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.