Pre-Halloween, 2021

 

What a weather mix of days this Fall season has been so far. Heavy wet snow, buckets of rain, beautiful colors in the leaves of the trees as they decide to call it quits and get a rest, strong winds threatening branches heavy with snow. It continues: frequent frosty mornings, lovely blue skies. Our community has several residents who are dedicated hikers and they are making the most of these last hiking days that are available.

Florida has had quite a few visitors from Mink Creek. Richard and Vicki Free and Eldon and Danita Wilcox have closed out their summer travels with some balmy days in Florida. They connected with Sid and Lisa Whitehouse in Orlando and enjoyed the famous Myrtle Beach and the Kennedy Space Center.

The family of Phee and Robert Crosland put together a family reunion, taking place in Florida. Not all of their children, spouses and grandchildren were able to make it, but those that did enjoyed having a few days together. In these days of COVID and restrictions challenges inevitably arise. Part of the event was a Caribbean Cruise. Another was the adventure of Disney World. When the reunion wrapped up their son Armando Crosland headed north to his job in Washington, DC and the rest of the group made their flights to their homes in the western part of the nation.

Some members of the Mink Creek Ward filled an assignment at the Canning Center in Ogden, UT. Twelve workers, divided into two shifts. One group served in the production line of cream of mushroom soup and the other crew packaged beef chunks from the previous day’s production. Those on the crews were Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen, Jeff Olson, Drew Ford, Jonia Jackson, Kim Christensen, Linda and Clare Christensen, Corinne and Glade Larsen, Bishop Paul McKay, and Terry Westerberg. They put in hours from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and it was a full day.

After several days of rainfall our world looked gorgeous today. Bright sunshine on the valley floor, purple storm clouds on the horizons just accented the golden colors of fall and the brightness of the revitalized greens from the big drink of water they have just received. It was a strong reminder of how lovely our surroundings are and that we have the privilege of living in such a place. If we haven’t been filling up on feelings of gratitude in days past, remember that the Thanksgiving month arrives with the next flip of the calendar.

The community Halloween party is scheduled as an outdoor event and the forecast of a drier weekend is a welcome one. Happy, fun, Halloween!

October 19, 2021

 

The new baby girl of Celina and Jesse Groesbeck was named and given a blessing in the Mink Creek Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was given the name of Oakley Groesbeck and family members gathered to witness the event. Grandparents are Robert and Phee Crosland of Mink Creek, aunts and uncles: Angelo and Carissa Crosland of Preston, Dr. Giovanni Crosland and two of his children of Franklin, Rico Crosland of Rexburg, Malia Kunz and her children of Rigby, Mario and Amanda Crosland of Smithfield, UT. Jesse’s sister, Ashlye and Chris Sorensen came over from Lyman, WY, and a friend, Palmer Edholme drove from Logan.

Dallon Baird worked for summer employment in the area around Chicago, IL, in a pest control program. He is now home with his family, LaRon and Liesa Baird, and is helping Terry and LeAnn Orton, his maternal grandparents, in the construction of a home now that they have returned from serving a mission.

On a beautiful fall day Bryan Erickson was up from Wellsville, UT, to check on his parents, Layne and Karen Erickson. The colors of the Mink Creek mountainsides compared favorably to those near Wellsville.

Lana and Ivan McCracken traveled to Rexburg, ID, to attend the blessing of her new great grandson, whose parents are Daniel and Savannah Wells. Savannah is the daughter of Daniel and Heather Baird. The name chosen for the baby is Damion Leonidas Wells.

When the heavy snowfall came the night of Oct 11, our citizens woke up feeling glad to have cleared off their gardens, picked the fruit from the orchards, pressed the apples into jugs of cider, piled the squash and hoped the covered tomatoes were going to make it through the drop of temperature. The mountain tops were covered with white, and that color stretched down to the bottom of the valley, yards and driveways included in the sweep of winter weather.

With the forecast warning of dropping temperatures tonight, some hours of rain last night, the community has been battening down the hatches –again. It seems there is always a thing or two more to be done as the weather marches closer to delivering winter. A tarp to be thrown, a field to be plowed so that the moisture can penetrate when it comes, a bale of hay or straw still out in the field. One friend knew it was time to get her wood box filled, even if the cold isn’t here to stay. Life in a farming village of southeast Idaho!

