Last post for May, 2015

         If you ever attended a Mink Creek School, either the yellow brick, or the red brick, you are invited to attend Mink Creek School Reunion coming up on June 13^th. To qualify for this event it is not necessary that you have graduated from either institute of learning, only that you attended.The list of names provided for those in charge has not been kept up to date and this is a reminder for all who might be interested.  The reunion starts at noon and includes a potluck lunch, lots of visiting and shared memories. If you have memorabilia from your years of residency feel free to bring it, it may stir memories for someone else.

          With the coming of spring Sylvia and Sam Stanger have returned to our community. They are moving forward with their restoring of the old yellow brick schoolhouse just northeast of the creek connection of Strawberry Creek and Mink Creek.

           The Father and Son Campout endured a night of rain. But a little water, or a big bit, didn't wipe out the planned event, there was a fair turnout in spite of the damp. Some slept in tents, others in campers. The evening meal was Navaho tacos and a breakfast of eggs, sausage and pancakes was welcome come morning. Due to the consistent rain the ATV ride was canceled, mud is a challenge not needed for a large group of riders of various ages.  Making mud pies was not on the list of suggested activities.

         Jimmie and Anna Beth Olson have returned from a road trip. They enjoyed the redwood forests of northern California and the beautiful scenery around Highway 101. After a stay at Coos Bay on the Oregon Coast they meandered over to the Boise area for a visit with daughter Dana and Charlie Peterson and their children before heading home across Idaho.

           Payton and Judith Newby and family were visiting with his parents, Sharla and Lin McKay. Danny and Nicky Coleman and their two little girls had a weekend with his parents, Tammy and Nelson Coleman. Tammy parents, Ray and Ila Rae Vanvleet of Grace, ID, drove over as well.

          It has been a wet Memorial Day weekend, but that hasn't stopped families from coming to the Mink Creek Cemetery. There was even a Scottish piper playing the pipes for a few moments in remembrance of the family's Scottish roots. This community was founded by Scandinavians, and much of the headstones bear that out, but it has also been a place of welcome to others.

           Our lilacs are in full bloom, all colors, mixing in with the many yellow and golden wild flowers that fill the hillsides. Don't discount the smiling dandelions. Things are so full of color in this damp spring against a background of varied greens. All visitors have been proclaiming, “it is soooo green.”  Come see us, you will feel transported to foreign shores.

May 19, 2015

           Graduation is looming in the lives of several of our youth. Donning Preston High official robes will be two young men and five young ladies: Justin Longhurst, son of Sheldon and Candy Longhurst; James Baird, son of LaRon and Liesa Baird; Claire Jepsen, daughter of Kerry and Melinda Jepsen; Brooke Corbett, daughter of Shane and Sherrie Corbett; Tawni Hall, daughter of Brett and Kristi Hall; Haylee Hatch, daughter of Sam and Katie Hatch; Lizzie Green, daughter of Dale and Charity Wallentine, wife of Joshua Greene.

            It is needful to mention a correction from a past blog where it was claimed that Jesse Parker was a senior, I am happy to report that he is only a junior. It means we get to keep him for one more year.  I am sure the PHS baseball coach feels the same way, Jesse is fun to watch on that pitcher's mound.

            Travis and Amber Arnout of Logan, and their family of four small children were up to spend a weekend with his parents, Mark and Karen Arnout. Jacob and RaNette Free and their two youngsters came over from Pinedale, WY, from for some time with his parents, Richard and Vickie Free.

            The chokecherry blossoms are providing a lovely perfume right now. There seems to be chokecherry trees everywhere. In my own neighborhood they are close by north, east and south, a little more sparse in the western direction. Every hillside seems wrapped in the golden color of mules' ears flowers.

            Ty Samuel Beardall, son of Kent and Tammy Beardall, was ordained to the office of priest in the LDS Ward recently. Two brothers came to assist in this event. Shawn and Callie Beardall and their four children drove from Spanish Fork, UT. Mikel Beardall brought his fiance, Rebecca Frandsen to be part of the family group.

