Let's get this over with, Jerome.

Gypsy wagons, brothels, ghost towns, gold mines...Jerome, I love you.  But you're holding me back.  I'm ready to start posting about my other trips this summer, but there is so much to you that I haven't gotten around to sharing.  And I knew if I moved on to other trips you would be left in digital limbo for who knows how long.  So, with the exception of King Gold Mine and some scenery shots which will eventually receive the attention they deserve, this is going to be it for now.

Here I present a conglomeration of Jerome experiences:  Quince (I would have eaten there every night if I could have), critters, souvenirs, and a real life gypsy wagon.

Thanks for the memories, Jerome.  Memories like this one, this one, this one, and especially this one.  I have a feeling this trip will change the path of my future for the better.

Hoping to return someday,
Perhaps to make my own pair of high heels,

Heather

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Old Jerome High School

While Arie was working away at Shoe College, I decided to take a look around some of the other areas of the Old Jerome High School.  There's something about being in a building that is no longer serving its original purpose.  Especially when it's basically empty.

The Old Jerome High School has been converted into a series of art studios. Happy to know it's being put to good use!

Hooray for one more completed Jerome post!

-H

P.S. I bet there are for sure ghosts in this place.  But i wouldn't know because Arie didn't necessarily encourage me to go on the Jerome ghost tour.  Oh well, next time?

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Shoe College

Man my man is an amazing man.  For our first anniversary he made me a pair of leather flats.  My heart melted.  Before that and ever since he's persistently attempted to make shoes and seek out information about the process.  He's checked out books from the library, searched around on the internet, asked local shoe repair places if he could sweep their floors in trade for some knowledge.  Once I even found some informational VHS tapes available for purchase from Canada, but we didn't end up following through on that one.  To say the least, nothing successfully brought around the information he needed.  

Arie has a true desire to be a professional craftsman.  He's already, in my opinion, quite a successful seamster, finding a little niche for himself in the world of handmade chalk bags.  Over the years he's used his etsy shop as his means for funding his outdoor adventuring.  But the shoe thing never left his mind so he continued searching and seeking, eventually stumbling across Universite des Chaurssures out of Jerome Arizona.  And great news!  His little etsy shop decided to offer him a full ride scholarship for a one-on-one week at Shoe College.

We chose to book the trip to Jerome over our anniversary, making a little vacation out of the opportunity.  I'm happy to know that anniversaries may be forming a habit of marking the creation of handmade leather shoes.  Here are some photos I took over the course of Arie's week at Shoe College. 

First day jitters.

He worked until the very last minute of the very last day, and I think the shoes speak for themselves.  Unreal.  I'm so impressed, and so excited for more shoes to come (including some for me)!  Jerome was such a great place to visit, I had a great time keeping myself busy while Arie was working/learning.  Many things were experienced, including this!  It's a place we never would have known about had it not been for Arie's visit to Shoe College.

Thanks for sharing,

H

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Like a bandit.

Oh man, so happy! Recently Arie and I headed down to Jerome, Arizona so Arie could attend shoe college. Shoe college! Don't worry, a shoe college post can be found here. But back to the focus of this post...Somewhere halfway between home and Jerome, we stopped to fill the gas tank. While Arie was filling, I went inside for some treats. And look what I found!

TROLLI SOUR BRITE EGGS!  Though they look like jelly beans, jelly beans they are not.  Sour, bouncy, yummy.

Back story:  On a random date in my teens these were purchased.  They became an immediate favorite of mine.  After a couple of years I could no longer find them in the supermarket.  Though I nearly never find them, I have never stopped looking.  I search for these things every time I walk down a candy aisle.  Usually to no avail.  But persistence paid off!  Because there they were, at a truck stop in the middle of nowhere, waiting to be scooped up.  I grabbed every bag on the shelf, purchased, then ran outside happily cradling them in my arms.  When I showed Arie what I had he said between the smirk on my face and my fast departure from the store it looked like I had robbed the place.  Needless to say, it was an incredible way to start off the trip!  Small pleasures.

What's your favorite hard to find treat?

Kisses,
H

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