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Life in the Country

Jack's work summary

Jean's Publications

Dark skies

Mosquitoes

Where we live We live on a hillside of the Big Hole Mountains in the former community of Cedron, Idaho (John 18:1), which is now marked only by a cemetery, road names, and the memories of the descendants of homesteaders. It is between Victor and Driggs across from the Teton Mountain Range in the Teton River Valley of Idaho, known variously as Pierre's Hole, Teton Valley, and Teton Basin. We live in a subdivision with fellow newcomers from Chicago, Texas. Florida, Wyoming, Germany, Norway, Kansas, Idaho, and California. It is heavy with talented creators and friendly people. What do we do? Look out the windows at the panoramas on the upper right, walk up the canyon in the summer, ski up the canyon in the winter, get a Christmas tree, pick a huckleberry, gather wildflowers spring summer and fall, make friendships when the roads are all right, get a hug from a grandchild who visits, get involved in the Valley's business.
Our Family Anne Liebenthal is a teacher in Idaho Springs, Colorado, Son Michael Pugina wife Crystal, Elizabeth and husband Jason McEwen, Rachel John Liebenthal, Creative Director at CLM Marketing & Advertising. Daughter, Ryann Steve Liebenthal, Morning News Anchor at KIVI 6 in Boise, Idaho Daughters Terri, Leslie, Whitney Chris Richert, Technical Writer at Experis, Husband Kevin Richert, Sons Taylor and Ryan
Our Interests Jean is a published writer of books, poems, articles and short stories and winner of several awards.  These are summarized in Jean's publications. Jack is interested in sky- and neighbor-friendly lighting and mosquito control activities in Teton County, Idaho
Where we came from Jean grew up in Egin, Idaho, a community just south of the Saint Anthony sand dunes. Some of her books, poems, and stories are based on her time there. Jack grew up in Lafayette, Indiana.  He worked for decades at "the Site", the government energy-research installation west of Idaho Falls known over time as the NRTS, INEEL, INEL, and now INL.
How we like it here The Christian Science Monitor essay Life in the Country, Selectively Remembered is a published description of some of our feelings about the Teton Valley.  It was republished in Spindrift, an anthology of Teton Valley writers, of whom there are many. The Teton Valley is a beautiful place, filled with an interesting combination of old-timers and newcomers. The old-timers are farmers, descendants of homesteaders of the 1800s and early 1900s. The newcomers are a mix of second-homers, retirees like us, and outdoor folks drawn to the beauty, the surrounding Caribou-Targhee National Forest , Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the nearby ski areas, Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole. We like the new people and the old timers, we like the life that has less crime, less traffic, more "live and let live", and more friendliness and altruism, and  we like the winter look, the spring look, the summer look, and the fall look of the place. Everyone agrees that this is a good place, and that life is just difficult enough to keep everyone from moving here.