February 20, 2018

          Thank you to those who commented.  Now I know that someone really does read it.  I often think I should quit doing it, so this will provide a feeling that it does have a purpose.

          Bill and Myrna Despain are enjoying a visit from Myrna's son, Dan Jolley and his wife Nina. The Jolleys live in Flagstaff, AZ, so their winters are generally a little different from ours, but not so much this year.

           The Gurney's Seed Catalog has arrived in the mail. Let the planning and dreaming of the growing season begin. Such beautiful pictures of perfect produce, herbs, trees. No shoveling or weeding required. This is an activity that can be enjoyed by a warm fireplace while the cold winds outside play about.

           Bob and Claudia Erickson drove to Pocatello and the Holt Arena to watch their grandson, Aidan Nielsen, son of Carla and Mark Nielsen of American Fork, UT, run in the 1600 meter preliminaries. This young man is a junior in high school and has discovered a love of running and participates in the American Fork High School track program along with indoor track in a club program. While at the Mini Dome the Ericksons noticed how involved was Tyson Gunter, one of the guest Olympians, who is married to Mink Creek's MaKenzie Wilcox. Ty has been part of the Simplot Games since his own high school days and as a student at Idaho State University.

          These clear skies and dry days have brought back our migrating geese. The V patterns can be both seen and heard as they make their way northward. The Mink Creek area has several spots where they regularly have a layover enroute.

          Irrigation plans are way earlier than usual, but with this year's weather it makes sense. There is water cascading down the Twin Lakes Canal spillway into the Bear River at the lower end of our community. It always looks so white and clean as it drops into the river below. The equipment and crew that has been at work on this top section of the canal has moved to a lower region.

           Our winter arrived on Sunday, and spent most of the day sending snow. It was a super wet, soggy storm and we need it all. It has stayed cold since, with a flurryof snow now and again. We can't brag about how deep the snow is, but we got 'some,' and we are not complaining.

          The LDS Ward meets at 9am on Sundays and those attending went in with bare, brown hills as their surroundings. When they left at noon to go home the entire world was covered with soft white, from the banks of Mink Creek at the base of our valley, all the way up to the tops of our mountains, treee limbs reaching down, heavy with a blanket of snow. Totally nice!

February 13, 2018

         Happy Valentine's Day. Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to comment, it would be most helpful.

           Kent and ReNae Egley have managed to get some winter fun snowmobiling in the area around Henry's Lake. They have been soaking up the beautiful snowy forest scenery and wishing they could bring some home to Mink Creek.

            Giovanni and Kristina Crosland and their four children were here for a weekend. Gio is still in his doctor's residency at the hospital in Blackfoot, ID. At the present time he is assigned for a few weeks to a hospital in Layton, UT.

           Still much evidence of the wreckage our terrain suffered from storms from 2017 Spring. There were some serious slides of earth during those wet months. Scars of red brown streaks are evident from the top, yard upon yard as it slid down to the base of the hill or into the creek which ever was first. The color of the scars vary, some are nearly black.

         Larry and Lillian Hansen and some of their family were up from Utah to see how the Mink Creek winter was progressing. It is a good thing they weren't planning a sledding party.

           We have two young ladies, students at Preston High, who are cheerleaders: McKinley Longhurst, daughter of Sheldon and Candy Longhurst, and Hayden Egley, daughter of Jared and Juli Egley. They keep pretty busy this time of year between all the winter sports: boys basketball, girls basketball, wrestling, plus their own cheer competitions. They have recently been participating in the Cupid's Challenge at Highland High School in Pocatello. This activity requires such perfectly synchronized movement with the entire team.

          A crew from the Twin Lakes Canal company are working on their winter maintenance of this part of the canal, where it begins. They are shoring up the banks. This is a regular procedure prior to the arrival of the irrigating season when the waters are turned into the canal from its supplier, Mink Creek.

           Adding to that last paragraph:there has been trucks, backhoes, a huge track-hoe all occupied in this endeavor. Now they have diverted water from the creek to the canal to test the situation before moving to another section further down the route.

            It is a strange year. We keep hoping for moisture, barring that, that it can remain cold to discourage the spring growth, the fruit trees and all such from getting a headstart that most likely end in a good freeze. Proper timing is an important thing, and something over which there is no control.

