The Cochise County Rock

Monthly Newsletter of the Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club

www.cochisecountyrock.org

“Finding and Grinding Rocks in Cochise County, Arizona since 1962”

July 2006

This issue edited by Paul McKnight

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July Field Trip

On Saturday, July 29, Bob and Barbara Fenner will lead us to a ranch on Highway 191 north of Interstate 10 to collect what we are calling Chinese Picture rocks. When sliced, these rocks reveal a pattern of light-colored flecks on a dark background. The flecks resemble Chinese writing if you have a good imagination.

The pattern is actually very attractive. Your editor will volunteer to slab your rocks for you if you don’t want to slab them yourself. Meet at 8 am at the Safeway parking lot in Willcox. We will leave at 8:15.

June Picnic Report

Our picnic was a real Southeast Arizona adventure. Jeannine masterfully brought all the required elements together at the proper moment on the horse farm of Sue and Richard Bishop north of the tracks in Dragoon. It was hot as it usually is for our annual pre-monsoon picnic, but there was plenty of shade. In addition to the shaded veranda, we had tables under a large sun umbrella and a large portable shade canopy. There were more than enough hot dogs and hamburgers to go around and plenty of drinks, salads, beans and desserts.

Everyone had finished eating and we were sitting around talking when, without warning, a dust devil swept through, picking up the large sun umbrella, lifting it straight up out of its table, and sailing it about 150 feet over toward the horses. The large portable shade canopy right next to the umbrella was also hit rather hard. I had helped Richard set it up before the picnic. We tied two corners of it to the steel supports of the veranda roof, and all four legs of it were tied to heavy concrete blocks to keep it stationary. That dust devil apparently had not been told how securely we had tied the canopy down, because it picked the thing up and moved it about ten feet north, severely bending one or two of the legs and generally making a shambles of it.

The alert reader might be tempted to ask if anyone was sitting under the canopy at the time. Well, there were a couple of people still sitting at the tables under the canopy when the dust devil hit. One of them was Irma Andrews. She was sitting at the north edge of one of the tables having a genteel conversation with someone at the south edge. Your editor was standing in the shade on the veranda. In the twinkling of an eye the large sun umbrella disappeared and the canopy jumped north and collapsed directly over Irma. Fearing disaster, I ran out and pulled up the canopy. There was Irma, unharmed, unscathed, and ready to resume her genteel conversation. All the metal support struts and legs had missed her and the canopy fabric had settled gently on her head.

Next Meeting is September

We have a tradition, going back to the ‘60s, of not having meetings during the summer.

Dues are due. $10 for individual and $20 for family. Please mail your check to Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club, PO Box 87, Pearce, AZ 85625.

Upcoming Regional Events

August 26-September 4 Agate 2006

October 14-15 Huachuca Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show. At the Elks Lodge on Willcox Avenue, Sierra Vista, AZ. Free admission & parking; live demonstrations, educational displays, rocks, jewelry, gems, minerals, fossils, equipment, lapidary supplies & more. Contact Larry at 520-459-5211.

Club Officers for 2006

President Don Hammer 520 384-3105

Vice-President Paul McKnight 520 824-4054

Secretary Jeannine Paterson 520 826-1649

Treasurer Larry Edgett

Delegate at Large Sue Bishop 520-586-2312

Club Calendar

July

29 Field Trip – Highway 191 North of I-10 for Chinese picture rocks

August

Field Trip

September

3 Board Meeting

11 Regular Meeting possibly featuring fluorescent minerals by Barbara Fenner

16 Field Trip

October

1 Board Meeting

9 Regular Meeting

21 Field Trip possibly an archaeological site

November

5 Board Meeting

13 Regular Meeting

18 Field Trip

December

3 Board Meeting

11 Christmas Party

Lapidary Classes! Silver Soldering/Smithing Classes!

Flint Knapping!

Lapidary workshop 1-4 pm on Saturdays. Silver Smithing Class will begin in the fall. Contact Larry Strout at 826-3991. Ralph Cartmell has offered to teach a class on flint knapping. Contact Ralph at 826-3051 or Larry Strout.