#Oregon Rock and Gems Show

[icelynodette]

Rocks, Gems and Minerals Show 2023 Oregon Summer

[reddpenn]

Now that I'm back from the gem and mineral show, here are all the Cool Rocks I came home with!

A cute little coral fossil! He looks like a cauliflower.

A Keokuk geode! These geode beds aren't far from where I live, and it's always fun to have local specimens.

Phosphosiderite! This purple stone comes from Chile. It's so soft that it has to be stabilized with resin before it's cut. This one is a cross section of a botryoidial formation!

Speaking of botryoidial, this Hematite! Botryoidial means it has a bubbly shape kind of like a bunch of grapes. The faces of the bubbles on this pieces are super shiny and metallic.

Dendritic chalcedony, from Turkey! It's a white chalcedony full of dendrites - branching formations of manganese that look kind of like trees!

A cabochon for my cab collection! This one is made from a material sometimes called "ajooba jasper." The pattern is actually a cross section of a bunch of colorfully jasperized bivalve fossils!

Speaking of jasper, this one is Blue Mountain jasper, from Oregon! The circles in this stone are what’s known as an “egg pattern,” and jaspers which have them (Blue Mountain, Imperial jasper, and a few others) are collectively known as “fine jaspers,” the most valuable jaspers in the world.

Hyalite opal! This stuff forms water-clear spheres that look like jelly.

It fluoresces bright green under UV light!

Now to show off this year's haul of awesome agates!

Dryhead agate, from the Bighorn Mountains in Montana! This agate is named after the many bison skulls found in the area. A weird shaped guy with awesome red and orange bands.

Bou Lili agate, from Morocco! I like the name of this one. Soft banding and very subtle, muted colors. I've heard that this locale can produce peachy colors too.

Bear Canyon agate, from the Pryor Mountains in Montana! Agates from this locale have very stark black and white banding.

Red Fox agate, from Argentina! Sometimes this material is also called "crater agate" because the area it comes from is near the crater of an ancient volcano.

A Blue Sky thunderegg, from New Mexico! Thundereggs from this locale often have this two pointed, saucer-like shape.

It fluoresces really brightly!

Dulcote agate, from England! The bands of this agate are full of calcite, which gives them a strange, distinct texture.

Malawi agate, from Malawi! See all the cracks in it? Almost all Malawi agates have them. Frequent earthquakes due to the East African Rift cause these agates to crack and fracture.

Paint Rock agate, from Paint Rock Valley in Alabama! This agate is very rarely banded, and usually just contains swirls of red and yellow color.

A big, unpolished slab of Montana agate! This agate is known for its clear banding and black lines and spots, which are caused by manganese dendrites.

It's best viewed with some light behind it!

A smaller piece with really amazing dendrites!

Here it is backlit!

Fighting Blood agate, from Hebei Provence in China! This locale is known for its super saturated reds and yellows. This piece has purple amethyst crystals growing inside! They didn't photograph well; they are much more purple in person.

A really weird Fighting Blood agate! This one lacks the bright colors typical of this locale, but makes up for it with that super cool spiderweb pattern!

And finally, as is tradition, I came home with some Ethiopian opals! Here are the five I got this year.

And that's everything I got at the show!

[dinodorks]

"Four people allegedly stole and sold $1 million worth of dinosaur bones and other fossilized materials from federal land in southeastern Utah, according to a federal grand jury indictment returned on Thursday. The defendants allegedly purchased, transported and exported 150,000 pounds of paleontological resources between March 2018 and March 2023. There are two Utahns accused of the crime: Vint Wade, 65, and Donna Wade, 67, who own Wade’s Wood & Rocks in Moab. Steven Willing, 67 from Los Angeles, California, and Jordan Willing, 40 from Ashland, Oregon, were also arrested. The defendants have been charged with conspiracy and theft of property against the United States, as well as multiple felony charges for violating the federal Paleontological Resources Preservation Act. The Wades of Moab allegedly bought paleontological resources that were taken from federal land from “known and unknown unindicted individuals,” who allegedly stole the dinosaur bones for the Wades’ own personal use, according to the indictment. The Wades allegedly collected these stolen fossilized materials in order to sell them at “gem and mineral shows.” They are also accused of selling the illegally removed resources to Steven and Jordan Willing. The Willings’ company, JMW Sales, then exported dinosaur bones to China, according to the indictment. They allegedly tried to hide the exports from the federal government by mislabeling the dinosaur bones and deflating their value."

Read more: "Four people accused of stealing and selling $1 million worth of dinosaur bones from southern Utah" by Anastasia Hufham.

[thegigilwriter]

03 | “Danger & Star, Rooster & Angel” — Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Female Mitchell OC

Summary: 26-year-old Lucy Asa Mitchell did not know what was in store for her when she first bumped into Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw. After an instant mutual connection followed by a sweet whirlwind romance that swept both their feet, Lucy found herself being immersed deeper into Bradley’s world of the Navy, F-14s, and deployments. What she didn’t expect was finding was the answer to an elusive part of her past — the identity of her long-lost father.

Masterlist

Keywords/Warnings: Romance, Fluff

03 | A Hike and a Dance 🦋

Sunday June 4, 2023

“You good?ˮ

“You should worry a bit more about yourself Lieutenant, Iʼm fun-sized remember?ˮ

Bradley chuckled.

Lucy easily moved against the contours of limestone walls of the canyon. The sun was in its golden hour, and everything around them was basked in its glorious light. There was something in rocks that seemed to scintillate, like someone had mistakenly scattered some glitter dust. Somewhere in north San- Diego, off of the I-5, was Annieʼs Canyon, one of the first hikes that Bradley had overcome and was now the location of their second official date.

“Come here, I wanna show you something.ˮ

Bradley reached out his hand to her. Lucy smiled shyly before pressing her palm against his. He pulled her to him as they slotted themselves against the crevices of what appeared to be a limestone dome that was a little way off the path.

“This is pretty cool,ˮ Lucy remarked, taking a sip from her jug. “Does it have a name?ˮ

“The Mushroom Cave,ˮ Bradley replied. “Look over your left.ˮ

There, over Lucyʼs shoulder, was a graffiti carved into the stone. She grazed her fingers against its fading inscriptions.

“Nick and Carole,ˮ Lucy read.

“Those were my parents — look under it.ˮ

“Bradley,ˮ Lucy read again.

“My dad carved that in a few months before his last deployment,ˮ Bradley chuckled. “I havenʼt been in here for more than a decade — glad to see the old thingʼs still up in here.ˮ

“Your mom and dad — they liked to hike?ˮ

“They loved the outdoors in general,ˮ Bradley grinned. “They loved this place too, there are people in San Diego that have lived their entire lives here but never know of this gem — glad to see that theyʼre taking care of it.ˮ

Bradley helped Lucy off of the ledge and returned to the path. They ascended a metal ladder lodged set against the stones and they arrived at a viewing deck. They grasped the wooden fence overlooking the view. Lucy admired how the sun was nearly kissing the horizon of the Pacific Ocean and all the iridescent waterways against the backdrop of robust greenery.

“I know this place isnʼt very remarkable,ˮ Bradley scratched the nape of his neck nervously. “If you want we can go somewhere a little more uptown and—“

“Bradley stop,ˮ Lucy uttered and his eyes were immediately on hers. She placed her hand on top of his and squeezed his fingers tenderly. “Thank you,ˮ she whispered.

“For what?ˮ

“You took me to a very special place to you,ˮ Lucy smiled. “And that costs so much more in spades than in whatever fancy place with white tablecloths and overpriced appetizers for dinner. I havenʼt had the chance to hike like this since Oregon, so… I really appreciate it. Thank you.ˮ

Bradley just gazed wordlessly in her direction. Lucy Mitchell looked so good in sunsets and he wondered if he would ever see her at sunrises— in his sheets and in his clothes with a sleepy yawn and bed hair.

“I was thinking...ˮ Lucy finally broke the silence. “Since you took me somewhere Iʼve never been before, how about I do the same for you?ˮ

“What do you have in mind, Angel?ˮ Bradley finally found his voice,

Sunday June 11, 2023

When Bradley picked up Lucy at noon from her apartment, he couldnʼt stop staring at her marigold-colored sundress with a corseted bust and a floral lace hem that hung just right above her knees. His eyes grazed the expanse of her smooth and unblemished chest, as well as the winding straps of her sandals enclosing the length of her legs.

