June 25, 2024

 

Laura Cheney and Cindy Hanson have returned to Mink Creek. Employment and health issues have taken them to Utah for several months and they have been missed.

Robert and Phee Crosland were able to witness the blessing and naming of a grandson recently. Mario and Amanda Crosland, of Smithfield have chosen the name of Courtland Mario Crosland for their little boy. Another Crosland son, Armando, has been at home in Mink Creek for a couple of weeks, taking a break from his job in Washington, D. C. before he was assigned to go to Vienna.

The welcome mat has rolled out for Justin and Kaytlin Jackson and their children, Sloan, Murphy and Moab who have moved to Mink Creek. They live in the home built by Jared and Juliana Egley and are members of the family that purchased the Egley Farms.

The Young Women of the LDS ward enjoyed an activity at the Heritage Senior Living Center in Preston. They were there to call the numbers for a Bingo game activity. There was a lot of laughter and friendship shared at this event. It was a fun evening, well spent.

The family and friends of Johnny and Jeannine Iverson gathered at their home on Glencoe Road to help them celebrate their 70^th wedding anniversary. Family came from Washington, Texas, Utah, Idaho, the Iverson children and even some siblings, all ages were present.

We have had chokecherry trees blooming and some random horse chestnut trees The recent winds have ripped off blossoms from any that were left on the many chokecherry trees that are scattered through our village. Horse chestnut and any tree with a flower quickly had their petals flying in the onslaught.

The sight of motorcycle groups on Highway 36 has replaced that of outfits pulling trailers loaded with snowmobiles. The cycles range from singles, to several, to fifty or so as they streak by with the accompanying roar of the motors. Another sign of summer.

June 18, 2024

 

The Mink Creek Ward Relief Society started off the hot weather season with a barbeque dinner at the ballpark. It was advertised as an SOS get together, which might describe the emotions as the growing season gets underway. However the SOS stood for Sisters Only Social. The menu was chicken, prepared by Cecelie Costley, Dutch-oven potatoes by Robin Stephenson, tossed salad by Jonia Jackson and homemade huckleberry ice cream with rhubarb/strawberry pie by Margret Iverson. These women make up the Relief Society presidency. “Entertainment” for the evening was getting a chance to visit and the sharing of “food flops” that have been experienced in our own kitchens. Most of the flops were from the early years as brides, but flops can occur anytime and always provide humor with the proper attitude in hindsight. It was a perfect evening, About two dozen sisters attended.

The family of Clayton and Wendy Currie have moved to Honeyville, UT. They have three sons: William, Devlyn and Larien. A nephew, Christopher Wilkinson, may stay in the area.

Celina Crosland Groesbeck, her husband Jesse and their two daughters have moved to Worland, WY, Jesse’s hometown. The couple have been employed in the Boise area over the last year and a job opening close to family has given them this new direction.

The Crane trio, siblings, Bruce, Linda and Sheryl, were here for their annual greeting of spring in their hometown. Bruce has a Mink Creek home, the sisters live around Jerome. They share memories, hike the hills and soak up family connections and it is always of source of recharging tor the months ahead.

With summer months comes the awareness of rodeo activities in rural America. It is extra exciting for the Kerry and Lacey Christensen family this year. At the recent contest for rodeo royalty for the Famous Preston Night Rodeo that will be in a few months their daughters excelled. It was tough competitions. Jyllian Christensen was chosen as the Queen of the Rodeo and her sister, Greenlee was chosen as the Junior Queen. Congratulations, and a dream come true!

We are alerted to the likelihood of freezing temperatures for a couple of nights. It is one of those times when gardening becomes questionable. The big question being, “How do we cover the whole garden, just when things are getting a good start?”

June 11, 2024

 

A definite marker of the month of June is that the local crops of hay are being mowed and arranged in those lovely parallel lines, designing each field with some uniqueness. The machines that accomplish have changed over time, but the basic process remains the same as the hay goes from the field to storage in a barn or stack awaiting the time needed by animals or to be sold. It is a great season.

There is evidence of some earth slides on some of our slopes, an indication that we have received more moisture than “normal.” These slides are scattered through our village so it hasn’t been only one geological flaw.

Our temporary population is growing, a yearly occurrence when those owners with summer homes return for a few months, before fleeing from winter’s usual onslaught. Bryce and Terry Stromberg are here. Sam and Sylvia Stanger have their beacon on the hillside. Jim and Debbie Harrison are keeping an eye open for possible overflowing canals that did some extensive damage to their place last year. Jeff and Julie Workman spend more and more time in Mink Creek as they work towards permanent residence.