February 6, 2018

          The bird residents of this area change with the seasons. Our starling population certainly hasn't migrated anywhere for this winter. The birds line up, side by side, on the electric wires between the power poles in huge bunches. Don't think you could fit a slip of paper between them. Favorite spots are the poles located close to a farm feeding lot. They seem to know the food schedule and, using a good viewing point, are waiting for the snacks to be set out for the cows.

          The turkeys are in great numbers right now, particularly at “Lella's Curve” on the highway through upper Riverdale. Many a car has had to slam on the brakes when they come to that spot on the road only to discover a parade of turkeys high-stepping it across the highway in one direction or the other. If traveling this direction make sure the brakes on your outfit work. Between the deer and the turkeys there is a real need.

          Joe and Kathy Jarvis drove down to Draper, UT, for the blessing of their first great-grandson, the child of their granddaughter Shelby and Tim Purdue. The baby was named Theodore Leon Purdue. Jennifer and Jeff Seamons and their boys were also part of this celebration, the infant being the child of Jennifer's niece.

          Devin and Maria Flake and their son Jude came up from Saratoga Springs, UT, to spend Maria's birthday with her mother, Lana and Ivan McCracken. Jude has a spot all his own in that grandma's heart, and the feeling is mutual.

           We have had several residents with hospital stays over the past month. Jeannine Iverson, Sandra Wylie and Layne Erickson all spent some time in the FCMC. Others are home dealing with this wicked flu that has visited the area this winter and seems to be making return visits.

           The much acclaimed night for viewing the super-blue-moon and its eclipse didn't work very well around here. Those that planned ahead and made the effort of readiness awoke to find a very cloudy sky that canceled their hopes. We are assuming that the event still happened as there has been no report to the contrary.

          Groundhog Day, in our neck of the woods it depended on what time of day the critter decided to surface. Some cloudiness, some sunniness, not great forecasting weather.

           Would you believe that just down in the valley the tulips are starting to poke through the earth for the sun? Truth! An eye witness account, no fake news. If a person is connected to the business of farming this has not been a “good winter!” I like being excited for spring to come, not dreading the extreme likelihood of frozen fruit blossoms, or not enough water to last the irrigating season.

January 30, 2018

           The first storm lasted all day and was beautiful, a nice falling of flakes that built up and covered the dry tan countryside as it progressed. When it cleared out it left one of those “winter wonderlands” in its wake. The flocks of turkeys look very black against the background of white snow now covering our landscape. We have had two welcome storms this past week. No great depth of snow has been noticed but every snowflake is needed and appreciated, by farmers and snowmobilers alike.

          The community enjoyed the annual ski party at Beaver Mountain this month. It is a favorite activity for the majority of our families and often the first place our youngsters get a chance to try out skiing. Some are more involved in snowboarding than skiing, but who cares, it all works well together. Those attending brought pot luck lunch to be shared in the lodge while taking a breather from a run on the slopes. Some of us went up to just sit and enjoy a winter visit.

           Bob and Claudia Erickson drove down to Richfield , UT, to participate with the Jody Janke family with the ordaining of their son Keenan to the office of a teacher in the LDS Church. Mark and Carla Nielsen and their son Aidan of American Fork, UT, joined the family gathering.

            A new family has arrived. Jamie and Natalie Forbush have purchased the home of Koreann Rael. For those of long-standing Mink Creek roots it will be more identifiable by describing it as Harold and Verla Baird's home just off of Highway 36.

          Ben Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, recently participated in a well known wrestling tournament, the Rockwell Rumble, held at the Utah Valley University in Orem, UT. There were 81 teams from seven different state in the competition, but Ben was pretty much a lone wolf, even without a coach. He did well, coming away with 4^th place in his 182 pound class. This wolf has a number of bruises as a result, but that is an expectation of the sport. This same Seamons family were also involved in a wrestling tournament in Aberdeen, ID, for a younger son, David, who is part of the Preston High School team.

           The Thursday, January 25^th, earthquake tremor was felt in Mink Creek shortly after 8:30 p.m. Some residents reported feeling the rolling movement, others had wall hangings rattling or items jiggling about on flat surfaces. It served to put us all on emergency alert.

