Valentine's Day plus one

 I hope you recognized that yesterday was a day that you let people know that you cared.  That should happen frequently, not once a year, but it is a day for a good reminder.  Mink Creek had a Valentine Dinner, but it will be reported here next week as part of the news column. 

JoAnn and Kevin Auger were in Mink Creek for a family visit. JoAnn is the sister of Glen Jepsen, and aunt to Dr. Kerry Jepsen. Kevin’s roots are in Preston. The Augers live in Woodland Hills, UT.

ReNae Egley went with her daughter, Tara Nielsen, to Nampa, ID, to soak up the sounds of the orchestra concert that was the culmination of the efforts of students who had qualified for the Idaho All State Orchestra. Tara and Jeff Nielsen’s son, Nick, had auditioned and been accepted, playing as the First chair Bassist. Nick is an excellent musician in many areas of the field. The concert was held on the campus of the Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa. Nick plays in the Preston High School Orchestra under the direction of Ms. Jill Durrant.

A new family has arrived in Mink Creek. Jacob and Christy Cheney and their children Jared, Isaac, Kaylee, and Hannah have been welcomed into the lower story of the home of Ken and Jean Ross. The Ross couple are the grandparents, Christy their daughter. Jacob’s Mink Creek connection is that of his sister Laura Cheney who has lived here several years. This arrival of more children will expand the rolls of our dwindling Primary-age numbers.

The neighborhood owls are chatting during these cold crisp nights of moonlight. It is fun to listen, but way too cold for much outdoor observation and tuning in to the conversations.

Friends in Cub River aren’t reporting many deer sightings on their side of our connecting mountains. Our melting southern slopes must offer feed with extra flavor because our deer are many. Please be careful if driving through our village and beyond, particularly during the evening and night time hours.

Driveways to summer homes are still very full of snow, especially if it is in area that drifts with the winter winds. I recently had a contact from some of our summer folk, inquiring about snow depth and I investigated. For their particular spot there is still about a foot in their driveway. For readers in this situation, this is a reminder of one more challenge to consider before you plan a weekend in this direction.

February 9, 2022

 

Jesse and Annavelyn Wilcox and their son Desmond have returned after a lengthy visit to her homeland in the Philippines. They were there during the typhoons that brought devastation to much of the country but were able to spend time with Annavelyn’s family and even visit some areas that were new to them. Jesse served his mission in the Philippines and so this was a memory trip for him. The were able to make connections with Mink Creek’s Samuel Seamons who now lives there, and his wife, for a dinner date. After soaking up the green colors of those islands it was hard to return to the white slopes and winter chores of freezing Idaho. The neighborhood in Mink Creek has greeted them with smiles and comments of, “You are back!” and “Welcome home!”

Landon and Amy Costley and family warmed up the Wynn and Cecelie Costley residence with a check-in day or two. No matter the season it is fun at Grandma’s house.

With the winter temperatures we are experiencing it makes perfect sense that we have several males with bearded faces. These are all dark and nicely taken care of, quite attractive.

Tommy Henderson, son of Shoni and Brady Henderson, is playing on the Preston High School Junior Varsity basketball team this year. His dedication to basketball was recognized by Coach Matt Shumway. It is fun to have one of our own on the team when Mink Creek fans are attending the basketball games.

During the cold months our community often feels like we are the gateway to the mountains and canyons around us for the snowmobiling crowd. They aren’t the only ones that enjoy our nearby spaces, cross-country skiers and those who enjoy trying out snow shoes are also part of the winter scene.

One of the major wildlife critters in our area is “those turkeys.” Hundreds of the birds inhabit our hills and fields. Feeding in a snow covered field they can appear as though a giant had cast a handful of black marbles or black beans onto a white blanket. Although they feed along the highway it is seldom that they connect with a vehicle. This week one of the turkeys must have miscalculated the road crossing because there was turkey carnage spread over an area, feathers galore.

We are sorry to report that lately our days are absolutely beautiful. The white fields glisten, the sky, both blue and white clouds are lovely to behold. It has warmed just enough so that our southern slopes are showing the dry growth leftover from the fall, and of course the local deer population are gathering to munch on what they can find. We appreciate the beauties in our surroundings. However, we are wishing for more storm, more heavy clouds, laden with moisture to build up the supply in our mountains. It isn’t that we are never satisfied, this is a community with deep agricultural roots and we know from experience the need for water in the months ahead.