“Iʼm starting to think I should have worn something else,ˮ Lucy laughed.

“Wouldnʼt work,ˮ Bradley replied with a wink. “You look good in anything, Angel.ˮ

Lucy blushed.

“And I should say the same for you,ˮ she said quietly as Bradley grinned.

“I always love to look good for my girl,ˮ He said to her, locking eyes.

If Bradley wasnʼt good-looking enough, his hair was slick back with some stubborn brown curls framing his forehead; he had a black tank top on with complementing signature Hawaiian print shirt; dark jeans, and leather dress shoes.

They arrived at the Liberty Public Market some minutes later. Lucy was so excited that she was opening the door before they were fully parked and Bradley had to reach over to grab her arm just in case she fell over. They were laughing heartily in the middle of the parking lot and strangers cast their strange glances in their direction. When they had composed themselves to an acceptable standard (save for the giggles and the childish banter), they finally entered the market area.

“Welcome to one of my most favorite places,ˮ Lucy smiled up at him. “I hope youʼre hungry, ‘cause weʼre in one of Californiaʼs food hotspots.ˮ

Lucy led Bradley to the Maine Lobster. She ordered two of their popular Maine Lobster Roll, one of their signature favorites with some cokes, crispy fries, and pineapple slaw.

“Mmmhh,ˮ Bradley sighed, his mouth stuffed with the roll. “This is... just mmhhh.ˮ

“Itʼs perfect isnʼt it?ˮ Lucy sighed. “I had one of these in New England one time, and I was so upset that I couldnʼt find anything as good in San Diego — until now. Try putting some of the slaw in the roll. The acidity and richness of the mayo and butter together is amazing!ˮ

“What are you… doing?ˮ Lucy laughed as Bradley began side-stepping jauntily with a little wave in his upper body.

“Itʼs good!ˮ He grinned as Lucy held her stomach to support the peals of laughter tumbling from it.

“If youʼre gonna bust out a move every time you have something this good, then youʼre really in for it now,ˮ she smirked.

True to her word, Lucy led Bradley towards the Artisan Kebab where she ordered a plate of beef shawarma, grilled vegetables, hummus and pita bread for the both of them. The beef was tender, hearty, and flavorful. The vegetables were sweet, seasoned generously, and had a delicious roasted char. The pita bread and hummus were great pairings to such a rich meal. They walked around the market for some time, their fingers touching whenever they picked at their shared meal or when they walked a little too closely towards one another.

Their last food stop was at Lola’s Crepes. Lucy ordered two A La Folies with a scoop of ice cream in each one. Nutella, banana, and strawberry all in one delicious and delicate crepe.

“I gotta use the Johnʼs, wait for me at the patio?ˮ

“Sure,ˮ she replied.

As Bradley emerged from the restroom moments later, he came upon a small little shop in one corner of the vicinity. The vendor was a sweet-looking high school girl with freckles for days and light-colored hair in two braids. There were vivid and stylish clothes on hangers, hats of racks, shawls and scarves on hooks, and a table of glimmering jewelry of all sorts.

“See anything ya like?ˮ The young girl squeaked nervously.

Bradley was drawn towards a necklace bejeweled with a single butterfly charm. It sparkled in the afternoon light, casting sun spots all over the table. It came in several metallic tints: silver, gold, rose, and copper.

“This is one of our original pieces and it’s completely waterproof,ˮ the vendor spoke again. “I-Is it for the girl you came with?ˮ

“Yeah,ˮ Bradley smiled.

“Sheʼs very pretty and the copper-tinted butterfly would suit her complexion wonderfully.ˮ

Bradley nodded, staring at the copper butterfly.

“You donʼt have any birds?ˮ Bradley asked her. “I call her Angel.ˮ

The young vendor smiled.

“Thatʼs very sweet of you,ˮ The young vendor replied. “But who says angels canʼt look like butterflies?ˮ

Lucy popped an ice-cream coated strawberry in her mouth. She had seated herself in one of the patio tables facing near the front of a local band. She watched as little children ran around the grass patches and as people began to dance — couples and girl friends having a splendid time. It was officially golden hour, and everything was steeped in a warm haze. Just then, Lucy felt a familiar hand cover eyes and heard a familiar rasp near her ear.

“Keep ‘em closed Angel.ˮ

Lucy obliged and she felt Bradley lift her locks and place what felt to be a chilly string around her neck. When Lucy had opened her eyes, a necklace with a beautiful and iridescent butterfly charm was lying against the bare skin of her chest.

“Lieutenant you shouldnʼt have,ˮ Lucy gasped.

“I wanted to,ˮ Bradley insisted.

“No—“

“Lucy Mitchell,ˮ Bradley said firmly. “This is a sincere gesture from me to you. I insist.ˮ

“Alright,ˮ Lucy resigned, smiling as she touched the charm fondly. “Thank you, Lieutenant.ˮ

They were quiet for a while, enjoying each otherʼs company and the sweet crepes. “Hey Angel?ˮ Bradley said to her.

Lucy hummed.

“Come dance with me.ˮ

“Iʼm afraid I canʼt Lieutenant. I have a concerning medical condition...ˮ

“What?ˮ Bradley furrowed his eyebrows. “Are you okay?ˮ

“Oh itʼs very serious,ˮ Lucy whispered leaning closer. “... I have two left feet.ˮ

Bradley stared at her dumfounded as Lucy threw her head back laughing.

“Y-Your f-f-face!ˮ Lucy howled, clutching her midsection. “Youʼre so hilar—“

Bradley chuckled, drawing Lucy by the waist towards him in a sudden motion, instantly silencing her.

“Serious, you say?ˮ Bradley smirked at her flustered expression. “I think I can remedy that.”

He lead her from the patio towards the open area and into the crowd of swaying couples, affectionately pressing their cheeks together and sidestepping to the beat.

“Here,ˮ Bradley whispered. “Let me.ˮ

Lucy surrendered her senses to him as he placed one of her hands up his broad shoulder and another one in his palm. He placed his hand slightly beneath her shoulder blades.

“The trick is,ˮ he spoke. “Is that weʼre not perfectly aligned. Your right foot is between my legs and mine is in the space between yours. That way...ˮ

They moved in unison.

“Your left feet never have to touch mine,ˮ he chuckled.

“Youʼre a brave man, Lieutenant,ˮ Lucy joked. “My diagnosis entails dire complications. Embarrassment and falling over are the least of them.ˮ

“For you? Iʼll take my chances Angel,ˮ he said quietly.

“Oh maybe I came on too strong, Maybe I waited too long,”

“Maybe I played my cards wrong Ohhhh, just a little bit of wrong Oh baby I-I-I apologize for it.ˮ

“Eyes on me,ˮ Bradley whispered to her as Lucy began to falter in her steps. Lucy breathed shakily, for fear of whatever catastrophe her dancing would bring, and attuned herself to the music. She began to mutter the lyrics and picked up where Ed Sheeran had left off.

“I could fall, or I could fly

Here in your aeroplane

And I could live, I could die

Hanging on the words you say

And Iʼve been known to give my all

And jumping in harder than—

Ten. Thousand. Rocks. On. The. Lake So donʼt call me babbbbyyyy—“

“You got it!ˮ Bradley smiled. They were box stepping now and Lucy, as best she can, was clumsily filling in the steps Bradley had drawn out for her. He spun her gently and Lucy giggled as he tugged her back towards his chest.

“Unless you mean it,ˮ Lucy sang with a little more certainty in her step. “Donʼt tell me you need me, if you donʼt believe it. So let me know the truth—“

“Before I dive right in to you,ˮ they sang together.

As the interlude played, Lucy placed her head against Bradleyʼs chest and closed her eyes. This was the source of Bradleyʼs pride and gentleness— and love. It felt safe. It felt like home. In the haze of the afternoon, Lucy let herself imagine lying like this every Sunday in the warm sun on her purple couch. She looked up at him, and felt nothing and everything at the same time. Her heart was calm, and her mind was peaceful. Even as the dance had ended, Bradley and Lucy kept their fingers intertwined as they exited the market, in the Bronco on the way to her apartment, and at the front gate. The threshold of their meetings.

“A penny for your thoughts, Lieutenant?ˮ She whispered, hands still locked.