           A friend commented on the earthquake, “I thought we were done with those.” Methinks she hasn't lived along the Wasatch Front too many years. We may not be California, but an earthquake tremor isn't too rare. Californians take the shakes in stride much better than we do.

            Our LDS Ward meeting schedule begins a half-hour earlier than in the past. It is going to take some adjusting. Bare benches appear to be waiting for the straggling congregation. A change always take time.

January 23, 2018

        We are nearly to the end of this first month and I am still using 2017 as the year.  Breaking what become a habit takes time.

          Over the last couple of weeks Robert and Phee Crosland had all their family home with staggered arrival and departure times. Giovanni and Kristina and four kids down from Blackfoot for a break, sharing time with Kristina's parents in Franklin, Doug and Sherrie Rallison. Malia and Jason Kunde and children of Rigby, ID, were here with matching times for playing with cousins, including those belonging to Arianna and Ben Hostetter of Peyton, CO. Marco and Christina Crosland spent part of the vacation time with her family in the Boise area before heading to Mink Creek and then back to Provo and school. Rico fits in as much time home as he can, BYU/I in Rexburg, ID, doesn't seem so far away. Armando was the last to fly back to his job in Washington, D. C. Now life can get back to somewhat normal for those left in Mink Creek, Mario, Celina and Jacobi. Elder Angelo Crosland is serving in the Indiana, Indianapolis mission at this time.

           Bear Creek Road was nearly a thoroughfare for a couple of weeks. Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen enjoyed visits from their son Kyle and Stacy Jepsen of Dallas, TX, Jill and Mark Neitz and their children who dropped down from Stettler, Alberta, Canada to join in the fray, then Jana Musgrave and her family of Ogden topped things off at that Jepsen house. The visits managed to overlap by at least one day and the senior Jepsens made the time count by getting family pictures. Just across the road and up a hill is the home of another Jepsen son, Kerry and Melinda, Mink Creek residents, and they added their children to this number: McKenna from California, Macy from Provo, UT, Clay, down from the U of Idaho in Moscow and Claire from Utah State in Logan, along with their still-at-home quartette of Cole, Tara, Ty and Ella..

           The community was surprised with an unexpected funeral. Cameron Christensen, age 44, son of Royce and Lorraine Christensen and Noreen Critchlow (deceased) passed away January 7, 2018, in Seattle, WA, the result of a pulmonary embolism. Cameron's siblings and families were all in Mink Creek for the services. Two brothers, Kevin Christensen of Queen Creek, AZ and Fred and Victoria Christensen of Orem, UT. Sisters: Colleen and Justin Carter of Preston, Carrie Ann Melton of Lafayette, IN, Kim and Joe Tracy of Meridian, ID. His grandfathers were in attendance: Fred Bingham of Weston and Dale Critchlow of Blackfoot. Cameron's daughter, Jamaica Rolfe and her mother Deanna King, drove from their home in south Salt Lake City. Many aunts, uncles and cousins gathered with the family.

            We had a storm move in and dump snow for the most of one day, the depth varying according to how far up the canyon you went. The lower end was about six inches and did require someone to shovel walks at the church house before the Sunday meetings could welcome the congregants.

           There has been a report of elk creating some havoc on hay ground. If there is a stack of hay available it is even more tempting.

           Glen and Betty Jo Jepsen were able to go to Salt Lake City and the LDS Conference Center to attend the funeral of Church President Thomas S. Monson. Some years past, Betty Jo served on the General Primary Board of the church.

January 16, 2018

              A wedding reception for Nicole Beardall, daughter of Kent and Tammy Beardall, and Nathan Denney, a young man from Rexburg, ID, kept the LDS Recreation Hall busy that last weekend of December. Nate's parents are Brenda and Kerry Denney of Rexburg. All the Beardall siblings were able to be in attendance. Kyle Beardall and Laura and Cameron Reeves and family live in Logan. Shawn and Callie Beardall and their four came up from Spanish Fork, UT. Michelle Wall and her children drove from Grand Junction, CO, to spend several days with family. Mikel and Rebecca Beardall are at home in Preston,Ty Beardall in Richmond, UT, and Heather Beardall in Mink Creek.

