Social distancing today as we venture out to do some errands after a week at home. Yard projects, crafts, and Sherry is doing some awesome glass pieces. Some pictures next post. Above is a sample of some rocks we recently finished tumbling. I turned a cement mixer into a tumbler and have three barrel tumblers for finishing. The cement mixer is put away, but the barrel tumblers run seven days a week.

Trust you all are staying well. Our next shows are still up in the air. We are okay with the isolation and elimination of public gatherings. This virus is a real threat and all of us must do our part to slow it down. A big “thank you” to all those that are! May your week be blessed.

Our gardens have many aromatic plants and their fragrances add to the enjoyment of our walks. Lavender is one scent that is used for its calming effects. Recently we acquired some large lava stone beads to use in making aroma therapy jewelry. You add a drop of two of an essential oil, it is absorbed by the porous stone and “therapeutic” all day long.

We get asked for magnetic jewelry and recently have had the time to make some magnetic bracelets. I had been reluctant to make them in the past, as the elastic breaks. People bring us elastic bracelets that have broken and ask us to repair them. I don’t like to do that as they never hold up long. We use a very thin and flexible, seven stranded wire that seems to be very durable for most all of our jewelry.

It has been fun to be home during this Southern Californian (mild) Winter and have time to work in the gardens and create our art. Sadly, the corona virus threat has caused some of our shows to be cancelled. Our prayers are for all those impacted by this very real problem. We trust it will be resolved soon. May your week be blessed.

Hard and brittle, silicon is a crystalline solid with a blue-grey metallic luster. It is a metal greatly used as a semiconductor. Think “Silicon Valley.” You could not be reading this post without silicon. The picture here is 99% pure silicon derived in the laboratory. A French chemist discovered silicon 233 years ago.

Silicon makes up most of the rocks on our earth. Pure silicon does not exist on our earth, but combines with other elements to form an “oxide,” as in silicon dioxide. Quartz, agate and jasper are all forms of silicon dioxide.

We obtained some silicon specimens at a recent trade show and were captivated by is luster. Stop by one of future shows and enjoy silicon as well, in its pure form or as a beautiful oxide.