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The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. (VGMS)
Rockhound Rambling
February 2003.

Table of Contents.

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE;
• "2003 DUES ARE DUE";
• WORDS TO LIVE BY;
• FEBRUARY PROGRAM - February 26, 2003;
• PROGRAM REVIEW - January 22, 2003;
• MARK YOUR CALENDARS;
• CHIPS & BOULDERS;
• SHOW BUSINESS;
• Need Help with Competition and Rules;
• Web Sites;
• 2003 Meeting Programs;
• COMMUNITY OUTREACH;
• MARCH BIRTHDAYS;
• LOVE;
• HOSPITALITY;
• AM I GETTING ON;
• MEMBERSHIP;
• "PEBBLE PUP NUGGETS";
• JUNIOR ACTIVITIES REPORT;
• "FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN";
• VGMS MINUTES;
• LEGEND OF THE APACHE TEAR DROPS;
• LEARN FROM THE GOOSE;
• A LESSON IN GEMSTONE INCLUSIONS;
• HINTS & TIPS FOR ROCKHOUNDS - (Use at your own risk);
• SEASIDE GEMBOREE IS COMING! - START PLANNING;
• 2003 CFMS CLUB SHOWS;
• AMERICAN FEDERATION / REGIONAL SHOW SCHEDULE - 2003;
• COMBINED AFMS/CFMS SHOW FLYER;
• EDITOR'S NOTE;
• EDUCATIONAL CORNER;
• COLORBOOK;
• VGMS PHOTO ALBUM.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

The most important event coming up is our club show in March. I hope every one will be involved.

Thursday and Friday, set up days we need help in all areas - lay-out, skirting, setting up the Country Store, books, plants. Everyone please put in a case of your material. It is your show, so participate if you can.

Very important--every one please help with tear down and clean-up on Sunday. We close at four, which will give us a considerable time before it gets dark.

     Ray Meisenheimer.

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"2003 DUES ARE DUE."
SEE The VGMS Info Page FOR AMOUNTS.
SEND TO SHARON & GARY MARKLEY,
1686 Kenewa Street,
Ojai, CA 93023.3

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WORDS TO LIVE BY.

We aren't sure how old the human race is, but we all know it is old enough to know better.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

A short saying often contains much wisdom.

The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.

Collected by Wayne Ehlers.

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FEBRUARY PROGRAM - February 26, 2003,
Quartzsite & Tucson Roundup.

Jim Brace-Thompson will present a brief slide show highlighting a few aspects of the annual Quartzsite shows. This will be followed by "show-and-tell". We would like all club members who went to the shows at Quartzsite and/or Tucson to bring a few of the goodies they collected and to show them off to the rest of us, along with a good story or two.

Nancy Brace-Thompson.

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PROGRAM REVIEW - January 22, 2003,
Collecting in Southeastern Oregon.

Dick Flaharty presented a program of traveling and collecting in the Southeast corner of Oregon. Dick started by taking us to Succor Creek, named for the good water arid grasses the pioneers found after their trek across the desert. It is also famous for the Thunder Eggs and petrified wood that is found here. He also took us to Cove Palisades Park, near Madras, Oregon. Three rivers merge here and there are interesting basaltic formations. He took us to Leslie Gulch and then to Malhuer Wildlife Preserve. He spoke of the gravel pit near Eagle Nest and the petrified birch at the top of the road. The gravel pit is full of tumbled stones and fossils, and agate polished by the river and by ash. He took us to Harney Lake Basin, a natural sump (sometimes it is dry and at other times it is full of water).

Dick also spoke to us about the AFMS/CFMS Show at Seaside Park the 5th through the 8th of June, 2003. A Dinosaur Hall is planned. There will be a complete skeleton of Triceratops, with forty percent of it being natural. There will also be a dino dig for children and adults.

Kathryn Davis.

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

2-26-03 - VGMS Regular Meeting - 7:30 pm (There isn't a Pebble Pup Meeting) - Show & Tell from Tucson & Quartzsite. Show Set-Up starts the next day!!!
2-27-03 - Show Set-Up Day - See Schedule and phone numbers further on in the Bulletin for information. It's Fun - hope to see you there.
2-28-03 - Show Move-In Day - Dealers set up - Dealer and member Lasagna dinner at show grounds.
3-1 & 2-03 - VGMS Show - Ventura County Fairgrounds.
3-6-03 - VGMS Board Meeting - 7:30 pm - At the Museum. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
3-10-03 - DEADLINE FOR MARCH Bulletin Articles to the Editor!
3-15-03 - VGMS Work Shop - Museum - Open - 9-12 am.
3-26-03 - VGMS Regular Meeting - 7:30 pm (There isn't a separate Pebble Pup Meeting).
3-29 & 30-03 - Tri-Club Field Trip - Trona area - Don Asher, Leader.
4-3-03 - VGMS Board Meeting - 7:30 pm - At the Museum. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
4-6 thru 13-03 CFMS Earth Science Studies - Zzyzx.
4-18 thru 22-03 - Desert Symposium - Zzyzx, CA.

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CHIPS & BOULDERS.

SELL - SELL - SELL Those Donation Award Tickets for our March 1 & 2, 2003 Show. There are great prizes to be had.

Baked Goods needed for Friday night Dealer Dinner for the Show and also cookies or whatever to have each day by the coffee pot. They can be brought at any time during the set up days for the dinner and anytime during the show for the coffee times.

2003 VGMS Show - Exhibitors are Still Needed - There is an Exhibitors' Form included in the January Bulletin. Please complete it and get it to Nancy Brace-Thompson as soon as possible. Time is going by fast!! It's not too late!!!

Plastic flower pots Still needed - Marie Ehlers needs any plastic flower pots you are no longer using for her cuttings for the Plant Booth at our March show. Anyone with spares give Marie a call at 805 482-6830 and make arrangements to get them to her.

Country Store Pricing Session - Many thanks to Richard and Shirley Bromser and Jim and Nancy Brace-Thompson for their help in pricing items for the Store on January 29th. We pretty well caught them all up. At this point, if you still have items (we can always use them) bring them to the fair grounds Thurs., Fri. or Sat. the weekend of the show (March 1st & 2nd). Many thanks for all who have contributed and to those that are going to!

Milk Crates are available for members at $5.00 each. See Richard Bromser. They are great for storing our treasures!

Please take note of the seminar on competitive displays and rules for competition JoAnna Ritchey is hosting March 29. Even if you never plan on entering in competition you will learn methods of improving your showcase. There is a lot of good information in the rules book which she is giving out. There is a form in this newsletter for participating. - Florence Meisenheimer.

