Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 13, 2008 15:04:23 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Well, just rolled in from Texas this morning and thought I'd share a few pics. We bought ourselves a new home near Kerrville and will be getting all our stuff moved in the next few months. Can't wait to get back there as California is too darn crowded and no longer our cup of tea. Very cool Texas location! It's very green and lush in the Texas hill country and almost reminds me of California without all the teeming multitudes and traffic and with water. The new place is six acres and sited in a huge game preserve that is crawling with wildlife and suits a couple of biologists like the wife and I perfectly. The big plus is of course, rocks. The ranch commune we're going to be in has 3000 acres of fossiliferous limestone and is in the middle of those beautiful Pederales( sp? )flint/chert formations and huge nodules are everywhere. Most are earthtones but in a brief while I was able to find oranges, yellows, blues and even purples and reds. Very highly silicified and much like good translucent agate and fracture free for the most part too. Fossils are everywhere in the area too. Anyway, here are a few pics of the new digs. Sorry for the dark shots. Summer monsoons and it was pouring rain that day , (again so much nicer than California!) Front of the house: Back with the deck: My new shop, 30 x 50 with a 300 sq foot air conditioned work area inside. Man, it's gonna be one dynamite rockshop! Our driveway, nice and private. Note game fencing. On this ranch the humans are fenced in and the critters are fenced out. I rather like that concept. Kind of a reversed zoo with native and African game. Unfenced areas of ranch are open range to roam and hike. Right outside the ranch gate I found a big oak lined wash and almost every rock in it is beautiful flint nodules. I'm disinfecting them now because of the possibility of transmitting oak wilt disease which is common in Texas but not in California. I'll post a pic later. Me happy as a hound dog in a hydrant factory, hunting rocks.
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Post by Condor on Jul 13, 2008 16:07:24 GMT -5
Welcome neighbor.
Well, sort of. We pass by Kerrville quite often on our way to San Antone. Beautiful country out there. Like folk music? Kerville has one of the best festivals anywhere. Your place is so darn nice! Be sure to post pictures of the wildlife. I always like to see that kind of stuff. Now that you will be close by maybe we can see you at the Woodward Ranch Blitz III huh? It would be really cool if you could make it.
Condor
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Post by stoner on Jul 13, 2008 16:58:36 GMT -5
So what about the Mariposa ranch? No more poppy jasper?
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Post by akansan on Jul 13, 2008 17:09:28 GMT -5
When you mentioned the African game, I knew exactly where you were. We get off of I10 about there to bypass San Antonio when we head to Padre. Beautiful country down there!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 13, 2008 17:17:50 GMT -5
Condor: Once I have all my junk moved to the Texas home, I plan to hit the Woodward often and explore lots of the other areas I've got in my notebooks too. I'll be off line awhile when we actually make the move but I'll sure stay in touch SAP.
Ed, We've had it with California. We closed the sale of the Mariposa Ranch last week and will put the Ojai place on the market as soon as we can get moved out. So, have to be content with what poppy material I can move east. Pits were getting kind of worked out anyway and since our road got cut off it was much harder to get to the sites. Still haven't worked out just how to get all my rocks back to Texas. Been sorting to reduce my load but it's still a huge amount.....mel
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Jul 13, 2008 20:01:37 GMT -5
Mel, Looks like an awesome place. Nice home and what a Rock Shop you are going to have. Congratz on the move, and it sounds like your thrilled with the new home and state. Be safe tarveling to and fro until you get totally settled. I can't wait to see more of your new finds once you get settled and really get to explore. Steve
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karenfh
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Post by karenfh on Jul 13, 2008 22:30:18 GMT -5
Wow, congrats! Beautiful home and shop, which look like they are made of some kind of rocks, and beautiful scenery! So, when do you open for business, LOL? Guided tours and stuff... Best wishes to you!
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Post by deb193redux on Jul 14, 2008 12:31:10 GMT -5
I got serious shop envy.
