https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/album/450937 https://cdn.ipernity.com/p/101/C3/7B/293827.buddy.jpg https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/album/450937 Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:56:53 +0000 Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:56:53 +0000 https://www.ipernity.com https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/40958594/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2016-01-21,doc-40958594 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 16:25:38 +0000 2015-12-28T11:24:14-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/40958594/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/85/94/40958594.9c7d6125.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">This rock and several others, plus a few cacti, were displayed in a raised "flowerbed box" at one of the farms we called in at on 28 December. This is the farm where I love photographing their big, whitish dog and their farm cat. I don't know what kind of rock this is and I am only guessing that the pattern seen is formed of some kind of mineral. I don't know if this is a usual pattern or just coincidence - a completely different example that comes to mind is Dendritic Marble, which has a distinctive pattern. I also don't know if this rock was found locally or maybe collected on a trip. Quite a neat pattern, I thought.<br /> <br /> Three days after Christmas, on 28 December 2015, I took part in the annual Audubon Cochrane Wildlife Reserve Christmas Bird Count. The area that my small group of seven people covered was N of Cochrane and E of Highway 22. Though the word 'Reserve' is in the name, this count was like most others, driving all the country backroads and calling in at several farms. The weather was bad, with poor light and gently falling snow pretty well all day long. Thanks so much, Stephen, for driving the four of us safely!<br /> <br /> I will add our leader's report for this day's count below. Not a huge number of species, with a Pileated Woodpecker being the highlight plus so many Snow Buntings. <br /> <br /> "The day was overcast, light snow most of day, calm, -09°C. 20 cm snow on ground. Most streams frozen over. <br /> <br /> Total Party kms by Car - 84; Total Party kms by foot – 2km.<br /> Total Party hours by Car – 3; Total Party hours by foot -2 hrs<br /> Total Party hours feeder watching – 1:40 min.<br /> <br /> Rough-legged Hawk-1 <br /> Rock Pigeon-4 <br /> Downy Woodpecker-10. <br /> Hairy Woodpecker-3 <br /> PILEATED WOODPECKER-1 <br /> Black-billed Magpie- 19 <br /> Common Raven- 18 <br /> Black-capped Chickadee- 41 <br /> Red-breasted Nuthatch- 3 <br /> White-breasted Nuthatch-1 <br /> American Tree Sparrow-7 <br /> Dark-eyed Junco-1 <br /> Snow Bunting-3550 <br /> Pine Grosbeak-25 <br /> White-winged Crossbill-15 <br /> Common Redpoll-1811 <br /> House Sparrow-106<br /> <br /> Red Squirrel-2"</div> Mystery rock <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/40958594/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/85/94/40958594.9c7d6125.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">This rock and several others, plus a few cacti, were displayed in a raised "flowerbed box" at one of the farms we called in at on 28 December. This is the farm where I love photographing their big, whitish dog and their farm cat. I don't know what kind of rock this is and I am only guessing that the pattern seen is formed of some kind of mineral. I don't know if this is a usual pattern or just coincidence - a completely different example that comes to mind is Dendritic Marble, which has a distinctive pattern. I also don't know if this rock was found locally or maybe collected on a trip. Quite a neat pattern, I thought.<br /> <br /> Three days after Christmas, on 28 December 2015, I took part in the annual Audubon Cochrane Wildlife Reserve Christmas Bird Count. The area that my small group of seven people covered was N of Cochrane and E of Highway 22. Though the word 'Reserve' is in the name, this count was like most others, driving all the country backroads and calling in at several farms. The weather was bad, with poor light and gently falling snow pretty well all day long. Thanks so much, Stephen, for driving the four of us safely!<br /> <br /> I will add our leader's report for this day's count below. Not a huge number of species, with a Pileated Woodpecker being the highlight plus so many Snow Buntings. <br /> <br /> "The day was overcast, light snow most of day, calm, -09°C. 20 cm snow on ground. Most streams frozen over. <br /> <br /> Total Party kms by Car - 84; Total Party kms by foot – 2km.<br /> Total Party hours by Car – 3; Total Party hours by foot -2 hrs<br /> Total Party hours feeder watching – 1:40 min.<br /> <br /> Rough-legged Hawk-1 <br /> Rock Pigeon-4 <br /> Downy Woodpecker-10. <br /> Hairy Woodpecker-3 <br /> PILEATED WOODPECKER-1 <br /> Black-billed Magpie- 19 <br /> Common Raven- 18 <br /> Black-capped Chickadee- 41 <br /> Red-breasted Nuthatch- 3 <br /> White-breasted Nuthatch-1 <br /> American Tree Sparrow-7 <br /> Dark-eyed Junco-1 <br /> Snow Bunting-3550 <br /> Pine Grosbeak-25 <br /> White-winged Crossbill-15 <br /> Common Redpoll-1811 <br /> House Sparrow-106<br /> <br /> Red Squirrel-2"</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/27059211/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2013-10-07,doc-27059211 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 06:28:34 +0000 2013-09-22T12:32:26-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/27059211/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/138/92/11/27059211.cd3fcb3b.