October 24, 2017

         The local deer cleanup crews are overdoing things. One resident went out to harvest her fall grape crop, only to find the grapes had disappeared as a deer feast. There went  her visions of grape juice, grape jelly and grape syrup. We have reports of bites taken out of squash, pumpkins, tomatoes. The critters are also hard on flower beds. The petunias that have survived the frost are evidently an entre on the deer menu.

            Garden spaces are becoming bare as they get cleaned off. It is time for the age old preparation for the coming colder months. Root cellars,bottles and jars, bags and freezers are getting their final fill of the season's growth.

           John Garr reports that his mother, Bobby Garr, has survived the cancer treatment she has been enduring this past summer in California. She is now declared cancer-free by her oncologists. We have missed having George and Bobby with us for several months and are delighted at receiving such positive news.

          It was a big day in the life of the Jeff Seamons family. Samuel Seamons, the son of Jeff and Jennifer, spoke in the LDS Ward prior to leaving to spend a few weeks at the Missionary Training Center in Provo before departing to the Philippines, Legazpi, Mission. This same family had a younger son, David, ordained to the office of a priest on the same day. Extended family members who gathered for the occasion were many: The family of Randolph and Janelle Seamons of Riverdale, ID, the family of Rebecca S. Liechty and family of Tremonton, UT. Andrea Haehnel, currently going to USU, represented the family of Jeff's sister Catharine. On Jennifer's side of the family were her siblings Mary Erasmus and family of Draper, UT, and Jamon Jarvis and family of Springville, UT. Both sets of Samuel's grandparents live in Mink Creek, Catharine and Scott Seamons and Kathy and Joe Jarvis.

            Pedro and Avery Gomez are happy to have a new granddaughter. Their daughter Nicole and Matt Van Buren brought their tiny girl to Mink Creek for her baby blessing by grandfather Pedro. The name she was given is Taylor Emery Van Buren. Welcoming relatives attending this event were great-grandmother Beverly Bruderer and Lacey and Kerry Christensen of Mink Creek, grandparents Joe and Denise Hardy of Thatcher, ID, Matt's siblings Sydney, Wyatt and Paige and two aunts, Donna and Lauralee.

         The Young Womens program of the LDS Ward has new leaders. Cecelie Costley is the new Young Womens president and Terrie McKay and Wendy Westerberg will be serving as her counselors.

           Julie and Jeff Workman enjoyed their UEA days at their Mink Creek home. Each time they come they find it harder to go back to their real lives down in Utah. Welcome to the Mink Creek fan club, glad to have them on board.

           As soon as the sun sets behind our western peaks the chill sets in on a daily basis. People are busy laying up a store of firewood judging by the pickup and trailer loads that go zipping down our main drag on their way south. The sounds of chainsaws compete with the gunfire accompanying deer season.

October 17, 2017

          Besides the colored leaves there is another sign of the arrival of fall. Farmers chopping corn fields. There is sympathy felt for those farmers down in valley of Franklin County who still have fields of corn to be chopped. The weather cooperated for a time, the stalks were at their peak for chopping, the machines moved in and the chopping got underway and then the rains fell, and fell some more. Wet stalks, muddy ground. At present time there are many fields still standing, looking for a finished job. Some are now being labeled “Corn Maze” and with a maze design within attract those looking for fall entertainment.

            The children of Drew and JoAnn Ford have been in and out during much of the summer months. The Fords have enjoyed visits from each one and the grandchildren. As summer drew to a close JoAnn went into the hospital for some surgery that has been on hold for quite some time. Now she is home and doing those things that enhance recuperation.

            Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen were able to enjoy the recent LDS Church Conference at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. Despite the rainy weekend it was a time of comfort and peace a befits such an occasion.

             On a crisp evening the community gathered at the Mink Creek Ballpark for the 2^nd annual Cider Fest. Due to the freezing of the our local apple blossoms this past spring, it was necessary to import some extra apples for the pressing of the cider this year. It did not dampen the event. A milkcan dinner was prepared for those attending and the homemakers furnished a favorite fall dessert to finish the menu.

           Katelyn Rasmussen, daughter of Trevor and April Rasmussen was baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church this month. Grandparents Kelly and Teresa Rasmussen and Eric and Rexanne Nielsen were able to celebrate with the family along with multiple aunts, uncles and cousins.  The following day the Rasmussen family traveled to the Salt Lake City area to witness the blessing and naming of a new baby on the Nielsen side of the family with April's brother.

            Conrad Scott, son of LuJean Jensen and Erick Scott, has been called to serve in the Washington, Tacoma, Mission. He will be entering the MTC in Provo on November 8. He spoke in the Riverdale 2^nd Ward recently. He will be missed not only by his family, but by customers of Adventure Video in Preston where he has worked in the family business.

