My old eyes have seen a lot things most other peoples haven't. Savagery, viciousness, deliberate acts of hatred and the results of those acts. Though I have been spared the first hand experiences over the last 15 years for the most part, I like you are exposed to them through the media, what is on my mind is what we have become.

Quick example, yesterday I was in a store and the lady in front of me at the checkout had more than she could carry. She hesitated in picking up her other box when she realized she couldn't handle both of them. The clerk did the same wondering who she could call to help, I was right there and was going to walk out the same door so I offered to help. The clerk was surprised and said something about it, the lady offered to pay me for carrying it out after I put it in her car. I have been shaking my head about this for two days. What ever happened to acts of kindness? Are they so rare now that they have to acknowledged by praise or money?

I was recently exposed to a whole new culture, it was one of me first (though that exists everywhere, more so there) and I only care about me and if you are in my way I will step on you. I don't mean in business where that is common I am talking about going down the grocery store aisle. I had to take it for what it was, I didn't like it but "I" was the stranger with the crazy notions of watching out for the other guy.

Please don't misunderstand what I am saying here, I am not putting myself out as some shining example, I'm normal, but what the hell happened to these other people?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc&feature=PlayList&p=6484ADB8CE1B847E&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=1

On Spikes mind

This has nothing to do with lapidary, but what the title says: Some of my kids have joined facebook group Make It Illegal to Protest at Military Funerals, and I am sure they are wondering why dad hasn't joined. The very first thing I have to say is that I hate the phelps (they don't deserve a capital in their name) group and what they are doing, the second or third funeral they did this at was nearby and I was livid (Myra if you are out there sorry for having to listen to my tyraids that night (I still think that any Sheriff who arrested the whole crew on even a trumped up charge would be reelected for life).

But, and as much as it grieves me to say it, they have the right to speak out. Is what they are saying and doing the right thing to do? NO! It causes so many people pain and worse at a time they are the most vulnerable. These people exploit the law at every turn, they've been doing this kind of stuff for over twenty years. Ever pinched a snake in the middle and watched it twist and turn excreting everything in its body to get away? That's Fred Phelps, and he has taught his brood most all Lawyers to do the same.

One of, no my favorite radio show from time to time has one of them (I won't say her name as I am sure sure she has google notification turned on and I don't want even cause a single smile on her face because of me) on, they goad her into singing one or two of their hate songs. I nearly retch and turn it off.

Back to the the topic, protests at Military Funerals. It's too blanket, what if one of us was killed during a war on lets say England? The President lost his mind and someone in our family was killed because of it. When walking out from the funeral a microphone was shoved in our face and we said "I am so against this, there was no reason". You are thinking apples to oranges? It's not, the law is cut and dry, its still a protest no matter the emotion either way.

They are not changing minds, nor bringing anyone other than their own brain washed family in to join their way of thinking. There will come a day that the snake will be pinched off, lawfully or not.

In the end god has the final say.

Woodward Ranch Agate

Right this very moment my friends are in very remote Texas finding rocks of a life time.

I've been there with them and wish I could be now, so it seems appropriate to discuss the name Woodward ranch agate.

Jan and Trey Woodward are the owners of the ranch, Jan tells us there are 80 different agates to be found there. Well we were allowed to hunt in a area generally off limits and I found a yellow spotted agate there that I have not seen or shown before and when I showed it to Trey he had no clue so make it 81.

Some of the types of agate to be found there are Gold Moss, Flower Garden, Black and Red Plume, sometimes mixed which is rare indeed.

Our first trips goal was the red plume which had to be pounded out of the basalt as anything laying out in the open had been picked up before (if you do that wear gloves, I got the worst infection of my life doing it without). As we hunted and newer avenues were opened up we found some amazing rock. Most of which can't be named for its complexity or it just bloody escapes us.

Needle Peak, though a hundred miles south of the ranch it is owned and operated by Trey and Jan. What a amazing huge piece of rock it is. Home to the elusive Pom Pom agate. But many others also. It is a steep taxing climb though not without its rewards if you have a sharp eye. The back side is mostly unexplored. We got a quick tour and Trey even said he hadn't been there enough to guide it properly. I know that I walked away from many Pom poms not knowing what was laying there.

There is a cost, as with everything in life. First you have to get there. It is very remote SW Texas after all. Then spending your time finding and sorting the rock, and at the end paying for what you have found after all it is their land and you are taking it away piece by piece.

Just realized I hadn't explained all I wanted to or really the main point. What the name Woodward ranch agate comes down to is a complex mixture that we just can't pin point, but that is where it came from so very special, as it was hand collected and not some commercial scoop up and promote thing.