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The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. (VGMS)
Rockhound Rambling
December 2005.

Table of Contents.

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE;
• WORDS TO LIVE BY;
• VGMS CHRISTMAS DINNER;
• REVIEW - PROGRAMS FOR OCTOBER 26, 2005 & NOVEMBER 9, 2005;
• DUES ARE DUE;
• MARK YOUR CALENDARS;
• A REPORT ON THE HARRISON COUNTY GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY, GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI;
• CHIPS & BOULDERS;
• 2006 VGMS SHOW;
• AN IMPORTANT LETTER FROM OUR INSURANCE BROKER;
• WEB SITES;
• PROGRAM SCHEDULE FOR MONTHLY MEETINGS;
• JANUARY BIRTHDAYS;
• HOSPITALITY;
• VGMS MINUTES;
• COMMUNITY OUTREACH;
• MEMBERSHIP;
• EARTH SCIENCES;
• CAMP PARADISE REPORT;
• "FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN";
• READING ROCKS - THE GEOLOGY OF THE COUNTY;
• PICTURE JASPER;
• HINTS & TIPS FOR ROCKHOUNDS - (Use at your own risk);
• SHOW DATES;
• EDITOR'S NOTE;
• EDUCATIONAL CORNER and VGMS PHOTO ALBUM;
• 67th ANNUAL CALIFORNIA FEDERATION SHOW.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

I want to thank all of you for the support you gave me as president. It was an honor to serve you. We had an outstanding group of officers and committee chairpersons. My special thanks to them. All current club officers have accepted the nomination. However, we are currently seeking nominations for a Show Chairperson for the year 2006. If you or anyone you know is interested in this position, please notify me as soon as possible. The Show Chairperson for the year 2006 will be responsible for coordinating efforts for our annual Gem & Mineral Show in March 2007. I look forward to seeing many of you at our Christmas Dinner on 12/14.

Merry Christmas,
Ed Clark,
President.

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WORDS TO LIVE BY.

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.

The nice thing about standards is that there are so many of them to choose from.

The best thing about the future is - it comes one day at a time.

Collected by Wayne Ehlers.

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VGMS CHRISTMAS DINNER,
December 14, 2005.

If you haven't made your Christmas Dinner reservation yet, give Richard Bromser a call to see if there is still time. You don't want to miss it, what can be better than a rockhound Christmas Dinner? It will be held December 14th (Second Wednesday) at 6:30 pm. It will again be at Carrows Restaurant on Harbor Blvd./Seaward Ave. in Ventura.

It will be a complete turkey dinner with salad, beverage and pumpkin pie. The price is $13.00 per person, tax and tip included (same price as the last 5 years).

In addition to a wonderful dinner we will be installing the 2006 Officers and giving much thanks to the 2005 group who have worked hard to make our club what it is. We want Richard and his family to enjoy the dinner, so please make arrangements for payment prior to the dinner. The food and service are great and as always "rockhounds" are the best company! Hope to see you all there.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

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REVIEW - PROGRAMS FOR
OCTOBER 26, 2005 & NOVEMBER 9, 2005.

PROGRAM - OCTOBER 26, 2005:
Silent Auction - Great Material
by Ray & Florence Meisenheimer.

This was another fun silent auction with a lot of good material and the competitive spirit was very much present. These auctions are a good place to pick up some good material for lapidary or even displaying. Thank you Ray and Florence for hauling all those rocks and gathering up the great material!

PROGRAM - NOVEMBER 9, 2005:
"A First Year Rockhound's Retrospective"
by Lowell Foster.

This was a fun program with Lowell's humor and enthusiasm regarding his experiences and education in his first year as a rockhound. Actually he has been a collector of all things since he was a kid, rocks included! He had some good slides of the areas that he has traversed during this year. He and his wife, Karen, made a 10-day trip through the Four Corner's region and some of the slides were of the Indian ruins. Karen works in the field of archeology so Lowell kept his collecting fingers in his pockets!

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DUES ARE DUE.

VGMS dues are due by January 1, 2006. You can send your dues to Membership Secretary, Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, P.O. Box 1573, Ventura, CA 93002. It is unbelievable that it is that time of year again! Please send now before you forget!

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

12-14-05 - VGMS Christmas Party - 6:30 pm, Carrows on Harbor - PLEASE NOTE THIS IS THE 2ND WEDNESDAY!
12-17-05 - VGMS Work Shop - Museum - Open - 9 to noon. Check with a shop supervisor to confirm (see "Chips & Boulders").
12-17 & 18-05 - Tri-Club Field Trip - Gold Rock Ranch, Yuma, AZ - Leader - Ron Wise.
1-1-06 - HAPPY NEW YEAR! - Here we go again!
1-5-06 - VGMS Board Meeting - 7:30 pm - At the I.B.E.W. Hall, 3994 E. Main St., Ventura CA. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
1-10-06 - DEADLINE FOR JANUARY Bulletin Articles to the Editor!
1-25-06 - VGMS Regular Meeting - 7:30 pm - At the Lexington.

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A REPORT ON THE HARRISON COUNTY
GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY,
GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI.