October 12, 2021

 Brrrr!  today let us know that the seasons are changing. We have had our first snow storm of the winter season for 2021. It arrived the night of Oct. 11 after some heavy raining two days prior. We knew before going to bed that the morning would be one covered in white. One resident whose home is in central Mink Creek measured the white blanket at his place as being 4 inches deep. We are hoping for some warmth to return.

It was time for our annual community ATV ride, this year taking place in the mountains west of Station Creek. There were a mix of vehicles that arrived for the ride, starting at 1pm from the barn buildings at the Jimmie Olson place. All were motorized: 4-wheelers, Razors, single rides, double rides, and a variety of ages participating. They were organized into three groups. The countryside has undergone the change to fall leaves so that too was a mix---yellows, oranges, reds, evergreens, limes. It was a beautiful day for a wonderful ride and view at the top that takes in all of Franklin County. When all was said and done, servings of luscious cake were offered back at the Olson farmyard.

The family of Kerry and Lacey Christensen took a trip to Pendleton, OR, for the week of the Pendleton Roundup Rodeo. They were there in support of the Christensen daughters, Jyllian and Greenlee who have been active as rodeo princesses in this corner of Idaho this past summer.

Mink Creek has three new residents, Kenneth and Jeanie Ross and their daughter Lindsey Kay Ross. They have purchased the house owned by Richard Free, formerly occupied by Jeff Knudson. This new family comes to us from Eagle Mountain, UT.

The beautiful fall colors of our valley have brought several visitors to enjoy memories of their past years in this village. Devin and Marie Baird and son Jude of Orem, UT, spent some days with her mother Lana and Ivan McCracken. Brad and RaOne Stuart of Bountiful, UT, took some time at their home on Mink Creek’s shores. Bruce and Shauna Crane of Logan, UT, are frequent visitors in Mink Creek, one of their favorite places on the entire globe. Jeff and Julie Workman, once in Mink Creek have a hard time returning to their home in Stansbury Park, UT. Larry and Lillian Hansen enjoyed family members visiting at their Bear Creek home. I am sure there are others I have missed so please accept apologies.

October 5, 2021

 

With hearts full of gratitude for the produce raised this past summer, members of the Relief Society held their own version of a Farmer’s Market activity at the Mink Creek ballpark. Kathy Jarvis directed the event and had assists from several others: Jonia Jackson gave tastes and information for using coconut oil in making popcorn. April Rasmussen shared pieces of her goat milk soap , told about the making of it, and brought a pair of baby goats as accessories. Brittnee Phillips and Kathy Roy combined efforts on making use of elderberries for both health and goodies, sharing elderberry caramels. Jasmine Erickson had recipes for various vegetable dishes, while her mother, Laurel Wilde showed how to use herbs, both wild and domestic, for health benefits. Those attending brought excess produce from their gardens to share as well as ideas and recipes on the preserving of the bounties of our summer’s plantings and harvesting. There were handouts for health from A to Z (zucchini). Light refreshments went along with a tasting table.

With the cold temperatures at night there are still hopes of continued harvest for tomato plants, squash, and late blooming flowers as we cover those plants each evening. It is a yearly ritual to cling to the great tastes of ‘homegrown’ every fall.

Danita and Eldon Wilcox are very excited to announce that they have a new mission call! They will be serving in the New York and Pennsylvania Historic Sites Mission starting next March. They have invited us all to come visit them while they are serving.

Ken and Loren Nash have made a fall visit to the beauties of Mink Creek as the year moves along. They have ‘double residency’, being part of the Haws family, in California and Idaho.

The admonition of “Watch out for deer” as people drive through our village is one worth heeding. Lately we have had several instances of deer being hit during the night as vehicles go barreling down or up Highway 36. The evidence for blood all over the pavement and mutilated flesh to the side tells at least a portion of the incident. So, yes, when one hears that familiar “Watch out for deer,” it isn’t just a habitual comment. This is wildlife country---deer, elk fox, moose, raccoons, cougars, coyotes, possible wolves, even bear, live in our valley.