+ Marks the Spot for Garnets in Leakin Park

After my earlier expedition, last July, to Leakin Park in search of garnets, I returned on December 28th, with expert help from my geology guru, Ira. He knew what to look for, and he knew that garnets can appear in ways I did not recognize. The schist garnets in Leakin Park are often very small and even the larger ones are very dark in color, almost black, due to iron in their chemical makeup. After we spoted the best examples of garnets, I noticed that someone had previously marked the spot with a cross or + sign on the boulder where we found garnets. Look closely at the photo and you will see the + carved into the face of the rock, which Ira is standing next to. So, treasure hunters and rock hounds, there is your clue

East of Elkridge

Yesterday I hiked along the Patapsco river headed east from Elkridge. Elkridge may not be paradise, but when you're headed torward industrial Baltimore it might seem that way looking over your shoulder. From Elkridge to Westport the Patapsco Valley State Park is a narrow strip of green (brown in winter) between the river and I-895, the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Throughway. I went as far as Halethorpe on this jaunt. More photos can be seen at this link.

A Well Marbled Fresh Ham

Not! This is a piece of rose quartz covered with striations of milky quartz. I found it on the gravely bank of a tributary stream of the Patapsco river just southeast of Elkridge on the Baltimore County side. It is 3 1/4 " x 2 1/4 ".

Camel's Den Cave

This small cave is just off Daniels Road on the left, less than fifty yards from the gate to the dirt access road, before you get to the first parking area inside this section of the Patapsco Valley State Park. It is worth a visit if you are in that section of the park.

This little falls on the creek is just a few yards upstream from the cave

2014 - Year of the Snake

Well, New Year's Day 2014 anyway. This garter snake was sunning itself by a tributary stream of the Patapsco river on 1/1/2014 in the Daniels area of the Patapsco Valley State Park. Two days later there was snow on the ground and it was 8 degrees outside.

Bright and Sparkling

                                                        Pink garnets in the wild.