having a heyday eating the dry little orbs still left on the branches. There are times the trees look alive with all the action taking place, limbs bouncing up and down as the birds perch and then take flight with a morsel or two.

          We have been having some late October rains. Several mornings have presented wet lawns and walks, even though it wasn't announced during the night. Today we have been getting dampened, off and on, all the day long. It is that time of year, and in just a week Halloween will be knocking on our doors, in the form of kids in costumes with smiles on their faces. The community is having a Ciderfest the night before and the goblins and ghosts are invited. It will be at our ballpark, weather willing and I will report more on the activity next week.

           Deer hunting season is still upon us. Two young men, dressed in camo, knocked on our door, needing to borrow our phone.  They had expected to be picked up after climbing up the mountain slope on the Bear River side of our  domain and descending down Ant Hollow in the dark, a dim path in the daylight, let alone when the sun has gone down. Connections were made and it was a happy ending.

October 16, 2018

         Terry and Hayes Carr drove up from Centerville, UT, for a dual purpose. Their daughter Courtney is attending USU in Logan bringing them this way. Terry's parents, MaryJean and Larry Rasmussen always enjoy a visit. Fall is a beautiful time to be visiting Mink Creek.

          Karl and Marion Haws of Santa Barbara, CA are here for their annual end of summer break. They have timed it to enjoy General Conference in Salt Lake City as well as the loveliness of this time of year at their Idaho home.

         The children of the ward of the Church of Jesus Christ presented the annual Primary program in the Mink Creek chapel. The theme of this year's study was “I Am a Child of God” and the children portrayed this through word and song. The Primary President is Mary Ann Jepsen. The music was under the direction of Melinda Jepsen, subbing for Candy Longhurst, with Jackie Olsen at the piano. Out of town visitors for this occasion were Sharon Keller of Riverdale, representing the Preston North Stake Board, Eric and Rexanne Nielsen of Lewiston, ID, and Kelly and Teresa Rasmussen and daughter Kierstin of Preston.

           Kent and ReNae Egley have been following their son Matt in his racing endeavors. A fairly recent one was cheering at the Meridian Race Track just outside of Boise, ID.

          Kerry and Melinda Jepsen enjoyed a visit from her brother Tim and Hilary Checketts. This family lived in Mink Creek for awhile and so this was a bit of a homecoming as well as a family reunion. Currently the Checketts family live in Austin, TX, and were here as their daughter is enrolling as a freshman at Utah State. They all did some Air Force reconnecting and that was a fun thing for the Jepsens.

          High on our mountaintops we have received snow this week. As the day warms it retreats and it is a replay regularly this time of year. The snow line will be doing its annual up and down movements on our slopes until the weather business gets serious and extends all the way down to the valley floor. We won't mind if that process holds off for a while.

          Some of our summerfolk are in the process of winterizing their homes and yards before closing up shop for the season. The temperatures of the last week have indicated this is a necessary item on the list of fall tasks. Gardens are being cleared, frozen vines and such hauled off. No snow shovels in evidence yet, but the awareness is upon us.

October 9, 2018

        The much anticipated rains have come. The arrival was announced with wind, lightning and thunder that continued for some time, occasionally flipping the electricity off, then back on. It made any TV watching or computer work impossible for an hour or so. Once the violence was past a gentle drizzle stayed for most of the night. Two nights later, the raindrops returned, but calm this time around. Our earth has received it as a sponge, soaking up the drops.

        Turkeys are back, invading yards and orchards as well as the harvested fields. They converse freely and the conversations often alert homeowners to their presence as they gobble and murmur amongst themselves. Drivers beware, they haunt the roadsides every bit as much as our deer, and give no more warning of their decision to cross the road.

         Sheldon and Candy Longhurst announce the birth of their second grandchild. A very little girl, just a bit over five pounds, was born to Holly and Jake Longhurst of Smithfield, UT. She will be called Allie, officially Alice. The Longhursts also have been hosting an exchange student this fall. She is Alara Polmak and calls Stuttgart, Germany her home.

          Dallon Baird, the son of LaRon and Liesa Baird, was ordained to the office of a priest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. His sister Juliana and Blaine Packer and their children were here to witness this event. They live in Heyburn, ID.