           A part-time Mink Creek resident, Dr. Lynn Lawrence Wilcox of Salt Lake City, passed away on Dec. 23^rd. He and his wife Shirley have had a home here for many years. This was a place to get-away. Born in Ogden in1946, his medical studies led him to the field of gastroenterology. He died at their home in the Holladay area and was buried in the Holladay Cemetery. Two of Lynn's siblings, Doug and Con, are also part-time Mink Creek residents.

             Wynn and Cecelie Costley's home was bursting at the seams during the holidays. Everyone was home except for their daughter Hannah Singleton. Everyone includes the grandchildren that go with each set of parents. Noel and Jeff Hadley and Kate and Erick Drake live in Plain City, UT. McKay and Lynsey Costley are in Lewiston, UT. Josie and Dave Hulme and Landon and Amy Costley, both are in the Ogden area. Leah and Davin Gilbert's bunch live in Fairview, ID.

            Some of the children of Danita and Eldon Wilcox gathered in Mink Creek during the holidays. Jesse and Annavelyn Wilcox live in his parents home. Brigham and Jenipher Wilcox and their children came down from Idaho Falls. McKenzie and Tyson Gunter and their new one-month-old son, Dryden Ty Gunter, joined them. The senior Wilcox couple ar serving a mission in the Philippines and are due home in a few months.

              Snow, turned to rain, turned to snow, turned to rain again – has left us with patchy looking scenes up and down the length of the community. Snowplows continue going up the canyon road over to Bear Lake so some inches must be accumulating in our mountain tops.

            This snow/rain business has made outdoor walking hazardous, even for as simple  a thing as picking up our mail.  For those of us with driveways or walks that don't see much sun those areas are solid ice. Several residents have slipped and gone down and are now trying to recover from bruises and aching bones. I haven't heard of any breakages thus far, just dangerous footing.

             Another bane at this time of year is the visit of the flu bug, and this season it is a nasty one. Seems to be the viral type and it takes about 4 to 6 weeks to run its course, during which time the sufferer is contagious and needs to keep to themselves.

January 10, 2018

        Don't forget, in your paperwork, to use 2018 as the year. This moving ahead transition every twelve months takes concentration. In this blog  post I can tell it is something I still need to consider, not habitual yet.

          Bill and Myrna Despain were pleased to have a visit from her son, Blaine Jolley, his daughter Cassy and her baby. The Jolley family live in Greybull, WY, not far from where the Despains spent their early years in Lovell, WY. Another son, Bruce, his wife Cheryl, their daughter, Shanna plus her baby, came a few days later. Bruce and Cheryl Jolley call Lovell their home. All the hustle and bustle added to the Despains holiday enjoyment.

          Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen have been on the run for the holidays. First they spent some time in the Salt Lake area with their sons, Jonathan, Jared and Joe and their families. Then it was a flight to San Jose, CA, to see their daughter Annie and her husband, Steve Earl and their children, not to mention enjoy the warmer temperatures. Between missionaries, carolers and wonderful food the Jepsens had a grand time.

            Karen and Layne Erickson moved around in their celebrations. They spent Christmas Eve with their family members at the home of Bryan and Shanny Erickson in Wellsville. Back home, then to daughter Terrie and Paul McKay's home for a Christmas breakfast with the whole McKay family, Morgan and Cody and their spouses being home for the holiday. Later in that day it was back out to the Station Creek home to share in the Skyping with grandson Elder Andy McKay from Iowa.

             Elder Samuel Seamons, son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons, has finally had his visa cleared. He was called to serve in the Philippines, Legaspi, Mission and due to the visa hang up has been serving in the Salt Lake City West Mission awaiting approval. He is happy to be on his way to the Philippines.

            Justin and Kristal Mason and their children were in town for a visit. It has been a while since we have seen them so it was a special event for the community. The Masons now live in Wisconsin.

          The outdoor holiday lights throughout the community have been retreating to their storage boxes for another year. However with this beautiful moon the night scene in Mink Creek is still picture postcard perfect. We are informed it is called a Supermoon, the first of 2018, and because it is closer to our Earth in its orbit, appears bigger, brighter.

           Have you noticed how fast our days have expanded with lighter hours? December's winter solstice seemed to bring darkness before 5pm and now the sun goes down a bit after 5, and there is dusk for those driving home from 9-5 jobs.

            We don't have much snow yet and we are hoping for more. In our area snow is welcome every winter, not a year goes by but that we depend on that snowpack to provide for good things in our summer months.