#Colorado Stone Quarries

[communist-octoling]

I'm starting a petition to bring back the pink roads..

[sadalmostlesbian]

Sooooo what did you think of my work? I need my ego stroked after the BS I just went through lol

I also feel motivated to write something I've been putting off for ages (along with lots of other things, it's a long list) so maybe I'll do that!

Hi! I’ve been drafting something in my notes to send you after reading your posts cause LET ME TELL YOU, you have so many good ideas I love your posts. I want to start by saying they are so so well researched and I adore how much effort you put into each one. I was particularly interested in onyx being given as a labor stone, not only because I wasn’t aware of the connotation (and it’s so so cool and such a well thought out and realistic tradition in D2, you have a really in depth knowledge of culture as a whole and you’re an excellent world builder) but also because I live in Colorado and wasn’t aware we had onyx quarries! I knew about limestone and quartz, and of course silver, gold, and coal in the mountains, but onyx is very very cool. I also love the concept of a home name and a home naming ceremony, again such a good analysis of culture.

As for future posts, I like the idea that D2 has a large Latino population, especially because it fits so well geographically (with New Mexico making up a decent part of D2). One thing that is cool about Colorado and Northern New Mexico is that there is a unique dialect of Spanish spoken there that is a remnant from North America before the Louisiana purchase which made Colorado a part of the US. The like to the article can be found here!

Thank you so much for the ask! Also I'm totally down to chat about D2 if you ever want to!

[little-de-vil]

Another D2 Tradition: Onyx

Para @julietasgf, tu tradición favorito!

This is another part of creating lore that comes from research. I want everything that I make to be based in realism, to seem as though it could be practiced in our world. So when researching Colorado quarries I ended up on onyx, which is historically mined pretty predominately enough in the area. And with every new stone I encounter, I always go through whatever meaning is usually associated with it.

For onyx, that's a talisman used predominantly for labor and delivery for a smooth and easy birth. (I can already hear ya'll typing "but what about unakite?" Shut up, I'll get to that!) I wanted to continue that lore for that stone in 2, so here's the tradition: at an announcement of pregnancy, women are given onyx; rough (not tumbled) onyx by the community (many people will have them on hand as they're prevalent to the area and hand them to pregnant women), representing the ultimate difficulty of pregnancy. Many expected parents in the district would be so overwhelmed with the amount of onyx they'd be given that they would set a small basket outside their home for people to come by and place their stones in. The closer to the due date comes, she’s given smoother onyx until the baby comes, when she’s presented with final fully smooth stone.

The future parents would hold onto the first stone of each month in a separate, smaller bowl. At the Home Name ceremony, the baby is given the final, fully tumbled one, which is usually turned into a bracelet for the child to wear for always, reminding them of their life, how difficult and painful and sharp it is, and will ultimately become smooth and simple. Many Cutter kids end up having that as their token in the arena, if they don't take a small satchel of their families stones, that is.

If a pregnancy and subsequent labor was particularly difficult, it’s pretty common to have that child be named Onyx, Home Name or not.

As for unakite, I'm leaning more towards it as a grounding, healing stone. It's usually placed upon the sick or injured as a healing talisman on either the area affected or some families put it on the meridian lines.

Onyx is a labor talisman, to help mothers throughout pregnancy, to remind them of the difficulty and beauty of creating life. Unakite is a healing talisman, to aid those throughout any painful journey, to remind them all that what is being done can and will end. The two are not mutually exclusive. Onyx gives life, unakite sustains it.

[themarginalthinker]

Veneur

veneur - noun. Old French - 'hunstman.'

-

It starts with a call.

"Theo, hey, it's Dan. We...we found something."

The hills of Quarry Mountain Colorado in the late fall wasn't something anyone really wanted much to do with. Too early in the season for snow, and all the boarders and skiiers not having populated the slopes, too late in the season for the summer hikers and campers to want to brave the wet and the cold.

Theo wasn't here for fun, though.

He's met at the given location by the man he spoke to on the phone, and a girl he's not met before.

Theo and Dan shake hands, Dan younger than him, but his hands no less strong and capable, and willing to do what was necessary. If Theo were to think about it for longer than the time it took to share a beer, he might consider Dan someone he'd end up passing his mantel to. But again, that wasn't why he was here.

"Where did you find it?" Theo asks, beginning to move onwards down the wet, misty path. Even this far out, the way was covered with gravel and stones, well-kept and seen to. It crunches loudly in the relative quiet of the woods around them as he walks, a steady pace. Dan keeps up with him, and the girl follows along.

"About a mile ahead, off the trail. One of the locals said they'd found a while engine block pretty well disassembled downstream, and then the rest of the car further upstream. Looked like an accident, probably having gone right over the edge of a turn."

Theo hums.

"No one had come to claim it, so they ran the plates and it belonged to a couple that has been reported missing all the way in Idaho few weeks ago. Family apparently said they were going on a last-hurrah for the season camping venture, and just. Dropped off the face of the planet."

They round the corner, and though the well-marked trail continued on, Dan takes the lead now and starts into the brush. It's clear from the broken twigs and stamped, dead foliage that this divergence was already becoming more used. Theo makes a note to direct them to alternate routes in the near future, for however long they were going to be necessary.

Their work required them to be as concealed as what they hunted.

"Then, yesterday morning, Jackie here," Dan then gestures back to the girl following along, who perks up at the mention of her name, back straightening under the sudden gaze of the two, "says she wanted to go for a walk for her off-shift."

"I usually do sweeps, but we were rearranging some schedules, and my sleep pattern has gotten all bungled up, so since it was broad daylight, I figured why not. I'll get to know the area more at least."

"No partner?" Theo asks.

Immediately, Jackie's shoulders stiffen. He doesn't say it like one, voice perfectly neutral, but the answer itself is more than a confession of wrongdoing.

"Um. No, sir. I went by myself."

Theo then stops their walk, and turns to properly face Jackie. He glances at Dan. He points to Jackie's coat. "What are you carrying."

She jumps to comply, and unzips the coat, pulling it open. Inside, strapped to her chest, is a handgun on the left, to be pulled with the right. A pouch at her side, carrying silver rounds. At her hip, strapped just as securely, is three thick, silver-tipped ash-wood stakes.

Theo nods. "Good. Don't go out alone again. If you had the notion that this is the confirmation that you believe it to be, then you should know better than to tempt fate."

Jackie rezips her coat and nods. "Yes sir."

They resume the walk.

"Continue," Theo prompts after a few moment of silence.

"Uh, well. I went for a walk, and I just. Sort of stumbled on it."

"It."

"The bodies, sir."

-

At the site, they are joined by the rest of the hunter cell. Three others, aside from Jackie and Dan. Theo doesn't pay them much mind as he lights a smoke and confers with Dan over what his own examination of the findings had come to.

Two bodies - one male, one female. No identifying clothing, no wallets or items with the bodies to give much of a hint without family identification or dental records. Even with the couple weeks of exposure, however, the cold and the high altitude meant slower decomposition, which allowed Theo to notice what he needed.

"The broken necks threw us off, which admittedly is why I did hesitate to call you," Dan says.

Theo shakes his head. "I know. Better to be sure than to alert the police and lose evidence. But it happened after death."

"Yeah?" Dan hedges.

"Mm. They want it live and warm for as long as possible. The minute the body ceases all living functions they're on a time limit and won't get as much from a hunt."

Theo takes another pull of the cigarette. "Hands, too."

"Right. The fingernails."

Filled with old blood, both their own from fighting so hard they almost tore off in the struggle, and from sinking into immortal flesh to try and fight off the beast.

It was always in the details.

Dislocated jaws, punctures just below the temple where the arteries crossed the hinge. Wounds to the scalp where the skin was gripped hard enough to pull away from the flesh. Broken wrists, mauled thighs where the femoral artery ran just under the surface of the skin, but dug into all the way down to make striations on the bone. Little scrapes that were set just about an inch and a half apart.

"So what do you think?" Dan asks, watching his mentor closely.

Theo glances at him, and then around to the hills. It wasn't quite quiet yet. Snow would turn everything into a silent wonderland, alien to itself the rest of the year. For now, there was still birdsong in the trees, the last of the late-stayers. The last of the fall leaves that clung to the branches were limp and had lost their brilliance of autumn some weeks ago. The deer would be starting rut soon.

"I think it's about hunting season," Theo says, grimly.

[vancouverkitchenrenovation]

White Marble Bathrooms

Whether you’re planning to remodel your bathroom or just looking for a new style to add to your home, white marble bathrooms are a beautiful choice. In fact, white marble bathrooms are one of the most popular choices for bathrooms. In fact, many homeowners and architects alike prefer white marble bathrooms because they provide a clean and contemporary look that complements many other design elements.

Calacatta Colorado

Known for its distinct veining, Calacatta Colorado white marble is a versatile choice for your bathroom. This marble can be used as a bathroom countertop, floor, or vanity top. It is also suitable for shower surrounds and bathtubs.

Calacatta Colorado has a warm white background with subtle gray veins. The veining can be light or dark, depending on the batch. In addition to the veining, the marble also has a glossy surface. The veining of this marble is often book-matched to give a beautiful pattern.

If you want the look of marble, but are on a budget, you may want to consider Calacatta Gold. This is an exotic marble that is often used in luxury bathrooms. It features broad grey veining patterns that include brown and gold colouring.

Arabescato Corchia

Whether you’re re-doing your bathroom, remodeling, or just starting from scratch, the addition of Arabescato Corchia marble will enhance the overall look of your bathroom. The marble is known for its unique veining patterns, which are used for decorative purposes. The veins can be designed in a casual or open book design, which creates a unique look.

In addition to the veining, the marble is known for its soft white background coloring, which helps to create a natural look. The marble’s durability makes it ideal for applications such as flooring, walls, and countertops. The marble is available in 12×12 field tiles or honed field tiles.

One of the best things about Arabescato marble is its ability to be cut to size. These slabs can be used for countertops, flooring, fireplaces, and columns. The marble has a high degree of durability, and will retain its beauty for many years.

Nero Marquina

Among the most popular black marbles in the world, Nero Marquina is a classic rich black marble with striking white veins. Suitable for both modern and classic design projects, this is an excellent choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and other high-traffic areas.

The Nero Marquina marble has an opaque black background with rich white veins. These veins can vary from light flecks to strong veining, depending on the quarried block. The white calcite veining on this stone takes up over half of the slab.

Often considered the fanciest looking marble, Nero Marquina is suitable for both modern and classic design projects. It can be used on its own or in combination with other marbles. This stone can also be used for countertops, flooring, and decorative wall tile.

Dynasty White

Using white marble in your bathroom may be a good idea, but be careful. Marble can be slippery, and wet areas can be particularly prone to slips and falls. You should also consider using a rug to prevent accidents. There are some very cool and stylish ways to incorporate white marble into your bathroom. Here are a few examples.

One of the more unique uses of marble in a bathroom is to cover the walls of your shower. While this may not be the most functional use, it can add a touch of spa-like luxury to your bathroom. These walls can be seen from the shower door, and will give the room an airy, bright feel. You can also incorporate small lampshade sconces to add another touch.

Noir St. Laurent

Whether you are looking for black marble bathrooms or white marble bathrooms, you are going to find a number of different types of marble that can suit your needs. In fact, you can find marble tiles in a wide variety of colors and textures, as well as a range of finishes, including polished, honed and even brushed. In addition, there are also tiles that are cut to size, making them ideal for almost any type of application.

If you want to create an elegant environment with a refined and luxurious feel, Noir St Laurent Marble is a good choice. This Italian marble has a rich black background with white inlays and gold veins. It is perfect for countertops, floors, and monuments. Its opulent veining creates a mirror-like surface that adds to the ambiance of your room.

