|
|
Post by Wendy on Apr 24, 2005 10:06:19 GMT -5
Hi! I just thought I'd jump in on this site. I started rock tumbling last November, after I bought a Lortone 45C. I used to live near a beach on the northern Puget Sound, in Washington state. As a kid I loved collecting the beautiful rocks one could find on the beach, but was saddened after they dried. Then 25 years later, I learned that rock tumbling would make the rocks look like they did when they were wet. I was hooked. Then, 9 weeks later, we moved to NE Colorado. Talk about culture shock! I went from the beach to the high plains. Where was I going to find rocks? Not to worry, all I had to do was look down and find a different type of rock from what one could find on the inland coastal beaches of WA. Unfortunately, I no longer have a nearby supplier of grits and polishes. I did find The Rock Shed before moving, so I know where to find that. ;D I have 3 children, ages 4, 12, and 14, all boys. My middle and youngest love collecting rocks, so I'm happily introducing them to the joys of rock tumbling.  Truth be told, my mom got us started on this journey when she bought a tumbler from Harbor Freight in 2003 and then bought a Lortone from the lapidary store in her city after the HF tumbler died. That's where I bought mine from. Now that I'm in CO, I really miss Dave and his lapidary store in WA. His rocks are beautiful. There are lots of great places to find rocks besides the beach in WA, like in the north Cascade foothills. You can find all sorts of geodes from big to small and amethest, tiger eye, and agates. A neighbors son gave my 4 y.o. a ping pong ball sized geode one day. We decided to let him crack it open when he's ready. I guess I might have to start buying some rocks from online sources. I've seen some sites that offer some rocks I'd love to tumble and put in a display. I'm a little leary of eBay even though I do buy and sell some things there already. I'm not sure of what I'll get from there. |
|
|
|
Post by rockyraccoon on Apr 24, 2005 11:55:20 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Fidalgo Island Rock hound on Apr 24, 2005 11:56:44 GMT -5
Hey, the original post was from me. I thought I had been logged in, but I guess not. I thought it was strange that it was asking me for a name. I've just been surfing the site and posting here and there.
Wendy
|
|
|
|
Post by Fidalgo Island Rock hound on Apr 24, 2005 11:59:28 GMT -5
Thanks Kim, my sister is a Kim.  |
|
|
|
Post by Condor on Apr 24, 2005 17:40:32 GMT -5
Welcome Wendy,
You are originally from one of my favorite places. Washington. Especially the Puget Sound area. We like going on vacation there to take Orca Whale watching trips. It's beautiful out there. Enjoy rock hounding with your kids. It makes it all that much more enjoyable, especially when you see the looks on their faces as they discover different types of rocks.
Have Fun,
Condor
|
|
Rose
Cave Dweller 
Member since November 2004
Posts: 875
|
Post by Rose on Apr 25, 2005 5:18:31 GMT -5
Hi Wendy - welcome to the forum ! I've got a couple of mini rockhounders myself (5 &7). I've had to start checking their pockets all the time before washing them as I got sick of hearing stones clatter around in the machine ! They are always bring me stones home that they have found |
|
|
|
Post by Fidalgo Island Rock hound on Apr 30, 2005 10:20:52 GMT -5
Thanks, Condor!
I loved it there and am getting homesick for the beaches, but hopefully I'll find some good rocks on the river banks here.
My kids come up with some good rocks, but lately it seems like my youngest just picks up whatever rocks he can find, no matter what they look like. *lol*
Rose-
When rocks end up in pockets and I don't find them until I take them out of the washer, I joke that the jeans were "stone washed". Then I try to encouragen them to take the rocks out of their pockets before putting them in the laundry hamper. ;D
My life with 3 boys is frequently amusing. Luckily, they don't put living things like frogs or lizards in their pockets. ;D
|
|
texmom
spending too much on rocks
When life gives you lemons, squeeze it on fried catfish!
Member since February 2005
Posts: 344
|
Post by texmom on May 1, 2005 10:58:31 GMT -5
Wendy the Beachcomber. Welcome to the forum. you'll enjoy it here I am sure.
|
|
|
|
Post by Fidalgo Island Rock hound on May 2, 2005 16:12:03 GMT -5
Thanks texmom. I'm loving it here so far, I wish I could spend more time here. Wendy |
|
Duckbean
fully equipped rock polisher
Looking for rocks in all the wrong places
Member since February 2005
Posts: 1,072
|
Post by Duckbean on May 4, 2005 20:06:32 GMT -5
Hi Wendy and boys, just had a little free time and wanted to introduce myself . I have a grandson that's six and he loves all my rocks needless to say I often find them some where other then where I thought thay were, like his pockets!He just likes to carry them around for awhile and then he gets bored with them and picks out some new ones.
Bob
|
|
|
|
Post by Fidalgo Island Rock hound on May 5, 2005 10:01:43 GMT -5
Hi Duckbean (Bob). My boys love playing in my rocks, but love the wider selection that grandma has even better. My 4 y.o. loves to relocate his favorites, usually in grandma's barber shop (where she has most of her polished rocks in large glass bowls or jars).
|
|
|
|
Post by Noosh9057 on May 5, 2005 17:51:44 GMT -5
Welcome Welcome. There is a lot of great info and people here on this site. Roger |
|
|
|
Post by Fidalgo Island Rock hound on May 6, 2005 10:19:20 GMT -5
Thanks for the welome, Roger. I'm really loving it here. Wendy |
|
nugget24k
starting to shine!
Member since May 2005
Posts: 28
|
Post by nugget24k on May 6, 2005 13:03:37 GMT -5
Hi Wendy...our local club once took a trip to Oregon to hunt for beach agate...we found lots of shells but very few agate. Wrong time of year, but we had lots of fun. I was born in Washington State (dad was in the Coast Guard) but he went overseas and we went back to Iowa to live with grandparents til he got out. Some years back, we hunted wood in the Saddle Mountains and I would love to do it again someday.
You'll have to run down to Buena Vista in August for the Colorado Federation Contin-Tail. Lots of tailgaters, rock swapping and even some field trips.
Also, there's some great hunting north of you in Wyoming. Sweetwater agate out of Jefferson City, Turritella (shell fossil) agate near Wamsutter and on the west side of the state, great Eden Valley and Blue Forest wood out of Farson. Happy hunting.
Connie, in the Four Corners - Northwest NM
|
|
deepsouth
fully equipped rock polisher
He who rocks last rocks best
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,256
|
Post by deepsouth on May 7, 2005 1:39:31 GMT -5
Hi Wendy , Welcome welcome welcome I feel for you not being near them beaches anymore . I am in the deep south of NZ and we have beaches all around us.
I hope you and your boys will enjoy this place as much as I do .
Jack
|
|
|
|
Post by Fidalgo Island Rock hound on May 7, 2005 11:18:20 GMT -5
Thanks Connie. I've been to some known agate beaches in OR, but like you, no agates.  You have to go hunting after a storm for best results. I lived in Seaside OR for 16 mos and loved going to Canon Beach to do some rock hounding, but more agates are found on beaches south of there. I'd love to go back to OR to search for rocks. The last place I lived in WA was in a city that had had a CG base, but that closed down due to the downsizing a few years ago. The 4 corners area sounds fun. I've read lots of good things about that area in here. ;D I have an aunt in NM, but she lives in the SW corner in Deming. She doesn't rock hound, she trains and rides horses in endurance rides. I need to convince hubby to take me to the places you mentioned. I don't drive due to Multiple Sclerosis. |
|
|
|
Post by Fidalgo Island Rock hound on May 7, 2005 11:27:47 GMT -5
Hi Jack. You are making me homesick for Washington, where I'd lived on 2 different islands that are excellent for rockhounding for a 15 year time span.  But right now I have some rocks in the pre-polish stage that I found here in Colorado and they are looking great! So no real boo-hooing happening here. ;D I am slightly jealous of you being so near to beaches. Wendy |
|
Truth be told, my mom got us started on this journey when she bought a tumbler from Harbor Freight in 2003 and then bought a Lortone from the lapidary store in her city after the HF tumbler died. That's where I bought mine from. Now that I'm in CO, I really miss Dave and his lapidary store in WA. His rocks are beautiful. There are lots of great places to find rocks besides the beach in WA, like in the north Cascade foothills. You can find all sorts of geodes from big to small and amethest, tiger eye, and agates. A neighbors son gave my 4 y.o. a ping pong ball sized geode one day. We decided to let him crack it open when he's ready.
You have to go hunting after a storm for best results. I lived in Seaside OR for 16 mos and loved going to Canon Beach to do some rock hounding, but more agates are found on beaches south of there. I'd love to go back to OR to search for rocks.
But right now I have some rocks in the pre-polish stage that I found here in Colorado and they are looking great! So no real boo-hooing happening here. ;D I am slightly jealous of you being so near to beaches. 
... to the New Guys from The ChatBox V.2 Crew