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Welcome to a new adventure
Baby boomers are ideal candidates for becoming the new generation of rockhounds. Statistics reveal that baby boomers are concentrated in metropolitan areas, as opposed to rural counties. What better way for those urbanites to gain a broader perspective of life throughout our country than to become rockhounds? Rockhounding can be as intensive or as relaxed as you want to make it. You do not need a four-wheel-drive vehicle! Many rockhounds are RVers or campers. Some enjoy exploring the wonders of the earth on their travels while visiting children and grandchildren. So, how do you get started? Field collecting guides are useful in planning trips. Specific books will cover a single state or wider area you might be visiting. Books on rockhounding topics including geology, gem and mineral identification, fossils and even jewelry making are available at your local library. Rock and Gem Magazine is an excellent resource which also lists Rock and Mineral Shows throughout the United States. Elderhostel, Adventures in Lifelong Learning, offers programs in lapidary skills as well as geology and field collecting. Gem and mineral societies are found across the country. Our group members are happy to advise and share what we know to get you started on this fascinating hobby. So, get out there, fellow Boomers! A whole new world of adventure awaits!! Happy digging, Marcia
Phillipine Volcano Ooozes Lava ................
12/15/09.......this is cool for those of us whom love volcanoes. Maybe not so cool for those living just below it's slopes...........
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ROCK AND MINERALS: THEY KILL HORSES, DON'T THEY?..
12/13/09.....I went off road into the deep snow, up into Spring Canyon of the Flowerys in the Virginia Ranges Quadrangle yesterday, looking for wildhorses. I could see in th edeep snow that it looked as if several vehicles had been up here in the show over the last two or three days. But no matter to me as I was looking for the wildhorses to observe and photograph, as I have been doing as part of my research into the plight of the wildhorses and those that oppose their existence and would bring them harm....
...............This isn't alway the easiest of tasks and interests, because though there are many many people who love the symbol of the wild horses running free, there are also many many whom oppose that they exist at all. Only to make this article sound more peaceful, I will not mention the names of nationally known organizations that wish the wildhorses all gone or dead....
..............so driving up into the high desert mountain canyon to where I know there are several springs that attracts the wildhorses to drink, I was looking all around to see if I could spot any. Not always the easiest thing to do as the canyonis quite large and about ten miles deep by ten miles wide, and with many sub-canyons evolving from the many ravines, and drywashes, and also the many ridgelines coming down off the many high slopes of the mountain peaks here. It is a large mostly undisturbed natural area, that has been popular to deer hunters during hunting seasons, and campers and four wheelers throughout the years, and there are many old springs flowing here and there throughout the canyon. It is very pretty right now with the two to three foot of snowcover except in areas where it had drifted five and six feet deep, and all the deep green of the Pinyon Pines, and bluish-green of the Alpine Junipers growing quite profusely throughout the canyon also.......
..............As I continued up into the higher areas of the canyon, I started to see sign of wildhorses here and there, an dfinally saw some of them, mostly grazing on east facin gslopes where the little sunlight of the last week had melted down some of the snow depth making it easier for the horses to paw their hooves throughit, and find bits of anything they could eat. These wildhorses really are amazing that they can survive at all in the ten year snow storms that are cyclical here throughout my life anyway. They will eat just about anything when they have to, including winter dead Sagebrushes, and bark and boughs from the evergreens. That is the most amazing part that they survive this, because the evergreen boughs are so acidic and very hard for any grazing animal to digest that I know of.......
.............As I drove along negotiating the slippery snow covered dirt tracks, and looking for horses, I saw something dark ahead in the snow, and as I got closer, I could see it looked like a downed dark horse, and it wasn't making any movement, so I knew what I was going to find. As I approached what looked to be a two or three year old mare, I could see a exposed bone in a rear leg that was very broken, and could make out signs that this near fullgrown horse had been dead about 24 to 48 hours, and had been hit by a 4x4 jeep or truck by the ruts in the snow cover, and the blood spatter, and that the belly had ripped open exposing organs. There was no way I could discern whether the horse had been killed instantly upon being hit, or was made to suffer and die of exposure following the acute injuries. It was clear that many little varmints and scavangers had as quickly as death came to the horse, that they began to feed and draw life from the death. That is the law of nature..........
..............I sadly took a few pictures, and tied a note to the front hooves for the BLM ranger I would call and report the killing to. He would come soon and make a futile investigation that would go cold. Most governement here doesn't care about the horses and their vulnerability to those advocating killing them, and reducing the need for the costly ineffective government management of them at all. As I drove out of the canyon, the incident rememinded me of a movie I had seen many years ago starring Jane Fonda in which many horses were slaughtered, but that was a different time...........
...............This isn't alway the easiest of tasks and interests, because though there are many many people who love the symbol of the wild horses running free, there are also many many whom oppose that they exist at all. Only to make this article sound more peaceful, I will not mention the names of nationally known organizations that wish the wildhorses all gone or dead....
