Trying To Find The Artist...

Last week I saw a Facebook post from a college friend who now lives in Teton Valley, Idaho. She liked a post in the Teton Valley History Facebook site. If you're not familiar with these Facebook sites (and if you spend any time on Facebook, I'm sure that you know of them...), a site will be created by people from a specific geographic location mostly to reminisce about "the old days." I'm a member of the "If You Grew Up In Farmington" site. I'm also a member similar sites for Kaysville and Tremonton. I sort of grew up in Kaysville and I definitely didn't grow up in Tremonton, but it's a way to learn about those who did.

I decided to see if I could become a part of the Teton Valley History site.

I asked to join.

I was accepted.

It's been fascinating. Most of the photos are from long ago, and I by "long" I mean, early to mid-1900s...some even earlier. I am waiting to see if there's anyone I might know (mostly from last names...), and I'm sure my mom and her family knew them all. 

I have several photos that match the time period of my mom, her brothers, parents, aunts, and uncles. I might post some one of these days. I do have something I know is from the valley--artwork from my mom's uncle Claude.

Last night I did some ancestry digging to get details of Uncle Claude. I've blogged about him and the painting before. One HUGE problem...

I blogged about the wrong ancestor.

My mother's mother's name is Dalley. Back when I blogged about the painting in 2020, I assumed (incorrectly...) that Claude was my mom's uncle from her mother's side--I'm sure a most interesting man who I would love to know more about, but it's not him. My mother's father's name is Knight. As you can see on the artwork, it was a Knight who did the painting. It took me several hours of searching on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.com last night and I never found him.

My parents adopted us later in their lives so I had a lot of cousins who were older. I met so many as a child and by the time I reached adulthood and could remember people and make the connections, many had passed away. If my mom were alive, I could just call her up and ask how she was related to Uncle Claude. It would be so much easier.

Death has a way of making simple tasks difficult.

I'll keep looking. Maybe one day I'll figure it out.

Love This Place...

 The picture, I admit, is subpar. The composition is bad, the foreground is not picturesque and it does not enhance the main subject of photograph, that is, the Teton mountain range.

Still...

I do love that valley.

This past weekend my wife and I traveled to Southwestern Idaho to visit family and to celebrate a birthday--and a life. Driving into the valley from the west on a clear winter day is a sight that takes your breath away. I've seen the mountain range during all four seasons of the year...there's something about winter that is special.

Of course, make sure you have somewhere warm to stay because--though beautiful--it's also one of the coldest places on earth.

We arrived early to help out and gather with family. After arriving I realized if I wanted to get a photograph of the Tetons (because we didn't get one driving in...), I needed to do it then because it would be too dark when we were leaving. I went outside and took a photo. The view you see if from the LDS church parking lot in Tetonia. 

I think the first trip I ever took as baby was to Driggs, Idaho. I could be wrong, because I was very little at the time. But, growing up, we took annual trips to Driggs to visit my mother's father...the only grandparent I ever met. We ran around on the small dairy farm, watched my grandpa milk the cows, and sleep in the family home.

Now, my cousin resurrected the Driggs homestead for his family. The home, the valley, all of it...it's a special place, blessed by God, but not for the uncommitted. It takes a hearty person to accept the valley and thrive therein.

No, the photograph's not perfect. Like the valley, it has its flaws, but it's also beautiful and majestic and timeless.

I love this place.

Packsaddle Ranch...And It's For Sale!

Anyone have a spare $700K lying around? 

If so, have I got a view for you!

I love this view! It's intertwined with my childhood like few others. My earliest recollections were my family loading up the big Buick 225 and heading north to the Teton Valley to visit my mom's father and a handful of her relatives located throughout the towns of Driggs, Victor and Tetonia.

We took the route into the valley from Rexburg so we'd cross over the foothills and see the Teton peaks towering into the sky. Once we hit the flats we'd wind through Tetonia and finally stop the car when the view of the mountains turned majestic--that's where the family home stood.

My mom's father and mother are gone and so is my mom. Her brothers haven't used the family farm in years so it's been decided to sell and considering the price per acre, it's a downright steal! If you want more information and to see some absolutely beautiful pictures taken from the site, just click: HERE.

This is the property's write-up on the site:

Located between the towns of Driggs and Tetonia, this spectacular 100 acre property has been owned by the same family for over 100 years. Unmatched Teton views of all 4 peaks from this large parcel with water rights. Ranch, farm, or build your dream home. Rare, large acreage with paved access down the entire North side. This “quiet side” of the Tetons is surrounded by world-class trout fishing, wildlife and year-round recreational opportunities and sits between the majestic Teton range to the East and the Big Hole mountains to the west. A true sportsman’s paradise in a unique mountain valley setting. 3.5 miles to the Driggs airport. 37 miles to Jackson Hole. 14 miles to Grand Targhee ski resort.

The family home was built in 1906. In 2006 we had a family reunion to celebrate. It was the last reunion my mom attended. Now, hopefully, another family--or families--will move it, build more than a physical structure and return to where the mountain's part and the view is spectacular and call it home. If you're interested, just let me know.