     "WE ARE ALL ALIVE, many are displaced at this time, due to the total loss of their homes and I do mean total loss...
     "At our last meeting, we only had 10 members that could attend and they were all suffering from the dreaded "lack of rock dust syndrome" caused by the loss of the society's two Genies, 2 Graves faceters, two dop wax pots, 2 saws - 4-inch and 7-inch, a flat lap and all of the many accessories used to conduct our monthly workshop (which is open to the public and is free of charge).
     "As if that wasn't enough, the individual membership lost; nine Genies, three Pixies, two Lortone 8 units, five faceting machines (two Graves, one Fac-Ette, one Ultra-Tec and one Ray Tech), three foredoom machines, one vacuum casting machine, one centrifugal caster, one complete wax mold making setup and wax injector, eight 7-inch saws, three 4-inch saws, one 10-inch combination saw, three burn out ovens, and an unknown number of accessories.
     "One has only to look around their own workshop and think how they would feel if they lost it all. It is totally devastating. Yet, we are alive and will rebuild.
     "If any of our rock hound friends or if you know someone that could help us out with used, rebuilt, or even new equipment and accessories, please call me at 1.228.863.6312 or ship to:
          Harrison County Gem & Mineral Society,
          c/o Billy E. Wood, Co-Founder and Current President,
          616 N. Wright Ave.,
          Long Beach, MS 39560."

     When I read this in the Loadstar bulletin (http://amfed.org/sfms/_pdf/lodestar_november05.pdf). I knew I had to do something. My family has been involved in the Lapidary hobby for about 9 years. My Son, Michael, and I learned faceting together at WildAcres and my wife works in Gold fabrication. My family has been blessed by our involvement in the Lapidary Societies and all the great people involved in them.
     My name is Ken Reed and I am a member and past President of the Deland Florida Gem and Mineral Club. I am a member of many clubs in Florida and I teach Faceting through the Tomoka Faceters Guild in Ormond Beach, Florida.
     I spoke with Billy E. Wood, the Co-Founder and Current President of the Harrison County club, and he told me that their workshop had been flooded during the Hurricane and had been under 9 feet of water and everything inside was a total loss. The city owns the building and is in the process of renovating it. It is expected to be ready for occupancy in February and with your help I want to fill it with equipment!
     I'm asking every club I can contact to donate at least $25 or to donate something, perhaps a used Faceting Machine, saw or Genie. I realize that some clubs are small and may not be able to make a donation but others may want to give more. If you need help with shipping, just give me a call. I hope to collect enough to help some of the other clubs that were affected by the Hurricane.
     Please join me in this effort and let me know what you can do to help. If you are a Club Officer contact your club and ask for a donation of money or equipment. If you are the editor of the club's bulletin, please put this in the next issue. I know that it's short notice to try to get a commitment from the clubs at their December meetings but please take a few minutes out of your busy day to contact them. If not, try at the January meeting. Together we can make a difference. I'll be waiting to hear back from you. Please, with your help we can make a dream come true! God bless you all.
          Kenneth Reed,
          1113 Cass St.,
          DeLand, FL 32720,
          Home: (386) 738-4879,
          Work: (386) 943-4685 Noon to 6 pm,
          Kr1113@aol.com.

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CHIPS & BOULDERS.

Many Thanks to Greg Davis, Jim Brace-Thompson, Richard Bromser and Steve Mulqueen for their hard work in putting a fresh tarp on the roof of the museum on Sat., December 3rd. Heck of a way to spend your Saturday, but the Museum and all the members appreciate it. Richard was in charge of purchasing the tarps and Greg spearheaded the work party. Thanks guys!

Bagging Party held! - Sounds like something from a crime report! On December 4th Lowell and Karen Foster hosted a game bagging party in their "virgin" garage as Jean Wise puts it! Jean had written an article for the bulletin inviting everyone and then realized it wouldn't be out yet. However, everyone was invited to attend at the November meeting. Sounds like it would have been a rocking good time! If you missed this one, Jean advises not to worry there will be another in February. Keep collecting materials for the game bags as there are 400 bags to fill. Jean says to "Get those tumblers going. Pick up some small mineral specimens, crystals, and fossils on your next field trip - or from your back yard and garage!"

Hosts and Hostesses Schedule for 2005 Meetings - Thank you to all who have volunteered, many hands make tasks much more enjoyable! Also thanks to Sharon Cunningham for coordinating the schedule.
     December: Christmas Party.

Time to start thinking which month you want to volunteer for in 2006!!

VGMS Workshops - They are held on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 am 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. With vacations and business trips it is a good idea to call to make sure the museum will be open.

CFMS & AFMS Newsletters - Anyone interested in their own subscriptions to these, please contact Shirley Layton (805 717-9226). The cost for one year is $5.50 for the CFMS and $4.50 for the AFMS. I do share some information from these with you, but there is much more in each issue that you may be interested in.

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2006 VGMS SHOW:
Stockpiling over the Holidays.

Things are progressing well for Show 2006. Our new "Welcome" banner has been delivered to unfurl across the Hospitality Booth, the fairgrounds contract is signed and delivered, as is our insurance coverage, Kathryn is contacting dealers and demonstrators, and publicity is starting to show up in the Show Calendars of the national rockhounding magazines. Your show committee chairs seem to be running full-speed ahead - and my thanks to one and all! With this last issue of the year for Rockhound Rambling, I wish all VGMS members happy holidays. Because of the busy holiday season, with Thanksgiving followed by Christmas, Hanukkah and the New Year, we won't be hosting another planning meeting for our March 2006 show until the new year. I hope to announce a January meeting date at our holiday dinner and/or in the next issue of the Bulletin.

