August 4, 2015

             There has been some Christensen Family Reunions around here. That surname covers a large group connected with this community, sufficient to have smaller batches getting together. I know of one taking place in Preston, another out our way.

            Eldon and Danita Wilcox were able to gather all of their children and families together for some summer fun. Three of them live in Utah: Elise and Jeff Hardy in North Ogden, Brittany and Matt Durrant in Salt Lake City, Ami and Tom Fenton in Tooele. Lesli and David Evans live in Savannah, TX. The rest are in Idaho: MaKenzie and Tyson Gunter in Pocatello, Brigham and Jennifer Wilcox in Idaho Falls, Jesse and Annavelyn Wilcox here in Mink Creek.

           Jesse Wilcox was sustained in the LDS Ward as the ward clerk this past week. He replaces Nelson Coleman who is moving to Thatcher.

          Wynn and Cecelie Costley have had several weeks of grandparent fun. Hannah and Spencer Singleton brought their children for a lengthy summer stay. Their home is in Arkansas. Hannah's siblings thay live a bit closer to Mink Creek brought their families up and there was some great cousin hours enjoyed

           The Young Women held their summer camp near Rexburg, ID. Thirteen girls participated with five leaders: Laurel Wilde, Candy Longhurst, Tiffany Longhurst, Terrie McKay and Melinda Jepsen.

Activities included a long hike, a rope course, a trip to the Rexburg LDS Temple, and water fun at Camp Takedown.

          Melissa Colvin and her children have been staying for a few weeks with her folks, Joann and Drew Ford. The Colvin family is in the middle of a move from their home in Nebraska with a job change that will take them to Iowa. This makes for an even greater distance when it comes to family visits.

           Summer apples are falling from the tree branches. If the tree happens to be domesticated, and the apples are sliced with the lawn mower, bees and wasps gather for a sweet feast. It behooves a person to keep that in mind when traipsing through the grass. A sweet sting still hurts!

          The Famous Preston Night Rodeo weekend brought home lots of people and their friends. More details will follow in next week's blog.

            Franklin County Fair commences next week. Day One is Aug 10^th and children and parents are finishing up those last bits and pieces of projects to enter. 4H leaders have their hands full, especially if they are both leader and parent. It is scramble time!

July 28, 2015

            The Mink Creek Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints held a Ward Conference this month. The presidency and stake officers of the Preston North Stake attended, with Pres. Dax Keller presiding. The stake auxiliary officers presented information and instruction in their corresponding sessions. The Mink Creek Primary children sang “Gethsamane,” a selection that touched all in the congregation.

             The family of Laural and Jody Janke went on vacation time to the midwest. En route they stopped at places of historical interest. In Nauvoo, IL, they connected with friends from Richmond, UT, Hal and Leslie Briggs and discovered new things that they had in common. Most of their days were spent in the area around Ottawa, IL, where Jody's family has roots, with his brother and sister's families.

            Charles Iverson, son of Bishop Kurt and Margret Iverson, was ordained to the office of a deacon as he graduated from Primary. He also earned the Faith in God award.

            Linda Shewmaker and Sheryl May, sisters of Bruce Crane, came down from their homes near Burley, ID. They try to have this family time in Mink Creek at least once a year at the Crane Cabin on Birch Creek not far from where they spent their early years.

            We have a couple of houses that are in various stages of completion. Kerry and Lacey Christesnsen are doing some expanding on their home on Birch Creek road. Kerry is spending a lot of after work hours wearing a carpenter apron with his hammer handy. A new home is going up on Barley Hill, tucked around a corner off Station Creek Road. It belongs to Jeff and Deborah Olson. One of these first days they will move into the neighborhood. Jeff's Mink Creek roots run deep.

           Temperatures plummeted yesterday, down into the 40s. A big wind swept up our valley, ahead of a lengthy rainstorm. No freezes reported thus far. Our weather has been abnormal ever since last winter.

             People have been picking huckleberries in our canyons. What chokecherries there are will be ready soon. A spring that was full of blossoms has turned into a summer that is nearly bare of berries in the lower area of Mink Creek. I am guessing it is similar traveling east.

           I had surgery on my right hand last week and am bandaged up for a couple of weeks.  Please endure my left-handed endeavor to keep up with my writing assignments. 

Between the hand and the brain it is a challenge.

July 21, 2015

             A Boy Scout Court of Honor recently celebrated three young men receiving their Eagle rank. They are Andy McKay, son of Paul and Terrie McKay, Ty Beardall, son of Kent and Tammy Beardall, and Sam Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons. Their Eagle projects were quite individual. Andy constructed a sign for at the junction of Station Creek and Glencoe roads. Ty built a fence on the 1^st base line at the Adam Beardall Field of the Preston High School Baseball complex. Sam designed and built frames for cast displays used at the Worm Creek Opera House.

           Keith Crane, born and raised in Mink Creek, started his family on Two Creek Ranch, then moved them to Burley, ID, for the finishing up years. He was laid to rest at 90 years of age in the Mink Creek Cemetery last week. His wife, Ramona and children RoZann, Lisa, Gilbert, Tracy and Kelly, plus more family and friends gathered for this occasion. Quoting one of his nieces, “there was a whole flock of Cranes” all together. The combined Relief Societies of the Burley 3^rd and Mink Creek Wards provided lunch following the graveside services.

           Seminary certificates were awarded to youth of the LDS Ward. James Baird, Ty Beardall, Brooke Corbett, Angelo and Celina Crosland, Claire Jepsen, McKinley Longhurst, Andy McKay, River McKay, Ben and Sam Seamons, Austin Straight, Chris Wilkerson and Travis Greene received certificates and both McKinley and River lettered as well.

          Bill and Myrna Despain drove to Lovell, WY, to attend their 60^th high school class reunion. On their return they hosted the Despain Family Reunion. Around twenty family guests came from three states: Montana, South Carolina, and Idaho.

          Tammy and Nelson Coleman have sold their Mink Creek home. The move won't be too far away. Tammy grew up in Grace, ID, and the Colemans will be living in Thatcher while building a home nearby. This couple will be sorely missed, but Tammy's family are happy to have them closer.

           Our gardens are doing well. I had three yellow crookneck squash from an anonymous donor today. I felt good about picking my first couple of cucumbers from my few vines and then one of my green thumb friends tells me she has sufficient to start doing dill pickles. For those readers who are interested I predict a good crop of chokecherries this year. They are not close to harvest day, but they are plentiful. Just remember that the local bird population keeps a close eye on their degree of ripeness, and will be ready to feast when the berries are perfect. Anything that is a berry or cherry they gobble right up.

July 14, 2015

                Mink Creek's July 4th party was great, although attendance was a bit less than usual. The presentation of colors at the flag raising ceremony was conducted by Capt. Mike Jepsen, US Army, and other veterans from our community. This year the recent recalling of the Candy Bomber of WWII inspired a candy drop from the air that excited all ages. We haven't done that for a few years. Besides the always popular softball, Jesse and Annavelyn Wilcox directed a variety of old-time games and races. Dinner was produced under the supervision of Clare and Linda Christensen and their crew with a menu of Dutch oven potatoes, baked beans, slices of pork loin and rolls, tossed down with cherry limeaide or water, your choice. Dessert was cupcakes that had been judged for their patriotic tastiness earlier in the day. Volunteers from the community met the needs of the day for a fun celebration. The waterslide always tops off the afternoon. This year a contest for original poetry involved both patriotic and cowboy varieties and were recited by those who had taken pen in hand. Nate and Dana Olson were in charge overall and are now able to take a day or two to relax from the pressure of this event.

               The new owners of George and Judy Rasmussen's home on Bear Creek Rd. are officially settled in. Ross and Judy Young come to us from Missouri. Judy is a writer, an author of children's books, and Ron is an artist, having a studio at their home. Our welcome mat has been rolled out and we hope they find Mink Creek to their liking.

             Chad and Dawnell Greene are announcing another grandson. This little one was born the last of June to their son Hestin and Tristan Greene, living now in Preston.

               Hot days, cool nights. Those night temperatures are so very welcome. They give every living thing a break, encouragement to restart the next morning. Raspberries and peas are hitting their peak right now. Pie cherries are ripening, we humans might even be able to harvest some of this sour variety, if we can pick faster than the local robins. They are very persistent.

July 7, 2015

        Jimmie and AnnaBeth Olson's family were very involved in the recent Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay Race, beginning in Logan and finishing in Midway, UT. This covered a distance of 200 miles, with one team member running, day and night, for 24 hours. It takes teamwork and support from the whole gang to accomplish this feat. Olson family team members were AnnaBeth, Peggy Flinders, Dana Petersen, Mike and Anna Olson, Jerry and Christin Olson, Jason Stucki and his son Garrett. They imported 3 others to make up a team of twelve. Lydia Stucki and Jimmie were chief supporters and cheerleaders.

           Following her unexpected death, family of Camille Knudson, wife of Jeff Knudson, gathered in Mink Creek to honor their mother. She passed away in a recreational vehicle accident on June 21^st on the Bear River side of our surrounding mountains.

           The wedding of Mikel Beardall and Rebecca Frandsen brought the family of Kent and Tammy Beardall all back home. Michelle and Gary Wall and their children of Grand Junction, CO, Shawn and Callie Beardall and four youngsters from Spanish Fork, UT, Laura and Cameron Reeve and their girls of Logan, Kyle Beardall and Heather Beardall both working in Logan and Nicole and Ty Beardall here in Mink Creek. A reception and dance was held at the Mink Creek Ballpark. The following day the couple was married in Logan.

           Brad and Raeone Stuart of Bountiful, UT, come up frequently. One might call them residents not always in residence. A daughter of Carl and Lenna Christensen, Raeone spent her growing up years here, but they have businesses in Utah that need their attention.

           Even on these very hot days motorcycles roar through our community going both directions, headed to Utah or Bear Lake. Although it might be just a solo biker, groups are often thirty or forty in number.

