30 days hath September, and then it is October. 2025

 

The Mink Creek Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held its annual Ward Conference. Along with President Michael Romney and his Counselors, Nathan Hess and David Larsen, other officers of the Preston East Stake were in attendance and offered instruction in each of the auxiliary organizations. The speakers in the main session were Bishop Jared Keller of Mink Creek and President Michael Romney. Following the second instructional session the ward provided a Linger Longer luncheon of nachos with multiple toppings then a dessert of brownies and ice cream.

The Young Women's group of the ward was recently reorganized. The new presidency is Cassie Danfors, President, Julia Haws, First Counselor and Jenny Christensen, Second Counselor with Shalayla Christensen, the secretary. The new advisor is Jillian Iverson Those released from these callings were Claudine McKague, President, Casey Christensen and Kaitlyn Jackson, counselors and Kalee Bair, secretary, and April Rasmussen, advisor.

The Mink Creek Ward building has gotten a new rooftop. The roof has received a new set of shingles and is looking prepared for the changing season.

Julie Kunz was down from her home in Idaho Falls for a weekend visit with her parents, Layne and Karen Erickson. It was a family weekend for Julie, attending a bridal shower for Kunz family in Bear Lake while she was in the area.

Fall colors decorate our surroundings. Strawberry Canyon is full of Fall reminders. Golden aspen and lime greens. Evans Hill on our south is showing maple reds. Throw in the deep greens of the many evergreens, then just enjoy. It is “come and see” time.

This last day of September has been rainy and cold, reminding us that Fall truly is here and this is not a temporary situation. But it is a welcome season, particularly after some of the blistering days of this past summer. Other reminders this time of year are the case lot sales at the nearest grocery store, potatoes and onions being sold in 50 pound bags, the occasional boast of a bow-hunter announcing that he “got his elk”, the school homecoming football game and dance. All signs of the changing season.

September 23, 2025

 

Brandi and Jake Allred and family have been down from Idaho Falls to spend some time with her parents, Jody and Bret Rasmussen. It is a good time to visit because there are lots of chores/work and fun to be had at this time of year. It is a harvest in many different areas.

Eldon and Danita Wilcox, who are now serving a mission in Bluff Fort, UT, were pleased to have a visit from Cliff and Teresa Keller, Preston friends. The Kellers are a part of the Mink Creek Ward this past year, serving as stake counselors.

It is time for a birth announcement. Corey and Savannah Nielson greeted their newest child, Ida, on September 6, a few days earlier than expected. She weighed in at 8 lb. 14 oz., and is welcomed by sister Astrid and brother Bjorn.

With the arrival of Fall season Mink Creek community tends to get less visitors than during the summer months. Matt Westerberg was here for a few days with his parents, Terry and Wendy Westerberg. Dean and Michelle Wilde of Pocatello have visited off and on during the last three month. Alex Huxford, nephew of Richard Free, came down to see what challenges his uncle might have brewed up. Adam Haws brought some family from California for a last taste of Mink Creek water before their lives took off in studious efforts with school underway.

Paul and Bobbi Debonis are the new owners of the home formerly occupied by ReNea Haddock and Raphael Arnsworth. They come to us from Colorado and it will take some time for them to make the total transition. They discovered the village of Mink Creek and its surroundings while looking for real estate and felt the pull to settle here. Welcome to beautiful Idaho.

And suddenly it feels fall. Leaves changing, most more muted than in a year with more moisture. Trails of smoke rising from piles of weeds, etc that accumulate as garden spaces are cleared of producing plants. Zucchini appearing on doorsteps. Everyone checking out the dates of the big potato harvests around Grace to lay in a winter's supply. This is Idaho and we must have our potatoes

September 17, 2026

 This is not the usual news from the Mink Creek rural column, because the column that was submitted did not make print this week.  What you are going to get is a little shifting around because some of what was submitted still should be in the printed version. Now you get my meanderings.

