May 25, 2021

 

This week is all about graduating from high school. Mink Creek has five graduates from Preston High. Emily Longhurst, daughter of Candy and the late Sheldon Longhurst; Hannah Greene, daughter of Dawnell and Chad Greene; Dallon Baird, son of LaRon and Liesa Baird; Stetson Ostler, son of Alona and Stuart Ostler; Challis Jensen, son of Kalee and Russell Bair and the late Shaun Jensen. It doesn’t seem like their kindergarten days were that long ago.

Jonia Carlson has come home from an extended stay in Louisiana. She has been working with a friend, helping to repair damages done after the storms and hurricanes that have swept through that state. That part of the country has had some rather cruel weather over the last few months and bouncing back has been a long time coming.

We have had another wedding take place. Leigha Beckes married Cade Nicholls were married in Logan at the lovely Logan Depot. Leigha’s parents are Shauna and Ben Beckes from the Provo area in Utah. Cade is the son of Tom and Donna Nicholls of Mink Creek. The couple chose to go to Washington state for their honeymoon and will make their home in Mink Creek.

The Iverson welcome mat worked for several family members. Alexis Strong and her son Fletcher, were able to spend a few days with her parents, Kurt and Margret Iverson. She now lives in Longmont, CO. Johnny and Gabby Iverson brought their new little gitl Amelia down from Rexburg for some grandparent time with Kurt and Margret. Great grandparents, Johnny and Jeannine get the fun of these bonus visits.

To celebrate Mothers’ Day Jeannine and Johnny Iverson’s four daughters gathered in Mink Creek to start their spring with building a raised garden planter at waist level for the Iversons. These ladies all flew in to Salt Lake’s airport then drove up together. Rebekah is from Washougal, WA; Christine lives in Roseville, CA; Cherie, clear across the country in Virginia; and Teresa from Greeley, CO.

Kent and Tammy Beardall drove down to Spanish Fork, UT, recently for a fun family occasion. Their granddaughter, Brinlee Beardall was being baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Brinlee is the daughter of Shawn and Callie Beardall.

The wildflowers are in profusion, yellow lady slippers, golden mules’ ears with their downy leaves, larkspur and bluebells, lupine, buttercups, a good variety. Water cress season has been going for a couple of weeks, but still available with a stronger flavor. What a great place to live!

May 18, 2021

 

With the coming of spring there has been spirals of smoke ascending as people try to stay ahead of the weeds that sprout up among the dried stalks of last winter. Ditch banks and barrow pits have been burned off. Orchards have been pruned and fruit trees are filled with blooms. Dandelions are shaking their yellow pompoms everywhere. Alas, there are allergens causing some human grief along with the beauty.

It is hard to believe but the Mink Creek community has five weddings on the calendar between now and the end of June! There are lots of preparations underway, big and small. Reports will follow as the events occur.

Glen Jepsen was able to take a trip to Texas to spend some time with his son Kyle and Stacy Jepsen and grandchildren. Blessing a grandchild is a treat for this grandfather. This little girl was named Abigail Jo Jepsen, the Jo in remembering her grandmother, Betty Jo Jepsen. Kyle lives in the Dallas area where he is a dentist. The family celebrated this fine event with a dinner of Louisiana crayfish, a special treat.

It is racing time again for the Kent and ReNae Egley family as they try to attend the races of their son Matt. Lately he has driven his bright yellow car in a couple of races at the Magic Vallley Speedway in Twin Falls, ID.

Lana and Ivan McCracken and the family of LaRon and Liesa Baird traveled in the early morning hours one Sunday to make it to Paul, ID. There awaited the blessing of the new granddaughter for the Bairds and a great granddaughter for the McCrackens. The little girl was named Ruth Magnolia Baird, the first child of James and Rebekah Baird.

Sheri Scott and her children McKinley, Angelie, Ashley and Alex, visited the Mink Creek LDS Ward. Sheri performed a beautiful arrangement of “I Stand All Amazed” on her violin as a special musical number for the Sunday meeting.

The scent of apple blossoms fills the valley of Mink Creek. Both domestic apple orchards and wild apple trees, some leftovers from the earliest of homesteads, go up and down the length of our village.

Our election poll was open today for the question of the bond passing on an addition built for our county courthouse. There is no question as to the need for the building to receive some improvements, it was constructed in 1939 and much has come into our world in that time to contribute to its needs.

