Autumn that year painted the countryside in vivid shades of scarlet, saffron and rust, and the days were clear and crisp under harvest skies.
Sharon Kay Penman
This adventure just happened — as many of our adventures do. We were driving home from Lexington, Kentucky, and noted what looked to be a farm selling pumpkins and mums. You know, one of those places that make you want to wrap your arms around autumn colors . . . as if you could.
But when we pulled into the parking lot, we realized just what outsiders we really were. This was an auction. A Lincoln County Kentucky Produce auction of mums and pumpkins brought to the venue by farmers so that retail buyers could bid on them one lot at a time.
We tried to remain incognito. After all, we weren’t bidders or sellers. And those who were gathered might not have wanted onlookers anyway. I made the decision to carry only my iPhone so as not to be noticed, and when I saw some of the men and boys wearing straw hats (Were they Amish? Mennonite?), I also decided I wouldn’t take close-ups of individuals since I wasn’t sure how they felt about that.
If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour.
Victoria Erickson
Here were autumn colors up close, in great quantities, ready to go home with buyers who would sell them to customers like us in our home towns . . . a last step, as it were, that would repay growers for months of planning, tending, watering, and harvesting.
Trucks lined up outside an open-air shed, ready for their loads to be auctioned off: mums on one side; pumpkins on the other.
And with the familiar sing-song lilt of the auctioneer’s voice, various lots and sizes were up for sale. When the auctioneer gaveled down the price, he turned to the buyer: “How many lots do you want”?
And then he offered the remainder for sale.
Just like that, one truck would pull in for the bidding, wait for all to be sold, then move on to make room for another.
A few kids roamed around, having a day of fun, probably not realizing what this sale could mean for their families: hoped-for good prices could help them make it through the winter.
But we knew we were watching Americana at its finest: growers, buyers, auctioneers, and families coming together as they always do at the start of fall.
We also knew (but just hadn’t given it that much thought) that autumn colors come from somewhere, some place of origin where people work to make them grow, then willingly part with them to support the people they love and bring a touch of fall to our front porches.
And to think . . . we just happened to stop!
Notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.
Friedrich Nietzsche
For more entries in this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge: Colors of Autumn, head to Amy’s site.
If you’re adding a little autumn color to your world, remember where it all begins!
Travel in autumn,
Rusha & Bert
Alison
Lovely photos and they do look Amish as you said
WanderingCanadians
Fall is my favourite time of the year. Great collection of pictures to showcase the beautiful colours of autumn. We’re hoping to pick up a few pumpkins today to decorate our front porch.
Oh, the Places We See
We’re doing the same! Even bought some pansies which sometime winter over here.
Tina Schell
Oh my goodness Rusha, now THAT is serendipity!! Loved them all but your closing image was just perfect!
Oh, the Places We See
We loved seeing the people but didn’t want to disturb their lifestyle. It was a grand autumn colors happening!!! Thx for taking a look.
Anonymous
Wow! Got pumpkins??? 😱😱😱😂
Miriam Hurdle
Beautiful photos of colorful mums and loads of pumpkins, Rusha. I have to get some mums from the nursery.
Pit
Not yet for us here, these autumn colours.
Pat
What a wonderful post for this theme. And your writing was a great added bonus of an event that glows of autumn.
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks so much. It was a wonderful find!
Toonsarah
What a fortunate stop that was! Isn’t that just the joy of road trips – spotting something that might be interesting, stopping to check it out and finding that it turns out to be one of the highlights of your day, possibly the whole trip?!!
Oh, the Places We See
We’ll remember the event for a while, for sure. Thanks for taking a look with us.
Amy
Beautiful colors autumn, Rusha! Can’t imagine how much effort they put in to grow these many pumpkins and mums. I love the last image and your last paragraph, well said. Thank you for reminding us.
Oh, the Places We See
It was an unexpected happenstance, but a lovely one. My photos won’t win and awards, but I had fun capturing the moment. ( By the way, your first leaf photo IS award-winning!)
Rebecca Cuningham
Wonderful photos! So that’s where the boxes of pumpkins come from I photographed at the store!
Oh, the Places We See
So true! I was amazed to see so many pumpkins, but the more I think about it, there may be many days like the one we dropped in on. Oh, my!!!!
Rebecca Cuningham
Oh my gosh, I bet you’re right! Beautiful to see the results of the hard work of farming.
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks for taking a look and commenting. It was a special, but unexpected, stop.