Mink Creek survived another LOTOJA bicycle race, that is Logan to Jackson. The racers going through our village have improved so much over the years. A number of bikers have been practicing on Highway 36 prior to the Big Day when they come in all sizes of groups: a bunch, just a few, one or two, all working to ascend the canyon road to the best of their ability.  It isn't an easy climb up to Copenhagen Basin and then down the other side of the canyon to Ovid, Montpelier and on into Wyoming to Jackson.

Jacket weather is here, especially for night activities.  No frozen gardens as of yet, but peaches and pears are high on the harvest and preservation tasks.   We are still hoping to stretch out the reasonable weather so that our tomatoes can keep producing and the  winter squash  and pumpkins need more time.  The local deer are well aware of our apple orchards and are quite adept at picking their own choice from the trees. 

September 10, 2025

 

The Eldon Wilcox home had a bustling Labor Day weekend. Wilcox daughter, Elise and her husband Jeff Hardy, plus family, plus some families of their friends enjoyed the freedoms of “life in the country” for these few days. The friendship group lives in the North Ogden area of Utah.

Callie and Shawn Beardall and their children of Spanish Fork, UT, got in a last few days before the changing of schedules with a visit to Kent and Tammy Beardall on the Mink Creek side of the canyon and Dallene Rigby, Callie's mother on the Montpelier side.

Wynn and Cecelie Costley are home after a short trip to Europe. Some years ago the Costley family hosted a Preston High exchange student from Germany, named Phillip. This visit was a re-connection of sorts and an opportunity to see this now adult 'son' with his wife, family and the surroundings he has chosen for his life. It was a wonderful visit.

ReNea Haddock and Raphael Arnsworth have sold their home in Mink Creek, plus Arnsworth's business in Utah. This is a “lock, stock and barrel” type of change and the yardsale took place a few weeks ago. They are moving on to a new chapter in their lives, planned with adventures in new places. They will be missed by the community.

The recent rains brought some life to the wild sunflowers. Those drooping heads of gold took on a new burst of life when the moisture fell. It is chokecherry season in Mink Creek, both wild and domestic. That just makes me think of chokecherry syrup on a short stack of hotcakes,  worth the work of harvesting the berries. 

I hope you are feeling the hint of Fall that is waiting in the weather wings. It has been so many days of oven-type temperatures, day in and day out, that every little bit of lower temperature feels like a magnificent reprieve.

September 3, 2025

 Labor Day already,  impossible.  But it came anyway.  Hope yours was one of relaxation as we swing into those changing months.

Mink Creek has received some rain and it is miraculous how all living things have perked up because of this gift. It has been a long, hot, dry summer and without irrigation we would have blown away. The hot southern winds have arrived every afternoon and one could feel the moisture leaving our environment on a daily basis.

Ben Keller had some knee surgery. He is at home recuperating from the procedure and one sees him out walking and endeavoring to follow the doctor's orders.

Four of the Crosland brothers managed to get together for their own summer high adventure. Rico and Armando went hiking in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. Then they were met by brothers Mario and Angelo and the four hiked the Gros Ventre Range. This took some planning and scheduling of travel and jobs since they all now reside considerable distances apart.

Family and friends gathered to hear remarks from Elder Erick-Niklas Danfors in the Mink Creek ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He spoke about his mission experiences in the Tanzania Dar es Slaam Mission of Africa. The Danfors family of Per and Cassie Danfors moved to Mink Creek during his absence. Elder Danfors has been speaking in Swahili during his mission and part of his program as he reported was a musical number by men of the Danfors family, sung in three languages: Swedish, Swahili and English.

Candy Longhurst and her family have been enjoying an extended visit from daughter Tiffany and Spencer Wheeler and their children.

Bruce Jepsen and his family were in Mink Creek checking on favorite spots from growing years on Bear Creek. He now lives in Washington state. He was bringing family members going to attend BYU/Provo and another for the Mission Training Center.

With this first slight hint of Fall arriving there has been some garden harvesting. Corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, summer apples. Living in a sharing community is a wonderful way of life.