In the meantime, while you do your holiday shopping to gather gifts for loved ones, I hope you'll gather and stockpile gifts to contribute toward the 2006 Show. Specifically, we'll need:

• Material for the Kids' Booth: 1) small samples of petrified wood, quartz or other crystals, sturdy fossils, Apache tears, small chunks of serpentine, and lots and lots of colorful tumbled stones for grab bags; 2) even smaller materials, such as fossil shark teeth, small samples of turquoise and other gem stones, small crystals, etc. for sand sifting; 3) larger prizes for the spinning wheel, such as geode or thunderstone halves, nice mineral specimens, larger tumble-polished gemstones, etc.;
• Garage sale sorts of items and used books for the County Store;
• Plant cuttings that have been rooted and potted or nicely established plants for the Plant Sale;
• Especially nice material for the Donation Awards Raffle at the Hospitality Booth - interesting and intriguing rock, mineral, or fossil specimens of the quality you would find in a storeroom or at a dealer's table and/or nice jewelry and cabs and faceted material;
• Nice tumbled gemstones for the "take-one" Treasure Chest that we keep at the Hospitality Booth to give each incoming new child a free stone, the treasure in the Treasure Chest is getting pretty well picked over, and we could use nice tumbled pieces of things like fire agate, tiger eye, rose quartz, etc.;
• Material for the Silent Auction - rock and gemstone rough that will allow the buyer to bring out the beauty, slabs for creating cabochons, larger fossil and mineral specimens, and some especially nice material that will attract attention and raise the bidding (larger pieces of petrified wood with the ends polished, for instance, seems to loosen wallets, as do cut and polished geodes and banded agates).

In addition, there are other aspects of the Show that need your participation. For instance:

• Steve Mulqueen will once again oversee Video Presentations, so if you have an interesting video that relates to the various aspects of our hobby (geology, in general, or paleontology, gem and mineral collecting, or lapidary arts), please contact Steve so he can include it in the program.
• Lowell Foster has suggested a neat new idea - a Members' Collecting Display with maps showing where VGMS members have collected the past year, along with specimens of what they've found in those localities. We encourage all members who have been in the field to loan specimens to Lowell. We're thinking of maybe two displays - one with especially nice material that would be in one or more of the display cases in the exhibit area and another with especially sturdy material that might make for a hands-on, touch-and-feel display in the Kids Booth. Please contact Lowell to let him know what you'll be able to provide.

Speaking of Lowell, he and his Kids' Booth co-chair Jean Wise will host a Kids' Booth organizing meeting at Lowell's home on Saturday, December 4, and a second one at a date-to-be-announced in February. At this meeting, we'd like to take stock of what materials we already have on hand to stuff grab bags, to serve as spinning wheel prizes, and for sand-sifting. If you've already been collecting such material, please bring it to Lowell's home on December 4 so that we can see what we have and where we need to collect and assemble more between December and February. This announcement might be coming too late for the December Bulletin, but please start stockpiling - if not for the December 4th meeting, then for the next one in February.

Meanwhile, once again, Happy Holidays, and my sincere thanks to one and all!

Jim Brace-Thompson, Show Chair.

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AN IMPORTANT LETTER
FROM OUR INSURANCE BROKER.

Dear CFMS Members,

     As many of you now know, McDaniel Insurance Services has taken on some new responsibilities on behalf of CFMS and we thank the many wonderful members who have worked with our office to make the transition go smoothly!
     We are now working directly with the member clubs and societies to schedule coverage for premises liability. We also are working with the clubs and societies to add optional coverage such as property coverage and the new Directors and Officers Management Liability coverage. As in the past, we will continue to serve your needs for certificates of insurance and the adding of coverage for events that will have 300 or more in attendance. Details of all the coverage and all application forms are available on the CFMS website (http://www.cfmsinc.org/) and you can also call our office with questions.
     We are particularly pleased with the Directors and Officers Program that we have been able to negotiate for the Federation and its member organizations. We are also pleased with the participation level we have seen. It is a good beginning for a strong and stable program.
     We are also pleased to announce that we will be able to continue to add clubs to the D&O program after the inception date of October 16th. Please feel free to call us for additional details.
     Regarding the premises liability, we have found that there is some confusion about just what premises liability is and why it is so important to 'cover this exposure' so I thought I would explore that in today's message.
     The concept of premises liability, as opposed to the 'operations' portion of the General Liability, is that it covers liability (legal responsibility) for a premises for which you are responsible by virtue of the fact that you own, rent (or have provided for your use) on an exclusive ongoing basis. If you rent a venue for an event or once a month for meetings, that would not be considered exclusive use nor ongoing use. If, however, you do have exclusive ongoing use of a space, you can be presumed to have primary oversight of maintenance and management. Legal precedent gives you the primary legal responsibility for any bodily injury at that premises. Since the CFMS General Liability is intended to cover clubs for their normal operations (meetings, field trips, etc.) and assumes that clubs do not have any 'premises exposure', coverage for premises liability can only be obtained by scheduling the location on the policy. Please give me a call if you would like to discuss this further.
     Another concern I have been hearing concerns pricing. Of course, prices are up everywhere, especially in insurance. The impacts of national disasters on reinsurers are passed on to everyone who purchases any insurance. The amount of insurance available in the world has decreased relative to the demand for insurance. Insurance companies may compete for the very lowest risk clients but they will look to all other clients to 'help them raise their reserves' (translate that as 'pay higher prices'). One of the big advantages of a statewide program, such as the one that CFMS has, is the pricing. If a club were to try to obtain comparable coverage on its own 'stand alone' policy, they would find premiums starting at about $1,200 for a club without a premises or special events or property coverage.
     We look forward to keeping you informed regarding your insurance coverage in future editions of the CFMS newsletter!
          Pat McDaniel,
          McDaniel Insurance Services.
From the CFMS Newsletter November 2005.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

WEB SITES.

