November 27, 2023

 

Jesse and Annavelyn Wilcox and son have been on a lengthy vacation to her homeland in the Philippines. Her family there having more time to get acquainted more thoroughly with little Desmond Wilcox who has celebrated his third birthday this October. When they left our countryside was still fairly green in surroundings, they come home to the crunching leaves and dry colors, not to mention the lowering temperatures.

Candy Longhurst is announcing the arrival of two grandbabies. These two arrived nearly at the same time, but miles apart. Tiffany and Spencer Wheeler welcomed a little girl to add to their family in Boise. Jake and Holly Longhurst were in Logan when their infant son Owen arrived. There were some complications with his birth and Owen was life-flighted to Primary Childrens’ hospital in Salt Lake City. The unexpected situation was diagnosed and treated and the Longhurst family is now home in Franklin, ID.

The youth of the Mink Creek Ward have been planning a trip to the Rescue Mission and homeless shelter in Ogden, UT, for some time. To be of further help the Young Women group has been collecting new and gently used winter wear and blankets to leave with the shelter. They gathered coats, blankets, hats, gloves, scarves and when the date arrived for the planned visit the girls were all under the weather themselves and unable to participate. The truckload resulting from this Winter Clothing Drive went down to Ogden with the Young Mens’ group who were sufficiently healthy to be the means of delivery as well as to help out at the shelter in whatever tasks were needed at that time.

Lorraine Christensen has been on grandmother duty recently. She has been in Layton, tending the children of Carrie and Ken Melton, while the couple attended a work related meeting for Ken. Fun for kids, fun for grandma.

Thanksgiving weekend was a busy one, but the many guests have returned to their scattered homes after enjoying a cold, but dry day in Mink Creek. Family traditions abounded, and lots of good food was served. There has been a search for recipes to use up Thanksgiving leftovers in an appetizing dish.

November 21, 2023

 

The Relief Society of the Mink Creek Ward enjoyed a yummy activity, very befitting for the month of November. It was that of making pies, lots of different pies, crusts, etc. Kathy Barber gave a demonstration on the art of baking pies, the melt in your mouth variety. A variety of cream pies, fruit pies, pumpkin pie. There were samples to go with the instruction and our Thanksgiving tables should benefit from this fun affair.

For the month of November the Mink Creek Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been assigned to assist in Preston at the Legacy 3 Branch, part of the Heritage Homes.

Mike and Anna Olson and some of their family of Brigham City, UT and CJ Peterson of Meridian, ID, spent a weekend in Station Creek on the Olson farm. Mike is the son of Jimmie and Anna Beth Olson. CJ is a grandson, belonging to Dana and Charles Peterson.

It is a time for winter preparations and service projects are often part of the agenda. A group of men from the community got together to help Sue and Wendy Hawkes clear out a garage and a shed to accommodate some better storage for the coming months. Both the Hawkes sisters and the animals they care for will benefit from these work hours given.

Rita Warburton Cargill has been back at the Warburton/Jepsen home place for several weeks. She and her husband Richard have plans to move from their current place in California back to Idaho to enjoy retirement. An extra plus to this arrangement is that of being closer to family.

The COVID bug it making itself known among our residents, sorry to say. More visible bugs are very active now as well: box elder bugs, crickets, etc., all seeking warmer quarters as they anticipate the coming season, much as we humans are.

Woke up to being snow-covered and that silence it brings the other morning. Beautiful , but it disappeared as the day warmed. It jogged memories of how white this country can be for months at a time.

November 15, 2023

 

Halloween night there was a community Trunk R Treat at the Mink Creek Ballpark. Warmth on the chilly evening was provided by a fire in the pit, plus three space heaters at strategic locations. Dinner was sloppy joes, chips and salads. The parade of costumes showed a lot of creativity on the parts of both parents and kids. Trunks full of goodies were a main attraction, and decorated for the occasion.

Jamie and Natalie Robbins Forbush and their extended family gathered at the Mink Creek Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for the naming and blessing of their baby daughter. The name they selected was Edith Emeril Forbush and she was named by her father.

LaMar and Claudine McKague spent a week in Vancouver, WA, with their son Sam and Sierra McKague. Besides reconnecting with old friends in that area of the northwest, the main objective of this visit was to help Sam and Sierra with a remodeling project of their home. Many hands lighten the work.

Andy McKay and Brittany Miller were honored at a wedding reception in the Mink Creek Church. The couple had been married earlier that day in the Logan Temple. Andy is the son of Paul and Terrie McKay of Mink Creek, Brittany is the daughter of Brad and Paula Miller of Preston. Aunts, Uncles, cousins and friends for both of them were able to come and celebrate together. Brittany’s grandfather, Elmer Oliverson, was raised in Mink Creek so she already has some connections in place. The new McKays will make their home in Logan where both are employed.

Fall fog has hampered night and early hour driving. It is a joy to have the sun come smiling up the east side of our village to chase that white mist away. It is a surprise to have it clear in Mink Creek and driving south, drop into Riverdale to find it enshrouded.

We keep expecting a weather change, but it continues to be a beautiful fall. Jackets needed, yes, but not more than that. Turkeys have returned from their summer roosts. The deer have never left and I have recently noted two large smears of blood on the highway into town, indication of some wildlife collisions during the night-time hours as traffic doesn’t cease on our main dray during the dark.

November 7, 2023

 

The fall winds are conducting music for the leaves in our valley to perform their final dance. They are going to and fro, up and over, throughout the yards and open fields of our community. What was once red, bright green and yellow are all in shades of rust and tan. It has been a beautiful fall. Snow has arrived, staying in the high ups, but gracefully melting in the warmer sun rays of morning on the areas lower down. Bit by bit the white line descends toward our valley floor. It feels like a normal year so far.

In most of the orchards of the community there has been a prime apple crop. A group of residents gathered at the shop of Clare Christensen to bring the bounty and press the fruit into cider, much of which was used at the community Harvest Social this past weekend.

The Harvest Social and Emergency Preparedness Fair was well attended on a cold October evening. The assignment was to bring a food dish that had been prepared from food from our storage. There was an interesting variety and plenty to go around. Foods brought were: pulled pork in a small roll, Dutch-oven potatoes, apple crisp, pumpkin cake, a black bean casserole of some sort, a meat mixture on a baguette slice, cooked squash, pressed apple cider, a potato soup, cornmeal muffins, mashed potatoes with beef gravy, and others.

Elders’ Quorum President, Bret Rasmussen introduced the rest of the evening with stories from Mink Creek’s early years. They served to illustrate how life could be, living off the grid without many of the luxuries we think necessary in our modern world. The program was to be 15 minute break sessions in various rooms for topics: What to do if the electricity goes out from Brint Philliips, freeze drying from Clare Christensen, 72-96 hour kit updates with Kim Christensen’s handout, making syrup from local maple and box elder trees from Extension Agent Bracken Henderson, drying meat from Ben Keller and Steve Baldwin. Good stuff! The entertainment was great—a team of BYU Folk dancers put on a show. Two of the girls are married to our Iverson boys, Walter and Andrew. They did several numbers: something Australian, an Indian hoop dance, etc. and wound up inviting everyone for the Virginia Reel. It was a night well planned and well carried out.

The weather change brought some snow to join that which has lasted in the mountain tops. Nothing low yet, but reminding us that winter preparations are in order. Living where there are four seasons is great, but full of challenges that go with each of those seasons.