October 27, 2020, pre Halloween

 

Mario and Amanda Crosland and Rico Crosland headed to east coast to spend a few days with their brother Armando Crosland. Armando works in Washington DC. This was great timing for the fall beauty of the New England states to add to the many worthwhile places to search in the nation’s capitol.

Brigham Wilcox and three of his children came down for a great visit with his parents, Eldon and Danita Wilcox. This younger Wilcox family live in Idaho Falls and enjoyed some time in the country.

Matt Egley has wrapped up another season of racing, much of it done at the Magic Valley Speedway. This year he has piloted a bright yellow car that was easy to spot among the other entries. Matt was awarded the Division 1 NASCAR Rookie of the year. Racing is his passion and has been so since his youth. When he isn’t racing he hauls heavy loads of hay with a semi for Egley Farms.

David Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, has received a call to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The call is to the Argentina, Cordoba, Mission and his departure date is in January.

Lorraine Christensen was doing a grandmother-babysitting visit with her daughter Carrie Melton in Layton, UT. While in that area Lorraine was able to attend the viewing for Verdell Pace Call, a past Mink Creek resident who recently passed away unexpectedly. Verdell’s children: Wynette, Paula and Preston were pleased to reconnect with friends from their childhood. Their sister, Jodi, who now lives in North Carolina, was unable to attend her mother’s funeral due to illness in her family and current travel restrictions. .

The deer seem to be in danger on the highway as much as from the hunting season. Three spots on the highway indicating accidents over a couple of days within just a six miles stretch.

The big freeze left no question as to whether there was a lingering flower blossom or a surviving, well covered, tomato. Gone! No complaints, it is the end of October.

We have had Mink Creek girls participating in winning teams with their high school teams. PHS took District Champs in volleyball and now have state competition ahead of them. PHS girls soccer team came home as State Champions. Of course the Citizen will cover all of this but I had to mention that Mink Creekers were part of the gang.

Happy Halloween, however limited it may be with current restrictions, the happy part is all up to ourselves!

October 20, 2020

 

Wally and Kim Christensen are happy to announce a new grandchild in their family. A little girl was was born to Rebekah and James Juhasz of Newton, UT. Due to the restrictions of COVID-19, their family celebrations of this event have had to be limited. Smiles on faces and happiness in hearts are allowed.

Danalee and Gene Abernethy of Alpine, UT, spent a few hours in Mink Creek with her parents, Bob and Claudia Erickson. Gene had been riding in the bicycle race around Bear Lake and the near proximity of the event placed them in a perfect spot for some down time with family before returning to Utah County. Fifty-two miles around the lake results in some time for relaxing.

The Harley Jepsen farm was a busy place recently. Harley’s son, Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen are year-round residents of Mink Creek and this time of year with fall colors, possible hunting and plain old fun they attracted their son Joe and Kate Jepsen and their three boys for a weekend. Mike’s brother, Jonathan and Portia Jepsen also have a house on the premises and were part of the family doings. A break from the Salt Lake City hustle and bustle is most welcome.

Justin and Cynthia Longhurst and their tiny Ellie Bea are pulling up stakes and moving back to Logan, UT. Justin is employed at Young Honda auto dealership.

At this point Mink Creek is still full of trees with the colors of fall. We anticipate them becoming more muted, and dry, in coming days. Mornings at this time of year often show frost across the fields, even icicles where water has been active during the night.

A cattle drive going up Highway 34 northward, must have been headed to winter ranges at this time of year. There were cowboys on horses directing things and animals, but one item to take away the flavor of the old days was the presence of law enforcement vehicles with flashing lights to help at intersections, etc. Glad they were there, in such situations all help is good. One could follow the poop residue trail for quite a distance on the pavement. A joy of living in the country.

Our Mink Creek Haunted House story seems to be getting additional publications lately. I have seen several versions on FaceBook, claiming to be the Mink Creek tale – slightly different from the one I first became acquainted with nearly 60 years ago. Same theme, different names, different locations. It must be the approaching date of Halloween stirring things to the front of thoughts. COVID-19 may restrict parties and trick r’ treating but ghost stories can still get passed around. We still have 11 days before the event. Hope everyone has their pumpkins ready for carving. 