Excerpt from California Oil Museum Weekly Report - The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society (VGMS) has installed an outstanding new exhibit about amber and fossils in the Main Hall called "Amber: A Window into the Past." Curator Steve Mulqueen is presenting a fascinating look at animals fossilized in amber, a subject made popular by the Jurassic Park movies. VGMS has been presenting new exhibits at the Museum for the past four years. - Editor's Note: Many thanks to Steve and Dave Mautz for contributing material for these exhibits. Hope everyone can get by to see them.

Hosts and Hostesses are needed for Regular Meetings. It is time to set up the 2003 schedule and Sharon Cunningham has graciously agreed to coordinate it again this year. So figure out what month is good for you. She will have a sign up sheet at the meeting or give her a call at (805) 649-3579. It isn't hard and when each one takes a turn it "shares the load"! Many thanks to Susan and Steve Mulqueen, who brought some delicious cookies and accessories for the January meeting and Sharon, herself, will be taking care of us at the February meeting!

CFMS Newsletter - Any one wishing to subscribe to the CFMS Newsletter send $5.50 to Pat LaRue, P.O. Box 1657, Rialto, CA 92377-1677. It is not prorated if you decide to subscribe for it later on in the year. - Florence Meisenheimer.

VGMS Workshops - They are held on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 until noon unless otherwise notified. The Shop Supervisors are: Ron Wise (805) 647-4393 & Greg Davis (805) 647-9214. Stop and say thanks to these volunteers for the opportunity they give the rest of us. It is there for your use, take advantage of it.

Bulletin e-mail - It would be helpful when you e-mail information or articles for the bulletin if you could start the subject with "VGMS (space)". This will help Jim to sort them and hopefully not miss any! E-mails work great as we can just roll the information over and don't have to re-type it, so keep them coming!! jns@west.net Thanks!

Advertising - Any One want to put an Ad in Rockhound Rambling?? - Call Shirley Layton 805 642-2683. - Sell some to a friend! The Bulletin goes to several other Gem & Mineral clubs, so it is good spread for little money!!

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SHOW BUSINESS.

COUNT-DOWN TO SHOW TIME.

Getting Our Ducks Lined Up in a Row.
     We're counting the days-not months or weeks-to our annual show, and every hour now counts in getting our ducks in a row. Here's what's left in our time-line:

Getting the Word Out: Today through Mar. 1.
     Tell friends, family, co-workers, and (especially!) people you don't even know about the Show. Pick up Show flyers at our February meeting or call me to get some now (659-3577), and begin posting them on public bulletin boards, giving them to acquaintances, and otherwise doing all you can to get folks onto the Fairgrounds. In addition to the small flyers, we have larger flyers that can be taped to a car window to create movable billboards.

Set-up: Thurs., Feb. 27 (9 AM - 6 PM).
     Please: everyone who is able, take a day or half-day off work on Thursday to assist in set-up. It's important that we have as many people as possible to help share the workload so that it doesn't fall on just a few shoulders. Some jobs are physically demanding, but many are not, and we need all the hands we can get. We need help moving supplies from the museum, laying out tables and chairs at the Fairgrounds, skirting tables and assembling display cases, arranging the Country Store and plant sale area, etc. I thank those volunteers who signed up at our January meeting, and we'll circulate the sign-up sheet again at the February meeting. Or call me to volunteer, 659-3577. We'll have lunch fixings for everyone helping.

Move-in: Fri., Feb. 28 (all day & evening, until 10 PM).
     We'll officially open the doors to dealers, demonstrators, and exhibitors to begin set-up at noon. We need folks who can show up in the morning to help welcome and direct our dealers and guest exhibitors to their booths and camp sites. This is also the day for us to set up our own displays. If you haven't yet signed up to enter a display, please fill out the exhibitor form in last month's newsletter and mail it right away or better still, call Nancy Brace-Thompson, 659-3577. It's essential that we get an accurate count of exhibitors, and we need this info in advance to include in the Show program. You don't need a huge collection to make an attractive display, so if you've never displayed before, don't be shy! We can help with ideas and pointers, and we'll talk about display ideas at the February meeting (Some pointers on what to bring for setting up your case: liners or cloth, risers, masking tape, duct tape, your specimens, labels for identifying your specimens, a name label so that people will know whose display it is, and a lot of enthusiasm-it's contagious).
     Lunch fixings will be available in the afternoon. Then we'll have our annual show dinner at the end of the day, between 6 PM and 7 PM, and if you would like to assist in preparing and serving, call Sunny Cross (643-2822). The club will provide lasagna, bread, salad, and drinks, and we ask that club members donate desserts, so bring an appetite along with something sweet to share!

Show Time! Mar. 1 - 2 (10 AM - 5 PM Sat.; 10 AM - 4 PM Sun.).
     We've been circulating formal sign-up sheets for the different Show jobs, but not many spaces have been filled in, so we're depending on volunteers to help upon arrival. See what hours are open at each station, and help fill in where needed. Or pick an activity that most interests you and then call the appropriate committee chair today to offer your help. We need help with:

• Hospitality. Welcome people to the show, give them the Show Program and tell a bit about our club, invite them to purchase raffle tickets for our Donation Awards drawing, and tell them about our Country Store as well as other aspects of the show; call Sharon Cunningham, 649-3579.
• Game Booth. Help Jean Wise, 647-4393, and Emma Mayers, 644-0799, organize and run activities for kids; we need donations of small rock, mineral, fossil, and lapidary specimens as prizes, and we especially need help in the booth itself managing the spinning wheel, grab bag sales, sand sifting for prizes, coloring books, fossil making, and other activities.
• Silent Auction. Greg Davis, 647-9214, and Ron Wise, 647-4393, welcome help running our hourly silent auction. We'll need people to help announce the auction each hour, hand out prizes, and set out new prizes.
• Country Store. Help with our big rummage sale to raise funds for the club. This is a major source of revenue for us, so call Shirley Layton, 642-2683 to help ensure a successful store this year.
• Plant Sale. See Susan Mulqueen to help sell plants and cuttings. This is also a popular source of revenue for us.
• Security. Throughout the show, we ask different members to circulate among the crowd in orange security vests to present a visible security presence. To help, contact Wayne Ehlers, 482-6830.

