May 26, 2020, Graduation

         The village of Mink Creek has four young men graduating from high school this year. It is a year like no other and their lives have shifted in unexpected ways. Each one has missed being with friends and being in an actual classroom with teachers for one on one assistance. All the hours that they have needed to spend in front of their computers at home has been a challenging experience but also created some learning in areas unplanned. Some online stuff was slow slogging with computers not always being user friendly. All the senior plans of the big prom, the special privileges given to the senior class, no yearbook signing, etc. went out the window for the entire student-body and there has been some disappointment with that. Senior Projects that were moving to completion were suspended.

          Andrew Iverson, son of Kurt and Margret Iverson, had high expectations this year fortrack season, having done very well in his events last year. He managed to get in some practices with family and friends, but missed having any type of competition to conclude their season. Andrew has received a mission call to Queretaro, Mexico for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His current plan is to leave for Mexico on July 7, 2020, where he would be in the Mission Training Center for several weeks before assignment to his first field of service. Here too, it is 'wait and see' because the MTC there is still closed due to the COVID19 virus.

         Calvin Henderson is planning on going into a computer coding and game design program. His parents are Shoni and Brady Henderson. He loves photography, video editing, photoshop, graphic design, and making hilarious videos! He has actually really enjoyed doing school online, but misses his friends and teachers. Calvin says that it still doesn’t seem real -- that he’s actually done, but hasn't been 'at school!' Although he is bummed that he missed prom and the rest of the year, he is still excited for the future. He has a great attitude to be a part of the class of 2020 “The one with the pandemic.” It is a history lesson he didn't expect.

           Austin Corbett, son of Shane and Sherrie Corbett, is an amazing young man who has dealt with some extra challenges during these school years. He has grown in many ways over the last few years in high school. One of his interests is heavy equipment, the big stuff. He loves to see how they work and make them even work better. This summer Austin will be working with his grandpa doing construction. Beyond that, he hopes to go off to trade school to get more skills. He dream is to own his own company in construction. Austin was so sad to have school moved to home, missing friends and his school teachers. He has an amazing heart for others! He looks out for others in ways a person would never guess!

           One of our seniors, David Seamons, left for summer work in the middle of April. He is part of a sales crew selling pesticides in the Vancouver, WA area with Rico Crosland and two more Seamons brothers, Sam and Ben. David is the son of Jeff and Jennifer Seamons. He is finishing school online while on the job. His plan is to earn money for his mission, attend BYU in Provo, UT, in the Fall and then go on his mission. He has missed lot of senior activities, but he felt good about getting on with his life and starting to work.

         This 'news' is not the usual. We are proud of these four, we are always proud of our graduates. The last few months have turned everyone's lives around and our expectations, our routines, have been a bit like the game “fruit basket upset.” Almost from day to day, there is that feeling of suspension and we gingerly move forward to move out. Hopefully before too long a semblance of normal will return, and at the same time we will have learned some important lessons as to what really matters in our lives.

May 20, 2020

         Rock picking can be an activity: rocks being traded some needing them to shore up a slope, other needing their absence to enlarge a space on the property. Rocks to decorate a flower garden, or the smaller variety to paint and create. Yes, rocks can be in demand. Mink Creek has a history of rocks, they seem to grow in the fields, just ask any local farmer who has plowed a new field, or an old field for that matter.

        Before the recent blustery storms that have come our way there were flowering trees in all directions. Wild trees, tame trees, trees in the orchards—pink blossoms, white blossoms, rose-colored blossoms, ivory ones. Those winds and the rains have deblossomed some of those beautiful trees, and scattered the pretty petals. The chokecherry trees were just heavy with white hanging clusters

        Patti and Forrest Christensen are back home from their travels in Florida during the chilly weeks. They have dived right in, planting their garden, enjoying the beauties of the surrounding mountains while they listen to the waters of Mink Creek as it hurries past their home.