The family of Matthew and Chelsey Rhees are officially members of our local LDS Ward. Their names were announced in May, along with the names of their children, Payton, Brody, Kason, Bridger and Ty. Some time ago the family purchased the land that had belonged to Ron and Mary Norris. Since then the old home was demolished and the Rhees’ have built a new home. This is a farm of long standing in the community, old-timers think of it as the William and Jemima Crane place. Crane was the Bishop of the ward at the time of the construction of the current meetinghouse, dedicated in 1929.

The storms that often hit this time of year are providing lots of entertainment in the way of noisy lightning strikes and the thunder rumble that accompanies. Some of these are even colorful, hitting about the time of sunset with pinks and purples. The rain can be a deluge, but covering a limited area. Quoting one of our farmer residents, “this sort of rain doesn’t benefit much, a short soak of a crop, but it can ruin the hay that is down.”

June 4, 2024

 

The cemetery was beautiful on Memorial Day and was filled with decorated resting spots. The work given by the Cemetery Committee is appreciated. For several years it has become a time to place a photograph of those who are deceased near their headstones and much of the history of both the community and individuals becomes shared in this undertaking. Some families made an extra effort to arrive as a group at the gravesites of loved ones to take family pictures.

There was a good turnout for the recent voting in the primary Elections. The women on the Election Board this year were Danita Wilcox, Lorraine Christensen and Lana Baird McCracken. All was in readiness for the arrival of voters.

The Hansen House was full of Hansens for the holiday. Wes and Heather Hansen were up from Ogden, UT, Dirk and Patricia Bowles and their son Robert and family from Fairview, ID. Perhaps more that escaped my notice.

The holiday weekend brought the Lewis and Clark Volunteers, Mountain Men group, for their traditional encampment at the Vernon Keller farm on the banks of Mink Creek. There was a full group this year with campers filling the open area. Some of the Keller family also came up from Utah to enjoy this event, Kelton and Denise Keller, Kaylene and Jeff Hill, Karla Jensen. Kim and Dianna Keller live on the Mink Creek farm.

A neighbor recently reported that she had “a fox in the hen house.” Literally,.  Of course, the results were not good for those hens or the neighbor. Living among wildlife has extra challenges. Another creature that has appeared on the local scene is a beaver who has been busy trying to build a dam in one of the irrigation ditches.

Joseph and Rebecca Jones were up from Herriman, UT, visiting our area. He grew up here, is the nephew of Vickie and Richard Free. His parents, Austin and Kathy Jones now live in Grace, but Joseph manages to come and share memories every so often.

Wildflowers are coloring up our slopes. Yellow lady slippers and Mules Earss, Purple and blue lupines, golden curly lilies. Of course there is the controversial dandelion. It is a pretty season. Noticeable as well is the evil Dyer’s Woad, an aggressive weed that has the capacity to spread like a fire.

May 29, 2024

 

What a season this is! Everyone is checking their outdoor thermometers regularly. Our village boundaries are long, about ten miles, and comparatively narrow. While it is cold and raining in the southwestern part of our community it will be cold and snowing at the northern end. It does keep things interesting, but perhaps not comfortable.

Long-time friends, Jeff Olson and Steven Westerberg, are local hikers and as they wander around mountains and canyons lately they have enjoyed both the bursting greenery and the remaining snow tucked up high.

Vickie Free joined her sister Kathy Jones and husband Austin Jones of Grace, ID, and some of the Jones kids for a family trip to the Orlando, FL, country. Good fun, some relaxation and shopping made for a good break before the growing and gardening season takes off with those demands.

Mink Creek is proud of their high school graduates for this year. Tom Henderson, graduating from Preston High is the son of Brady and Shoni Henderson. Tehya Nicholls, grand-daughter of Tom and Donna Nicholls, and Liberty Stanworth, daughter of Kaci Baldwin, graduated from Franklin County High School, all this past week. Congratulations are in order for these young adults.

Devin and Maria Flake and their son Jude came up from Utah to celebrate Devin’s birthday. Coming to see Maria’s mother, Lana Baird McCracken, is a continuing treat for the Flake family, particularly for Jude.

Our Young Women’s group had a great activity this month. They gathered at Bishop Paul McKay’s home for some lessons on car maintenance from one who had chosen that as his career. They played a game entitled, "Guess What the Indicator Light Means" and then learned first hand how to check for fluids. Another item for the evening was that of changing a flat tire, figuring out where the spare tire and the jack were, how to operate a car that wasn’t equipped with push buttons. It was a great hands-on car class.

