May 6, 2020

           It is that time of year when our canals get a cleaning before the water is turned into them. I heard the chugging along of a back hoe nearby and looked up to see one coming around the corner, lifting our winters debris and mud to provide a way for free flowing waters to irrigate from here to Preston. Some ducks and muskrats were probably disturbed as the equipment moved them out of their comfort zones. There are several canals in Franklin County that originate in Mink Creek.

          There has been some spring cleaning happening on our main drag, Hwy 36. The State Highway Crew has been up with a sweeper clearing off the shoulders of the road, sprucing it up for warm weather travel.

           One more big area cleanup that needs to take place on our roads is the winter litter. No matter what road one might traverse there is lots of litter, large and small, just waiting for volunteers with their orange pickup bags. Safe distancing should not hamper that event.

         The Aaron and Heather Haws family from Meridian, ID, has come down for a COVID-19 break at the Haws home in Mink Creek. They loved having plenty of space to be outdoors, enjoyed the creek that runs by their place and just the overall feeling of freedom. They put in some hiking and walking time and dropped a line in the waters.

        Garden and yards are putting on a little pressure for getting into shape. Several of our residents have greenhouses to get a jump start on the growing season. Families have gathered to get seedlings started and some more hardy seeds are already in the ground. The apricot trees are in bloom and the cherry trees are coming close. Hopefully there will be no killing frosts, it is an annual risk.

       Jeff and Jennifer Seamons have announced the graduation of their son Joseph Seamons and his wife Diana Bolanos from Brigham Young University. They have been in BYU's Mechanical Engineering program.

          The valley is so beautiful now, dressed in some of its finest robes. May 1^st marks water going in the irrigation canals, ditches The water in all of our creeks is rolling, thrashing around in a frenzy as the snows above us keep melting. Our main drag regularly has a motorcycle parade as people take advantage of getting out of their houses into the spring air.