February 1, 2022

 

Our land line phones, generally speaking, appear to be back in working order. There were some that did nothing but blurt out the busy signal on any given phone call for a couple of weeks. We are assuming that went for the miserable robot calls as well. In this neck of the woods house phones might be land-line, internet connected or cell phones. Internet is fine as long as the internet is up and running. Cell phone connections are not reliable in our spotty areas of service, this seems to be a concept difficult for the outside world to understand.

Morgan Keller, oldest son of Jared and Hollie Keller, was ordained to the office of a teacher this month. He was ordained by his father and welcomed into the Teacher’s Quorum of the Mink Creek Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Elder Dallon Baird has now left for some time at the Mission Training Center in Provo, prior to beginning his years of service as a missionary in the Arizona, Tempe, Mission. He will be in Provo for two weeks. He is the son of Liesa and LaRon Baird. His grandmother, Lana McCracken and husband Ivan live in Mink Creek. Several of his relatives on his mother’s side of the family were able to come to hear him speak in a recent church meeting: Grandparents, LeeAnn and Terry Orton of Ogden, aunts and uncles Brent and Tanya Orton of Iona, ID, and Katie and Jeremy Lund of Herriman, UT with some sprinkling of cousins.

Claudine and LaMar McKague of Vancouver, WA, spent a few days here, sorting through some tasks that are part of their preparation for building a home here in the future. Their daughter Sage had wedding plans in Rexburg, ID, to marry Nathan Ricks, and this occasion brought family members together. Besides the extended McKague family, Bob and Claudia Erickson, grandparents of the bride attended, along with Davis Collins, currently of Mink Creek, Carla and Mark Nielsen of American Fork, UT, and the family of Laural and Jody Janke who now live in Rexburg.

The local coyotes have been doing their share of howling. Perhaps they are only singing about our beautiful sparkling landscape during the nights of moonlight.

Have you noticed how quickly those short days of Winter solstice are lengthening? Around here it was fairly dark by 5 p.m., and now there is still a bit of light about 6? And the sunsets, oh my, they are beautiful and filled with color! Dawn looks encouraging as well, the light starts up over our eastern mountains and bit by bit the white snowy slopes on the opposite side start to glow and grow, inch by inch, as the light works its way up. It helps to wake up to a “good morning!”

January 26, 2022

 

It is basketball season among the youth of the Preston North Stake wards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints. The Mink Creek boys are playing with the youth of Riverdale 1^st and Riverdale 2^nd wards, combining so that we all have sufficient number to make a team and enjoy the fun. Brandon Stephenson of the Riverdale 1^st ward is coaching this bunch.

We have another sporting event in Mink Creek. Each Wednesday evening the community residents are invited to gather at the LDS Rec Hall for games of pickleball. The invite is for all, beginners and experts, with the first part of the time spent on getting acquainted with the game before the heavy competition and skills begin. The duo behind this fun night are Brittnee Phillips and her mother Jonia Jackson. They claim that a little exercise is good for the soul and are committed to proving that claim. Spectators are invited as well, cheering while visiting.

The family of Laural and Jody Janke, now living in Rexburg, ID, came down for a few days of sledding on the Mink Creek slopes and remembering their years of living here. Jody is still employed by Rocky Mountain Power and was transferred to Rexburg a few months ago. The family is pleased to be back in Idaho.

January arrived and with it the anticipation of the annual Mink Creek Ward ski night at Beaver Resort up Logan Canyon. It has been a highlight of our winter activities over many years. The event took place on January 7, a Friday night that began officially at 5 p.m. All ages are welcome and some who are now grandparents had their first skiing experience as a child at the Ward Ski Night. This year it was reported that Royce Christensen was the oldest skier on the hill and Timber Christensen was the youngest, at seven years. These two do not belong to the same immediate family although their roots are connected genealogically.

VeyAnn Colvin is staying in Mink Creek with her grandparents, JoAnn and Drew Ford, while she is in between semesters at BYU/I in Rexburg, ID. Her home is in Iowa. The Fords have just welcomed a new great-grandson. He was born to Jay and Elle Sievers, of Rockland, ID.

We had some water from the Upper Ditch overflow during the thawing days and it made its way down through the fields, across the next irrigation ditch and on down until it caused water and muck to sweep across Birch Creek Road located just after the first turn from Highway 36. The county road crew came out and cleaned it up, posted signs to caution drivers.  I recall a similar situation a few years back and a driver during the early morning dark went off the lower side, lucky to be caught in the heavy chokecherry bushes growing below. 