We also need everyone to bring donations. In particular, we'll need your help with:

• Desserts for the Show dinner from 6 to 7 PM on Friday evening; bring them to the dinner.
• Cookies to provide near the coffee area throughout the Show; give to Sunny Cross during the Show.
• Raffle prizes: mineral and fossil specimens, lapidary work, and other "showy" stuff you would see in a store window. We want to entice people to enter our raffle, so please help by donating a truly nice prize. Contact Nancy B-T, 659-3577, if you have material to donate.
• Silent auction: rough material for lapidary work, large pieces of petrified wood, large mineral specimens, etc. The showier the material, the higher the bids will be. We'll get much of this from our club rock pile, but if you have any donations, contact Greg Davis, 647-9214.
• Kids prizes: small pieces of jewelry, tumbled stones, polished slabs, fossils, mineral specimens, etc., are needed as prizes, along with plastic and paper grocery bags; contact Jean Wise, 647-4393, and Emma Mayers, 644-0799.
• Country store: garage sale sorts of items, as well as magazines and books related to rockhounding, and grocery bags for people to carry away their purchases; contact Shirley Layton, 642-2683.
• Plant sales: plants, cuttings, and related materials, as well as cardboard flats and plastic and paper grocery bags for people to pack their purchases in; contact Susan Mulqueen.

Dismantling: Sun., Mar. 2, 5 PM.
     It ain't over till it's over. Please don't pack up your own goodies and run at the end of the Show. We'll need a lot of strong arms and backs to help reverse what we did on Thursday in order to pack up everything and return it to its place. To thank everyone, we'll have our annual pizza delivery once all is packed away and the final floor is swept clean.

Receipts.
     If you've incurred expenses for jobs you've done on behalf of the show, all receipts are due to Richard Bromser within 10 days of the Show so that he can balance the Show books.

THANK YOU!!
     Finally, I offer my heart-felt thank-you to each and every Show committee member for what has proven to be a very smooth count-down to Show 2003, as well as to each club member, our dealers, demonstrators, and our guest exhibitors. It's shaping up to be a great show, and I'll see you at the Fairgrounds!

          Submitted by Jim Brace-Thompson, Show Chair.


Mineral Show Planning (Plant Sale).
     On February 2, Steve & Susan Mulqueen visited with Clay and Liz Brashears to pick up plants to be sold at the Plant Sale for our mineral show next month. Clay & Liz have been busy growing and potting plants for this event. Over 30 stocks of Dahlia were donated as well as about 50 other potted plants. We actually filled the back of Steve's truck which resembled a "greenhouse on wheels". Thanks Clay and Liz for a job well done.
     Don't forget to donate your surplus plants on Friday, February 28, before our Mineral Show!

          Susan Mulqueen.


CHECK OUT VGMS LIBRARY DISPLAYS!
     On February 1st, Nancy and I installed displays in both the E.P. Foster Library on Main Street in downtown Ventura and the H.P. Wright Library on Day Road next to Ventura College. We encourage everyone to visit the libraries and check them out! Our theme for both displays is "The Many Facets of Rockhounding", and they demonstrate a little of everything that has attracted each of us as individuals to become members of the VGMS. One corner is devoted to field trips, another to the steps in making a cab and finishing it in a setting. Other parts show mineral and fossil collecting, gold panning, and faceting. Finally, we were sure to include photos and flyers of our annual show to tempt folks out of the library and down to the Fairgrounds come March 1st. Both libraries have also allowed us to put show flyers out for distribution. Our thanks to David Mautz for providing fossils for the displays, to Mel Hixon for his great cabochons, to Jean and Ron Wise for the large field trip photos, and to Shirley Layton for colorful images of the club logo.

          Jim Brace-Thompson, Show Chair.

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Need Help with Competition and Rules?
By Jo Anna Ritchey,
Monrovia Rockhounds, host of Seminar.

Need help with putting together a good looking, award winning case? This seminar is for you.

• How to read the Rules Book,
• Helpful hints on how to improve your case,
• What Judges look for when they are judging cases at the CFMS or AFMS level.

Remember that the CFMS Show in Ventura will be held on June 5-8, 2003. There will still be time to submit your application.

Since educating the public in our hobby is also one of our goals, we need to exhibit the best possible displays. By following the AFMS rules, even if you are not competing, your exhibit will improve and increase the quality of our shows. The rules are a good guideline when deciding what and how to display your Treasures.

Fill in and return with registration check.

Name(s): ____________________________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________________________

                 ____________________________________________________________________________

                 ____________________________________________________________________________

Phone#: ____________________  Society: __________________________________________________

Number attending: __________

Please mail by March 15, 2003.
Make Checks payable to Monrovia Rockhounds, Inc.

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AFMS website - www.Amfed.org,
CFMS website - www.cfmsinc.org,
CA BLM website - www.ca.blm.gov,
American Lands Access Association - www.amerlands.org.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

2003 Meeting Programs.

Following is an updated outline of programs planned for our 2003 meetings. Everyone has an interesting story to tell! So please call me to volunteer to make a presentation of your own, to pass along a lead of a person you know who may be able to relate an interesting facet of our hobby, or even just to pass along an idea you would like to have as a program. Thus far, here's what we have planned tentatively for our 2003 meetings:

     I'm currently exploring a lead for a program on plate tectonics and volcanoes. I would love to hear from anyone with additional ideas! Please call me during the day at 652-7249 (work) or in the evenings or weekends at 659-3577 (home).
          Thank you.
          Nancy Brace-Thompson 1st Vice President.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

Tuesday, January 21, Ray Meisenheimer had a busy day. He visited Cypress School in Thousand Oaks. The program extended to two hours, covering four classes. There were 80 - 7 & 8 year old students with 5 instructors. Ray exhibited a number of large fossils, which the youngsters enjoyed very much. He also exhibited two boxes of rocks and minerals, explaining their use in the home.

Monday, January 27th was scout night at Mound School. Ray Meisenheimer presented the program on rocks, minerals and fossils. There were approximately 80 to 90 Tigers, Cubs and Webelos and 80 or so parents, along with troop leaders. They enjoyed the large fossils Ray had on display.

     Florence Meisenheimer.

On January 10, Steve and Susan Mulqueen presented lectures to students enrolled in the Shoreline Preservation Course at the Marine Science Institute at UC Santa Barbara. The general theme for this session was "Petroleum Seeps". Their lecture was titled "Habitat in the Petroleum Seep Environment".

On January 26, Dave Mautz, Steve and Susan Mulqueen prepared an exhibit titled "Amber, a Window into the Past" at the California Oil Museum in Santa Paula. The amber specimens contain insect, arachnid and plant fossils from several countries. They are on loan to the museum from Jim and Nancy Brace-Thompson, Steve and Susan Mulqueen and Dave Mautz. The exhibit is in the main hall of the museum and will run through June.

