Rock Swap #3

We came from here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1062953/

WhooHOO!! Have rock will carry.
Don't know where . just somewhere! ☺

I'm on the Mission for Rock Collection Improvement. I have all my rocks sorted and dusted off. Ready to reach their full potential!

Tomorrow I'm starting a Lapidary class to learn how to Cut and polish some of the small nice ones that will look good in my China Cabinet. I've decided to pack up one long shelf of my china cabinet and devote it to my special display rocks. The bigger chucky ones will get displayed out in my garden, and smaller ones in my hypertufa planters with low growing mossy material around them.

Also waiting for a big storm to come along and expose some treasures on our local Ocean beaches.

I'll be ready for the Rock Exchange by mail soon.







This message was edited Jan 11, 2010 5:04 PM

I got mossy one for you. Would be good in out side .
Free Spirit rock ☺

Thank you for the new thread Joyce. : )

Well here we go.
The date for the Rock Hunt here in Western, OR is scheduled for
June 25, 26 & 27.
We don't have any hook ups for RV's but self sustained ones are great.
Plenty of room for tents.
If we have very many that are coming we can rent a port-a-potty. : ) If just a few will be here they are welcome to use our one and only bathroom.
Cooking facilities will be set up outside, we can also use the kitchen in the house if needed.
If weather turns bad we have one extra bedroom and plenty of floor space.
Let me know who wants us to set up a tent for them. We do have two available if you don't have one.
We have a fun campfire area for morning coffee w/breakfast and for nighttime visiting/story telling.
Depending on how many plan on coming (we need a head count), my husband & I can provide the meat, say Chicken for Fri. evening, Hamburger for Sat. evening, Sausages & hot dogs of different kinds for Sun. evening. Suggestions are welcome. Then if those that come can provide things to go with the provided meat. Kind of like a pot luck. What do all of you think?
Any suggestions on menu are appreciated. Breakfast & lunches.
We are still working on a couple of sites to see which will be the best for hunting rocks. We want to make sure everyone goes home with all the rocks they hoped for. : )
Now is the time for input so this can be a great time for all that come. : )
Lynn

Now, to get the Rock Swap going.
How does it sound to have a Hostess.
Everyone send their rocks to hostess, plus return postage.
Date set for packages to be sent in. We need to keep in mind when setting dates that some states are under snow.
Each person post a picture of what they sent.
Each person send a wish list after closing date and seeing what everyone sent in.
Hostess will then divide rocks up between the participants using their wish lists.
We need to choose a Hostess and check on DG rules for doing this. Has anyone had experience?
Any other ideas? All thought are welcome. : )
Lynn

I bought a huge Sand blaster unit to polish my stones. I went to a auction and got it cheap so put it in my garden shed and set it up. Only problem all my rocks are buried in 2 ft of snow. Bad planning.

How deep is the snow? Kalispell, you guys get alot of snow and cold. : ( Sure is beautiful country though.
That has to be very frustrating. But just think of what it will be like when the snow is gone.
What kind of auction do you find rock working equipment.

What size flat-rate box are we using? I wouldn't mind being hostess, but I would only have time to do it when school is out in May.
The other ideas you suggested sound fine.
thanks, julie

We are still trying to figure out the logistics on box sizes. It would depend on what size the rocks are. Some may need only a small Piority box, others the medium or even large. The Small box is so shallow it might be hard to fit much of anything except pebble size rocks. So I am quessing the medium size box. What do you think Julie?
Creekside said we could team up and do it out of her garage (which is empty as of this coming Spring when the plants move out). That would work well for me because I can add to the kitty from my rock pile if need be. I have a lot of Jasper (red, green and yellow). Some extra petrified wood, quartz, obsidian (red, black or red w/black), and other things that I can't think of right now. Here is a sample of some of what I have out in the rock pile.
Lynn

Look good to me. I wouldn't know one from the other.
Those are pretty. Love the red one in the center.

Here is the rock pile. I also have quite a bit of rock on the south side of the house that I haven't even gone through. I also keep digging up chunks of petrified wood and quartz when I dig holes to plant something new.
Lynn

I bet you have a heckof a time digging plant holes, don't you? We do too. My DH finally got one of those gasrun augers to drill holes. We are getting too ol;d to be digging holes.

If I have big holes I have a young man come over and dig them. Small ones I can do. : )

I still do the smaller ones, I'm not too bad a shape but sometimes there are so many rocks. We live on a little Hill (?) I don't want to call it a mtn. butit is sure rocky and I love it. When I was younger I dug out a couple ponds I loved doing that I've slowed down but I haven't stopped gardening yet. When It warms up some more I'll go get some of those rocks up here. They are not to far, just difficult to get right to them. May have to go use a nephew, don't like to ask for help too much!

So much of US is under snow right now, that is why we are going to wait until things clear out to set a date for the rock exchange. : )
Don't want to leave anyone out.
Lynn

It's bad enough getting rocks in good weather, but snowy frozen just doesn't make it happen. Our ground is still frozen. This is first time in very long time our ground has been frozen for so long.