May 11, 2021

 A pair of red-tailed hawks have taken up housekeeping in the neighborhood. They can be seen as they survey the territory from their perch on various power poles and barn roofs.

Kim and Sam Daines and family were in Mink Creek with her mother Judy Clark. The family was making wedding preparations for their son Jameson Daines to Allison Foster of Hooper, UT. This event took place on May 7 at the Ogden Temple.

Several residents have been in various stages of recovering their health, some with just a few weeks, others longer. Lizzy Greene had some struggles but is now back to her work at the Preston schools. Warren Wilde has faced a couple of knee surgeries. Ron Norris had his right should replaced. There have been a couple of late COVID-19’s needing a bit of quarantine.

Robert and Phee Crosland began a drive to Colorado to greet a new grandchild at the home of Arianna and Ben Hostetter. They ended up finding the Hwy 80 across Wyoming closed due to a spring snowstorm at one point and were held up, then further down the road it was closed again in Colorado before they got to Peyton, CO, and met tiny Olivia Rae Hostetter and her family. They participated in a variety of activities: remodeling the Hostetter kitchen, a trip to Bishop’s Castle down around Pueblo, unexpected cold, but warmth from being with family.

With the coming of green everything to our valley comes the arrival of those who winter elsewhere. Sam and Sylvia Stanger have been back. The parking lot of the Pearson place has filled with vehicles. Jeff and Julie Workman drove up for a good weekend away from their Utah jobs. There is the feeling of a new, more open, season in the air.

Carson Norris, grandson of Ron and Mary Norris, who has been with them this winter is headed west. He was here to help with most of the calving on the Norris place and has now found a job on a ranch in Wyoming. Good timing, Carson, we wish you well.

Our owl population is in rare form, usually more vocal when the moon is bright, but for now just chatting no matter how dark.

There was a bridal shower for McKinley Longhurst who will soon becoming Mrs. Skylar Stevens. There was a lot of fun and laughter at the Longhurst home as the open house affair sent through the afternoon. Beautiful decorations and lots of girl talk.

 

May 5, 2021

 

At this time of year there is always the procedure of getting the irrigation ditches and canals ready for receiving the water that they carry for the spring and summer months. Kent Egley is involved in this work all around northern Cache Valley and even beyond in Caribou County.

Some of the family of Eldon and Danita Wilcox gathered together to spend two weeks in Puerto Rico. This included Jesse and Annavelyn Wilcox and son from Mink Creek, Jeff and Elise Hardy and children of North Ogden, MaKenzie Gunter and her two little ones of Arimo, and Brittany Durrant from the Salt Lake area . All sorts of exciting adventures and family fun: airplanes, boats, soaking up sunshine on beaches with the ocean stretching into the distance, and sharing moments with those closest to you. A highlight was a visit to El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rainforest in the Caribbean. Once the senior Wilcox couple returned to Mink Creek they welcomed Eldon’s brother Mike and Marrea Wilcox. The brothers grew up in Tacoma, WA, and now Mike has retired to St. George, UT.

Carl and Carol Egley just needed to “go for a ride” when they left their home in Kansas. This venture brought them home to Mink Creek and some time spent with Carl’s brother, Kent and ReNae Egley. Both are full-time farmers and much of the conversation centered around the spring work that is part of their lives no matter where they hang their hat.

The community of Mink Creek met at the ballpark for the semi-annual road cleanup day, starting at 8 am. There was a good turnout and people received their assignments and their garbage bags and spread out, covering the roadsides of approximately ten miles of our main drag, Highway 36. The action started at the Bear River bridge on the southern end and stretches up to the boundary of the Caribou National Forrest.

Autumn and Tibby, aka Tabitha, Taylor were the lucky girls who spent nearly a week with Grandma Lana McCracken. They do online school at their home in Woods Cross so this made a longer visit possible until their mother, Tamara, could come and retrieve them.

Joe and Kathy Jarvis are back among us. Joe had knee surgery and they have been on the mend, staying in St. George with a more agreeable climate for some weeks.

We have received some wonderful, much needed rain. Several streams empty into our main water route, Mink Creek, and all of them are running lower for this time of year than even the old timers can recall. For a community with agricultural fields and livestock connected with a fair percentage of the residents this is not a good thing. The spring rain makes us happy and thankful.