AFMS web site - http://www.amfed.org/,
CFMS web site - http://www.cfmsinc.org/,
CA BLM web site - http://www.ca.blm.gov/.

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PROGRAM SCHEDULE FOR MONTHLY MEETINGS,
Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, 2005.

*The designated "Speaker" is responsible for one of the following options during the assigned meeting:
     Present a lecture;
     Invite a guest speaker, introduce him/her at the meeting;
     Present a video related to our hobby.

Please Note: A good source for material is the CFMS Slide and Video Library AKA "Podium People". For this and slide programs or CFMS Club rosters, please contact Florence Meisenheimer - CFMS website (http://www.cfmsinc.org/) would also be of help.

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JANUARY BIRTHDAYS.

Happy Birthday to all those born in JANUARY. We all wish you good health and hope you have a Great Day! With our new members (and some of the old ones), I have some gaps in my list. Help me out - please let me know if I have missed your birthday. Call Shirley Layton at 805-717-9226 and leave a message if I'm not there or an email will also do the trick, jns@west.net. Thanks!

January - Happy Birthday!!
     Anthony Beinar - 2nd,
     Donna Stephens - 3rd,
     Mary Polacek - 8th,
     Shawne Lardin - 9th,
     Marie Ehlers - 13th,
     Florence Meisenheimer - 23rd.

The January birthstone is the Garnet and the flower is the Carnation or Snowdrop.

GARNET.

     The garnet is a delightful rock that can be either igneous in origin or, more commonly, a product of metamorphism.
     The garnet has a vitreous luster, and its hardness ranges from 6½ to 7½. It has no cleavage, however it sometimes parts in six directions. Garnets will not streak.
     Garnets are found in a variety of colors ranging from deep red, purple, rose, pink, white, yellow, green, brown, reddish black, and black. They come from a group of aluminum silicates and calcium silicates. Its color is determined by other ingredients present like magnesium, iron, manganese, or chromium.
     Garnets that rate the title of January's Birthstone are also the ones that are considered semi-precious stones. These are primarily of the pyrope or almandine variety. Pyrope is an aluminum silicate with manganese, while almandine is an aluminum silicate with iron. Pyrope garnets are usually the best quality, free from flaws. A variation of this is a combination between pyrope and almandine, called rhodolite. It too is usually flawless. Some garnets are better suited for industrial uses like garnet sandpaper and other abrasives.
     Garnets can be found throughout North America, however gem quality garnets are not found everywhere. Pyrope comes from Arizona and Utah. Almandine comes from Alaska and Idaho, while rhodolite comes from North Carolina. Idaho is home to some magnificent star garnets.
     In California, the garnet deposits most worth mentioning are found in pegmatites in San Diego County, the benitoite locality in San Benito County, and in magnetite deposits in Kern County. Garnets can be found in our area also, but they are not normally gem quality. Garnets are plentiful in local rivers and streams, but are usually quite small.
     Garnets are made into jewelry by faceting or by making cabochons called carbuncles. Gem quality garnets are fit for a king...definitely an appropriate gem for January's Birthstone.

From Nevada County Gem & Mineral Society, Rock Writings 2004.

THE MINERAL TURQUOISE.

Chemistry: CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈*⁵(H₂O), Hydrated Copper Aluminum Phosphate;
Class: Phosphates;
Uses: As an ornamental stone for carving and jewelry.

     Turquoise is a valuable mineral and is possibly the most valuable, non-transparent mineral in the jewelry trade. It has been mined for eons since at least 6000 BC by early Egyptians. Its history also includes beautiful ornamental creations by Native Americans and Persians. Its popularity is still quite strong today. Although crystals of any size are rare, some small crystals have been found in Virginia and elsewhere. Most specimens are cryptocrystalline, meaning that the crystals could only be seen by a microscope. The finest turquoise comes from Iran but is challenged by some southwestern United States specimens. Turquoise is often imitated by "fakes", such as the mineral chrysocolla, and poorer turquoise specimens are often dyed or color stabilized with coatings of various resins. The name comes from a French word which means stone of Turkey, from where Persian material passed on its way to Europe.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Color is of course, turquoise, but this color actually varies from greenish blue to sky blue shades.
• Luster is dull to waxy, vitreous in macro-crystals.
• Transparency: Specimens are opaque.
• Crystal System is triclinic; bar 1.
• Crystal Habits include crystals rarely large enough to see, usually massive, cryptocrystalline forms as nodules and veinlets.
• Cleavage is perfect in two directions, but is not often seen.
• Fracture is conchoidal and smooth.
• Hardness is 5 - 6.
• Specific Gravity is approximately 2.6 - 2.8 (average).
• Streak is white with a greenish tint.
• Associated Minerals are pyrite, limonite, quartz and clays.
• Other Characteristics: Color can change with exposure to skin oils.
• Notable Occurances include Arizona and New Mexico, USA; Australia; Iran; Afghanistan and other localities in the Middle East.
• Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, hardness, luster, color and associations.