“Angel?ˮ

“Hmm?ˮ

“How about I take you to one of those fancy places with white tablecloths, and overpriced appetizers for dinner?ˮ

Looks like the Angel and Lieutenant are in it for another date! Things are progressing fast, the atmosphere between them is changing, but there is still so much to be known! Check out 04 | White Tablecloths and A Lovely Night!

[holidayspackagesglh]

Discover the USA: Customizable Tour Packages from India

Are you ready to embark on an unforgettable journey across the United States of America? Whether you're a history buff exploring the rich heritage of the East Coast or a nature enthusiast seeking the breathtaking landscapes of the West, the USA has something for every traveler. The good news is, you don't have to plan your American dream vacation alone. In this blog post, we'll delve into the world of customizable tour packages from India to the USA. These packages offer you the opportunity to experience the country's diverse culture, iconic landmarks, and natural wonders without the stress of planning every detail. So, let's explore the various options and the endless adventures that await you with USA tour package from India.

Unlocking the Magic of the USA

When it comes to exploring the United States, there is no shortage of awe-inspiring destinations and experiences to choose from. From the bustling streets of New York City to the serene landscapes of the Grand Canyon, each corner of this vast country offers a unique charm. With USA tour package from India, you can customize your journey to make the most of your time and budget. Whether you're a solo traveler, a couple seeking a romantic getaway, or a family eager to create lasting memories, these packages cater to your needs. So, where can you start your American adventure?

New York, New York: The City That Never Sleeps

If you've ever dreamed of strolling through Times Square, taking in the view from the Empire State Building, or watching a Broadway show, the USA tour package from India can make your dreams come true. New York City is a hub of cultural diversity, iconic landmarks, and endless entertainment. A well-organized package can take you to the city's top attractions, provide guided tours, and ensure you experience the vibrant energy of the Big Apple. Whether you want to shop on Fifth Avenue, visit world-class museums, or savor the city's diverse cuisine, a customizable tour package can make it all possible.

Exploring the Rich History of Washington, D.C.

For history enthusiasts, a tour of the USA isn't complete without a visit to the nation's capital. Washington, D.C., is steeped in history, with monuments and museums that chronicle the country's past and its path to the present day. A USA tour package from India can include guided tours of iconic sites such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Smithsonian museums, and the White House. You can also explore the city's vibrant neighborhoods, each offering a unique cultural experience. This is an ideal destination for those who want to delve deep into the history and politics of the United States.

California Dreaming: Exploring the West Coast

The West Coast of the USA is known for its stunning natural landscapes, vibrant cities, and a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere. From the sandy beaches of California to the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest, the options are diverse. With a USA tour package from India, you can explore the tech-savvy San Francisco, the entertainment capital of Los Angeles, and the beautiful landscapes of Yosemite National Park. You can even venture up to the lush forests of Oregon and Washington. A customizable package allows you to select the destinations that interest you the most, ensuring you have the perfect West Coast experience.

Savoring the Southern Flavors: New Orleans and Beyond

For those who appreciate rich culture, soulful music, and mouthwatering cuisine, the Southern United States is a treasure trove. Cities like New Orleans, Memphis, and Nashville offer a deep dive into the heart and soul of American music and culinary traditions. With a USA tour package from India, you can embark on a journey to these Southern gems. Sample delectable Creole dishes in New Orleans, listen to live jazz in the French Quarter, and explore the birthplace of rock 'n' roll in Memphis. These packages are designed to immerse you in the vibrant cultures and unique experiences that the South has to offer.

Gateway to the Great Outdoors: National Parks Galore

The USA boasts a wealth of breathtaking national parks, each with its own unique beauty and charm. From the towering red rocks of Arches National Park in Utah to the lush forests of Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, nature lovers are in for a treat. A USA tour package from India can be tailored to include visits to the national parks that align with your interests. Whether you want to hike through the Grand Canyon, witness geysers at Yellowstone, or simply soak in the natural beauty of the Great American Outdoors, these packages make it all possible.

Designing Your Perfect USA Tour Package from India

The beauty of customizable USA tour package from India lies in your ability to design a trip that caters to your unique interests and preferences. Whether you're an adventure seeker, a history lover, a foodie, or someone who simply wants to explore the diverse landscapes of the USA, you can create an itinerary that suits you. These packages offer a range of choices, including the number of days, types of accommodations, and activities, ensuring that your American adventure is precisely what you've envisioned.

Conclusion: Start Your USA Tour Adventure Today

The United States of America is a land of incredible diversity, offering something for every type of traveler. With USA tour package from India, you can turn your dream of exploring this vast and dynamic country into a reality. From iconic cities like New York and Washington, D.C., to the natural wonders of the West and the rich culture of the South, there's no shortage of adventures awaiting you. The keyword "usa tour package from india" unlocks a world of possibilities, so take the plunge and start planning your American adventure today. Your customized USA tour package is just a few clicks away, ready to take you on a journey you'll cherish for a lifetime.

Must Read: From India to the USA: The Ultimate Tour Packages Await

[wingcrystal]

A brief introduction of Labradorite

Labradorite, English name: Labradorite, also known as spectrum stone. It is an important rock-forming mineral, one of neutral plagioclase in plagioclase subfamily of silicate feldspar, widely appearing in various basic and ultrabasic rocks, and only a few of them can be used as gems. Gem-grade labradorite is produced in the northern middle coast of Labrador, Canada. Besides, labradorite is also produced in Warren Valley, Lake County, Oregon, Alpin, Texas, Mosuoke County, California, Shennongjia, Hubei, China and Inner Mongolia.

Labradorite is a common medium and low-grade gemstone variety in the market, belonging to feldspar family, and its crystals are often blocky and plate-shaped. English name labradorite is generally composed of 30% ~ 50% albite and 50% ~ 70% anorthite.

The refractive index of labradorite is 1.559 ~ 1.568 (0.005), the birefringence is usually 0.009 and the dispersion is 0.012. The density of labradorite is 2.65 ~ 2.75 g/cm3, with medium cleavage and Mohs hardness of about 6.

Gem-grade labradorite usually contains fine flaky hematite, magnetite inclusions and some acicular inclusions, most of which are gray-black, which can lead to placer gold effect in labradorite when they are dense.

Most of the labradorite used as jewelry also has a halo effect. Halo is the pseudo color of labradorite, floating on the gray background. When the labradorite is rotated to a specific angle under a bright light source, a certain area of colored halo will appear on the surface of the gemstone. The halo is usually blue-purple, and a richer combination of colors can also appear. The beautiful labradorite surface can even show seven colors of the whole rainbow, which is called "spectrum stone".

Among them, Rainbow labradorite is a common variety in labradorite, and its biggest feature is that it flashes a large area of bright color in the aggregate. The most beautiful colors are blue and green, especially blue, yellow-green and red. You can also see yellow, golden yellow, red and purple.

On the spiritual function, labradorite has the energy characteristics of calmness, firmness and long wavelength, which helps to strengthen vitality, physical strength and endurance for those who are prone to fatigue and often suffer from physical weakness. It helps to improve the frequency of the whole body, strengthen the penetrating vision and insight of things, and avoid being confused by the appearance of things. When your eyes are tired and your throat is sore, you can also use its energy to soothe and return to normal.

There is another legend about labradorite. According to legend, the beautiful Northern Lights were discovered by a siren while playing in the sky. The siren coveted its beauty and wanted to take it for himself, so he tricked the Northern Lights with sweet words and trapped them in the rocks on the Labrador coast. A wandering Eskimo soldier found them. He picked up his spear and smashed the stone, releasing most of the Northern Lights, but some Northern Lights were still trapped in the depths of the stone and merged with it. In order to repay the soldier, Northern Lights told him that wearing a stone containing Northern Lights could gain its power. This kind of stone containing Northern Lights is labradorite.

In China, according to many years' research by scholars in China's mineral field, the famous and priceless "Heshibi" in the Warring States Period may belong to the gem-grade labradorite products.

Some labradorite contain dense acicular inclusions with dark black appearance and dark blue halo. If the cutting and grinding direction is correct, it can show cat's eye effect, which is called "black moonstone".

There are also some parts of labradorite with clean interior, no black inclusions, colorless to milky white body color, very similar to moonstone. Its halo color is rich, and red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue and purple can appear at the same time, just like a rainbow. This kind of labradorite is often confused with moonstone in business, and is called "Rainbow Moonstone".

