August 28,2019

           Things were hopping at the Longhurst farm a couple of weeks ago. It was the Craythorn Family Reunion and there were trucks and RV's, trailers and such all gathered round. The head of the family is Earl and Barbara Craythorn of Declo, ID, Candy Longhurst's parents. There was lots of help and lots of fun happening in that beautiful piece of ground surrounding the Longhurst home.

          Keith and Karen Olson Tribett were up from Utah to soak up some Idaho hours at their place on Valley View Hill. It really is a great view in all directions from that location.

          Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen spent several days in California at the home of their daughter Annie and Steve Earl and family. They live in San Jose. Annie and children had been visiting Mink Creek earlier for a summer visit. The Jepsen brothers have also been around off and on, keeping things busy at this Jepsen place.

            Reed Swann and daughter Penny have had a full month of family in all directions. They have had the E. A. Swann Family Reunion with Reed's siblings and families at a park in Preston. The more immediate family hasbeen camping near Alpine, WY, with Charles and Sarah Swann and their children, a family tradition.

            Bryce Egley has been doing his share of mountain-bike racing these past summer months. And he has been doing quite well, placing high in the winner bracket often. He is the son of Jared and Juli Egley and has a following of family fans in his activities. Bryce competed at Nationals in Winter Park, CO, and placed 21^st nationally, out of more than 150 riders. With school starting he is now competing as a member of the Green Canyon Team, out of Cache Valley.

           Drew and JoAnn Ford's home has been spilling over with family visitors this summer, literally all summer long. Two of their daughters are in the process of moving and needed a temporary home while the process was taking place. There have been overlapping visits. Andrea and her family are located in Spencer, ID, Melissa and her three girls came from Iowa, Amy and Ben with their four children are from North Ogden, UT, and Jacob and his family hail from Eagle Mountain, UT. In addition to these families, JoAnnn's father has come up from Bountiful, UT for a lengthy visit and Drew's brother and his wife came for an over-nighter from Washington state. Things have definitely been stirred up at the Ford's Bear Creek home.

           There has been a few nights that left no question as to the arrival of Fall, temperatures took a drop, but didn't freeze. The color change has not set in yet, but the hillsides are tan rather than green.

There are several new houses under various stages of construction on Valley View Hill. We have some new residents to our community to go along with the houses..

          All the hubbub of the county fair and rodeos has calmed down. School is underway, the routine of the next few months is being established in most homes. Garden harvest is beginning in earnest

August 21, 2019

        Sorry about missing last week. It was one of those where I lose track of time and deal with too many things on the proverbial platter.

         Members of our community gathered in the Oneida Narrows to join in a float down the Bear River. Instructions had been to bring life jackets and wear sunscreen. Forty-seven people showed up to participate in this annual event. For some it was old-stuff, done-it-before, but for others it was a first-timers adventure. Arrangements had been made for a village dinner at the Mink Creek Ballpark to begin at 7 p.m., with the land lubbers waiting for the arrival of the wet river-runners. The menu was hamburgers or hot dogs with all the fixings provided. Salads were furnished by surnames A thru K, and desserts, letters J thru Z. The weather smiled upon us and the evening could be described, 'just right.”

          The family of Jeannine and Johnny Iverson who have had nine children, have been in and out all summer long. Their big family event is that of hiking the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming. This year they had a family attendance of 120 at their family reunion, coming from Texas, Utah, Idaho, California, Virginia and Washington D. C..

           Jimmie and AnnaBeth Olson held Cousin Camp for grandchildren at their place on Station Creek. The age bracket is from ages 8 to 12. This year they had eleven young ladies: from Brigham City, UT; Rigby, ID; Meridian,, ID, St George, UT; and Richmond, UT. Three days of hiking, crafts, singing and having a grand time. No one wanted to go home.This group echos the strains of the song, “It's always fun at Grandma's house,” for parents and kids. Now Grandma and Grandpa Olson are recovering, but it was worth it!

          Ken and Loren Nash brought family up from the heat of California to enjoy the warmth of Idaho at their Haws home on a rise above Mink Creek.

          Eldon and Danita Wilcox soaked up some grandparent time with a visit from MaKenzie and Tyron Gunter and their little boy Dryden and baby girl Preslie. The baby is only about a month old.