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">I can never resist photographing a tiny shell when I happen to come across an old, faded one, either in a forest or down at the edge of a lake. Picked up this one lying in the forest in Cypress Hills (SE Alberta), when we were shown a few forest trails on 22 September 2013. Posting later today, closer to noon, as I had no choice but to sleep in as I had two long, tiring days with very little sleep! <br /> <br /> The day before yesterday, 5 October 2013, I was on a full day of birding east of Calgary. As far as photographing birds, these occasional day trips to sloughs and lakes usually result in no, or very few, bird photos, as everything is so very far away. However, I do enjoy being driven along the various backroads (thanks so much, Brooke and Eric!) and spending time with some old, familiar faces and a few new ones, too. Have to admit that, while everyone else is peering through their binoculars at distant specks, I tend to spend some of the time looking down at the ground around me, searching for plants, textures - and more empty snail shells : ) <br /> <br /> Yesterday, 6 October 2013, I spent a very enjoyable day with three friends and a group of interesting, knowledgeable people from Calgary and further afield. After a long drive N of Calgary, we explored the JJ Collett Natural Area, looking for mosses, lichens and absolutely anything else of interest to add to the species list for the area. This was the first time I had ever been lucky enough to go there, thanks to friend Sandy, who drove two of us there and back. A very interesting and beautiful natural area, with good trails.</div> Abandoned <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/27059211/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/138/92/11/27059211.cd3fcb3b.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">I can never resist photographing a tiny shell when I happen to come across an old, faded one, either in a forest or down at the edge of a lake. Picked up this one lying in the forest in Cypress Hills (SE Alberta), when we were shown a few forest trails on 22 September 2013. Posting later today, closer to noon, as I had no choice but to sleep in as I had two long, tiring days with very little sleep! <br /> <br /> The day before yesterday, 5 October 2013, I was on a full day of birding east of Calgary. As far as photographing birds, these occasional day trips to sloughs and lakes usually result in no, or very few, bird photos, as everything is so very far away. However, I do enjoy being driven along the various backroads (thanks so much, Brooke and Eric!) and spending time with some old, familiar faces and a few new ones, too. Have to admit that, while everyone else is peering through their binoculars at distant specks, I tend to spend some of the time looking down at the ground around me, searching for plants, textures - and more empty snail shells : ) <br /> <br /> Yesterday, 6 October 2013, I spent a very enjoyable day with three friends and a group of interesting, knowledgeable people from Calgary and further afield. After a long drive N of Calgary, we explored the JJ Collett Natural Area, looking for mosses, lichens and absolutely anything else of interest to add to the species list for the area. This was the first time I had ever been lucky enough to go there, thanks to friend Sandy, who drove two of us there and back. A very interesting and beautiful natural area, with good trails.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/24076993/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2013-07-23,doc-24076993 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 04:52:05 +0000 2011-11-07T13:19:15-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/24076993/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/133/69/93/24076993.c7f5066f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">We bought this small piece of mineral something like 35+ years ago, and I believe it was shipped out to me along with many other belongings of my parents and my brother two and a half years ago. Wish I could remember the names of the various minerals seen here, The delicate white one with the many, thin hair crystals really is amazing. When I was in the equivalent to High School, in England, all those decades ago, I took Geology as one of my "O" level courses. I was so lucky because my Geography teacher's fiancee was a Geologist and so she was able to start teaching Geology at my school. I was one of her "guineapigs" - and I became fanatical about rocks and minerals and have loved them ever since : )</div> Nature is so beautiful <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/24076993/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/133/69/93/24076993.c7f5066f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">We bought this small piece of mineral something like 35+ years ago, and I believe it was shipped out to me along with many other belongings of my parents and my brother two and a half years ago. Wish I could remember the names of the various minerals seen here, The delicate white one with the many, thin hair crystals really is amazing. When I was in the equivalent to High School, in England, all those decades ago, I took Geology as one of my "O" level courses. I was so lucky because my Geography teacher's fiancee was a Geologist and so she was able to start teaching Geology at my school. I was one of her "guineapigs" - and I became fanatical about rocks and minerals and have loved them ever since : )</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/23983863/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2013-07-21,doc-23983863 Sun, 21 Jul 2013 01:44:41 +0000 2011-11-07T13:15:00-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/23983863/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/133/38/63/23983863.4386c159.