March 28, 2023

 March is nearly over, and according to the calendar spring has arrived.  There must be some confusion, any crocuses or daffodils are still asleep, buried under huge piles of snow.  I saw a couple of sandhill cranes in a field and they looked totally out of place, those long legs trying to move them along on top of the snow.  Made me remember what it was like to walk on stilts when I was a kid.

Volunteer residents of the community gathered at the horse barns of the Franklin County Fairgrounds on the evening of March 18^th to fill sandbags and load them on trailers to bring to Mink Creek to aid in directing the melting water flow as it seeks the level of our creeks. Delivery was made to several homes in need.

It was an anniversary celebration for the Relief Society organization, done up in great style on March 16^th. About two dozen members gathered in the multi-purpose room of the ward building, wearing party hats and bearing an exchangeable gift. The plan for the evening was to get to know each other better. A question sheet entitled “Did You Know?” sparked conversations as individuals replied to the inquiries. When the gifts were opened and the giver identified, that person told why they had chosen that particular thing to be given to another. Talents and interests were revealed in this way. Refreshments were fitting for a birthday party – cake and ice cream. Leah Costley Gilbert had decorated a huge circular cake representing the emblem of Relief Society, in yellow, blue and gold. She is the daughter of Relief Society 1^st counselor, Cecelie Costley and grew up in the ward.

Jonia Jackson has spent some of these wintry days in Hawaii. Besides soaking up warmth and sunshine, she was visiting with the family of her son John Pierce on the island of Oahu. Jonia loves gardening, but that talent is going to be on hold while the snow reigns in our town.

The youth of the community gathered food donations for the Preston Food Pantry. It was a Food Drive sponsored by the Preston North Stake with a prize of a pizza party to the ward that brought in the most food items. Residents left bags of non-perishable food on their doorsteps for pick up. The Mink Creek Ward did not get the First Place, but they did get Second and were treated to chocolate milk and doughnuts. This arrived at an activity for the youth about journal writing with instruction from Cecelie Costley in preparation for the coming Summer Trek that the youth will be making. No complaints for either of these most worthwhile projects.

Any of our summertime residents, thinking to check out their homes, will find their driveways filled with at least 2-3 feet of snow at this point.  Spring really is coming, but there are some delays.