As you have read the 25 Days of Christmas and the stories of the first few Greenwoodians, you have probably identified a pattern of events...visits. The news is full of visits from business people, relatives and friends to Greenwood for the day or just for dinner and longer visits such as the hunters coming and staying with local families. And, Greenwoodians visiting local communities to shop or see their friends and family or travelling for vacation or even spending time elsewhere for extended periods.
I have shared about our joint Murray-Lounsberry reunion each 4th of July, where we come from near and far to share about our lives and reminisce about memories of our time in Greenwood.
Personally, while I was born in Greenwood, we moved when I was three years old not far away to Andover and then at age 13 moved and kept on moving until we landed in Virginia where the John Murray 7 still reside, without John Murray. He now lives in Fort Wayne Indiana. All of that said, I have always been a frequent and not-so-frequent visitor to Greenwood.
I, like many of you, have been featured in the Greenwood News. "John, Kathleen, Kathy Lou and Robbie accompanied Stan Jr to the airport...", "John and family attended dinner at Margaret and Stanley's..." and it goes on and on. While in today's society, this may seem silly, it has roots back to the 1800s when visiting somewhere was a big deal. It took lots of preparation and people stayed for weeks if not months when they visited.
Well, in our family and some of yours, we stayed for weeks and months in Greenwood too.
I will start with who I call the Armstrong Boys, Jay, Jeff and Jon. Once their family moved away, they would come back with their grandmother Muriel (Jesse) Armstrong at her home in Greenwood and spend a few days or a week or so.
Muriel here. Yes, I moved to New York City after Jesse passed away to become a companion for Mrs Wickwire (sp). I would come back to take care of things at the house or do some business in Hornell. I would sit on the front porch at Stanley and Margaret's and have a visit. And, many times one of my grandsons would come along.
I am not going to share too much here as the boys will be sharing their adventures with Grandmother Muriel next month.
Many of my cousins and siblings shared some great stories about summers on the Lounsberry Farm. Check out
https://kmreynolds2.wixsite.com/greenwood/post/flora-and-albert-rockin-it-as-grandparents to hear more.
When I was young, I remember going to Summer Playground up at the school. Do you say "up at the school" or "up to the school"? A lot of time was spent on the playground there. As we grew up, it was our job to take the younger kids to the playground when we were visiting. It was a right of passage passed down from cousin to cousin. Everyone had to be in charge of the younger cousins at the playground at some point.
We also had and have competitions. When we were younger it was for candy or spoons full of coins, then it was just bragging rights. Now, it seems that Denny (Coates) has stepped it up a bit. Are you surprised? There is a trophy to be earned for the team that wins the most points with whatever combination of activities such as wiffle ball, corn hole, washers, ping pong...we even did kick ball, dodge ball and an obstacle course "up at the school" one year. Can't forget fishing at the Murray Farm...was it most fish, biggest fish, the battle still rages.
Denny here. I won it fair and square last year and you know it Rob (Trish Murray Wentz). ha ha ha
Here is the trophy on its way to Virginia for its rightful owner. Okay, I really didn't take it with me, Aunt Sally (Coates) helped me hide it from Denny and taunt him with pictures. Take note of the syrup to the right; straight from Uncle Bob (Lounsberry).
When I was an early teen, I would come back and stay a few weeks with Karen (Cornell Maher) on the farm. My brother John and cousin Randy (Cornell) were there too. And, later, I would spend the whole summer at my Aunt Anna Marie's (Murray Schwartz) babysitting her kids, Steph (Stephanie Schwartz), Jen (Jennifer Schwartz Buxton) and Mark. I spent my days trying to keep up with those toddlers. Playing hide and go seek and teaching them that the cupboards were a good place to hide and Mom may have a hard time finding them when she came home and played. Or, playing at the kitchen, Grandpa (Stanley Murray) had built for us when we were little and had been passed down to them. It had a sink, stove, oven, refrigerator and even shelves to keep our dishes...way before Fisher Price came up with theirs. I still remember Jennifer pouring a whole bottle of shampoo in the sink to wash dishes. Steph were you in on that too?
An aside, my favorite time with this playset was at our house on Grove Street in Andover. I was five years old and we had it in a playroom off the livingroom. There was a window that overlooked the driveway. We invented the drive through restaurant. I would put snacks on little plates and hand them out the window to my brothers and sisters and some neighbors who were driving by on their tricycles. Ray Kroc, you owe me.
Back to summer in Greenwood. Many an adventure was had in their house for sure. In the afternoon, Grandma (Margaret Murray) would let me bring the baby, Mark, to her house for a nap while I took the girls to swim up at the school. Remember those silly bubbles that you strapped to the backs of little ones so they could float in the pool? I remember my cousins, Tommy and Denny (Coates) and their friends walking back to Grandma's with us. A little crowd of boys with us girls coming down the Triple Terraces. Stopping to roll or somersault. Showing off cartwheels or wildly running as fast as they could down those hills. That time was spent with a lot of "Hey Kathy, watch me"s. I can't remember all of your names; but, if you are out there, please chime in and say hi.
Many times, Mark was still asleep and I would spend some time with Grandma on the porch enjoying the summer breeze. Or, the girls would take their naps at Grandma's and I would go back up to the youth swim time. Grandma must have known when I needed a break.
As many of our parents moved away from Greenwood, I am sure you have memories of returning to Greenwood to visit your grandparents. Another, aside. Where else could you send a letter or card addressed to Grandma Greenwood NY and have it end up in Margaret Murray's mailbox? During the 70s, she was the only Grandma with grandkids in Virginia...well until June Rollins.
Dwight Warriner here. My grandmother, Freda Stephens, in the 70s, had my brother Dan and me in Virginia too! The ladies in the post office must have used the city as well.
Or, you guys actually addressed your mail correctly. We thought it was funny to send them this way. ha ha ha
Please share your memories with us.