Day 3 of 43'rd

We awake on Saturday 22 November to frigid weather with a blustery wind. The temperature is in the low 20's. Everybody I ever speak with says weather is relevant. Well, with the wind, 20 deg. temp and the dampness of the Bay, Potomac and Patuxent rivers, the cold goes right through you. Cold is relevant on this side of the bay. We chat of the upcoming morning and the Quilt Auction over breakfast in the hotel. We both comment on the chill that will be present in the giant steel barn where the auction is held.

We drive the twenty minutes to the auction being buffeted by head winds from the north west. As we turn off the main route onto rural route #223 the farm where the auction is held is just a couple of miles up the road. We pass several hose and buggies with their Amish owners bundled up under blankets and quilts. It is cold!

We pull into the farm, more like a commune with several homes, outbuildings and barns. There are many cars parked where ever space allows. I see license plates from, VA, PA, DE, NJ, NC, NY and of course MD. There could have been other states represented but these were the ones I passed in route to the barn. The parked cars ran the entire spectrum, from Mercedes and Beemers to 20 year old pickups. Everywhere you looked horse drawn carts were tied to trees or buildings. Some horses were blanketed against the chill in the air.

Upon entering the giant steel barn you looked to the front of the barn which had a raised stage presence, very rustic. Hanging up was the quilt presently being auctioned. It could be turned so the bidders could see it from every angle. The Auctioneer in his mantra, was trying to get the most for each and every quilt. Prior to each bid starting the auctioneer would tell the audience who made the quilt. Some of the names identified were Blauch, Coblentz,Hertzler, Hostetler, Knepp, Miller, Stoltzfus, Yoder,and Zook to name a few.

In addition to quilts, hand made toys, furniture of every description, pot holders, and center pieces were auctioned.