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">I'm not sure, but I think this is natural Copper, with some kind of small crystals that have formed inside. Originally from India (I believe) and bought many years ago, when we lived in Oman, from an Indian guy who often returned to his native India and brought back all sorts of amazing minerals, which he then sold. I always looked forward immensely to seeing all his new, beautiful minerals.</div> Copper, I think <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/23983863/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/133/38/63/23983863.4386c159.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">I'm not sure, but I think this is natural Copper, with some kind of small crystals that have formed inside. Originally from India (I believe) and bought many years ago, when we lived in Oman, from an Indian guy who often returned to his native India and brought back all sorts of amazing minerals, which he then sold. I always looked forward immensely to seeing all his new, beautiful minerals.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/23470573/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2009-12-12,doc-23470573 Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:06:39 +0000 2009-10-27T14:45:12-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/23470573/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/05/73/23470573.573dad18.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Needed to have thoughts of a lovely warm ocean this afternoon, after a very COLD two-hour + walk in a local park this morning. Thought this image felt warm and sunny, though the shell was photographed in my kitchen, LOL. It's around -28C (-18F) today, without windchill added. Five brave little Black-capped Chickadees were all we saw. All the other birds either had more sense that we had, or else they were up at the garden feeders in the gardens that edge the park. Since people are no longer allowed to feed the birds in the park, they are now being "pulled" out of their natural environment and are still being fed by human beings.</div> Seashell spiral <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/23470573/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/05/73/23470573.573dad18.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Needed to have thoughts of a lovely warm ocean this afternoon, after a very COLD two-hour + walk in a local park this morning. Thought this image felt warm and sunny, though the shell was photographed in my kitchen, LOL. It's around -28C (-18F) today, without windchill added. Five brave little Black-capped Chickadees were all we saw. All the other birds either had more sense that we had, or else they were up at the garden feeders in the gardens that edge the park. Since people are no longer allowed to feed the birds in the park, they are now being "pulled" out of their natural environment and are still being fed by human beings.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22608941/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2011-12-02,doc-22608941 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:37:40 +0000 2011-11-28T12:15:40-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22608941/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/89/41/22608941.8c2ff051.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The actual size of this fossil Trilobite is roughly three-quarters of an inch. When my friend, Linda, sent me 400+ photos of things that had belonged to my brother and my parents, I was thrilled to bits to notice this Trilobite, as I didn't have one of my own, and so asked her to send it to me with all the other things. Can't remember where this came from - suspect we may have given it to my mother or my brother, many years ago. I'm pretty sure it's not one that I collected decades ago, when I was still living in England and in HIgh School, studying Geology. I remember well going to the Wren's Nest, Dudley, a well-known fossil site.<br /> <br /> "Trilobites (meaning "three lobes") are a well-known fossil group of extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the Atdabanian stage of the Early Cambrian period (526 million years ago), and they flourished throughout the lower Paleozoic era before beginning a drawn-out decline to extinction when, during the Devonian, almost all trilobite orders, with the sole exception of Proetida, died out. Trilobites finally disappeared in the mass extinction at the end of the Permian about 250 million years ago. The trilobites were among the most successful of all early animals, roaming the oceans for over 270 million years." From Wikipedia.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trilobite" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trilobite</a></div> Long, long ago ..... <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22608941/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/89/41/22608941.8c2ff051.