            Jacobi Johnson, grandson of Phee and Robert Crosland was ordained a teacher. He also had out-of-town family visitors. Malia and Jason Kunde and their children from Rigby, ID, and Giovanni and Kristina Crosland and family from Franklin, ID.

             We are having duck weather. Rain, rain, and more rain. No sprinkler pipes being moved across farmer fields right now.  Snow has returned to many of our mountaintops. The snow has never left the mountain peak next to the Mink Creek Steeps, but the others have appeared bare from this ground floor view. A ride up the canyon reveals that there are still snow piles hidden among the pines as one gets near the summit by Copenhagen road. As always, please be aware of the deer moseying about near Highway 36. No matter the elevation the deer inhabit this area.

May 12, 2015

            Our spring Highway 36 cleanup project was amazing. The most amazing thing was that it happened on an evening with no rain. Fact: most years this very worthwhile project seems to bring rain with its scheduling. Not so for spring, 2015. The youth turned out in good numbers and were rewarded with a supper of Sloppy Joes and brownies, served in the pavilion area to the rear of the LDS Ward building.

             The Crosland twins, Mario and Maro came home for the summer from BYU in Provo. Marco has packed up and is spending these summer months at the BYU program in Jerusalem, Mario is happily at home, employed by Preston's Valley Implement. These twins travel on their own paths.

            The beautiful baby girl of Mariah and Brandon Atkinson was given a name and blessing in the LDS Ward. She is Timberlee Jade Atkinson, blessed by her fraternal grandfather, Jay Atkinson. Jay and his wife Teresa are from Deweyville, UT, as are a niece Rachel and Jackson Tuckett. Lynn Atkinson, great grandfather, drove over from Dayton, ID. Greg and Brenda Belew, on the maternal side, with the local clan of  Clarks and Belews of  sharing in the occasion.

            Even though the Twin Lakes Canal is carrying a goodly amount of water right now down out of our village, the waters of Mink Creek are still fairly high. Not booming as in most years, this winter was too mild, but it is still a joy to see. The good storms we have had this past week will be helpful to our entire county.

           Our Community Day of Service covered a number of needed local projects. Our off-roads, those other than our main drag, Highway 36, got some trash pickup accomplished. Trees were pruned, fences fixed. The young men were doing their best to collect scrap metal to give a financial boost to planned fun as well as tidying up the local landscape. These assignments finished up with a wienie roast at our ballpark.

           Jake and Holly Longhurst have been up for a weekend from their place in Orem, UT. They have been celebrating Holly's recent graduation and certification as a Dental Hygienist.

           Our week of rainy days has our community arrayed in shades of green from the top to the bottom. Come see how beautiful it is, you might wonder if you are misplaced in Ireland. Mists hang around the tops of the mountains in the early hours. Planting one thing or another seems to be the order of most days.

May 5, 2015

             Lorraine Christensen is now back home after three months of some serious Grandmother time.  She has been in Arizona, giving some assistance to their son Kevin Christensen. He lives in the Phoenix area.

           The family of Phee and Robert Crosland gathered together in Rigby, ID, to celebrate the blessing day of the infant daughter of Malia and Jason Kunde. She was given the name Evelyn Joy Kunde. Malia's siblings came from near and far. Armando now lives in Washington, DC. Teresina Crosland is in Safford, AZ. Arianna and Ben Hostetter and their little boy, Skyler, are located in Colorado Springs, CO. Chiara Graham came up from Hyrum, UT, and Gionanni and Kristina Crosland and family are in Franklin, ID. The twins, Mario and Marco, are both students at BYU in Provo, UT.

           Mike an Mary Ann Jepsen spent a few days babysitting a new grandson, Prescott Jepsen. Their son Joe and Kate Jepsen live in Salt Lake City.

           Ty Jepsen has had his twelfth birthday recently. His parents are Dr. Kerry and Melinda Jepsen. He was ordained a deacon in the LDS Ward and will now be attending the Young Men classes, having graduated from Primary.