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The bathroom is often the last room people consider renovating, which makes sense since it’s usually the smallest space in the house. With Vancouver Kitchen Renovation, you can expect a spa-like bathroom that feels luxurious and is built to last. We’ll create a custom bathroom design based on your preferences and budget and handle everything from demolition to installation.

We understand that to be successful is to stay ahead of the curve. That means staying current with the latest technology and design trends. We always want to improve our products or services without breaking the bank. That’s why we stay connected to the latest technologies of NKBA, National Kitchen and Bath Association. In addition, at Vancouver Kitchen renovation, our primary focus is providing sustainable bathroom design and renovation packages, and we believe in sustainable living. Sustainable living is a way of life in harmony with nature. It is a lifestyle which focuses on the preservation of our environment. Sustainable living is a philosophy emphasizing respect for the environment and concern for its well-being. This means we should take care of the planet and treat it as if it were our home. We should try to preserve what we have and protect it from destruction. If we do this, we will enjoy the benefits of the earth’s resources for many generations. Whether you’re planning a major remodel or adding finishing touches to your current bathroom, we’d love to discuss your project. Book your showroom consultation online.

Main Areas of Service in British Columbia:

Vancouver

North Vancouver

West Vancouver

Burnaby

Coquitlam

Squamish

Whistler

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you make a bathroom look new on a budget?

It is important to first take stock of all the items you have. This should include everything from toilets, showers, sinks, mirrors, towel racks, lighting fixtures, etc.

Once you’ve compiled the list you will need to determine if any items may be salvageable. If they’re not salvageable then they need to be replaced.

Next, determine how much money each item will cost you. Once you know how much money you are willing to spend on these items, then you can start searching for replacement parts online.

You can then update your bathroom after you have installed your new pieces. You may want to paint your walls, tile the floors or replace the old fixtures. No matter which route you choose, make sure you stick to your budget and don’t spend more than what you originally planned.

How can I upgrade my bathroom for 2023?

It is important to first understand your bathroom needs.

What are the features that you want and don’t require? What are your priorities?

Then, look for products that will meet those needs.

You may not find precisely what you’re looking for, but there are lots of options available for you to consider.

Here’s some stuff to consider:

Size – How big are your bathrooms? You may need to make some changes to accommodate the new fixtures or appliances.

Style – What’s your favorite style? Contemporary, traditional, etc.? Style – Bathrooms come in various traditional, modern, and transitional styles. The traditional style has been popular since Victorian times and features natural stone floors. Modern bathrooms are sleek and feature glass finishes. Transitional designs combine elements of both traditional and modern styles.

Layout – Some prefer small spaces while others like more space. How do want your bathroom to look?

Color Scheme – Which colors do you want for your bathroom?

Lighting – How much lighting do you require and from where?

Storage – Do your bathroom needs more storage? Do you have enough storage space in your bathroom? What can you do if you don’t have enough storage?

Ventilation-Is your bathroom properly ventilated?

Features – Think about the features you want in your bathroom. A heated towel rack or steam shower might be something you’d like. Would you prefer a Jacuzzi, or a spa bathtub? Do you prefer a walk-in or separate bathtub and shower?

Budget – Last but not least, consider your financial capabilities. This will help limit your options and ensure that you don’t spend too much.

Warranty – It is important to confirm that the manufacturer provides a product warranty. This guarantees that the product will perform for a set period.

When you understand what you want, it’s time to start looking at products. You can browse online, in magazines, and in stores. After you have found the right item, compare prices and read customer reviews before you buy it.

What’s included in a complete renovation of a bathroom?

A complete bathroom remodeling package can include a variety of services, depending on what the customer needs are. Some services you might consider include are:

Bathroom design consultation

3D rendering of bathroom design

The Schluter system provides waterproofing services

Services in the setting of tiles

Delivery and supply

Supply and Installation of in-floor heating system

All plumbing and lighting fixtures can be delivered and supplied.

All electrical and plumbing work is done by our licensed and certified plumbers and electricians

Supply, delivery and installation of vanity

Supply, fabrication, and installation of the countertop

Supply, fabrication, and installation of shower or tub glass

Demolition and Removal of Existing Fixtures and Materials

Services in wallpaper and painting

What is an average cost for a complete bathroom remodeling in Metro Vancouver?

In Metro Vancouver, the average cost of updating a bathroom is $25,000 This includes labour and materials costs, as well as permits and other related costs. The project’s size and scope will determine the total cost.

If you plan on updating your bathroom, it is essential to consult a professional to get an accurate estimate of the total cost. Bathroom upgrades can range from minor cosmetic changes to major renovations. There are many options depending on your budget and requirements.

Cosmetic changes such as painting, new fixtures, or updated tile work can be relatively inexpensive and make a big difference in the overall look of your bathroom. You may need to remodel the entire bathroom, including the layout and adding new features like a tub or shower, as well as increasing the size.

How can you make the bathroom more sustainable?

There are several options to make your bathroom more energy-efficient. One option is to install low-flow fixtures (e.g., toilets or showerheads). This will help conserve water. Green cleaning products are also an option, as they are less harmful to our environment. You can also try using recycled materials such as metal or glass in your bathroom. Making small changes can make your bathroom more eco-friendly.

How can you make a small bathroom seem larger?

There are a few things you can do to make a small bathroom feel bigger. Use lighter colours for the walls and floors. To reflect light and make the space seem larger, use mirrors where possible. Glass shower door enclosures can open up the space. You can create an illusion of more space by using floating shelves or cabinets.

Statistics

The average midrange bathroom remodels costs $27,164, according to the latest Remodeling Cost versus Value report, and it’s projected that you will recoup 58.9% of that cost when reselling your home. (architecturaldigest.com)

WaterSense-labeled bathroom sink faucets use a maximum of 1.5 gallons per minute, reducing water use by 30 percent or more from the standard flow of 2.2 gallons per minute – without sacrificing performance. (elemental.green)

Outdoor showers can dramatically increase the value of your home—according to a 2018 report from Realtor.com, homes with outdoor showers tend to list for nearly double the asking price of other homes! (housebeautiful.com)

This article will reveal more about AntiBac surfaces and how Villeroy and Boch products have 99.9% fewer bacteria. (superbath.co.uk)

Other sustainability instruments developed by Noken include an ‘Eco cartridge’ (its two-position switch makes it possible to use 50% less water and energy), and a water ‘flow rate limiter’ (that uses jets and air to reduce water consumption). (decoist.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Large format tiles were favoured by 59% of those surveyed.mSlab surfaces were favoured by 40% of those surveyed. (https://nkba.org)

Glass tile is one of the greenest bathroom flooring options because it can be 100% recycled. (caddetailsblog.com)

Keep in mind: they advise that, all told, your bathroom project should cost no more than 5 to 10 percent of your home’s value. (remodelista.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Digital showering allows users to program their preferred flow rate, and the temperature was a 23% preference. 44% wanted the ability to start their showers with their phones. (https://nkba.org)

2023 bathroom design trends: Large format tile (59%) was the most popular material for tub and shower surrounds. Slab surfaces (40%) were the next most popular (https://nkba.org)

NKBA estimates that broken down, most of this cost comes from fixtures and plumbing (about 29 percent), followed by counters and surfaces (21 percent), labour (20 percent), and cabinetry and hardware (16 percent). (remodelista.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Windows above tubs were favoured by 51% of those surveyed. Skylights were selected by 37% of those surveyed. (https://nkba.org)

External Links

thespruce.com

How to Purchase a New Toilet in Your Home

bhg.com

How to Paint Bathroom Cabinets and Make a Simple Vanity Upgrade

How To

How to Design a Bathroom (DIY Project).

Plan carefully when renovating a bathroom. There are many choices to make, such as choosing the right materials or finding the right contractor. Before starting any major home improvement project, however, it pays to consider how long it will last. That way, you’ll be able to budget accordingly.

Before you begin your bathroom remodeling project, consider how much time it will take to complete. If you have only a few weekends to spare, you might want to limit your work to cosmetics. If you have more time, however, you can tackle more significant projects, such as adding new tiles or replacing the tub.

It’s time for you to start planning once you have decided how much time your bathroom renovation will take. Begin by creating a list of the changes you would like to make. Look online for ideas or magazines if you are unsure of where to start. Once you’ve decided what you want, it’s time to start looking at materials and comparing prices.

If you’re planning to make major changes such a as adding a bath, hiring a licensed contractor will be essential. They can help you choose the right materials and will assist with installation. They can also handle any permits that may be required.

Before you start your bathroom renovation project, measure and take photographs of the area. This will give you a point of reference to use as you make your changes. You should take your time, work carefully and ask for help when you need it.

The following costs can be added to calculate the cost for your bathroom renovation:

Materials – This includes everything from paint to tiles to cabinets. These items are often sold individually so you may need to purchase them separately.

Labor – Hiring a professional contractor to perform the plumbing, electrical, and drywall installation required for a bathroom remodel is an investment that could save you thousands of dollars in future repairs. However, the initial price tag for hiring a professional contractor can vary greatly depending on your location and project size.

Other Costs – This last cost category includes permits, taxes, and fees. These fees depend on where you live and what kind of renovations you do.

Consider that the price of your bathroom renovations will depend on the home’s current value. You will want to ensure that your renovations add value to your property if you intend to sell your house in the near future. Talk to a real estate agent or home appraiser to get an idea of how much your bathroom remodel could add to your home’s value.

The post White Marble Bathrooms first appeared on Vancouver Kitchen Renovation.

source https://vancouverkitchenrenovation.com/bathrooms/white-marble-bathrooms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=white-marble-bathrooms

[martincooneyart]

Difficult as this is for me to comprehend

This is martincooney.com post number 333

And for some reason it seemed an appropriate moment to take stock of exactly what MC.COM is really all about. After all, it all started way back when in the spring of 2013 as I recall, and at the time I don’t remember pouring too much extraneous content into the website, other than to document the life and times of a 21st Century Stone Banker Mason turned Stone Carver and Sculptor.

Three hundred and thirty three posts, ten thousand tagged-titled-and-hyper-linked photos, and dozens of videos later; the question begs, ‘just what is all this about, Martin?’ Well, let’s take a look at the stats, see just what people have been looking at and maybe we will find out.

TOP 30 POSTS

As of August 12, 2019

1.        Home Page Archives 17,159 2.        About Colorado Yule Marble 2,653 3.        Death in Pisa: The Camposanto Gravestones 837 4.        An Afternoon in Casoli; Tuscan Village of Art 356 5.        Pontremoli, The Heart and Soul of Lunigiana 265 6.        Borgo a Mozzano, a Gothic Line, and a Glorious San Rocchino: In Pictures, The North West Tuscan Way, Tour 22 247 7.        About My Marble Bowls 246 8.        Ode to the Italian Barbershop 242 9.        ‘Pareidolia’: The Genius of Giuseppe Arcimbolo, and the Art of Seeing What’s Not There 204 10.     The Marble Quarries of Carrara 194 11.     San Rocchino Pool, Home Page 194 12.     Green Man Solar Fountain, Home Page 190 13.     Death in Pisa: The Camposanto Sarcophagi 181 14.     Lunigiana, Valley of Enchantment 178 15.     Postcard from Viareggio 176 16.     Death in Pisa: The Camposanto Statuary 174 17.     The Horror of Sant’Anna di Stazzema 171 18.     A Very Good Friday in Pisa 165 19.     June in San Rocchino, Provincia Di Lucca, Tuscany 163 20.     Trouble in Carrara. The Marble Quarries: My Solution 134 21.     About My Curvilinear Reductionist Sculpture 132 22.     ABOUT The Maiden Collection 121 23.     Mysterious Montereggio, Village of Books: In Pictures, The North West Tuscany Way, Tour 18 117 24.     Pt.3) Enter the Fantini; First New Colorado Yule Marble Quarry Portal in 100 Years, 1942 to 2018 116 25.     Beached Boat, Home Page 116 26.     Camaiore, Market Town Extraordinaire: In Pictures: The North West Tuscan Way, Tour 5 116 27.     Paradise Found at Bar Avio, Pietrasanta, Italy 114 28.     Farewell to Pietrasanta 112 29.     Uncle Bud’s Hut Trip: Part 2, Footloose in the Land of Giants 105 30.     Pisa, The Camposanto Statuary: In Pictures: The North West Tuscan Way, Tour 1

103

Now I do realize that while these numbers are tiny by internet standards they mean a lot to me, for I am always flattered and happy when people take time out of their busy day to click onto martincooney.com, but now, after so many years have elapsed since my debut on the internet in 2013 that I find that I have amassed over 350 illustrated posts and informational pages. Add that to the 10,064 hyperlinked photographs, plus the dozens of short videos and vast scale of this homespun website slowly wields into view.

