Monthly Archives: December 2014

Petoskey Stone Hunting-Can It Get Any Better?

Bonnie hunting on the gravel pile they removed from where I hunted down below.

Under normal circumstances I would look out my window and see snow falling on the already snow-covered ground, and wind chills below zero. So what is the deal this year? December 27th; no snow on the ground and a foggy soupy look outside. It is 45 degrees. Let’s see; 45 degrees and fog means wet ground. Wet ground means the Petoskey Stones will turn from invisible to visible. Can it get any better? YES IT CAN!

Bonnie and I packed up the Broll, buckets, and Treasure Scoops threw them in the truck and off we went to one of the private gravel pits we hunt. We are not allowed to hunt when the pit is being worked, but they don’t work the pit in the winter. Can it get any better? YES IT CAN!

Dream hunting for the Petoskey hunters.

Even a blind squirrel could see this nut! I can get a pink one and another one in one scoop!

We know just before winter a pile of gravel was stockpiled for spring, and we know the pit will be wet where the gravel was removed down to near the water line. Petoskey Stone Hunting should be great. I have my waterproof insulated Gortex boots and Carhardt rain gear, just in case it rains. Can it get any better? YES IT CAN! It started raining!

Bonnie forgot her rain gear, but had a fairly waterproof winter coat over two sweatshirts. Yes this IS normal for this woman. I really don’t see much of her as we hunt different areas of the gravel pit. I know that we have many blog followers that have never hunted Petoskey Stones, so I decided to document this trip. Waterproof camera in hand so you can follow along.

I hunted down in a pit where a large amount of gravel was removed to create a giant pile of gravel. Bonnie, the more agile of us enjoys scurrying around on piles, while I enjoy wading, disregarding the cold water seeping through my boots. My goal today is to pick enough to fill a 4 gallon bucket. Bonnie’s goal is to search areas she knows I won’t go. Can it get any better? YES IT CAN!

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A perfect white Petoskey Stone.

I started hitting the mother lode immediately. Man those Petoskey’s stand out in the water. All sizes, shapes, and hues were being exhumed. I saw something very unusual. A perfect Petoskey Stone, pure white in color. It was so white, I could almost see a glowing aura surrounding it. I’ve got to get a picture. I think it would be cool to make a piece of jewelry and be able to track the pendant back to its origin. A special Petoskey for the bucket. Can it get any better? YES IT CAN!

Here's a pink one.

I’m finding two, three, five, and more Petoskeys’ within a foot of each other. I can scoop up two or three at a time. Can it get any better? YES IT CAN!

Can I find a big Pink Petoskey Stone? Yes I can; several in fact. Not all big, but very nice. I’m finding Favosites, Horn Coral, Crinoid Stems, and all forms of Devonian Soup. Can it get any better? YES IT CAN!

A nice big Petoskey.

Can I find a fist-sized Petoskey? Yes, almost immediately after the question forms. I love big, solid, Petoskey Stones. I’m hearing, off in the distance, the soothing sound of stones as they sort of thump and drum as they are thrown into a plastic pail. I know the Petoskey Queen is harvesting a good crop also, up above me. Can it get any better? YES IT CAN!

Why do you need extra weight in the Broll you might ask? Can I take this Garden Rock? Answer: If you want to haul it. What a gem of a woman...

I’m tiring fast. Bonnie is skirting the edges of the puddled area, while I continue to wade. Soon my Broll bucket is filled and Bonnie has half a bucket also. She already took a bunch to the truck, so we are golden. I am wasted, beat up, and my leg is killing me, but it’s amazing what you can overcome when greed sets in. Bonnie took the Broll up the road to meet me at the gate. I took all the other rocks, buckets and scoops and headed out, picking as I went back to the truck. Can it get any better? NOPE! what a day.

Petoskey Stone Christmas

Christmas Day 2014

The new Treasure Scoop is a bit bigger and beefier than the old one.

Rockhounds get really excited when a new rock hunting tool appears under the Christmas Tree. This happily happened to me today when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a new Treasure Scoop. I already own several scoops. The older ones were known as Gem Scoops, but they are the same. The older scoops are 36″ in length, but my new tool is a beefy 42″. I think size really does matter here. These longer scoops are something new.

The new scoops are well made tools from The Fundamental Rockhound. www.myrockhound.com. I have no connection to this company, but I recommend these scoops, and believe every rockhound should own at least one. As you get older and wiser, you try to find easier ways to get those rock treasures. These Treasure Scoops lessen your bending, increase your reach into the water or rock pile, and are a nice walking stick.