October 13, 2020

 

Alexis and Scott Strong, of Ventura, CA, have presented the first grandchild for Dr. Kurt and Margret Iverson. Margret was able to be in Ventura for this date. The baby boy arrived the last day of September. The name Alexis and Scott have chosen is Fletcher Owen Strong. He is another great grandson in the full quiver of Johnny and Jeannine Iverson.

Lorraine Christensen is home recovering from surgery on her left knee of a week past. She is in that enduring phase of much physical therapy and the pain that goes with it. Her stitches have been removed and she is on the mend.

Food preservation, always part of this pioneer community, has kitchens ’putting up’ a variety of pickles, applesauce, pears, jams and jellies, tomatoes. Some residents take their produce to the county canning center, particularly for specialty items. It is time to clear off the vines, dig up those root vegetables, and put the garden spaces back into shape to wait out the winter months for the encouraging announcement of spring.

Kent & ReNae Egley celebrated the end of their last crop of hay with a road trip. They took in parts of Idaho, Wyoming , Montana and South Dakota, not necessarily in that order. Going north first to Bozeman, MT, they did some wandering around, visiting the Valley of the Little Big Horn and the site of Custer’s Last Stand. South Dakota held the beauties of the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Monument, the Needles. Devil’s Tower is tucked into an upper corner of Wyoming.

The land about is so dry, tinder-box dry. A storm will be welcome to reduce fire hazards.

However, we can’t claim to be ready for winter to descend just yet and are hoping for a pleasant fall.

Still no storm, but some wind and cooler temperatures. The first paragraphs of this blog are written on Thursdays, the deadline day at the Preston Citizen. That being said, there are four days gone when I write this tidbit on Tues night or Wed. Lots of things can happen in four days. Some of it I need to save because it is expected to be there in the printed form of the Mink Creek rural news.

 But there are others. One of them is that we now have at least 3 active cases of the COVID-19, sprinkled about. There was another who tested positive one day and negative the next. Not sure how that works, but it is agreeable. As far as I know none of these have been hospitalized, but are isolating and doing their suffering at home. We are not left out, and have done our bit to contribute to the rising numbers reported in southeast Idaho.

October 7, 2020

 I love October, though not sure why.  Anyway, welcome to October in Mink Creek.

Eldon and Danita Wilcox managed an autumn vacation driving to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Other popular sites they saw were Devil’s Tower, the Needles and the beautiful county en route. Eldon commented that he didn’t realize Wyoming had such beautiful scenery. They stopped in Lovell, WY, hoping to have a visit with a neighbor of a few years past, Bill Despain, but found he had gone fishing for the day.

The DUP camp of Mink Creek, the Syringa camp, enjoyed an outdoors meeting this month. They gathered at the Rasmussen Park on the banks of the creek for a luncheon. Mary Ann Jepsen was in charge.

Maria and Devin Flake and son Jude came to her mother’s place, Lana and Ivan McCracken. Their object was to share some of their puppies with friends in Pocatello while putting in some Idaho time with Maria’s memories of growing up here.

David Scott Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, was ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood, the office of an Elder. Brothers, younger and older, were present to witness the event along with his grandparents Scott and Cathy Seamons and Joe and Kathy Jarvis.

Even though the skies looked like there might be rain, the community gathered at the Rasmussen Park on a chilly afternoon to enjoy an ATV ride. This year’s guide was Bret Rasmussen and the trail took the riders to the northwest side of our valley. Around thirty vehicles participated, with close to 80 people involved. Some historical information about the building of the Twin Lakes Canal through that area was shared along with the titles of some of our surrounding mountains. The finale was returning to the park’s pavilion for a welcome feed of hot soup and rolls, root beer and ice cream sandwiches.

Bob and Claudia Erickson are spreading the word that their granddaughter, Abigail Janke, formerly of Mink Creek, has received a call to serve in the Washington, Everett, Mission, English speaking. That area is north of Seattle. The current departure date is November 11^th. Abi is the daughter of Laural and Jody Janke now living in Richfield, UT.

It has been reported there have been sheep on the loose in the lower part of our village. Those critters can escape through a hole no bigger than a mouse hole, and once one makes it to the other side of the fence the rest are “sure to follow.”

Hope you have enjoyed that beautiful harvest moon this past week. Living where there is limited night-time lighting has some advantages for that sort of thing.