Given the wide, and at times admittedly scatological nature of martincooney.com, even a cursory glance at the the above table makes it abundantly clear as to which two huge subjects dominate traffic: Colorado Yule Marble, and The North West Tuscan Way – or in other words, my circular journey from Pisa to Pisa, encompassing the Marble Quarries of Carrara along the way.

And although this would perhaps have come as something of a shock to me back in 2013, it now seems only natural; as each day more and more people from across the planet tune into a slew of posts, some of which were actually written several years ago, and some just the other day.

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Perhaps given my rather unique position regarding hands-on knowledge gained by carving so much Yule marble; combined with my researched knowledge of the quarry’s long and storied history; together with a first-hand and well documented three month sojourn in and around the Carrara marble quarries; it is perhaps not surprising that these two topics would combine to dominate MC.COM. But you know what? I like it.

I like being able to not only impart valuable information to an inquiring public – especially when the audience is spread around the globe. But more than anything I like to offer up solutions based upon my particular insights to problems whereby I essentially see people quite often agreeing, while going round in circles, in that everyone claims both love and concern for the environment, the culture, the wildlife etcetera, but no steps with genuinely new solutions, except me! The answer lay in a way of carving called Direct Method – a means in which many artists use to carve impromptu sculpture. But I have pushed the boundaries way past such hit and miss applications to the point whereby by Direct Method may be utilized on an industrial scale in order to produce high quality hand carved marble bowls for instance; from what would ordinarily be deemed mere quarry waste. But that is another subject, and one I deal with at length in many posts under the category of The Story of Colorado Yule Marble. Please click on the tab above if you wish to catch up with events so far.

I am convinced that if everyone fully heard everyone else out then we would be well on our way to solving deep seated problems that only appear to be growing worse with each passing year. But I honestly feel as though such seemingly impassable obstacles can and will be addressed one day – and sooner rather than later. What I propose is to simply utilize all of the marble we have already quarried, and then make sure that all new marble is quarried in such a manner as is taken out up at the Yule quarry, whereby extraction rates of 70 to 80 percent are routine, and all the marble quarried is put to use in one manner or another.

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This video appears on the excellent and informative coloradostonequarries.com website………link produced by Aspen 82 Published on Jun 1, 2016

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It is one thing to read books, watch videos and generally talk the talk. It is another to step into the belly of the beast and take a good long look around, as I did in order to take the pictures you see above and below. Don’t worry – I took supreme caution when navigating the quarry roads, as by then I had been driving in Italy for long enough to know to give way to any and all oncoming trucks. But it was towards the end of the day, and no one seemed too bothered, and so on this occasion I had plenty of time to take a good look around and truly asses the situation.

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What I discovered was that contrary to the Yule quarry’s tight little mile wide seam – some two or three hundred feet in height – the scene awaiting me from the vantage point central to the whole proceedings was quite breathtaking. For instead of the giant mountains of marble that I had imagined from a distance, the valley was actually comprised of mainly sandy rubble, with the marble appearing in thick seams, though a lot of it appeared cracked and generally distressed. And so in other words, these highly skilled quarriers were tasked with removing much in the way of plain ordinary dirt simply in order to get at the good stuff – hence the 75 percent accepted percentage of waste, as mentioned in the Business Insider video above.

But what is waste if it is all used one way or another? Then such quarries will simply be creating new space, and all that sand will be neatly sifted and sorted, the rocks and boulders sorted and sold. Even dirt has a price! Then, imagine just what spectacular homes these worn out seams would make. And that is just one idea of many that really needs to be discussed if we are not to close perfectly good quarries, and let the out-dated ones remain.

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Carrara and Yule – Yule and Carrara, just what have these two fabulous marbles have in common, and what sets them worlds apart? That would seem to be the question on everyone’s lips as this upstart newcomer to the international marble scene continues to stir increased interest across the globe.

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Well, essentially what sets them ‘world’s apart’ is two-fold: firstly, it is a mater of size. To put it simply, Carrara marble quarries are so vast that they are often mistaken for snow-capped peaks by visitors to the nearby Mediterranean coast. So huge is the spectacle in fact that the quarries and their adjacent waste piles that they can clearly be seen from space.

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Now, contrast and compare, above and below.

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That tiny little white dot next to the Yule Marble Quarry above; well that is it, all of it, as framed by Google Earth below.

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Yep, that’s it, the whole thing – there is no more. This mile wide seam is just about it. It does however stretch for about three miles under the surface, but as the vein slopes at roughly 30 degrees the marble dives deeper and deeper under the Rockies as it goes.

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And so, quite the contrast, eh? On one continent we have vast marble mountains that look like snow – in the case of Carrara. And over here in America – in the case of Yule, we have snow-capped mountains that look like marble, and a tiny little speck of marble that looks like snow.

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So how can this be? How can Carrara be simply here-there-and-everywhere, while Yule on the other hand may only be found perched on the side of one obscure little creek, 9,300 feet above sea level in the Colorado Rocky Mountain Elk Range?

Turns out there is a very simple explanation. Whereas Carrara was formed by what is termed ‘Regional Metamorphism’ as Africa’s tectonic plate squeezed itself onto and over its European neighbor, the marble was formed by a huge limestone layer being slowly crushed and churned into marble – the heat therefore being generated from the resulting friction created as continental plates ground together.

Yule marble however was formed via Contact Metamorphism whereby a relatively small fleck (in comparison to Carrara) of Leadville limestone found itself engulfed by a huge mantel of molten magma, whereby it was crushed and churned at vastly higher temperatures in a process that turned practically 100 percent of the limestone into 95 percent pure white calcite marble.  A marble so pure in fact that it is now becoming renowned, prized and quite exalted for its incredible luminescence, thoroughbred markings, and truly incredible structural properties. Which is why Yule is now being named by many within the marble industry as ‘the most desirable, sought after and expensive marble in the world’ Which may come as a surprise to many, and cause alarm perhaps for others.

Well, the truth is it needn’t – cause alarm that is – to anyone. For the vast mountainous Carrara marble quarries can surely feel no real competition from such a minute speck of (dare I say it?) superior marble from half a world away. For that is what it is in relative terms; a speck. But what a speck, if you don’t mind me saying.

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From my experience there is practically nothing you cannot do with Yule – even the well-seasoned old blocks of stone that I salvaged in order to create my 67 piece Collection Series – the links to which are found in the various menus above and to the right of your screen.

This isn’t to say that Yule marble isn’t without its, shall we say moody side. I am only speaking from the position of a Direct Method carver, with but a couple of forays into carving from the cube, as we say. Even the unlikeliest of rough blocks can yield the most gorgeously delicate sculpture. And although much of my Curvilinear Marble Sculpture may appear extraordinarily delicate I can assure you that quite opposite is the case, with many of the larger bowls and sculptures spending several winters outdoors throughout many Colorado Rocky Mountain seasons.

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But getting back to the quarry (don’t worry, clicks on my sculpture will make the top 30 one day, you’ll see), what I really would like to do is set the record straight in several regards, mainly pertaining to the exceptional environmental credentials that I see taking place up at 9,300 feet in the Rockies. But to put it very briefly, Yule has a long and storied history in this valley, and much of it has been a struggle in every sense of the word. Many fortunes have been lost and lives ruined, even as the stone itself graced some of the finest homes, government buildings and monuments in the land, including of course the Lincoln Memorial.

But still, even as the stone itself gained notoriety for its unrivaled quality – which is why it was chosen for so many civic projects – it was losing money. At one time the Yule marble finishing mill was the largest of its kind in the world, but alas it wasn’t to be, and for 40 years the quarry lay shuttered and closed, eventually filling with millions of gallons of water just for good measure.

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Courtesy of Marble Museum, Colorado

Courtesy of Marble Museum, Colorado

Courtesy of Marble Museum, Colorado

Courtesy of Marble Museum, Colorado

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The fact of the matter was that, brilliant as this new super white, extraordinarily durable marble is – it turns out to be located in one of the toughest places in America from which to extract it. In other words; it was the very nature of the land that both created such marvelous marble that made its harvest too prohibitively expensive in practice. Quite the quandary.

But that was then, and this is now – for if every cloud has a silver lining this historic quarry now stands to gain massively from not only all of the technological advantages gained in recent decades within the quarrying industry, but it actually got to wipe the slate clean and start all over again.

This time however, and for the first time in a long and proud history stretching back over 125 years, two huge factors now loom large in that, perhaps for the first time ever, the quarry would appear adequately financed in order to quarry the marble in exemplary fashion.

In one fell swoop new owners Colorado Stone Quarries first act was to ditch all existing  equipment and bring in the very best, very latest and I am sure the most expensive quarrying equipment on the market. Next was to bring in the Italians. Not just any Italians by the way, but long-standing marble quarrying experts from guess where? Yep, Carrara! Where else?

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Courtesy of Marble Museum, Colorado

photo Ron Bailey

Mr. Enrico Locati Luciani

photo Ron Bailey

photo Ron Bailey

photo Ron Bailey

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And there you have it really – the difference between Yule and Carrara could not be starker in one sense, and yet so similar in others. So much so in fact that Red Graniti, parent company to Colorado Stone Quarries, has re-branded their top quality marble block “Calcatta”, and “Calcatta Lincoln”. High praise indeed when you think about it. According to various spokesmen associated with the company such exquisite marble such as found in the tiny Yule Creek is rare: very rare indeed. Whether they will ever grudgingly admit that Yule is not only the equal of Carrara but its better, well that may never happen, and I don’t blame them. But I will go on beating the drum for Yule as I really think that it is a quite spectacular stone well worthy of its semi-precious status and  proud title as Colorado State Rock.

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And here I’ll leave you with one final thought: Yule is but a Beautiful Jewel when compared to most, if not all other marble quarries.  And just like any jewel it is by definition very rare indeed. As an example I point to the pictures above and below, where we see what is being billed as Europe’s largest marble quarry (which must make it the world’s largest I would assume), located and recently opened in Greece. What you will notice here perhaps is not only the uniform looking quality of the marble, but there is just so darn much of it. But what you should also notice is how little appears to be lost to waste, and therefore presents somewhat of a textbook case for replication across the marble industry – and indeed, dare I say it, across the Carrara marble region?

As I have explained here and in many posts and pages across martincooney.com, the way that Yule marble is being harvested, with harvest ratios of 75, 80 even 90 percent, such numbers I would imagine, are surely enough to please even the most ardent environmentalist to re-assess their objections, I would have thought.

For what have we once the quarry is exhausted and the seam quarried? Empty space lined with marble – what a fantastic living situation we could create for the modern day troglodyte! Fully equipped, well appointed marble apartments, with a view. I can see it now.

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Birros Marble Quarry 4, Pirgon Quarry, near the village of Drama of Northern Greece

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And so now, after around 350 posts and pages, I suppose I have found purpose in explaining to whoever may wander in to martincooney.com, just what the essential differences – and similarities – are between the world renowned Carrara marble, and its new, tiny, top quality rival from across the pond.

