Roy’s Boat, Fishing at Goose Island, and making pendants and bracelets for up coming shows

Last year we all went to an estate sale where Roy spotted an older six horse outboard motor. He made an offer and they finally agreed to the price as long as he also took the old pram. While most saw a worthless old fiberglass pram, Roy saw an opportunity and started on a complete rebuild. Never bet against Roy.

After acquiring the boat and motor he worked on it, finished it this year, loaded it on a redesigned trailer and launched it at a nearby hurricane destroyed harbor. I helped him launch it and was surprised at its light weight! It floated nicely, the reworked motor started right away, and he easily motored around the small harbor. Now it’s time to take it out fishing! We know quite a few protected places where we have caught fish. Many are places where we have fished with our kayaks but this time we will have a motor, (Renita and I will still use our kayaks)

Roy and I did go fishing on the Goose Island State Park Pier, but the water level was extremely low and the fish were not there. The tides cause changes in the water level, but the biggest factor is the wind. We had a strong north wind gusting to forty miles per hour. It pushed the water out of the bay, leaving the oyster beds high and dry! In the photo you can see oyster beds that are normally covered with water.

After the shows last summer, we made cabochons to replace all that we had sold. To make each one we had to saw, grind, and polish the rough stone before attaching bails or wire wrapping them in sterling silver or fourteen karat gold filled wire, (gold filled wire is made by using heat and pressure to bond sheets of gold to a base metal wire and does not peel away the gold like gold plate). It has been known to stay beautiful for over one hundred years.

Each pendant and cabochon takes me about three hours to finish while the bracelets and their stones take five to six hours. Both require a steady hand, keen eyesight, (mine is not so keen anymore), and a magnifying glass mounted on a Opti visor!

If you have been reading our blog you can see the blue and white larimar, from the Dominican Republic, four rhodochrosite pendants, Morenci turquoise, and other beautiful agates and stones. All of the stone’s colors are natural as we do not use dyed stones. Our first show is February 4th and our first juried Gem and Mineral show is the first weekend in March.

The above picture is of all wire bracelets made of sterling, gold filled wire, and ar every popular! Its always a rush to get finished as fishing, bird watching, dolphin antics, and making jewelry compete for our time. Time is the most precious asset we have and so we try not to waste it. Clear

We Dig Aurora, North Carolina, A Visit to the Aurora Fossil Museum

Mike and Mona both mentioned the Aurora Fossil Museum as a place we would want to visit. So we loaded into their car for the fifty mile drive. There we not only wanted to see a phosphate mine, (Renita worked in a coal mine for twenty plus years), but more importantly we wanted to take a tour of the Aurora Fossil Museum and learn about the local fossils.
Arriving in Aurora we first headed down a road toward one of the local phosphate mines.

Unfortunately you really couldn't see a lot as, you guessed it, there are lots of trees in North Carolina. Still we could see some of the plant and a huge towering pile of material, scooped up with mammoth drag line shovels working the phosphate deposits. This material is rife with sharks teeth, vertebrae, and other fossils including marine mammals.
So after a few images and a brief walk in the ditches we were back to Aurora where we were greeted by the towns water tower which proudly proclaimed, 'I Dig Aurora". Driving past several rock piles we parked in front of the Museum. I was like a little kid and couldn't wait until we got inside, but I waited patiently for the others by studying the front window displays.
Inside we were warmly greeted by a volunteer who gave us a through explanation of the many fossil types we would see. He explained the nonprofit foundation, and kindly offered us a personal tour of the facilities.

One of the first exhibits was of a megladon jaw, allowing one to pose inside of the wide open rows of teeth. Hmm, it kind of makes you glad we only have to deal with great white sharks and grizzly bears. Other displays showed marine fossils including lots of fossil shark teeth, along with mammal teeth including fossil dolphin teeth, (Mona later found one).
Across the street was another building which, while filled with more local fossils, included rock and mineral samples. The guide told us that the local mine donated truck full of materials and that they had just turned it over so there were lots of fossil being found.

Taking us to the rock piles we quickly found sharks teeth and my brother held up a fossil dolphin vertebrae. Jealous, I looked for awhile before finding one myself but it wasn't as good as his and all I can say is hide it well dear brother, he never reads the blog so I can be speak my mind!