          Mink Creek has had three youth involved during this PHS baseball & softball season. Jesse Parker, son of Jesse Parker, plays on the Varsity squad. Ty Beardall, son of Kent and Tammy Beardall contributes to the Junior Varsity team. Tawni Hall, daughter of Kristi and Brett Hall, is a part of the PHS softball team. Both Jesse and Tawni are seniors this year so this is their last year on a Preston High field.

         A Spring Scout Camporee at the district level was held at the Mink Creek Ballpark. It turned out to be an evening with some rain which contributed to putting a dampener on many of the activities. The attendance was much lower than anticipated.

           The first pickings of water cress are a tradition at this Erickson household.. We went up to the Klondike area of our valley this evening and brought home a dishpan full of the lovely sharp-tasting leaves. I hope this kindles fond memories for some of you readers. A slice of fresh home make bread, slathered with butter and topped with a handful of crisp watercress.  Lip-smacking good!

           Blackbirds are all over the place with their high-stepping postures, it always reminds me of the German armies of World War II. Their chortling sound is like a spring chorus.

            Spring is in high gear in this neck of the woods, I had to mow the lawn twice this last week and it is ready all over again. The first of May is the day that water is turned into the canals.   The creeks are running full right now, but it won't last long due to the mild winter we had.

April 28, 2015

          We have had a few bursts of heavy rain as the week is ending. The most lengthy only lasted about 15 minutes, but it poured during that time. It is all good and appreciated, even with short bouts of power outage. Weeds are prolific no matter the weather and do their bit to add to the green color that abounds on our hillsides.

           MaKenzie Wilcox Gunter, daughter of Eldon and Danita Wilcox, came away from a recent college track event in California with a knee injury. This has meant yet another surgery, having had one approximately a year ago. It has been officially diagnosed as a torn ACL. MaKenzie's athletic abilities will be put on hold for a time.

            Celina Crosland and McKinley Longhurst earned their Young Womanhood Recognition award and medallions were presented to them in the LDS Ward this past week. Celina is the daughter of Robert and Phee Crosland, McKinley's parents are Sheldon and Candy Longhurst.

           Joseph Seamons has returned from two years serving in the Alpine, German-speaking Mission. This mission covers areas in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. When he spoke in the LDS Ward he warned the congregation that he might intersperse German words here and there while he was talking.  He is the son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons. His flight home was delayed, causing some confusion and concern for the welcoming group assembled at the Salt Lake Airport. Relatives from both the Seamons and Jarvis families came to Mink Creek to hear him relate mission experiences.His grandparents are Scott and Cathy Seamons  and Joe and Kathy Jarvis, also Mink Creek, but currently serving an LDS Temple Mission in Johannesburg, South Africa.

             A beautiful baby girl has arrived in Mink Creek. Her parents are Mariah and Bracken Atkinson. She weighed 7 lb 14 oz and was 21 inches on her entry date of April 2^nd. Her grandparents are Greg and Brenda Belew. I understand she has just enough hair to attach a cute bow.  My main source of information about this young lady is her very pleased great-grandfather, Dennis Clark.

             The rain kept coming for a day or two after writing the above news column. In fact one day it was reported that we received 2 inches over the storm period. April showers may bring May flowers, but they are bring Apri flowers as well. The tulips are just right in most yards. Tiny violets are popping out amongst the weeds and grass. The curly flowers should be soon, I haven't been in a situation to notice lately. Dandelions are brightening up the landscape. It is a lovely time of year. One young man who has been here recently, visiting his grandparents, evidenced his maturity when he said, “This place is beautiful, why didn't I appreciate it when I was a kid?” Never too late!

April 21, 2015

                A freak spring storm moved in, lots of heavy wet snow that stayed for nearly three days. It is likely the best snow we have had during this “winter.” Our green growth appears to have survived. It has been fun to watch the snow line creeping slowly up our mountain sides as the temps got sufficiently warm to melt. The report was that it brought 2 feet of new snow to our mountainsWe endured the lack of electrical power for several hours, helping us to appreciate this marvelous invention.