And even by reading this short post, watching the videos and taking in the pictures, I am sure that you will agree that you now know more on the subject than you ever did before?

Or perhaps you never even thought about Yule marble, or even Carrara for that matter; but don’t you find it all pretty fascinating? Course you do. I do, as you can see; and so stay tuned to martincooney.com and I will surely keep you informed, entertained and hopefully much wiser regarding the connections, similarities and contrasts between Yule and Carrara marble.

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MARTINCOONEY.COM: What’s it all about? Stats Reveal Carrara and Yule Rule the Ratings

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thanks for visiting martincooney.com

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⌈∨⌉Ä®±iπ

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MARTINCOONEY.COM: What’s it all about? Stats Reveal Carrara and Yule Rule the Ratings Difficult as this is for me to comprehend This is martincooney.com post number 333

[rayeshistoryhouse]

Least Visited National Park Sites (4/6)

16. Thomas Stone National Historic Site

Where: Maryland - 32 miles from Washington DC

2019 Visitors: 8020 

The Stone family produced a signer of the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution, a state governor, and a representative of the first Congress. Despite being an important family who fought for freedom, they owned thirty slaves.  

17. Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

Where: Massachusetts - 12 miles from Boston

2019 Visitors: 8150

The birthplace of the American iron and steel industry, European iron works brought their skills to the budding Massachusetts colony. Saugus Iron Works includes working waterwheels, forges, mills, and a 17th century home. The site was used from 1646 to 1670. 

18. President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

Where: Arkansas - 35 miles from Texarkana

2019 Visitors: 8758

42nd President Bill Clinton was raised in this Arkansas home by his mother and grandparents after his father died before he was born. Clinton lived here until he was four and then continuously visited his grandparents at this residence until his grandfather’s death in 1957. 

"In this house, I learned to walk and talk. I learned to pray. I learned to read and I learned to count by number cards my grandparents tacked on the kitchen window."

- President Clinton's Dedication Speech at the Birthplace Home, 1999.

19. Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument 

Where: Texas - 38 miles from Amarillo

2019 Visitors: 8847

13,000 years ago, Alibates Flint Quarries were the go to place for mammoth hunters looking for materials to make tools and weapons. For millennia, these quarries were extremely important sites for the hunting, trade, and art of the native population. The flint is particularly distinctive for its bright colors. 

20. Washita Battlefield National Historic Site 

Where: Oklahoma - 136 miles from Amarillo

2019 Visitors: 9119

On November 27th, 1868, Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer led a surprise attack on a Cheyenne village in the plain of western Oklahoma. The chief, Black Kettle, had already undergone a US raid at Sand Creek, Colorado four years earlier (named the Sand Creek Massacre). Custer’s troops killed between 30 and 60 people, slaughtered 875 captured animals, took 53 women and children as prisoners of war, and burned all of the Cheyenne’s winter supply of food and clothing. 

[hopeamarsu]

Hurt

Flip Zimmerman x female reader

Word count 1,538

Warnings: Mention of hospital, stitches, needles and bodily injury (nothing is really described in detail, but they are there). Slightly murderous and feral Flip. 

A/N: So, I had to have some minor cosmetic surgery last week because of an irregular mole and currently have some annoying stitches on my body. I guess you could say that this piece is inspired by those four little buggers and the process of waiting for the day when they come out. When I started rolling this idea in my head, I could only picture Flip, so I’m dipping my toe into writing Flip, hopefully it’ll turn out alright. 

“Colorado Springs Police Department, Zimmerman.”

“Flip... Please do not freak out, but...”

Flip Zimmerman sat up in rapt attention on his desk chair as he registered your timid voice. A voice that was laced with a hint of hurt and something else he couldn’t quite place. You normally didn’t call him during the day, both of you had busy jobs and he knew that as a school teacher you had even less time than him to take a break during the day. If you were calling him, something had to have gone wrong.

“Baby girl, what happened?”

“...I’m in the hospital.”

A million things went across his mind as he waited for you to speak, to explain more, to ease his mind. Had something happened at work? Were you hurt? Was someone else hurt? One of the kids you taught? Did someone touch you without permission? Who he had to hunt down if they had hurt you?

“It’s really not a big deal, just four stitches and that’s only because the doctor doesn’t want it to scar...”

All of his blood rushed in his ears as he reached behind him to grab his jacket from the backrest. You were hurt, bad enough that a doctor had decided to poke needles at you and you were saying it wasn’t a big thing? No, no way in hell.

“Y/N. What. Hospital.” Flip basically barked out, the receiver giving out a crackle, in danger of snapping in two, as he held it so tightly in his hand. He could feel Ron and Jimmy turning to watch him in surprise at his tone and words, but he couldn’t care less in the moment.

“St. Agnes, near the school. But, Flip, honey, it’s not a big...”

“Do not move. I’m coming to get you.”

The receiver went flying as large cowboy boots stormed across the room, taking the phone with it. Ron, sitting closest to Flip’s station, could hear the faint voice calling for Flip from the phone as he looked at the retreating flannel covered back, eyes wide.

*

You were sitting on one of the waiting room chairs as Flip walked inside. Well, walking was a kind term for the sound of thunderous stomping that you could hear before you saw him. You watched him make a sweep across the room before he settled on you. A few seconds later the mountain of a man dropped down on his knees before you and worried eyes found yours.

“Baby girl, what...” His voice broke and eyebrows pinched together as he kept sweeping his eyes across your features and hands trailed over your body. You smoothed his cheek and smiled, hoping to alleviate the worry on his handsome face. You buried another hand to his hair, scraching lightly at his scalp in a way that always soothed him. 

“It’s nothing bad, Flip. I promise you.” You tried to input as much of calmness into your voice as you could, to make him understand that you were alright. Your Flip was a protective one, you didn’t need him going off the rails with what you were about to reveal. “Just a small accident that happened at the school. There is nothing to worry about, trust me.”

He took a couple of breaths through his nose, hoping silently that he could light a cigarette here. He really needed the nicotine right about now, his chain-smoking on the ride over a proof of that. 

“Tell me. Please.” The words were still a little choked as they were whispered. As far as he could feel and see, you were in one piece, no blood or missing limbs. You looked pretty much the same as that morning when he had left you at the gates and kissed you goodbye, promising to pick you up after the school was over. But he knew that it was only an illusion. One that would shatter as soon as you spoke.

“Well... Joshua and Michael were fighting again during art class. They had their hands on some clay carving knifes and as I went to stop them, one of them accidentally stabbed me.”

Stabbed you? With a knife? And you claimed you were alright? How in the name of everything that was holy were those boys still breathing? He could feel his blood boiling again, a nervous tick on his knuckles. His nostrils flared in anger. 

“Honey, I need you to calm down. I am fine, I promise. The nurse at the school looked me over, but told that it was better if I came here instead. The doctor decided that I would need some stitches, just to make sure that the area does not get infected and so that it doesn’t scar. At least not badly.”

There was a possibility that you would get a scar from all of this? That was it, Flip was going to kill the boys responsible for hurting you. Ron could help him dispose of the bodies and Jimmy could run interference. There was a nice stone quarry outside of the city they could use for the job, nobody would be the wiser. 

“Where?” He ground out, your hands the only thing that kept him from bolting to his truck and going hunting for those responsible. 

You gestured at your chest and Flips eyes widened. That bastard kid had stabbed your tits? Oh, they were going six feet under. He must have flashed murderous anger in his eyes one too many times as the next thing he realized was that you had placed both of your hands to his cheeks and forced him to look you into the eyes.

“Flip. It was an accident. You cannot plan to murder anyone. I am fine. I promise. This is only a precaution.”

“I’m not planning to murder anyone.” He didn’t care that he sounded like a petulant kid at that moment. He wanted to hurt them for hurting you, but if you didn’t allow him to kill, he could do other things to them to make sure nothing like this happened ever again. “Can I...”

“No, absolutely not. Flip, they are seven years old, I do not want you giving them nightmares either. They are scared enough as it is.”

Fine. He held out his hands as to surrender to your will. But then he turned his attention back to your body, wanting to rip the cardigan off you so that he could see your skin. Make sure that you had been given all the care you needed and he could sooth his worrying mind that all was going to be okay.

“Show me.” 

If the doctor had done a sloppy job, Flip could settle for him as well. The idea of it all sickened him. That someone had poked a needle into your perfect skin, threaded it back together, leaving ugly black strings in there to tighten the skin for days to come. That had to have caused you discomfort, to make you even more uncomfortable and he wanted someone to pay for it. He would gladly burn the world at your feet to easy any pain you had, physical or otherwise. 

“I’ll show you once we are home. I promise. But I need you here with me now.” You kissed him then, wanting to feel those velvet lips move against yours, make you forget the afternoon completely. Despite what you’d told Flip, you had been slightly shaken by the experience and the pain that was still ebbing from the needlework. And you knew that he would provide comfort for you, make all this go away. 

Flip was a full-body kisser so it was no wonder that once your lips touched his, he wrapped his arms around you. He pulled you to his lap, right there on the hospital waiting room floor. Hands danced across your back, slipping lower to grip your bottom. Flip desperately wanted to slip his hands under you skirt, he needed to feel your skin on his skin. 

There was almost a feral need coarsing through his veins. He wanted to run away with you on his arms, tuck you under him on a bed with silk sheets, where nothing could hurt you. To place kisses everywhere on your naked body, taste the salt of your skin with his tongue, bring you to the edge and to heaven, time and time again. Make it all go away, leaving nothing but pleasure behind.  

But before he could act on those desires, before the kiss could get too heated (a reccuring thing with Flip and those sinful lips of his) you pulled away. You pressed small kisses to his lips as you grounded both of you back to reality. “There is one thing...” Another kiss “...I still need to tell you.”

Flip quirked an eyebrow at this. What more could there be?

“So, there are some rules we need to abide to while I’m healing. No heavy lifting and nothing can poke the wound. Also, I cannot go swimming in the next ten days and a day after they do come out. And... I can’t sweat heavily or jostle the wound. That means sex is out.”

“Fuck.”

His week just went from bad to worse.

Tagging as requested @aloneandsleepless​ 😉

[silverplumespectre]

 Silver Standard, Volume IV, Number 20, July 20, 1889

[alidaisinthevalli]

Union Pacific Depot, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Built in 1887 from stone quarried from Ft. Collins, Colorado, this depot is a major western example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, and was the largest station west of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

[bhandarimarblekishangarh]

HOME ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN FOR KITCHEN COUNTER-TOPS

Considering marble countertops? Discover everything you need to know about the popular surface before you start picking out slabs

When it comes to selecting kitchen countertops, marble remains the top choice for many homeowners. It’s no surprise that marble countertops and backsplashes are so popular—the material has been attracting fans for a millennium. “Marble is a natural material with a great variety, depending on which species you select and how it’s cut,” says Rahul Bhandari, the MD of Bhandari Marble Group behind. “It creates a lovely natural pattern, which you don’t get with a lot of artificial materials.”

9 important tips for choosing a white marble slab

Things to Remember

Among marble options, white marble takes the cake. “You won’t find anything as white in nature as white marble,” adds Evan Nussbaum, a vice president at Stone Source in New York. “You just don’t get that color and kind of figuring in any other type of natural stone.” But marble is not a perfect product. While good-quality marbles, such as the world-famous products from Carrara, Italy, are dense and relatively nonporous—which makes them durable and stain-resistant—they also have weaknesses.

A non-foliated metamorphic rock, marble is generally composed of calcium carbonate (the same ingredient used in antacids such as Tums) or magnesium carbonate, which react to acids. An acidic kitchen liquid like lemon juice or vinegar can etch marble, leaving a dull, whitish mark where it has slightly eaten away the surface, even after the marble has been sealed.

