OCTOBER 25, 2022

 

“Soup & Bread—Self Reliance” a preparedness activity for the ward was the evening of October 15^th. It turned out great. Brian and Jill Peterson were in charge. The recreation hall was decorated beautifully in fall colors – oranges, browns and gold – covering tables and the display areas, along with fall flowers., thanks to Jill’s efforts. They had a game for kids guessing how many skittles were in a container, won by Danny Keller. The display booths were Egg Preservation and Bee Keeping by Brian and Jill, Freeze Drying by Clare and Linda Christensen, Bread Making by Terrie McKay, Canning by Kathy Roy, Gardening by Phee and Robert Crosland, Fermentation for Health, by Brittnee Phillips, Herbal Gardens by Laura Wilde, and Cheese, Butter and Yogurt Production by Laura Cheney. Everyone enjoyed a good variety of soups and several kinds of bread with butter and honey. I would guess around 60 people came, some new people, all ages, getting acquainted in the community. A good night.

ReNae Egley has returned from a friend trip to France. Her traveling companions were Jill Baird Hobbs and Lelan Daines. Readers will recall that Jill’s growing up years were in Mink Creek , the daughter of Verla and Harold Baird. Just days before the trip began ReNae fell and broke her arm and injured her shoulder. This didn’t cancel the trip and with some assists from her friends it turned out to be a wonderful vacation. It began in Paris but stretched way beyond: Avignon-Luberon-The Heart of Province-Marseille-The French Riviera-Eze-and Monaco. They walked cobblestone streets, miles at a time and sampled new foods. ReNae’s world has expanded, a dream come true.

Juliana Packer and children, Cedar, Kymber and Cason, were here to visit family. She is the daughter of Liesa and LaRon Baird, and the granddaughter of Lana McCracken. The Packer family moves around quite a bit, going with Blaine Packer’s employment and Juliana took this opportunity to be back home for a few days.

Phee and Robert Crosland enjoyed a Caribbean Cruise just prior to the Hurricane Ian event. They went with their son Mario and Amanda Crosland of Smithfield who were celebrating an anniversary. The weather was good while they were there and the group was on their way back to Idaho before the hurricane moved in.

We are in the “what is it?” season. Temperature has dropped considerably. We had a day of rain, snow, sleet, and then repeat. It has stayed chilly, doesn’t feel like winter, doesn’t feel like Fall. Today brought on a short period of white out with little pellets of snow. That melted and all is bare of snow except for our mountaintops. The State Snowplows even made a trip up Strawberry Canyon, but the snowmobile crowd has not arrived. Welcome to the “before or after” season.

October 18, 2022

 

October started out great for Carson Henry Christensen and Shalayla Ann Elliot. They were married on Oct. 1 at the Mink Creek Ballpark. Carson is the son of Bryan Christensen and Lisa Christensen. Shalayla is the daughter of Scott and Tasha Elliot of Salmon, ID. These two met while students at Utah State University. Carson and Shalayla are not quite finished with their studies but they will make their home in Mink Creek. They were honored with a beautiful reception and had a banquet prepared for all who came to wish them well.

The youth of the community participated in a Fall hike into our nearby mountains. They were guided up the canyon by Bishop Paul McKay to the head of Dry Creek and this time of year its condition matches its name. The changing colors of the foliage were a plus for the hikers.

Jeannine Iverson has enjoyed having a gathering of her siblings at the Iverson home of Johnny and Jeannine on Glencoe Road. They are Leon and Sheila Pack of Denver, CO; Patricia Sikes of American Fork, UT; Allen and Velma Pack of the Ft. Worth/Dallas, TX area; Anita and Glade Dursteller from the Salt Lake valley; and Danny and Marcia Pack who live near Delta, UT. It was a time of sharing memories of their growing up years, mostly in Lindon, UT. Since their father was a contractor the Pack family moved around quite a bit according to the demands of his employment. This reminiscing session was a wonderful time for all of them.