Spring is just around the corner. : )
Are you doing any Winter Sowing? I am so excited about doing it. I already have a bunch of milk jugs done.

there's just two of us and I didn't start collecting milk bottles soon enough. But 15 is a good day to plantabove ground groups according to my handy, dandy almanac. So, I'll be planting some Friday. Can't wait. Are you? Do you use an almanac or just plant?

I just plant. I have had an almanac for so many years, I can't remember. Used to get the new one every year. Maybe I need to go back to it. : )
Okay, I'll wait until this Fri. to plant. Everything I'm wanting to start right now is above ground. Thanks for the heads up. : )
When do you plant root crops?

Won't be feb. 3-5 but that's o.k. we still got aways til Spring.
Sometimes I say "to heck with it" and just plant but most of the time I try to go by the book.
in my Grier's says you can plant Root crops on the 14 of Jan. The other isFarmer Almanac, I think I like
Bloms best but ; got to use what I have.

Yes, just keep tapping your heels and saying "Spring is just around the corner!"

A medium flat-rate box sounds good to me. I'm still going through what I have so that I make sure I have enough to swap. South Mississippi just doesn't offer much in the way of rocks (got lots of red clay and oyster shells!). Our beaches don't offer much in the way of seashells either because of the barrier islands. Might be able to find some pieces of driftwood if anyone is interested.

Take care and stay warm.
love, julie

Julie, driftwood is fun. I have some in my garden beds. : ) I even have pieces of old rotting chunks of wood that i plant succulents in and set around the gardens. Let those created juices flow. : )
I used to live out in the country just outside Yazoo City, MS (Benton, MS). Now that I think back I don't remember ever coming across a rock while gardening or walks in the woods. How peculiar.
We have lots of rocks here in the PNW.

Great, I'll start looking for pieces of driftwood. I've found some interesting pieces on the beach. I have 2 staghorn ferns mounted on driftwood that I have collected. Sounds like fun looking for more.
thanks, julie

Yes, It will add something different than our rocks.
Nothing like Variety to the rock garden..Huh?? Froggie?

I'm checking in on the rock swap. The rock hunt sounds like so much fun. We'll be on a boat up off the western coast of vancouver island right about then, however. I wish I could be there. I've never heard of so many rock hounds in one place in my life! Has there been a date set for the swap by mail? I haven't seen one but could have missed it for sure.

edited because my cat always walks on my keyboard.

This message was edited Jan 20, 2010 9:35 AM

Hi Pixydish. We will sure miss you not being here. Maybe you can just come down at another time. Doesn't have to be a planned group event. : )
We haven't set a swap date yet as so many are in snow areas. We should be able to set it for sometime in March.
How does March sound to all of you in snow country? : )
We have been having some pretty good storms on the coast lately, so is a really good time to go beach combing during low tides.

I am drooling over your planned event, but our PNW Roundup (Rendezvous) is the weekend before in Kalispell, so I can't imagine having time to get to your event also as I am taking a couple of extra days to go to MT.
I have always been an avid rock collector and have spent some time doing it in Oregon, but not very far East. Sweet Home was about as far as we got. Will be interested in seeing more posts from you all. Sharon

I remember some one wanted red rocks. Take a look.



Look all the way up and all the way down .

Use your mouse to move around.

http://www.utah3d.net/SulpherCreek_swf.html



http://www.utah3d.net/DoubleArch1_swf.html



http://www.utah3d.net/PaysonC_swf.html

Sharon, what fun pictures, and beautiful.

That's enough to make you dizzy. Beautiful, all three.
Got to get some tree limbs cut so I can go get the rocks I want in the woods. It is so peaceful walking in the woods. I love it. Love those red rocks.

Ah, why do you have to cut tree limbs? Wish I could walk with you RRM. : ) What fun that would be.
Sharon, it would be great fun later in the summer to get together and trade plants & rocks here at my place. It would be pretty hot by then to go East of the mountains to hunt rocks. Mmmm, maybe we can plan something in May? Not sure what the conditions are like that time of the year in Eastern Oregon. I will have to check. We could alway make a trip to the coast (1/2 hour from here), some river beds close by, etc.

They are pine trees that have fallen across my path. Want a picture?? I have my little rocks with the moss on them stacked up and I want to get to them before the snakes start moving. I don't bother them and I don't want tem to bother me. I wish you could too. Right now the temp. is 66. Just the right temp to go out and piddle around.

Ohhhh, tropical weather. I feel it just thinking about it. Please do take a picture, it will be the next best thing to being there. : )
I love my snakes (Garter Snake, Rubber Boa Snake and Gopher Snake). We don't have any poisonous snakes here, so I can love everyone of them found in my yard. : )

#1 this is the beginning, sort of-

#2 a little farther down the trail.

#3 Our treasures

Boo-hoo! All I have here is flatlands! Would love some of those rocky views!
love, julie

#4 Look at this moss covered beauty.

Come on over, Froggie.
Here is another pic of tree cover in fern.