Labradorite with blue, purple and yellow halo colors is common in the market, while orange and red are rare. The larger the halo color area reflected in the same direction, the more complete the color and the brighter the color, the more precious labradorite is.

Transparent labradorite varieties without halo effect can also be used as gems. A kind of labradorite has been found in Millary County, USA, which is almost colorless to light yellow, and similar labradorite materials have been found in Mexico and Australia.

[i-carrion-icarian]

The Fossil Cartel, Portland, OR

The Raven’s Wing Magical Co., Portland, OR

Paxton Gate, Portland, OR

Prehistoric, Lincoln City, OR

Belladonna Beads (formerly in Portland, OR, now in Garibaldi)

Gem Heaven, Seattle, WA

Ballyhoo’s Curiosity Shop, Seattle, WA

Agate Designs, Seattle, WA

Oregon Agate & Mineral Society Show, held in Portland, OR

Rice NW Museum of Rocks & Minerals, Hillsboro, OR

Etsy | Instagram

[laresearchette]

Saturday, November 27, 2021 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: MEET YOUR MAKERS (discovery +) THE GREAT SOUL FOOD COOK-OFF  (discovery +) THE BEATLES: GET BACK (Part 3) (Disney + Star) MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT (W Network) 6:00pm CHRISTMAS AT CASTLE HART (W Network) 8:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT NATIONAL DOG SHOW (NBC Feed) ROYALLY WRAPPED FOR CHRISTMAS (Premiering on CTV Drama on December 03 at 8:00pm) TIME FOR THEM TO COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (Premiering on December 11 on W Network at 6:00pm) DIRTY LITTLE DEEDS (TBD - Lifetime Canada) MERRY LIDDLE CHRISTMAS BABY (TBD - Lifetime Canada) WHEN PHILIP MET MISSY (TBD - Investigation Discovery) NASH BRIDGES (TBD)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME/CRAVE/NETFLIX CANADA/CBC GEM: AMAZON PRIME THE GREAT (Seasons 2)

NETFLIX CANADA NEW WORLD

2021 TIM HORTONS CURLING TRIALS (TSN/TSN3) 10:00pm: Tiebreaker (TSN/TSN3) 3:00pm: Women’s Semifinal (TSN/TSN3) 8:00pm: Men’s Semifinal

AHL HOCKEY (TSN4) 4:00pm: Cleveland Monsters vs. Toronto Marlies ONE DECEMBER NIGHT (W Network) 6:00pm: Two music managers must put their history aside to oversee the televised reunion performance of their rock star fathers with a fractured past.

NHL HOCKEY (CBC/SNEast/SN Now) 7:00pm: Habs vs. Penguins (SN1) 7:00pm: Sens vs. Kings (City/SNOntario/SNWest ) 7:00pm: Oilers vs. Knights (CBC/SN/SN Now) 10:00pm: Jets vs. Flames

NBA BASKETBALL (SN Now) 7:00pm: Knicks vs. Hawks (TSN4) 7:30pm: Suns vs. Nets (SN360) 8:00pm: Heat vs. Bulls

W5 (CTV) 7:00pm: Death Penalty; The Laundromat: Inquiry: Whistleblower Ross Alderson has been vindicated; a new approach to the war on drugs: charging those who sell drugs in OD cases with murder.

8-BIT CHRISTMAS (Crave) 7:15pm: In 1980s Chicago, a 10-year-old embarks on a quest to get the latest and greatest video game system for Christmas.

THE CHRISTMAS SETUP (CTV2) 8:00pm: Hugo heads to Milwaukee with his best friend, Madelyn, to spend the holidays with his brother Aiden and his mom, who is in charge of the local Christmas celebrations.

MUCH ADO ABOUT CHRISTMAS (CTV Life) 8:00pm:  After Haley Lloyd has been burned by countless suitors, it's refreshing when shy but handsome Claud falls for her, unaware of her true identity: However, when that truth inevitably comes out, it puts their budding Christmas romance at risk.

SOUL SANTA (BET Canada) 8:00pm: A businessman disguises himself as a mall Santa to escape the mob.

THE GREAT CHRISTMAS SWITCH (Super Channel Heart & Home) 8:00pm: In an effort to get away from their problems, identical twins Bianca, a single city girl with a Scrooge-like boss, and Kaelynn, a single mother of two, decide to switch places for Christmas.

CARNIVAL EATS (Food Network Canada) 8:30pm: Noah Cappe goes hog-wild with fantastic porky delights made by amazing carnival cooks; whether it's grilled, smoked or even incorporated into dessert, it's time to pig out.

BUILDING OFF THE GRID: COLORADO MOUNTAIN LODGE (HGTV Canada) 9:00pm: A Colorado couple attempts to build one of the most energy-efficient homesteads in the state; Mother Nature and bleeding-edge technologies give them a run for their money as they race to complete their high-end alpine lodge before winter hits.

PIG  (Crave) 9:00pm:  Living alone in the Oregon wilderness, a truffle hunter returns to Portland to find the person who stole his beloved pig.

NO ESCAPE (Super Channel Fuse) 9:00pm:  A social media star and his friends must fight for their lives when they enter an escape room in Moscow.

A KINDHEARTED CHRISTMAS (Super Channel Heart & Home) 9:30pm: To capture the holiday spirit, Jaime anonymously gives gifts to those in need. Word spreads and people in town wonder who this "Secret Santa" is. She remains anonymous and meets Scott. Jamie tries to keep her secret and pursue a new romance.

UNLOCKING CHRISTMAS (CTV Life) 10:00pm: When a mysterious key and a cryptic holiday riddle arrive on their doorsteps, Kate and Kevin embark on a romantic Christmas adventure.

A CHRISTMAS VILLAGE ROMANCE (CTV Life) 12:00am:  Sparks fly between a romance novelist and a blacksmith as they try to save a charming village during the holidays.

HOT ONES (Global) 1:00am: Rob Lowe

[oregoncoastcamping]

The 10 Best Places To Camp On Oregons Coast

“In the cute little fishing town of Garibaldi, on the Oregon Coast, we discovered this gem of an RV park. Waterfront, full hookup sites with a fantastic view led us to build a fire in hearth pit supplied and sit outdoors in December! Fall and winter give the Oregon coast a definite aura. Mist swirls across the seaside and massive waves pound the shoreline. If you love that wild, dramatic vibe, just load up on heat, waterproof layers. Oregon state parks have a 9 month booking window so it’s hard to get spots except you book way prematurely. However you possibly can snag cancellations which is how we were able to keep at so Oregon Coast camping.

If you’re in search of the proper place to take the children, or simply want a nice enjoyable getaway, there may be never a bad time to discover a place to pitch a tent in the Pacific Northwest. Set in the heart of the Oregon Coast Range, this trail is an area favorite for its distant accessibility and breathtaking beauty. Hikers, mountain bikers, and swimming hole lovers will all find the Opal Creek Trail accessible and gratifying. From the Oregon’s central desert to a few of the best beaches the Pacific Northwest has to supply, you possibly can unplug and unwind nearly anyplace you want within the state. Around the bend, town of Astoria sits on the banks of the mouth of the Columbia River where it spills into the Pacific Ocean. Kayak excursions and seaside horseback rides are popular activities in the space. Additional options such as an indoor pool and business heart go an extended way to making your keep as snug as potential.

<h2>Discover Each Seaside Spot</h2>

The Seaside Aquarium is one other great attraction to go to, together with the Lewis and Clark historical sites, the air museum, and lots of shopping outlets nearby. Just down the road in Bandon, you can go to local retailers, galleries and eating. Face Rock also lies nearby, in addition to miles of ocean beach on Beach Loop Drive. The Coquille River Lighthouse is one other close by interesting historic attraction. The park is just down the highway from many fantastic eating places, stores, galleries, and beautiful scenic walks alongside the seashore.

Fort Stevens State Park Campground has practically 500 campsites and a big selection of yurts and cabins for rent. Expect throngs of tourists due to the campground’s proximity to Portland, but with so many campsites and expansive grounds there’s loads of room to share. You’ll be greeted and welcomed like an old pal by the Wright household, who nonetheless run the every day operations of this seasonal campground. Rest straightforward underneath the tall pines, and clean your self up in the bathhouse after a long day at the seashore. They’re easy to spot, however seashores will be closed throughout snowy plover nesting season to guard the delicate birds.

