The table at the front of the classroom displayed a variety of fossils, minerals and rocks which my wife and I have collected over the years from sites all around the southeastern United States. About twenty five adults and children gathered in the room and the talk began. My wife and I introduced this select group of people to a hobby that is brand new to most of them. I consider my wife and I to be avocational geologists . . . we're not formally trained in the study of geology . . . we're not employed as geologists . . . but we love studying, learning and collecting rocks, minerals and fossils.
Our collection includes a few dinosaur bones, a few trilobites and a number of brachiopods and other marine fossils, ice age fossils, sharks teeth, ray teeth, crinoids, corals, blastoids, archimedes petrified wood, plant fossils. And then there are the rocks and minerals: shattercones, quartz crystals, selenite, banded agates, jasper, druse quartz, smoky quartz, quartz and chalcedony geodes, pyrite, marcasite, and the list goes on. These are just the little treasures from the earth that we have collected locally (within 250 miles of our home).
That's what our talk was about yesterday . . . local geology and how to collect specimens. It was supposed to last 45 minutes, but an hour and 15 minutes into it, the participants were still asking questions and lookiing at the treasures on the table. It was a priviledge to be able to share the little bit of knowledge that we have gained over the years with people who are anxious to learn and interested in one of the same hobbie we enjoy so much.
BTW: Check out a brand new blog that just launched yesterday. I have a feeling it is going to be one of my favorites. It's hosted by my great nephew. He is like a walking encyclopedia on dinosaurs, and I am pleased to see that he has decided to share his knowledge with us. The name of the blog is Welcome to Jurrasic Park. Drop by and leave him a comment or share some of your knowledge on dinosaurs with him. You can reach his blog by clicking on the title of this post or click on it in my list of Favorite Web Spots (in the right navigation of my blog)
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Song 137: Heartbreaker
Artist: Grand Funk Railroad
Album: On Time
Year: 1969
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Once I had a little girl, sometimes I think about her,
But, buddy, you know shes not really there.
When memories do call, I just, I just cant live without her
But tryin all the time is so hard to bear.
Heartbreaker, cant take her,
Heartbreaker, bringing me down.
Heartbreaker, cant take her,
Heartbreaker, bringing me down.
I dont cry no more, I live while Im flying,
But Ill think back, and you can hear me say:
Heartbreaker, cant take her,
Heartbreaker, bringing me down.
Heartbreaker, cant take her,
Heartbreaker, bringing me down.
1 comment:
Great blog! Thank's for telling every1 about me, I really appreciate it.
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