           Rain, lovely rain, has come in the last few days. The weatherman calls the storms thunder showers, but we might feel they have been temperature breakers. The arrival has put some energy back into the doing of daily tasks.  Heat is such a drainer!

           Our thanks to the State Highway crews for mowing the hedge of weeds that borders the road as it passes through our village.  Residents, both human and wildlife, are grateful.  The State  now has a new project: replacing the bridge as the road crosses the waters of Mink Creek and the highway heads up Strawberry Canyon and into the Caribou National Forest.

June 30, 2015

           The Haws family BroMoto ride took place this month. Brothers, plus in-laws and Dad, Karl Haws, spend several days on their bikes, riding Idaho. With three days of riding, they enjoyed 125 miles of back country around here and Soda Springs. At the end of each day a visit to Riverdale Resort soaked off the grime. This years participants were Karl, his sons Aaron, Adam, Kasey and Max, plus Ken Nash and two grandsons, Sam Haws and Nelson Nash. They avoid cooking so Preston food spots are the sources of sustenance during this adventure. Julie Haws, wife of Kasey, enjoyed some Mink Creek down time while the guys were roaring about.

             Tony Mainini graduated from Idaho State University. The son of Steve and Terry Mainini. Tony's area of study was Information Technology Systems. His early hobby has become his source of employment as an IT Specialist for the Pocatello School District.

           RaNae and Doug Mellor were visiting family in Station Creek. She is the sister of Jimmie Olson and Nate Olson. The Mellors live in Meridian, ID.

           Fred and Victoria Christensen spent the weekend with his parents, Lorraine and Royce Christensen. Lorraine has been back east visiting Carrie and Ken Melton and their children in Indiana. While in that location she took the opportunity to visit the Church History sites around, Kirtland, OH.

           Bob and Claudia Erickson had a houseful lately. Two daughters and families came for a summer vacation, filling up empty rooms. Claudine and LaMar McKague, with four children , live in Vancouver, WA. Carla Nielsen plus two sons came up from American Fork, UT, for some cousin time. While here Sam McKague, recently returned from a mission in Brazil, gave a slide show of his time there. Adding the family of Laural and Jody Janke to the audience made up a good sized group.

          The temperatures are more than toasty. 104 was registered a few days past. It makes a person glad for dry weather, just imagine how it would feel with humidity thrown in!

           Mink Creekers and friends are gearing up for our annual July 4^th celebration at the ballpark. It is great that there is lots of shade to offer for visiting time as families return home for the festivities.

           We have a young skunk in our neighborhood who does not follow the usual rules. He(or she) parades through my backyard in the early morning hours, very sure of himself. He is just as likely to show up later in the day on the front side of the house, staying clear of the highway. This makes me a little nervous about being outdoors myself, seeing as how the two of us may have a conflict on just whose place this is! So far I haven't seen this beautiful creature at night, and I always thought that skunks were nocturnal. I am learning to look about before proceeding, day or night, with this little striped teacher.

June 24, 2015

         Kurt and Margret Iverson and several of their children have been gone on a lengthy trip to the United Kingdom. They spent most of their time visiting the area where Margret served as an LDS missionary, near Manchester, England and parts of Wales. It is also great genealogy ground for this family.   Kurt's parents, Johnny and Jeannine Iverson tended the younger children in this absence.

         Lin and Sharla McKay were in Springville, UT, recently for the naming of a grandson, He is the child of Payton and Judith Newby.

         Mink Creek School Reunion brought former schoolmates together to enjoy a June afternoon.  Nate and Dana Olson, who currently live here, organized the event. Lots of pictures of early Mink Creek added interst and some were posted with inquiries as to the identity of the models. Some featured men who were blasting with black powder to begin the canal system that originates in Mink Creek, others featured a horse drawn school “bus.” There were school classe, buildings and vintage cars with proud owners. After a potluck luncheon Glade Larsen announced the answers for the history quiz. Alums of the school donated prizes for a drawing, the most interesting one was a section of the old giant stride from the playground of the past. As the event closed Clare and Linda Christensen were elected to be in charge of next year's gathering.

          Karen Olson Tribett and Nancy Olson Puente drove up from their homes in Payson, UT, to rekindle friendships with this community where they grew up. They are two of the daughters of John and Edith Olson.

         The weeds bordering our main thoroughfare, Highway 36, are very high, often blocking vision at intersections. Be alert for the varieties of critters that may come dashing out from the hedge of weeds as you drive through. Deer, fox, racoons, rabbits, turkeys, and skunks are in abundance, along with our domestic and farm animals that could be hidden in this thick growth.

         Tragedy struck our village a few days ago. Camille Knudson, vibrant and full of fun and life in the morning hours, took a ride on an ATV that afternoon and had a fatal accident. Her obituary is in this weeks paper. She and her husband Jeff moved to Mink Creek several years ago and have been happy to call this home. She will be missed by many because of her caring, kind ways, a smile for all. Even if you were being a stinker in her Primary class you knew Camille loved you. She was that kind of woman.