               Our local deer are a bit more scarce than usual. Deer Season is underway, antlers only. Bow hunting has been going on for some time, but that is a more quiet version. When the rifles get into action it is a call for retreat for the wildlife, excepting raccoons and skunks. Soon the pheasants will be taking to the dense brush and grasses.

              The weather staying dry, fall plowing is still going on. There is a house for sale in Mink Creek, that of LuJean Jensen, located on the banks of the Bear River, just at the official beginning of the southwest edge of Mink Creek community.

              A new house is under construction, looks to be a large log affair with a great view from the front yard. This one is on the north east side of Ant Hollow. Bret and Jody Rasmussen have been working on this residence, one way or another, for a couple of years.

October 12, a bit late, 2017

             All the hype there is about the beautiful fall in New England --- we have a more localized rival. Mink Creek is so full of color this season. We have had several days of rains but the moisture we have been receiving has just intensified the beauty. A few days will pass and the inevitable change will take place, those beautiful leaves will turn brown, dry, and fall, making for a crunchy, and a bit noisy, passage underfoot for the coming hunters who are trying to sneak up on our wildlife as the various hunting seasons open.

             A neighbor has been trying to beat the racoons to the fruit in his orchard. Is there a hunting season on racoons? Those clever creatures can invade any place they want, short of using a padlock.

Karen and Layne Erickson attended the LDS Wellsville 10^th Ward in Wellsville, UT. The occasion was the sustaining of their son,Bryan Erickson, as the new Bishop of that ward. One of his counselors is a young man with Preston roots, Jeff Andrus, who married Audrey Jo Madsen.

           David Seasmons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, has been playing on the Preston High School soccer team this fall. As a sophomore, he plays on both the Jr. Varsity and the Varsity teams.

            Mariah Atkinson and her two girls, spent a fun week with her parents, Brenda and Greg Belew in St. Anthony, ID. The Belews love having grandparent time with these little ladies.

            Kent and Tammy Beardall enjoyed a trip down to Spanish Fork and spending a relaxing weekend with the family of Shawn and Callie Beardall. Shawn was on call with his firefighting job, but that didn't interfere with the togetherness of this bunch.

            Bob and Claudia Erickson spent a few days in Richfield, UT, at the home of Jody and Laural Janke. They attended lots of soccer games with family playing on four different teams. A visit to Cove Fort was a fun day, even though cold enough to be wrapped in a blanket while touring.

          Columbus Day, nearly a forgotten holiday these days. Anyone remember when it was a holiday, and also a time during elementary school that centered on the official discovery of the continent and some facts about the explorer? There were even some interesting tidbits about other explorers that were out there seeking the New World, before and after Christopher. Now the online information about him and most other explorers make them sound like monsters. Times and expectations have altered in those 500 plus years since the days of when the world was flat and civilization was quite different.

           I wrote this early, then forgot to post it when the rest of the day took off.  Just how life works!

And October begins, 2017

           What a gorgeous day this has been! It is a beautiful time of year in Mink Creek. Fall colors announce the season in the mountains and the valleys. Evans Hill on the south side is full of the red of the maple leaves amongst the dark green evergreens and the tan spots of hillside fields. Those red leaves stand out like exclamation marks up and down the length of the community. Bits of orange color is scattered here and there. Our quaking aspens' leaves offer a variety, trying to decide about staying bright green or starting on the way to being the yellow orbs of autumn. The dark brown stalks of Indian tobacco stand at attention on the creek banks and border the canals and fields of our village. Add all of this to a clear blue sky and plenty of dark green forest and it is the picture of our daily surroundings.

            It is time for the '17 Roundup of livestock that have been grazing in the Cache National Forrest during the past summer months. After the gathering this involves some sorting, the work to keep them separated before hitting the road back down the canyons. Time to “head 'em up and move 'em out'---in the direction of home pastures.

            JoAnn and Kevin Auger were up from Woodland Hills, UT for a short visit with JoAnn's brother and family, Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen. The Augers were returning home after a few days at island Park.

            Preston High School has two young ladies from Mink Creek on their cheerleading squad. McKinley Longhurst is a Senior, a daughter of Candy and Sheldon Longhurst. Hayden Egley, a Junior, is the daughter of Juli and Jared Egley.

            Joe and Kathy Jarvis attended the missionary farewell meeting for a grandson, Jackson Jarvis, in Fruit Heights, UT. He will be serving in the Australia, Sydney North, Mission. The following weekend the Jarvis family held a mini-reunion at Bear Lake. Along with Joe and Kathy, the family of Jennifer and Jeff Seamons, all boys, participated in this event that brought siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles together for a wrap-up of summer months.