         Evidenced by the traffic families were taking a break and camping out in our canyon's campgrounds over Mother's Day weekend. We have made the semi annual transition from snowmobiling to camping as the weather warms. I have heard of some earlier 'pretend camping' going on in our home-bound youth. It has ever been a fun thing to build a tent-like structure within the walls of your house and have a place for escaping reality for just a little while.

         Our McKinley Longhurst has been selected to be one of Idaho State University’s Ambassadors during the next school year. Pocatello and ISU are lucky to have her in their midst. McKinley will be a Junior next year. She is majoring in biology and hoping to go into the medical field as a career.

         Julie and Jeff Workman have been up to their Idaho home from their home in Utah to enjoy these spring days in beautiful Mink Creek. These two love these green hills.

         Members of the Pearson family were here getting their Leghorn Lodge ready for some serious family time during the Memorial Day weekend.

          Several of the 'summer homes' are in the process of readiness for off and on visitors before too long. All of this is evidence of the desire to be able to see each other again, it has been a long two months of isolation. Happily we have no positive COVID-19 to report.

May 13, 2020

        Mink Creek is a place of echoes, a valley where sound bounces off and back down. When a neighbor is using a hammer, or chain saw, others are aware of the activity, or any other that is similar. A lone motorcycle heading down the main street can be followed audibly for miles. When a stack of bikers travels through the roar of the machines slashes the air, back and forth, until they are well past.

Construction on several homes has continued to go on during these past winter months. Sounds of hammers, pounding, even some shouting of instructions, or interesting comments, go beyond the sites.     

        Eldon and Danita Wilcox report that they will soon have water in their home-to-be. They have been living in the house where Danita grew up while working on their new home. Those extended family who use the house as a summer bungalow will soon need that home. Neighbors and friends have contributed some of the labor and the new Wilcox house is nearing the stage to welcome occupancy.

       Laura Cheney brought a small herd of cows with her when she moved to Mink Creek. She is in the process of getting a barn built for these critters. Again, some of the labor crew lives within miles.

        Dean Wilde's home has an imposing perch on a northern slope above Birch Creek. The view must be terrific. It is located just west of the entry to our beautiful cemetery.

       Kade Nicholls, who earns his daily bread working with his brother-in-law, Brady Hensdersen, in his painting business, has turned his know-how onto his own house. When the Nichols couple moved in the siding on the house was creamy in color. Kade has turned it into a pretty green that snuggles right into their orchard and garden.

        Raphael Arnsworth now has a beautiful deck added to his 'little house' and a partial wrap-around porch. He seems to have ongoing building projects on his place. He is putting in 21^st Century expectations.

        If a person is a resident of Mink Creek the color of green had best be a favorite color because everywhere one looks it is green, in one shade or another. This will only increase for a few more weeks as the season gets firmly rooted into our slopes. Here and there are splashes of yellow or gold. Dandelions perk up their saucy heads across a field. The golden color of the Mule's Ears, often mistaken for sunflowers, slides up the untended slopes. All of it makes for beautiful surroundings. This is written to pluck the heart strings of any ex-Crikker who may read this column. A bit of homesickness is a good thing, especially when being shut in by the COVID 19.

        The irrigation systems up and down the valley have been up and running. One often hears, “A good rain wouldn't hurt anybody.” It has been that kind of spring. The comment must have been heard because we had a couple of quick cloudbursts in the last few days, and then last night it rained for the better part of the time. We awoke to snow on our mountaintops again. Hopefully any infant gardens survived

May 6, 2020

           It is that time of year when our canals get a cleaning before the water is turned into them. I heard the chugging along of a back hoe nearby and looked up to see one coming around the corner, lifting our winters debris and mud to provide a way for free flowing waters to irrigate from here to Preston. Some ducks and muskrats were probably disturbed as the equipment moved them out of their comfort zones. There are several canals in Franklin County that originate in Mink Creek.

          There has been some spring cleaning happening on our main drag, Hwy 36. The State Highway Crew has been up with a sweeper clearing off the shoulders of the road, sprucing it up for warm weather travel.

