The chilly gray days gave way to sunshine yesterday, so we headed into town with many of our neighbors to celebrate autumn on the town square. Booths were set up for selling handcrafted soaps, jewelry, woodcrafts, needlecrafts, and homegrown vegetables and honeys, along with decorations for fall.
A band played lively Irish music,
that caught this fellow’s attention,
and inspired his spirit (and body) to dance. What joyful abandon!
A group of older boys were more entertained by a pile of leaves. Some things, thankfully, aren’t changed by technology.
We met a man from Ecuador who now lives in Madison, but travels to his homeland to gather lovely woolen goods, and jewelry made from native seeds and nuts. His friendliness and the time he happily shared telling us about his homeland burnished the encounter and made it memorable.
A woman who made wonderfully-scented, thick bars of soap was also happy to share her stories as she wrapped our purchases.
There is an elderly man who always comes to these events and sells a sweet-salty popcorn called “kettle corn,” a traditional indulgence when something’s happening on the square. And, of course, many dogs enjoyed the day with their humans. This one sat placidly despite the merry fiddling a few feet away.
A horse-drawn wagon gave families a different view of their village and we could hear the children’s voices every time it circled the park.
People stopped to visit with friends and there was a marked absence of the anxious warp speed with which life is attacked and hurled through on other days.
A simple sweet day, in a very small town, in an often misdirected world spinning away its life in our universe. It wasn’t really about shopping; for once the gathering wasn’t driven by the disease of consumption. If money was spent, it was very little compared to the value of experienced community and the shared and ancient celebration of changing seasons and life’s rhythms flowing through generations.
We can be energized by our differences, fed by our angers, made sleepless by our worries. We project and detail, judge and exaggerate, loudly publicize and vehemently argue about how, every day, someone else gets it wrong.
A day like today reminds us that sometimes we–all of us, together–can get this gift of being human perfectly right.
© Copyright of all visual and written materials on The Daily Round belongs solely to Catherine M. O’Meara, 2011-Present. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited, without the author’s written approval. No one is authorized to use Catherine O’Meara’s copyrighted material for material gain without the author’s engagement and written permission. All other visual, written, and linked materials are credited to their authors. Thank you, and gentle peace.
THE DAILY ROUND 
What a wonderful celebration of autumn. I enjoyed this, so calming yet inspiring.xxx
LikeLike
Thank you, snowbird; how kind of you to visit and share your reaction!
LikeLike
Great pictures and wonderful moments to capture. The true essence of small town beingness still unchanged despite corporate America. They can’t take everything away thank God! Glad you went and brought it back to show us. Thanks K for all you share….Blessings….VK
LikeLike
It’s a wonderful town; not perfect, but dependably friendly and interesting.
LikeLike
Loved the post, Kitty, especially the fiddler photos 🙂 What a perfect way to highlight the “human” element, a lovely slice of life on a beautiful autumn day.
LikeLike
It was that, a true tranche de vie! Thank you, Lynn, for your visits and the gift of your insights.
LikeLike
Catherine, thanks for the taste of autumn, which we just don’t get in So. Cal. I miss it, and wish I was in TN right now. Glad you are enjoying your town and reflecting on “being.” Love the John Muir quote! – Kaye http://www.youtube.com/user/kittrellkaye
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Kaye. So. Cal. certainly has its loveliness, and TN is one of my favorite states for scenic satisfaction…I do love the 4 seasons for their differences, beauty, and rituals, that’s for sure. Glad I could send you virtual piles of leaves and a mug of cider!
LikeLike
Cider, yummmm. It’s actually rather cool here, and if you read in my recent post, “It’s Finished! Finished!” you will see even here it’s time to put away summer vegetables. Enjoy your fall! – Kaye
http://www.youtube.com/user/kittrellkaye
LikeLike
Beautiful fall! I love festivals like yours. How wonderful you had such a beautiful day.
LikeLike
Yes, this does sound, and looks, like a great day to go to town, and a very enjoyable way to enjoy the onset of autumn. The pictures told the story, as much as the words… and I was only sorry that I couldn’t listen to the sounds… but I could imagine them. The hubcaps are very interesting…
LikeLike
The sounds were wonderful, Shimon. I thought the hubcap clocks were interesting, too, quite a creative use of materials. Thank you for visiting and haring; I really enjoy your comments, Shimon, and appreciate the honor of sharing ideas with you.
LikeLike