These last few days the only thing close to flowing is ice. The snow, rain, snow, thaw cycle, then add that all surfaces in our community is slanted and that is the picture for anyone wanting to take a stroll outdoors.

January 12 &19, 2022

 When I have guests my blogging takes a hit and that was the case last week.  Instead of trying to separate the weeks I will simply give you the stacked version,  the 12 Mink Creek column coming first, followed by this week's.  Thanks for continuing to read.

A group of snow fans gathered for some snowmobiling fun and instruction. They traveled to Island Park, ID, and spent two nights at the cabin of Bret and Jody Rasmussen. The young men participating were Charles and Walter Iverson, Dallon Baird, Jace Gunnell, Keenan Janke, Ty and Clay Jepsen, and Davide Miscali who is an exchange student from Italy, now living with the Jepsen family. The adult leaders were Bret Rasmussen, Bishop Paul McKay, Kerry Jepsen, Brian Petersen and Cheyenne Rasmussen, Bret’s daughter. They came home with stories and adventures to share, big smiles and the enthusiasm to go again, should an opportunity arise.

Dallon Baird was ordained to the office of an Elder prior to beginning his missionary service. Out-ot-town family present for the occasion were James and Beka Baird and their little girl from Burley, ID, and Juliana and Blane Packer and their three children currently from southern California. Blane is now working for the U.S. Forest Service and the job keeps the family being fairly mobile in their living situation. Dallon is the son of LaRon and Liesa Baird.

Elder David Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, has been serving in the Alabama, Birmingham, Mission for the past year. That has been his ‘temporary assignment’ due to the mission restrictions with the COVID-19 pandemic. His original call was to the Argentina, Cordoba, Mission which has since opened up and Elder Seamons will leave Alabama to fly to Argentina on January 6.

Residents have been returning home after spending the holidays with family elsewhere. Dana and Nate Olson were able to gather with family in Utah. Reed Swann and daughter Penny traveled to Donnelly, ID, to spend the days with his son Charles and Sarah Swann and their children. Paul and Lisa Auger enjoyed being with their daughter Tabitha and Brad Owens in Cub River. Jacob and ReNette Free and children drove over from Pinedale, WY, to share the holidays with his parents, Richard and Vickie Free. There was much coming and going by many in the village.

and then---Lana and Ivan McCracken have had Tabitha(Tibby) Taylor, Lana’s granddaughter, visiting for some winter days. Her home is in Woods Cross, UT, but she loves the independent visit in Idaho. Her mother is Tamera Baird Taylor.

Nicole and Nathan Denney and their little girl of Rexburg have been down for some home time with Nicole’s parents, Kent and Tammy Beardall. They are happy to announce that Nicole has qualified for the BYU/Idaho nursing program for her future studies.

When a person lives in Arizona, coming to Idaho is a good excuse to go skiing. That was the case for Drew Erickson and his children, Conner, Spencer and Paige, when they spent some time with his parents, Bob and Claudia Erickson. The family took to the slopes of the Cherry Peak Resort and even though it was a snowy and blustery day, it was a winter dream fulfilled. The young Erickson family lives in Tempe.

Mack and Roxy DeVries and their three kids, Mieke, Addy and Kayson, enjoyed the lights and holiday scenery of Salt Lake City. The Hogle Zoo in the winter is a different experience than that of summer, but still fun to see the animals in a chilled surrounding. Closer to home they took some wagon rides with Hydeaway and their horses near Preston.

The Syringa Camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers held their January meeting at the Mink Creek church house of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The winter roads and an accessible parking lot made this the best location. The Captain of this camp is Mary Ann Jepsen and the homes of members cover miles from Mink Creek to Preston. Most of them have some tie to this community. A lesson on the rescue of handcart pioneers was given by Lorraine Christensen. Mary Ann shared her personal history of ancestor Mary Ann Weston Maughan. The ladies shared some of their own heritage during a light luncheon.

We were hit with an early chinook with much melting and dripping during early January. Now the snow piles from plowing driveways and roads look dirty and grubby and icy surfaces abound in every home yard. It makes for treacherous footing.

There are at least two homes in Mink Creek now on the sales block. Perhaps these residents are feeling overwhelmed with this winter’s added chore load. It would be understandable.

Some of our residents enjoy ice fishing and have reported on success during the frigid months. The chinook may have slowed down that activity.

