How we caught the bug

Ufff, after a fatiguing day I`ve finally found a few whiles for my- and only myself. So here I am, sipping beer, listening to my new favourite ("... do you ever think of me when you lie, lie up in your bed, your bed of lies..."), and trying to suppress excitement over the birthday gift, which my boyfriend has just ordered for me .
The book is very hard to get. I got it recommended by another collector from Ireland as an undoubtful must have. The prices vary from $ 40-7000(!!!). Mine cost just a bit over 40 plus shipping (over E80 in total). We ordered it on Amazon from California and it should arrive within 2 weeks. I really can`t wait!

But today I wanted to tell you about my field collecting companion. You already more or less  know my story. But there is also my sister Klaudia, whom I mentioned in my first post, and who is a complete newbie. Of course she knew I was collecting, she even got me some stuff, she would occasionally have a quick look at my collection, but she was never really interested in it. This changed about two months ago, when we went on a trip to Rosscarbery and we accidentally found a very nice sample of rock quartz. It was similar to the one on the cover of the above mentioned book, just smaller ;) I will definitely send you a pic ASAP. She stayed there trying to take out the crystal from the rock with a kitchen knife and a bigger stone used as a hammer. A complete violation of rules, but she managed somehow. My parents and boyfriend fell in love with the specimen and this is when it all started. She decided to start her own collection of self-collected minerals. I bought this book so she could study a bit. I also benefited from it as I am still learning, too. Klaudia is a complete beginner, though, and she has to learn everything, including rock types.

In the last two months, we have collected around Mallow in Co. Cork, in the Muckross Mine in Killarney, and in Ross in Co. Clare, and I think we did very well. We have learned a lot about mineral localities, rock and soil types and identification. It`s fun!

Oh, and by the way, isn`t it weird that three out of four places where we collected have "Ross" in the name? ;)








EDIT: Here are the promised photos of our first finds: