llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Nov 2, 2004 22:56:22 GMT -5
I went to work this AM, found that the family hed not been to the ranch hunting this past weekend and was getting ready to go home when the ranch manager drives up. Handed me a check and said "I have some rocks for you." Don't know what I has happiest to get - the check or the rocks!  This group of small ones came from down South on another ranch the same people own. Don't know what they are, but I highly suspect at least a couple are Rio Grande agates. I do know the three light ones are quartz.  Some pet wood from ranch down South  The rest of the pics are of rocks found out on the ranch here. These are kinda rare around here or at least where there are any people. The ranch is 15,000 acres, a large portion of it has very rarely been tread on by human feet iin this day and age. I imagine is was well traveled by the Indians 100 yrs ago though. Petrified wood - this piece weighs just under 6 lbs.   Another piece of pet wood  A Bandera County geode - this sucker is as big as my head and weighs 6+ lbs.  Here's a close up  This is probably similar to what that geode looks like inside. Flint with lots of crystal formations. It's really pretty  Incredible piece of flint  A close up  And, no, this piece is NOT up for trade! A chunk of quartz  Cool fossil  Close up  Shorty after I got back home and was admiring these rocks, I won this Flint Ridge flint in an auction on eBay. 10 lbs. for $25.00. It was collected in the 1940's in what is now the Flint Ridge State Memorial - at least that's what the seller says. Said he normally sells it for $4.00/lb, so I got a heck of a deal. It looks like it has lots of color!  Needless to say, I had a GREAT rock day and didn't even have to get out in the cold and wind to get them! f course, I realize some of ya'll might not consider 54 degrees cold! llana |
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Post by sandsman1 on Nov 2, 2004 23:05:01 GMT -5
WOW llana you got a great buncha rocks there i think the rocks was the best part of your day hahaha hell wit the check,, well maybe not but that was the second best thing you got today hahaha
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Nov 2, 2004 23:18:47 GMT -5
I needed that check to pay for the Flint Ridge flint! Yep, I definitely got some pretty cool rocks today! I kinda want to cut that piece of flint and the one that I think is the inside of a geode. Don't know if I will or not though. They are so neat I hate to take a whack out of them. I doubt I will cut any of the big ones - will put them out in the yard or figure out where I can put them inside. A RV, even a 36' one, doesn't really have enough room for 4 or 5 bigs rocks sitting around! I'd probably break my toe on one of them! llana |
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Post by docone31 on Nov 2, 2004 23:50:55 GMT -5
LLana, I think I see some fire inside that fossil. Are you planning on slicing it? If so, be prepared to have a flat lap handy for polishing, you might be way suprised!
Great haul. 15,000acres? Wow. I could go there, and never have to come out.
Great haul.
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Post by rockyraccoon on Nov 3, 2004 0:37:56 GMT -5
what a nice day you had! and yes 54 degrees is cold and i'm hoping we get to there tomorrow evening. push it our way llana!
kim
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Post by puppie96 on Nov 3, 2004 2:33:49 GMT -5
Aren't those great! These lucky finds are the best!
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agatenut
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 127
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Post by agatenut on Nov 3, 2004 7:35:37 GMT -5
Awesome loot Llana!!! I especially loved that fossil! What part of south Texas is that other ranch located? Is it near Starr County? That's where i go agate hunting.
ralph
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Post by krazydiamond on Nov 3, 2004 8:25:33 GMT -5
very cool rocks, llana...love the pet wood pieces and the flint. and yes, sadly 54 is starting to sound warm around these parts.....we are going to the teens overnight tonight....and even THAT will seem warm in another month or so!
if you get time, llana, take some scenery shots of where you are...maybe one of your motorhome....?
thanks,
KD
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Nov 3, 2004 9:25:48 GMT -5
Doc, I don't think I am going to cut any of these rocks. I would like to because I am really curious about their insides, but think they will end up in the flowerbeds or as front yard decorations. I'd sure be afraid to try to cut that fossil - would hate to kill it! Wouldn't it be great to have 15,000 acres to lose yourself in! I'd be buildin' me a house, with a nice big rock workshop, way back in the sticks and probably not come out unless I absolutely had to. I could be a hermit and be perfectly happy! Ralph , they have a couple of ranches down South but I can't remember where. One is around Cortulla, I think, but not sure. I don't know which ranch the smaller ones came from. I plan on cutting them to tumble. I love the Rio Grande/Laredo agates! A guy BE and I met at the rock shop said they are way underrated when it comes to agates. They are $1.00 a pound at the rock shop, so I always get a bunch of them and they are really beautiful. I have some in the tumbler now I got my last trip and they are awesome. Kim, it's 40 here this AM with a pretty strong wind blowing. I would be more than happy to send it up to you. I am a serious cold weather weenie! Thank goodness we have relatively mild winters and when it does get really cold, it usually only lasts a couple of days. KD, we sure don't want any of those teen temperatures down here. BRRRRR, makes me cold just thinking about it. We occasionally get temps that low, but fortunately not often. I'll get out and take some pics. That particular pic I took on the ranch, but that's pretty much what the river looks like everywhere around here. Crystal clear blue/green water,huge cypress trees lining the banks. It's beautiful. Unfortunately, we don't have any neat rocks, like agate or jasper, around here! But, I was tickled to death with this unexpected batch! llana |
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Post by docone31 on Nov 3, 2004 9:34:24 GMT -5
Llana, back when I was doing my Jedidiah Johnston thing in North Alaska, It was -65 for six weeks, and I was living outside! After my partner got killed, and I got severely injured, I went to Key West. It was almost six months before, when I got a cut it actually bled!
You sure have your hands on some beautiful country. That is what my wife and I wanted to do, but we did not have enough to do that and start a shop. Once the shop gets rolling, we might go for something like that.
I would go for a slipform home using native stone and try to blend it in to the countryside.
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Post by Cher on Nov 3, 2004 12:10:17 GMT -5
Wow Llana, those are some really awesome stones, that pet wood is really nice. I have a geode question ... I thought geodes were hollow inside with crystals?
Cher
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Post by BearCreekLapidary on Nov 4, 2004 11:10:33 GMT -5
Hello Llana,
Holy cow ... you hit the mother lode!
That is an exceptional haul ... you lucky duck!
Thanks for the photo's,
John
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