But as long as you choose carefully, know what to expect, and care for white marble countertops, they can be a beautiful, functional choice for your kitchen design that lasts a lifetime. Ahead, we’ve rounded up expert tips on how to choose the perfect slab of marble—so if you’re on the market for marble countertops, keep reading!

1. If you’re concerned about stains, stick with white marble

Although many people automatically think of creamy, white stone when they think of marble, “there are hundreds of varieties,” says DC Bhandari, founder, and director of the India-based stone company Bhandari Marble Group, including types that are taupe, green, gold, red, and black. For marble kitchen countertops, however, Nussbaum generally recommends sticking with white marble. Because acid etching leaves a whitish mark, it is much more noticeable on colored marble than on white marble. “We put a thousand caveats on any dark marble or non-white marble being used for kitchen countertops,” he says, “but it’s a personal choice.”

While classic Italian white marbles like Calacatta and Statuario are generally excellent quality and a great kitchen idea, Nussbaum points out that equally high-quality marbles are available closer to home, including Vermont Danby and Colorado Yule.

2. Consider how the different marble slabs will come together

Every stone slab is slightly different, so it’s ideal to select the exact pieces of stone that will be used for your countertops. “There’s an art to marble—selecting the slabs and understanding where the veining is going to be located on the countertop,” says Rahul Bhandari. “You want to artfully place the markings so that it’s almost like a painting.”

At the same time, it’s important to consider how different pieces come together. “The longer the piece you can get without any seams, the better,” says Rahul Bhandari. “If you do have seams, it’s always nice to book-match the marble,” so adjacent pieces have a mirrored appearance.

3. Take veining patterns into account

Every quarry is different, but it’s possible to cut certain types of marble blocks two different ways to achieve unique veining patterns. Crosscut, or Fleury cut, results in stone slabs with “an open flowered pattern,” says Nussbaum, which looks fairly random and is ideal for book-matching. Vein cut, or stria to, slices the block the other way to achieve a linear, striped appearance.

“Designers have used both cuts to create some fantastic looks,” says DC Bhandari. “They may use a vein cut on the wall and cross cut on the floor.”

4. You can transform the look of marble with different finishes

“The whole stone industry has been going through a massive wave of technology, and it’s transforming the product,” says DC Bhandari, noting that there are now more ways than ever to finish stone, including different brushing and polishing techniques. An orange-peel-like texture is possible, he notes, which “might be called a leather, brushed, or river-wash finish.”

But the most popular choices remain polished, which looks glossy, or honed, which appears matte. For homeowners concerned about acid etching, Nussbaum recommends a honed finish. “On a polished finish, etching is going to turn it dull and be more visible,” he says. “With honed, you’re dulling an already dull finish, so it disguises it.”

5. Consider curving the edges of your marble Counter-top

Besides its natural beauty, there’s a reason marble has historically been so popular for sculpture: It’s easy to work with tools. Add modern computer numerical control milling machines to the equation and almost anything’s possible for kitchen decorating. There are countless edge profiles to choose from, but Rahul Bhandari prefers a simple eased edge, which takes the sharpness off a straight 90-degree corner. DC Bhandari points out that a bull’s nose, which has the profile of a half-circle, is also a timeless favorite and functional winner. “Hard stones like marble are brittle, so if you hit a 90-degree corner with something hard, it will chip,” he says. “With a curve, it’s highly unlikely that it’s going to chip.”

To give thin ¾-inch stone the look of a thicker slab, Zaheer says it’s possible to use a mitre joint at the edge of the countertop to add a thicker face with an almost seamless appearance. “You can build up a really nice thick-looking piece without having to use a thick slab,” he says. It’s even possible to engrave the edge of a white marble countertop with a pattern of your choosing, says Cherrington, noting that Lapicida has developed marble tables featuring a carved brogue pattern on the edge in collaboration with designer Bethan Gray.

However, the best way to live with marble countertops may simply be to accept that they will patina over time. “If you’ve been to an old bakery or pizza shop and seen how white marble patinas, and like it,” says Brinda Somaya, “then it could be the perfect material for you.”

6. Call the marble facility ahead of your visit

“Call the slab marble facility in advance to inquire about whether they have marble slabs that meet the color, type, square footage, and dimensions you require,” suggests India-based interior designer Kapil Gupta. “Let them know when you’re coming and ask them to organize a tour points out the various slabs of marble they have. This will also allow the supplier to pull out their various slab marbles in advance so that when you arrive, they are taking you directly to the selections that meet your needs.”

7. Know the difference between cracks and fissures in your marble

Cracks are a sign that the marble has been dropped or improperly handled. Fissures, though, are entirely different. “A fissure differs from a crack in that it’s a naturally occurring feature in the stone and does not change the plane of the marble surface,” says Brinda Somaya. “You should be able to slide your nail across a fissure without it catching. Depending on the look you are trying to achieve, fissures may be acceptable—say, if you’re looking for a stone that will give you a more rustic look. Fissures don’t change the integrity of the stone; they are part of the stone’s character.”

8. Ask about the origin of the marble

“These days, white marble such as Calacatta and Statuario is currently in high demand. As such, some marble suppliers will call their white marble with veins Calacatta marble. But it won’t be authentic, rather just white stone with veins that originates from China or some other part of the world,” explains Shubham Gupta. “True Calacatta originates from mountain quarries in Carrara, Italy. The same is true for Statuario: True Statuario marble originates from Italy.”

9. Maintain your marble countertops by getting a sealed finish

Finishing marble countertops with a penetrating sealer is essential for long-term performance. Acids will still etch the surface, but if the countertop has a honed finish, an etched mark can usually be removed by scrubbing with a Comet paste using a Scotch-Brite pad, he says.

If it’s a polished surface, it will require different abrasives and technical skills to clean the marble, which might best be left to a professional. If the marble does get a stain, it can often be removed with an alkaline poultice that gradually pulls the offending material out of the stone as it dries. But any of these interventions will also strip the sealer, he notes, so it needs to be reapplied after the repair. “The good thing about marble is that you can always sand it down or polish it again,” says Hammed Ansari. “With a lot of other materials, once you damage it, you can’t do that

Added by expert and export team of Bhandari Marble Group Rajasthan, Kishangarh-India

[noro124]

hey everyone it’s my frog collection + other cool things i had on the shelf at the time! i have 57 frogs (counting the packaged ones as one unit), which is 45 more than the last time i took a picture of my frog collection. enjoy!  

under here i will tell you where i got each frog & why i grouped them like that! the groups can also be read in the captions. all pics try to go from left to right, from the back row to the front. 

i. frogs that are big

Summer relaxin’ - my dad got him for me at a yard sale a few years ago. 

HAPPY FROG - my dad also got him for me at a yard sale, but closer to 6 months ago. He’s hanging over my bed right now on my Wall Of Stuff.

Paper frog - my sister ripped him off the bulletin board at the Starbucks where she works to give him to me

White frog - picked him up at TJ Max when my mom took me dress shopping.

Dark green frog - i don’t know...i think from a yard sale? he’s hollow & i keep a semicircle paperweight in the hole in his stomach.

ii. 8 frogs that will break if you drop them & 3 that won’t

Yoga frog - my dad got him for me, maybe from Goodwill?��

Ol Chumbo - got him at the flea market for $8. He is solid iron.

Just Eat What Bugs You!! - got him from a thrift store in a small town in Colorado. he’s got beans in him! if you shake him he rattles

Blue glass - he’s a candle holder! I got him from an antique store in Tennessee & then saw another one of him at the flea market years later. 

Bronze goofball - crooked eyes. very endearing. also very heavy. got him in a shop that sold lots of bronze things outside the Louvre. 

Gold - a gift from my boyfriend!!!

Sassy Frog - i think my dad gave her to me? or maybe i bought her at the antique store. 

Little brown frog - more fragile than he looks, missing his front right leg so i got him discounted from the antique store near school. 

Glass frog king! - got him in prague! he was overpriced, but worth it

Teeny glass frog - also got him in prague for $3! 

Another glass frog - got in the same store that I got tiny frog in.

iii. frogs that are minerals

Chunky brown frog - got him at the antique store near school. i think my boyfriend bought him for me on one of our first dates! 

Black frog - $35 but worth every cent. smooth, elegant, made in Japan. gotten from the antique store near school.

Flat brown frog - got him from the flea market. 

Malachite frog - bought him online from Bekkathyst! Expensive, but I took advantage of a sale.

Rose quartz frog - got from a really cool mineral shop in Prague! I did a project on that shop, about redesigning the storefront.

Pink frog - got from a yard sale a long time ago, only recently rediscovered in my room & added to the collection.

Little frog on a leaf - got from a gift shop at the end of a long 14k altitude hike in Colorado.

Frogs 8-12 were all given to me by my boyfriend after he came back from NY. They’re a big family!!! 

   13. Tiny frog bead - got from the flea market! 

iv. frogs that are squishy

Mint green frog loaf - picked this up from a recent con!! my boyfriend paid for half of it because he said this was something i needed to have, & he was right! 

Webkinz frog - my dad got him for me at a yard sale because he liked the mischievous look in his eyes. 

Little frog orb - part of a set of 3 round squishy things my boyfriend’s parents gave me for easter. 

TY Beanie Baby Frog - a beanie baby original my sister got from a yard sale. he might be worth a lot of money since he’s an original. i’m looking into it. 

Dark blue sand frog - I’ve had this since I was a child. he’s got stitches in his armpit because he used to have a big hole that let all the sand out.

Stripey sand frog - got her at a yard sale when i was maybe 9 so the dark blue frog could have a friend! 

Green and orange beanie frog - picked this up from a “Night Market” in Vienna. having seen real night markets in Taiwan, I was kind of disappointed, but the frog was a good purchase.

Green beanie frog - got in belfast from a cool museum. has a pink twin owned by one of my friends. all frogs have sweet dreams

v. frogs that are toys

Skeleton frog - one of my roommates got him for me from a halloween store.

Glowing frog - he changes rainbow colors! my sister gave him to me for my 20th birthday last year.

Slime frog - my boyfriend got him for me as a Welcome Back present after i returned from Prague! he’s nasty. he’s full of yellow goo & he has a cap on the bottom of his body that you can undo to take out the goo. it takes hours to put the goo back in. 

Keychain frog - also a flashlight that croaks when you turn him on! I saw him in Milan & had to have him. 

Lime green frog - my dad gave me 3 frog bath toys for Christmas. I have one in my collection (this one), one at his house, & one at my mom’s house.

Blue frog whistle - I think one of my friends gave this to me but I’m not sure.

Wooden frog - bought him from a nice lady at the night market in Taiwan in 2017.

Wooden frog 2 - he rolls! picked him up for $4 in one of the Golden Lane shops in Prague Castle. 

Frog rubber band - got him as a reward for being good at the dentist in like 2007. 

vi. frogs i have not unwrapped

 boblende fro - a frog bath bomb with a toy frog inside that i got from a weird store called Flying Tiger in prague. i don’t want to open him because he’ll be crumbly & i like the packaging a lot, & also i don’t want to use him yet.

Grow Frogs - another gift from my boyfriend’s parents for easter. I haven’t used them yet because I’m lazy & I don’t know if they’d crumble & I don’t know where I’d put them if they were unwrapped.

Frog King stickers - got these in northern ireland as well! i haven’t used any yet because they have layers & the things I’d put them on (my phone case, sketchbook, my laptop) move around a lot & the stickers would get destroyed really fast. 

vii. frogs with jobs

Candle holder - one of my friends gave it to me for my birthday.

Green frog - got him from the local crafts store my roommate used to work at. He can hold onto the outside of cups or flowerpots or my finger! 

Frog thimble - a different roommate gave him to me after he got back from his trip to Spain. 