Mona and Renita found lots of small sharks teeth, solenardia coral, and everyone found fossil bone fragment. There were even small sponge fossils which are usually rare everyplace else.
After eating a quick lunch we headed back to other piles of rock scattered throughout the town and we found quite a bit more to add to our sacks. Time was running out and so we went back into the museum where we purchased a large megladon tooth along with some Ethiopean opal rough and Canadian Fossil Ammolites, opalized.

Of course we spent too much but the profits from the sales all went to the museum, it is a non profit after all. So if you are ever in this area of eastern North Carolina and you love fossils and rocks, be sure to visit the Aurora fossil museum and take some extra time to carefully dig through the rock  piles. Clear skies.

Charleston, Walking Around the Downtown.

We left Fort Sumter and headed for the visitor center. Now Renita had already discovered that Charleston had a free trolley system and so we left the truck parked on the street and took the trolley to the visitor center.
After watching a lady making beautiful sweet grass woven baskets we determined that the parking spots were too small for our truck and so we got back on the trolley to spend a little time at the City Market. As we got off the trolley the City Market reminded me of the market in Boston but as we entered I didn't see any food stalls and I realized I was in for it, a day shopping in Charleston.
It seemed to me that every other stall was another basket weaver and while they were really beautiful we wondered how they would survive the low humidity of Wyoming. We decided not to purchase one but they were pretty neat.

Strolling down the City Market we really didn't see art of the quality of Savannah. We got back on the trolley and rode some more and there were named shops that Renita recognized but they meant nothing to me. We did find some local stores that sold some quality one of a kind jewelry but again we were somewhat disappointed.
The next day Renita wanted to return so we drove to Charleston and found a parking spot that we actually fit in It cost eight bucks but it was for all day and we don't often pay for parking, welcome to city life! We passed several sea food cafes and decided we would have sea food for lunch as it would be our last day on the coast.
Walking past construction we found more shops and even found a local artist who made blown glass art. He was even selling pieces which his parents made and then wrapped in silver wire, similar to our work. It was fun to talk with another person who understood and appreciated our work as he admired Renitas sodalite silver wrapped pendant.

Deciding to find a place to eat we noticed a sea food place called Hyman's  Seafood and it had a lot of people in it so in we went. It urned out to be a lucky find as we had one of the finest sea food meals we have ever had! I had the scored and fried flounder and Renita had grilled Mahi Mahi. While eating the owner sent us free calamari and green fried tomatoes and he even showed up after the meal to talk about the restaurant and welcome us to their restaurant.
Now I don't usually give a place a plug in my blog but if you ever find yourself in Charleston and love seafood you must eat at Hyman's. Seafood. Its that good! Oh I almost forgot to mention we were given free ice cream in a cup and of course I had the peach!

Walking and shopping we passed Calhouns monument and grave, Charleston College, and scores of sun worshipers spread out on the lawn!. I told Renita I felt sorry for the students as many couldn't afford much in the way of clothing and she gave me the look I know too well.
All in all we have enjoyed our time here, there is a lot more to see as we have barely scratched the surface and its a place we will come back to someday. The food was excellent but we both enjoyed the old town center of Savannah more than the downtown shopping in Charleston. It is simply too big for us. Clear skies

The Flags of Fort Sumter, Charleston South Carolina

I do not celebrate the death of any man, but I do celebrate justice so often denied or delayed. Our middle east wars still bring me so many memories of students who have sat in my class room and served and even died. Manuel Davila was the first who gave his life in the first Iraq War and I still remember his smile. He died from friendly fire but he still died while serving.
At one time I had thirty four former students serving during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and while I understood the necessity I said a prayer for all of them and for all who have served. As the towers fell down I cried for the firemen and policemen who gave their lives as I thought of my son who serves as a state trooper.

So I don't celebrate the death of any man only the cost of freedom as I post the pictures from our visit to Fort Sumter. The first picture is the actual battle flag that flew during the bombardment and was lowered at the surrender by Major Anderson. The second flag is the Palmetto Flag of South Carolina that flew after the Confederates captured and manned the fort.
Such honor and courage and such a price we pay for freedom. Clear skies