We are all rock collectors at heart. A tiny stone polished smooth from wear and tear in a stream bed, from the ocean or just from years of rubbing between thumb and forefinger in your pocket.
The summer before I went to college, my mother and I took the cash saved for the my first year and went to Spain. “We’ll figure out how to get the bills paid.” she whispered as she showed me the tickets. My father and mother were beginning the painful unraveling of their marriage and I was numb at the prospect of going away to school. We were in pursuit of the impossibly perfect Spain of Michener’s THE DRIFTERS; fleeing reality for a moment to lose ourselves in another land.
On a windy coastal road, we stopped to tour the ruins of a castle. Though there were signs declaring fines for removing ANY stones or artifacts, I bent and tucked a piece of crumbled, ancient brick into my pocket. It was my touchstone through the difficult years that followed. Always warm to the touch and almost crumbly soft with age, just holding that stone brought back the sun and freedom I had felt on that trip.
I have stones collected from West Coast beach walks with Hanni. A bowl of her favorites, gathered on Agate Beach, sits on a window sill by the breakfast table and I often sift through them absently as I watch the birds at the feeder. The individuals have lost their meaning but as a group, they slide through my fingers with subtle shifts of color and texture.
When my brother died, I was given his jewelry box. It held his dog-tags from military service, a few inherited odds and ends, and a piece of quartz. The stone has no meaning to me. It is smooth and creamy white but I have no memory of its origin or significance to him.
Today, with five dogs in tow, Hanni, B., Wilson and I hiked to Quartz Mountain in Temple. It is hardly a mountain, though the view of the surrounding valley and distant mountains is impressive. This massive vein of white stone has pushed through the crust of the earth and barred itself to the elements. In places it is snowy white and smooth – almost marble textured.
Lichen grow in luscious blooms though I would need help identifying them from my buddy over at nhgardensolutions to truly appreciate their presence. Some of the outcropping was stained dark red from minerals or soil leaching. We easily scaled to the top and stood in awe at the landscape beyond.
I brought back a small, glittery chunk that caught my eye just as the sun broke through the clouds. Again, probably illegal, but don’t we all collect small pieces of the earth as mementos? I challenge you to check the junk drawer and not find a single prized stone…
Therapeutic Misadventures 
I wouldn’t have to look very far to find various pieces of my collection. I can remember most of the stories behind my favorites. My mom used to take a small scoop of dirt from every state they visited with the hopes of some day having a coffee table shaped like the USA with all of the dirt in its proper place. Although she is gone, I may still make her table.
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What a wonderful idea, Laura! I love the thought of a table representing all of her travels. You could add your own “dirt” as well.
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We brought back some sand from Hawaii so she had all 50 states represented.
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That is amazing Laura!
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I read Michener’s The Drifters as a teenager and loved it. It took me 40 years to get to Spain, a glorious country.
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Indeed Joyce! Loved both the book and the country. Are you sure we didn’t know each other growing up??!!
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My house and shed are full of rocks! I used to be an avid mineral hunter and it’s interesting that I never heard of quartz mountain.
I think the lichens are golden moon glow lichens. They like to live on hard, polished stone like granite gravestones. And quartz, apparently!
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It’s an easy walk when there isn’t a ton of ice. I would love to show my daughter’s BF the ice climbing on the rail trail, he is an enthusiast and loved your post.
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He’d love that ice, but it’s probably melting fast now.
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Would you be willing to disclose the location? He works in Keene and lives in Dublin so perhaps could check it out between his two jobs in the afternoon…
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It’s on route 12 north toward Westmoreland. There’s a gravel pull off on the right just after the Keene Landfill and at the northern end near the mini storage place there is a trail leading through the woods to the rail trail. Once he finds the rail trail he should walk left (north) to find the real big ice. If it’s melting quickly he’d be wise to stay clear of it because there are some huge chunks that fall off the ledges in there. I’m sure he knows more about Ice than I do though, so I’m sure he’ll be fine.
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Nice travel and the Bracket fungus pics are really amazing…..I blog on communication https://communicationtechnology2015.wordpress.com. Suggestions are welcome always
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Thanks Communicate2015! I will check your blog out!!
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There are glass jars filled with stones and shells all over my house. Commando calls them dust traps but for me they’re jars of memories. Inside are things I’ve picked up on all my travels. There’s a piece of rock I picked up. Eside the pyramids at Gisa, some alabaster from the Valley of the Kings, pebbles and shells from French beaches, pumice from Lanzarote, Quartz and granite from Ontario and even a stone from Merlin’s cave in Tintagel. When I see an interesting stone I can’t help myself.
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Pieces of the earth, parts of our lives and travels. I’m with you Marie. We all need our jars of memories…
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