Traveling during the summer months seems to be a favorite thing for most families to do. Traveling can include elaborate vacations that have itineraries, flight schedules hotel stays and rental cars. Traveling can also be day trips that begin and end at the family home. No matter the length of the trip souvenirs tend to be part of the fun and tradition.
I remember some of the family trips that we used to take. My parents owned a dairy farm so overnight stays were quite rare because my father needed to be on hand to milk the cows every morning and evening. When we did take a trip that included staying overnight it was truly a special treat. My father was always a man of simple tastes and liked simple pleasures. He would have been content to stay at home. He liked meat and potatoes and vanilla ice cream, so our trips usually did not include any exotic foods. The one treat he loved was the maple sugar candies available in most souvenir shops.
Our family farm was located in central Minnesota. There are many maple trees in the area and the further north you travel the more plentiful the maple trees as well as the tourist shops become. Northern Minnesota is called the lakes area. This vast recreational area offers swimming, boating, fishing, camping and many natural wonders. Most of the small towns in this part of the state include souvenir shops and trading posts. The maple sugar candies are one of the staples in most of these shops. The maple sugar candies are very sweet and are formed in the shape of maple leaves. They have a sugar coating and a creamy texture and a strong maple flavor. My sisters and I did not like the treats, which I think was fine with dad because it meant that he had them all to himself.
After I became an adult and started going on trips with my husband I would always buy a box of the maple sugar candies for my dad when we were on a trip. My husband thinks they are delicious and is always disappointed when I give them away. Our children have picked up on this through the years and now they buy their dad the maple flavored candies for special treats and gifts. They do not like the flavor or texture of the treats. They think it is strange that both their father and grandfather would enjoy this same treat when few other people seem to like them.
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