..............so driving up into the high desert mountain canyon to where I know there are several springs that attracts the wildhorses to drink, I was looking all around to see if I could spot any. Not always the easiest thing to do as the canyonis quite large and about ten miles deep by ten miles wide, and with many sub-canyons evolving from the many ravines, and drywashes, and also the many ridgelines coming down off the many high slopes of the mountain peaks here. It is a large mostly undisturbed natural area, that has been popular to deer hunters during hunting seasons, and campers and four wheelers throughout the years, and there are many old springs flowing here and there throughout the canyon. It is very pretty right now with the two to three foot of snowcover except in areas where it had drifted five and six feet deep, and all the deep green of the Pinyon Pines, and bluish-green of the Alpine Junipers growing quite profusely throughout the canyon also.......
..............As I continued up into the higher areas of the canyon, I started to see sign of wildhorses here and there, an dfinally saw some of them, mostly grazing on east facin gslopes where the little sunlight of the last week had melted down some of the snow depth making it easier for the horses to paw their hooves throughit, and find bits of anything they could eat. These wildhorses really are amazing that they can survive at all in the ten year snow storms that are cyclical here throughout my life anyway. They will eat just about anything when they have to, including winter dead Sagebrushes, and bark and boughs from the evergreens. That is the most amazing part that they survive this, because the evergreen boughs are so acidic and very hard for any grazing animal to digest that I know of.......
.............As I drove along negotiating the slippery snow covered dirt tracks, and looking for horses, I saw something dark ahead in the snow, and as I got closer, I could see it looked like a downed dark horse, and it wasn't making any movement, so I knew what I was going to find. As I approached what looked to be a two or three year old mare, I could see a exposed bone in a rear leg that was very broken, and could make out signs that this near fullgrown horse had been dead about 24 to 48 hours, and had been hit by a 4x4 jeep or truck by the ruts in the snow cover, and the blood spatter, and that the belly had ripped open exposing organs. There was no way I could discern whether the horse had been killed instantly upon being hit, or was made to suffer and die of exposure following the acute injuries. It was clear that many little varmints and scavangers had as quickly as death came to the horse, that they began to feed and draw life from the death. That is the law of nature..........
..............I sadly took a few pictures, and tied a note to the front hooves for the BLM ranger I would call and report the killing to. He would come soon and make a futile investigation that would go cold. Most governement here doesn't care about the horses and their vulnerability to those advocating killing them, and reducing the need for the costly ineffective government management of them at all. As I drove out of the canyon, the incident rememinded me of a movie I had seen many years ago starring Jane Fonda in which many horses were slaughtered, but that was a different time...........
Rocks and Minerals: Beginning To Picking Up......
12/5/09.....the pieces as I have just crossed the threshold of many changes to my life, and am beginning also to now find some closure. The loss of my wife by accident that was perhaps unaviodable, as fate often steps into our lives beyond our control, and all we can do is learn to live with it, and try to go on.
...........The legal suit over her death and my injuries is finally concluded, and will allow me and my sons and grandchildren some closure. And using my late beloved's optimism, we will all go on now, and enjoy the half full glass that was never empty. We will all make the best use of what was left us in her memory, and make the best and long term improvements possible, of which our beloved Teri would have been proud.
..........Along this journey since Teri's death three and one half years ago, I had at sometime begun to try and love anew, which I probably did with abundant vigor like I had been starved, probably even overwhelming to a few of the ladies. I have learned many new things like LDR&L that are very difficult at best, but not without possibilities. There have been many very interesting and beautiful souls and personalities I have talked with, and often thought or tried to fall in love, it was not hard at all. Too easy really, but I feel like a dry sponge ready to suck up and absorb everything. I know I have made more then a few mistakes, and I will not blame any of the lovely ladies for trying to love me or even run away. Love is fickle at best, and predictably unpredictable. But I see no reason to quit trying, as soon as I can get my wind back, I will begin searching again.........
.........Let us enjoy our adventures my friends, and go collect some rocks......
...........The legal suit over her death and my injuries is finally concluded, and will allow me and my sons and grandchildren some closure. And using my late beloved's optimism, we will all go on now, and enjoy the half full glass that was never empty. We will all make the best use of what was left us in her memory, and make the best and long term improvements possible, of which our beloved Teri would have been proud.
..........Along this journey since Teri's death three and one half years ago, I had at sometime begun to try and love anew, which I probably did with abundant vigor like I had been starved, probably even overwhelming to a few of the ladies. I have learned many new things like LDR&L that are very difficult at best, but not without possibilities. There have been many very interesting and beautiful souls and personalities I have talked with, and often thought or tried to fall in love, it was not hard at all. Too easy really, but I feel like a dry sponge ready to suck up and absorb everything. I know I have made more then a few mistakes, and I will not blame any of the lovely ladies for trying to love me or even run away. Love is fickle at best, and predictably unpredictable. But I see no reason to quit trying, as soon as I can get my wind back, I will begin searching again.........