            I wrote the first paragraph  six days ago.  Since then, days of rain and getting colder, it is that time of year. But it is still beautiful, colors still vibrant, time to get out my camera before it is gone. Anyone trying to harvest a 4^th crop of hay is challenged trying to get it dry enough to bale. There was even a little snow that fell yesterday. This morning we woke up to frost all around. It is definitely harvest time. The ever-bearing raspberries are doing well this fall, but it is challenging to pick them in the wet and mud. Guess it depends on how great the demand is at home for raspberry jam in the winter months and beyond.

September 27, 2017

           Anyone reading will get a double dose this posting because I was out of town last week and unable to chat.  Now life is back to my version of normal, or at least close to it.  I am still catching up, and canning along with it.

          Wedding bells, again in Mink Creek. Wally and Kim Christensen's son, Aaron married Amanda Anderson of Logan in a beautiful ceremony at Logan's Lundberg Park, followed by a reception These two young people met years ago when Amanda's family lived in Mink Creek for a short time when Aaron and Amanda were children attending Primary. They will be living in Logan where Aaron is employed.

           Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen had a visit from their son Jared and Andrea Jepsen and their three children. Jared and Andrea live in West Point, UT.

             Fruit in the Mink Creek orchards are few and far between due to a spring freeze this year. Our local deer are cleaning up any fruit that has fallen from the trees and often giving the trees an unwanted pruning on branches they can reach with a good neck extension.

           The Pearson place was visited on a couple of weekends. Howard and Colleen Hawkes of Kaysville, UT, and their daughter Melanie Evans and her family of Lehi, UT, were up to soak up some Idaho summer one weekend and another group commandeered the Pearson driveway on the day of the LOTOJA race, cheering on the bicyclists as they went up the hills towards our canyons.

           Two of our young ladies are involved in Preston High School fall sports programs. Emily Longhurst is playing volleyball and Hannah Greene is on the girls' soccer team.

           Speaking of volleyball, the word has gone out inviting young women, a little older women and also a co-ed group to join and play the game at the Preston North Stake House on Wednesday nights. Good chance for some fun exercise for those so inclined.

           Alexis Strong has been enjoying some time with her parents, Kurt and Margret Iverson, and her brothers. Alexis currently lives in California. Her husband, Scott came up to join her as his employment allowed.

             Rico Crosland was home with his family, Robert and Phee Crosland, for a few days before heading back to college at BYU/Idaho in Rexburg, ID. He has spent his summer months in the eastern part of the nation with a job selling pest control. 

           Many hands lighten the load, so true in this community. A Roadside Community Cleanup morning was held recently with all ages encouraged to lend support. We ran out of the traditional orange bags and resorted to multiple colors of bagged trash from the gathering efforts. A great breakfast was served at the LDS Ward meeting house following the activity. Terry Westerberg and Bishop Kurt Iverson turned out the pancakes, Paul McKay kept the potatoes warm and plenty, Glade Larsen had piles of scrambled eggs, Clair Christensen did a brisket to perfection, Bryce Stromberg was the overall help with the entire menu. Wives and other committee members made it a memorable occasion, a breakfast to remember. The event gave a wonderful feeling of community unity.

           Andy McKay, son of Paul and Terrie McKay, has received a mission call. He won't have much time since he is due at the MTC in Provo on November 15^th. He will be serving in the Iowa, DeMoines, Mission, English speaking.

           There has been a change in the LDS Sunday School Presidency. Second counselor, Heath Avery, has been released and Pedro Gomez sustained in that position. Douglas Bruderer, Sunday School President and Kim Keller, First Counselor remain the same.

Karen and Layne Erickson and Paul and Terrie McKay and Andy drove to Wellsville, UT, celebrating the return of Elder Seth Erickson, from his mission to Spain, Madrid, Mission. Seth is the son of Bryan and Shannon Erickson who live in Mt. Sterling.

           The Lewis and Clark Volunteers met in their fall Rendezvous on the banks of Mink Creek on the farm of Vernon Keller. This black powder group headquarters in Soda Springs, ID, and meet in our community several times annually. Curt Keller, a leader in the Volunteers, has family roots in this valley.

            Kerry and Lacey Christensen and children took a late summer trip to Glacier National Park. Theirs is an outdoor family and they had a great time. Lots of wildlife and beautiful scenery, clean air and fun in the package.

          The youth of the village worked on hauling in some extra dirt and improving the back yard of Sandy Mason's home. It had suffered during the flooding this spring. Sandy expressed her gratitude for the service, a job she could not tackle alone.

September 13, 2017

            The Highway crew has mended the broken guardrails around milepost 3 on the Highway 36. It was stop and go for traveling motorists for a few hours, but worth the short wait to have things set in place, on both sides. They have also been repairing the shoulders of the road where the winter weather took a toll. Many thanks for the improvements.

            Mary Jean and Larry Rasmussen took great delight in having their son JR and Elaine Rasmussen home for the Labor Day weekend. They live in Riverdale, UT. Having those two little grandsons, William and Luke, around for a few days added some energy and fun to the Rasmussen household.