           One more big area cleanup that needs to take place on our roads is the winter litter. No matter what road one might traverse there is lots of litter, large and small, just waiting for volunteers with their orange pickup bags. Safe distancing should not hamper that event.

         The Aaron and Heather Haws family from Meridian, ID, has come down for a COVID-19 break at the Haws home in Mink Creek. They loved having plenty of space to be outdoors, enjoyed the creek that runs by their place and just the overall feeling of freedom. They put in some hiking and walking time and dropped a line in the waters.

        Garden and yards are putting on a little pressure for getting into shape. Several of our residents have greenhouses to get a jump start on the growing season. Families have gathered to get seedlings started and some more hardy seeds are already in the ground. The apricot trees are in bloom and the cherry trees are coming close. Hopefully there will be no killing frosts, it is an annual risk.

       Jeff and Jennifer Seamons have announced the graduation of their son Joseph Seamons and his wife Diana Bolanos from Brigham Young University. They have been in BYU's Mechanical Engineering program.

          The valley is so beautiful now, dressed in some of its finest robes. May 1^st marks water going in the irrigation canals, ditches The water in all of our creeks is rolling, thrashing around in a frenzy as the snows above us keep melting. Our main drag regularly has a motorcycle parade as people take advantage of getting out of their houses into the spring air.

April 28, 2020

          The yellow school bus still makes a run, but instead of hauling our kids back and forth to school, now it is bringing lunches to the center of our village, our only public parking lot. The expression on the children's faces as they see each other from safe distancing is priceless. Many waves and smiles, a time of reconnecting, while parents remind them of the quarantine.

          We are having the annual “rushing of the waters.” Mink Creek and all its tributaries are running high with the melting of the snow on our mountains. The sound of the swiftly moving water isn't too noticeable during daylight hours when activity and traffic contribute noise in the air. At night that same sound is music in the stillness. Bear River seems happy to receive the extra water and Station Creek adds its share a little further down the waterway.

         College kids are home. Some had chosen to return nearly a month ago, others were staying in their college digs, studying online and hoping for a return to 'normal.' That didn't happen, but the end of their semester has arrived to send them back to home base, or possibly summer jobs.

          Candy Longhurst has been happy to have daughter McKinley home from ISU. Tiffany L. Wheeler and baby Hudson have come down from Parma, ID, to add to the ranks. They have been getting their home grounds ready with garden prep, cleaning out strawberry plants and raspberry canes, enjoying some warm days together with all this exercise that is available on their farm. Or another descriptive word would be 'work.'

         Davanie Ostler, daughter of Stuart and Alona Ostler is an active performer with Cheer Force. This group went to Portland, OR, over a month ago and they took second place in their section. They were also awarded a bid to Summit. Summit is the Olympics version in the cheering world. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 restrictions this event was canceled. That doesn't stop us from being proud of Davanie's accomplishments.

         Our teenage girls, unable to get together, devised a Cupcake Contest. Each in their own homes baked and decorated cupcakes. They took pictures of the results and shared the photos with each other in texts. Just one more way to stay in touch, and every household benefited with having a special treat from the young women's efforts.

         We are looking very green with new leaf growth making the trees into various shades of green lace. Fields are being readied for the season in one way or another, plowing, or harrowing one that already has green showing. Of course in Mink Creek there is the forever task of rock picking. Somehow I don't think James Morgan Keller was concerned much about rocks on his farm when he founded this place 129 years ago. The instruments of farming of yore weren't as threatened by those sizey stones as are the machines of today.

April 22, two days late, 2020

A bit late, but still here.  Sorry if you were looking for it yesterday, I was a bit swamped. For some reason the newspaper only printed half of what I had submitted for the usual weekly news.  And so you may get a double dose of the same news, either this week or next, depending on how it plays out. Confusing? yes, for me too.  But, at least is isn't an update on the COVID-19, one more timie.

        The cliff-side spillway of the Twin Lakes Canal that originates in Mink Creek has a healthy trickle descending down to the Bear River below. It looks like nature has taken a white chalk and drawn a ragged zigzag vertical stroke against the rocky red background.

