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The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society' Inc. (VGMS)
Rockhound Rambling
August 2011.

Rockhound Rambling Photo of the Month.
This month's photo is taken by Angela Brown.

VGMS Show Publicity Box 2011 Ventura County Fair.

All images are member photographed and submitted to Rockhound Rambling. Images submitted to the editor should be accompanied by subject name and location. Selection is at the discretion of the editor. Submit images to: VGMSeditor@gmail.com.

Table of Contents.

The Webmaster would like to save a little of his time with the following. Every link in this bulletin which goes to another web site is designed to leave your current window in place and open a new window for the link you click on. When you're finished with the new window you simply close it to return to the original window. If you would keep this navigation tip in mind as you read this it will save me the trouble of reminding you each time.

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE;
• A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR;
• HOSPITALITY;
• MEMBERSHIP;
• THANK YOU;
• SEPTEMBER VGMS BIRTHDAYS;
• MEETING MINUTES;
• SAVE OUR STATE PARKS;
• THE 2011 VENTURA COUNTY FAIR;
• HAVE YOU SEEN THIS;
• COMMUNITY OUTREACH;
• FEDERATION NEWS;
• PROGRAM REVIEW AND SCHEDULE;
• FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN;
• METEOR SHOWERS FORECAST;
• ROCKHOUND RAMBLINGS;
• EDUCATIONAL CORNER;
• THE AMERICAN AGATE - JASPER INDEX;
• CHIPS AND BOULDERS;
• CLUB MERCHANDISE;
• LET'S GO TO A SHOW.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

     Starting Thursday, September the 11th to the 14th, I will be at Jade Cove with the Channel Island Divers. There will be a field trip for rockhounds to Jade Cove the 16th-18th of September.
     July we had a lot of fun at Greenhorn Mountains. We had a good turnout; 64 rockhounds attended. Deb and I were there Thursday and it was warm to hot. Saturday evening and Sunday morning, it rained. We collected Friday and Saturday. Durning the day we collected rose quartz, and some small quartz crystals. Friday evening we collected garnets and epidote. When it got dark we collected scheelite. We had several UV lights to see the scheelite fluoresce. We weren't able to collect Saturday evening and Sunday morning due to rain. We had a great pot luck. Lots of food and hungry rockhounds. Saturday evening, when the rain stopped, I saw a shooting star from the Perseids Meteor shower, which peeks Aug 13th. (See METEOR SHOWERS FORECAST; for more information about upcoming meteor showers.) Despite the rain, it was a fun field trip. You just never know what the weather will be.
     2011 Ventura County Fair: August 3rd to the 14th. It's fun for the whole family. There are many exhibits. I entered 25 single specimens. VGMS won 1st place for club case! Many members won individual ribbons for their exhibits. Congratulations!!
     There's still time to attend the Aug 26th-28th Petrified wood seminar in Ventura. I'm going be there. Contact Ron Wise VGMS, clintwise@hotmail.com, 805-647-4393.
     I'm facilitating our All American Club book for submission for the next 2012 CFMS show. If you have photos from the last year and information please send it to me. I'm going to need help from other members to put this together. If you want to see it, I have the 2010 All American book. I will bring it to each meeting and Camp Comfort the 3rd Saturday of each month.
     We're getting things done at our club house/Camp Comfort. Diane has a sign up sheet to help out. The main thing is we need more carpet for the museum. A 12x12 piece was donated by Isensee, but more is needed to cover it completely.
     The members voted at the last meeting to change our show program; "Gem, Mineral, Lapidary & Fossil Show" will now be the "Ventura Gem Show". We also voted to approve a "Life membership" for members who have contributed above and beyond as members of our club.
     Jo Wolfe is having a yard sale of rocks. We've been there before. The sale date is Sunday, Aug. 21st. Times are 9 am-1 pm. Rocks are 20 cents a pound. The address is 784 Jenny Drive, Newbury Park. You can e-mail me if you need a map (rmsorca@adelphia.net).
          Submitted by Robert Sankovich,
          VGMS President.

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A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR.

     Wow, another Fair here and gone, and not only was the club well-represented, but most also won awards (including your Editor - yay!). Once again, our own David Mautz took away the most in sheer entries and prize haul! (Maybe he'll buy us all lunch...) From the few days I was at the fairgrounds volunteering for floor walking and glass cleaning, our Club Publicity case was also very well received, and garnered much interest from the public. Plus, we won First Place for it! See THE 2011 VENTURA COUNTY FAIR; for photos. Of course, I also go to the fair to pet the goats, sheep and cows, but I'm easily amused. Sigh...shoulda been born in the country.
     I still need lots of images for possible use as our cover image; you can either email them, or get a CD, a flash card, or thumb drive to me at the meetings. The higher the resolution the better, as I will be photo-editing to fit my needs for printing, and want to start with the best image possible. I'll bring my camera to meetings, too.
     If you submitted articles recently and have not seen them this issue, I promise they will go into the next newsletter; there was so much information about the fair and other important notifications, that I filled up my 20 page mailing limit already!
     Last note: a couple people have mailed items for the Classifieds section (Chips & Boulders) to my old address on Meta St., in Ventura. Luckily, my address forwarding seems to still be working, however, please make sure you have the most up-to-date Member Directory that lists my Mountain View St., Oak View address. These are available from the Membership Chair (see below). Or better yet, just use the club P.O. Box listed in the front cover of this newsletter. And keep those submissions coming!

     Rock 'n' roll.

          Angela Brown,
          VGMS Editor,
          vgmseditor@gmail.com.

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HOSPITALITY.

We had a great turnout at the July Meeting! There were 34 club members, one pebble pup & 13 guests.

Deb Sankovich,
Hospitality.

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MEMBERSHIP.

VGMS welcomes the following new member:
     Robert Forest,
     7056 Cottontail St.,
     Ventura, CA 93003,
     (805) 647-5960,
     bedfordforest@hotmail.com.

The original club vest colors are royal blue with gold lining. You also have the option of purchasing or making a blue denim vest.

We have a club patch to sew on the back of your vest. The cost of a patch is $7.00, and may be purchased from the membership secretary.

You can also order a club badge with your name and the club's name from the membership secretary for $9.00 pin back, or 12.00 magnetic back.

Krishna Juarez,
697 Topeka Ave.,
Ventura, CA 93004,
vgmsmembership@gmail.com.

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THANK YOU!