Unless otherwise noted, all mineral descriptions and images, plus the related descriptions on this server are the property of Amethyst Galleries, Inc., (http://mineral.galleries.com/) and may not be copied for commercial purposes. Permission to copy descriptions and images is granted for personal and educational use only.

Editor's Note: I saved this to put in with the December Birthdays, as turquoise is their birthstone, but it "hid" from me and I missed it. However, I thought you would enjoy it now!

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HOSPITALITY.

     We had 25 members and three guests, Louis Lowe, Don Asher and Paul Polacek, at the October meeting to vie for the material at the Silent Auction. We are always happy to have guests and hope they enjoyed themselves enough to come again! Emma Mayer furnished the refreshments which were enjoyed by all! There weren't any door prizes since we were having the Auction.
     The November meeting had 24 members (but no guests or pebble pups) to enjoy the many wonderful pumpkin desserts. Our members really out did themselves. Thank you to all who brought the tasty morsels to share. There were several door prizes won by lucky members. Sharlyne Holloway graciously welcomed everyone and got them signed in. It was fun having one of our newer members, Lowel Foster, share his thoughts and enthusiasm for our hobby. As always it is good to see everyone.

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VGMS MINUTES.

Minutes of the VGMS Regular Monthly Meeting,
Wednesday, October 26th, 2005:
     The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by President Ed Clark at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, October 26th, 2005 at the Lexington, Ventura, CA.
     The September meeting and October board meeting minutes were corrected and then m/s/c as shown in the bulletin.
Ed Clark welcomed everyone and directed members in the pledge to the flag.
Richard Bromser gave the treasurer's report. Richard also reminded members that our annual Christmas dinner will be on December 14th, at Carrow's in Ventura.
Shirley Layton - The October & November bulletins will be combined and the deadline for the December bulletin articles will be November 10th.
Ron Wise - November is Basin Rd. the 24th-27th and December will have the Gold Rock Ranch trip the 17th & 18th.
Ray Meisenheimer - Ray still provides programs for schools, the latest being at Lemonwood School in Oxnard.
Wayne Ehlers - Wayne asked for any further nominations for club officer positions. They can still be made by contacting any of the nomination committee members. Election of officers will be held during our meeting on November 11th. Wayne also reported that the cab classes are well attended and running smoothly. All are welcomed, with the next class on November 7th at 6:00 pm.
Miriam Tetrault reminded everyone that the Oxnard Show is the weekend of November 5th & 6th.
Greg Davis asked members to consider donating specimens for our silent auction at our annual show.
Sharon Cunningham reminded members that refreshments for the November meeting will be provided by the members - pumpkin pies and the like.
Florence Meisenheimer reported that the upcoming CFMS Directors' Meeting will be held in Visalia rather than Fresno.
     Ray and Florence next opened bidding for the silent auction. A lot of fine specimens were brought in by Ray & Florence and other members. Most everything was bid on and everyone likes a silent auction.
     Refreshments were provided by Emma Mayer.
     The next Board meeting will be Thursday, November 3rd, at the IBEW Hall, 3994 E. Main St., Ventura, CA. All are welcomed to attend and the next regular meeting will be held November 11th at the Lexington.
     There being no further business, Ed adjourned the meeting at 8:40 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.


Minutes of the VGMS Monthly Board Meeting,
Thursday, November 3rd, 2005:
     The regular board meeting of the VGMS was called to order by Ron Wise at 7:30 pm on Thursday, November 3rd, 2005, at the I.B.E.W. Hall, 3994 E. Main St., Ventura, CA.
Present: Ron Wise, Ray and Florence Meisenheimer, Richard and Shirley Bromser, Shirley Layton, Jim Brace-Thompson, Lowell Foster and Greg Davis.
Old business:
Richard Bromser reported on the cost of tarp material for the museum roof and it was m/s/c to purchase a more durable product in hopes that it will last more than one year.
Greg Davis - The monthly workshops have been well attended with 7 or 8 members at each. A letter of appreciation has been sent to Betty Doutt for her donation of plants to our club.
Ray Meisenheimer reported that cases being built by Cal Clason will be delivered the weekend of November 4th.
New business:
Florence Meisenheimer - The CFMS is selling gemological and mineralogical books by well-known authors to clubs. They must be purchased by the case but are being offered at a significant cost reduction to clubs. See Ray or Florence for details. The next federation meeting has been changed from Fresno to Visalia (second week in November) and Florence expects the issue of insurance to be a priority.
Shirley Layton - The October and November bulletins will be combined and the deadline for articles for our December bulletin will be the 10th of November.
Richard Bromser presented copies of the treasurer's report and it was m/s/c to accept as written. It was m/s/c to purchase a CD bond for one year.
Shirley Bromser reported that Jan Morse has requested being a VGMS member. It was m/s/c to accept her application.
Jim Brace-Thompson reported that the contract has been received from the Fair Grounds manager (Barbara Boester). Jim has a meeting scheduled with the Ventura Co. Star paper to get cost amounts for paid advertisements in the paper. Jim also has a December 13 meeting scheduled with Tim Shiffer of the Ventura County Museum to discuss our museum's plight and need and it was determined that a grab bag stuffing event will take place on the weekend of December 3rd at Lowell's house (details will be mentioned at the December meeting).
     The next general meeting will be on November 11th, 2005 at the Lexington in Ventura and the next board meeting is at the I.B.E.W. Hall in Ventura.
     There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:42 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.