         Armando Crosland had come here some time ago for a visit with his family. His employment is based in Washington, DC. His visit to Idaho was lengthened out when the rules for the virus went into effect. There is always a project going at his parents' home on so his time has not been squandered, but it is a relief to get things straightened out for him. His job often takes him abroad but we are uncertain of how the COVID 19 restrictions might change that.

          Some of us celebrated Passover as well as Easter. With limited shopping and safe distancing it is amazing how creative people can be to still meet their goals and fulfill their wishes. Once a person has taken a trip to the Holy Land at this time of year the meaning of the Feast of the Passover is no longer just a time of celebration that we read about in the Bible.

            It is interesting to notice that with home schooling taking place in our families that during the week before Easter some of the topics being studied were about different aspects of the holiday. Some learning of different Easter customs around the world, others of the history of Easter, some religious related. Such a variety that, chances are, except for our current situation, these things would never have come so strongly to the children's attention. Much of that week would have been chocolate rabbits and eggs, both sweet and natural.

          That snow that keeps returning, along with the north wind that brings biting cold even when the sun is shining, just cannot quench people's desire and anticipation for the season of renewal. No matter the weather residents of this community are thinking of, and doing, tasks that spell S-p-r-i-n-g. Noted are garages being cleaned out, household repairs underway, seedlings planted indoors and coddled in spots of warmth and light to get a head start. Readiness for when the weather decides to settle down. One gardener has already got tomatoes planted and wrapped up in their cages, top to bottom, to give them encouragement, while offering protection.

            

         The spring wildflowers are making themselves known, in spite of the frequent snows that have fallen upon them. Curly flowers pepper the slopes and yellow bells, some call these buttercups and if the bloom were turned upside down in would be a lovely little cup. Nodding short stemmed bluebells. A neighbor brought us a bunch so that we could enjoy them without climbing the slopes.

We haven't yet gotten any water cress but I am hearing rumors that it is available now. Mink Creek spring is thriving.

April 14, 2020

         Happy after-Easter!  Things have been very cold the last couple of days, but beautiful in the way that Mink Creek always is as the greening starts up and down the valley.

         Spring Break got broken, even before it started and now it is spreading itself out. The coming and going of Mink Creek community is a bit more limited than it was just a month ago. The COVID-19 has a far reaching effect. No complaints, it only means that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing.

          The daffodils and the narcissus at our only public building, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are blooming. Farmers are starting to think about preparing the ground in their fields for planting. There are always fences that need some repair, posts that need stabilized.

          We have had snow, we have had rain. We also had a beautiful double rainbow following a rainstorm. It had the effect that comes with rainbows, feelings of promise and hope, while enjoying the beauty. We have even had some sunshine.

          Armando Crosland had come here some time ago for a visit with his family. His employment is based in Washington, DC. His visit was lengthened out when the rules for the virus went into effect. There is always a project going on  at his parents' home so his time has not been squandered, but it a relief to get things straightened out for him.

         Some of us will be celebrating Passover as well as Easter. With limited shopping and safe distancing it is amazing how creative people can be to still meet their goals and fulfill their wishes. Once a person has taken a trip to the Holy Land at this time of year the meaning of the Feast of the Passover deepens in its meaning.

          It is interesting to notice that with home schooling taking place in our families that this week some of the topics being studied are about different aspects of Easter. Some learning of different Easter customs around the world, others of the history of Easter, some religious related. Such a variety that, chances are, except for our current situation, these things would never have come so strongly to the children's attention. Much of this week would have been chocolate rabbits and eggs, both sweet and natural.

            Lockdown in Mink Creek means neighbors helping neighbors, only from a little further distance than usual. It also means taking advantage of online social connections in a positive way, building up, encouraging. It means waving as we drive by, and maybe even a stop of a few minutes, speaking to an isolated person who happens to be outdoors –but from a distance. What a great little village this is!