     A big thank you to Richard Slyker & Isensee Floor Coverings in Ventura. Richard was able to get a 12x12 piece of dark blue and tan speckled carpet donated by Isensee for our Museum! Luther Brown opened up the workshop a few weekends ago and helped get it into the building for future installation.
     Thank you to Wayne and Marie Ehlers for donating two videos to our society library: "Jewel of the Desert – Kartchner Caverns State Park" and "Smithsonian Video Collection: Gems and Minerals." We welcome similar donations of books, magazines and videos for the library.
     Thanks to Krishna Juarez, Angela and Luther Brown, John Cook, Jim Brace-Thompson and Rob Sankovich for volunteering to create and install a Society Publicity Case for VGMS at the County Fair. In addition, Greg Davis and junior member Caleb Juarez contributed silver work and cabs. We hope everyone had a chance to check it out!
     Thanks to John & Diane Cook for going above and beyond the usual volunteer status at the Ventura County Fair this year to work as assistants for Director Laura Grayson in the Gems, Minerals, Hobbies & Collectibles building. Thanks, as well, to the following VGMS members who volunteered to help register entries July 22-24 and July 29-31: Shirley Layton, Miriam Tetreault and Jim & Nancy Brace-Thompson. Finally, thanks to all 20 VGMS members who crafted and entered display cases and/or individual items for this year's fair!
     Thank you to Richard Slyker for building an owl house in our on-going BR (Battle of the Rodents) at our clubhouse. Further thanks, especially, for his daring Tarzan act as he climbed a tree, owl house balanced precariously on his shoulder! Andy Anderson and Luther Brown offered moral support and made sure the ladder stayed up firm and solid until the mission was accomplished. Richard is now sponsoring a pool: who can guess the date when Mr. and Mrs. Barn Owl officially occupy these spacious digs and start targeting mice in the clubhouse yard?
     Thank you to Steve Mulqueen for collecting and donating petrified wood for use in grab bags at our next Show and thanks to Lowell Foster for offering to clean and transport the wood.
     Speaking of petrified wood, thanks to Ron Wise for organizing our upcoming Walt Wright Petrified Wood Seminar scheduled for August 26-28. If you're interested but haven't signed up, contact Ron right away to see if any slots are still available. The $85 fee for the 3-day workshop is well worth it, given the extensive knowledge Walt will be sharing.
          Article submitted by Jim Brace-Thompson.

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SEPTEMBER VGMS BIRTHDAYS.

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MEETING MINUTES.

VGMS Regular Meeting;
July 27, 2011:
     Minutes of the VGMS Board Meeting for August 4, 2011.
     The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by President Rob Sankovich at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, July 27 at the Ventura Senior Recreation Center.
     Rob introduced visitors and then asked for corrections, if any, to the previously printed board and regular meeting minutes. It was m/s/c to accept the minutes. Members were led in the pledge to the flag.
Deb Sankovich: Deb introduced Jim Brace-Thompson and his presentation on the Monterey and related area fossils, involving the Miocene, 5-25 million years of plant and animal. Terrific job Jim!
Rob Sankovich: Rob announced that Lowell Foster took 4th place in the national (AFMS) bulletin editors' contest and that's out of 460 clubs! Congratulations Lowell!
     The 2013 Federation show to be held here in Ventura will have its theme selected from those submitted by club members. Those ideas need to be received no later than September 1st and the winner receives 2 banquet dinner tickets at the show!
     We will all begin preparing for the County Fair, August 3-14. Signups are still being taken for the Petrified Wood Seminar in August.
     Any club photos would be appreciated in preparation for the All American Club contest.
Richard Slyker has built and installed our owl box at Camp Comfort.
Jim Brace-Thompson: Jim asked for a vote on the new clause in the by-laws designating the Honorary membership. It was m/s/c to accept the addition. Jim presented fossilized sand dollars to junior members.
     It was determined that our club will enter a publicity case in the upcoming County Fair. Any help and contributions to the case will be welcomed on the weekend of Fair entries.
Angela Brown: Angela next proceeded with the raffle, which inlcuded a nice herkimer donated by Jim Brace-Thompson, and some petrified wood sections, among other nice specimens.
John Cook: There's been a mountain lion sighting in Camp Comfort. Report any large cat and remember, don't run but do make loud noises if you're able.
Ron Wise: The Cab class went well even though it was only one day. Hardly enough time to finish a cab but good instruction just the same. There are buckets of material to be polished for our next show if anyone has time to help with even a few pieces. Also, members can still sign up for the wood seminar. See me.
     The next field trip will be to the Ocean View mine and in September to Jade Cove.
Jean Wise: Space is still available at Camp Paradise and the Federation bulletin is always a good source for shop hints such as this month's article on hammering. Check it out and see more by visiting on line.
Lowell Foster: Lowell spoke to 14 preschoolers regarding rocks and minerals.
Krishna Juarez again announced our new members, please introduce yourself and make them welcomed.
Deb Sankovich: Next month we'll have our very own Steve Mulqueen discuss Searles Dry Lake.
Diane Cook: The club is solvent and bills have been paid.
     Refreshments were provided by Jim & Nancy Brace-Thompson.
     The next board meeting will be held on August 4, 2011, 7:00 pm at the Cook's house and the next monthly membership meeting will be August 24, 7:30, at the Ventura Senior Recreation Center, 420 E. Santa Clara.
     There being no further business, Rob adjourned the meeting at 9:20 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.

VGMS Board Meeting;
August 4, 2011:
     Minutes of the VGMS Board Meeting for August 4, 2011.
Present: Rob & Deb Sankovich, John & Diane Cook, Steve Mulqueen, Luther & Angela Brown, Dave Mautz, Shirley Layton and Greg Davis.
     The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society Board Meeting for August 4, 2011 was called to order by President Rob Sankovich, at the Cook home at 7:00 pm.
Rob Sankovich: It was m/s/c to accept the previous meeting minutes as written.
Old Business:
Rob Sankovich: We're still looking for a more permanent location for Board meetings, rather than member's homes. Our thanks to the Mulqueens, as they have been generous with holding board meetings in their home. John & Diane have offered their home for the August 4 meeting and again for the September meeting.
     Meeting dates and times for the 2013 Federation show will be announced and all are welcomed and encouraged to attend. An application form has been created for entries of a theme and members have until September to submit ideas. 2 banquet dinner tickets will go to the winning entry.
     The Ventura County Fair takes place August 3-14.
     The Wood Seminar will take place August 26-28 and be held at the Ventura Senior center.
New Business:
Rob Sankovich: Richard Slyker has acquired carpeting donated by Isensee! Our club members have received lots of awards at this year's County Fair. Go see for yourself. Rob is working on the All American book and needs your stories and pictures of club events from this year.
     Greg and Ron will look into the estate material being offered our club and what would be required to move the 24 inch saw which has been purchased by the club. The estate is located in T.O., has some other materials also and the boys will report back.
     64 people turned out for the Green Horn Mountain field trip.
Deb Sankovich: This month's program will be presented by Steve Mulqueen, September we will have Justin Zzyzx with a presentation on Southern California Mineral Collection Mecca and in November we'll have a silent auction. Our last membership meeting had 49 people present!
Diane Cook: The club is solvent. It was decided that discussion concerning the recent club Rendezvous & Tailgate will be tabled until the next board meeting. Bills have been paid including the newly formulated property tax due to the extended lease agreement.
Steve Mulqueen: It was m/s/c to reimburse Steve $40.00 for show awards materials, some of which could be used for raffle prize material.
Angela Brown: The editor is still in need of good photos of rocks, minerals and fossils for the cover image on the newsletter. CD's or other computer media can be accepted. As always, any submissions are due by the 10th of the month to be included for that month.
     After discussion, it was m/s/c to accept the membership applications for Robert Forest.
     The next general meeting will be on August 24, 2011 at 420 E. Santa Clara in Ventura and the next board meeting will be on September 1, 2011, at the Cook home.
     There being no further business, Rob adjourned the meeting at 8:10 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.

