January 30, 2024

 

Graveside services at the Mink Creek Cemetery for Elmer James Call on January 20 brought many of his family back to Mink Creek. There were military rites for Jim, with several of his grandsons officiating. A winter burial is always cold and the family had arranged to meet in the LDS recreation hall following the services to warm up with a cup of cocoa and have a chance to visit with friends and old neighbors of the community.

Since the meeting house of the Mink Creek Ward members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently had some repair work done on the ceiling the leaders felt it might be appropriate to learn about the history of the building, built in 1929. In a Sunday meeting Bruce Crane, of Logan, a recognized authority on most things pertaining to the whole village, presented a faith-based historical account. His grandfather, William Crane, had been the bishop of the ward at the time of the building’s construction. Jimmie Olson, the bishop at the time of a remodeling project about fifty years later, share with the congregation some of the challenges with the more “recent” addition that added several rooms and office space.

There were interesting tidbits mentioned in this historical account. The women of the community in 1928-9 painted the walls of the building, one brush stroke at a time, with no roller devices in those days. They also varnished all of the woodwork, benches and pews. One of the aisles was widened in the remodeling to facilitate the entry and removal of caskets for the funeral proceedings that take place in the building.

More Crane family drove over from the area around Jerome, ID, to spend some time with Bruce and his wife Shawna. His sisters, Linda Crane Shewmaker and Sheryl and Bob May made the early morning drive in spite of the disagreeable weather.

Jane Malouf, granddaughter of Jeff Olson of Mink Creek and Jim and Donna Malouf of Riverdale, has qualified for Junior Nationals in ski jumping. Jane is the daughter of Erica and Matt Malouf of Anchorage, AK. This is an exciting accomplishment for the teenager.

The Chinook arrived in January this year, which we consider normal for winter seasons. Last year this was not the case. Now everything is thawing and there is the rhythmic plop, plop, plop cadence, heard no matter where or when in the outdoors.

January 23, 2024

 This is the Mink Creek rural news column that should be in this week's Preston Citizen--but it won't be. Difficulties in the assembling of the paper this week and nothing turned out right.  So I am still going to post it on this blog, because next week it will be old stuff.

In spite of the combined winter snow storm and winds presenting whiteout conditions, filling roads and driveways with 2-3 feet of snow, the members of the Mink Creek LDS Ward were able to hold their Sunday meeting this past week. Early that morning volunteers arrived to clear the sidewalks and the parking lot. Residents who have snowplows on their pickups went about opening up the side roads to connect with the main roads. Driveways were up to the individual households. Attendance was a bit limited for this reason, but the congregation welcomed three stake visitors, Tom Madsen and Jay and Nancy Jensen, who have recently returned from a Senior mission to Georgia.

Candy Longhyrst and ReNae Egley enjoyed a few warm days in the St. George area with friends. Fun activities and a break from the ice and snow that has descended in this month of January.

Three young men of the Mink Creek ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were ordained to various priesthood offices this month. Issac Cheney was ordained to the office of a deacon, his brother, Jared Cheney, to the office of a teacher. Both are the sons of Jacob and Christy Cheney. Morgan Keller, son of Jared and Hollie Keller, was ordained a priest.

The Primary organization honored Issac Cheney, Annie Rasmussen and Kassidy Christensen as they graduated from Primary to become part of the Young Men and Young Women programs. Annie is the daughter of Trevor and April Rasmussen and Kassidy is the daughter of Lacey and Kerry Christensen.

Jeff and Julie Workman of Stansbury Park, UT, have been here for a good sized visit and were able to be part of the community and being able to meet the challenges of winter in our mountains.

The closure of the highway 36 over to Bear Lake on several days has done much to limit the traffic passing through. It makes us realize how much this road is traveled from our neighboring county and across the border into Wyoming.

If you want to read the  column "Out of Our Past for January 24, 2024" it won't be in the paper version of the Citizen, but it will be on the Citizen Facebook site.  The same applies for the Development column, historical info---this week's is about the early days of owning and driving one of those new-fangled contraptions called an automobile after being dependent on a team of horses for every move.  There were no service stations and a tire for an auto was completely different from that for a carriage or farm wagon.

January 16, 2024

 

The annual Mink Creek Ski party took place at Beaver Mountain Ski Resort on January 5. All ages and levels of ability are able to enjoy this night on the cold slopes with skiing, snow boarding and sleigh riding. It has served as a time of learning and gaining experience for many years. Some people go to just observe from the warmth of the lodge. The energy level is sustained from the potluck offerings of those participating.

Hannah Singleton and her sons, Samuel and Grey, of El Dorado, AR, chose to have a white Christmas this year with Hannah’s parents, Wynn and Cecelie Costley. Most of the Costley siblings that live within easy driving distance joined the group scattered through the holiday.

The family of Laural and Jody Janke of Teton, ID, spent several days of their Christmas break with grandparents, Bob and Claudia Erickson and other family members. There were lots of late night games and some hours spent sleigh-riding in the moonlight.