             The season for dancing competitions is coming to an end along with the school year. This seems to apply whether you are dancing with a school team or with another performing group. Mink Creek has quite a few youth that are participating. On the Preston High team is James Baird, Ty Beardall and Travis Greene. Dancing with Strictly Ballroom are Celina and Angelo Crosland, Jacobi Johnson, River McKay, Shelby Larsen, Andy McKay, Haylee Hatch and her twin brothers, Dakota and Chance, Walter and Andrew Iverson, and Claire,Tara, and Clay Jepsen. They have all had a great year with the process of developing these skills that will be used the rest of their lives.

           Layne and Karen Erickson enjoyed a weeekend with daughter Connie and husband Adam Westenskow. The couple live in Logan so contact is frequent, but an overnight stay is not too often.

            Marlene Christensen had family company at her home following her return home after a hospital stay. Her sister Diane and Gary Nelson came up from Nevada for a much needed visit.

            Clay Jepsen, son of Kerry and Melinda Jepsen, was ordained to the office of priest in the LDS Ward. His sister, Tara, with a recent birthday, is now in the Mia Maid class. Hazen Baird, son of LaRon and Liesa Baird, was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His sister, Juliana Packer, and family drove up from Nevada to witness the occasion.

            Driving down the road towards the center of our village is like driving inside a bower of plum blossoms. The scent is heady from those Pottawatomie plum trees that hang over the road. Cherry trees are full of pretty blooms too, but they are not quite so accessible to the public. All over, the trees are in that lacy green pattern of leaf unfurling. All in all, the season is one that strongly appeals to the soul.

            However, the condition of the lawns and fields from the winter of the vole infestation causes much frustration. Even riding a lawn mower is akin to being on a bucking horse.

April 14, 2015

         Spring break scattered quite a few of our residents. Liesa Baird loaded up her children and drove to Nevada for a visit with her oldest daughter, Juliana and Blaine Packer, and their family. The big project during the stay was building shelves for Juliana's home. The Packers are living in Battle Mountain where Blaine is a welder for Phoenix Mines.

           Laural Janke took her mother Claudia Erickson and the Janke children to the northwest. They made a loop, first to Lakeview, OR, spending a few days with sister Kristin and Jay Collins and Claire. Next stop was Vancouver, WA, home of sister Claudine and LaMar McKague and family. All sorts of fun: a forest picnic, a trip to the gorgeous Oregon Coast, a tour of a Pendleton Wool Factory, waterfalls, boy scout activities.  Along with this was the daily rain of the northwest, a different experience for those of parched Idaho.

           The family of Sheldon and Candy Longhurst spent their days in southern California, visiting people and places that were part of 18 month mission for their daughter, Tiffany. She refers to the location as the “sunnyside of CA.” Along with the friends made there, the family enjoyed some beach time at the ocean and various tourist spots.

            PHS track competitions are underway with the coming of spring. Mink Creek youth participating are Andy McKay doing sprints and relays, and Brooke Corbett whose specialty is long jump .

            Terry and Steve Mainini had their whole family home for the Easter weekend, Mario, Tony and Angelina. They reconnected with their Italian nationality, having fun making homemade pasta and dishes that went with it. High on the menu list was homemade ravioli.

           There is a new baby girl in Mink Creek. She is a bit of a celebrity, being the 2015 Farm Bureau Ag Baby born at the Franklin County Medical Center.. Her parents are Harvey and Tiasha Britton and she is named Adrianna June Britton.

           Our Easter day was one of beauty, reassuring of the rebirth of the world. The sky was bright and clear and, with this season a bit ahead of itself, there was plenty of lacey greenery on bushes and trees.

           Spring weather awakens many wondrous things in this part of the country. It also stirs the bugs and insects. The dormant box elder bugs are in evidence. Lifting a lovely green leaf in the flower garden is apt to reveal earwigs, on the run to escape the sun. The flying bug varieties are being plastered on the windshields, leaving their varnish remains to be removed.

           And, not to be ignored, is the return of allergies to various types of growth. The human respiratory system goes on overtime to reject its own individual enemies. Maybe a positive note is the boost to the economy with the increased purchase of tissues, nose sprays and antihistamine meds.