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SAVE OUR STATE PARKS.

A Call to Action:

Save our California State Mining & Mineral Museum!

Postcard Image of the Museum.

          Our California State Mining & Mineral Museum is endangered! The CFMS has received the following letter from Darci Moore of the Museum, asking your assistance to save the Museum from the knife of budget slashes. We urge all VGMS members reading this article to spread the word far and wide to your fellow members at your next society meeting, in your society newsletter, and on your society web site. And don't stop there: get the word out via letters-to-the editor in your local newspapers to urge everyone, not just us rockhounds, to make their voices heard in the manner Darci suggests below:

          I wanted to let you know that the California State Mining and Mineral Museum which houses and displays the Official California Collection of gems and minerals is on the State Parks closure list. This is the third year we have been on the closure list but unfortunately it is looking very dire for us this year. In an effort to garner grassroots support to keep the museum open we have created a Facebook page. We would like to invite your members to comment or voice their concern over the closure of this museum. This collection was started in 1880 by the State legislature and has been on continuous display for 131 years. The collection contains approximately 14,000 specimens from all over the world and from California. It is anticipated that if we close, it will be by July 1st, 2012. If that happens it is very likely that the collection will be put into storage. This is a premier collection on the west coast and spawned collections in many of the other western states. We would appreciate any help you and your members could provide. If you could pass the word in your newsletter as well it would be appreciated. There is a link on our Facebook page to the California State Parks Foundation which provides suggestions about how to help.

     The link to our Facebook page is:
www.facebook.com/pages/California-State-Mining-and-Mineral-Museum/192306770823629.

          We need your help to spread the word! If you would like more information or have questions, please feel free to contact me: Darci Moore, Curator II, California State Mining and Mineral Museum, (209) 742-7625, dmoor@parks.ca.gov.

Submitted by,
Jim Brace-Thompson & Darci Moore.

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THE 2011 VENTURA COUNTY FAIR.

VGMS Does Good!

     In keeping with long-standing tradition, VGMS members lined up July 22-24 to enter cases and individual items into competition at our Ventura County Fair as one great way of sharing our hobby with our local community. I don't have a full listing of every individual item that was entered, but I do have a listing of the display cases:

• Roy Boulch – a Theme Case on The Bounty of the County (2nd place ribbon);
• Frank Boulch – two cases on The Bounty of the County (1st place ribbon) and on Chalcedony & Agates (1st place ribbon);
• Nancy Brace-Thompson – Agates of the World (1st place ribbon);
• Jim Brace-Thompson - Minerals from California (1st place ribbon);
• Angela Brown – Self-Collected (Micromounted!) Fossils (1st place ribbon), Freeform Whale Bone & Calcite Pendant (2nd place ribbon);
• Luther Brown – Cetacean Fossils of Southern California (2nd place ribbon);
• Diane Cook – Searles Lake Gem-o-Rama & Trona Minerals (1st place ribbon & plaque for Best Natural Specimens Case);
• John Cook – Self-Collected Trilobites of the Providence Mountains (2nd place ribbon);
• Laura Crutchfield – Tones of Copper (2nd place ribbon);
• Greg Davis – Silver & Gemstone-inlay Rings (1st place ribbon);
• Krishna Juarez – Blue Chalcedony Pendant in Silver (3rd place ribbon);
• Mary Haake – two cases of Polished Geodes (2nd place ribbon) & Unpolished Geodes (1st place ribbon);
• Emma Hughart ( a junior case!) – Minerals Around the World (1st place ribbon & Best-of-Show ribbon);
• David Mautz – three cases of Vertebrate Fossils (1st place ribbon), Invertebrate Fossils — Trilobites (2nd place), and Mixed Vertebrate & Invertebrate Fossils (1st place);
• Susan Mulqueen – Invertebrate Fossils (1st place ribbon);
• Miriam Tetrault – three cases of Personally Crafted Sculptures (1st place ribbon), Petrified Wood (2nd place ribbon) and Spheres (1st place ribbon);
• Ron Wise – Petrified Palm (3rd place ribbon);
• Jean Wise – Blue Forest Petrified Wood. (1st place ribbon).

VGMS also had a Club Publicity Case entered, thanks to the combined efforts of Angela and Luther Brown, Rob Sankovich, Krishna Juarez (and Caleb), Jim Brace-Thompson, Greg Davis and John Cook (1st place ribbon & Best Society Case plaque).

Krishna Juarez, Luther Brown, Rob Sankovich
and Diane Cook working on the club case.

Emma Hughart with her beautiful display... and winning ribbons!

Two Photos above by Jim Brace-Thompson.

Four Photos above by Steve Mulqueen.

All told, 20 VGMS members participated this year, entering over 230 entries (individual items and cases). In addition to those entering cases who are listed above, Rob Sankovich kept the entry clerks busy as he entered 25 items! Plus, even though he said he wasn't going to enter anything, rumor has it Steve Mulqueen was spotted slipping in a couple items at the last minute. Judging took place July 26, and we offer congratulations to everyone. Whether you took home a ribbon or not, you've won by helping to promote our hobby and our society to our broader community. Thank you!

Article Submitted by Jim Brace-Thompson.

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HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?

From the New Jersey Herald - Thief Steals $400K in Gold.

On July 27, a thief hit the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Sussex County, NJ, and made off with a gold collection on display. The theft occurred in the middle of the day between tours, when the security window was broken and the 20 pieces of gold grabbed. The raw nuggets taken are worth much more in their current form. Approximately 27 ounces of gold was taken, including one piece from the Dominican Republic that possesses 16 ounces alone. If melted down, some of the pieces could be worth as much as 70 to 90% less.

The gold nuggets, assembled by Richard Hauck and his wife over the past 40 years, were on loan to the museum at the time of the theft. A $25,000 reward has been offered.

Source Links:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/25k_reward_offered_for_return.html,
http://www.njherald.com/story/news/728minetheft.

