I purchased this piece from John Sigfrit near Nampa, Idaho. It was from the collection of his grandfather, Lee Sigfrit, who had passed, leaving the collection to grandson John. According to John, Lee apparently had been involved with the formation of the Peterson Rock Gardens, in Oregon. The collection was largely rough rock contained in … Read more
My friends, and lapidary artists Dan and Cyndi Wolke, of the Vallejo, California Gem and Mineral Society invited me out on a beautiful Fall day in late September. Jamie Lant, fire opal claim owner on Juniper Mountain, in Lake County, Oregon had posted an open invite on Facebook for anyone and everyone to come out and dig the … Read more
My Seattle rockhound friends announced that they were going to Montana and then on to South Dakota for some rockhounding, and did I want to join them? Immediately thoughts of famed Yellowstone National Park jumped into my mind. Though there’s no collecting within the park, there are hundreds of miles of trails through some of … Read more
Without a doubt some of my more odd collecting experiences have occurred up on Peterson Mountain, in Washoe County, Nevada. That’s if you don’t count the Trona, CA field trips which comprise a stand-alone oddball event that never fails to stretch the limits of the imagination and endurance. You can read about Trona in … Read more
My old rockhounding buddy Rollie down in Susanville, California called me up for a field trip, saying he had finally found a storied black tourmaline and quartz area while exploring nearby Thompson Peak. This after 6 years of searching, with the requisite getting lost, blood loss, and losing your temper, etc. (Rockhounds, you know what … Read more
Scott’s Rock & Gem has participated in an annual gem and mineral show held in the city of Yakima, Washington. Friday is student day, and many bus loads of local students get to preview the weekend show. For some students, this might be the only chance they get in a year to be able to … Read more
A full moon sets over the fabled Sierra Nevada Mountain Range as I head from Oregon down into Southern California in search of Trona halite and other field trips in the great rockhounding region of Owens and Searles Valleys. I’m joined by the intrepid Kevin and Carol Rust, who had to drive much farther … Read more
I recently had the pleasure of visiting a friend of mine, Mr. Lloyd Bryant, who I consider to be an exceptional rockhound. Here he shows off some bookends that he made from very nice quality local Oregon petrified woods. The top pair is especially impressive, and looks like it could easily hold the entire set … Read more
On a fine winter’s day in January, I head out of the office, leaving “the boss” in charge. (wink) Two year old Granddaughter Rose takes right to the position, and loves to do anything she’s not actually supposed to! If I drive all day from Southern Oregon – and there’s not much day in January … Read more
If you’ve read my earlier blogs, then you know that I make an annual trip to Trona, California, for the Searles Valley Gem and Mineral Society Show, and to go out on the Searles Lake field trips, to collect world class evaporite minerals, such as this marvelously textural, large pink halite. One of the … Read more
