August 25, 2020

 Thanks for tuning back in after my extended electronic silence. I feel better seeing that you are still "out there."  I had about decided maybe it was about time I just bagged it since you are why I do this.

Eldon and Danita Wilcox have had a constant run of family visitors this summer, often arriving to help with work on the finishing touches of the Wilcox’ new home. About half of their children now live in Utah. Elise and Jeff Hardy and their children live in North Ogden. Ami and Tom Fenton’s bunch are in Tooele. Brittany Durant and her youngsters claim Salt Lake City. Idaho Falls became home for Brigham and Jennipher Wilcox’s family when Brigham became a pharmacist there. MaKenzie and Tyson Gunter have come back from Utah and are in Arimo, ID. It is nice for Eldon and Danita to have most of their family within easy driving distance. Only Lesli lives in Texas.

Mink Creek has a new family in town. Joe and Pearl Loyd have moved here from Weston. Their home is located on the hill with the Valley View road looping through the increasing number of homes.

We were sorry to see Chet Jensen find himself a house and move to Weston. Our loss is Weston’s gain.

A group of siblings and a cousin or two from the Wm. Crane family gathered at the Mink Creek home of Bruce and Shauna Crane for an annual reunion and lots of reminiscing. Bruce, Sheryl, Linda and Lynn kept the memories rolling, especially when they visited the local cemetery and took stock of all their old family and neighbors that are gathered there.

The community embarked on a river ride, with the Bear River situated handily in our back yard. Around 35 people enjoyed the wetness in kayaks and tubes, with no mishaps. After this cooling down the riders met with the rest of the village at our Mink Creek Ballpark for a dinner of hamburgers (3 varieties offered) with all the fixings, corn on the cob, potluck salads and desserts provided by the families in attendance. The event was well attended and included several of the summer-time visitors. We are fortunate to have the space for safe distancing

It has been a week of smokey, haze filled skies. When a person knows they live among mountains and yet they aren’t visible there is a strong feeling of being isolated. Add that to the restrictions we are living with the COVID-19, and it isn’t good.

Our kids started school this week and most seem to have an optimistic view, hoping for the best as the days pass. That goes for the parents as well as the students. There is no choice but to wait and see, we have never been in this situation before.

August 5 &12, 2020

 Trying to play catch up  now that things are up and running.  Computer went down, and then out.  It took some time to purchase and get things functioning again.  In the meantime the home phone also decided to go on vacation and since cell phones don't work all that well here---I have to remind myself that sometimes "no news is good news."  

We have missed two weeks worth of  local news.  The base of the blog was printed in our local paper, but I had to create that at the Citizen office so I can't easily share it here.  

Summer with its intense heat, storms that zip in and out, difficult animals and humans--al are present and affect the 24/7 lifestyle of the residents of this little community.  The very best thing about this place is its people, and second is the beauty of our surroundings nearly 12 months of the year.

Anyway, here we are again, and of course I can't use the phrase "back to normal" because nothing has been normal since the arrival of COVID-19.  Still we will strive for as near normal as possible and hope you will continue reading. 

August 19, 2020

 

Two gentlemen of our community lost their wallets, within just a few days of one another. One was fairly certain it had fallen out of a pocket as he was in the middle of checking a problem with a hay baler. Family members crisscrossed the big field, up and down, back and forth, on a Mink Creek slope, all to no avail. It was what it was, and likely some cow critter would end up chomping on a wallet when that particular hay bale was opened sometime next winter. The ‘start all over’ process of canceling, renewing, saying farewell to a few irreplaceables was accomplished and the owner of the wallet had started his new identity. Life does go on. The other lost wallet was in the waters of the Glendale Reservoir, with searching pretty impossible, so it was accepted as well and the new beginning took place.

Fast forward several weeks, some rainstorms and irrigation later. When some friends were hauling hay bales off of a different field that first wallet popped up, in a rather soggy, bedraggled state but with everything intact and returnable. Unlikely, unbelievable, but there it was, just needed some drying out and its sentimental value was still well preserved.

Sam and Sylvia Stanger are enjoying some Mink Creek time. It is nice to see their lights on and have an occasional chat.

The Haws house is busy with family visitors. Summertime brings the Haws siblings in and out of the residence, often with overlapping visits. Ken and Lauren Nash of Sol Vang, CA brought extended family to enjoy the relative coolness of Idaho, plus the green beauty that is still present in our community.

This has been the week of the heaviest meteor showers at night. It has been a great time for amateur observations of our heavens with the absence of city lights. Another one of those advantages of country living.

Learning new processes on a new computer, please bear with me, readers of this blog.  I have not given up but having been without computer and phone access at the same time has surely put me behind on my sending out information and news.  I was hoping to backtrack over the 'no contact' posting, but find I had better just forge ahead instead. 

As with the rest of you the days have been very hot.  We aren't accustomed to three digit temperatures in this little corner of our state.  Everything is wanting to wilt, including the human population.  Having to force ourselves to be out harvesting hay and now grain takes a very solid willpower. 

End of July, 2020, and a bit beyond

 I hope no one has given up on me.  My computer checked out and it has taken this long to get running again from home.  The news has still gone out from the Preston Citizen, but I haven't had access to personal stuff  for a bit.  I will endeavor to fill you in on what you have missed.

Not only has my computer taken a dive but the phone system in this mountain valley is busy throwing a fit and taking its sweet time to recover.   At this residence it feels a little like the early settlers when one had to climb on a horse to reach out to anyone, only my horse has 4 wheels.  A little different type of isolation to go with teh COVID-19 variety. 

Justin and Cynthia Longhurst gathered their extended family together in Smithfield to participate in the blessing of their baby girl. She was named Ellie Bea Longhurst. The couple chose Smithfield as the location because Justin's big brother, Jake, has an occupation as a pilot where he was on call that Sabbath day. Longhurst, Craythorn and Zilles relative were able to attend.

Wynn and Cecelie Costley have been excited about their prospects of serving in Russia as LDS missionaries for a few months. Due to the COVID-19 those hopes and plans have come crashing down. These two are known for their resiliency and are considering this change just a different turn in the road.

David and Judy Wilde had two of their sons at home earlier this month. Christopher and Heidi Wilde now live in Logan. Spencer and Paige Wilde are in Rigby, ID, while Spencer continues with studies at BYU/I in Rexburg.

Kassidy Christensen, daughter of Kerry and Lacey Christensen, was baptized and confirmed the newest member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Mink Creek Ward. Even with restrictions family and friends were able to share this milestone in her life.

Charles and Sarah Swann and their children have moved to Mink Creek. They have been in Lewiston, UT. , put their home on the market and it sold quicker than anticipated. The young Swann family is 'camping' with his father, Reed Swann and sister Penny. Those four children will find all sorts of adventures in their new surroundings.

Johnny and Jeannine Iverson have enjoyed some family visitors during the past few months as the restrictions in other states varied. Their daughter Rebekah Jones and her family came from Washougal, WA, for a lengthy stay and one of their grandsons from Ogden managed to spend some time in between limitations.

The youth of the community were able to get together for a Pancake Supper. They did this at the home of Bret and Jody Rasmussen and as their home is sufficiently spacious there was room to spare. Pancakes are a fitting menu item for any hour of the day.

That takes readers to the beginning of August that will be the next entry in a day or two.  I am up to my ears in making apricot jam and picking black currants right now, these things have to be top priorities.