On February 8, Steve and Susan Mulqueen led a field trip with professor Bruce Tiffney and several students from UC Santa Barbara to petroleum seep localities in Ventura County. The general theme of the trip was "Habitat in the Petroleum Seep Environment". The group visited seeps in the Hopper Canyon, Santa Paula and Ojai oil fields.

     Steve Mulqueen.

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MARCH BIRTHDAYS.

Happy Birthday to all those born in March. We all wish you good health and hope you have a Great Day! Please let me know if I have missed your birthday. Please call Shirley Layton at 642-2683 and leave a message if I'm not there or an e-mail will also do the trick, jns@west.net. Thanks!

March -Happy Birthday!!
     Emma Mayer - 8th,
     Greg Davis - 18th,
     Callie Stephens - 19th,
     Cindy Treutelaar - 27th.

The March birthstone is the Aquamarine and the flower is the Jonquil.

AQUAMARINE, the blue variety of beryl.

VARIETY INFORMATION.
VARIETY OF: Beryl Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈.
USES: Gemstone.
BIRTHSTONE FOR: March.
COLOR: various shades of blue to blue-green.
INDEX OF REFRACTION: 1.57 - 1.60.
BIREFRINGENCE: 0.004 - 0.008.
HARDNESS: 7.5 - 8.
CLEAVAGE: one direction, poor.
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: hexagonal.
Pleochroic: weak.

     Aquamarine is the blue, or perhaps more correctly, blue-green or aqua variety of the mineral beryl. Other gemstone color varieties that belong to beryl include emerald, morganite, and heliodor. Other colors of beryl are simply refered to by their color, such as red beryl.
     Aquamarine is colored by trace amounts of iron that find their way into the crystal structure. Most gem aquamarines have been heat treated to produce the popular blue-green colors from less desirable yellow or pale stones. The leading producer of aquamarines is the country of Brazil, which has many mines. Pakistan, as well as many U.S. localities, produce wonderful specimens as well.

          Copyright (c) 1995 by Amethyst Galleries, Inc.

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LOVE.

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HOSPITALITY.

We had 21 members and one guest, Tiara Stevens along with our guest speaker Dick Flaharty and his wife at our January meeting. We missed Sharlyne's smile, however, she will be there for us at the February meeting. Susan and Steve Mulqueen supplied us with some great refreshments as we were able to visit with other members and catch up on the New Year happenings. There were five lucky door prize winners and a great program about collecting in Oregon. What more could you ask for?!! Hope to see you all in February as we finish up with show plans and drool over all the good Tucson and Quartzsite finds!

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MEMBERSHIP.

MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE DUE - Please send to Sharon & Gary Markley, 1686 Kenewa Street, Ojai, CA 93023. See the inside of the Bulletin Cover for amounts.

Address Correction: Please correct your 2002 Directories, as new ones won't be out until April.
     Don & Betty Stehsel,
     99 Poinsettia Gardens Drive,
     Ventura, CA 93004,
     805 647-8903.

Attention New Members.
Need a Club Badge?
Blue Engravers is giving us a $.50 reduction per badge
for advertising space in the club bulletin!
Ventura County Shape badge $11.28 (includes. tax & ship).
ACCOUNT: Ventura Gem and Mineral Society, Inc.
Name (print clearly. It will be on your name badge):

_____________________________________________

Address:

_____________________________________________

_______________________________Zip:____________

Make check payable to and mail to (takes 5-7 business days):
Blue Engravers,
1375 Caspian Ave.,
Long Beach, CA 90813.
If ordering more than 2 badges call them for exact shipping
costs at (562) 983-5140, FAX (562) 983-5146,
E-mail BLUEGRAVR@aol.com.

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"PEBBLE PUP NUGGETS."

Pebble Pup Corner:

Unfortunately we don't have a planned Pebble Pup program at this point. However, Pebble Pups are very important to our Society and we hope you will continue to come to the regular meetings. There are always special door prize drawings for pebble pups and you can pick a special tumbled rock to take home with you.

Question of the day!!!! Are there any parents who would like to come forward to oversee the group with the understanding that members of the club would be responsible for the pebble pup program each month? Contact Ray Meisenheimer if you are interested.


Pebble Pup Birthdays - March:
     Callie Stephens - 19th.


Pebble Pup Dates to Remember:
2-26-03 - Regular VGMS Meeting 7:30 pm - Final Show Preparations & Show & Tell from Quartzsite & Tucson.
3-1 & 2-03 - VGMS Annual Show - Ventura Fair Grounds. (We can use lots of help from Pebble Pups manning the kids booth, handing out programs etc. Grab your Mom & Dad and your friends and come on down.)


Pups - Can you find the "M is for..." Coloring page in this bulletin? Color it and learn about rocks at the same time. Have Fun!! (You adults can color too!! Be honest have any of you done them? I don't have any colors or I would!)

Webmaster's Hint: It's near the end.

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JUNIOR ACTIVITIES REPORT:
"Kids Korner Kurrency"
By Jim Brace-Thompson, Junior Activities Chair.

This month's Junior Activities suggestion comes courtesy of Michele Yamanaka, Junior Chairman for the Three Rivers Gem and Mineral Society of Fort Wayne, Indiana. In a letter from Michele that was printed in the September 2002 issue of the AFMS Newsletter, she described a system of "Kids Korner Kurrency".

Pebble Pups and Junior Members of the Three Rivers Gem and Mineral Society earn Kids Komer Kurrency by attending meetings, writing articles for the club newsletter, giving presentations, making displays, and engaging in other club-related activities. The Kurrency is like the system of Green Stamps my mother used to collect when I was growing up in Illinois. Build up enough of a reserve of the Kurrency, and kids can cash it in exchange for equipment, books, or specimens available only to club kids. (The club has even purchased an ultraviolet light just waiting for some lucky kid to earn enough Kids Korner Kurrency!)

Michele reports that their Pebble Pups and Junior Members provide a great deal of assistance at their annual gem show, giving presentations to classes that come on their School Day, manning their Touch 'n Feel Table, helping at the dub table, and installing displays of their own. As an incentive to display their collections or lapidary artwork, kids who set up a display earn a special Kids Komer Kurrency worth $5.00 to be spent only at the show. Dealers at the TRGMS show have learned to appreciate the Kurrency: it gets converted into real greenbacks for them when turned in to the club treasurer!