Frog clip - one of my friends gave it to me for no reason! really nice of her!!!

Mosaic frog - the roommate that went to Spain got this for me there too! he doesn’t have a job, he just doesn’t fit into any of the other categories.

Keroppi pin - got this for 50 cents in Taiwan & then lost it for a year.

Tiny rubber frog - given to me by one of my roommates for Christmas. he got it in Florida. he doesn’t have a job either.

Milan eraser - picked this up in a stationary store in prague called McPen.

viii. miscellaneous items on the frog display shelf

Fat cat with big poofy cheeks - i went to the flea market with my dad & saw this funny man.

 Round unicorn & pink fish - the other 2 round things that came with the frog my boyfriend’s parents gave me for easter this year.

Crab ornament - given to me alongside the tiny rubber frog. he’s missing a leg and is EXTREMELY fragile - pieces of his shell fall off all the time.

Red wooden painted egg - got from an easter market in Prague.

Eggplant container - I keep souvenir pressed pennies in here. 

Stone egg with stand - I got this for my dad from an antique store, but my dad said I could keep it.

Golden pig - gotten somewhere in Prague. I was gonna give it to one of my roommates, but my mom said “You should keep it for good luck, it’s the year of the pig!” & so I did.

Snake carving - my grandma used to give me little carvings made of the same material all the time before she died. I don’t know where I got this.

Little glass crab - a gift alongside the crab ornament & tiny rubber frog!

White rock - looks very pretty in the right light. got it from a mineral store in Cesky Krumlov.

Smooth rock - smokey quartz I think? got it from the same mineral store. 

Carnelian scarab - got this from a really cool mineral store outside the Louvre. I could have spent all day in here - they sold really expensive frogs too. I had my eye on one made from turquoise, but it was 160 euros. Maybe next time. 

Labrodorite heart - my boyfriend paid for half of it when he came to visit me in Prague! it’s very blue & very gorgeous. 

Labrodorite chunk - my boyfriend got this for me at a hippie music festival!

Chunk of limestone - got this in northern ireland where there was a cool bridge near an old limestone quarry. I thought this rock looked cool, like mochi. You can’t tell from the picture quality.

Glass lizard - part of the gift with the crab ornament & the other things.

Turtle - got him from the flea market. not sure what he’s made of, but he’s handcrafted!

Shiny turtle - this was on the ground at the flea market. it probably had fallen off a display & cost money, but i put it in my pocket. please don’t arrest me

Stone turtle - got this guy from an aquarium that’s 2 hours away from home! we went as a group over spring break to the beach, but half of us immediately went home & half of us went to the aquarium. i got to touch a shark there. 

& that’s all, folks! thanks for reading my frog lore! 

[turtlepated]

The Turnings of Fire

“This world, which is the same for all, no one of gods or men has made. But it always was and will be: an ever-living fire” - Heraclitus, The Weeping Philosopher 

--- 

Chapter 1:

The worst thing about the American southeast in the summertime had to be the humidity. The air was the consistency of hot soup, causing his hair to plaster lank and limp against his sweat-drenched head. It really wasn’t even worth it to try and wind it up into a bun to get it off his neck, that just made it easier for the damn mosquitos to find someplace to land. 

For the millionth time Hellboy swatted his massive stone hand at the high-pitched buzzing near his ear, even more annoyed by how useless it was. The little bitches would be back, the swamp was thick with them. On the upside he didn’t have long to think about the dozens of mosquito bites driving him nuts, because Alice went completely still as voices he could not hear whispered to her. She confirmed that they’d reached their destination, wincing slightly from the onslaught of emotion and horror brought on by whatever visions had barraged her mind. 

Daimio cut the outboard and let them drift silently down the slow-moving blackwater river toward a small island studded with cypress trees, nestled in waist high weeds behind curtains of Spanish moss, prime real estate for a man-eating lizard monster. 

Locals had told stories for years about the reptilian creature that lived in the miles of dense wetlands, reporting occasional sightings to drum up tourist interest in the town. Then the bodies had begun turning up. At first it was only animals, strays and missing pets found torn and shredded and showing definite signs of being partially eaten. Then remains of the town drunk were discovered in two different locations. The following day an old woman hanging laundry in her back yard was heard screaming and all that was found of her was bloodstained grass and drag marks. 

Over the course of a couple weeks the attacks grew more brazen and more vicious. Two days ago a pair of kids walking home from their bus stop disappeared. One still hadn’t been found, the other was recovered wandering in a state of delirium, unresponsive and near catatonic. The town authorities, totally out of their depth, had reached out to the BPRD. 

Tracking the reptilian beast had been something of a challenge, but Alice’s medium abilities had led them deep into the swamp where she made contact with at least two fishermen who’d also had an encounter with the monster. Despite their grim fate, the men had provided them with valuable intel on their quarry and as soon as the trio located its den they set about laying a trap. Hellboy was always pleasantly surprised when a trap went the way it was planned. But one thing he had learned in his time with the BPRD was that even when things when right, they could still go terribly, terribly wrong. 

The creature, all of nine-feet of ugly muscle with a flat, alligator-like head and burning red eyes, was pissed as hell by their intrusion on its lair, but it also turned out that their bullets pinged right off its thick, scaly hide. Even the Samaritan failed to make a kill shot. Thinking about every episode of Swamp People he had ever seen, Hellboy realized they’d have to hit it at point-blank range, preferably in a spot with no armor. Physically stronger than his two teammates, Hellboy took the brunt of the creature’s fury in order to get close enough to restrain it. Daimio moved in for the coupe de grace, straight through the left eye. 

They took samples of blood, tissue and scales for the BPRD scientists, and after a moment’s contemplation Hellboy lopped the monster’s head off for good measure. It was while they were loading up the boat and preparing to head back to town that shit decided to go even more sideways. A second creature exploded out of the shallow water by the bank, just as big as the other but possibly even more enraged. Its jaws had latched onto Hellboy’s stone arm, raised reflexively to shield his head, and forced him to the ground under its bulk. Before any of them had a chance to aim for its eyes, it had let go of his arm, seized him by the foot and dragged him into the swamp. 

Unable to see in the brackish water, Hellboy wouldn’t have been able to shoot the thing even if he could spare a moment to grab his gun. Instead he grasped the creature’s snout with both hands, trying to pry the jaws open and free himself while it trashed its head, slinging, spinning, and tossing him through the churning water much like a regular alligator. It finally released his ankle after he slugged it in the side of the face with his stone hand, retreating while he clambered for the surface. Disoriented after getting the spin-cycle treatment, Hellboy staggered back up the bank and drew the Samaritan, spitting out foul swamp water while they all scanned the turbulent water for the creature. 

He and Daimio took up forward positions, keeping Alice behind them while they waited for the next attack. When it came, the creature lunging out of hiding in the murky water with its mouth agape and a snarl rumbling in its throat, Hellboy stepped up to meet it. With a roar of his own he jammed the muzzle of the Samaritan into the open maw and squeezed the trigger once, twice, three times. With most of its head now a pulpy mash of blood, bone fragments and gray matter, the creature toppled over backwards into the water and sank out of sight. Cautiously they all re-holstered their weapons, adrenaline still pumping as Daimio posited out loud, “You don’t suppose that was a female, do you?” 

Another twenty minutes of searching the small island and they found the nest with half a dozen small ivory eggs in the mud. These they carefully collected to be stored in the BPRD where they couldn’t do any harm. By the time they made it back to the boat landing dawn had lit the tops of the trees. Waiting in a makeshift landing pad nearby was their chopper, with a half dozen anxious looking townies gathered around it waiting for news. Several of them gasped, murmuring amongst themselves and pointing to the beast’s severed head Hellyboy carried in one hand as he and Alice strode toward the chopper. While Daimio approached the locals to advise them of the situation, Alice opened the large rear cargo door and ascended the ramp. Hellboy went behind her, his feet squelching in his wet boots. Even though it was still early morning, the humidity was already horrible and his hair and clothes hadn’t dried a bit, hanging heavy on him. Once out of sight of the gawkers he reached down to adjust the crotch of his pants. Was there anything more miserable than soggy britches? 

He dropped the reptilian head carelessly onto a metal bench mounted to the wall, settling there himself with a long harsh sigh as he began undoing the laces on his boots. Alice slid open a pressurized drawer with a hiss and a puff of condensation, carefully placing the samples and the bag of eggs inside where they could be kept in a temperature-controlled environment until they made it back to HQ. “Ugh, don’t just leave it there,” Alice chided, pulling a face as blackish blood and other fluids began seeping from the stump of the neck, dripping through the grillwork of the bench and onto the floor. With one foot she slid a plastic bin across to him and he reached over and knocked the head inside, where it landed with a muted, wet thud.  

He pulled off one boot, tipping it upside down and grumpily watched muddy water spill out in a thin drizzle. “Purgatory’s hot, but damn, at least it’s dry,” he grumbled, wrestling to pull off the other boot. Finally he stripped off the sodden socks, letting out a contented sigh when his hoofed feet met the floor just as Daimio came up the ramp, closing it behind him. “You’re really going to make us smell swamp-water and hoof sweat all the way back to Colorado?” he japed, perfectly deadpan and expressionless. “Kiss my ass, Snagglepuss,” Hellboy shot back without missing a beat as he shrugged off his heavy overcoat. 

Daimio scoffed but said nothing, heading for the cockpit and calling over his shoulder. “Wheels up in five.” After spreading his coat out on the bench to dry, Hellboy propped his ankle across the opposite knee to get a better look at the half dozen small punctures from the lizard monster’s teeth. Alice looked on from the row of bucket seats across from him, wincing sympathetically as he prodded around the wounds with his flesh fingers. “Does it hurt?” she asked. He gave a shrug and noncommittal grunt. “Not too bad. I’ve had way worse,” he replied. “Make sure you flush it with disinfectant. You heal fast, but they found some really nasty bacteria on the bodies they examined. Best not to chance it.” He hummed an affirmative, flexing his hoof back and forth and turning his ankle in a slow circle to test for any more pain or discomfort. 

 The floor began to thrum beneath them as Daimio fired up the engines, the propellers whining as they began to spin. Stretching his arms over his head, feeling vertebrae popping one after another, Hellboy spun in his seat and reclined back along the bench with his left arm draped over his face. “Wake me when we get there, will ya?” he called to Alice. He was already thinking fondly of his large shower and an equally large breakfast… 

A few hours later and they were touching down on the landing pad outside the BPRD’s headquarters in the Colorado Rockies. He handed off the reptilian head to the first person he saw in a lab coat, the man cringing slightly, while Alice bequeathed the eggs to the BPRD lab manager. Hellboy moved quicker than he might have normally, eyes sweeping the personnel swarming around him. If he hurried, maybe he’d be able to avoid – “Agent Hellboy,” called a tinny voice with a crisp, pronounced German accent. Hellboy froze on the spot, cringing, cursing quietly. “Did you forget the debriefing? You seem to do that quite a lot.” Not bothering to try and stifle his exasperated sigh, Hellboy turned to face the speaker.  

The “man”, in the loosest sense of the word, stood straight backed with his arms clasped loosely behind him. Though there was no facial expression to read, there was a definite if mild tone of rebuke in the disembodied voice emanating from the clear glass helmet atop his shoulders. From what he’d heard around HQ over the last month, Johann Kraus had had a body once, but in the course of some paranormal accident he’d lost it and was now confined to a semi-gaseous ectoplasmic form which he sustained by means of a specialized containment suit. Personally, Hellboy thought it made him look something like a cross between a deep-sea diver out of a Jules Verne novel and an astronaut, but he was hardly in a position to judge someone based on their appearance.  

Not when his personality was so much more grating.  