     Submitted by Lowell Foster.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

On July 9, several VGMS members volunteered during a Tri-Club workday held at Larry and Donna Knapton's house. Work involved inserting rocks into the finished rock boxes as one of the final phases before donating them to schools for educational purposes.

On July 16, Steve Mulqueen donated several books related to geology to the library at the VGMS Museum. These and other books in the VGMS library have been donated by many members in the last few years. The books are available for check-out to VGMS members during the monthly workshops.

On July 19, Steve Mulqueen donated a box of gypsum samples (variety selenite) to Bonnie Walters, educational coordinator at the California Oil Museum. The minerals were gathered at a remote deposit located in Mohave County, Arizona. The mineral specimens will be distributed during educational programs conducted at the museum in Santa Paula.

          Article submitted by Steve Mulqueen.

Presenting Rocks at Daycare.

Hello all,
     I had the privilege of giving a short talk on rocks and fossils at my daughter's daycare. There were 14 students who attended. The talk was basic, as the attention span of 4-5 year olds can be measured in milliseconds!
     I brought in petrified wood, petrified palm (root and fiber), whale bone, dinosaur bones, a polished Condor agate, a skeletal quartz specimen and a broken Zacatecas geode.
     My daughter, Becca, sat next to me the whole time, passing out specimens, showing how to hold rocks and modeling eye protection.
     We talked about the basics of the three rock types - spending more time on basic vocabulary and describing things than the actual science. The children got to touch the samples and we used all kind of words to describe their texture and colors. I handed to each of them a polished stone, a piece of petrified wood from AZ, a turritella fossil from Malibu and a small plastic dinosaur skull. (Buy them in tubes from places like Michael's hobby store.)
     I then took them out back to the playground and broke open two more Zacatecas geodes with my rock hammer as they stood 10 feet away and showed them the crystal interior. By then they were ready to bolt and play.
     It was a great time. When I came in the next day, the director (who runs a few other daycares in our area) asked if I could do the talk for her other locations, so it looks like I'll be doing a couple more talks in August.

Photos & article submitted by Lowell Foster.

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FEDERATION NEWS.

Last Call for CFMS Earth Science Studies Workshops!

As of this writing, there's still time to enroll in the CFMS Earth Science Studies Workshops at Camp Paradise. Two week-long sessions are offered: September 4-9 or September 11-17. Classes include faceting, soft stone carving, cabochon making, enameling, wire art, beading, lampwork bead making, glass fusion, precious metal clay jewelry, chain mail, copper enameling, scrimshaw, metal casting and silversmithing. An application form is on the CFMS website, www.cfmsinc.org; plus we've had the forms on our take-one table at our monthly club meetings. At $350 per person per week (which includes rustic housing and food in addition to the classes), this is a real bargain. Club members who have attended in past years all report having a great time among fellow rockhounds and learning new aspects to the hobby.

AFMS Show & Convention in Syracuse: A Recap.

VGMS is one of 135 clubs affiliated with the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies, which in turn is one of 7 regional federations affiliated with the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. All told, there are nearly 650 societies like ours. As CFMS President this year, I traveled with Nancy to represent the CFMS at the AFMS Annual Show & Convention during the Fourth of July week in Syracuse, New York. There were meetings, field trips, meetings, a boat ride up the Erie Canal, meetings, awards presentations, meetings, rocks to buy, and—oh!—did I mention? More meetings…

Some of those meetings actually resulted in interesting news to report. Lowell Foster won Fourth Place nationally in the Bulletin Contest for his superb work last year publishing our society newsletter. Congratulations, Lowell! Stephanie Hagiwara of our neighboring Oxnard society took First Place in the website contest. The Syracuse society, which hosted the show, was named All American Club-of-the-Year, an honor we're aiming for again next year. ALAA held a business meeting while also discussing land access issues. During the AFMS meeting, approval was granted for me to expand the AFMS Future Rockhounds of America Badge Program that I started 8 years ago; I'll be adding 5 new badges starting in 2012. I also did a co-presentation on juniors' activities with Darryl Powell (aka, "Diamond Dan") during the convention itself and was able to interact with a whole roomful of very active junior leaders from around the U.S. At yet another meeting, changes were approved for the Uniform Rules that govern competitive exhibiting. These included making Fleischer's Glossary of Mineral Species the official reference book for mineral displays. The most recent edition, by Malcom Black and Joseph Mandarino, was published in 2008; if you don't have this manual, copies can be obtained from The Mineralogical Record, www.minrec.org. Knapping was also added as a new category for competitive exhibiting. This was thanks to our own Ron Wise! Up to now, there has been no category for knapping, and Ron entered a display of his work under "Educational" when the AFMS Show was held last year in La Habra. Federation officials liked his display so much, they're now adding knapping as a whole new category. Way to go, Ron!

Photos & article submitted by Jim Brace-Thompson, CFMS President.
AFMS/CFMS logos courtesy of www.CFMSInc.org.

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PROGRAM REVIEW AND SCHEDULE.

Photo by Angela Brown.

JULY Program
     Jim Brace-Thompson presented a program on the "Fossils of the Monterey & Related Formations of the California Coast".
     Jim had an interesting slide show with an outline of the geological map from Coastal Central to Southern California as it is today and explained that 5 to 25 million years ago this formation was part of the upper Miocene period where there were offshore islands with intense volcanic activity & ash, mud spewing into ocean with deposits of shale. Jim discussed the following potential sites for fossils as a result of the Monterey Formation and its history:

• Carmel Valley – Crab fossils, Moon snails, a variety of claims, remains of vertebrate fossils such as fish and a variety of plant, leaves, pine needles, ferns, rushes and reed fossils can be found.
• Chino Hills – Leaf fossils and a variety of fish fossils, including deep water fish fossils.
• Buellton – Lots of seaweed and kelp fossils, Pipe fish fossils, and frequently you can locate Herring fish heads. Additionally there are bat ray fossils to be found.
• San Luis Obispo – Lopez Lake–You can find multiple scallops (scallops on top of scallops or to use Jim's terminology, a monoculture).
• Lompoc – Mines–Pure Diatoms, single cell creatures up to 60 million per cubic inch, also Fish (Herrings), Seal parts & Whale bone.
• Jalama Beach – Small Fish & Herring fossils.
• Topanga Canyon – Turritella Shell fossils & Rock Fish fossils.
• Ojai – Crab fossils.

Jim also brought a lot of great specimens both self-collected and purchased for everyone’s enjoyment.

Future Programs.

AUGUST Program.
Steve Mulqueen will present "Searles Lake Evaporite Deposit, Trona, CA". Steve will talk about the natural deposit, the extraction of industrial mineral commodities from the lakebeds and mineral collecting during the "Gem-O-Rama".