.........Let us enjoy our adventures my friends, and go collect some rocks......
Almost over!
One down and one left to go. Fossil lab test last night and think I might have missed 2, know I missed one for sure, couldn't remember the scientific name for fossilized poo.......so I just wrote poo. Instructor thinks I'm weird anyway.
Say a prayer for me next Tue. Last test is over geological age and I think there are 236 questions!!!
Say a prayer for me next Tue. Last test is over geological age and I think there are 236 questions!!!
RocksRock: Plymouth Rock...........
11/29/09....Plymouth rock is a boulder of Granodiorite, that has had a recognized history as old as the first European settlers to step off the boat onto it in 1620. Last February I finally got a chance to visit the coast of Massachusetts, and see this symbolic stone. Much reduced from it's original size, but now well protected and memorialized within a beautiful temple of more stone, a very beautiful sight also in conjunction with the "rock". Here is it's Wiki article that is as interesting as the monument itself. Enjoy.........
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ROCKS AND MINERALS: TRYING TO COME..............
11/25/09.....out of a slump after my heart broke last week. I will be back soon I promise. I got some busy today to try and break out again, and went and visited a few friends. Ken Davidson, my Vietnam vet buddy who collects rocks also, he had some nice red jaspers he had collected through the summer. Then I visited David Walking Bear, my old friend who makes my rocks into sterling southwest indian style jewelry. And last I went up to Fernley, to visit vet friend Bob Clark, and drink a beer with him. He introduced me to his across the street neighbors, who are first and second generation German-Americans. The daughter Christine is working as a teacher at Fernley High School where all my three sons graduated, and is teaching German as a Foreign Language. I thought that very cool. I was very pleasantly surprised at this family praising me for the day a few weeks ago, that had been so windy that it ripped their Stars and Stripes from the little flagpole in front of their house, as I had just arrived for a visit to Bob's, and had seen the flag torn down by mother nature's tantrum. So I had walked right over across their lawn and picked it up, and folded it military fashion and laid it on their porch. The daughter inside the house saw me , but not knowing who I was at that time, was afraid to come to her door and say anything, but had noticed how I am always visiting Bob's house dressed in military swat( black is what you wear when mourning someone, my late wife ), and my old green beret. And that my military looking army green Hummer H3 has my Purple Heart liscense plates, and DOD military clearance stickers on my windshield. So eventually she asked Bob about me, and he revealed that I am military combat retired, so she and her whole family have the greatest respect and admiration for me. I have rarely bumped into people who think so highly of me.
.........So, though the day went better, I was still hurting some in my heart. It seems to hurt more now then when younger. Things just are not as easy as in the 1970's when we were all full of P**s and Vinegar. At 60 years old it seems neccessary to think first before acting/reacting. I don't know if it is all that right, but it does seem absolute because we are not as resilent as when in our 20's and 30's, But who cares really, we just want to jump up, and sing, and dance. I know it's true. As we have aged, life only becomes more precious. With all that preciousness, we will only enjoy every breath, and every exhileration, and every bit of spent passions; a whole lot more. Don't you agree? Happy Thanksgiving all my friends. Drink of that cup of kindness yet, in days of auld lang syne.............
.........So, though the day went better, I was still hurting some in my heart. It seems to hurt more now then when younger. Things just are not as easy as in the 1970's when we were all full of P**s and Vinegar. At 60 years old it seems neccessary to think first before acting/reacting. I don't know if it is all that right, but it does seem absolute because we are not as resilent as when in our 20's and 30's, But who cares really, we just want to jump up, and sing, and dance. I know it's true. As we have aged, life only becomes more precious. With all that preciousness, we will only enjoy every breath, and every exhileration, and every bit of spent passions; a whole lot more. Don't you agree? Happy Thanksgiving all my friends. Drink of that cup of kindness yet, in days of auld lang syne.............
A Little Wish............
11/24/09..........I have is that all my friends here know the same kind of enjoyment as I, as to have so many wonderful friends here. Thank you all. Happy Thanksgiving ......
RocksRock: Falling In And Out Of Love.........
11/20/09.....I guess I had enjoyed a long love for so long, that I didn't remember how tenuous and fickle love can be. At how easy it seems to start it, and how even easier it is to loose it. It is almost never written in stone almost forever, and more like the chalk markings on a slateboard that can be wiped away with a single stroke. I don't think I really did anything wrong, yet I know I must of somehow. It was probably many things, that finally reached an unbearable level. I will try and not fault her, anymore then I should fault myself. She is still a winderful woman. I truly enjoyed the phantom inspiration of the love while it lasted as it made me feel whole again, and I will truly miss the spirit of it in my life now......
