February 9, 2021

 We have some bald eagles in the neighborhood who consider themselves on duty regularly to clean up any carcass from road or field. Such beautiful birds. Turkeys and deer are happy with the bare southern slopes offering grazing areas.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of Mink Creek held their annual ward conference on the last Sunday of January. Visitors were officers of the Preston North Stake, and they were sufficient in number to fill the choir seats of the chapel. Speakers were President Richard Swainston and 1^st Counselor, Brandon Stephenson. The congregation enjoyed a special musical number, a vocal quartette: Ramona Hatchett, Liesa Baird and Hazen and Dallon Baird singing “Come Unto Christ.” They were accompanied by Judy Wilde on the piano. This meeting and the following one were available on ZOOM, for those unable to attend.

Our members of DUP Camp Syringa are not having their monthly meetings at their various homes due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 virus. Several members of the group have been afflicted with the disease. The women are missing these social hours.

The Primary organization had planned a sleigh riding event, scheduled for January 29^th. When the late January thaw arrived a few days prior to that the event was postponed to the next Saturday. In the meantime we have had no snow so we are holding on to the promise of a storm with Nature’s party planning.

I hope you have looked to the west as the sun goes for a rest. The sunsets lately have made all of us breathless in a much better way than the COVID-19. It is a riot of rippling colors every night lately. Enjoy the show that Nature is giving us, no charge.

We had a day long blizzard on the 5^th, timed perfectly for that sledding party. The whiteout lasted for most of the daylight hours. The party was really a celebration of the storm’s arrival. The only reports I have heard have been good ones. No injuries and lots of fun. Now it has warmed up again, but more snow is hoped for in a few days. No matter how much the lazy side of us might think we want to be done with winter, in reality this part of the country needs more winter, some wetness to take us into a good spring and summer. It gets pretty difficult when the water tables drop sufficiently.