Kids Korner Kurrency is one of the many unique ideas out there being implemented by creative junior leaders and their clubs. I encourage anyone and everyone to share the neat things you're doing in your club by sending your activities and ideas to me (jbraceth@juno.com, email; 805-659-3577, phone). Share the wealth by exchanging ideas that will help motivate young kids to participate and-as always-have fun!

CFMS Newsletter 2/03.

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"FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN."

TRI-CLUB FIELDTRIPS 2003:
Schedule,
1/27/2003.

The schedule is very tentative. Anyone interested in attending a field trip should call the trip leader to verify the trip.

Ron Wise, Field Trip Chairperson.

THE ROCKHOUND STICKER RECOGNIZED BY CFMS,
Richard Pankey,
CFMS Publicity/Public Relations Committee.

     At the recent Directors meeting in Visalia, the Directors voted to adopt the Rockhound Sticker and design as the "official" recognized symbol for rockhounding. This sticker was developed and introduced by the Publicity/Public Relations Committee at the CFMS and AFMS Shows last July. To date close to 9000 stickers have been sold throughout the US and Canada.
     We hope that all CFMS member societies will also support the Rockhound Sticker program. The Rockhound Sticker is an easy way to identify oneself to others as a rockhound. It provides an easy way to recognize other rockhounds. The sticker not only promotes and publicizes rockhounding, it is a service to rockhounds to facilitate meeting one another. The sticker is an identifier for club members as well as unaffiliated rockhounds. It lets everyone know you are interested in collecting rocks, minerals, or fossils and you are willing to discuss collecting, to share rockhounding experiences and to help other rockhounds. It tells others that you are a rockhound friend.
     At the Visalia meeting a new, first time director told me that when he drove into the back parking lot at the Holiday Inn he wasn't sure if he was in the right place. But once he saw the Rockhound Sticker on several vehicles he new he was.
     Many clubs have already purchased stickers to give or sell to their members. Several clubs will be using them as case favors at their shows. Now is the time to order stickers for your club so everyone can have them for the upcoming field trip season.
     The stickers sell for 50 cents each for 1 to 59 stickers (minimum order - 10 stickers) or 30 cents each for quantities of 100 or more; price includes postage and handling. Frank will accept checks or credit cards. When ordering make check payable to: ROCKY FIVE. To order stickers, contact: Frank Mullaney, 5705 Begonia Drive, San Jose, CA 95124-6535 or telephone 408-266-1791.
     Ye Old Timers Club will be selling the logo at the AFMS-CFMS show in Ventura in June.

CFMS Newsletter 2/03.

TRI-FEDERATION ROCKHOUND RENDEZVOUS,
May 22 - 25, 2003.

Information was in the November/December and January bulletins. Some update information. Every one who agrees to adhere to the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies Code of Ethics, abide by the directions of the field trip leaders, and practice safe rockhounding is welcome to attend. Be sure to check out the Tri-Federation Rendezvous articles and Texas Springs photos on the CFMS Website (www.cfmsinc.org). For California contact Richard Pankey, dickpankey@juno.com for more information.
     by Florence Meisenheimer, Federation Director.

  Table of Contents.

VGMS MINUTES.

Minutes of the VGMS Board Meeting,
Thursday, February 6, 2003:
     The regular board meeting of the Ventura Gem and Mineral Society was called to order by President Ray Meisenheimer at 7:30 pm. Thursday, February 6, 2003, at the VGMS Museum, 5019 Crooked Palm Rd., Ventura, Ca.
Present: Ray and Florence Meisenheimer, Richard Bromser, Dave Mautz, Steve Mulqueen and Greg Davis.
      Although Jim Brace-Thompson wasn't able to attend, he forwarded notes stating the next show meet is scheduled for Feb.12th at 7:30; the next regular club meeting program will include a Quartzsite show & tell by members and that club membership cards have been designed and can be printed up on card stock with individual member names for $20.00 per 100.
Ray Meisenheimer: suggests our club go in with the Oxnard club and purchase the Del Air display case after their show in June. It's currently on display at the Vta. Co. Government Center. The Monrovia club will offer a work shop for proper display case presentation, including rules of competition - cost is $10.00, includes the rule book and is scheduled for March 29th, 8-2:30. Details will follow.
Florence Meisenheimer: reiterated the Federation Show in June and urges all to enter display cases if possible. Rock Hound decals are still available at $0.50 each or $0.25 in quantity.
Richard Bromser: it was m/s/c to accept the use of checks 982-991 for club expenses for the month of January. Richard and Jim Brace-Thompson met with Carolyn Adams from the County Fairgrounds and agreed to a contract for the 2003 show. Fairground costs have increased $270.00 over last year. It has been agreed that wrapped sandwiches will be purchased for lunches Thursday and Friday during show set up.
Steve Mulqueen: visited Liz and Clay Brashears and reported that Sharlyne Holloway is recovering from a stay in the hospital. The Oil Museum in Santa Paula now has a display of amber thanks to Steve and Dave Mautz.
     A motion was made to donate $1.00 per member to the Calif. State Mining and Mineral Museum in Mariposa and it was seconded and approved.
     There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 pm.
          Respectfully submitted, Greg Davis.


Minutes of the Regular Monthly Meeting,
Wednesday, January 22, 2003:
     The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by President Ray Meisenheimer at 7:35 pm on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 in the Bijou Room of the Lexington, 5440 Ralston, Ventura, Ca. The group was led in the salute to the flag.
     The December regular and board meeting minutes were corrected and then accepted as shown in the bulletin.
     Guest speaker, Dick Flaharty presented an excellent slide presentation on locations in Oregon. Included were Succor Creek and Leslie Gulch. Specimens were also on hand for all to see. Our thanks to Dick and we'll see him again soon as a representative from the Dell Air Club, hosting the Federation Show in June.
     The regular meeting was called back to order and Richard Bromser presented the treasurer's report.
     Sharon Markley mentioned that dues are due and that we had one other guest tonight - Tiara Stevens.
     Florence Meisenheimer reported from the Federation and that the June show is quickly approaching.
     Jim Brace-Thompson reported on our show in March and stated sign up sheets are circulating, February 1st will be the set up date for Foster and Wright Libraries. Also, exhibitor sign up sheets should be turned in and donation award tickets are available for purchase.
     Ron Wise spoke of field trips and how plans have changed for several trips. Details will be printed soon and suggestions for trips are being sought.
     Shirley Layton reminded us that articles to the bulletin are due the 10th of February and a Country Store pricing event will occur on the 28th of January.
     Ray Meisenheimer asked for volunteers to set up a club display case for both our show and the Federation show in June. Discussion is needed concerning the purchase of the display case being offered by the Del Air Club after their show in June. Ray also presented a museum lecture to 80 children from Newbury Park.
     Door prizes were awarded to 5 people and refreshments were provided by Steve and Susan Mulqueen.
     There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:43 pm.
          Respectfully submitted, Greg Davis.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

LEGEND OF THE APACHE TEAR DROPS.