Minutes of the VGMS Regular Monthly Meeting,
Wednesday, November 9th, 2005:
     The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by President Ed Clark at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, November 9th, 2005 at the Lexington, Ventura, CA.
     The October meeting and November board meeting minutes were corrected and then m/s/c as shown in the bulletin.
Ed Clark welcomed everyone and directed members in the pledge to the flag.
Richard Bromser gave the treasurer's report. Richard also reminded members that our annual Christmas dinner will be on December 14th, at Carrow's in Ventura. We have 16 paid members so far. Richard also ordered roofing material for the museum.
Shirley Layton - The deadline for the December bulletin articles will be November 10th.
Ron Wise - November is Basin Rd., the 24th-27th and December will have the Gold Rock Ranch trip with the CFMS on the 2nd-4th and Ron will lead another trip to the same location on the 17th & 18th.
Ray Meisenheimer - Ray still provides programs for schools, the latest being at schools in Port Hueneme. Ray then presented raffle prizes to those who had the drawn ticket numbers.
Wayne Ehlers - Wayne asked for any further nominations for club officer positions and a vote was conducted with it being m/s/c to accept the slate as voted on. The Show Chairman position goes unfilled at this time.
Florence Meisenheimer reported that the upcoming CFMS Directors' Meeting will be held in Visalia rather than Fresno.
Shirley Bromser reported that Janet Morse has been inducted as a VGMS member. Be sure to give her a warm welcome.
Jean Wise - Everyone is invited to participate in the preparation of prizes and grab bags for our upcoming show. The get together will be held at Lowell & Karen Foster's home, 282 East Shoshone St., Ventura, December 4th at 2:00. Bring all the items you've been collecting for the kids' booth.
     Lowell Foster next presented a talk and slide show about his first year experiences as a rock hound. A lot of "Leaverite" is collected that first year by most everyone but one of the biggest problems is that so many sites are now closed to the public and collecting. He's enjoying the thrill of the "treasure hunt" that comes with finding your own material. Thanks so much to Lowell for his effort and a great job with this.
     Refreshments were provided by club members.
     The next Board meeting will be Thursday, December 1st, at the IBEW Hall, 3994 E. Main St., Ventura, CA. All are welcomed to attend and the next regular meeting will be held December 14th during the Christmas dinner.
     There being no further business, Ed adjourned the meeting at 8:50 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

On November 8th Kathryn Davis gave a program to the Insurance Women of Ventura County displaying her wonderful collection of gem and mineral jewelry along with an explanation of where they are found and their place in the market. The different jewelry making techniques were also talked about.

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MEMBERSHIP.

We have a new member to make welcome, Jan Morse. Please introduce yourselves and help her to get acquainted. You will need to update your 2005 directories with the following:

New Member:
     Jan Morse,
     P.O. Box 1060,
     Pacific Grove, CA 93950,
     831 646-1340,
     Email: morse.j@SBCGlobal.net.

Attention New Members (or anyone needing a badge).
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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EARTH SCIENCES,
By Cal Clason, Chair, Earth Science Studies.

     After an extended period of not having to write these monthly Bulletin reports it seems rather strange to be doing it again. A big thanks to Jack Williams for doing an excellent job of keeping everyone informed. He should also be commended for his actions as coordinator for Camp Paradise. When, at the close of the sessions, you see approximately 100 people with huge smiles you can assume that things must have gone well. Much of that is due to the outstanding Instructors who so willingly give of their time and talents to make each session a new experience. Our show and tell sessions on Friday afternoon are a phenomenal display of imagination, design and talent, or as some years ago Wayne Mills aptly stated, "A concentration of over achievers." I can't help but agree with him.
     I will probably regret even mentioning this, but I feel that it is important. As of now nothing has changed! The property (Camp Paradise) is being sold to a different group and presently is in Escrow. When this process is completed I'm in hopes of meeting with the new owners to come to a mutual agreement on our continued use of the Camp. In discussions with the Camp Manager CFMS is very high on their list of desirable tenants. We are tentatively making plans for Seminars September 10-16 and September 17-23, 2006. Again, I would like to stress that as of now nothing has changed and the ESS Committee will work under that assumption until a more definitive direction is established.
     On to other things, namely Zzyzx! Preparations are well underway for the 2006 edition. Elsewhere in this News Letter the application form will be found, and although it seems redundant, I again urge everyone who is interested to apply early. We are limited to about 60 people and it fills up fast. Our only recourse is to establish a waiting list. We will again feature Tom Burchard - Lapidary, Margaret Kalaczyk - Soft Stone Carving, Lois Allmen & Mary Ann Anderson - Silver Fabrication, Dale Nichols - Wire Wrap, Francis Pedneau - Field Trips. Not yet fully decided whether to have a class on Polymer Clay or Precious Metal Clay. And, as always, good food and lots of it. All this will take place March 19 through 26, 2006. Hope to see you there.

From the CFMS Newsletter November 2005.

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CAMP PARADISE REPORT,
By Jack Williams, Camp Paradise Coordinator.