           Andrew Iverson, son of Kurt and Margret Iverson, was ordained to the office of a priest in the LDS Ward recently. Ella Jepsen, daughter of Kerry and Melinda Jepsen, has graduated from primary and is now a part of the Beehive class in the Young Women organization.

            The new baby daughter of Bracken and Mariah Atkinson was blessed and given her name this past Sunday. She is Hadlee Denny Atkinson and welcomed by a big sister, Timberlee. Atkinson family members here to participate in this occasion were grandparents Jay and Theresa Atkinson, great-grandfather Lynn Atkinson, all of Preston, uncle Jordan and Jen Atkinson of Logan, UT, aunt Shaylee Atkinson of Twin Falls, ID. On the Belew side of the family were: grandparents Greg and Brenda Belew of St. Anthony, ID, great-grandparents Dennis and Judy Clark of Mink Creek and Reed Belew of Tremonton, UT, great-uncle Casey and Constance Clark and their girls from the west side of the valley, uncle Destin Belew and Jess Read and aunt Mikayla Holton, all of Preston.

            Jody and Laural Janke and their children drove up from Richfield, UT to spend the weekend in Mink Creek at the Bob and Claudia Erickson home. They enjoyed a last dip in their favorite summer swimming hole before it got any colder.

           Another family visiting for the holiday weekend were Aaron and Heather Haws and their children from Meridian, ID. They take advantage of a few days to spend it with his parents, Marion and Karl Haws.

            Our farmers are in the process of wrapping things up for the end of the growing season. Combines have been active and trucks loaded with grain, hauling in the golden kernels to the elevators for storage. Third crop hay, mowed, raked, baled and on its way to the barn or the buyer. This crop has been a little sketchy in areas where the standing water from a wet spring killed the alfalfa.

           We are still receiving jolts of earthquake activity. The last total I read was 297 since Sept 1^st, according to the US Geological Survey. The casual question at the breakfast table now seems to be, "So, did you feel any tremors during the night?”

           The time for clearing off gardens is fast approaching, one of these first days we will have a freeze hit and everything above ground will droop with the morning light. Residents are discussing the canning of tomatoes, chili sauce, salsa and other related tomato recipes

September 6, 2017

          It is the season for our wild sunflowers. They are everywhere, yellow and brown heads checking our the sun and looking perky among the dry weeds at their base. There is plenty of the dock that has gone to brown seeded columns, better known as Indian tobacco in these parts. It is a nice fall color combination.

           Samuel Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons has received a mission call to the Philippines, Legazpi, Mission He will enter the MTC in October.

           The Mink Creek home of Karl and Marion Haws is a busy place for a few days with children, grandchildren and even some great-grands keeping things going. Their daughter Lauren and Ken Nash and family are visiting. The Nash family lives in Solvang. CA.

           David and Judy Wilde held an open house for their son Christopher and his bride, Heidi Morgan at the LDS Meeting house. Heidi's parents, David and Danni Morgan of West Jordan, UT, were here for the festivities. Chris and Heidi are now living in Logan preparing for jobs and school.

            We have news of Danita Wilcox being laid up with a broken foot due to tripping on an uneven surface. Danita and her husband Eldon Wilcox are in the middle serving a mission in the Philippines and this injury is bound to hamper some of their activities for a bit. She does have a walking cast and is encouraged to keep that foot elevated as much as possible for the next four to six weeks.

           Our little village has four players on this year's Preston High School football squads. They are Ben Seamons, Walter Iverson, Izac Greene, and Andrew Iverson.

            Another mission call is in the process. Andy McKay, son of Paul and Terrie McKay, was ordained an Elder this past week. Family that gathered for the occasion were: siblings,Morgan and Eli Curtis and Cody and Kevyn McKay of Logan; uncle, Lin and Sharla McKay of Mink Creek and Layne and Karen Erickson, grandparents, of Mink Creek.

           Austin Corbett , son of Shane and Sherrie Corbett, was ordained to the office of a priest. Out of town family present to witness this were Vicki and Craig Golightly of Whitney and the family of Jason and Angie Golightly of Preston.

            A local deer met its demise when it was caught between the highway guard rails as a fast vehicle flew through our area. There was no chance for anything but a deadly collision.

           The days are a bit murky with smoke laden skies. It makes for brilliant orange tinted sunsets. From all reports there are fires raging in Oregon, Washington, and Montana and we are the recipient of that drift. At this point we aren't getting the ash fallout that those people living in those regions are experiencing. Time to count our blessings.

           We are continuing to feel jabs of earthquakes that began over the weekend.  A strange noise, a bit of unexpected movement, flickering lights, all most likely part of these tremors.  At last count I read was over 100 had happened.  Some I felt, others not.  It does keep a person on alert, wondering what is going on down under southeastern Idaho.