A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall faerywatcher

what are you going to do with those geodes you collected?

I am so confused--------- (but then confusing me is an easy job-- )

Carol, I think geodes are little rock caves that are filled with crystals...they're really beautiful!!
http://images.google.ca/images?q=geodes&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

Kenny, You are right, and I thank you for being so kind--but I was confused as to why Sheri was asking wendy about her collecting the geodes--And for that matter if I even knew that Wendy was collecting the rocks, I have forgotten--hence the confusion--- I did not mean to say I did not know what a geode was. sorry---

I, too, was wondering where/when Wendy was collecting geodes?
I know she uses them in her crafts, and they look wonderful there, but has there been a discussion about them lately?

I just LOVE geodes - my husband is a geologist, but he never had the good fortune of finding any good ones when he was "out in the field".

Carol She had mention them in the New year's eve banter bar thread .. I had asked her there what they were because she said she collects them in her area,, her and her mom went collecting them Newyear's eve day,, I imagine she collects them in part for her Fairy pieces she creates,, The piece she created and sent me is Beautiful,, purple and clear ones place on it perfectly,, The piece is the fairys Secret Orb I use in the Willy tower thread :wink:

If there HAS been a discussion about them, I do not remember it--

I LOVE geodes too. I am fairly certain that somewhere I have some. if I knew where I might of put them I would find them and share--but no digging around for me now--but some day---

that is so cool to hear that your DH is a geologist. That is such a facinating profession.

Carol and Lynne scroll up I was posting about the discussion while you were posting

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh thanks for clearing that up, Diane.

I have not ever seen a colored geode in person, just in pictures.

what kind of things does Wendy create?

Carol Find one of her posting and click on her photo link in her signature there is a place there you can see her piece work,, :wink:

Diane - I'm pretty certain that the purple crystals are amethysts - Don does have a few of those in a box somewhere, and he also has some nice quartz crystals - they are clear - but also in a box somewhere...

OK will do Diane, thanks

Lynne--apparently you need to make a "box" of your own.

then you will know where to go to see some of the pretty rocks when you want to look at some.

These geodes have caused quite a commotion and apparently Wendy hasn't even seen this post.

bump up for Wendy to see :wink:

Wendy's area of Tennessee has quite a few geodes. I started out majoring in geology and we collected some really SPECTACULAR geodes on top of the Highland Rim near Cookeville, TN which is near to where Wendy lives. If you find purple crystals inside geodes those probably ARE Amethyst (one of my favorite gemstones) or else are Fluorite, which can also be purple, but I am NOT sure if Fluorite crystals can form inside geodes. I suspect that wENDY FINDS her GEODES ON OR NEAR THE TOPS OF THE HILLS IN HER AREA OR PERHAPS WASHED DOWN IN THE CREEK BEDS THERE.

as usual great information, Thorny--Wendy is one lucky lady to have access to them--

WOW, gone for just a day or two and I have totally missed out on my own conversation!

First, CAROL, I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU BACK HERE! It is safe to say you are feeling ok? I wanted to call you but I have gone Way over my minutes until the 15th of this month......but I have been thinking of you!

K, so about the geodes......Thorny was right about this area, but without the lady (now my friend) who cuts my hair, I would not have even known about this 1 place! It is in a town called...............are you ready for this..........Nameless! It's about 20 minutes from my house, there is nothing in the town but a firehouse that when they bought a new engine last year it was too big to park in the firehouse so they had to build a new one!

Anyway, THE GEODE GETTIN' PLACE is on this couples farm and they really do just lay around on the property. Every time he turns up the fields, more and more appear! This field he just did was mostly geodes in pieces-I guess the tractor broke them up? Small little crystals perfect for crafts! All sizes from little dime sized to golf ball sized----just sparkling! I wanted the really big ones, so me and mom headed to the other pasture where I got them last time. The pasture slopes off to the tree line, then it is a pretty steep hill off into the woods. That is where the big ones are! He said they get unearthed and eventually roll down the hill and bust open! We drug bucket after bucket up that hill and it liked to about killed us....but it was worth it! Some are 2 handers, some broke, some just round, some are simply gorgeous! The ones that are already broke open are caked with mud and dirt so we have to wash them off to really see the crystals.....that will be later, right now it is like 24 degrees in the daytime! I will post a pic of the 3 small ones that I washed off in the sink with a toothbrush in the next post! When it warms up a bit I will get a pic of my pile waiting to be gone through and drooled over!

The light was not very good right now because I am to tired and cold to try to get a better pic.....but trust me, they are pretty!

Oh yeah, I have not found any amethyst ones YET but Brooke (the one that owns the farm) has found a few. They are mostly the quartz crystal and that is fine by me! Just as long as they sparkle!

So that's what those are.... geodes. My grandfather was a surveyor and field tech. He used to have those on a shelf when I was a little girl...with many other rocks and such. I must ask my great aunt whatever happened to all those articles after he passed on.

I can't wait to see what you do with them Wendy.

Wendy--I will PM you--

Yes, Tamara--the geodes are beautiful are hey not--I too am anxious to see what Wendy does with her treasures.

How do you break them if they're in one piece. Aren't they hard as a rock?

I think you can use a heavy mallot, and say a spike, or you can simply pick them up and throw them down--- ?? I might not know what I am talking about though----

I am still learning how to break them open. People that really know what they are doing have machines and certain blades the just make a clean cut like a piece of wood, and others (that still know what they are doing) can score them all the way around with a chisel or screwdriver and then "crack" them open without smashing them into 1000 pieces which CAN happen when they are hollow. Those are the best....that is when they have a crystal cave look to them.
ME ON THE OTHER HAND, I put one in a towel that I think maybe hollow, pray ALOT , then WHACK it with a hammer! Sometimes it works and then other times not.....but it is still fun!

I work some of them into my garden around streams and such, the other small sparkly ones will be cleaned for crafts!

Wendy, thanks for explaining that all to me/us

it must be so much fun to crack open a plain rock ans the be able to see such a pretty inside---

andddddddd Lynne and I was talking about that too Wendy what a cool thing to go do should any of the GH friends come and Visit you!!

YUP!!!

what do they look like before they're cracked?

if i remember right, they are like rocks that are slightly bigger than golf balls, up to base ball size.

yep as far as I remember too--just plain ugly grey like rocks--you might liken the color to the rocks in your driveway--but shaped like Jiffy said

thanks.

I have a "homemade" paperweight that my youngest made for me when she was but a child--its base is grey linoleum-(yep)-then it has half a small geode glued in the center with variois other little rocks glued on around it.

it is so precious to me--I even made sure it survived the move---

sweet.

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH! What a great idea and A MUST! If (and when) any of my dear friends here come my way, we will defintely have a day of geode hunting!

Alot of the whole ones mom picked up look like brains to me, she is not going to try to break those, they are to pretty like they are! She will use them around her ponds and stuff!