The iridescent colors seen when bismuth crystals form make it brilliant, but also difficult to photograph.  We will have the beautiful earrings and pendants this coming weekend at the 47th Annual Gem & Mineral Show in Oxnard.  In nature, bismuth rarely forms crystals.  And, yes it is an ingredient in medications as well!  Just north of Los Angeles, Oxnard gets its names from the two Oxnard brothers that founded the now gone sugar beet industry.  Hope to see you there and have a blessed week.

We gave away hundreds of flags encouraging people to register, get out and vote.  The response was fantastic over the past seven weeks and six shows that we did in California and Nevada.  Older Americans overwhelmingly responded that they would or did vote.  When giving a flag to the millennial (18-34 age) group I asked if they would vote or if they were part of the cynical, younger crowd that sees no reason or hope in voting.  I was surprised at the number of those young people who admitted that they were cynical and probably would not vote.  We had a historic election and the results shocked much of America.  My home state of California had seventeen ballot initiatives including deciding to continue the death penalty and approve recreational marijuana, Nevada approved a similar initiative for the psychoactive herb.  This was one election that proves your vote counts!

We have updated our website picture, removing the get-out-and-vote flag to our iconic rainbow photograph that I took in the Mojave Desert a few years ago following a thunder shower.  People ask about the photographs we use in our posts, and, yes, they are our original work.

We have a week off and Sherry is using the time to be with her sister who is undergoing treatment for cancer.  I am getting caught up on yard work, got this new computer to replace the one that malfunctioned, and am cutting and working with some new rock.  Next weekend we will be in Oxnard, California for their 47th Annual Gem and Mineral Show.

Almost every color of the rainbow can be found throughout the easily accessible site of Gemfield, just outside of Goldfield, Nevada, an old gold boon town now almost a ghost town.  We met Sharon a year ago in Beatty, Nevada and discussed the Gemfield chalcedony claim, which she now holds.    Drive into Goldfield from Beatty and on the left is a small building with a big sig, “Official Gemfield Headquarters.”  Sharon is usually there and eager and friendly to tell you what to see and do in Goldfield, along with visiting the Gemfield claim.  This year we had the opportunity to explore Goldfield and dig for the treasure of the Gemfield claim.  Rockhounds and adventurers alike will find something of interest in this little town, once big, between Beatty and Tonapah.

Had fun today working with some of the new rock we collected.