Abby Heaven

 Abby's absolute favorite treat is a candy cane.

And lucky for her, candy cane heaven is just across the Wabash River in Lafayette.

McCord's Candies has been in business for about 100 years. They are the quintessential sweet shop - with an old fashioned soda fountain, candy, and ice cream - but their hallmark is their handmade candy canes.

 

They are one of only a handful of places in the United States that still makes their candy canes by hand. And as part of our Thanksgiving festivities, we took a tour of the candy cane "factory" above the shop.

The hot liquid sugar mixture is poured onto a greased marble topped table and then turned with spatulas as it cools and changes consistency.

Then it is hung over a hook and pulled repeatedly.

A third is cut off, colored red, and then one part of that red portion is put on the bottom of the white mass

while the other part is cut again, this time into thirds, and put on top. These form the stripes (three narrow and one wide) when the candy cane is rolled and twisted.

That takes place in front of a heater to keep the candy mixture soft and pliable so it can be rolled.

The long strand is cut into pieces and then shaped into the traditional candy cane shape. Finished canes are put onto trays to cool and harden.

As part of the tour, we were each given a warm strand to shape as we desired. 

Look at that pretty heart that Julie made! I'd be smiling too if mine had looked that nice! (I did a heart, too, and it didn't.)

Susie told me that hers was "rather pear shaped." 

All too soon our tour came to an end 

and we headed back downstairs.

The candy shop and factory are in an old building downtown and the woodwork is gorgeous.

A view of the candy shop from the grand staircase... where Grammy and Boompa treated everyone to some yummy homemade candy.

As for Abby, I may give her one of the McCord's candy canes instead of the usual ones I get at the store.

Maybe. 

Grieving Teachers

 (Second post of the day and non-horsey.)

Teaching has its joys and rewards, but it also has its sad, even angry moments. Both Sarah and Lisa experienced some of the absolute lows of teaching yesterday, despite being several states apart from each other.

Lisa texted me just after school started yesterday morning with this news. The child involved was her student last year. What a horrific experience for him and for his mother! 

West Lafayette man beats wife, locks boy in dog crate 

Then, later that day, Sarah, who was an administrator for the Aurora Public Schools in Denver, Colorado until this past August when they moved to Iowa, sent me this article saying, "These are my friends, students, and community. My heart is breaking now."

6 Students shot in park near Aurora High School

Sarah learned this morning that she did indeed know several of the kids who were shot.

I grieve with my daughters and for their students. 

Summer 2021: Visiting Jessica/Rodeoing

While in Utah, we went to the Santaquin Strawberry Days rodeo.

Cambria, Titan, and I got our boots on,

and our hats,

and hiked a little ways up on the mountain behind Jessica's home for some photos.

After all, we were wearing matching shirts!

Cambria and Titan decided that they didn't want to mutton bust, after all.

But that was okay - being a spectator was just fine.

Jessica told me that every town in Utah has a rodeo grounds. And what gorgeous scenery those grounds are set within!

Jessica has ALWAYS had a million dollar smile - beautiful lady, inside and out.

After watching some mutton busting and then some pole bending, 

she and I decided to walk the grounds and get a closer look at the horses.

As far as I know, I've never actually been on rodeo grounds. Horse show grounds and arenas? Many times. But this was new to me and I wanted to see it all.

I hear the food was good, too, but I didn't try any.

This girl had competed in pole bending and was very happy to show off her pony to us.

There its a lot less bling on tack and primping of horses at a rodeo than there is at a horse show. But that makes sense; most rodeo horses are working horses.

Jessica posing with the roping dummy that someone had just set out in the middle of the grounds and left.

Not gonna lie, I winced as I listened to a man explain the brands on his horses. The shamrock is because his father, the original owner of their ranch, liked to play cards.

That poor horse had been branded five times, including the shamrock. I fail to see why that was necessary. Poor horse.

We thanked the family with the branded horses for their time and explanations, and continued on across the grounds. 

We watched the warm up arena for a while,

and discovered the pen where the cattle waited for their turn to be roped.

We left the rodeo around noon and went back into town to visit a rock shop that Jessica and the kids like to visit. (I could see why when I went in!)

And we "petted" the very realistic horse in a mural on the outer wall of the shop.

I would love to go to another rodeo the next time I am out west. (Hear that, Jessica?? LOL)