While out on my adventures the other day, I stopped at the farmers market to get some of their exceptional peach cider and a group of four college age girls all got out of an SUV, dressed somewhat identically (white face mask, gray or white top, dark bottoms, uggs) and headed up to the barn.
One of them shouted 'PUMPKIN' and pointed to one of the 90lb pumpkins they had out front and all of them ran to see it up close, taking turns with their phones to get a selfie each.
They were absolutely overjoyed to see pumpkins, turning every squash they could find over and over and taking pictures of it. They must have taken a hundred photos total.
It is entirely possible that this was their first time visiting a farm.
So I got my gallon of cider, some honey, and some fudge and those girls were in the line, each with a pumpkin held about belly height like they were six months pregnant with it.
Three of them were in line like that and the fourth of them ran up with a package of fudge. "Ladies look! Pumpkin Spice Fudge!"
So two of them went back to the fudge and got more fudge, got back in line.
Then another one went missing and came back with a bag. "Oh my god! Pumpkin Spice Popcorn???"
"I didnt think you could DO that!!"
This happened ad hominem until I think they had every single pumpkin spice item in the barn: soap, candles, taffy, cakes, breads, mixes... it filled a cart and was easily $300 worth of pumpkin spice stuff plus their pumpkins and they were so excited to have it all. It was treasure. It was a bounty. They had hunted well and their stores would be stocked for the winter.
And on the one hand I'm rolling my eyes because pumpkin spice is just... cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. But on the other hand.. they were so excited.
Like they were so excited to see pumpkins in a place that grows pumpkins and not at a grocery store and I suppose the takeaway is:
May you find unequaled joy in something as simple as a pumpkin in a place where pumpkins grow.
