Post by velodromed on Aug 23, 2023 12:11:40 GMT -5
My great grandfather, on my moms side, lived down in the Valley, along the Rio Grand River in south Texas. During the late 1800s and into the 1900s, he and my great grandma traveled all over Texas and Louisiana by car, often camping and exploring. During these trips my Pappy collected larger sized rocks that caught his eye.
I spent much time with my Pappy down on the farm when I was growing up. I was under 5 and he was in his 90s. Half his fingers were missing from working the cotton gins and he was deaf as a doornail, but he could still play a mean fiddle and play with his great grandson (me) for hours at a time.
These rocks are now being handed down to me by my mom. As I find and dig them out from around their yard, I’ll be posting the interesting ones. Here’s the first. It caught my eye while I was watering some plants and got it wet, so I cleaned it up with some Limeaway and a bit of scrubbing. Wow! It’s a big ole chunk of chalcedony and I think I see some interesting features inside. It’s in a safe place now. I sure did love my Pappy and having these brings back memories that I can’t believe are still in me.
I’m not sure what I’ll do with all these yet, there’s several dozen at least ranging from 5-15lbs. Some I’ll preserve as they are, others I’ll slab someday when I get a saw, maybe break a couple up to tumble…then send pieces or slabs to my brothers and family so they also have a bit of Pappy around to remember. All I know is there are some really unique rocks out there and I’m excited, as well as honored, to slowly collect them. I’ll make sure the legend of Pappy lives on in our family for many years.
I spent much time with my Pappy down on the farm when I was growing up. I was under 5 and he was in his 90s. Half his fingers were missing from working the cotton gins and he was deaf as a doornail, but he could still play a mean fiddle and play with his great grandson (me) for hours at a time.
These rocks are now being handed down to me by my mom. As I find and dig them out from around their yard, I’ll be posting the interesting ones. Here’s the first. It caught my eye while I was watering some plants and got it wet, so I cleaned it up with some Limeaway and a bit of scrubbing. Wow! It’s a big ole chunk of chalcedony and I think I see some interesting features inside. It’s in a safe place now. I sure did love my Pappy and having these brings back memories that I can’t believe are still in me.
I’m not sure what I’ll do with all these yet, there’s several dozen at least ranging from 5-15lbs. Some I’ll preserve as they are, others I’ll slab someday when I get a saw, maybe break a couple up to tumble…then send pieces or slabs to my brothers and family so they also have a bit of Pappy around to remember. All I know is there are some really unique rocks out there and I’m excited, as well as honored, to slowly collect them. I’ll make sure the legend of Pappy lives on in our family for many years.