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The actual size of this fossil Trilobite is roughly three-quarters of an inch. When my friend, Linda, sent me 400+ photos of things that had belonged to my brother and my parents, I was thrilled to bits to notice this Trilobite, as I didn't have one of my own, and so asked her to send it to me with all the other things. Can't remember where this came from - suspect we may have given it to my mother or my brother, many years ago. I'm pretty sure it's not one that I collected decades ago, when I was still living in England and in HIgh School, studying Geology. I remember well going to the Wren's Nest, Dudley, a well-known fossil site.<br /> <br /> "Trilobites (meaning "three lobes") are a well-known fossil group of extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the Atdabanian stage of the Early Cambrian period (526 million years ago), and they flourished throughout the lower Paleozoic era before beginning a drawn-out decline to extinction when, during the Devonian, almost all trilobite orders, with the sole exception of Proetida, died out. Trilobites finally disappeared in the mass extinction at the end of the Permian about 250 million years ago. The trilobites were among the most successful of all early animals, roaming the oceans for over 270 million years." From Wikipedia.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trilobite" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trilobite</a></div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22609017/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2011-11-22,doc-22609017 Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:47:19 +0000 2011-11-17T12:54:24-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22609017/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/90/17/22609017.dec050e8.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Well, not exactly, but that is what this image makes me think of : ) Should have saved this photo of tiny (maybe half inch tall) Quartz crystals to post on a day with heavy snow and bitterly cold temperatures. Not too organized at the moment! If you are living in a world of white with frigid temps at the moment, hope this colour warms you up.</div> Fire and ice <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22609017/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/90/17/22609017.dec050e8.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Well, not exactly, but that is what this image makes me think of : ) Should have saved this photo of tiny (maybe half inch tall) Quartz crystals to post on a day with heavy snow and bitterly cold temperatures. Not too organized at the moment! If you are living in a world of white with frigid temps at the moment, hope this colour warms you up.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22609089/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2011-11-12,doc-22609089 Sat, 12 Nov 2011 18:37:51 +0000 2011-11-11T14:59:20-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22609089/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/90/89/22609089.059dc457.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The largest of these tiny crystals is maybe half an inch tall - can't for the life of me remember if they are Quartz crystals or something else. I think they came from one of the mines in India, many years ago. Feels a little strange to be posting this kind of crystal at this time of the year - normally, I would be posting ice crystals from an overnight frost! Not as sharp as I wanted, but it was a heavily overcast day yesterday (with a weather advisory in effect), and there was absolutely no light in my place.</div> Crystals, but not ice <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22609089/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/90/89/22609089.059dc457.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The largest of these tiny crystals is maybe half an inch tall - can't for the life of me remember if they are Quartz crystals or something else. I think they came from one of the mines in India, many years ago. Feels a little strange to be posting this kind of crystal at this time of the year - normally, I would be posting ice crystals from an overnight frost! Not as sharp as I wanted, but it was a heavily overcast day yesterday (with a weather advisory in effect), and there was absolutely no light in my place.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22609127/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2011-11-10,doc-22609127 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:11:14 +0000 2011-11-07T12:40:54-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22609127/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/91/27/22609127.4ac85d1e.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">"Striations are a product of a mineral's crystal habit. They can be very diagnostic and can even be an enhancement to the attractiveness of a specimen. They are incorrectly referred to as scratches, especially on transparent crystals. <br /> <br /> The most common cause of striations are the convergence or juxtaposition of two crystal faces. One of the faces gets truncated or "overtaken" by the other, but manages to leave its mark in the form of an almost imperceptible edge or stria. This edge is repeated again and again as the mineral grows and can fill an entire face with these tiny edges or striations. <br /> <br /> Generally striations are parallel, but some are triangular or even crossed. Striations are generally common, but the best examples of striations are on the minerals quartz, pyrite, apophyllite, tourmaline, sphalerite and the feldspars, but there are many others. <br /> <br /> Pyrite has striations on its cubic faces that are caused by faces that are not usually on the crystal at the time. Pyrite's striations are caused by a juxtaposition of two pyritohedron faces on the cube face. Generally the pyritohedron faces are not even formed on the typical cube habit, but their striations are there as straight lines. It is interesting to notice that the striations on one side of the cube are perpendicular to the striations on the other side (shown in the photo below)."