February 25, 2020

          Bret Rasmussen has been off on one of his world travels, part of his snowmobiling expertise. This time it was to Russia. While he has been gone family have come home for some extra time with his wife, Jody Rasmussen. Brandi Allred and her 3 children, Ezra, Eliza and Jett came over to celebrate Ezra's birthday and threw in lots of sleigh-riding to top off the visit. After a few days home Bret was on his way to Montana, another spot where snow sports rank high.

          A snowy trip to the back country with friends and family makes for a great time. Sharla and Lin McKay, their daughter River and her fiance Hunter, spent hours snowmobiling near Alpine , WY, in the Smiths Fork, Greys River area. Lin served as a guide for the bunch. Larry and LaDawn Hansen, their son Tyler, and Shane Corbett were part of the entourage. Elk seemed to be everywhere. All came prepared for the adventure which adds up to a perfect day.

          Paul and Terrie McKay took a few days break to find some sunshine. They went here, there, and everywhere. They like the southern Utah area and that was included in this road trip as they went to Las Vegas by way of the Grand Canyon.

         Tamara Taylor brought her girls from Woods Cross, UT, to enjoy some time with her mother, Lana, and Ivan McCracken. Autumn and Tabitha just felt they needed to have a visit with Grandma. One doesn't need a better reason than that one!

         We have a new family within our boundaries. DJ and Rebecca Dumas and their children, Brianna and Brian, have moved to the Hugh Hansen home with other family members. DJ is a truck driver. Welcome to Mink Creek.

          Several of our youth participated in the recent Preston North Stake Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Emma Rasmussen, Jyllian Christensen, Dallon Baird and Hazen Baird, all sang in the youth choir, directed by our own Anna Beth Olson. Kate Rasmussen, daughter of Trevor and April Rasmussen, was one of the youth speakers on Sunday morning.

           Another old-time Mink Creeker has found her way home for the long rest. Rhoda Christensen, of Salt Lake City, passed away February 10, and was buried in our beautiful cemetery this past week. Her sister Harriet still resides in Salt Lake.

            Icicles on the eaves dripping and freezing, each morning a little longer in length. The dripping is pretty slow, not all that warm yet. But it does give a person the hope of finishing winter a little earlier than some years. This melt/ freeze process does make for slippery walking in the morning hours, or any place in the shade.  Cleats would be helpful on our slopes.

February 18, 2020

            Richard and Vickie Free and Robert and Phee Crosland have returned from a week's worth of warm weather in Mexico. They went to Cancun on the Yucatan peninsula and other tourist locations. . Part of this package was getting time spent with their children and grandchildren. Heidi and Brendan Brown and their little boy of Logan, UT were happy to have the Free couple along. Marco and Christina Crosland and their little girl of AZ claimed the grandparenting skills of Marco's parents. It was beautiful, the weather cooperated and the few days of change from winter was good for everyone.

            Three sets of young Croslands came home to assist in putting up a ceiling in the Crosland's garage. Angleo and Gracie Crosland came down from McCall, ID, Celina and Jesse Groesbeck left studies in Rexburg, ID, and Mario and Amanda Crosland drove up from Smithfield. All were volunteering to get the job completed during the weekend.

          Annie Rasmussen, youngest daughter of April and Trevor Rasmussen, was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is the newest member of the Mink Creek Ward.

           Members of the Kent Egley family have been putting in some cold hours to repair a steep slope below the Twin Lakes Canal that had disintegrated some months ago. It is part of the Egley farm and their heavy equipment was put into good winter action for this project. Neighbor observers may have been holding their breath, but it appears all went well.

            The gorgeous nights of the full moon with its light reflecting off our snow laden slopes, makes a person appreciate winter and its cold. With the melt-a-bit, then freeze weather often there is a thin sheet of ice atop the snow, just one more enhancement featured in the moonlight. Orion, Sirius and Procyon are the stars that form the Winter Triangle this time of year. February's moon was called the Hunger Moon by native tribes but the title Snow Moon fits our area right now.

           Little bunches of deer are soaking up the sun while searching for edibles on our south slopes. No, it isn't warm, but it is warmer than it was, so it all counts. Near the Mink Creek/Riverdale boundary the turkeys look like a field of black boulders against the slowly shrinking white covering the fields. They are hunkered over, gobbling what food is left out for them, accidentally or intentionally.