SEPTEMBER Program.
Justin Zzyzx will present "Southern California Mineral Collecting Mecca". Justin is the owner of the Zzyzx Gallery of Natural Science in Los Angeles, CA (http://www.zzyzxgallery.com). He also owns and manages www.the-vug.com, the largest mineralogical database online, and founded www.fakeminerals.com, Rockhounding Videos (www.rockhoundingvideos.com), and the-Vug.com Quarterly Magazine.

OCTOBER Program.
Manny Saenz from Oxnard College Geology Department will present a program regarding "Water Resources". More info to follow on this presentation.

Submitted by Deb Sankovich,
Programs Chair.

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FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN.

Tri-Club Fieldtrips – 2011.
This is a tentative schedule. Please call your club fieldtrip leader to confirm that there is a fieldtrip scheduled in the event of changes like unpredictable weather, etc. More trips may be added in the future. Please look for Field Trip flyers at the monthly meetings for directions, maps, etc.

2011 Field Trip Leaders:

Rob Sankovich - (Ventura Gem & Mineral) Phone: 805-494-7734; Email: rmsorca@adelphia.net.

Ron Wise - (Ventura Gem & Mineral) Phone: 805-647-4393; Email: clintwise@hotmail.com.

Jennifer Flatten - (Oxnard Gem & Mineral) Phone: 949-812-1967; Email: jenniferflatten@yahoo.com.

Members at our June 2011 Somis Fossil Dig.
Photo by Steve Mulqueen.

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METEOR SHOWERS FORECAST !

What are meteor showers?
An increase in the number of meteors at a particular time of year is called a meteor shower. Comets shed the debris that becomes most meteor showers. As comets orbit the Sun, they shed an icy, dusty debris stream along the comet's orbit. If Earth travels through this stream, we will see a meteor shower. Depending on where Earth and the stream meet, meteors appear to fall from a particular place in the sky, maybe within the neighborhood of a constellation. Meteor showers are named by the constellation from which meteors appear to fall, a spot in the sky astronomers call the radiant. For instance, the radiant for the Leonid meteor shower is located in the constellation Leo. The Perseid meteor shower is so named because meteors appear to fall from a point in the constellation Perseus.

What are shooting stars?
"Shooting stars" and "falling stars" are both names that people have used for many hundreds of years to describe meteors -- intense streaks of light across the night sky caused by small bits of interplanetary rock and debris called meteoroids crashing and burning high in Earth's upper atmosphere. Traveling at thousands of miles an hour, meteoroids quickly ignite in searing friction of the atmosphere, 30 to 80 miles above the ground. Almost all are destroyed in this process; the rare few that survive and hit the ground are known as meteorites. When a meteor appears, it seems to "shoot" quickly across the sky, and its small size and intense brightness might make you think it is a star. If you're lucky enough to spot a meteorite (a meteor that makes it all the way to the ground), and see where it hits, it's easy to think you just saw a star "fall".

How can I best view a meteor shower?
If you live near a brightly lit city, drive away from the glow of city lights and toward the constellation from which the meteors will appear to radiate. For example, drive north to view the Leonids. Driving south may lead you to darker skies, but the glow will dominate the northern horizon, where Leo rises. Perseid meteors will appear to "rain" into the atmosphere from the constellation Perseus, which rises in the northeast around 11 pm in mid-August.
After you've escaped the city glow, find a dark, secluded spot where oncoming car headlights will not periodically ruin your sensitive night vision. Look for state or city parks or other safe, dark sites. Once you have settled at your observing spot, lie back or position yourself so the horizon appears at the edge of your peripheral vision, with the stars and sky filling your field of view. Meteors will instantly grab your attention as they streak by.

How do I know the sky is dark enough to see meteors?
If you can see each star of the Little Dipper, your eyes have "dark adapted", and your chosen site is probably dark enough. Under these conditions, you will see plenty of meteors.

What should I pack for meteor watching?
Treat meteor watching like you would the 4th of July fireworks. Pack comfortable chairs, bug spray, food and drinks, blankets, plus a red-filtered flashlight for reading maps and charts without ruining your night vision. Binoculars are not necessary. Your eyes will do just fine.

Perseids:
The Perseid meteor shower is an annual meteor shower that is extremely regular in its timing and can potentially be visible for weeks in the late summer sky, depending on weather and location. The Perseid meteor shower is named after the constellation Perseus, which is located in roughly the same point of the night sky where the Perseid meteor shower appears to originate from. This is a useful naming convention, but not very accurate! The source of the Perseid meteor shower is actually debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. Every year, the earth passes through the debris cloud left by the comet when the earth's atmosphere is bombarded by what is popularly known as "falling stars".

When and where to look for Perseids in 2011?
In 2011, visibility (the weather also notwithstanding) will be somewhat limited by a full moon on August 13 which will likely wipe out fainter meteors from view. Because of the way the earth hits this debris cloud, the Perseid meteor shower is much more visible in the Northern hemisphere. People in Canada, for instance, can see the meteor shower by mid-July, but generally there isn't much activity at such an early date. Throughout Europe, the US and the rest of North America, meteor shower activity usually peaks sometime around August 12th, when it is not unusual to see at least 60 meteors per hour streaking across the Northeast sky. The meteors are certainly bright, but they are actually only tiny objects, usually no more than a grain of sand. However, as they travel at speeds of up to 71 kilometers per second, these small particles put on quite a brilliant show. The Perseid meteor showers were observed as far back as two thousand years ago, and in ancient Europe, the Perseid meteor shower was known as the "Tears of St. Lawrence".

How to view Perseids?
Today, the best place to observe the Perseid meteor shower (or any meteor shower for that matter), is somewhere dark, away from light pollution, and with the moon out of the field of vision. The less light visible, the more brilliant the meteor shower will be.

Telescope or camera?
While mostly viewable to the naked eye, the annual Perseid meteor show may be partially obstructed by the moon, clouds or night mist, so amateur astronomers may want to carry along a pair of binoculars or a camera with a telescopic lens. Even on clear nights, some kind of viewing aid comes in handy for catching sight of even the faintest of falling stars, aptly named "telescopic" meteors. Experts usually just advise to forget the telescope, and simply look up toward the northeast sky. For photographing the annual event, a digital camera mounted on a tripod helps to steady the images that swiftly move across the sky. A quick trigger finger also helps. Even random clicks during the height of Perseid "prime-time" will guarantee that you'll catch something! Be sure to have the camera focused on infinity and, if your camera permits, leave the shutter open for several minutes for the most spectacular photographic effects.

METEOR CALENDAR.

NOTES: These are approximate times for the Lower 48 states; actual shower times can vary. Bright moonlight makes it difficult to see all but the brightest meteors.

Source Links:

http://iya2009.com/perseid-meteor-shower-peaks-on-tuesday.html;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids;

http://www.chiff.com/science/perseids.htm;

http://meteorshowersonline.com/perseids.html.