A cloudburst visited Mink Creek on Saturday that went right along with the first paragraph. It hit in the middle of the village. Literally a torrent of water poured down and swept mud, rocks, planted seeds, etc with it as it headed to the base of our valley. On the ends of the valley the storm was less intense.

May 22, 2024

 

Skyler and McKinley Longhurst Stevens are back home in Franklin County. They have finished their educational pursuits in Raleigh, North Carolina and are now checking out opportunities for future plans. It is nice to be on their home turf. It has been a year of learning a new culture in the east as well as the schooling.

These two did some “house sitting”, along with Emily Longhurst and Tony Viviano, for their mother Candy Longhurst while she was on a trip to the British Isles. Candy is a hiker of our green mountains and she loved hiking in Scotland and Ireland, that are equally green right now. She spent two weeks roaming the spring beauty with friends. They took in Inverness and its history in Scotland, loved the beauty of the lochs (lakes). Then there was Dublin in Ireland and the Blarney Castle and gardens. Candy was able to kiss the famous Blarney stone.

LaMar and Claudine McKague drove down to Lehi, UT, to attend a surprise farewell party at Thanksgiving Point that was honoring Jeff and Christine Waddoups Rich. Jeff, Christine and Claudine grew up together, best friends during their high school days at Preston High School. They were joined by another classmate, Kim Clark. It will be President and Sister Rich this coming summer as the couple depart to serve in Thailand as the Missionary President and wife for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in that area. Jeff is the son of Larry and Dorothy Rich and Christine is the daughter of Jerry and Caroline Waddoups.

We are saddened to write of the death of Elaine Mikesell Larsen, the wife of Craig Larsen. She had recently spent some days in the hospital and was happy to be going home. She has lived in Mink Creek for nearly fifteen years and will be missed by many. A graveside service took place on May 17^th, at the Fairview Cemetery.

We hear of the “wind sweeping down the hills,” but this week we had the wind roaring up into our mountains. Local amateur weathermen recorded it at 32 mph steadily, with gusts at over 37 miles per hour. At least one barn roof was damaged and multiple loose outdoor garbage cans and furniture went rolling to new locations. The downpour of rain that was part of the blitz gave us a good soaking.

We got an unexpected freeze last night. Ice on the sprinklers this morning and any unprotected garden plants likely taken out. Around here the general rule is don’t plant until after Mothers’ Day—that was 10 days ago.

May 14, 2024

 

Ballroom dancing has taken the front stage for two of our families recently. Mink Creek had three young performers participating in Dancing With the Stars event at Preston High School. Jyllian and Greenlee Christensen are daughters of Lacey and Kerry Christensen. Hazen Baird is the son of Liesa and LaRon Baird. Greenlee and her partner, Dr. Hansen, were awarded 3^rd place for their fast-stepped dance. Beautiful gowns, dancing music and performers, what a great show!

Eldon and Danita Wilcox enjoyed a warm trip to Cloverdale, CA to reconnect with friends made while serving in Pennsylvania on their mission. While down that way they visited four new Latter-day Saint temples. Then they drove up the coast to Kennewick, WA, and the Tri-Cities to spend time with Eldon’s brother. On the trip home they managed two more temples, Twin Falls and Meridian.

Lorraine Christensen spent some time in Layton, UT, with daughter, Carrie and Ken Melton and their family. The occasion was that of Carrie receiving her Masters Degree from Weber State in Ogden. Later they were able to take in a tour of the open house at the Layton Temple, along with the Melton grandchildren.

ReNae Egley recently joined her friends Jill Hobbs and LeLan Daines for another trip abroad. This time it was back to parts of Europe: Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania. It was a mixture of scenery, architecture, statues, new foods and all sorts of long ago history. Monasteries, castles, the Danube River, multiple lakes, rose gardens, ancient Roman ruins and artifacts, museums, cities large and small. It was an amazing adventure for this traveling trio.

There are reports, with pictures, of moose moving around in Strawberry Canyon. It is amazing how those big creatures can pop out of the forest while crossing the highway in front of a vehicle.

Long before I had any idea I would spend most of life in Mink Creek, Idaho, a friend's father who had passed through this valley many times going from Star Valley to Utah  described it as an "apple valley." He had memories of smelling the blossoms on the trees as they drove thru in the spring, and again a more mature scent of the trees filled with apples in the fall trip.  Now it is the spring apple valley time in Mink Creek. Breathe it in.