“If you might be in search of an excellent, quiet campground on the coast that is the place. I will return many instances to this beautiful area.” — The Dyrt camper Karen S. There are good bathrooms with showers on website, a sand volleyball court docket, a store, little wild bunnies working round, and nice fire pits at every site.” — The Dyrt camper Ryan E.

It's extremely beneficial to explore the site's navy historical past unfold all through the park during any keep. The customer middle is a great place to begin a self-guided historical past tour, the place archival images and displays paint a picture of the fort's military previous.

The top 10 campgrounds we chosen all show daily, weekly and month-to-month rates for you. Located within the north-east of the state is Grande Hot Springs RV Resort, primarily based within the scenic Grande Rhonde Valley area. It’s additionally simply 8 miles south of downtown La Grande, which is home to numerous fun points of interest similar to Hilgard Junction State Park, the Wallowa Lake Scenic bike path, and Hot Lake Springs. North of Tillamook is a county campground near the beach known as Barview Jetty. There are some Forest Service campgrounds however they do not have showers.

<h3>What Individuals Are Saying About Wallowa Lake State Park</h3>

This campground is mostly a properly-saved secret with Umpqua River Lighthouse, which has an adjacent museum and is managed by the Douglas County Parks Department, close by. Located two miles north of Bandon-by-the-sea, this state park has lots to see and do with close by Coquille River Lighthouse and Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. The park has 13 yurts and no tent sites, sadly, but does sport a horse camp with eight primitive websites. The nearby town of Bandon, the "Cranberry Capitol of the World," has retailers, galleries, and restaurants obtainable. Fluffy, sandy seashores of Florence Various clear water lakes are found right here, sitting in the midst of the enormous, typically towering dunes.

We took our canine to Cape Lookout and he beloved the quick 5 minute stroll to the seaside. We puzzled down the seashore and up the seashore for over two hours one morning and it was heaven. I checked out the locations across the Gold Coast however I think it might be a bit too far south for us as we need to restrict our driving once we hit Oregon.

<h2>Things To See + Do Close To Beverly Seashore State Park</h2>

Sunset Bay State Park has a number of the BEST sunset views in all the Oregon coastline. If you need to camp out in completely breathtaking surroundings, Sunset Bay is for you. The tall rock cliffs, white beaches and Pacific Ocean views are digicam worthy at every angle. If that describes you then look no additional than Seaside KOA. This campground sits where the good Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. You can embark on climbing adventures by day and benefit from the hot tub by night.

There's also disc golf, a playground area, and horseshoe pits. Kayak tours are supplied from July by way of Labor Day at close by Beaver Creek. There's even at lighthouse, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, obtainable for viewing. Many folks contemplate this their favourite Oregon State Park, and with camping, swimming, hiking, biking, wildlife viewing, a shipwreck, and a military fort unfold over 4,300 acres, it isn't troublesome to see why. Visitors can keep in one of many six tent sites, 15 yurts, or 11 deluxe cabins and absorb a few of the best sunsets in the world. Hidden cove at Washburne There’s a simple path to the beach, containing miles of sand and a few surprises.

<h3>Safety At Hipcamp</h3>

From the principle seashore entry, head south and for the following mile or so you may find beautiful little cove-like locations, the primary of which is just 1 / 4 mile down the seashore. Some of these are only possibly 30 ft wide and 20 ft deep - which makes them excellent for letting the rays in however keeping the wind out.

Staying at an RV Park for a protracted time frame will vary on the campground & RV Park you choose. The distant thermal resort offers a wide range of accommodation types, including several RV spots for motorhome owners to take pleasure in all that the power has to offer. If soaking in a therapeutic, thermal scorching spring pond or private tub seems like your concept of relaxation, then this is certainly the place for you! The campsites are dog-pleasant too, so even your four-legged family members received’t should miss out. The Umatilla Marina RV Park is perched next to the gorgeous Columbia River in the northern finish of the state.

<h3>Awesome Places To Camp On The Oregon Coast</h3>

Only one SP tenting space is on the ocean (Beachside - between Yachats and Waldport), however select your website carefully as it's also proper on busy Hwy one hundred and one. For those with bigger RVs who're nonetheless looking for that in-the-woods feeling, the popular Harrington Loop Road south of Sisters doesn’t disappoint. If your thought of camping means sharing your site with extra ravens than different RVs, there’s no higher place to seek Oregon Coast camping out solace and seclusion than in Mount Hood National Forest. Expect towering Douglas-fir bushes to forged shade and conceal you away within the forest. Think trickling creeks and mushrooms springing up from each crevice, squirrels dancing acrobatic as eagles perch majestically in their eternal pursuit of representing liberty and justice for all. While it is hardly the one forested mountain you'll be able to discover, this combination of river, height and sheer vastness makes it one of the well-liked.

Other amenities embrace two clubhouses, two playgrounds, health heart, mini golf, basketball and tennis courts, clean bogs, and a laundry room. The solely draw back is it’s situated on the south side of the park, so you’ll must drive if camping on the north side. When we arrived, we received an actions calendar, however the only exercise we attempted to attend was a bonfire at the group fireplace pit space. Apparently, it was a member-led exercise, and that member didn’t show up, so no bonfire. There is Wi-Fi out there throughout the park for a charge, but it's free in the clubhouses and laundry room. We had 2-3 bars of 4G LTE of Verizon and AT&T throughout most of the park. The Oregon coast is a wonderful place to name home for a couple of days, weeks, or months when taking a highway journey in an RV.

The summer time months are undoubtedly the most effective time for Oregon coast camping. The weather is typically nice at the moment of the 12 months, but it's also the most crowded time to go to. I’ve heard it’s great to visit in the spring and fall when the parks are not so crowded.

[books-and-glitter]

You literally asked for this directly

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Should be 69 of those 😚

I hate you so much. You monster. I only expressed that I was surprised and you did this to me. I didn't ask for this.

Nonetheless....

🌻 - there is a bug in the kitchen and I am now too scared to go in there.

🌻 - Harper is trying to protect me but she is frankly useless.

🌻 - it's not like a big bug but it is definitely not small.

🌻 - I saw moth put a flower before each of these and thought it was neat. So I am now doing it.

🌻 - the person who sent me this sends a "Daily dose of disappointment" in a group chat we are in. Except it is not daily. It's whenever she has one.

🌻 - Kool Aid originated in Nebraska.

🌻 - The Omaha zoo has both the largest indoor desert as well as the largest indoor rainforest. The rainforest is my favorite.

🌻 - there is a rope bridge in there though that used to scare me a lot.

🌻 - nebraska also apparently originated the reuben sandwich which is gross.

🌻 - the Ogalala aquifer is the largest underground water supply in the US.

🌻 - the 911 system originated in Lincoln so that's kinda cool.

🌻 - the largest Woolly Mammath fossil is from Nebraska. If I remember correctly it's the one in Morrill Hall. His name is Archie and I will die for him.

🌻 - speaking of Archie, he was found on a farm by chickens. The farmer got confused at why the chickens were pecking at something, went to look, found big bones and called an archeologist.

🌻 - okay the bug is still a problem but I now have you to save me when it shows it's little fucking face again.

🌻 - the word Nebraska comes from the Oto word meaning flat water.

🌻 - hell yeah we going back to nebraska facts. Next is that the goldrod is the state flower. Flower is kinda pretty but the paper color by the same name is stupid.

🌻 - blue agate is the state gem and I vibe with that. Agate is cool as fuck.

🌻 - UNL's weight room is supposedly the largest in the country at 3/4ths of an acre (32.6k sqft)

🌻 - the Nebraska capitol had a 9.8 million budget, came in under budget, was paid for by the time it finished construction.

🌻 - I think the capitol looks weird but I am also desensitized to it but objectively it is really cool.

🌻 - cliff notes was founded in Nebraska.

🌻 - unfortunately when the UNL stadium is seated to capacity it technically becomes the 3rd most populated place in the state..... It's also really loud.... And I hate it.

🌻 - Arbor day comes from Nebraska. Which is cool because trees.

🌻 - the Scotts Bluff National Museum has a section of the oregon trail wagon roadbed that you can hike. The museum itself is also kinda cool so I suggest it if you ever are in the area.

🌻 - I wish to kill you, kathryn.