     Apache Tear Drops is a legendary name given to these stones by Indians of the Apache tribe of Central Arizona.
     The gateway to a great mineral district is a towering mountain with sheer cliffs that rises out of the desert floor known today as Picket Post Mountain. As the legend goes, it was on this Mountain that the Spaniards cornered a party of Apache warriors.
     To be captured meant to be a slave for life in the Spanish gold mines; to retreat meant a fall over the cliffs. The Indians chose death.
     Later when the squaws came to gather the broken bodies of their brave warriors, a voice in the breeze whispered, "Thy bitter tears shall be turned into beautiful stones, for I should not have made those cliffs so high."
     So today, if you should happen to be near Picket Post Mountain and a gentle breeze sounds like a sob from a broken heart, you may think it is only your imagination until you look down at the ground and see some Apache Tear Drops that were not there a moment ago.

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As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an 'uplift' for the bird following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock gains 71% flying range over each bird's flying alone.
Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the 'lifting power' of the bird immediately in front.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as the goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed where we want to go.

When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position.
Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks, sharing leadership, interdependent with each other.

The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Lesson: We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging, not something less helpful!

ref Bell Notes, Drywashers Gazette, via Petrograph 11/01,
NAPA GEMS March 2002.

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A LESSON IN GEMSTONE INCLUSIONS.

Almost all gemstones have some type of inclusion, which a lot of people look at as a "flaw". This "flaw" is an important characteristic of the gem material as it often proves to be an indicator of the type of gem that you are looking at, as well as, the genuineness and sometimes even the country of origin of the particular stone. A jeweler's loupe or a microscope is all that is needed to view the internal world of the gemstones.

     LILY-PAD INCLUSION looks like a lily pad and is found in peridot.

     HALO OR DISC-LIKE INCLUSION looks like a flat, disk-like shape and resembles a halo. Very often this inclusion will contain a black mark in the center which could be a zircon crystal. This inclusion is found in Ceylon (Sir Lanka) sapphires.

     FINGERPRINTS small crystal inclusions that are arranged in curved rows and look like a finger print.

     HORSETAIL INCLUSIONS consist of hair-like fibers arranged together and resemble a horse's tail. This is indicative of demantoid garnet.

     NEEDLE INCLUSIONS resemble fine needles and are found in garnet, sapphires, aquamarine, andalusite and exclusive to Burmese rubies.

     TWO-PHASE INCLUSIONS resemble a frankfurter in outline that has a bubble enclosure. This bubble may or may not move when the stone is tilted. Topaz, quartz, some tourmaline, as well as, synthetic and genuine emeralds exhibit this inclusion.

     THREE-PHASE INCLUSIONS look like irregularly shaped pea pods and contain a bubble, cube shape or rhomboid solid next to the bubble. These inclusions may be solid, liquid or gas. Found in emeralds from Columbia.

     BUBBLES look just like what you think. This type of inclusion indicates that you are looking at synthetic material, glass or a piece of genuine amber.

     DARK BALL-LIKE INCLUSIONS look like a dark opaque ball surrounded by irregularly shaped, wispy, brown cloud-like formations. These inclusions are exclusive to Thai rubies.

     FEATHER is actually a crack in a gemstone that looks like a feather. This inclusion is observed in sapphires, rubies and diamonds.

     ZEBRA STRIPES look just like a zebra's stripes and are indicative of quartz.

     SWIRL MARKS look like serpentine, curved shapes or curlicues and usually appear as a darker shade of color than the material that you are looking at. This indicates that you are looking at a piece of glass.

     VEILS look like bubble-like inclusions that are arranged in layers and resemble a wispy veil. This is common in your synthetic emeralds and synthetic rubies.

     COLOR BANDING looks like concentrated color resembling bands in a gem material. This is caused by changes in temperature, pressure and chemicals during the growth period. Straight color banding indicates a genuine stone and curved color banding indicates a synthetic stone.

          The Rock Rattler, via MOROKS Newsletter - September 2002.

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HINTS & TIPS FOR ROCKHOUNDS
(Use at your own risk).

I AM IN NEED OF MORE TIPS! DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY TO SHARE OR A GOOD SOURCE FOR SOME?

Selecting Materials for Cabochons by John Sinkankas - A beginner is often confused by the great variety of cabochon material offered for sale. Selection should be based on quality. Carefully inspect the material of your choice. It must be solid, free of any cracks or holes, and be uniform in texture. Certain kinds of jasper contain soft spots because all the pores did not fill up with the silica-bearing solutions. Check slabs of this kind by wetting the surface and watching to see if water remains on top or is soaked up. The material with soft spots will not polish.

Many slabs are displayed at dealers' tables in flat pans of water. Porous spots will soak up the water so it is best to allow the selected slab to dry thoroughly. To check it for uniformity in texture, hold it up to a strong light at an angle.

When the beginner chooses a material for his/her first attempt at gem cutting, agate, such as Montana, Mexican or Brazilian is a good choice. These agates are hard and tough enough to allow for mistakes that will be made and corrected. It is wise to make the first cabochon about one-half inch in size and gradually work on larger cabs as one gains experience.

Original Source unknown via CFMS Newsletter 3/03.

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SEASIDE GEMBOREE IS COMING!
START PLANNING!

It's hard to believe that we are into the year 2003 already! The AFMS/CFMS show, Seaside GEMboree is just around the corner. Now is the time to start planning your vacation for June 2003 and attending the HUGE convention and gem show in Ventura, California.

The Seaside GEMboree will have something for the whole family. Our camping is right next to the Ventura Beach. Our weather will be cool with sunny afternoons. Seaside Park (formerly Ventura Fairgrounds) is within walking distance of the beach, city of Ventura and all of its local shopping. The AFMS/CFMS will have 50 dealers, demonstrations, gold panning, displays, a silent auction and many SPECIAL DISPLAYS NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

One of our special programs will be by Bob Varish, a meteorologist who has self-collected two of the MARS METEORITES. Bring your possible meteorites to our show and Bob will tell you if you have a Meteorite or Meteorwrong.