After the loss of Professor Bruttenholm, a thought that still made his breath clench painfully in his chest, there had been a bit of a shake up in the upper echelons of the BPRD. General operations were now headed up by Tom Manning, a former FBI director, which worked out all right since there was a bit of overlap between the two agencies’ work. The science/research division and field work, meanwhile, had been taken over by Johann Kraus. Hellboy hadn’t had much to do with Manning yet, but Kraus’s bureaucratic, cross-the-Ts-and-dot-the-Is approach was in stark contrast to the way Bruttenholm had run things. Pedantic was the word that came to mind to describe Kraus, though Hellboy had no trouble coming up with other descriptors just as fitting if less professional.  

“Agents Monaghan and Daimio are already on their way to the conference room to give their reports,” Kraus stated, somehow managing to be polite and authoritative at the same time. Hellboy ground his teeth and let a long, slow exhale out through his nose. “Well we were all on the same mission,” he pointed out, trying his best not to sound too insubordinate. “Do you really need three reports on the same case? I thought the lizard head was pretty self-explanatory.” Kraus didn’t have lungs, so he couldn’t actually give a long-suffering sigh, but there was a pregnant pause before he spoke again. “That is beside the point, Agent Hellboy,” he replied, but sensing that a lecture was forthcoming Hellboy cut across him.  

“At least let me change clothes and dry off first. I kinda went swimming in the swamp, probably got algae growin’ in my asscrack by now.” He walked off without waiting for Kraus to respond. It was around twenty minutes later that he shouldered his way through the conference room double doors, a towel slung around his neck and steam still rising from the crown of his head. “Glad you could join us,” Daimio sniped, seated near the head of the long table. “Did you wash behind your ears?” Alice chimed in with a teasing smirk. “Hardy-har-har,” he drawled sardonically, settling himself in the seat next to her. “Let’s get on with it. There’s a short stack in the mess with my name on it.”  

Kraus, positioned at the front of the room where he could face all three of them, turned his attention to Hellboy. “It’s my understanding that you were injured?” he said. Hellboy shrugged casually. “ ‘S nothing,” he replied. “Love bite.” “Regardless, report to sick bay for an examination. We don’t want to take any chances.” Hellboy rolled his eyes, ignoring Alice punching his knee under the table. It took less than five minutes for them to relate all the details of the case to Kraus, but just when Hellboy was sure they’d be dismissed Kraus produced a file folder. “I’m afraid there’s another matter which requires our attention,” he told them. “I have here a number of reports that seem to indicate a possible wyrm infestation in Centralia, Pennsylvania.”  

Hellboy frowned, Kraus’s words enough to snap him back to the conversation and away from the thought of a late breakfast in the commissary. “Centralia? Isn’t that the town that’s been on fire for fifty years?” Alice’s brow furrowed thoughtfully. “Like the burning mountain in Germany?” “Quite correct, agents,” Kraus responded. “In 1962, a former strip mine in the town was repurposed as a landfill. Later that year, the town council met to determine how to clean up the area. No official records exist to describe the plan they decided upon, but they later hired several local volunteer firefighters to conduct a controlled burn at the landfill, which was illegal in the state at that time. However the landfill fire started, it quickly spread through an unsealed opening in the pit floor and into the coal mines beneath the town. It has been burning ever since.” 

“The town itself is now condemned and almost entirely abandoned,” Kraus went on. “The fire is located primarily in the southern end of the borough, and sinkholes are common, as well as poisonous carbon monoxide. Investigation of recent seismic activity has revealed a number of collapsed tunnels as well as the presence of new tunnels. Judging by the circumference of the newly dug tunnels we believe a wyrm may be burrowing in the mine, possibly a female in search of a place to lay a clutch of eggs. It would be attracted by the burning coal and the noxious fumes.” Hellboy sighed, slumping low in the seat. “Of course it would,” he said heavily, taking the towel in both hands and draping it over his face, letting his arms fall lax to either side of his chair. “Wyrms lay twelve eggs or more at a time,” added Daimio. “They’ll be nearly five feet long at birth. A dozen hatchlings digging in a burning coal mine could be a disaster.”  

“With the mines already unstable from the coal fire, further excavations by even one wyrm could allow the fire to spread even further and endanger nearby towns,” Kraus concurred. “Which is why we need to find the wyrm and remove it as soon as possible.” He turned to face Hellboy. “You will need to take point on this mission. Neither of your teammates are impervious to fire and heat, but you are. Surface temperatures have been recorded in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit.”  

Hellboy swiped the towel off his face and into his lap, sitting up and fixing his golden eyes on Kraus’s inscrutable transparent head. “What about the carbon monoxide?” he demanded. “I may be fireproof, but I still need to be able to breathe.” Kraus nodded impatiently, gathering the papers back together into the file. “Yes, yes, of course, you’ll have an external breathing apparatus. And Agent Monaghan and Agent Daimio will still accompany you as reinforcements. I realize you’ve all just returned from a mission, but this is rather dire, so you will be departing at twelve-hundred hours.”  

Kraus stood and they followed suit. “Dismissed, agents. And best of luck.” Daimio led the way out of the conference room and down the corridor outside, Hellboy and Alice trailing along behind him. “So much for breakfast,” the half-demon grumbled. “Maybe we can talk Daimio into stopping for drive thru,” Alice offered. “Worked before.” Hellboy chuckled, rolling his shoulders as they prepared to separate at fork in the hallway. “After three days sloggin’ through a God-forsaken blackwater swamp, a burning coal mine might be nice.” 

I’m hoping that if I keep the chapters relatively short, maybe it’ll help me churn them out faster! Review appreciated!

[eyesopen2019]

Eurostar to Paris

On the 4th June we caught the train back to London and got on the Eurostar to head to Paris. We had watched some videos of the making of the tunnel and were all interested to see what going on a train under the water would be like. The train travels up to speeds of 300km per hour and covers the 490km in 2 hours and 15 mins with 50 km of tunnel under The English Channel.  The journey is very smooth and you can hardly notice you have entered the tunnel or exited it and certainly don’t see any fish or sealife much to Lani’s disappointment.  We arrived in Paris in the afternoon and made our way to our Airbnb in Izzy. Navigating the subway system the first time was a challenge especially as I had no data on my phone and we couldn’t use apple maps!  When we arrived at our house we found a 3 storey home with views out to the Eiffel tower from the upstairs bedroom.  There was heaps of room to stretch out and the kids made themselves at home.  Hung and I opened a bottle of French champagne, one of several bottles of wine, which had been left in the fridge for us. Lani was excited to find some kids toys in the house to play with and spent ages making up games with them.

On our first day out in Paris it was overcast and drizzling and we caught the bus into The Arc de Triumph and wandered down the Champs-Elyssees.  We found our lunch of baguettes, cheese, ham and salami in a local supermarket. I enjoyed looking at all the gorgeous buildings and tree lined boulevards which reminded me of our trips to Saigon.

The next day was a lovely sunny day and we took the opportunity to head to the Eiffel Tower where we climbed the stairs to the second level then took the elevator to the top. It was a fairly easy climb up the couple hundred stairs but we took it pretty slowly.  The view from the top is amazing and it’s interesting to try to pick out all the major landmarks throughout the city.  We again bought lunch in a nearby supermarket and sat in the park under the Eiffel tower for lunch.  During our time in Paris we enjoyed the amazing baguettes bought very cheaply everywhere as well as the amazing variety of cheeses.   Each day we would buy a baguette to stick in the backpack for when Leon or Lani were suddenly starving!  Leon also especially enjoyed the chocolate croissants and I think was trying to get a record when he had 6 in one day.  

Another day, Hung and I had a day out with Lani and left the boys at home.  We wandered around the Notre Dame Cathedral which unfortunately suffered a huge fire a few months ago.  We explored the area around the Louvre and over several nearby bridges. Lani loved to checkout all the love locks which had been placed around, and see which were the oldest ones.  Hung and Lani each bought a special leather hat from a small shop down an alleyway which were all made onsite and handcut and sewn.  Hung’s hat reminds me of his Dad’s hat he used to wear everywhere and I think it will be his ‘old man hat’ now until he is very old and it will be passed down to the kids!  Lani choose a black leather beret which looks really cute and she says reminds her of Ong Noi’s hat.  We had a lovely lunch out at a little French café near the Notre Dame Cathedral and Hung and I enjoyed a glass of wine while watching the passing traffic.  Lani bought a slime making kit which she enjoyed putting all the bits together to make her own slime when she got home.

There are so many museums to visit in Paris but we only ventured to The Louvre but on the day we had planned to go we arrived to find it sold out.  We were a bit more organised the next day and bought tickets online but unfortunately when we did get inside it was so crowded and hot that it was not very pleasant to wander around.  We made a beeline for the Mona Lisa and checked out a few other areas before retreating to the open space outside again.  The kids were fairly unimpressed with the Mona Lisa and couldn’t really see what all the fuss was about.  They were more interested in the sculptures, especially one called ‘The Fisherman’.  Leon was puzzled why everyone in the paintings and sculptures was naked and why in all the paintings people had no eyebrows!

We wandered a lot in Paris, seeing many gardens, statues, palace’s and plaza’s throughout the city. It is a very walkable city and you can venture from area to area easily.  Everywhere there are small coffee shops and restaurants with an endless array of food to try.  Eating out was generally expensive, as was coffee at $7-9 a cup, needless to say we didn’t eat out much!  It was also very difficult to find public toilets and often we had to pay for them!

One of my favourite days was when we went to a flea markets which was not that great but from there we wandered up the hillside to Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris (Sacre-Coeur) which is a Roman Catholic church set on the highest point in Montmarte hill.  It was built in 1875 and since 1885 there has been constant prayers, day and night, by patrons within the church.  We had seen the basilica from the Eiffel tower when we climbed to the top and had wondered what it was.  We looked inside the church and then climbed the stairs to the dome for an amazing view of the city and saw all the landmarks we had visited over the previous week.  

On one of our last days Kai and I decided to check out The Catacombs where we patiently waited in the drizzling rain for several hours.  The Catacombs, a series of tunnels under the city which were originally dug out in the 15th century for the stone and used in the buildings of the city.  The quarrying stopped after a series of land collapses and remained abandoned for many years.  In the 1700’s when the population of the city grew and the officials were worried about diseases from the dead they placed the bones of millions of graves in the tunnels.  There are hundreds of kms of tunnels, many of which are not mapped.  You are able to explore a series of 1.5kms of tunnel which is a bit morbid but it was interesting to see how the bones have been placed and presented for viewing since the 1800’s.  

We left our lovely Parisian Airbnb on 11th June to check into a very budget hotel (IBIS budget) near the Paris Orly airport which was not very pleasant and definitely not one I would recommend.  We were due to leave Paris on the 11th June but we changed our plans so we could see a friend of Hung’s, Kevin, and his family who were in town on holiday from Colorado.  We were only sleeping at the ‘hotel’ so we survived – but only just, especially Kai. Hung and Kevin were friends in their 20’s and hadn’t seen each other for over 20 years.  We had a lovely dinner out with their family and ours and I’m sure we will see them out in Australia sometime.  

[martincooneyart]

To Understand the Supreme Quality of Colorado Yule Marble

You Need To Know The Difference Between

Contact and Regional Metamorphism

  For years now, since February 2013 to be precise, I have taken every opportunity to inform anyone willing to hear me out that Colorado Yule Marble is not only “on a par” with the finest commercial marble in the world, but is technically, scientifically and geologically superior structurally and integrally. And perhaps even as importantly, dare I say it, in looks !