Article submitted by Rob Sankovich,
VGMS President.

  Table of Contents.

ROCKHOUND RAMBLINGS.

Collecting Gems & Fossils in Upstate New York.

On July 5th, while in Syracuse to attend the Annual AFMS Show & Convention, Nancy and I spent a day with CFMS 1st VP Susan Chaisson-Walblom and her husband David prospecting for Herkimer diamonds in upstate New York. These "diamonds" are actually quartz crystals, but double termination and water-clear transparency results in diamond-like sparkle, and folks have been collecting them since the late 18th century. In fact, there for awhile, we thought we were driving through the 18th century as we entered Amish country, skirting deer, ground hogs, and a flock of wild turkeys while seeing men in straw hats forking hay into horse-drawn carts.

We arrived at Herkimer Diamond Mines right at opening time of 10:00 AM. Out front of a big, barn-like building, water ran down long sluice boxes for kids to buy and sift through bags of dirt containing gemstones and fossils. Inside, an honest-to-goodness rock shop and gift shop occupied the first floor, and a museum occupied the second floor. The gift shop and museum contained more Herkimer diamonds than you could count, including specimens so big they were selling them as doorknobs. Herkimer Diamond Mines also features a top-rated KOA campground with tent sites and cabins for those who want to stay awhile. In the mine itself, we felt like we had been sentenced to a chain gang at the state pen as we clobbered rocks with sledge hammers under the hot sun. I looked around for Cool Hand Luke… For $10 per day, they loan you a short-handled sledge hammer and let you keep everything you find. After breaking about 300 rocks, I finally found a vug that produced pay dirt, with a specimen worthy of entering into the county fair! We found more crystals scanning the ground. For really big success, though, you need to bring more tools than they allow for carry-on if you're flying in from California: gads and chisels, bigger long-handled sledge hammers, pry bars, screens, etc. We were pleased to find not just Herkimers, but dolomite crystals lining little pockets in the rock and fossil stromatolites (half-a-billion-year-old algal formations resembling small, flattened cabbages). Except for the sunburn and sore muscles, a fun time was had by all, and we decided to share the fun by donating a $20 Herkimer diamond from the gift shop to our July Ways & Means raffle. (Here's hoping mine is the winning ticket!)



Friday, July 8, was an in-between day. Federation meetings were concluded on Thursday and the show itself was being set-up on Friday, so we all headed south to Ithaca, New York, home to Cornell University (where Nancy's parents met in WWII) and Ithaca College (Nancy's alma mater). This is a drive through New York's version of Napa Valley, with wineries all along the way. Bypassing the wine tastings (frown), we toured the Paleontological Research Institute's Museum of the Earth. Inspired by the fossils we saw there, on the way back to the hotel, when we stopped for gas at the town of Tully, I spied an outcrop behind the gas station that looked especially promising because someone had already been quarrying in it. Checking it out, I immediately found several brachiopods, crinoid stems, and a trilobite tail. Nancy, Susan and David quickly piled out of the car and were up on the hill with me.



Between the unexpected fossil hunt in Tully and the rocks from our Herkimer Diamond Mine adventure, we had to make a run to the post office for two of their $10.95 flat-rate boxes to ship heavy rocks home. And that was before we even started our silver-pick collecting on the floor of the AFMS Show, but that's another story….

Photos & article submitted by Jim & Nancy Brace-Thompson.

  Table of Contents.

EDUCATIONAL CORNER.

Definition of the Month.

Taphonomy - From the Greek words taphos (burial) and nomos (law). Taken literally, the word taphonomy means the science of the 'Laws of Burial'. It is the study of the processes involved in the death, decay, burial, preservation and replacement of an organism into a fossil and the alteration of the fossil to its present state.
     Taphonomy is a subdiscipline of paleobiology that dwells on the events that affect the living organism before death and the transformation of the organic matter after death into a fossil. In most cases, the process of fossilization involves ion exchange and mineral replacement. However, the science of taphonomy includes many details before, during and after the process of fossilization has taken place. Following is a list of the numerous disciplines within the science:

1. The original environment from which the living organism emerged, lived and survived.
2. The organisms food source.
3. The organisms anatomy and morphology.
4. Details of how the organism died.
5. Details of how the organism became disarticulated immediately after death.
6. Biological processes that may have modified or altered the remains before burial.
7. Transport of the organic remains by bioturbation, sediment flow, marine landslide, water movement (including flow from currents and tides) or the movement of wind.
8. The residency time in a depositional setting before final entombment by deep sediment burial.
9. The affects of sediment compaction, dewatering, alterations in clay mineralogy, ion exchange, lithification, mineral crystallization (calcite/aragonite in pore spaces), oxidation and other changes that may occur within the sedimentary rock unit.
10. The alterations of tissues and skeletal parts within a wide range of chemical environments that result in the process of preservation and fossilization.
11. Chemical changes that may occur after fossilization.
12. Movement and continued disarticulation of the remains after fossilization due to changes in the sedimentary rock unit. These changes may include bioturbation (movement of roots, soil insects, bacterial action, burrowing animals, etc.), changes in clay mineralogy including the processes of expansion & contraction, ion exchange, fluid movement (water, crude oil, natural tar, etc.), lithification, mineral crystallization, sediment fracturing, compaction, deformation due to faulting and many other natural processes.

     The study of taphonomy applied to paleontology allows scientists to draw correct conclusions to the chain of events that led to the death and preservation of the organism. There are many examples in the fossil record of how organic remains are differentially preserved. Understanding why this occurs is very important to the overall picture of fossilization. The science of taphonomy is also applied by archaeologists and forensic scientists when studying the sites of human remains.

Source: McGraw-Hill Science & Technology Encyclopedia at http://www.answers.com/topic/taphonomy.

Written by Steve Mulqueen for the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, August 2011. The "Definition of the Month" features words related to geology, paleontology, mining & desert history. Refer to other definitions featured in past VGMS bulletins dating back to June 2001 available on the VGMS website.

Illustration of the Month.

The Uranium Prospector.
During the Uranium Rush of the 1950's and early 1960's, prospectors would explore remote areas of the Western States in search of ore deposits. These illustrations were featured in a book written as a training guide. The book attracted many people into uranium prospecting as a hobby and as a profession. Publishing details about this specialized form of prospecting led to many great discoveries of uranium ore deposits, raw materials badly needed by the U.S. Government.

Illustration Source: From the book "Uranium - Where it is and How to Find it", written by Paul D. Proctor, et al, Brigham Young University Press, Provo, Utah, 1954. This book was written during the peak of the Uranium Boom. The book features numerous cartoon depictions of the uranium prospector of the 1950s.

The "Illustration of the Month" features a drawing, sketch, pen & ink rendering, engraving print or any form of art rediscovered in books, maps, manuscripts and many other sources related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history. Text written by Steve Mulqueen, August 2011. This illustration was chosen for its educational content by the author.