Hunting season is upon us and the sounds of a volley of shots become commonplace. Our valley is one that echoes sound so what is given on one side is heard on the other side, whether it is the sound of a heavy vehicle motor, or of an owl making his nightly rounds.

Our deer population has been getting some attacks from vehicles passing through the village. The evidence is the blood that is spreads out on the blacktop of the highway in various places as the “go-to-work” traffic heads out in the hour of dawn, observing the carnage en route.

We can feel the days getting shorter. These dark mornings help us to be glad to have the change to plain old Mountain Standard Time without Daylight Savings. It will be a boost that lasts for nearly a month until it is simply darker on both ends of the day.

October 11, 2022

 

Sandhill cranes that have resided in the valley all summer are busy gleaning in the harvested grain fields. When they take flight to move into a new field it resembles miniature airplanes taking off. Great entertainment.

Iyar and Angelina Koren and their little girls were up for a Fall visit with Angelina’s parents, Steve and Terry Mainini. Everyone enjoyed the changing colors of the leaves, but the girls loved choosing a pumpkin from the Mainini garden and the other vegetables for picking.

Heather Doreen Beardall became the bride of Sam Tuttle in a ceremony at the Mink Creek Ballpark on September 17. She is the daughter of Kent and Tammy Beardall. Mr. and Mrs.Tuttle are excited about the future adventures of their together lives. Congratulations !

Bruce and Shauna Crane have been up from their Logan home to immerse themselves in a few days of Mink Creek’s Fall weather. Linda Crane Shewmaker and Sheryl Crane May , who live in the Burley area, drove over to be part of the fun and memories. Although the timing was a little bit early for all the changing colors, they never fail to have a great time.

Children of Claudine and LaMar McKague met in Mink Creek to enjoy the first weekend of October and General Conference with their parents who have recently moved to Mink Creek from Washington state. Sage and Nathan Ricks and Elsie McKague drove down from Rexburg, ID where they are going to BYU/I. Ethan McKague came up from Provo, UT, where he is at school at BYU. Mink Creek is the central meeting place.

It is getting to the point that jackets are required for most hours of the day. The sun is rising and setting in a slightly different spot on our opposite horizons, which is the very truest indication that the seasonal changes are right on time. Now we await, somewhat impatiently, the end of Daylight Savings Time. Perhaps that is just a personal view.

October 4, 2022

 

Twlonie and Kim Bullock are serving as missionaries with special needs students at Green Canyon High School. The Bullocks began this service last March and have continued into the current school year.

Jacobi Johnson and Ryann Greaves were married at the beautiful Day Mountain Ranch Resort and Event Center in Cub River Canyon on September 10^th. Jacobi is the grandson of Phee and Robert Crosland of Mink Creek and grew up here as a son. Ryann is the daughter of Shawn and Kari Greaves of Preston. The Crosland clan were in attendance, so pleased for Jacobi.

Roxy and Mack De Vries have added a baby boy to their family. He was born Sept 20^th, a little ahead of schedule, weighed 8 lb, 10 oz, and was 21 inches in height. Roxy and Mack had chosen the name Carter Slade for this young man.

We have had some cougar sightings, the big cats are out and about and it pays to be aware, particularly for pets and livestock. These mountain lions don’t seem to be deterred by the traffic on our main drag, Highway 36. After all, we are living in their territory along with the deer, elk, skunks, raccoons, eagles, etc. Speaking of deer, the critters are attacking garden sites, even consuming grapes, tomatoes, squash, nothing seems to deter their appetite, or a desire to sample each plant, then moving on to the next one.

With Fall coming on our ‘in an out’ human population dwindles somewhat. Jim and Debbie Harrison are still making frequent trips home to Mink Creek. David and Melanie Law of Kaysville, UT, are getting more comfortable in their spot on the slopes above the Mink Creek itself.

The sons of Robert and Phee Crosland who came home for Jacobi’s wedding, enjoyed some extra days together hiking these hills of their youth. Now that they are spread across the nation they treasure time spent together when it comes available, it is hard to schedule vacation days to match in the world of adulthood.