🌻 - more Nebraska facts I hear you cry! No problem! Nebraska has Car Henge! So if you ever want to get the vibe of Stonehenge except stupid and made of antique cars in a field in the middle of fucking nowhere you're in luck.

🌻 - Runzas are the official state food and I hate it. Runza makes decent chicken strips but Runzas are gross. Yes handover that cabbage meat bread 🤢

🌻 - Nebraska has a navy apparently. I know this but I cant tell you what the fuck they do since we are like the most landlocked state in the country.

🌻 - That one president, Gerald Ford, born in Nebraska. That's kinda neat. (I know nothing else about this man or his presidency except he is the only one not nationally elected.)

🌻 - Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando, and Johnny Carson (I think, or he just went to UNL, the media arts building is named after him) are all from Nebraska.

🌻 - getting sick of nebraska facts? Suffer. Nebraska has more miles of river than any other state, which is weird because we were called the great American desert.

🌻 - apparently the Nebraska state insect is the honeybee!!! 🐝

🌻 - the Niobrara river is apparently really good for canoeing and has like 90 waterfalls.

🌻 - I am running low on nebraska facts.

🌻 - there is a park/reserve just outside Lincoln that has some bison in it. Do not fuck with bison. They will wreck your shit.

🌻 - I don't know if he is still alive but there used to be a bald eagle in the same park that only had one wing. (Actually I think he was missing half of one but still)

🌻 - the cottonwood tree is awful and on a bad year can look like a light snow if too many trees are nearby.

🌻 - the ashfall fossil beds are where you can go to see an active archeology site with the fossils of tons of animals killed by a volcano 12 million years ago.

🌻 - Nebraska has a unicameral. Which is basically instead of a state house and state senate we have one legislative body that is elected on a non-partisan ticket.

🌻 - it is illegal to fish whales in Nebraska. Once again we are completely land locked and there are no whales but.. its still illegal.

🌻 - I am dying here. Kathryn I will punch you.

🌻 - Morrill Hall also has elephant hall which is the main hall right when you pass the entry desk. It has like 15 (?) fossils in it and apparently it's the largest collection of elephant fossils on display.

🌻 - speaking of Morrill Hall, it only displays about 1% of it's collection. The rest is stored at Nebraska Hall nearby.

🌻 - I think the cranes in North Platte are lame.

🌻 - nebraska furniture mart in Omaha is apparently the largest in the country. Which I can believe. I went to the discount part and it was a giant warehouse. I don't know what the actual sale floor is like.

🌻 - cherry county is bigger than Connecticut.

🌻 - O street (highway 6) is the longest straight main street

🌻 - Nebraska has a testicle festival. It's probably exactly what you think it is. Too many fried cow balls is what it is.

🌻 - there is a really cool church between Lincoln and omaha called the Holy Family Shrine. Its got massive arches and is mostly glass. Im not catholic so it's not really a religious thing but a bitch can appreciate some cool architecture.

🌻 - the Hall brothers who made Hallmark (card company) are from Nebraska.

🌻 - UNL's Love library has a Shakespeare Folio. Its in the Special Collections and Archives' vault. I want to see it so bad and one of the archivists told me she would show me it next time they opened the vault but then corona... :(

🌻 - UNL's library also has like 5 million+ physical items in it's collections.

🌻 - the serial killer Charles Starkweather is buried in Wyuka in Lincoln.

🌻 - Kearney, NE is dead center geographically between Boston and San Francisco.

🌻 - 92% of the state is farmland/ranches.

🌻 - if you have made it this far I am sorry.

🌻 - Nearly every fun facts about nebraska page has mentioned that the food stuffs Spam is manufactured in Fremont. So I'll mention out of peer pressure.

🌻 - the bug is still in the kitchen. Kathryn has foresaken me. I may perish in the night.

🌻 - 10 more. There is a roller skating museum in Lincoln. It's at 48th and South streets. Has largest collection of historical roller skates.

🌻 - Larry the Cable Guy I'd from Nebraska and he has recorded narrations for some exhibits in the Lincoln children's zoo. Or he used to it's been awhile.

🌻 - going back to UNL stuffs. Morrill Hall is a pretty cool museum and you should definitely go there. If only to say hi to Archie.

🌻 - the bronze Archie that is outside the museum is currently sporting a fashionable face mask set both over his trunk and his actual mouth.

🌻 - there are a couple dino fossils in that museum and if you step over the barrier and onto the decorative rocks an alarm will go off. And staff will be pissed because now they have to tell at you.

🌻 - said museum also has a lot of cool rocks on the third floor.

🌻 - and the bottom floor has like a hall of nebraska animals where you can hit buttons to listen to animal sounds.

🌻 - aaand a room with a plesiosaur embedded in the floor which is really cool.

🌻 - there is also a cool museum in Nebraska called the SAC. Which is the museum for Strategic Air Command. It has a lot of planes and some stuff from moon missions and air force stuff. When I was little some oil from the big plane in the entrance leaked onto a pillow I had when I was sleeping under it on a trip.

🌻 - nebraska is better than iowa but nebraska kinda sucks too so it's not like it matters truthfully.

🌻 - Nebraska has a lot of weather like giant hailstones and tornadoes but Lincoln doesn't get much because it is in a geographic dent so weather tends to weaken over the city. Which is lame. I want lots of snow.

And there we are folks. 69 fucking facts. 58 of which are about Nebraska purely out of spite. I counted.

I am now off to murder my roommate.

(jk but you should expect to be quizzed)

[thinkslikesrocks]

I sometimes joke that I have it easy in the lapidary & rockhounding world because as a young woman I can approach just about anyone and be assured of getting their help. Older men who won’t share info with one another don’t see me as potential competition, they see me as someone they want to impress. Playing the ‘slightly naive but pleasant and curious white girl’ card has helped me learn a ton about the hobby, get help with equipment, learn about material I’m finding, etc. I can walk up to any booth at a show. I can handle material, ask questions, get contact info for followup on assistance with old or broken equipment, build a client list for purchasing, etc. without a second thought. I can also stop my car, get out with a hammer and a bag, and road-hunt in the ditch without anyone bothering me. I can stop near other rockhounds, have a chat, give folks directions to better places, without people being afraid of me or defensive about why I’m approaching them. 

I’m a young white woman with a big toothy grin and a meter of blond hair. No one’s afraid of me. No one thinks twice about me. No one assumes anything about me. People tell me my smile is nice. They look me in the eye and treat me with respect. 

There are very very few black folks in lapidary hobby in my area. 

Part of that is because of Oregon’s horrifically long-lasting ‘sundown’ laws that prevented black land ownership and settlement from the mid-1800′s through early 1900′s. But I’m going to guess it’s also because the response to a black man walking through a rock & gem show, handling material and asking questions, or stopping on a roadside and walking around with a big hammer and a backpack, or approaching a group of folks out hounding and asking what they’re up to and why, is very, very different than when I do it. I’m becoming more and more aware of the homogeneity in lapidary hobby as I walk through shows and interact with the hobby’s online presence. I don’t know what to do about that, and I know the undercurrent of racism and distrust that persists in rural areas isn’t doing anything to encourage outdoor engagement and exploration among the black community. 

A white girl in the woods is collecting crystals. A black man in the woods... I am so sorry, but people probably don’t assume he’s collecting crystals. 

We’re not at a point in my county COVID-wise, and I’m not at a point socially, where I can offer to lead a field trip for folks who want to explore and get into the hobby in a safe and invitational environment. I don’t even know if that would help, if it’s something people want. But it’s about all I could offer in a zip code where the only black residents are my neighbor’s two adopted sons (who do go rockhounding with me!) I know the neighbors and the neighborhood, and if I can outline a good field trip on public land, I’m willing to leverage that “curious harmless white girl” status to provide access for folks who’d be more comfortable with a local guide their first time out, the same way I prefer to go with a group or a local guide when I’m out in an unfamiliar landscape. Is that a way to use this white privilege for other people’s benefit? I don’t know. 

