Diamonds and Rubies, Oh My!

Blood red garnets scooped up from the lakeshore
This entry is part 7 of 7 in the series Adirondack Park, NY

Nearly twenty years ago, I met another rockhound who traded crystals with me. I was living in Arizona at the time, so I gave him copper-bearing specimens like azurite, malachite, and turquoise; in turn he presented me with Herkimer Diamonds from upstate New York. Tucked into hollow cavities in the dense gray rock were tiny, … Read more

Living Close to the Land in the Adirondacks

Pigs at Winters Grass Farm come out of hiding to inspect me
This entry is part 6 of 7 in the series Adirondack Park, NY

After two weeks in the Adirondacks of upstate New York I began to learn more about the culture of the area. Though the Adirondack Mountains are ancient, the human history within them is relatively young. It is unusual to meet second generation residents and third generation families are a rarity, so it was a privilege … Read more