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.galleries.com/minerals/property/striatio.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.galleries.com/minerals/property/striatio.htm</a> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrite" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrite</a></div> Striated Iron Pyrites cube <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22609127/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/91/27/22609127.4ac85d1e.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">"Striations are a product of a mineral's crystal habit. They can be very diagnostic and can even be an enhancement to the attractiveness of a specimen. They are incorrectly referred to as scratches, especially on transparent crystals. <br /> <br /> The most common cause of striations are the convergence or juxtaposition of two crystal faces. One of the faces gets truncated or "overtaken" by the other, but manages to leave its mark in the form of an almost imperceptible edge or stria. This edge is repeated again and again as the mineral grows and can fill an entire face with these tiny edges or striations. <br /> <br /> Generally striations are parallel, but some are triangular or even crossed. Striations are generally common, but the best examples of striations are on the minerals quartz, pyrite, apophyllite, tourmaline, sphalerite and the feldspars, but there are many others. <br /> <br /> Pyrite has striations on its cubic faces that are caused by faces that are not usually on the crystal at the time. Pyrite's striations are caused by a juxtaposition of two pyritohedron faces on the cube face. Generally the pyritohedron faces are not even formed on the typical cube habit, but their striations are there as straight lines. It is interesting to notice that the striations on one side of the cube are perpendicular to the striations on the other side (shown in the photo below)."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.galleries.com/minerals/property/striatio.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.galleries.com/minerals/property/striatio.htm</a> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrite" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrite</a></div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22603173/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2011-02-25,doc-22603173 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:41:56 +0000 2011-02-20T16:02:39-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22603173/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/31/73/22603173.336b6e61.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Just a shell that I have at home - thought the colours and shape were quite pretty.</div> Needed a change <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22603173/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/31/73/22603173.336b6e61.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Just a shell that I have at home - thought the colours and shape were quite pretty.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22602491/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2011-01-29,doc-22602491 Sat, 29 Jan 2011 20:15:56 +0000 2011-01-27T15:44:14-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22602491/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/24/91/22602491.126cba35.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">A quick shot taken partly because I have barely set foot outside my front door the past month and partly because everyone is perhaps getting fed up with nothing but flower, bird, mushroom and snow photos on my phototsream, lol. I think I've identified this shell correctly, but I don't know exactly which type of Turban it is. It snowed again overnight and this morning, maybe 6" or so?</div> Turban shell <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22602491/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/132/24/91/22602491.126cba35.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">A quick shot taken partly because I have barely set foot outside my front door the past month and partly because everyone is perhaps getting fed up with nothing but flower, bird, mushroom and snow photos on my phototsream, lol. I think I've identified this shell correctly, but I don't know exactly which type of Turban it is. It snowed again overnight and this morning, maybe 6" or so?</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22480559/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2010-02-16,doc-22480559 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:52:48 +0000 2010-02-15T15:45:24-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22480559/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/115/05/59/22480559.ed9008f0.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">So, can you tell that I am feeling really fed up of grey days? Desperation once again leads to finding something at home to photograph, LOL.</div> Curves <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22480559/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/115/05/59/22480559.ed9008f0.