  Table of Contents.

THE AMERICAN AGATE - JASPER INDEX.

Two new portfolios of work by an excellent artist are available. Both are by Dan Heuer who works with a wide range of valuable and high quality materials and won awards at the Federation shows while living in Oregon. He also has been Rock and Gem Magazine's Artist of the Month as well. His first volume is called Rare Earths, a collection of cabochons of picture and landscape jaspers among other similar materials. The second volume is called The Lapidary Alphabet. This is a compilation highlighting the variety of material Dan has used.

Rare Earths and other Alien Landscapes, a portfolio by Dan Heuer - the file is 75 pages long and about 9.7 MB - http://www.4shared.com/document/bWqx33M2/Portfolio_-_Dan_Heuer_1st_Book.html.

A Lapidary Alphabet, a portfolio by Dan Heuer - the file is 110 pages long and about 15.7 MB - http://www.4shared.com/document/ksxjYApK/Portfolio_-_Dan_Heuer_2nd_Book.html.

More relevant to our local collecting needs, Mel and I finally finished the California Indexes for the Agate/Jasper Index project. California was so stuffed with material, the index had to be separated into two separate downloads, one focusing on Agate and the other on Jasper.

Volume 10A: California Agates, 73 pages of material - 24 MB (Large File) - http://www.4shared.com/document/WNYHkbHj/Agate_Index_Vol_10A_California.html.
     (Note - there is a glitch that prevents the cover of Volume A from showing up on the download screen. You can still download the volume by hitting the BLUE BUTTON, then waiting a few seconds for the system to load, then hit the download link.)

Volume 10B: California Jaspers and Fossil Material, 59 pages of material - 15 MB - http://www.4shared.com/document/WoKMEnIo/Agate_Index_Vol_10B_California.html.

When you click on a link above, it should take you to a screen that shows the image of the specific Index's front. Above it is a blue box that says Download Now. DON'T click the green button that says DOWNLOAD 4SHARED DESKTOP or download; evidently it has some other function. I haven't touched it, so I'm not sure. You click on the BLUE button that says "Download Now. No Virus Detected". This gets you to a screen that says "Thank you for downloading {Index Name}.pdf." There is a short countdown (10 seconds) and then a link comes up that says "Click here to download this file". Click that and the file uploads.

See previous newsletters for a complete list of volumes available online.

Submitted by Lowell Foster,
VGMS Historian.

  Table of Contents.

CHIPS AND BOULDERS.

Got something to sell, trade or barter for? Send your brief articles to the editor by the 10th of the month to VGMSeditor@gmail.com. Payment in moonstone, labradorite, Larimar or dark chocolate (70+ % please) is gleefully accepted! ~AB

FOR SALE - Two vests with VGMS Patches:

For sale to interested members on a first-come, first-served basis. We'll have them at our June meeting for anyone who would like to try a fitting. We're asking $7.00 for each vest (the cost of the patches). Contact Diane Cook at johndianedaisy@yahoo.com.

FOR SALE - Bagged Grit:

Bagged grit is sill available (between 60 & 120 grit) for a $1 per pound and will be available at the clubhouse on workshop days or special events.

WANTED - Dark Color Carpet Remnants:

Preferrably dark colored, to replace the Museum carpet that is badly stained. We received one, 12x12ft piece, that's dark blue with tan specks, but we still need to cover the hallway and sample storage area. Another piece close to that size would help. We want to look clean and presentable for our visitors! Please contact Jim at jbraceth@roadrunner.com.

WANTED - Leftover Landscaping Materials:

Paving stones of any kind, corrugated tin, edgers, pea gravel, etc., to complete our clubhouse backyard landscaping project so it's safe for kids, and looks nice, too. Bring to the clubhouse on workshop days, to meetings, or contact: Diane Cook at johndianedaisy@yahoo.com, to make arrangements.

WANTED:

Used, working lapidary equipment; saws, polishers, etc. Please contact Dick Cox at (805) 642-3579.

HELP WANTED - COORDINATOR FOR DISPLAY.

Great position for a new member. Trainee needed to work with Steve Mulqueen coordinating the yearly display at the California Oil Museum in Santa Paula. Contact Steve at mulques@roadrunner.com.

HELP WANTED - PLANT SALE COORDINATOR.

Another great position for a new member to jump into. Trainee needed to work with Susan Mulqueen and eventually replace her coordinating the Plant Sales at our yearly show. The majority of the work is just before the show planting starters, coordination of plant donations, and show set up. Must have green thumb, space to have potted plants & maintain them until March show. Contact Susan at mulques@roadrunner.com.

  Table of Contents.

You might be a rockhound if...

Your preacher gives a
particularly inspirational fire &
brimstone sermon, and while
the rest of the congregation is
contemplating the horrors of
hell, you are wondering if
brimstone is igneous or
metamorphic.

CLUB MERCHANDISE.

VGMS continues to have Club T-Shirts for sale. Priced to all VGMS members at $12.00 and any club member associated to CFMS $13.00.

Sizes S-M-L-XL-2X-3X. All profits go directly to the VGMS.

Contact Diane Cook at johndianedaisy@yahoo.com to order.

Please remember that our CafePress VGMS logo site has many items available with the club poinsettia logo to choose from, new items being added when available. All profits can be used for future purchases of items to sell at our show in March with a markup.

Please visit www.cafepress.com/VtaGemSociety, or contact Angela at VGMSeditor@gmail.com for more information.

  Table of Contents.

SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

LET'S GO TO A SHOW.

Please let the editor know if any of you attend any of these shows, and what kind of treasures you found (VGMSeditor@gmail.com).