     And yet another year of happy campers at Camp Paradise. We had a total of 103 registered students over the two-week period, with 16 of them staying for the two weeks. I am also happy to say no one was left out, we had room for you too if you would only have got that application and sent it in. It is such a rewarding experience to see so many friends enjoying this hobby; to try new mediums and techniques in the arts of jewelry and stone work, to the results and failures in learning and to go on to success, I find such a pleasure to see.
     To all of those who did attend, and filled out the evaluation forms, the committee thanks you. We are constantly changing the Earth Science Program in order to improve its function and to provide an enjoyable service.
     Tell your friends about us if you have been to Camp Paradise. If you have not been, think about coming next year - you will be glad you did.

From the CFMS Newsletter November 2005.

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"FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN."

TRI-CLUB FIELD TRIPS 2005:
Before going on a field trip PLEASE
contact field trip leader to confirm.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

READING ROCKS - THE GEOLOGY
OF THE COUNTY,
By Bob Behme.

Rocks speak to Al Stevens. A geological engineer with more than 40 years experience in oil exploration, Stevens believes that rocks have stories to tell and that the best rocks can be found in San Luis Obispo County. It is all a matter of knowing what to look for.

"It is a matter of training your eyes. Most people haven't been exposed to it," Stevens said. "We live in one of the most active geologic areas in North America. That's what makes the county beautiful and interesting."

One year ago Stevens created a field trip that crosses the county pointing out its geologic surprises, surprises that most people miss. The idea began when his wife, Barbara, asked him to give a talk before the San Luis Obispo Newcomer's, a social and recreational group organized to acquaint new arrivals with the beauty of the Central Coast. Stevens's talk was so interesting club members asked him to organize a tour. Stevens did and since then has lead six tours, talked to more than 150 people and has two additional tours booked for next spring.

A typical tour begins in Avila where some of the oldest rocks in the county can be seen from the parking lot near the Avila Pier. Puffy-looking rocks on the hillside are called 'basalt pillow lava' and are 180 million years old. Stevens believes they were created from volcanic lava that hardened under water.

He also tells an interesting story about the Price Canyon. The oil, according to Stevens, is sourced chemical changes in small skeletal creatures called diatoms. They are found mostly in the Monterey Formation in San Luis Obispo County. The formation dates to the Miocene Age, about 16 to 15 million years ago, and was deposited in water 3,000 feet deep. Signs of it can be seen on cliffs along the Avila road, approximately 0.8 miles south of the Cal Poly Pier.

Serpentine, a shiny green stone, is both ornamental and California's official state rock. It is interesting, according to Stevens, because it was formed when materials were mixed in water deep in the earth's ancient crust causing the rock to become plastic. Stevens calls it geology's toothpaste because it was squeezed and injected into faults. Some of the best serpentine outcroppings can be found on a hillside west of Highway 101, near the entrance to the Madonna Inn.

For many, one of the highlights of Stevens' tour is his explanation of the row of hills that stretch from Islay Hill north of Edna Valley to Morro Bay. Known collectively as the Seven sisters or the Morros, the peaks are the remnants of old volcanoes and include Cerro San Luis and Bishop's Peak, seen closest to Highway 101. They were formed when volcanoes were active. Plugs formed inside the volcanoes and, as the volcanic cone eroded, the plugs have remained as peaks or hills.

The tour ends in Parkfield and just before it ends, between Parkfield and Chalome, Stevens stops at the eastern end of a bridge that crosses the San Andreas Fault.

"At this point you are standing on the North American Continental Plate," Stevens explains. "West of you is the Pacific Oceanic Plate. The North American Plate is motionless. The Pacific Plate is moving north."

As Stevens explains it, San Luis Obispo County is on the Pacific Oceanic Plate and is moving. About 37 million years ago the county was located where San Diego is today. Given another 15 to 20 million years San Luis Obispo County will move north to be even with San Francisco.

Stevens has written a guidebook about his tour, "San Luis Obispo County Geologic Field Trip". Printed by Occidental Petroleum, the book sells for $7 with the proceeds donated to the Woods Humane Society.

Stevens emphasizes that he is retired and not in the tour business. Busses are used to transport those who sign up and the only charges are for transportation rentals. Stevens will only conduct tours in cooperation with recognized clubs and other organizations who can supply adequate insurance.

Those interested in the tour can contact The Coast News. The information will be forwarded to Stevens.

From The Coast News, 968 West Grand Avenue #103, Grover Beach, CA 93433. Printed in the Rockhound Rambling with permission. This is from vol. 2, #15 - September 7-13, 2005.

Referred by Stuart Bloom who thought it would be of interest as it is close by. I think he is right! Thanks Stuart.

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PICTURE JASPER.

Picture Jasper, because of its unique landscape patterns and wide range of colors, is one of the most interesting and sought after varieties. Picture jasper is petrified or silicified mud. Looking at its patterns, it isn't hard to visualize mud dripping into gas pockets in molten lava, becoming superheated, and then solidifying into this gemstone.

Many varieties of picture jasper are found in Idaho and parts of Oregon. One of the better known picture jaspers is from Owyhee County in southern Idaho and portions of eastern Oregon. A high quality jasper found on the Morrison Ranch in the Owyhees of Oregon is known as Morrisionite.

