Valentine's Day plus one

 I hope you recognized that yesterday was a day that you let people know that you cared.  That should happen frequently, not once a year, but it is a day for a good reminder.  Mink Creek had a Valentine Dinner, but it will be reported here next week as part of the news column. 

JoAnn and Kevin Auger were in Mink Creek for a family visit. JoAnn is the sister of Glen Jepsen, and aunt to Dr. Kerry Jepsen. Kevin’s roots are in Preston. The Augers live in Woodland Hills, UT.

ReNae Egley went with her daughter, Tara Nielsen, to Nampa, ID, to soak up the sounds of the orchestra concert that was the culmination of the efforts of students who had qualified for the Idaho All State Orchestra. Tara and Jeff Nielsen’s son, Nick, had auditioned and been accepted, playing as the First chair Bassist. Nick is an excellent musician in many areas of the field. The concert was held on the campus of the Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa. Nick plays in the Preston High School Orchestra under the direction of Ms. Jill Durrant.

A new family has arrived in Mink Creek. Jacob and Christy Cheney and their children Jared, Isaac, Kaylee, and Hannah have been welcomed into the lower story of the home of Ken and Jean Ross. The Ross couple are the grandparents, Christy their daughter. Jacob’s Mink Creek connection is that of his sister Laura Cheney who has lived here several years. This arrival of more children will expand the rolls of our dwindling Primary-age numbers.

The neighborhood owls are chatting during these cold crisp nights of moonlight. It is fun to listen, but way too cold for much outdoor observation and tuning in to the conversations.

Friends in Cub River aren’t reporting many deer sightings on their side of our connecting mountains. Our melting southern slopes must offer feed with extra flavor because our deer are many. Please be careful if driving through our village and beyond, particularly during the evening and night time hours.

Driveways to summer homes are still very full of snow, especially if it is in area that drifts with the winter winds. I recently had a contact from some of our summer folk, inquiring about snow depth and I investigated. For their particular spot there is still about a foot in their driveway. For readers in this situation, this is a reminder of one more challenge to consider before you plan a weekend in this direction.