2011 CFMS CLUB SHOWS.

September 2-5, FORT BRAGG, CA - Mendocino Coast Gem & Mineral Society, Town Hall, 363 N. Main St. (corner of Main & Laurel). Hours: Fri.-Sun. 10-6, Mon 10-4. Jerry Sommer, (707) 917-1833.
September 10-11, DOWNEY, CA - Delvers Gem & Mineral Society, Woman's Club of Downey, 9813 Paramount Blvd. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4. Guynell Miller, (562) 633-0614.
September 17-18, PASO ROBLES, CA - Santa Lucia Rockhounds, Pioneer Park & Museum, 2010 Riverside Avenue. Hours: 10-5 daily. Dale Conrad, (805) 226-0719, Email: Conrad@att.net, Website: http://slrockhounds.org.
September 17-18, STOCKTON, CA - Stockton Lapidary & Mineral Club, Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 33 W. Alpine Avenue. Hours: 10-5 daily. Jan Bradley or Dorothy Tonnacliff, (209) 629-3837 / (209) 603-4539, Email: slmcshow@juno.com, Website: www.stocktonlapidary.com.
September 23-25, SAN BERNARDINO, CA - Orange Belt Mineralogical Society, Western Regional Little League Park, 6707 Little League Dr. Hours: 9:00 am to Dusk daily. Steve Williams, (909) 389-8680, Email: ironelk@ymail.com, Website: http://obmsrocks.yolasite.com.
September 24-25, MONTEREY, CA - Carmel Valley Gem & Mineral Society, Monterey Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairgrounds Road. Hours: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. Matt Biewer, (831) 659-4156, Email: mattbiewer@aol.com, Website: www.cvgms.org.
October 2, FALLBROOK, CA - Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Facility, 123 W. Alvarado St, Ste. B. Hours: 10-4 daily. Janice Bricker, Email: fgms@sbcglobal.net, Website: www.fgms.org.
October 8-9, GRASS VALLEY, CA - Nevada County Gem & Mineral Society, Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road. Hours: 10-5 daily. Kim Moore, (530) 470-0388, Email: kmoore160@comcast.net, Website: www.ncgms.org.
October 8-9, TRONA, CA - Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society, 13337 Main Street. Hours: Sat. 7:30-5, Sun. 7:30-4. Jim & Bonnie Fairchild, 760) 372-5356, Email: slgms@iwvisp.com, Website: www1.iwvisp.com/tronagemclub.
October 15, WEST HILLS, CA - Woodland Hills Rock Chippers, First United Methodist Church, 22700 Sherman Way. Hours: 10-5. Mary Beth Pio, Email: info@rockchippers.org, Website: www.rockchippers.org.
October 15-16, ANDERSON, CA - Shasta Gem & Mineral Society, Shasta Distrist Fairgrounds, Briggs Street. Hours: Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4. Steve Puderbaugh, (530) 365-4000, Cell (530) 604-2951, Email: steve@applyaline.com, Website: www.shastagemandmineral.com.
October 15-16, PLACERVILLE, CA - El Dorado County Mineral & Gem Society, El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive. Hours: 10-5 daily. Karen Newlin, (530) 676-2472, Email: info@rockandgemshow.org, Show Website: www.rockandgemshow.org.
October 15-16, SANTA ROSA, CA - Santa Rosa Mineral & Gem Society, Veterans' Memorial Auditorium, 1351 Maple Ave. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Debbie Granat, (707) 542-1651, Email: santarosarockshow@hotmail.com, Website: www.srmgs.org.
October 15-16, WHITTIER, CA - Whittier Gem & Mineral Society, Whittier Community Center, 7630 Washington. Hours: 10-5 daily. Marcia Goetz, (626) 260-7239, Email: joemar1@verizon.net.
October 22-23, LOS ALTOS, CA - Peninsula Gem & Geology Society, Los Altos Youth Center, One N. San Antonio Road. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 11-5. Steve Jobe, (408) 279-2069, Email: steve_jobe@sbcglobal.net, Website: www.pggs.org/.
November 5-6, LANCASTER, CA - Palmdale Gem & Mineral Club, Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, 2551 West Ave. H & Hwy 14. Hours: 9-5 daily. Cheri George, (562) 243-8470, Email: lizardwoman3@yahoo.com, Website: www.palmdalegemandmineral.com.
November 5-6, RIDGECREST, CA - Indian Wells Gem & Mineral Society, Desert Empire Fairgrounds (Mesquite Hall), 520 West Richmond Road. Hours: 9-5 daily. John DeRosa, (760) 375-7905, Email: IndianWellsGems@hotmail.com, Website: www.indianwells.weebly.com.
November 5-6, SAN DIEGO, CA - San Diego Mineral & Gem Society, Al Bahr Shrine Center, 5440 Kearny Mesa Road. Hours: Sat. 9:30-5, Sun. 10-4. Bob Hancock, (619) 461-5783, (619) 889-6886 cell, Email: rhbobhancock@cs.com, Website: www.sdmg.org.
November 11-13, SACRAMENTO, CA - Sacramento Mineral Society, Scottish Rite Temple, 6151 H Street. Hours: Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Stanley Henneman, (916) 363-5011, Email: Lakota27@sbcglobal.net, Website: www.sacramentomineralsociety.org.
November 12-13, YUBA CITY, CA - Sutter Buttes Gem & Mineral Society, Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds (Franklin Hall), 442 Franklin Ave. Hours: Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-4. Erik Anspaugh, (916) 567-9750, Email: rocks@hughes.net, Website: www.sutterbuttes.net.

November 19-20, OXNARD, CA - Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society, Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way. Hours: Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4. Norb Kinsler, (805) 644-6450, Email: show_info@oxnardgem.com, Website: www.oxnardgem.com.

December 3-4, BARSTOW, CA - Mojave Desert Gem & Mineral Society, Barstow Community Center, 841 S. Barstow Road. Hours: 10-5 daily. Gene Haines, (760) 256-0595, Email: vhaines@san.rr.com, Website: www.mdgms.org.

Source: http://cfmsinc.org/.

2012 CFMS CLUB SHOWS.

February 17-26, INDIO, CA - San Gorgonio Mineral & Gem Society, Gem & Mineral Building, Bldg #1, Arabia Street. Hours: 10-10 daily. Bert Grisham, (915) 849-1674, Email: bert67@verizon.net.
March 2-4 NEWARK, CA - Mineral & Gem Society of Castro Valley, Newark Pavilion, 6430 Thornton Avenue. Hours: Fri. & Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Cathy Miller, (510) 887-9007, Email: info@mgscv.org, Website: www.mgscv.org.

March 3-4, VENTURA, CA - Ventura Gem & Mineral Society presents The Ventura Gem Show, Ventura County Fairgrounds (Seaside Park), Corner of Harbor Blvd. & Figueroa St. It's our GOLDEN (50th) Anniversary Show. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun 10-4. Gems, Minerals, Rocks, Fossils, Jewelry, Exhibits, Dealers, Demonstrations, Raffles, Silent Auctions, Country Store, Plant Sales, Kids' Activities, FREE ADMISSION. Web Site www.vgms.org.

March 5-6, ARCADIA, CA - Monrovia Rockhounds, Inc., LA County Arboretum, 301 Baldwin Avenue. Hours: 9-4:30 daily. Jo Anna Ritchey, (626) 359-1624, Email: joannaritchey@gmail.com, Website: www.Moroks.com.
April 28-29, LANCASTER, CA - Antelope Gem & Mineral Society, Lancaster High School, 44701 - 32nd Street West. Hours: 9-5 daily. CJ Quitoriano, (661) 209-9092, cjq_62@yahoo.com; Rod Skillings, 661) 400-5198, rodneyskillings@ymail.com, Website: www.avgem.weebly.com.

Source: http://cfmsinc.org/.

  Table of Contents.

SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

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You may also go to the VGMS Home Page.