Not found in nature.

My blog is a happy place.  Not to say that I am happy all of the time (insert woodland animals singing here), but I prefer my blog to be happy.  I mean, who wants to hear complaining?  So let's categorize this post as, not a complaint or pet peeve or annoyance, but as a quirky observation about a turn of events in the candy/junk food world that I don't quite understand.  I am talking about the introduction of the not-found-in-nature flavor, blue raspberry. Until about 10 years ago, there seemed to be five staple flavors of slushies, popsicles and hard candy:  cherry, grape, lime, orange and the indecisive yellow, which is pineapple in the Lifesavers roll but many times lemon in other confections.  Then there were the stepchildren, the soda-flavored treats: cola, root beer and black cherry.   I remember for awhile the popsicle box included root beer.  Everyone had their favorite flavor and happy was the family that could evenly divide up a box of twin pops.  Glory be!

Last night, at our pool's dive-in movie, I gave in to my boys choosing the blue raspberry.  This was a first for me.  I have avoided it like my pile of ironing.  Avoiding the neon blue stain it leaves on children's mouths for hours, the blue teeth, the blue tongue- all worth my passionate campaign against this flavor that truly does not celebrate the actual fruit.  Oh sure, we all know that the other flavored treats are pure sugar too, but at least they mask it with their somewhat natural colors.  Blue raspberry is so in your face.   Actually, its on your face.