February 11, 2020

         The snow keeps coming and we continue to appreciate those men who are driving the snowplows for both the state highway and our county roads. If not for them being willing to put in hours around the clock our community would be snow bound. Beautiful still, but pretty much locked-in. Once we get our driveways open down to the official roads we are in good shape, but there are times that is easier written about than done.

        We have had a number of medical situations of a serious nature recently. One is that of Orin Baird, youngest son of LaRon and Liesa Baird, who has been at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, for quite some time. The doctors are working to adjust his medicines to help them deal with his health challenges.

          Caroline Jensen, wife of Lynn Jensen, took a fall recently and ended up with a broken hip. She is improving nicely but is still working on rehabilitation at the FCMC in Preston.

           Kelton and Denise Keller and their daughter Maury came up from their home in Alpine, UT, for a weekend with Kelton's dad, Vernon Keller.

           Leonard and Ellen Nelson have been coming to Preston fairly often to watch the boys' team of the Preston Indians on the basketball court. They are connected to this team with their daughter Emily, the wife of Coach Tyler Jones. The Nelsons live in Idaho Falls.

           Another set of Idaho Falls visitors were the family of Brigham and Jenipher Wilcox. They were down to spend time with family. Brigham is the son of Eldon and Danita Wilcox. Grandparent time is time well spent.

            Not sure what it was all about, but a helicopter cruised Mink Creek community one day, up and down, north to south, east to west. It did cause some excitement with the sound of those whirring blade evident in the winter air.

           After some comment here and there about the helicopter presence, it was decided that perhaps there was an observation situation going on for the activities of our local mountain lions Or perhaps the Fish and Game were checking out rumors of the sighting aof a wolf in the region. The claim is that there is none.

           Does anyone remember when there was a recognition of tomorrow, February 12^th, being the birthday of President Abraham Lincoln? The day still comes,, and goes, let's wish Abe a Happy Birthday!

February 5, 2020

          Winter activities abound in this part of the country. The Primary organization enjoyed a sleigh riding afternoon on the farm of Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen. Their driveway is a perfect slope for this age group and it is long enough to provide good sledding. Glen doesn't clear it to gravel just to provide a perfect surface for a runner sled. The group was able to round up 16 Flexible Flyers and the sledders, including those with a parent assist, had a great time. Adults were on the hill as well: Jasmine Erickson, April and Trevor Rasmussen, Bishop Paul McKay, Brint and Brittnee Phillips, Jared and Hollie Keller, and Mike Jepsen. There were 4Wheelers in operation to haul sleds and riders back up the hill. Primary leaders Amy Baldwin, Jody Rasmussen and Mary Ann Jepsen were busy handing out hot dogs around the bonfire and hot chocolate with doughnuts.

           Hawaii isn't the only warm spot to attract people. Jimmie and Anna Beth Olson took some time to visit with Patti and Forrest Christensen in their winter retreat in Welborn, FL. This area is pretty familiar to ex-resident, Nelson Coleman, who grew up in Welborn at this place. The Olsons report that it is a beautiful area with lots of live oak trees with hanging moss, cattle, and of course, some swamps. In the way of activities they visited the Gulf Coast, went to the Stephen Foster Museum, checked out some great antique malls, purchased pecans from a roadside stand and loved the nice temperatures for relaxing both indoors and outdoors. With about 13 acres in the Christensen's backyard there was plenty of space to just lounge around. It was a bit difficult to come home and deal with our ice and snow.

            Jacob Seamons , youngest son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, was ordained to the office of a deacon in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Family members gathered to witness the occasion were grandparents, Scot and Cathy Seamons and Joe and Kathy Jarvis, Jacob's brothers and aunts and uncles.

            Bob and Claudia Erickson went to American Fork, UT, to the home of their daughter Carla and Mark Nielsen where family participated in the ordination of Cooper Janke, a deacon in the LDS church. He is the son of Jody and Laural Janke. The afternoon found the family attending a gymnastics competition in Linden, UT, where Sophia Janke was competing. She did well and placed in all of her events.

           Oh, the weather outside was frightful----not really, but it was very WINTERr and put down enough inches of snow, and with some help from the wind, produced a situation that had schools having a snow day from all around this area. Grace, Preston, West Side. My outside connections told me things were much worse in Wyoming and Montana, and I am sure 'other spots in this part of the nation.

            Those of us in this village that have livestock are dealing with the delivery of lambs and calves, planned for this time of year to have a longer growth period before selling time. It is always unpredictable and somewhat of a gamble. I always think with concern, for those animal mothers in birthing moments that are zero degrees. I also think of those human midwives that are on call 24/7 to help in whatever way they can.