We will also have a FULL SIZE TRICERATOPS MODEL, collected by Paleontologist Marcus Erickson, who will be on hand to talk Dinosaurs and help in our Dino Dig.

There will be a HUGE BUILDING for display cases, where we will have both AFMS and CFMS competitive displays and also non-competitive displays. This will give you a great opportunity to show your best skills and material. We hope you will want to put in a display case. Our MERMAID CONTEST is creating a lot of interest. We want everyone to start creating an entry. Your (mermaid) entries will be displayed together in a display case. There will be a nice prize for the winning entry. To date, we know we will have carvings, silver work and jewelry made for the mermaid contest. HOW ABOUT YOU? What will your entry be? Get your entry form in as soon as possible.

All of the Seaside GEMboree forms -- Pre-registration and camping, Mermaid contest, Display, etc. are on the CFMS WEBSITE (www.cfmsinc.org). You can print the forms from the website or call Maxine Dearborn at (818) 883-7851.

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2003 CFMS CLUB SHOWS.

Santa Clara Valley Gem & Mineral Society - Take a close look at rocks and minerals, and how various aspects of jewelry making are accomplished March 15-16, 2003 at the 48th annual Gem and Mineral Show at the SCC Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Road, San Jose. Dealers, displays, and demonstrations from 10-6 on Sat., and 10-5 on Sunday.

Tickets $6 per adult, free to children under 12. Call 408 266-4327 or 408 734-2473 for more information, or http://chriscox.org/scvgms/. Free serpentine on an information card to the first 2003 visitors.

Bring your rock for identification! - Sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society (non-profit).


GEM DIEGO 2003 - March 29-30, 2003 - The San Diego Mineral and Gem Society, Inc., will hold their annual show on March 29-30, at Al Bahr Shrine Center at 5540 Kearny Mesa Road, just north of the intersection of Hwy. 163 and Clairemont Mesa Blvd. The show hours are 9:30 to 5 on Saturday and 10 to 4 on Sunday. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for those over 65, and free for scout groups with leaders, active military and their dependents with I.D., and for everyone 12 and under. Parking is plentiful and free. On the first floor, we will have 14 dealers in minerals, fossils, cut stones and faceting rough, slabs, equipment, tools, supplies, findings, books, carvings, jewelry, and more. The second floor is dedicated to education: 40 beautiful exhibit cases, 16 demonstrators, free gem identification by the Gemological Society of San Diego, plus the Juniors' selling booth. Of course, we have door prizes, too! (Amethyst slab, GPS unit, and so on.) For further information, contact Wayne Moorhead, Show Chair, at (858) 586-1637, or email him at waynem@photon.com.


FEBRUARY 22-23: STOCKTON, CA - Co-Hosts: Stockton Lapidary & Min. Club & No. California Facetor's Guild. Scottish Rite Temple, 33 W. Alpine Ave. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4.
FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2: HAYWARD, CA - Mineral & Gem Society of Castro Valley, Centennial Hall; 22292 Foothill Blvd. Hours: Fri. & Sat. 10-6; Sun. 10-5. Cheryl Archer. E-mail: clsagitta@msn.com.
MARCH 1-2: ARCADIA, CA -Monrovia Rockhounds, Inc. The Arboretum of Los Angeles County, Ayers Hall, 301 N. Baldwin Avenue. Hours: 9-4:30 both days. JoAnna Ritchey (626) 359-1624. E-mail: j.ritchey@verizon.net.
MARCH 1-2: VENTURA, CA - Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Seaside Park/Ventura Co. Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Boulevard. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Jim Brace-Thompson (805) 659-3577. E-mail: jbraceth@juno.com.
MARCH 8-9: SAN MARINO, CA - Pasadena Lapidary Society. Gems, Minerals & Jewelry of the Southwest. San Marino Masonic Center, 3130 Huntington Drive. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Marlene Kyte (626) 794-0519.
MARCH 8-9: SPRECKELS, CA - Monterey Bay Gem & Mineral Society, Veterans Memorial Hall, 6th & Llanos Streets. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Bill McFalda (831) 442-9964.
MARCH 8-9: TURLOCK, CA - Mother Lode Mineral Soc., Stanislaus Cnty. Fairgrounds, 900 N. Broadway, Turlock, CA. Hours: 9-5 both days. Bud McMillin (209) 524-3494.
MARCH 14, 15, 16: STODDARD WELL, CA - Victor Valley Gem & Mineral Club, Tailgate and Sat. field trip - 9 am. Hours: unscheduled all days, E-mail for directions or call Bob Harper (760) 947-6383. E-mail: robrokx22@earthlink.net.
MARCH 15-16: SAN JOSE, CA - Santa Clara Valley Gem & Mineral Soc., Earth's Treasures, Santa Clara Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Rd. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Chuck Boblenz (408) 734-2473. Email: cboblenz@aol.com.
MARCH 15-16: HAWTHORNE, CA - Northrop Gruman Gem & Mineral Club, 12303 Crenshaw, Entrance 16. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Jimmy Lamham (310) 784-0407.
MARCH 22-23: TORRANCE, CA - South Bay Lapidary & Mineral Society "Nature's Treasures" (No dealers). Torrance Recreation Center, 3341 Torrance Blvd. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Omer Goeden (818) 353-9279.
MARCH 29-30: ROSEVILLE, CA - Roseville Rock Rollers Gem & Min. Soc., Placer County Fairgrounds, 800 All America City Blvd. Hours: 10-5 both days. Betty Soper-Arnold (916) 969-6773.
MARCH 29-30: SAN DIEGO, CA - San Diego Mineral & Gem Society, Al Bahr Shrine Center, 5440 Kearny Mesa Road. Hours: Sat. 9:30-5, Sun. 10-4. Wayne Moorhead (858) 586-1637.
APRIL 5-6: HACIENDA HEIGHTS, CA - Puente Hills Gem & Mineral Club. "Magic in Rocks" Steinmetz County Park, 1545 S. Stimson Ave. (between Gale Ave. and Halliburton Road). Hours: 10-5 both days. Bob Hess (562) 696-2270. Email: rpsthess@earthlink.net.
APRIL 5-6: MARIPOSA, CA - Mariposa Gem & Mineral Club, Mariposa Fairgrounds, Hwy 140 South. Hours: 10-5 both days. Dianne Mueller (209) 742-7625.
APRIL 6-7: ANGELS CAMP, CA - Calaveras Gem & Mineral Society "Exhibits of Natures Wonders" Calaveras County Fairgrounds. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Earl Klein (510) 632-9373. Email: bomar@goldrush.com.
APRIL 12-13: BORON, CA - Mohave Mineralogical Society, Boron High School, 26831 Prospect. Hours: Sat. 9-7, Sun. 9-4. Derek English e-mail: djenglish@ccis.com, David Eyre (760) 762-6575 or 762-6861.
APRIL 26-27: SANTA CRUZ, CA - Santa Cruz Mineral & Gem Society, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. Corner of Center & Church Streets. Hours: 10-5 both days. Hubert & Eleanor Drake (831) 688-8086. Email: hmdrake@pacbell.net.
MAY 3-4: BAKERSFIELD, CA - Kern County Mineral Society, Kern County Fairgrounds, Ming & P Streets. Hours: 10-5 both days. Will Morton (661) 834-3128.
MAY 3-4: ANAHEIM, CA - Searchers Gem & Mineral Society, 44th Annual Show, Brookhurst Community Center, 2271 West Crescent Ave. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun 10-4. Nancy Norlund (714) 960-6957, Karen Fox (714) 832-3580.
MAY 10-11: RENO, NV - Reno Gem & Mineral Society, Reno Livestock-Events Center Exhibit Hall, 1350 N. Wells Avenue. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. John Peterson (775) 356-8820.
MAY 17-18: YUCAIPA, CA - Yucaipa Valley Gem & Mineral Society, Yucaipa Community Center, First Street & Avenue B. Hours: 10-5 both days. Henry Cobb (909) 795-3716. E-mail: hcobb@gte.net.
MAY 31 - JUNE 1: GLENDORA, CA - Glendora Gems, Goddard Middle School, 859 E. Sierra Madre. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun 10-4. Mark Thompson (626) 335-3814.
JUNE 5-8: VENTURA, CA - Del Air Rockhounds, Inc., Seaside Park (Ventura Fairgrounds), 10 W. Harbor Blvd. Hours: Thurs-Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Brad Tanas (818) 368-5624.

