Planting Seeds

Apple pie, apple crisp, Carmel'd apples, apples cider...shall I go on? If you've ever taken Hwy 169 North out of Mankato you probably have stopped just outside Jordon at what I call the Apple Store. This place should be called "you wanna be a kid again"? Not only does the Apple Store have 15 varieties of apples, they have every type of candy I grew up with. Bit-o-honey, pop rocks, even those candy cigarettes that today are so politically incorrect. (I wonder if you have to eat them outdoors?) I found REAL Maple syrup, not just one brand but about twenty. Apple smoked jerky, apple shaped cookie cutters, even a giant Pixi stick that stood about 3 feet tall. Every isle was laid out by tastes and stacked neatly on the wooden shelves that reminded me of a country store right out of the 1950's. The "First Lady" was on a mission for some sugary frogs, I had to investigate the many choices of REAL maple syrup. #1 and #2 looked at all the different and strange sugary sweets shouting out every 2 minutes...Dad dad, look at this!! I'll bet they each thought they had landed in Charley's chocolate factory. Once and a while I would drift over to the apples and carve off a chunk or two, "hmmm" I thought "good for baking or just eating"? Finally time to go (whenever it's time to go I always yell out like a train conductor "Time to Go lets get a move on"). We made our way to the cashier, reached for my wallet and... "No credit cards excepted" the sign read "but we happily take checks". Never in my lifetime will I see a sign like that. The "First Lady" wrote out a check and we all piled into the car with a cornucopia of goodies that consisted of; Three bags of pop rocks, One pint of REAL maple syrup, a candy necklace kit in its own suitcase, one peck of harlson apples (for baking) and a 3 foot Gumball machine with four pounds of Gumball's. As I look back I think not only did we enjoy shopping that day, I planted a seed with my kids for many years to come. I don't think we'll be able to drive past the Apple Store without stopping and hearing someone say " Dad are we going to stop, I need more Gumball's"?