Hawaiian Sand!

My sister brought me home 5 new samples of Hawaiian sand from different locations on Maui, plus some coral and seashells.  She got to swim with Sea Turtles and watch whales and dolphins from a boat - I'm so jealous (except for the part of actually being on a boat and swimming in the ocean...yes I know I'm a little crazy.)

My rock collection box is now officially too small... and I've only had it for 3 months!  What's the normal way to store a rock collection?  I have no idea about how to do this stuff.  I need to learn how to be an official rock hound complete with hand lens, rock hammer, and hydrochloric acid!  I don't even know how one uses a rock hammer, but I remember having the desire to have one for the first time recently to get something cool out of a hillside.

Rock Collection Identified

I got my unknown rocks and minerals identified today, thanks to Emily.  She has amazing knowledge with this.

I will upload some pictures later, I'm too tired right now.  I have a Beryl, Galena, Pyrite, Calchopyrite (spelling is probably off), white and black pumice, tuff, opal, travertine, chrysocolla, chalcedony...some of those I've never heard of.  I'm impressed that Emily could ID them so quickly and confidently.  So excited to have a great start to my collection. :)

My very own rock collection!

Today was the coolest.  I got to go help some people from the UVU Earth Science Department pack up a bunch of museum-quality rocks that a lady donated.  Then I got to pick out what I wanted from the rest of the collection (the NOT museum quality).  I got some awesome stuff!  A few of them I haven't identified yet, so hoping to take those in to school and get someone to help me with it.  But I got some great rocks and minerals-  pyrite, quartz, coal, pumice, granite, galena, malachite (I think), mica, gypsum, petrified wood and geodes.  SO dang cool.  I need to go find myself some Halite at Great Salt Lake this week to add to the collection.  I think I've just created a monster- the start of a collection means I'll now be an official rock hound whenever I'm out.  Yippee! :)  Oh oh, and I got some bleached coral as well. :)

New Geekin' Science Blog

Yippee I have a new blog.  I like to geek out about science stuff and sometimes people just don't get it, ya know?  I guess I'm a freak, but I think the world and the living things on it are freaking amazing!  I love to learn new things all the time, and now I have a place to post them.
A little about me and what this blog will be about...

I am a college student in Utah and I plan to be a science teacher (Junior High or High School, teaching Biology and Geology hopefully).  I am also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I love science and learning lots of stuff particularly about the earth, how it was formed, why it is the way it is now, its prehistory, how plants and animals work, how they came to be, etc.  Surprising to some, science does not make me doubt my faith in God.  I think science and God go together quite nicely.  I bring this up because sometimes my posts will refer to my faith since it's a big part of my life, and I'm always finding ways in which the natural world/ science fit in beautifully with my beliefs, and I love to share this information with whomever happens to be willing to listen.

Okie dokie, so I hope you enjoy my ramblings, and feel free to comment!  I'd love to hear from people.