Snakes and Stones

[Bogertophis]

Well I think the shiny green looks awsome

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Me too, but for some reason, I prefer the name "serpentine"?

[Lord Sorril]

Well I think the shiny green looks awsome

I'm glad you like it! Even though I get a shine on a lot of stones--it does not match the polish I can get on agate (which is kinda the 'gold standard' in the hobby)...

Me too, but for some reason, I prefer the name "serpentine"?

I like the name 'Serpentine' too! What I also find amusing is that Serpentine is also called Serpentinite and is formed through the process of 'Serpentization'...which sounds like someone/something getting transformed into a snake...but unfortunately is actually far less interesting...

For reference:
Serpentization - a processes whereby rock is changed with the addition of water into the crystal structure of the minerals found within the rock.

[Bogertophis]

...
I like the name 'Serpentine' too! What I also find amusing is that Serpentine is also called Serpentinite and is formed through the process of 'Serpentization'...which sounds like someone/something getting transformed into a snake...but unfortunately is actually far less interesting...

"Serpentization" sounds like what happened to most of us? And especially speaking for myself.

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #193

These look like ironstone concretions.
As a sedimentary stone they are soft and unstable and should be near impossible to polish: I figured I would still take a shot.
They look a lot 'cleaner' than when I started.
I can seem some reflection from the quarter so I know I did a good job.

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #194

Latest batch of Prairie Agate. Fun stuff to tumble...super easy to get a nice polish.

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #195

Blue Agate from Utah, a piece of Quartz from India.

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #196

Interesting stone: looks like a granite variant with Potassium Feldspar.
Tough to tumble/polish due to varying hardness.
Found it in a nice area:

Lots of garter snakes around...very skittish on a warm day...not easy to get a clear photo with my camera...

[Lord Sorril]

While a bit off-topic: I went home to visit my parents for Thanksgiving.
My mom was breeding Fire-Bellied Toads for a while and had hundreds of them at one point.
She was initially feeding them crickets, but, really despised the odor.
I introduced her to Dubia roaches several years ago and she had been feeding them those since...
Recently she sold several hundred toads to local pet stores and the remaining ones (pets) she taught to eat floating Tetra ReptoMin pellets in a black plastic container which she floated in the water.

As for the remaining Dubias, after they were frozen: she had enough to fill a 2.5 gallon bag.

While the frozen roaches will be used as a supplemental food for the quail/chickens...
in the event of a crisis, she said she plans on using them as a backup protein source.

Anyhow, I thought it was amusing.

[Bogertophis]

Love it, LS! That reminds me, I haven't had breakfast yet...

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #197

A river stone from my area...looks like a quartz/quartzite composite.

Gnarly head-stamp on this Het VPI Axanthic.