[rrareearthh]

Geologist friends! If you're in town for GSA, check out the @mthoodrockclub Rock and Gem Show, if you're into that kind of thing (which I know you are), Friday through Sunday. Also if you come visit my geo-themed cafe, @carneliancoffee, I'll give you a free drink for making it all the way out to SE 70th and Foster. It would be so cool to meet you! #rocks #jasper #agate #rockhounding #oregon #rock #agates #silica #quartz #mineral #minerals #petrifiedwood #geology #stone #stones #fossil #fossils #crystal #crystals #rockhound #gsa #mthoodrockclub #rockshow #gems #smallbusiness #coffee #cafe #carneliancoffee #rockhound (at Carnelian Coffee) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxfu9crB8ia/?igshid=3m7sgepo5y5v

[nikxation]

Gravity Falls Fic Rec List

In honor of Fanfiction Writer Appreciation Day, I’ve decided to compile a list of some of my favorite fanfics I’ve encountered thus far in the fandom! Please note that this list is not all-encompassing, and that even if you don’t see your fic here, if I have liked/kudoed/commented/reblogged your fic, that means I love it. Keeping this list a moderate length is already going to be difficult enough because holy cats this fandom has a lot of amazing writers!

Before the Bridges Burn by @endae

Summary: Canon Divergence from DAMvtF and the entirety of Weirdmageddon. Rather than being stopped by Ford and being encaged in front of Blendin, Dipper finds Mabel in the forest trapped inside her Dreamscape. He makes a deal with Bill to rescue Mabel, but with the risk of losing his life if he doesn't make it within the time restriction of Bill's game.

Why you should read it: Okay, so, Endae has this absolutely beautiful and heart-breaking way with words that really whacks you in the face with the Feels Stick from the get-go, and if you haven’t read anything by her yet, then you’re missing out. The angst is real, folks. Don’t take my word on it. Just go read it for yourself. Seriously. Currently the sequel is a WIP.

Fisherman’s Knot by @scribefindegil

Summary: Happy endings are messy, and the Arctic winter is more difficult than either Stan or Ford want to admit.

Why you should read it: Okay this is literally a fandom classic, and if you haven’t heard of it thus far, you must be new like I was. This fic is a gem. So much hurt and quite a few serious themes that you should make sure you’re ready for before you start. Also... tissues. Be sure to have tissues on hand... The fic is technically not finished, but where it leaves off is super satisfying and honestly works as an ending, so don’t worry, you don’t end on any horrifying cliffhangers.

Raising Stakes by @marypsue

Summary: 1982. A postcard from his estranged twin brother summons Stanley Pines halfway across the country to Gravity Falls, Oregon, where something sinister is brewing. Ford may have bitten off more than he can chew this time, but Stan's never been one to lie down and give up. And this time, he's got a new bag of tricks to try...

Why you should read it: Two words... Vampire AU! It’s super well-done, it has heart and jokes while also being appropriately sinister at certain points. Also, I love the interpretation of vampires and how they work. Beyond this fic itself, Mary is just a superb writer and really cranks out some amazing fics and AUs.

Lighthouse Keeper AU by @impishnature

Summary:  A beast lurks in the waters. Stan loses Ford to the waves, the lighthouse his only point of contact and hope of ever getting him back. …He used to love the sea, now it’s taken everything from him.

Why you should read it: Okay... This is another one where, if you haven’t read it, you must live under a rock. Super cool AU where the show takes place centered around a lighthouse instead of the Portal. Bill is creepy af, Ford’s means of being trapped are super rad and also super terrifying, and Stan is just such a good boy I love him so much. Imp also writes beautifully and has this amazing grasp of imagery and storytelling that is really astounding and paints these gorgeous pictures of what’s happening. Her stories will just have you completely enraptured, so go check out her stuff.

Some Sunny Day by @anistarrose

Summary: Time isn’t linear, Stan has a catchy piano tune stuck in his head, and blue flames threaten to consume the peace that the Pines family has found. Based off the Same Coin Theory.

Why you should read it: I’m going to be completely honest here: I’ve only read the first chapter of this so far. I know, I know, bad Nikki. But look, okay, the first chapter is super good, Rose’s Stan Twins are amazing and so in-character that is hurts, and Same Coin theory is just so cool to explore and play with. But Nikki, how can you rec something you’ve barely read? I can because I just know, alright. Rose writes really well, and even the first chapter had me completely invested (even if I haven’t had time to read the rest). So I’ll rec what I want, thank you very much. Currently a WIP.

1 Step Forward, 20 Years Back by @infriga

Summary: A Tale of Two Stans AU: Instead of fighting over the journal Stan tries to leave, but Ford isn't willing to let him go that easily. During the argument Stan comes into contact with a strange magical substance, and when he wakes up later he finds he's a bit smaller than he remembers. Now not only does Ford have to worry about Bill taking over the world, he also has to figure out how to turn his brother back to normal.

Why you should read this: This is another one that is a huge fandom hit, and for good reason. It’s got humor and imagination. Infriga’s writing is super nice and flows perfectly. Their grasp of the characters is spot-on, and they explore some really neat concepts and ideas in the fic. Really, just and all-around amazing fic that you should definitely read if you haven’t yet. (They also illustrate every chapter, and their art is spectacular).

by the skin of your teeth by @apathetic-revenant

Summary: In which Ford's attempt to survive entirely on caffeine and paranoia suffers some pitfalls, and things happen differently in 1982.

Why you should read it: This was literally the first fic I read for this fandom, and I still love it to this day. Ford’s a goddamn mess, Stan is the real MVP for taking all this BS and craziness in stride, and Fidds saves the day. Some rather dark themes interspersed with some comforting humor (lookin @ you, end of Ch2/beginning of Ch3). Plus, I am always in the mood for the boys figuring their problems out and bonding again. Good good stuff.

Cast Away (part 2) by @fordanoia

Summary: What happens when Stanley is the one to fall through the portal instead.

Why you should read it: Two chapters of absolute stress. Both of the boys are bad-ass in their own ways, and Stan gets some unexpected help (from something that canon really would have benefited from expanding upon). Really, an all-around awesome two-shot. Noia gets into the boys’ heads so well and writes them amazingly. Just... such a great read.

An Outreached Hand by @dubsdeedubs

Summary: On a cold winter's day in 1982, Stan Pines shows up at his brother's door with two cats tucked in his jacket and no heartbeat in his chest. (A sort-of Ghost Trick AU, but requires no previous knowledge of that to read.)

Why you should read it: Super neat concept. Really, this fic is so cool. Dubs’s writing is spectacular, and they instill this sense of mystery and foreboding into this story so seamlessly with little hits of humor here and there. Really, I can’t put into words how awesome this fic is. Just go check it out. Currently a WIP.

30 Seconds Later by @invisibletinkerer

Summary:  Stanford falls through the portal in 1982, but is pulled back almost immediately. Stanley, meanwhile, struggles for 30 years to bring his brother back. Neither is reunited with the brother they expect.

Why you should read it: Hooooo boy. This fic is about as angsty and painful as you would expect from reading the summary. It’s super well-written and the idea is so unique and honestly heart-breaking when you consider the implications. It just presents some new and interesting challenges for the gang to overcome and is a solid, interesting fic so far. Currently a WIP.

Okay I know I’m missing some, but these are some major highlights in my book and this post is starting to get ridiculously long RIP.

To everyone that writes, thank you for doing what you do. You all are amazing and loved and appreciated. The world would truly be a sad place without so many of amazing writers in it. Keep doing what you’re doing, and may the gods of inspiration rain every beautiful idea down on you, and may your fingers fly swiftly across the keys to compose beautiful tales each and every day. <3

[doomedandstoned]

YOBOMANIA!

The beloved Oregon doomers return home from their journey across states and overseas

~ Review & Photographs by Stephanie Savenkoff | Films by Shelby Kray ~

⚸

I arrived at Portland's historic Star Theater on December 9th to a stellar line up. Although friends in the music scene raved about Yob's live performances, the circumstances had never been favorable for me to catch a show. This was the last gig of the year for the hard-driving Oregon band, the finish to a month-long West Coast jaunt with Thrones and Khôrada, following Yob's exhaustive tour of Europe. I wasn't alone in my anticipation for this show. In fact, you'd hardly know it was a Sunday night in the heart of winter, as the concert hall was bustling with fans eager to welcome back the hometown heroes.

☼

THRONES

Slated to open this epic evening was Thrones, an experimental ambient-doom solo project of Joe Preston, whose long resume includes playing in Earth, Melvins, and High on Fire (to name just a few). He has been a strong artistic influence on so many Northwest acts and is regarded as an important figure in the scene. No surprise, then, that he played to a packed house.