One of the prettiest and finest jaspers on the market is Willow Creek jasper from the mine of the same name 15 miles north of Boise, Idaho. This jasper is a pastel version of the pink and green Imperial Jasper from Mexico. Willow Creek jasper actually forms as the center of giant thundereggs, some as large as 10 feet in diameter. It is known for its rich pastel colors, streamer patterns, occasional orb patterns, and is a favorite of lapidaries. The Willow Creek Mine is privately owned and has been producing jasper for the past 35+ years. - Excerpts from Mike Shaw article in Rockhound Gazette 3/02 via Breccia 12/05.

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

Mineral Oil has many uses. It is fine for preserving borax crystals from Hydration changes. It makes varisite a deeper green, and improves appearance of fluorites and calcites. - From The Memphis Archaeological Society via Breccia, December 2005.

Thought for a Christmas Gift - Make a set of Coasters: Get out that box of slabs you plan to use someday and blow off the dust. Pick out six that you can trim to four that you can trim to four-inch squares. Then, round the corners and bevel the edges so that the squares will have smooth edges.
     Polish the best side--either on your equipment or by spraying with a waterproof acrylic. Back the other side with self-sticking felt. The thickness of the squares does not have to match.
     Finished? You now have a set of six unique coasters in a variety of colors and patterns. Of course if you have a huge supply of slabs and want a matched set of coasters, go for it! They make nice gifts. - Author unknown, from the Post Rock 5/02 via Breccia 12/05.

Is it solid? - To determine how solid a slab is, heat it in hot water. The surface will dry immediately - with the exception of pits and fractures which will be outlined with water when removed from the hot water. - From The BEMS Tumbler, Boeing Employees Mineralogical Society, Inc., Seattle, WA 9/04 via Quarry Quips 9/05.

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SHOW DATES.

2006 CFMS SHOWS.

JANUARY 21-22; EXETER, CA - Tule Gem & Mineral Society "Fabulous Fun-Filled 50th Annual", Exeter Veteran's Memorial Bldg. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4.
JANUARY 27-29; REDLANDS, CA - Southern California Micromineralogists' 41st Pacific Micromount Conference, 2024 Orange Tree Lane. Hours: Fri. 3-10, Sat. & Sun. 8-10. Paul M. Adams (310) 336-6927. Email: paul.m.adams@aero.org.
FEBRUARY 17-26; INDIO, CA - San Gorgonio Mineral & Gem Club "Date Festival", Riverside County Fair & Date Festival, Gem & Mineral Bldg. #1, 46-350 Arabia Street. Hours: 10-10 daily. Gert Grisham (951) 849-1674. Email: grish1@msn.com.
FEBRUARY 25-26; ANTIOCH, CA - Antioch Lapidary Club, Contra Costa Co. Fairgrounds, 1201 West 10th Street. Ellen Bauer (925) 458-2539. Email: jbauer@wwdb.org.
MARCH 3, 4, & 5; HAYWARD, CA - Mineral & Gem Society of Castro Valley, Centennial Hall, 22292 Foothill Blvd., Hayward, CA. Hours: Fri. & Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am-5 pm. Ron Miller (510) 887-9007, Publicity Chair: Larry Ham. Email: mgscv@yahoo.com. Show website: www.mgscv.com.
MARCH 4-5; VENTURA, CA - Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Seaside Park, Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Jim Brace-Thompson (805) 659-3577. Email: jbraceth@adelphia.net.
MARCH 4-5; ARCADIA, CA - Monrovia Rockhounds, Inc., Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden, 1 block South of I-210 Foothill Freeway near Santa Anita Race Track, 301 North Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007. Hours: Sat. 9-4:30, Sun. 9-4:30. Janie Duncan (626) 358-8157. Email: Jo Anna Ritchey: j.ritchey@verizon.net. Website: www.moroks.com.
MARCH 11-12; SALINAS, CA - Salinas Valley Rock & Gem Club Annual Show, Spreckels Veterans Memorial Bldg., 5th and Llano Street. Hours: 10-5 both days. Jim Bassett (831) 758-5830. Email: jbmsc@sbcglobal.net.
MARCH 11-12; SAN MARINO, CA - Pasadena Lapidary Society, San Marino Masonic Center, 3130 Hunting Drive. Hours: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. (626) 355-6964 or (626) 914-5030.

AMERICAN FEDERATION / REGIONAL
SHOW SCHEDULE - 2006.

CALIFORNIA FEDERATION - 2006,
June 9-11, Angel's Camp, CA.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN - 2006,
June 9-11, Stillwater, OK.

MIDWEST - 2006,
To Be Announced.

NORTHWEST - 2006,
July 14-16, Kelso, WA.

EASTERN FEDERATION - 2006,
November 17-19, West Palm Beach, FL.

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EDITOR'S NOTE:

Well it is the end of another year for VGMS and Rockhound Rambling! It has been a good year with a successful show and good programs and good fellowship. I would like to thank all those who contributed articles for our newsletter, it really does make it more interesting. I would like to give a special thanks to Steve Mulqueen for his special efforts on the "Educational Corner" every month as well as other articles. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and that the New Year will be one of the best ever.

Just for the record any unsigned articles are by the Editor.

Trili - The Editor's Pet Trilobite.

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EDUCATIONAL CORNER.

and

VGMS PHOTO ALBUM:

Will be back Next Month. Got Photos? Please Share.

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67th ANNUAL CALIFORNIA FEDERATION SHOW.

  Table of Contents.

SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

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