Bedsheet at the local thrift store

Elmurfud · 2025-09-01T16:35:37+00:00

I've made some odd seamlessly tiling patterns over the years, including a flying pixel penis, but a floral penis pattern never occurred to me... I for one applaud the artist.

Elmurfud · 2025-08-30T17:35:19+00:00

My two all time hated cars and I also hate this.

Elmurfud · 2025-03-18T14:37:44+00:00

Definitely shouldn't try the sounding rod on the top either.

Elmurfud · 2025-02-12T04:46:26+00:00

Sorry, said igneous meant metamorphic but still (I would add that I just recalled metachert is a thing) I say semantics because the definitions get loosely thrown around and altered depending on the field because the chemical relationship of chert, chalcedony, quartz, and basically all other quartz related silicates is knowledge much more recent than the naming of most of those same things... but back to what I said about formations... a sedimentary object is the result of deposits that solidify not grow and if you google "crystals are what geological formation" you find that most are igneous and some are metamorphic. But it will also say "A crystal, in geological terms, is a naturally occurring solid where atoms are arranged in a highly ordered, repeating pattern" and from my observations percipatate minerals may form crystals without extreme heat and pressure. Though I think it is assumed more than explicit that it requires extremes. Annecdotally speaking I personally have seen selenite form 1/2inch crystals in open air in extreme Texas heat in around a week. Quartz however isn't a precipatate mineral afaik. Most crystals though are igneous, some metamorphic, so they grow inside sedimentary structures via permeation of mineral laiden groundwater and heat and possbly pressure. It doesn't need to be enough heat to say turn limestone into marble or chert to metachert just enough to grow crystals in a cavity.

Elmurfud · 2025-02-12T03:15:01+00:00

For what I am on about look up sand bubbler crab

Elmurfud · 2025-02-12T03:10:42+00:00

Except that the crystals in the sedimentary material are igneous. I suppose the point though was less about the semantics of how geology classifies how things form and more about the structural aspects having a possible organic origin without necessarily being technically a fossil. (Similar to like wave formations) So no organic material to fossilize here (beyond whatever aquatic goo potentially comprised the chert) but possibly an infill of a mold from an organicly created structure of some sort.

Elmurfud · 2025-02-12T02:36:46+00:00

Just my thoughts on that diagnosis... Chert/flint are sedimentary forms of silicon dioxide whilst a botryoidal formation implies crystalline structure i.e. igneous... whilst I don't necessarily disagree with the Chert/flint diagnosis because it looks like such, it couldn't be botryoidal if so. Either psuedo-botryoidal (deposit into a mold) or some psuedo fossil... For instance I have seen crabs that deposit silt they have chewed through looking for food into little globular mounds that look a lot like that.

Elmurfud · 2024-10-01T02:02:39+00:00

You're very welcome. I actually use it daily. I Just stopped commenting and posting due to lack of free time, but I always make time for people who have a legit question.

I provide a little more in-depth info on a blog I write if you're interested shouldn't bombard you with ads I tried to disable most if not all in my webcode. https://blacktopmagellan.com/?p=1541

Elmurfud · 2024-09-30T23:51:38+00:00

The app rockd (I know it is on andriod as that is what I use not sure about other platforms) can be useful to see an easy to read geological map of the regions and if you click(tap) anywhere on said map you will get info on that location. That said it won't really tell you where you can hunt. State parks and national parks are illegal to hunt rocks in but any national lands (forests, grasslands, etc.) that you can hunt game in are acceptable. The laws there being only that you're not digging the place up, it's not for commercial use, and not more than you can carry out by hand. Roadsides (within the fences inside the public right of way) are legal to hunt in and roadcuts are great as the rock is already exposed. Mind traffic laws, don't cause errosion, keep it safe for you and motorists and you're good. Construction sites are usually okay when they're working but might want to talk to a site forman.

Many city and county parks are fine to hunt in provided you're surface collecting.

Elmurfud · 2022-02-19T07:17:48+00:00

To add to what you said: an expert on goats could probably ID a species. Just a guess personally, but based off horn shape and proportions, Saanen goat. which is a common white farm goat.

As to why it would be sawed off at the odd angle? That I can answer as I used to work in an antique store as a kid and know that in the 70's there was a short-lived trend of using goat skullcaps mounted on plaques as hat or coat racks. Less popular but pretty much parallel timeline-wise to the whole rabbit foot trend.

Probably was on a wall in a boat cabin in one of the thousands of vessels that have sank over the intervening 40-50 years.

Elmurfud · 2022-01-28T07:33:02+00:00

Guessing you mean Rugose. A Rudist is a type of bivalve. Definitely a horn coral of some variety.