Unfortunately, Thrones experienced some technical difficulties and the show to be cut prematurely short. As Joe's set depends on his backing track and pedals, if they are not working properly his performance suffers and thus he felt that he just couldn’t continue. The audience expressed their love and appreciation of him, just the same. I respected his decision to preserve the quality of his work, both for himself and his fans.

Sundries by Thrones

☀

KHôRADA

Khôrada took the stage next. Their album Salt came out last June, but we witnessed their third time performing it on stage together. Aaron John Gregory, formerly of Giant Squid, performed vocals and guitar along with Aesop Dekker on drums and Jason Walton on bass, both formerly from Agalloch.

Khôrada definitely performed with passion. The songs were relevant and immediate in their content. The music had sadness, pain and despair, all the hallmarks of Doom. Heavy, intense rhythms and riffs combined with poetic, storytelling lyrics created an evocative experience.

Their first song of the night, "Seasons of Salt," spoke to consumerism, the reality of the resulting climate change and the collapse of society as we know it. Their second song, "Water Rights," illuminated the raping of native lands for the oil pipeline.

“They know of your snake that burrows just beneath their lake afraid its steel skin will crack turning their water black with its venom and lack of regulation.”

The third song in the set, "Edeste," is another song about over consumption. It evoked images of a large snake enveloping its prey and asserting that Nature will conquer us before we can destroy her.

"Glacial Gold" speaks of finding something of value after tragedy and devastation. "Wave State" seems like a song written for and to a child, warning about the changes that are coming, that the earth will shrug us off and reclaim its dominance.

“I’ll try my best to explain how we are the mites we are the mange to be cleansed and washed away crops and culture civility and song Golden nation state battered by the waves swallowed and gone.”

The last song of Khôrada’s set was "Ossify." It spoke of the lack of bones left behind for future generations to find answers to happened to us, long after we have passed on from memory.

“It’s hard to fossilize that which has no spine they will dig through our plastic cocoons they will have to theorize how we died.”

Salt by KHôRADA

☸

YOB

Yob. Such a little word for such a giant of a band and its immense sound. While researching for this piece, I discovered that “yob” is actually a real word whose definition is: “a rude, noisy, aggressive young man.” With his punk roots, I can see how that word might have resembled Mike Scheidt in his youth. Today, the Yob frontman has evolved into an elder statesman of doom. More than that, he has grown into a kind of modern day Western world Shaman, his spirituality infusing and informing every work.

As I mentioned from the outset, this was my first live experience with Yob and, suffice it to say, I was absolutely blown to pieces. For only a three-piece band, Mike Scheidt (guitar, vox), Aaron Rieseberg (bass), and Travis Foster (drums) filled the space impressively with an impenetrable wall of sound.

I remember reading a review of Yob's 'Our Raw Heart' (2018), which stated that heaviness was used by the band as a tool, not an end product. I believe that is true. The music is very heavy but it is the vehicle that takes you places, not the destination. There was a depth of emotion and a gravity to their sound. The heaviness had a deep resonation. Words like “epic” and “crushing” are words frequently used to describe Yob’s music, too, though these adjectives seemed hardly capable of capturing the transcendent nature of Yob's sound.

I would also say that Yob's sound has a certain delicacy to it. They weave that delicacy together with crashing thunder and a cacophony of sound into something beautiful. They build in space and the notes breathe. There is a musicality with the heaviness and there was an intense beauty that I was unprepared for.

Yob opened their set with "Ablaze" which came out of the gate firing on all cylinders. It was a powerful intro that was very tight, with all of the members contributing equally and powerfully. Mike’s amazing, soaring vibrato and deep, guttural growls were positively thrilling. "The Screen" came next, which was heavy to the max. This anthemic song filled me with surging energy as the bass line marched ahead in a steady trudge that pulled me forward.

"Our Raw Heart," truly the heart of the album, was perfection. The song title fits the music perfectly. The album feels triumphant and Yob truly did put their raw heart out there. I doubt I am alone in feeling connected to the music. They express real emotion and everything feels true and meaningful. This time there is a gentle intro, soft, sweet and light, then it deepens and intensifies. The poetic lyrics reflect the experience that led to and shaped the album.

“Leaving nothing left behind breathing through my dark inside the raw within Ayni sent reverence for what has been given in this shared life, the raw within.”

Yob also performed "Ball of Molten Lead," "The Lie That Is Sin," and "Breathing from The Shallows" in their set. They were all great pieces and I enjoyed them, each one a unique gem to be treasured.

Mike had two broken guitar strings right before the last couple of songs and he saved the day by replacing them right on stage and faster than I would have dreamed possible. I am beyond grateful that I he did so because otherwise I would have missed out on their epic closing song, "Marrow."

"Marrow" had a stillness, a quietness and a gravity that pulled me in. It started with a trance inducing guitar picking rhythm which went on for a while, lulling me into a peaceful nod and sway. I found my mind wandering, slipping over thoughts of things going on in my life, like water over river rocks on its way downstream.

Then the bass and drums joined in and deepened the sound and expanded the feeling. The crashing crescendo a couple of minutes in pulled me out of the lull and shocked me with its intensity and power. My focus returned to the music again and to Mike’s voice that pierced through the wall of sound they created together that filled the space around us.

The music was unifying and I felt like the audience was connected. That is something I have never experienced before. It amplified my response and I found myself moved to tears. Though the lyrics aren’t overtly sad I felt an ache and a despair as I listened and I felt the grief of losses in my life that I hadn’t faced. I try to be tough and strong when facing adversity and loss and the music broke me open and let me feel everything I had been pushing away. Instead of making me sad it actually felt healing and made me feel whole. It broke down my walls, but it made me feel stronger, not weaker for it.

It felt like Yob poured everything they had onto that stage, opening up and giving it all to us. After the show I discovered that I was not alone in my response. Many people felt that connection and were moved deeply. Trying to articulate the experience is like trying to describe a rainbow to someone who can’t see. How do you fully describe the beauty, the emotion and the passion? The only way to truly understand the magic that is Yob is to experience them live yourself.

Our Raw Heart by YOB

[earthstory]

John Day Fossil Beds

This photo shows part of the Big Basin Formation in another of the hidden gems of the U.S. National Park system; John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon.

The rocks before you are a mixture of ancient soils, turned red and yellow as iron in them oxidized and rusted, and ashes and tuffs from nearby volcanoes. John Day Fossil Beds sits in a basin east of the Cascade Range that has grown gradually over a period of 50 million years. That period represents times when volcanism in the western U.S. migrated to the high peaks of the Cascades and the continent itself pulled apart into a variety of basins.

A basin is a low spot in the topography and will be a place that sediments will flow to and accumulate. This basin grew over 50 million years of years as the western U.S. was faulted and pulled apart, allowing dirt, soil, and sediment from surrounding areas to flow in and accumulate. Then, every so often, those rocks would be capped by a volcanic eruption, either from the predecessors to today’s Cascade volcanoes or even from the Columbia River flood basalts to the North.

The intermingling of dirt and volcanoes created an unparalleled collection of fossils and a stellar record of how the continent has changed. The soils early in the monument reflect times when the Earth was hotter and the climate of the area was nearly tropical. The area shifted through times that were wetter and temperate, and today the area is in the rain shadow of the Cascades and is much more arid; all of those changes are reflected in the rocks of the park.

The area also provides excellent sampling of mammal evolution. It’s often hard to find rocks that give continuous records of evolution over a few million years; John Day provides a record covering 40 million. The predecessors of modern dogs, cats, pigs, horses, camels, rhinos, and rodents are all found in these rocks, and since volcanic layers are typically easy to date, the timing of species appearance can be pinned down quite precisely thanks to these layers.

-JBB

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/East_face_painted_hills_panorama.jpg Read more: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2012AM/finalprogram/abstract_211562.htm http://media.wix.com/ugd/25a2fb_7ea07a5397f098ebcf84003b6b914134.pdf http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/parks/joda/ http://www.nps.gov/joda/naturescience/geologicformations.htm http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/science/parks/johnday.php

[somethingsforyoutolookat]

Analcime with Natrolite by cobalt123 Via Flickr: Analcime with Natrolite - A fine specimen of chunky analcime crystals with delicate starburst of natrolite clusters, seen in a close view and shot through a glass display case at the Westward Look Resort venue of the Tucson Rock and Gem Show.