Happy New Year, 2022

 

The Relief Society Christmas Dinner was an elegant affair with seasonal ambiance provided by Terrie McKay, Kim Christensen and Margret Iverson, turning the cultural hall into a festive dining room. The menu was under the charge of Amy Baldwin and Lisa Auger, tri-tip roast beef from the expertise of Clair Christensen, baked potatoes, a fruit & greens salad, rolls from the kitchen of the Senior Citizen Center, slices of oranges, fruit punch and a cheesecake dessert. Gentlemen of the Elders Quorum were the servers for this evening. Around 50 people attended. “O Come, O Come Emanuel ,”a viola solo by Benjamin Seamons, accompanied by Kathy Jarvis began the program. Claudia Erickson gave an original reading on the “Light of Christ, the Spirit of Christmas,” with Mary Ann Jepsen singing Silent Night to close the evening. Each woman attending received a small lantern in remembrance of this night. Kathy Jarvis was the director of the event. Sets of china were provided for the setting of each table by JoAnn Ford, Melinda Jepsen (chargers also), Dana Olson, Penny Swann, AnnaBeth Olson, and Corinne Larsen.

Dallon Baird, the son on LaRon and Liesa Baird, has received a call to serve in the Arizona, Tempe, Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He will begin his home training on January 17, and will go to the Missionary Training Center in Salt Lake City on January 27.

Jonia Jackson has been in Hawaii, visiting her son and family. She arrived back in cold Mink Creek a couple of weeks ago, in time to do the ‘white Christmas’ with her family here, Brint and Brittnee Phillips and children.

There was no question of a white Christmas in Mink Creek. A few days prior the outdoor temperatures had risen sufficiently so that it looked more like March with mud and dirty snow patches. December 24^th brought in a storm that remedied that appearance and it has been storming sporadically, with fits of wind ever since.

On December 26, a power outage and blizzard conditions canceled the Sunday meetings that had been anticipated by members of the Mink Creek Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With no electricity, which means no heat or light, and no phone service in many homes, members of the community had to be contacted personally by an early morning door to door alert. Within just a couple of hours the Rocky Mountain Power crews had taken care of the problem and it was much appreciated.

The storms keep coming and are just what our depleted water supplies need so we are not complaining.  However, we are having to deal with  the varieties:  heavy wet snow, dry snow, rain, wind, drifting, ice.  Dealing means shoveling, plowing, being very careful with each outdoor step we take.  Interspersed with these days are those when it is warm enough to thaw and everything drips.  We love life in our village.

December 22, 2021

 

A sure sign of the approaching Christmas season is the annual parade of Christmas trees going south after being harvested in our nearby canyons. All sorts of vehicles carry the leafy boughs, some inside and others trussed on the top or back of the outfit. It is a family tradition for many, one that some claim has carried over from generations past.

Mink Creek held its Christmas party and it was well attended. A giving project was that of filling a gallon bag with various supplies., for Childrens Trauma Bags of Logan and Hope and Rescue for refugees. A light supper was offered, a build-your-own sandwich of cheeses, meats and fixings, plus a salad, chips and a cookie. The community Christmas tree was the recipient of family ornaments. Each family attending brought an original ornament with the family identity attached. Some were homemade, all were welcome to adorn the tall tree. Ty Jepsen sang a solo, “Mary Did You Know,” accompanied by Terrie McKay. The Primary children told the story of the holiday with a live nativity, using the Primary Nativity song as its narrative. Robin and Garth Stevenson were in charge of this celebration.

The baby boy of Whitney Chatterton and Zach Rynes was blessed and given the name of Axton Erik J. Rynes in early December. Whitney’s great great-grandfather, Warren Wilde, gave the blessing. Other family members witnessing the event were Colleen Wilde, Bambi Bishop, Heidi and Erik Chatterton and their daughter Miranda, and Justin and Colleen Carter.

The railing around the yard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints meetinghouse met with an accident recently. In our early days one might think that someone’s wagon had come lose and crashed into it. Perhaps it was something similar, only modernized. It will shortly be repaired.

The recent storm left us with about 8 inches of snow depth in the southern end of our village, so likely a foot or so on the northern part. Tree limbs were heavy with the wetness, hanging down to the floor level. The sounds of the county and state snowplows were welcomed.

Between the approaching holiday, the onslaught of welcome snow, my mind has not been on my blog.  Please forgive.  There will be no newspaper edition for Dec. 29 and so the next blog will be in the New Year.