The Syringa Camp of the DUP met this month in Preston. Linda Carlson, second in command of this group, was in charge for January. Lorraine Christensen presented a lesson about the ladies that had written pioneer songs.

Royce and Lorraine Christensen spent the holidays in warmer locations. They were down in Gilbert, AZ, with their son Kevin. This trip included a drive into New Mexico, with the holiday lights as part of the changing scenery.

Elmer James Call passed away in Perry, UT, on January 9. He was 90 years of age, and living with his son Preston Call. The blended family of Verdell Pace and Jim Call lived and farmed in Mink Creek for many years, with nine children in the combined family. With retirement the couple moved to Perry. After a funeral in Utah on January 20, Jim will be buried in the Mink Creek Cemetery.

Several days worth of snow storms left Mink Creek with several feet of snow. A number of our residents have plow-trucks(pickups with snow blades attached) and some of them quickly opened up our side roads to the Highway 36, at least for one way movement, knowing that the county crews would arrive later, but giving us access to the main street of our community.

January 9, 2024

 

Visitors came for parts of the holiday, Christmas and New Years. Some were able to enjoy the Mink Creek spirit for nearly a whole week, others came just for a day or two.

Some of the family of Jennifer and Jeff Seamons came ‘home’ for part of the holidays. They now live in Caldwell. Both sets of grandparents live in Mink Creek, Kathy and Joe Jarvis and Cathy and Scot Seamons.

Jim and Debbie Harrison left their home in the St. George area and the warmer temperatures to have Christmas in the cold of Mink Creek and memories with friends and neighbors.

Andy and Brittany McKay and son Crew came up from Logan to enjoy family time with his parents, Paul and Terrie McKay and grandparents, Layne and Karen Erickson. Morgan and Eli Curtis from Bountiful, UT were part of the family gathering.

Several grown children graced the home of Kurt and Margret Iverson. Walter and Andrew Iverson and their wives had a break from classes in Provo at BYU. Their only daughter, Alexis Strong , her husband and family came over from their home in Colorado.

The new home of Claudine and LaMar McKague celebrated its first Christmas by having all five of the McKague children gathered together. Sam and Sierra McKague from Washington state, Ethan McKague from Lehi, UT, and the others from around the Idaho Falls area, Sage and Nathan Ricks, Jarin and Brynlee McKague and their boys, and Elsie McKague, now on break from studies at BYU/I, and home for a few months.

Drew and Hilary Erickson and their family arrived at the Bob Erickson household shortly after Christmas day, all primed for a day of skiing. This family live in Tempe, AZ, but they love to ski. This year they managed a day on the slopes at Beaver Ski resort before they returned to the warmer climates.

This afternoon/evening we had a fierce storm move in. Wild wind, snow and much trashing about. It was a whiteout for quite awhile, leaving extra winter in its wake. There seems to be a promise of more tomorrow. Anyone who wondered when real winter was coming now realizes it is here.

Happy New Year, 2024

 A flip of the calendar, or the touch of our phone, and the new year has arrived.  Cold and clear, but with hopes of a storm by the end of the week.

The Mink Creek ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had more than one reason to feel joyous this Christmas eve. They were able to hold their Sunday meetings in their own building, in their own chapel, and it was good. The ceiling repaired, was beautiful, and feeling unchanged, although there are photos of the process that prove it had taken place. Once again, gratitude was expressed to the Riverdale Wards for sharing their building while the improvements were being made.

On this special Christmas eve Sunday there was a baby to be named and blessed. The infant son of Jarin and Brynlee McKague was given the name Preacher J Hardy McKague. Grandparents LaMar and Claudine McKague of Mink Creek and Robert and Melissa Fehrenbacher of Idaho Falls were there to witness the occasion along with other family members and friends.

There has been much exchanging of neighbor gifts during this season. Treats, sweets, service, kindness has appeared in many forms, walks shoveled. All things good, and it has carried over past the official day.

Adam and Camene Haws and family came up from Sol Vang, CA for a white Idaho Christmas at the Haws home in Mink Creek. There was less snow than they had hoped for. No one expected an early melt near the end of December. A plus for the LDS ward, Adam was a soloist singing “Gesu Bambino” for the Christmas Eve meeting.

Laura Cheney and Cindy Hanson are taking a break, not exactly a vacation, in Utah. Their current employment status requires then to be in the Ogden area for a few months.

Even though we don’t have much snow depth there is plenty of evidence of wildlife in our midst. Some of those are the tracks of various animals as they find their way around the community. The deer trails run through the orchards, various birds and smaller animals make frequent visit to the feeding stations of our pets, and others nearly line up beside the livestock during feeding times.

I wouldn’t say we had a “green Christmas,” it was mostly white, but with a little rust around the edges. The snowmobile crowd seem to find sufficient amount to spend time in the canyons on weekends.