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">So, can you tell that I am feeling really fed up of grey days? Desperation once again leads to finding something at home to photograph, LOL.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22479735/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2009-12-20,doc-22479735 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:56:04 +0000 2009-01-07T18:00:02-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22479735/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/115/97/35/22479735.0f457db7.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="237" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Many many years ago, I picked up this very small shell (can't remember if it was on a beach in Borneo, Qatar or Oman). I almost threw it back down on to the sand, as it looked rather like a broken piece of a shell, but instead kept it. Some time later, I happened to see a National Geographic Magazine page illustrating some of the rarest shells in the world. One of them looked just like this little one - somewhere around 1" in length, if I remember correctly. Too dead beat to go downstairs to check, after a full day of Christmas Bird Count in the Canmore area (near Banff, in the Rocky Mountains). It's recommended that a person does 10,000 steps a day - well, I've done 23,377 today, LOL, and it feels like it, too! I don't know if someone "out there" is able to confirm or correct this. Would be greatly appreciated : )</div> Very rare shell, perhaps <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22479735/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/115/97/35/22479735.0f457db7.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="237" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Many many years ago, I picked up this very small shell (can't remember if it was on a beach in Borneo, Qatar or Oman). I almost threw it back down on to the sand, as it looked rather like a broken piece of a shell, but instead kept it. Some time later, I happened to see a National Geographic Magazine page illustrating some of the rarest shells in the world. One of them looked just like this little one - somewhere around 1" in length, if I remember correctly. Too dead beat to go downstairs to check, after a full day of Christmas Bird Count in the Canmore area (near Banff, in the Rocky Mountains). It's recommended that a person does 10,000 steps a day - well, I've done 23,377 today, LOL, and it feels like it, too! I don't know if someone "out there" is able to confirm or correct this. Would be greatly appreciated : )</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22479751/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2009-12-18,doc-22479751 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:12:23 +0000 2009-12-13T15:59:09-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22479751/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/115/97/51/22479751.ce580719.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">These are two small cubes of Iron Pyrites, part of a larger specimen. The sides of some of the cubes are striated, which is kind of neat. Not sure what causes the surface to be grooved - did a very rapid search yesterday, but the one and only site I glanced at was so way above my head, I left it.</div> Iron Pyrites striations <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22479751/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/115/97/51/22479751.ce580719.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">These are two small cubes of Iron Pyrites, part of a larger specimen. The sides of some of the cubes are striated, which is kind of neat. Not sure what causes the surface to be grooved - did a very rapid search yesterday, but the one and only site I glanced at was so way above my head, I left it.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22479071/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2009-11-05,doc-22479071 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:33:23 +0000 2009-10-27T14:44:01-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22479071/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/129/90/71/22479071.08a75051.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Decided to post something that isn't a flower, a bird or a mushroom, LOL! I collected many species of shells many years ago and thought I would use my macro lens on one of them the other day. I've always been fascinated by shells that have a zig-zag pattern on them - can't for the life of me think of the word that is on the tip of my tongue that I wanted to use instead of "zig-zag" : ) Later: the zig-zag patterns remind me of seismographs : ) Think that's the right word.</div> Patterns and shapes <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22479071/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/129/90/71/22479071.08a75051.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Decided to post something that isn't a flower, a bird or a mushroom, LOL! I collected many species of shells many years ago and thought I would use my macro lens on one of them the other day. I've always been fascinated by shells that have a zig-zag pattern on them - can't for the life of me think of the word that is on the tip of my tongue that I wanted to use instead of "zig-zag" : ) Later: the zig-zag patterns remind me of seismographs : ) Think that's the right word.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/23288755/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2009-04-26,doc-23288755 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:32:05 +0000 2009-04-24T11:11:58-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/23288755/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/133/87/55/23288755.3abe2e7d.