Looking Sweet

Sparky and I went shopping. Specifically we went to E & S Sales in Amish country. This particular store has a wide variety of foods from canned and dry goods to bulk baking and even a huge selection of fresh produce. They also have a bakery. There is one thing I’ve noticed is that their selection of sweets is far superior to any grocery in the area. They out do even the candy shops! The big draw is that E & S has really good deals on a variety of foods. They purchase short dated and out dated goods. Now, I’m a practical person. I have been described as frugal by my friends and cheap by my enemies. So we breeze through the aisles grabbing up the deals we can use until we get to the candy.

The candy takes one aisle on both sides. These are long, long aisles! They have bulk candy (You want Jolly Ranchers? Hershey kisses in any variety? Giant jelly beans? They’ve got them). But what makes my heart happy is the selection of gummies. They had all the flavors of rings – apple, peach, pineapple, cherry, lemon, blueberry and even the mixed bag! I love peach rings. Then they also have the gummie bears in all flavors, either mixed up or by individual flavor. They sell the sour patch kids in bulk too. And then there are the novelty gummies. Chicken feet, penguins, fried eggs, frogs, butterflies, worms, flowers, Christmas trees and snowmen, turtles, brains and skulls, sharks, fish, pigs and dinosaurs. I could go on but the variety is endless. Often they have closeout or discontinued candy – in the bulk and in your standard candy bar selection. They had Hershey’s Gold 4 big bars for a dollar. Midnight Milky Way bars 3 for $1, Payday, Zero and Chunky were 5 for a dollar. It is a candy paradise! We decided that in honor of the impending end to 2020, we’d splurge and get some candy. Sparky had a really hard time deciding and gave up in frustration before taking a deep breath and buying a huge bag of chocolate covered almonds. I went for the ultra sale candy. I got Gummie Berries, some Hi-Chew tropical fruit, some peach rings (did I mention I love those things?) and some really good eggnog caramels.

My infatuation with candy began early
Early morning raid of Christmas stocking
Stocking footed skid to the Easter basket
Basket with chocolate or sweet-tart shocking

Hoard the bounty all for myself
Myself to savor every sweet
Sweet caramel, jelly bean or licorice
Licorice being my favorite treat

Mint chocolate and almond bark white
White bunnies or peanut butter eggs
Eggs creme filled, fudge or cherry cordial
Cordial not as sister pleads and begs

She demand a cut since hers is gone
Gone down greedy gullet in less than a day
Day 30 and I still have a large stash
Stash the candy and charge what she will pay

Rationing the candy until the next holiday
Holiday candy lasts Christmas to Valentine’s
Valentine’s treats lasting to Easter
Easter chocolate the others outshines

Suck on candy canes and mints
Mints and anise bears call my name
Name my favorite sweets and make a list
List of candy to buy – I have no shame!