Treasure!
Sunday, Mrs. FC and I rode out to our friend's property to take him up on an offer of rocks. Billy has scratched out a small pond and a clearing on his gorgeous rocky, swampy property nearby. In the process, his backhoe had pulled up a bunch of limerock boulders which he piled up for us.
Gathering them is not a chore you want to do in the summer heat and humidity with a blue million mosquitoes flying around your head, but this time of year is bug free and naturally airconditioned ... perfect weather for rock gathering.
(Photo by Mrs. FC)
It was a beautiful day and before we gathered rocks, we took a walk around Billy's property. I'll post about the property itself later this week. It is a unique piece.
The selection of rocks was great with both small and large stones and we had to control ourselves so we didn't overload the battered, but faithful trailer attached to the JEEP. I wasn't sure how much weight the WILLSKIDMAYPOP trailer tires could carry.
Heading home with rocks!
Rocks!!!!
Not sand, but rocks!!!
I know you are shaking your head at our lithoelation, but you have to understand rocks are scarce in Florida. Oh, there's several thousand feet of marine limestone beneath our sand, but Florida is newly emerged from the ocean. The result is the rock is still buried and intact, not exposed and broken like ... well, about everywhere else.
Back home at PFHQ with our treasure. We could have put a few more in, but were being cautious on this first haul.
I'll be going back for the big ones ASAP. For now, these will be stockpiled for a couple of landscaping projects we are planning.
After we gathered our rocks, we called Billy and invited his family out for barbeque chicken, corn on the cob, Greek potato salad, green salad, and brownies.
That was good too.
20 comments:
Not that I had severe doubts, but that battered trailer makes you an OFFICIAL cracker!
Yes, you got a bunch of rocks there, friend. At least you have them corralled. Ours are free range, which means of course that we have lots of rocks, except where we would like them to be.
Bring one of those rocks next time you come, St. John's County needs one!
Nice haul! I know I never pass up the opportunity to bring home nice limestone boulders when I get the chance. My dream is to live in a house made of oolite...they are so pretty.
Nice rocks...I had to convert the boss when I came here to the farm. He HATED rocks, having had to pick as many of them out of the fields as you have mosquitoes in summer. Now, after many years of marriage he actually brings me rocks. I find them romantic...nice to landscape with and no calories.
We share your love of rocks. We have lots of rocks, both above and below the surface, but we are always looking for more. We have several large boulders here and there. Some are large enough that the loader won't actually pick them up. I had to skid them along on the ground.
That's so exciting!!!! I would love a big trailer of rocks.
Nice bunch of rocks you have there!
Up here you can't put the shovel in the ground without hitting a stone, but most of them are too little to be of much use.
Bring some down here!
I remember digging in our back yard about 10 years ago and found 3 or 4 slivers of limestone pavers that we could use for our waterfall.
They're expensive here, and I was so stunned, I dug all over the yard trying to find more, LOL. My backyard looked like the scene from the movie "Holes" for awhile!
Apparently the previous owner just left them buried in the sand. I never did find any more, but I never give up hope.
But you're right, rocks are scarce here, except in parts of Miami, where, if you stick a shovel in the dirt, you'll hit coral rock. Most of my father-in-law's back yard is coral rock.
HOpe your back is ok today!
It's hard for someone in the Ozarks to get excited about rocks, but I'm glad for you FC. I could send you some rocks, but I doubt you'd be interested in rocks from the Ozarks.
lithoelation. I'll try that in one of my online scrabble tournaments- next time elation is on the board and I have litho on my rack.
You're absolutely right though- for a state so rich in spiders and birds there's a real dearth of good rocks around here. The ones that are available tend to be lumpy, homely composite rocks (yours, to wit). I was used to beautiful smooth colorful boulders in Michigan- and Petoskey stones!
Now that I think about it, that's true for grass, too.
I totally relate to your lithoelationary state. Feel free to come up here and dig as much as you like... right over there where I want a pond. 8-}
I'm kinda jealous of your barred owl. Great shot! I hear them back in the woods, but they rarely come close enough to actually catch a glimpse. The former owner's lawn is gradually returning to the wild, but trees are a slow process.
Troll,
That 500 dollar trailer (6 years ago) is the cheapest pickup I've ever owned.
It has saved me many times the money it cost.
Definitely crackery tho.
Wren,
Our rocks appear to hibernate for eons before awakening and coming above ground.
Tsiya,
Well, you have coquina, but it's probably all under housing developments these days. I used to gather it in the pits off Holmes blvd.
Swampangel,
Are they pinkish?
Never look a gift rock in the mouth I always say.
3C,
Except for rock candy, now that is loaded with calories.
Mark,
They just open up a world of project possibilities don't they.
Dani,
Now that is a solid Floridian reaction to a trailer full of rocks. I hear ya'.
ThunderD,
There you are. Things must have calmed down a little up there. Going kung pao soon?
Laura,
You need a long metal probe to poke around in that back yard.
Back is fine. I read recently in Men's Health that lifting heavy things from the ground works almost every muscle and is especially good for you.
I actually felt it in my thighs the next day.
The really big ones are getting shoved up a ramp to the trailer.
Pablo,
Ours can't compare with what you have a round there.
Vicki,
Okay, granted we don't have Great lakes agates, but check out the famous agatized coral of Tampa Bay while you are living here. It's lovely.
And find yourself a lawn of luxurious St. Augustine grass to stretch out on in the winter sun.
Bliss.
Sophie,
Right after I finish gathering every rock from Billy's pile!
Those barn owls are really used to us and allow close approaches.
Dude,
You almost look like Ted Nugent in that picture.
Valown,
Dude,
Well, I am rockin' in that pic.
Ted is definitely an interesting character.
UhOh, last thing we want to be is "Dudes". Could be our age difference, but, I ain't no "Dude", nothing fake about me!
Tsiya,
It's the age difference.
Oh dear, you do look kind of Nugenty. Not normally, of course. It must be the rock.
My hubby would looooove to have a trailer like that. And he's already got 2 pickups!
"Nugenty"
Har!
Now that is an adjective!
Too funny ... I need to Google Ted and see what he looks like these days.
Maybe not...
My home state is in New England, Land of the Stone Walls, so my sister cracked up when I told her we PAID to bring rocks in for landsaping here in Florida.
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