         Sid and Lisa Whitehouse are home after their honeymoon trip. They were involved in an accident during this time and are still recuperating. Sidney Eugene Whitehouse has since been ordained a priest in the Latter-Day Saint Ward.

          Our community has had several weddings take place in the last couple of months. It appears we have finished up the list with the wedding of Austin Straight to Ashlyn Seamons. Austin is the son of Avery and Pedro Gomez, Ashlyn, the daughter of Mary Beckstead. Currently Mink Creek has no more nuptials on our calendar. Congratulations to each couple.

          It has been cool enough to warrant an evening fire in the fireplace. Tonight was the first for covering our tomatoes, just not ready to give up on those yet. There simply is no comparison of a store tomato and a home grown variety.

           Our northern hillsides, blackened by the recent fire, are attracting visitors. Having heard about the fire from one source or another, they drive through for a look for themselves, marveling, as do we, that the homes in that area escaped damage. There is a horizontal slot of tan, dried grasses, dotted with houses along the strip in the middles of all that black. The untouched area takes a turn or two upward to the houses higher up the slope. It is understandable why people want to see if the reports were truthful.

October 2, 2018

         Two more wedding receptions held recently. Mario Crosland's open house, where all got to meet his intended, Amanda Webb of Eagle Mountain, UT, was held at the Mink Creek LDS Meetinghouse. Family from both sides were there to share in the evening and socializing. Mario is the son of Robert and Phee Crosland, Amanda is the daughter of Scott and Julie Webb. The couple were married the following day, September 22, and will be living in Hyde Park, UT.

         Haylee Hatch and Bryson Jensen were married a week ago. Bryson is from the Ogden area and the new Mr. and Mrs. Jensen will make their home there. Their Mink Creek reception was held outdoors at the home of Wynn and Cecelie Costley, friends of the Hatch family. Haylee's parents are Sam and Katie Hatch. Bryson is the son of Josh and Kacey Jensen. Family, friends and neighbors enjoyed the beautiful fall evening.

           Bob and Claudia Erickson took a few days to spend some time with the family of Jody and Laural Janke in Richfield, UT. They enjoy being part of the Janke grandchildren many activities.

            Mink Creek community has several houses in various stages of construction. Robbie and Taniesha Greene's home, adjacent to the main drag, is taking shape rapidly, as is the house for Casey Wilde, the son of Jay Wilde. Casey's home will be up Birch Creek Road. Brett and Jody Rasmussen's view from the slope above Ant Hollow is worth waiting for and they are hoping to be done before the wet turns their surroundings into mud. There is a new house nearing completion that is perched on the hillside above the Bear River in Riverdale. The Narrows Estates development just beyond Mink Creek's lower boundary has laid rather dormant for several years and now is seeing some action with several homes in various stages of construction, scattered over the available lots.

          Residents of all ages met at the parking lot in the center of our village and received assignments for our semi-annual highway cleanup project. Many hands lighten the load and it wasn't too long before many orange pickup bags were seen up and down our main thoroughfare, Highway 36. A good breakfast was served in the LDS Meetinghouse to the volunteers when all was completed.

          We are having a beautiful fall, the leaves are turning. The colors may not be as bright as some years, depending on the location, but we are looking good with the mix of oranges, reds, yellow and various greens. That dark green color of the evergreens is a perfect accent for those that change with the seasons. There are even a few trees that show nearly purple leaves this time of year.

           Bow hunting has been underway for those who are archers. Just a few more days before that season closes. There have been some successes reported.

           The longed-for rain has descended, right when I was trying to get this out. Lightning flashing, lots of thunder—and flipping the electricity on and off, which wasn't too helpful. It has been so very dry and the whole country for miles around is tan and crispy, unless there was some farmer or homeowner supplying water. When it comes to the matter of water, it is one more reason to understand why Mink Creek's founding fathers chose this little valley of many hills and streams. They were looking for a place to raise livestock, to farm and one of the first things they did was cut the natural feed that was available for their animals before they put up a cabin for that first winter.

          Fall is here and it is time to harvest our orchards' produce. It seems there are apples aplenty, up and down our valley, on trees both wild and domestic.