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">We passed by a boulder at Sandy Beach three days ago, where a leaf print is nicely displayed. The rock formation is around 40 million years old. If you look closely (LOL), you can see the veins. Apparently, it is most likely a Poplar leaf.</div> 40 million years old <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/23288755/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/133/87/55/23288755.3abe2e7d.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">We passed by a boulder at Sandy Beach three days ago, where a leaf print is nicely displayed. The rock formation is around 40 million years old. If you look closely (LOL), you can see the veins. Apparently, it is most likely a Poplar leaf.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22475893/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2009-01-25,doc-22475893 Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:40:02 +0000 2009-01-24T16:42:27-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22475893/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/129/58/93/22475893.f936f493.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">For many years, I collected all sorts of pieces of Iron Pyrites. They come in many forms, and this photo is of a tiny Pyritohedron crystal. Another name for Pyrites is Fool's Gold. I have a handful of photos of other pieces in my Shells and Minerals Set, if anyone is interested.<br /> <br /> A pyritohedron has twelve pentagonal faces. It has 24 short edges, and 6 longer edges. It is one of the two common crystal forms of pyrite, the other one being cubical.</div> Pyritohedron <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22475893/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/129/58/93/22475893.f936f493.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">For many years, I collected all sorts of pieces of Iron Pyrites. They come in many forms, and this photo is of a tiny Pyritohedron crystal. Another name for Pyrites is Fool's Gold. I have a handful of photos of other pieces in my Shells and Minerals Set, if anyone is interested.<br /> <br /> A pyritohedron has twelve pentagonal faces. It has 24 short edges, and 6 longer edges. It is one of the two common crystal forms of pyrite, the other one being cubical.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22468821/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2007-12-27,doc-22468821 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 20:59:37 +0000 2007-12-26T15:18:54-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22468821/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/129/88/21/22468821.ed736445.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Another mineral specimen from my little collection. Not sure, but I believe this piece came from one of the mines in India.</div> Mineral <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22468821/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/129/88/21/22468821.ed736445.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Another mineral specimen from my little collection. Not sure, but I believe this piece came from one of the mines in India.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22468865/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2007-12-26,doc-22468865 Wed, 26 Dec 2007 23:42:37 +0000 2007-12-26T15:07:14-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22468865/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/129/88/65/22468865.befcd7bf.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">I have posted three photos of the beautiful inside spiral pattern of this Nautilus shell. Thought it was time I posted the outside pattern.<br /> <br /> "The nautilus is similar in general form to other cephalopods, with a prominent head and tentacles. Nautiluses typically have more tentacles than other cephalopods, up to ninety. These tentacles are arranged into two circles and, unlike the tentacles of other cephalopods, they have no suckers, are undifferentiated and retractable. The radula is wide and distinctively has nine teeth. There are two pairs of gills.<br /> <br /> Nautilus pompilius is the largest species in the genus. One form from western Australia may reach 26.8 cm in diameter. However, most other nautilus species never exceed 20 cm. Nautilus macromphalus is the smallest species, usually measuring only 16 cm.<br /> <br /> Nautiluses are the sole cephalopods whose bony structure of the body is externalized as a shell. The animal can withdraw completely into its shell, closing the opening with a leathery hood formed from two specially folded tentacles. The shell is coiled, calcareous, nacreous and pressure resistant (imploding at a depth of about 800 m). The nautilus shell is composed of 2 layers: the outer layer is a matte white, while the inner layer is a striking white with iridescence. The innermost portion of the shell is a pearlescent blue-gray.<br /> <br /> The shell is internally divided into chambers. As the nautilus matures its body moves forward, sealing the camerae behind it with a new septum. The last fully open chamber, also the largest one, is used as the living chamber. The number of camerae increases from around four at the moment of hatching to thirty or more in adults.<br /> <br /> The nautilus shell presents one of the finest natural examples of a logarithmic spiral." From Wikipedia.