Rocks..........

During the last years that my dad was on the farm he developed an interest in rock collecting and working rocks.  Working rocks is a short explanation for cutting and polishing rocks of all sizes. He had set up a cutting and polishing area in an outside shed which he had heated in the winter time. Winters are down time for a farmer who doesn't have a large amount of livestock. He had stopped raising hogs and feeding the cattle one time a day didn't take much time.

While cleaning out the storeroom I found an old popcorn tin that was full of these rocks.  My dad's major collection sat in the garage on many shelves and my brother sold that collection out from under my mom and family after my dad had passed away.  The inside rock collection stayed in tack but my mom's unstable mind at the time was certain my brother was stealing the rocks. She may have been right about it being stolen from the inside case, I don't know, but I told her to pack it all up and I would bring it home. It is still in storage in different places in the house.

My sophomore year in college during summer break I drove with my parents to Wyoming.  An old rock hound man and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. White, took us to a place in the desert where you could dig up agatized wood branches.  It was out in the middle of nowhere and was found by directions in rock hound magazines. We camped there that night.

Digging with shovels we were able to go about eight inches down in very rocky sand and find full fallen tree branches that were agate rock.  My mind thought they would be full branches but the were broken into sections like you see here.
This piece looks like it is covered with sand but it actually is all hard and agatized.

From research I found it is called Blue Forest Agate. I had not remembered the full name other than Blue.  I have found a post that tells of many digging sites in Wyoming. 

Here is the same piece with the cut my dad had made and polished to a black sheen.  The surface is so mirror like that you see the reflection of the tablecloth in the photo.

I don't have sold facts about this but petrified is a different kind of stone than this kind.

Here is another piece that shows more of a wood pattern that the above piece which is completely black.  The brown and black is great and you can see the cyst like material between the wood parts are crystal like quartz.

My dad would stand for hours polishing the stone from rough grade polishing pieces down to fine sanding material.  His final polish of rouge made the surface into a mirror.

My youngest son was the one that would take the time to look at his Grandpa's rocks so my dad always said that Aaron was to inherit the rocks.  I guess I am the temporary guardian at this point.  I have dozens of cabochons that my dad had made.  That is a unique collection of various kinds of shapes of different stones, cut and polished that my dad has picked up from the  ground as well as purchased at rock shows.

No work for me today with it being the first day of the last nine weeks. From subbing history, the teachers tend not to miss school now for awhile after spring break unless they are required to go to a workshop or have a young child sick.  I will be taking the day easy and yet use it to get some things done with this bonus free day.  Thanks for stopping by today.