It was actually September of 2011 when I began my Yule marble journey, as I split and carved a huge slab of well seasoned marble and carved the resulting blocks into over 41 individual carvings, and Over this eight-year span I have not only collected much statistical data on the subject, some of which about to receive, regarding all things marble, but have myself carved Yule marble  in very large volumes, and to incredibly demanding proportions that I now firmly believe would not be possible with marble created via Regional Metamorphism. And to date none, touch wood, have broken, chipped or cracked even though they have been propelled into the real world, both indoor and out.  Because not only is Colorado Yule Marble a miraculous material in-of-itself, and capable of holding tensile strength in a way that Regional Metamorphosed Marble could never aspire, let alone duplicate; it also happens to be very, very, extraordinarily rare. And so let’s begin there.

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Take a look at the above picture, and the next time you see the Lincoln Memorial recall that every last little piece of it came out of this tiny little quarry. For there are no others around the corner, down the road, in the next state, or anywhere in the entire North American continent. This is IT. This is THE Colorado Yule Marble quarry – the ONLY quarry in this entire enormous region to boast Contact Metamorphosed marble. And so bear this tiny little quarry in mind as you scroll down and see the nature and scale of its commercial rivals across the seas in Europe.

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Now, take a look at the scale of the Carrara operation. And believe me, this is not the whole picture – the major part of it for sure, but quarries are to be found nestled across a region that spreads several miles in a semicircle fanning out from the Mediterranean coast.

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Once the marble is hewn from the mountain it is hauled down through a special tunnel dug in order to bypass the town of Carrara, and distributed around the multitude of huge gantry yards, as indicated by the white contrast to the red tiled rooftops of Tuscany.

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And there it is; the semi-precious stone that can actually be seen from space! In fact, so gigantic are the proportions that passing tourists routinely mistake the marble topped mountains for snow. For I must say, that was pretty much the impression they made on me too, and I knew for sure that they were marble because I had scrambled all over them myself. And yet, snow capped peaks they really appeared to be.

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And so, once again, here it is – the mighty Yule Marble Quarry in its entirety. Do I need to labor the point further? I thought not. And so we will move on to the science, geology and applied logic implied by my bold proclamation that: Colorado Yule Marble is actually not merely the equal to that of its well known rivals, but actually way superior to that of any commercial marble on the market today, as evidenced by it’s new found status as ‘The most desired, sought after and expensive marble in the world’ by many within the highest level of the international marble industry.

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For ease of understanding let us begin with Wikipedia:

“Yule Marble is a marble of metamorphosed limestone found only in the Yule Creek Valley, in the West Elk Mountains of Colorado, 2.8 miles (actually 3.8) (4.5 km) southeast of the town of Marble, Colorado. First discovered in 1873—it is quarried underground at an elevation of 9,300 feet (2,800 m) above sea level—in contrast to most marble, which is quarried from an open pit and at much lower elevations. The localized geology created a marble that is 99.5% pure calcite, with a grain structure that gives a smooth texture, a homogeneous look, and a luminous surface. It is these qualities for which it was selected to clad the exterior of the Lincoln Memorial and a variety of other buildings throughout the United States, in spite of being more expensive than other marbles”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule_Marble

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Courtesy of Marble Museum, Colorado

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Lincoln Memorial

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And now let’s see what Oregon State Education has to say on the subject:

“Rocks are formed on Earth as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rocks. Igneous rocks form when rocks are heated to the melting point which forms magma. Sedimentary rocks are formed from the cementing together of sediments, or from the compaction (squeezing together) of sediments, or from the recrystallization of new mineral grains which are larger than the original crystals. Metamorphic rocks form from heat and pressure changing the original or parent rock into a completely new rock. The parent rock can be either sedimentary, igneous, or even another metamorphic rock. The word “metamorphic” comes from Greek and means ‘To Change Form’. Temperature increases can be caused by layers of sediments being buried deeper and deeper under the surface of the Earth. As we descend into the earth the temperature increases about 25 degrees Celsius for every kilometer that we descend. The deeper the layers are buried the hotter the temperatures become. The great weight of these layers also causes an increase in pressure, which in turn, causes an increase in temperature.

Contact Metamorphism occurs when magma comes in contact with an already existing body of rock. When this happens the existing rocks temperature rises and also becomes infiltrated with fluid from the magma. The area affected by the contact of magma is usually small, from 1 to 10 kilometers.

Regional Metamorphism occurs over a much larger area. This metamorphism produces rocks such as gneiss and schist. Regional metamorphism is caused by large geologic processes such as mountain-building. These rocks when exposed to the surface show the unbelievable pressure that cause the rocks to be bent and broken by the mountain building process.” http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/metamorphic-rocks-lesson-14

Finally, here is Science Direct weighing in:

“Regional Metamorphism occurs over wide areas, affects large volumes of rocks, and is associated with tectonic processes such as plate collision and crustal thickening (orogenic metamorphism) and ocean-floor spreading (ocean-floor metamorphism). During the subsidence of large basins, sedimentary piles can be affected by PT conditions of 200–400 °C and 0.05–0.2GPa. These conditions mark the transition from diagenesis to metamorphism and are named burial metamorphism. 

Contact Metamorphism is caused by igneous intrusions as a result of the thermal effects of hot magma on the surrounding cooler country rock.  Pyrometamorphism is a special form of contact metamorphism at very high temperatures (> 1000 °C) and very low pressures (< 0.1GPa), affecting small fragments of country rock in a volcanic or subvolcanic environment.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/regional-metamorphism

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So, what was that about that small fragment of “country rock in a volcanic or subvolcanic environment“? Just take a long look at that Colorado Rocky Mountain landscape below and ask yourself whether this sort of terrain could possibly fit the “Pyrometamorphism” credentials for the “special form of contact metamorphism at very high temperatures (> 1000 °C) and very low pressures“? Well, I am here to suggest that it very well might. In fact, this would appear to be the very reason why Colorado Yule Marble is so very special (and rare) indeed.

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Rare, and very special as it is; Colorado Yule bears all the hallmarks of perhaps the greatest white marble ever to be quarried. And now that you have discovered just why that might be, scientifically, geologically and plain logically, let me now show you the scale of Europe’s biggest marble quarry just for comparison.

By-the-way, in no way am I trying to put down or impugn the magnificent nature, ethic or endeavors of the rather magnificent, and relatively new Pirgon Quarry, which I must stress is according to their own website “the largest quarry of white marble in Greece and one of the largest worldwide…. Located in Drama of Northern Greece, near the village of Pirgon”.

This beautiful little video lays out the case rather well, for although the massive quarry can claim top spot when it comes to volume, I suspect that even the quarry owners must acquiesce when it comes down to thorny issue of sheer quality. For if you watch the marble being loaded in the first 30 seconds of the film you will see a massive block of marble crack and split as it is being loaded – literally falling apart from under its own weight. Then when you look around you will see many, many such misshapen blocks. And although I am not decrying their commercial use, the same weaknesses are practically unknown with Contact Metamorphosed Yule, as evidenced by all the many straight-sided cubes of perfectly extracted blocks of marble adorning the quarry yard, as seen below

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Introducing the Largest Quarry in Europe

Birros Marble Quarry, Pirgon Quarry,

near the village of Drama of Northern Greece

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In my next post I aim to feature this quarry for a special report, as from what I can see – for as opposed to Yule and Carrara, the former of which I have carved often, and the latter I have scrambled all over – the way they have gone about the quarrying operation is nothing short of exceptional, and as with Yule, serves to provide itself as a prime example of 21st Century marble quarrying.

photo Ron Bailey

Whether Birros traces its geological ancestry to Contact or Regional Metamorphism remains to be confirmed, as such information is not easy to source. However given the lack of visible granite, or magma capping the outcrop, I would place my money on it being Regional, as with Carrara. But after all, you can only quarry what you have, and in both Italy and Greece, what they have on their hands it appears would have been produced via Regional Metamorphism, given the rareness of Contact, and the proliferation of Regional Metamorphosed marble throughout the eastern Mediterranean region; it is logical to suppose that Birros is of the latter more prolific variety. But I will find out for sure one way or another and get back to you.

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For the evidence as provided above would appear conclusive: Regional Metamorphism is the result of friction gained via enormous pressures as the earth’s tectonic plates scraped past one another over incomprehensible periods of geological time. This would explain why we find so very much of it, and spread over such vast periods of land. It also explains just why most of it is so completely fractured as to be virtually unrecognizable as marble. Regional Metamorphism, by creating so much heat from pressure, also sows the seeds of its own downfall, for very little of the marble quarried is of commercial value due to these very pressures! Because as you can imagine, and as you saw for yourself on the video, marble does not like to be moved. Moving marble is not playing to its strength, for although it weights just as much as granite it is but chalk by comparison.

Contact Metamorphism creates marble superior in every way to that of Regional Metamorphism by the very nature in which it was created: the higher temperatures, the Pyrometamorphism effect as it is known, whereby not just most, but practically ALL the marble quarried is of fine commercial grade – as I have found out, and the new owners of the quarry appear naturally convinced. And so I’ll leave you with one or two quotes from the men themselves who find them charged with extracting the world’s finest marble, from the world’s MOST beautiful landscape. And boy, do they do a fantastic job, or what?

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STEFANO MAZZUCHELLI: Yule Marble Quarry Master

“I work in the quarry (industry) about 38 years. I love the (Yule) marble, I love it because usually in a regular quarry we recover about 20 to 25 percent, right here we are recovering about 60 to 80 percent, so it is all good marble.”

DANIEL PENFIELD: Quarry Safety Manager

“The future of Colorado Stone Quarries looks very good. Since I’ve been here we’ve gone from having our strictly lower (100 year-old) workings, to opening portals 5, 6 and 7. We’ve made major investments in equipment, safety, and every aspect of quarrying up here.”

MARCO PEZZICA: Italian Marketing Manager

“I am from Italy, my home town is Carrara, which is considered the capitol in the world for the excavation of white marble, and my family has been in this business for generations. What to say? It is amazing. Many years of my life all over the world to see quarries, but not even in Carrara do you see quarries with such a pattern and uniformage. Not at all.”

DANIELE TREVES: General Manager

“Every day when you pull one block, you are there like everything is new. Because you know what you have in front, in your face, but you never know what is at the back. It’s a challenge, every day. Every day it is a challenge. The challenge here is first to keep open the quarry all year long, but we ‘not lost a single day of work. We are able to work five days a week, all year long, of course! All the equipment we have here for quarrying the block, everything is from Italy. Not because we are Italy, but because I believe in the world we are the best in the business of the marble. We have a good crew, a good team. I am happy when they get home.”

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At one time, believe it or not, this remote little Rocky Mountain town of Marble, Colorado hailed the world’s largest finishing mill – the remains of which are still to be viewed to this day. Rich men, poor men and men of every stripe in between have bet all they had on Yule, and lost, many a time, over and over, for well over a hundred years. But that is a long and familiar story here at martincooney.com, for I currently count myself within those ranks. But fortunately for me, those days would appear to finally be over. For it was never a question of the quality of Colorado Yule Marble – that has never really been in doubt (again, look for the many links on this site to prove it). What has plagued, damned and destroyed the great Colorado Yule Marble Dream has been a killer combination of utter rugged remoteness, and the formerly unfathomable distances involved in getting this most beautiful stone to market, without shaking, rattling and rolling it to death along the way.

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Courtesy of Marble Museum, Colorado

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These days, as we all know, such transportation problems are consigned to the past. Furthermore, the machinery quarry masters and marble haulers have at their disposal would make their predecessors head spin. Now, with the quarry currently engaged in the launch of a new fabrication plant in the nearby city of Delta, at last commercial amounts of top grade Colorado Yule Marble blocks will be hitting the market in increasing numbers in the months and years to come. So stay tuned, and I’ll keep you informed on events as they unfold.

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Contact versus Regional Metamorphism: The Secret to Yule Marble’s Unrivaled Quality

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thanks for visiting martincooney.com

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Contact versus Regional Metamorphism: The Secret to Yule Marble’s Unrivaled Quality To Understand the Supreme Quality of Colorado Yule Marble You Need To Know The Difference Between…

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