More Musings About the Wonderfulness of the NW Corner of CT (mostly recapping Cornwall Coolness)

I read about the memories a fellow had of the Egremont  MA Carnival from long ago..before liability and regulations made it less possible to proceed...

That got me thinking back on the many years of Falls Village Carnival fun we had as kids (and kept checking in on as adults too, with fewer firetruck rides, but plenty of good memories to review and renew...)

 This post is about a 'Cornwall Story' which was recorded as part of their 275th celebration, which included a play at the Town Hall by the Grumbling Gryphons (with great clips on youtube and a summer camp that runs in early August) , and quite a sumptuous meal on the green, and lots of other Cornwall-crafted fun. 

If I could make a quick list of some of the amazingly good times I had with our kids (and the many other cool people who discovered Cornwall or actually were from one of the parts of the town..) they'd include: Memorial Day and Agricultural Fair in September fun with frog jumping contests and many a game to win cakes or throw a bale of hay or a frying pan (yikes), a hay bale maze which often became a tower for tumbling or jumping off of, great food sold by 8th graders and wonderful corn on the cob. 

A petting zoo with lovely llamas, a donkey, a little goat or thereabouts, calves, and a parade of cows and other amazing large animals. Once there was a  large cart with horses.

Cider pressing and all things Motherhouse, including Debra Tyler and her wonderful crew, Margaret (now an aerialist, maybe in small part due to some of the dancing we did together in a small group when she was a young 'un I like to think,) Fresh Ridgway and other farm veggies and products... and lots of crafts and even hayrides pulled by a tractor run by the Scovilles.

 Kids choir with Anne Chamberlain, a renowned pianist in the area and someone I got to hear teach lessons to a child (who was taught not to look at the notes but rather to listen so a good piano in tune was key to have...) Well, lots more of course, more church events and tag sales, visits to a friends' home or two, whether farm with farm stand or home being built, including masonry thank you very much.

 Endless dedication and talent mixed in with New York and other polished charm to make the cozy parts of Cornwall all the more functional and friendly. 

And of course, the school with its carpeted hallways and small groups of kids (easy to sub for I found and ready to create in art, do their part in music, chime in with ideas in science  and lots more....a play or two and memories of playing soccer on their 'smaller field' so it seemed to me, then later coaching for Kellogg but getting to see all of my basic adventures as a young athlete from an adult perspective. Still lots to discover. 

So here's to Cornwall and all of the towns in the NW Corner, each holding a special place in my heart over the years. I cared for elderly in most if not all of the towns so would get that 'birds eye view from long ago over a few generations.' 

Caring for one matriarch helped me track a few branches of that family tree. Then there are the circles of faith groups and clubs, school and political issues we all hear about or interact with more closely.

 In essence in addition to the awesome natural settings that comprise each town, the people make the place ...and then in turn the place makes the people. 

The win-win is not always obvious, sometimes there's isolation and breaks in communication but for the greater good, hopefully we'll all find ourselves being part of the conversation and the honest-to-goodness meaningful welcoming and engaged community. Here's to the milestones in each area and many more to come!