THE AUCTION(S)
I just got done telling you about the flea market at Shipshewana but now I've got something really has to be seen if you go there. Next to the flea market booths is a very large auction barn. On the Wednesday of each flea market this barn turns into the most active place of the whole week. You see, this the day of the auctions...and I say that in plural form.

Early Wednesday morning people start showing up to check out everything that's up for sale. Close inspections are made of just about each and every piece, this day most of the items being antiques. While some items were obviously going to bring in only a small amount, other items were sure to bring in some big dollars. Some items, especially the china and glass wear was checked for any cracks, furniture was checked for stains or other deformities.

If you don't believe that these people were serious about their auctions all you have to do is look at the faces as they checked out each and every piece. This was serious work and you had to know exactly what you were buying. But this was just the calm before the storm. If you look up at the ceiling of the barn you'll notice a very large bell with a rope extending from the side up into the ceiling. At 8:00 am, and I do mean at precisely 8:00 am (you can't be late at this thing folks), the bell rang and the storm began.

Now as I said earlier this is auctions in the plural form. There's not just one and not even two. If you said three you'd be way off and four isn't enough either. Five you say??? Nope guess again. I'll give you a hint.....3 squared. Who's the math whizzes out there. Yep....9 mini auctions took off at once...all at the same time. Think of a hive of bees and the sound of the hmmmm coming from the hike. It was the same way here and nine different auctioneers took over the microphones at once, each one with a small group of buyers around him or her (yes, there was one female auctioneer doing her part as well). The sound first started as a low drone but seemed to get louder with each item that came up for sale. In an hour it had crescendoed into something loud enough that one Amish boy put his fingers to his ears.

Oh yes...the Amish are just as much into their auctions as the rest of us. Those that I saw were not only buying but also helped hold up items and looked for bidders. This family stayed close to a table that the woman in the picture had chosen because of something that caught her fancy. At another table three young Amish men held up items as the auctioneer barked out the bids with rapid fire. One older Amish man looked at canes while another, who I saw walking around at first, came to booth to help out the auctioneer. Some bidding at some tables was slow at times but at one table I saw a regular bidding war going on, between two women. I never did find out who the winner was. As long as there were items for sale the process went on, it first started as one hour then two, then three, the auctioneers drone going on until every last item was sold. After that the day quieted down as the auctioneers took their megaphones home until the next week when they would come back and do it all over again. For the rest of this look at the pictures and try to imagine the sounds of what you would hear at this event. Remember there are nine auctions going on at once. Just let your ears fill up with what you might hear. Oh...one more thing.....if you happen to go......don't scratch your nose.