  Table of Contents.

AMERICAN FEDERATION / REGIONAL
SHOW SCHEDULE - 2003.

SOUTH CENTRAL FEDERATION,
February 22-23; Pasadena, TX.

SOUTHEAST FEDERATION,
To Be Announced.

CALIFORNIA FEDERATION
Combined AFMS/CFMS SHOW,
June 5-8; Ventura, CA.
Del Air Rockhounds presents:
"Seaside Gemboree 2003",
Seaside Park (Formerly Ventura Fairgrounds),
10 W. Harbor Blvd.,
Bob Backus (818) 347-2056, E-mail: GemboreeBiz@aol.com,
(818) 883-7851, http://www.afms-cfmsgemshow.org/.

EASTERN FEDERATION,
October 17-19, Poughkeepsie, NY.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN FEDERATION,
July 11-13, Casper, WY.

NORTHWEST FEDERATION,
August 1-3, Kennewick, WA.

MIDWEST FEDERATION,
August 15-17; Cottage Grove, MN.

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CALIFORNIA FEDERATION SHOW FLYER.

Removed to save space and load time.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

     Just for the record any unsigned articles are by the Editor. We are deep into Show Preparations and it looks good. Any one wanting to write up their thoughts about the show, vacations, rock collecting trips, Great Find or anything of interest, please do so as we are all interested. Contributions from you members keep the Bulletin interesting and I thank you for them.

Trili - The Editor's Pet Trilobite.

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EDUCATIONAL CORNER.

Definition of the Month.

Amber:
     A hard, brittle fossil resin that is often yellowish to brownish in color and exhibits a transparent to translucent physical property. It was formed from the sap of coniferous trees. The sap hardened and became fossilized as a result of burial and desiccation. In most cases, amber has increased in hardness with geologic time, the hardest amber being the oldest. Often times insects, arachnids (spiders) and many other small animals and plant remains are found trapped and preserved within the amber. Amber occurs worldwide in some alluvial soils, clays, beds of lignite coal and in unconsolidated sediment. Amber has been used by ancient civilizations and is still in demand for making pipe mouthpieces, small ornamental objects and jewelry. Amber is also in demand by paleontologists and fossil collectors because of the highly detailed fossils that can be analyzed in some amber specimens. Amber is often referred to as a "window" into the past because of the well preserved fossils found within certain specimens.

     The "Definition of the Month" will feature key words which are related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history. Anyone who wishes to submit words and definitions for the bulletin, please see me.

     Written by Steve Mulqueen for the VGMS, February 2003.

Illustration of the Month.


"Exploring the Desert",
An illustration by James L. Cannon.

Source: The book "Desert Treasure and the Mohave Desert", written by Hellen Heffernan, Irmagarde Richards and Alice Salisbury, Harr Wagner Publishing Company, San Francisco, 1939, page 93.

This book is based on a true story about two boys who were living near Daggett and Barstow shortly after the First World War. The story describes their adventures in a strange, colorful and interesting land of the California Desert. (Note the old spelling "Mohave" Desert, now spelled Mojave.)

The "Illustration of the Month" features a drawing, sketch, pen & ink rendering or an engraving print rediscovered in old books, maps and manuscripts related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history.

Written by Steve Mulqueen for the VGMS, February 2003.

  Table of Contents.

SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

COLORBOOK.

M is for . . .



. . . Magnetite.
Magnetite is a natural magnet.
It is the most important ore of
iron in the world. Its crystals
are diamond-shaped: collectors
call them octahedral crystals.
"Octahedral" means they have
eight sides or faces. Color it
gray.







. . . Malachite.
Malachite is a beautiful green
mineral which sometimes forms
zones or bands. Each band is a
slightly different shade of green.
It polishes well and is used for
carvings and jewelry.








. . . Muscovite.
Muscovite is another type of mica.
It forms six-sided crystals and breaks
into sheets. It can be yellow, light
brown, green, or red.

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VGMS PHOTO ALBUM.

Oatman, Arizona - A "living ghost town" along Old Route 66. Susan Mulqueen in front of the original Oatman Bank, January, 2003.









Oatman, Arizona - Burros roam the streets to greet visitors and to beg for handouts. The most popular attraction among visitors is the feeding of the burros. If you visit Oatman, don't forget to bring at least a 2 pound bag of carrots.








Desert Primrose - A plant common to the Mojave and Colorado Deserts of California. It is unusual because of its cage-like structure which forms on the bottom of the plant. Photo taken near the town of Desert Center, Riverside County.










Coxcomb Mountains - Looking northwest along Hwy. 177, north of Desert Center, Riverside County.

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