jamesp favorites-Rio Grande #2

[jamesp]

Nice log section sawn that trip

[jamesp]

Organic petrification ??

[Sabre52]

Mark, Not an expert in the field but my assumption would be that large quantities of wood that was swept into rivers and deltas during pluvial periods was buried in sediment by water flows that were heavy ,if not cataclysmic. Since most of the sediments in south Texas came originally from old ocean deposits, not volcanic ash, they would naturally be rich in silica from dead marine life which would be carried by water and gradually replace the buried wood. Texas wood does show lots of evidence of decomposition prior too being petrified. A lot of the wood is casts where little or no original wood structure remains. Other specimens, ie pocket rot and some types of shrinkwood, apparently partially decomposed before being preserved. And of course, some preservations are so good you can see everything about the wood structure.

Palm is a good indicator of how Texas wood was preserved. In Texas, most palm is palm fiber, which indicates the top portions of logs were swept away, laid down and preserved mostly whole, resulting in lots of petrified palm "fiber" often as full rounds. In California, the palms were covered by volcanic ash which accounts for most California petrified palm being palm "root". The tops of the palms were burnt off by the volcanoes, leaving the protected, buried root masses and tree bases to be replaced by silica from overlaying ash flows. In California, full round hunks of palm fiber are rare. When you do find fiber there it is often the stuff right against the root ball.....Mel

[1dave]

Nov 15, 2016 18:26:54 GMT -5 @shotgunner said:

Nov 15, 2016 14:49:35 GMT -5 captbob said:

I carried a carwashing bucket (thick rope "handle") with me at all times with a few inches of water in it. Easy to carry - just not fun when full of rocks! - and I could just dip rocks in water to see 'em wet. Figured it was easier than also carrying a spray bottle and having to spritz rocks. Dipping was fast.

Looked like I was on an Easter egg hunt walking around with that silly red bucket!
But it worked for me.

Always parked as close to area to be hunted as possible, but sometimes that was still pretty far from rocks.
Bucket full of rocks was darn heavy.

ETA: sometimes area to be hunted was one to two hundred yards from vehicle. Often less than that. Up hill, down hill - usually hills! Could walk a couple miles just working an area the size of a football field or two.

Interesting. I had considered the water in a bucket idea. To me I'd need 2 buckets. One for water and one for rocks. But the hammer can reside in one of them. I like the rope handle.

Most of California hunting is farther afield than that. Texas is unique in being 97% private lands. So the stones have had protection. Here in Cali 'tragedy of the commons' rules the collecting spots...

Thanks Bob!

[panamark]

Nov 16, 2016 7:56:11 GMT -5 Sabre52 said:

Mark, Not an expert in the field but my assumption would be that large quantities of wood that was swept into rivers and deltas during pluvial periods was buried in sediment by water flows that were heavy ,if not cataclysmic. Since most of the sediments in south Texas came originally from old ocean deposits, not volcanic ash, they would naturally be rich in silica from dead marine life which would be carried by water and gradually replace the buried wood. Texas wood does show lots of evidence of decomposition prior too being petrified. A lot of the wood is casts where little or no original wood structure remains. Other specimens, ie pocket rot and some types of shrinkwood, apparently partially decomposed before being preserved. And of course, some preservations are so good you can see everything about the wood structure.

Palm is a good indicator of how Texas wood was preserved. In Texas, most palm is palm fiber, which indicates the top portions of logs were swept away, laid down and preserved mostly whole, resulting in lots of petrified palm "fiber" often as full rounds. In California, the palms were covered by volcanic ash which accounts for most California petrified palm being palm "root". The tops of the palms were burnt off by the volcanoes, leaving the protected, buried root masses and tree bases to be replaced by silica from overlaying ash flows. In California, full round hunks of palm fiber are rare. When you do find fiber there it is often the stuff right against the root ball.....Mel

Thanks Mel! That makes sense.

[jamesp]

All kinds of questions we need answered. Building a time machine, who wants to go ?

[jamesp]

Nice bi-tone plume. A break from the wood.

[captbob]

Nice picture. Breaking out magnifying glass.

[jamesp]

Nov 16, 2016 8:54:32 GMT -5 1dave said:

Nov 15, 2016 18:26:54 GMT -5 @shotgunner said:

Interesting. I had considered the water in a bucket idea. To me I'd need 2 buckets. One for water and one for rocks. But the hammer can reside in one of them. I like the rope handle.

Most of California hunting is farther afield than that. Texas is unique in being 97% private lands. So the stones have had protection. Here in Cali 'tragedy of the commons' rules the collecting spots...

Thanks Bob!

She is hired.

[1dave]

Nov 16, 2016 12:40:06 GMT -5 jamesp said:

Nov 16, 2016 8:54:32 GMT -5 1dave said:

She is hired.

Cheaper by the dozen.

[jamesp]

Nov 16, 2016 12:36:22 GMT -5 captbob said:

Nice picture. Breaking out magnifying glass.

That was mean.

[captbob]

Pretty sure we could better in Zapata. Some beautiful ladies in that area. Although maybe strong like bull would be more useful though.

Ordered a 50lb box of 46/70 from Kingsley yesterday. 30 not breaking down well in rubber lined barrels. Figured I'd give something between 30 and 60/90 a try.

[captbob]

Nov 16, 2016 12:44:20 GMT -5 jamesp said:

Nov 16, 2016 12:36:22 GMT -5 captbob said:

Nice picture. Breaking out magnifying glass.

That was mean.

Whadya expect from someone that pours bleach on tadpoles living in the gutter and won't feed homeless kittens?

[Garage Rocker]

Nov 16, 2016 12:44:20 GMT -5 jamesp said:

Nov 16, 2016 12:36:22 GMT -5 captbob said:

Nice picture. Breaking out magnifying glass.

That was mean.

That one's a real beauty!

[Sabre52]

OK pretty and dense moss but not plume. Plumes are well defined tree or feather shaped crystalline structures. Moss is more unconsolidated and stringy or fluffy.

Plume:

[jamesp]

Thanks Mel. Those can be confusing. Seems like moss is the more common at the Rio.

Plumes ?

[Fossilman]

BINGO!!! Gotta love Texas rock,no thinking about it!!!!! DAMN,those are sweet!!!

[Sabre52]

OK first one is almost plume but more moss as it lacks definition. Number two is a fragmented membrane agate, kind of a breccia where hunks of membrane come off the agate nodule walls. Number three, I'd call a plume agate where the plumes are more the feather type rather than the tree type. The edges of that one show fragmented membrane too. Zenz's Agate Book has a great section on agate structures. This info is from his book, not from my little ole head. I just have a good memory....Mel

[jamesp]

Nov 16, 2016 16:14:47 GMT -5 Sabre52 said:

OK first one is almost plume but more moss as it lacks definition. Number two is a fragmented membrane agate, kind of a breccia where hunks of membrane come off the agate nodule walls. Number three, I'd call a plume agate where the plumes are more the feather type rather than the tree type. The edges of that one show fragmented membrane too. Zenz's Agate Book has a great section on agate structures. This info is from his book, not from my little ole head. I just have a good memory....Mel

Thanks for the structure ID's. It gets complicated as there are so darn many shapes.
Amazing.
I would think you should be out in the field collecting the odd stuff. Your knowledge would score you some cool rocks.

[jamesp]

This one had no grain. The knobby shape suggested organic. Looks like poop. Wish it were coprolite.
Not sure if coprolite is found in Texas.





wood with grain. pieces like this have different colored layers. Cut the color you so desire.



cross



Lots of variations in whites coming soon



with grain left, cross on right.....that does not look right, both look with. Must redo this one.