I figure you are just over an hour from my sister in San Antonio. I'll give a shout if I ever get down to visit her.
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huffstuff
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2007
Posts: 1,222
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Post by huffstuff on Jul 14, 2008 13:33:55 GMT -5
Yeee Haw! (you'd never know I grew up near Philly) Welcome to Texas, I'm glad you're making the plunge. Looks like you found the perfect place - house, shop, wildlife, rocks! How 'bout a field trip to your backyard! What did the previous owners use the shop for?
I hope the move goes smoothly.
Amy
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 14, 2008 15:48:05 GMT -5
Thanks for all the good wishes folks! I've heard there's a good rock club in Fredericksburg so I'll probably be joining that and I can't wait to start scouting the area. Already had my realtor put me onto a fossil site that's supposed to be fantastic and a fine fishing hole too. Love to get together with any of you folks if you're in the area. I'll stay in touch through this site as soon as we can get everything moved to Texas and all set up.
Amy, the shop was used for storing an RV and has huge 10 X 10 and 12 x 12 roll up doors on the end. I'll be able to drive my truck right in and unload out of the weather...Mel
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Post by Cher on Jul 14, 2008 20:37:15 GMT -5
Wow, beautiful home! You're moving in right next to my aunt, she's in Kerrville and has lived there for many years. With all your rocks you'll need to make about 20 trips to get them all down there, won't you miss your poppy jasper fields?
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 14, 2008 22:10:27 GMT -5
Cher, Yep the move will be a horrific chore and my wife is a collector too. I have nightmares about how we're gonna move all that stuff! *L*. Yeah, I'll miss the poppy jasper some but my true love is seeking out and finding new sites to collect. Mostly, I just like excuses to get out in the boonies and explore *S*.....Mel
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adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,787
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Post by adrian65 on Jul 14, 2008 22:28:25 GMT -5
Very nice place and house, but what I like most is that big shop! ;D
Adrian
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 14, 2008 22:41:15 GMT -5
*LOL* I hear you Adrian. The house is for my wife, the shop for me. It even has an apartment with a full bath in it in case I get too dirty and get exiled until deemed clean enough to return to the main house......Mel
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Post by stonesthatrock on Jul 14, 2008 23:08:06 GMT -5
beautiful home, i wish you the best as you pass threw az, you could stop off at my house and drop off some of those rocks to lighten your load......... lol
have a safe trip ralph and mary ann
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AGATEGRRRL
spending too much on rocks
AGATEGRRRL
Member since October 2007
Posts: 466
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Post by AGATEGRRRL on Jul 15, 2008 11:37:24 GMT -5
Congratulations Mel on your beautiful new home & shop. I completely understand your move, as I also left California many years ago for the same reasons as you. I have friends in Kerrville who moved from here in AZ a few years ago & they absolutely love it there. I'm sure you'll find lots of great collecting locations & we'll all look forward to hearing about your adventures & seeing your wonderful new finds!
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desertdweller
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2006
Posts: 1,803
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Post by desertdweller on Jul 15, 2008 15:16:38 GMT -5
Yeah Mel, if you are traveling through Arizona, you would be more than welcome to stop here and rest for a few, even spend the night. Beats staying at a Motel and if you had any room to spare I could send you on your way with some blue rocks.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 15, 2008 18:09:50 GMT -5
Wow thanks for the offer Jamie! That's really sweet of you but we've found the southern route on Hwy 10 plops us right down in Kerrville with a minimum of time spent behind the wheel *S*. As for the pretty blue rocks, I'll take a raincheck because I had to put overload springs on my truck just to be able to transport all the weight I've got to move now. I'll have to leave a lot of stuff behind or donate it to my gem club too. Already donated a whole SUV full to the federation show and it didn't make a dent *whew*......Mel
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Jul 16, 2008 15:21:36 GMT -5
Congratulations on the new place, looks fantastic!
And I'm not surprised that you were out finding new rock spots so quickly.
-Don
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