</div> Nautilus <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22468865/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/129/88/65/22468865.befcd7bf.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">I have posted three photos of the beautiful inside spiral pattern of this Nautilus shell. Thought it was time I posted the outside pattern.<br /> <br /> "The nautilus is similar in general form to other cephalopods, with a prominent head and tentacles. Nautiluses typically have more tentacles than other cephalopods, up to ninety. These tentacles are arranged into two circles and, unlike the tentacles of other cephalopods, they have no suckers, are undifferentiated and retractable. The radula is wide and distinctively has nine teeth. There are two pairs of gills.<br /> <br /> Nautilus pompilius is the largest species in the genus. One form from western Australia may reach 26.8 cm in diameter. However, most other nautilus species never exceed 20 cm. Nautilus macromphalus is the smallest species, usually measuring only 16 cm.<br /> <br /> Nautiluses are the sole cephalopods whose bony structure of the body is externalized as a shell. The animal can withdraw completely into its shell, closing the opening with a leathery hood formed from two specially folded tentacles. The shell is coiled, calcareous, nacreous and pressure resistant (imploding at a depth of about 800 m). The nautilus shell is composed of 2 layers: the outer layer is a matte white, while the inner layer is a striking white with iridescence. The innermost portion of the shell is a pearlescent blue-gray.<br /> <br /> The shell is internally divided into chambers. As the nautilus matures its body moves forward, sealing the camerae behind it with a new septum. The last fully open chamber, also the largest one, is used as the living chamber. The number of camerae increases from around four at the moment of hatching to thirty or more in adults.<br /> <br /> The nautilus shell presents one of the finest natural examples of a logarithmic spiral." From Wikipedia.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22468241/in/album/450937 tag:ipernity.com,2007-11-14,doc-22468241 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:28:23 +0000 2004-03-07T16:15:01-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22468241/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/131/82/41/22468241.3a7b6bfd.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">I've had this Abalone shell for years - can't remember where I got it. This photo shows the iridescent inside surface (mother-of-pearl) of the shell.<br /> <br /> "Abalone (from Spanish Abulón) are a group of shellfish (mollusks) in the family Haliotidae and the Haliotis genus. They are marine snails, and belong to the suborder Rhipidoglossa (in earlier classifications) in the large class Gastropoda. There is only one genus in the family Haliotidae, and about four to seven subgenera. The taxonomy of the family is still somewhat confused. The number of species recognized world-wide ranges from about 100 to 130 (due to the occurrence of hybrids).<br /> <br /> Abalone shells have a low and open spiral structure, and are characterized by several respiratory holes in a row near the shell's outer edge. The innermost layer of the shell is composed of nacre or mother-of-pearl, which in many species is highly iridescent, giving rise to a range of strong and changeable colors which make them attractive to humans as a decorative object. The flesh of certain large abalones is considered by many to be a desirable food.<br /> <br /> Abalones are also called ear-shells, haliotis, sea-ears and Venus's-ears, as well as muttonfish or muttonshells in Australia, ormer in Jersey and Guernsey, perlemoen in South Africa and pāua in New Zealand. They are dying out in Victoria (Australia) due to a virus leaking out of a fish farm in South Australia." From Wikipedia.</div> Abalone shell <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/22468241/in/album/450937"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/131/82/41/22468241.3a7b6bfd.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">I've had this Abalone shell for years - can't remember where I got it. This photo shows the iridescent inside surface (mother-of-pearl) of the shell.<br /> <br /> "Abalone (from Spanish Abulón) are a group of shellfish (mollusks) in the family Haliotidae and the Haliotis genus. They are marine snails, and belong to the suborder Rhipidoglossa (in earlier classifications) in the large class Gastropoda. There is only one genus in the family Haliotidae, and about four to seven subgenera. The taxonomy of the family is still somewhat confused. The number of species recognized world-wide ranges from about 100 to 130 (due to the occurrence of hybrids).<br /> <br /> Abalone shells have a low and open spiral structure, and are characterized by several respiratory holes in a row near the shell's outer edge. The innermost layer of the shell is composed of nacre or mother-of-pearl, which in many species is highly iridescent, giving rise to a range of strong and changeable colors which make them attractive to humans as a decorative object. The flesh of certain large abalones is considered by many to be a desirable food.<br /> <br /> Abalones are also called ear-shells, haliotis, sea-ears and Venus's-ears, as well as muttonfish or muttonshells in Australia, ormer in Jersey and Guernsey, perlemoen in South Africa and pāua in New Zealand. They are dying out in Victoria (Australia) due to a virus leaking out of a fish farm in South Australia." From Wikipedia.</div> Anne Elliott