Grateful for ......

Cottonwood on the Creek.....and the man behind the dream...

We raked leaves at Cottonwood on the Creek yesterday.... We do this every year. These pictures are a few years old...but I wanted to use these because they include my father in law, Darwin Knudsen who passed away 3 years ago. This property was his pride and joy and has belonged to his family for 4 generations, since the days of Brigham Young. A large mill was located here that served the people of the Salt Lake Valley from the late 1800's and because of that it was named a historical site of Utah in 1995. It used to be much larger and was referred to as "Knudsen's Corner" and still is today by weathermen and the traffic reporters. But, all of it has been sold off except for this 4.5 acres that sits along the banks of Cottonwood Creek.

Some in the family call it the Millstream Farm but I have always called it Cottonwood on the Creek. It isn't a flat piece of land. It has so much character with its gentle rolling hills. It includes a mill wheel (patterned after the original mill wheel.) It also includes a large barn that has housed a cow, horses, geese, sheep, and llamas through the years. It is sort of a "fairy tale" farm as some have called it. There was a zip line that every kid has enjoyed riding from up above the old cellar ending down at the barn doors. There is a tire swing that hangs from a huge tree that every kid has loved being pushed as high as possible on. There is more family history on this ground then I could ever write about here..... just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.

It was a tradition to ride with Grandpa on the old tractor in the Fall. Here's Michael enjoying his turn. I really really miss that.....

Thank you to Grandpa Knudsen for providing such a wonderful place to enjoy the changing seasons and family togetherness. Oh how we miss you!!!