          Able-bodied men of the community met at the farm of Craig and Elaine Larsen to get in their hay crop. Craig is struggling with health issues at this time.

          Children of Layne and Karen Erickson came together to wish their dad a Happy Birthday this month. Connie and Adam Westenskow live in Woods Cross, UT, Julie and Todd Kunz and their two children are in Idaho Falls, Terrie and Paul McKay, right here in Mink Creek, and Bryan and Shannon Erickson and Jesse are in Wellsville, UT.

          Our Boy Scouts enjoyed their time at Camp Bartlett. They had a challenging event requiring knowledge of tying knots. Their leaders, Steve Baldwin, Bishop Paul McKay and La Ron Baird had built a flag pole, with knots, ropes, stakes, etc. and the boys were to construct a replica of the same.

They needed clove hitch knots and found they needed their lashing to be a bit tighter, but finaly ended up with the replica being straighter than the original. Attending were Hazen Baird, Conner Iverson, Jacob Stanworth, Calwell Forbush, and a guest from a Cub River troop. Other than getting some bad sunburns they all had a good time.

         We have some neighbor's cows who have turned into a menace. They are experts at leaving their home ground and are turning up all over the community. Besides wrecking hay bales they have managed to completely destroy a garden, right when it was beginning to be highly productive.

The neighborhood deer are doing their best to prune low-hanging apple trees, and have sampled some winter squash, just enough to spoil things for the gardener. Even thorny raspberry bushes are on their menu.

         The County Fair was enjoyed by both spectators and contributors. As the last days of August are upon us the village is adjusting to get back into the routine that goes along with school and cooler days.

August 7, 2019

         The young women of Mink Creek enjoyed their 'Girls Camp' miles from home. This year found them and their leaders at Lake Powell, water skiing, exploring some slot canyons, boating, repelling, and paddle boarding. One bonus was floating on a floating island. Each evening ended with a devotional lead by the girls. Their theme this year was “Do you know who you are?” Crafts and games, plus fun cooking experiences. With the current warm weather they got to stay in an house with air conditioning. Those participating were Jyllian Christensen, Josie Neitz from Canada, Ella & Tara Jepsen, Hannah Greene, Emily Longhurst, Davanie Ostler, Liberty Stanworth, Shaylee Forbush, Tia Hatch. Kerry and Melinda Jepsen were there with our boat, Lacey Christensen was camp director with help from her husband, Kerry Christensen. Macy Jepsen was an adult leader, Bishop Paul McKay and his wife Terrie came down on Friday of that week. Tears were shed, gratitude expressed, mingled with lots of laughter and fun.

         There has been some active drilling going on up in these mountains. Not for oil, but for water to go with homes seeking a supply for the homes in construction. Recently there have been three rigs set up and searching.

         Forrest and Patti Christensen have been globe trotting. They went to Florida, came back to Mink Creek in time to pack their suitcases and then were off on a River Cruise down the Danube River in Europe. Every day was a totally new adventure. Things began in Budapest, Hungary and they floated the river through four other countries: Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. So much beauty to see throughout, a perfect time of year to be sight-seeing. They soaked up the music, architecture, the rich farmland with fields of vibrant flowers, the churches and the frescoes on the walls and ceilings. The colors all appealed to Patti's artistic side. They learned about history back to 300 B.C. The tour guides and local people added much as they related the days under Communist rule. The cruise included a trip to Transylvania, part of Romania and finished up in Bucharest. This has definitely been a vacation that will fill pages of the Christensen's journals.

          Jim and Debbie Harrison have been up again. Did you know he has written another novel? This is a bit different from the books he has written in the past. The title is Wrong Place, Wrong Time and it is a suspense novel. His author name is E. James Harrison, same guy, just spruced up a bit.

        If you read the Mink Creek news in the Citizen –well, it didn't make it last week. One of those computer glitches where it got lost somewhere between my desk in Mink Creek and the editor's desk in Preston. It did eventually show up and so was combined with this one in this week's edition.        Apologies to those who asked me what happened—at the time I wondered myself.

         The area has survived the Rodeo season, all the candy wrappers on the parade route seem to have been swept up or blown away. Mink Creek community overflowed with visitors this past week, reports will come later. It is wonderful to have 'home' to come and visit.