Before using any tool, some, but not all, rockhounds will read the directions on any new tool. Let’s examine these directions, especially the warnings:

DO NOT use this tool for any of the following:

Hammer, pick, shovel, or pry bar. I admit to violating these rules occasionally, but I can see why this CYA warning is listed.

DO NOT use in a lightning storm–No lightning in the winter, so we’re good on this.

This tool is NOT to be used by children-Our kids are grown, so we are good to go on this also.

Please use this tool responsibly-OK

Is there anything about NOT using this tool in the snow?-Nope; good to go.

“Hey Bonnie, lets go Petoskey Stone Hunting”. How great is it to have married a woman nearly as crazy as me. Let’s see; snow on the ground, 32 degrees, wind chill 15 degrees. I guess all we need are good coats, hats and gloves. We’re off!

Semi-insane Petoskey Stone Hunting.

Nice Petoskey!

A Petoskey Stone hunt on Christmas. How cool is that? The story continues at one of the gravel pits we hunt. There is indeed snow, but some exposed stones. Lets get some! Difficult to find, but we are rockhounds, and we will prevail. I have my new scoop and as I search I hear that old Kenny Rogers-Dolly Parton song:

“Petoskey’s in the snow

That is where they are are

No snow in between

How can we be wrong

Scoop away with me

To another world

And we rely on each other, ah ha

From one rockhound to another, ah ha”

The Christmas Collection 2014

“Adventure” rockhounding, gotta love it.

Angels all over the House

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I’ve been in an angel making flurry the past week. I’ve made many pendants and earrings to match in my bout of festivity. Bonnie has to re-order a bunch of beads, and I have had fun creating festive Christmas jewelry. here are a few of these angels for your enjoyment.

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Wirecrafting New Stone Pendants

Montana Moss Agate chock full of Dendrites. This one is called "Snow Swirl".

Montana Moss Agate Pendant I called Foggy Marsh.

Montana Moss Agate Pendant I called "Foggy Bog".

I have been very busy this last month. Internet business has been brisk, and I have been posting up many new pendants. If you haven’t checked recently, you should have a look. Christmas is coming up fast. Every year someone (guys in general) will call three days before Christmas wanting something immediately. We prefer not to rush the USPS! I can send things out overnight service, but cannot guarantee the USPS, especially during the holiday rush. Overnight here often means 2 days.

I made a couple of new Montana Moss Agate Pendants within the past week. I love Moss Agate, and as you may know there are many different varieties. The “Moss” in these agates is not actually some sort of petrified moss, but is inclusions of Manganese, Iron, or other minerals that formed moss or fern-like structures within the Quartz agate. These inclusions are called Dendrites.

Careful, and often thin, cutting can really enhance these organic looking inclusions. I’ve ruined more than a few of these moss agates learning proper cutting. It’s worth learning when you see a virtual garden of “Moss” in what looks like a fantastic picture of what you might see in a real-life landscape, or underwater vista.

I called this Fire Agate "Fire Nebula"

Sometimes I come across a very beautiful Fire Agate with deep botroidal pattern and a rainbow of colors. These are again very tricky to cut, as the “fire” forms in a micro-thin layer on the bubbly looking inclusions in brown quartz. If you cut too deep, there goes the fire; if you cut too shallow the brown quartz will disguise the true colors under it. There is really a fine line between taking off too much or too little. There are Lapidarists who specialize in Fire Agate only.

Poppy Jasper

Poppy Jasper is increasingly rare orbicular jasper. It is a brecciated jasper, meaning it probably came from sun-dried and oxidized iron-rich clay. The cracks were filled in by other substances, in the case with these; Agate. I cut two pendants from a fine piece that Bonnie found when cleaning (or rather rooting) around in our barn.

I added a pair of garnets to the top of this one.

Isle Royale Greenstone is our best seller, so I thought a couple new creations would be in order.

Greenstone lillypads afloat in Natrolite.

You may think you’ve seen this Natrolite and Greenstone before. You almost have! I posted the opposite half in my November blog.

Just a really fine Greenstone. I called this one "Day to Dinner"

The other new Keweenaw beauty is simply a very nicely patterned Greenstone Pendant.

Bonnie says I must make Christmas Jewelry, so I guess I have to get to it. I’ll show you later.

Some of these pendants in this blog are for sale and linked to the shopping cart. Just click on the picture and have a look. If nothing happens, the pendant is spoken for, but get ahold of me and I’ll make a similar one for you.