My dad started cutting and polishing rocks back when he was still on the farm. When he sold the farm, he move the saw and polishing equipment into town. He had a wonderful set up and along one side of the garage were a dozen or more shelves full of his finds from all his explorations. Agatized wood from Wyoming, fossils, sharks teeth, and other pieces from 15 years of work.
My dad died in 2000 and a few months later my brother pulled another fast one on us. His addictions made him hungry for more stuff and money to get stuff. After the fact, with my mom's grieving approval, he sold the whole lot, rocks and equipment, for a couple hundred dollars. I was unable to get mad as he was a crazy person. I kept thinking what else is he going to pull on us.
While cleaning out the garage, I pulled out this very dirty box and it was filled with all sorts of worthless things. At the bottom of the box I found a gold mine. When my dad had first started cutting rocks, he just went silly, and he would cut open anything he found that seemed to be agatized in some form. In the box was all of his early finds and the scrap pieces of things he had experimented with cutting them with his new saw.
The above rock is a good sized piece and it is Iowa conglomerate. As a kid we called it peanut brittle rock. I don't know if any rock person would ever cut it into like this but it is just beautiful. One couldn't make jewelry from it but it makes a great display item.
This piece was wet from a rain when I photographed it but it is a striated rock with all the different layers. I really don't know if that is a glacieral distributed rock from Iowa or if it is something he bought at a show.
Iowa does have agates this size but I bet he found this on the north shore at Lake Superior. He has polished different sides of it but he didn't cut anything away on it.
I found a dozen or more of these and maybe will share them later. I do want to document them in photos, but that hasn't happen with any but these three.
Thanks for checking in on me.
9 comments:
What beautiful finds Larry. I know going through these things has to be bittersweet and brings up many memories. I do know your Dad would be so thrilled that you have these now and treasure them.
When my brother and I were growing up we collected and polished rocks we found on our family vacations. Our mother would make jewelery from our rocks and our dad sold them. It was a fun hobby our family enjoyed doing together. Recently, we've been discussing picking the hobby up again.....35 years later. Also, this summer I'm planning on taking my grandkids to North Carolina to dig for gemstones. I think we might influence another generation of rock hounds.
Cool rocks Larry..I love the peanut brittle one..excellent find:)
LD, I know the property cleaning is hard work both physically and emotionally. But it looks as though your are being rewarded with many treasured keepsakes. - G
This is a fascinating post Larry (as are so many of yours). I have always had a desire to be able to cut and polish rock. There is something about something that is so freely available which you know with a bit of work could become so stunningly beautiful. The other week when we were on Chesil beach I picked up some pebbles and they are on my desk now. I still dream of cutting and polishing them.
Glad you found these beauties. I love the name you called the top rock, peanut brittle rock. DH and I love rocks of all kinds. We had a lapidary set-up long ago and it was fun polishing shells we found on the beach.
Sorry about your brother. At least you found these in the bottom of a dusty old box, no doubt overlooked because of condition, and what treasures they are.
FlowerLady
how cool to find a treasure you thought was lost. i think you should pick one good piece - have it sliced and present it to the "next generation as jewelry - it would make neat christmas gifts!
treasures indeed. I agree with Mildred. I am so glad that you have found these lovely memories associated with something your father loved to do
happy Tuesday
What a treasure to find! These are beautiful.
My son collected rocks when he was a little boy, now I'm wondering if he still has them!
☼ Sunny
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