rock07r1.gif (25102 bytes)

Rockwood Gem and Mineral Society
St. Louis, Missouri

SEARCH!

rockbutton41.gif (5773 bytes)
linkbutton.gif (5022 bytes)

calendarbutton.gif (5388 bytes)

contactbutton.gif (5534 bytes)

homebutton.gif (4932 bytes)

 

ROCKWOOD ROCKHOUND NEWS for APRIL 1999


From the Grapevine

We are so sorry to loam of Bill Stuut's heart attack on March 13th. Eleanor says he is doing fine now and looking for someone to play golf with him I We also hear that he got a helicopter ride out of it.

Your editor, Claudia Uccello, will not be at the next meeting because she will be going to Tallahassee, Florida for a ceremony honoring her great-grandfather, Patrick Houstoun. During the Civil War, he led the Confederates to victory at the Battle of Natural Bridge. Poor Grandfather thought that he had helped save Florida from the Yankees! Little did he know.


Coments, Ect.

We are sorry to spring two changes at once upon our members. Since Gordon Kummer will not be at the meeting April 23rd, we will not be able to use the nice little room at Sach's Electric. Diane Larson quickly signed us up for the Daniel Boone Library. However, because of library rules, we will not be allowed to have refreshments or to have our silent auction. We can have our door prize drawing though.

The May meeting needed to be changed because Memorial Day week end falls on the fourth Friday.

Red Meat Retreat

This might be an interesting field trip/vacation. We could do this and still be back in St. Louis in time for the Greater Federation Show at Queeny Park.

 
FIELD TRIPS

April 10th- Saturday- Glen Williams will lead an Association field trip to a fossil-collecting site nearby. Meet at 10AM at the Steak N Shake at 144 and 141. He will be going to Eureka, on highway W, where it crosses the Meramec River. He says there are lots of fossils at this site.

April 18th- Sunday- Washington County field trip. The Boeing Club is sponsoring a trip to Washington County and we are invited to participate. We are to meet at Washington State Park at 9:30AM. Meet at the petroglyph site parking area. Bring newspaper to wrap your specimens in. Also, a 5-gal bucket is a handy way to carry everything in. We will be collecting barite and maybe some druzy quartz.

On May 15th, we will have a field trip led by Peggy Nuske, our February speaker, We need to decide whether we want to collect fossils or minerals. Depending on which we decide, she will determine where we will go and where we will meet. This will be included in our April field trip flyer.

The St Louis Gem and Mineral Society is going to Arkansas on May 29,30 and 31, to Fiddlers Ridge to collect. They will be collecting on Sunday, May 30th. Anyone wishing to join them will be welcome.

 

GOOD HUNTING

By Belle Meyers

Spring is busting out all over,
Wish I could bust out too,
Forget the work that's piling up,
Go find a rock or two.

They're just waiting over the hill
For me to search them out, And anyone within forty miles
Would surely hear me shout. The birds would sing a love song,
And start to build their nests,
Now and then take a lunch break,
And feast on insect pests.

At night we'd hear the coyotes sing
Their ever-lonesome song, And maybe if the moon were high
We'd join and sing along.

It's time to put the dreams away,
Dig out the camping gear
We wish you all good hunting,
A safe and rock-filled year.

(from Carny hound) (via "Rockfinder")

 TEN WAYS TO GET RID OF UNWANTED ROCKS

1...Fix chuckholes in the driveway.
2...Throw them at door-to-door salesmen.
3...Donate them in grab bags.
4...Push them in a tumbler with a double doze of grit.
5...Take them to club displays, then go off and leave them.
6...Slip them into a competitor’s exhibit when they aren't looking.
7...Throw them over the fence into your neighbor's rock garden.
8...Label "This gem material insured by Pinkerton" and leave them in the driveway.
9...Take them back to where you got them for other collectors to get.
10...Don't take them home in the First place.

Via "Crystal Cluster" May 1998

A Polishing Hint

One reason for polishing a stone all over (front, back, and edges) is that the polishing acts as a sealer. It seals and keeps the water in opal, it prevents natural corrosion as in rhodonite, and it helps stop the absorption of harmful substances such as perspiration.

Learn to polish the backs of your cabs. This is especially helpful with translucent cabs, and when you set these particular cabs, if you cut out the back of your setting. Ladies can wear the piece of jewelry with any outfit since the color of the stone will be coordinated to the outfit.   Via The ROCKPILE

When cleaning Turquoise: Howlite, or any porous rock under the hardness of 5, soak the material in water for a week or so and you will have no problem with the stone soaking up the oil. Via The Agatizer.

 

Minutes of the Rockwood Rockhounds Meeting

March 26, 1999

The meeting was called to order by Vice President Mary Parrot at 7:40 p.m. in the absence of our President, Bob Morse. Secretary’s report was read and approved.

OLD BUSINESS: None

FIELD TRIP REPORT: On April 10, 1999, there will be a field trip to Eureka to look for fossils. On April 18, we will have another field trip to Washington County to look for Barite and druse quartz. This will be with the Boeing Club. On May 15th, there will be a trip with Peggy Nuske. She will decide whether to look for fossils or minerals. More information will be in the April Newsletter. May 29-31 will be a trip to Fiddler's Ridge in Arkansas. This is with the St. Louis Gem & Mineral Society.

The Rock Hobby Show will be at the Machinist's Hall on March 26-28.

DATE CHANGE: Our May meeting will be moved to May 21 instead of May 28 due to the Memorial Day Weekend. Bill Theis will be the speaker.

On April 12, Diane Larson has secured space for a rock display at

NEW BUSINESS: None

There were 10 members and two guests present
Meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.
Respectfully submitted
Helen Helen Heitland Sec. Pro Tem.