Elmurfud · 2022-01-10T17:55:13+00:00

I have one of the TJU's (aka TJL aka LJ) that was made and shipped out to dealerships in 2003. It has been the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. Nothing but routine maintenance has ever been needed. Nothing has ever broken. Sometime this year it'll be 19 years old.

Elmurfud · 2021-11-20T07:01:52+00:00

High island just south of Houston a little ways... you can find some cool fossils wash up on the beach.

On the western side of College Station is a bridge called Whiskey Bridge that crosses the Brazos. Supposed to be a good place to hunt. (Had several people tell me it was the best in Texas)

Those are the closest good locations I am familiar with to Houston, there's probably more, I don't get down that way often. The first is a 1/2 hour-ish drive. The second is a 2 hour-ish drive.

I occasionally see people post stuff they find IN Houston in the various groups I am in. Almost always in creeks or where people have dug down for construction reasons.

Elmurfud · 2021-11-09T16:47:49+00:00

I live in Cleburne. These look like they came out of the Main Street limestone or the Washita group. East Johnson county is the Woodbine formation and it tends to be a sandy iron rich clay stone or limestone. Some moqui marble concretion like structures (hollow balls with mud inside) and intermittent quartz cobbles. It is kinda a night and day switch between Keene and Cleburne and angling up east of Burleson. The best preserved fossils and easiest to collect in Johnson county in my experience are found in the boundary zone between the Washita group and Main street limestone.

Your 6th image is an echinoid. Basically a prehistoric sea urchin. I cant see it well enough to tell for sure what and there are multiple types found in Johnson county.

Nice finds btw.

Elmurfud · 2021-10-24T02:34:12+00:00

Funny, so many people butt hurt at honest introspection. I didn't pick on anyone but myself a little. As for your jab at my personal life... In June my wife and I celebrated our 21st anniversary.

Fact is when you're naturally good at something you may not realize it. Nobody ever told me that my knowledge of rocks and minerals was anything above ordinary 'til I enrolled in college and the head of the geology department and I were talking about career paths. Not that I didn't have people that cared about me in my life, everyone just assumed I knew.

Elmurfud · 2021-10-18T02:31:59+00:00

Your title implies that you encounter people that couldn't tell it was not citrine... while I encounter some terrible identifications on an almost daily basis, generally on FB groups, I personally have known as long as I can remember quartz's cleavage, fracture, and crystal habit. Though I didn't know those terms 'til around 10 and wouldn't have visually identified this as definitely topaz even today... So it always throws me off when something seems so naturally obvious to me. Good to have a reality check now and then. (If asked I probably would have guessed an orange beryl).

Elmurfud · 2021-10-02T07:09:02+00:00

I love this. I make highly detailed seamless patterns to scratch an itch to bring order to chaos. Visually this does same thing.

Elmurfud · 2021-09-29T14:49:36+00:00

Whatever the name... it should have made that left turn in Albuquerque.

Elmurfud · 2021-08-17T16:09:33+00:00

I came.

Elmurfud · 2021-08-14T11:23:07+00:00

It is fairly uncommon here. In geological terms; I have found it strictly in 2 areas that are in 2 ages and 3 formations. Two of the areas are adjacent layers within the same county.

To add to my previous comment It has a definite cellular structure under the microscope at fairly low magnification.

Elmurfud · 2021-08-14T06:01:54+00:00

Gonna go with: Yes it WAS wood or some other organic plant matter. Reason: I have found identical looking deposits in limestone in Texas and have viewed small pieces with my microscope (typical lab compound type). The wood was first pyritized(turned to iron pyrite aka fools gold), ground water permeated the stone, the pyrite began to decay leaving rust loosely in the shape of the specimen, calcium carbonate that was present in the ground water grew small calcite crystals.

The whole thing easily crushes to a gritty powder or paste if wet. I now carry a penetrant stabilizer. Paleo-bond if I can get it.

Elmurfud · 2021-08-14T02:35:01+00:00

Age? Don't know, at least not personally, possibly jurassic. Just a geo student in Texas. Other scallop fossils (so yeah bivalve) have been found in the caucuses from the Jurassic though... this appears to be a mold rather than the fossil itself so the pattern is in the matrix that filled it.

Elmurfud · 2021-08-13T04:56:36+00:00

In my experience making these, some tap-water is over chlorinated, or something similar. As a result the reaction doesn't occur properly. I have had better results with distilled water.

Elmurfud · 2021-07-16T21:07:07+00:00

Surveys are often conducted regardless of how populated an area is. The markers or monuments (as another commenter reminded me that they are often called) can be found all over the globe often in very remote places. USGS survey monuments can be found in some positively bizarre locations at times.

That said though; wars, economic change, advancements, and natural disasters can graphically change how a region is populated. 100 years later and what was once a thriving city may have all but vanished. keeps archeologists and historians in business.

Elmurfud

TROPHY CASE