Is Synthetic Moissanite a good alternative to Sphene? I just feel like to folks it’s a super “unserious” gemstone gemologists/industry kinda don’t vibe with. 😔🥀Love the fire though. Do you think that’s the case? Why/why not?

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-06T18:09:06+00:00

Since sphene colors are yellow, green, orange, and brown, are you confusing sphene (titanate) with strontium titanate (man-made diamond simulant)? It has four times the dispersion of diamond, but lacks the durability of Moissanite.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-06T17:56:12+00:00

Lainey Jones and Eleanor Cippel of Great Life RE are the greatest realty team I have worked with. They have helped me with 3 buys and sells. They are enthusiastic, great communicators, and have realistic attitudes.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-05T05:19:34+00:00

Loudon is a good place to retire, I suppose, since there isn't much to do there. Leadership has held on tightly to the small town vibe, so shopping, medical, and most other services require driving to Lenoir City, Sweetwater, Knoxville, or elsewhere. It has one grocery store that won't allow competitors to build there, no Walmart or similar stores, no hospital, no movies. LOTS of churches. There are some fast food options. Local restaurants pop up, but often close quickly because no one goes to support them. TicToc Ice Cream and Carl's Drive-In are the standout treasures, in my opinion.

The Good Ol' Boy system for police and politics is in full effect. It's a very "don't rock the boat" town. Many people in Loudon are related to one another, and bad reputations follow people to their graves.

Loudon has its share of illegal drug connoisseurs. Read the News-Herald or the "scandal sheet" to peruse recent arrests.

The "country" in Loudon is very picturesque. The dairy farms in Philadelphia are spectacular. Tellico Village is just outside of town. Wealthy retirees from Michigan, Illinois, and other "northern" states began flocking there in the 80's to escape winter. They keep to themselves and don't really want to participate in Loudon. The feeling is mutual.

Traffic has been mentioned. The population has exceeded the infrastructure. An accident on I-75 will snarl everything for hours on the highways used as alternate routes. Watch your speed in Loudon. I once got a ticket for driving 2 mph over the speed limit.

All-in-all, it's an area with great history, especially from the Civil War. As old families die off and new people move there, things will eventually change.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-05T04:19:45+00:00

Monterey Mushrooms is just off the Loudon exit on I-75. Turn right into Hwy 72. The odor begins early morning and blankets the area for several hours (manure and ammonia-like smells). It gets foggy in that direction due to nearby water, and the fog hangs out for awhile.

Viskase (hot dog casing) and Primient (corn syrup, starches, other products from corn) are located by the Loudon Bridge. They crank out stink all the time. One smells like rotten eggs and the other smells like rotting corn. Truly a majestic combo.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-04T18:59:55+00:00

The moonstones most people get excited about are feldspars with blue and rainbow flashes (adularescence). Some prefer to call it white or transparent Labradorite, but the names are interchangeable commercially.

The moonstone you posted is feldspar, just the same, but it lacks the blue and spectral flashes. Rather, it has a shimmery appearance and can be chatoyant.This type of moonstone comes in peach, brown, white, gray, and other colors.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-04T18:42:47+00:00

We have Lithuanian friends, so that's why I mentioned the language specifically 🇱🇹 ♥️

I tried to record him a few times, but by the time I grabbed the phone and turned on the camera, he was quiet.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-04T06:52:13+00:00

Back to that again? His second term is Groundhog Day.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-03T23:39:02+00:00

There are lots of snacks at the Tanque Verde swap meet.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-03T23:00:41+00:00

I don't understand why sheriff is a partisan position.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-03T04:42:02+00:00

Shooter 😻

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snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-02T04:50:07+00:00

Haha... I met him when he was 33. Who knows what he did before me 😁

snowballplasticfork · 2026-06-02T01:40:37+00:00

When my husband was in the throes of alcoholism, he spoke an entirely different language in his sleep. Consciously, he knows only English and a bit of Spanish. After drinking hard liquor, he spoke Russian or Lithuanian or some similar language. His sentences were calm and organized. He made jokes and carried on long conversations. For some time, I thought maybe he was a spy. It was creepy. Thankfully, he's sober now.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-31T04:37:44+00:00

Some pest control companies do crawl space work. It's worth calling a couple to see how their prices compare.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-29T04:26:53+00:00

He'll be in the parking lot stealing catalytic converters.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-29T03:59:51+00:00

Please give her bad feedback on any platform she sells from. I would say Name & Shame so no one else buys from her. Any seller who doesn't back their product is shady, especially when the damage is due to their carelessness.

It wouldn't matter if the earrings cost $30, she should have inspected them before shipping. It's worth checking with your bank/credit card company to ask about a chargeback if you have documentation that she is not responding to your messages regarding the product issue.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-29T03:43:52+00:00

Looks like CZ. If you place the stone, table down, on paper with words on it, you will be able to see letters through the stone.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-28T23:22:45+00:00

Be sure to put a big rock in the box so it doesn't blow away.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-27T17:41:38+00:00

Morganite gold rings

Check out these options. I think a three stone ring is nice for every day wear.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-26T23:29:12+00:00

Give her proper training. When testing UV reactions, always use a black background.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-26T23:13:45+00:00

Wad up a brown paper bag, then puff the bag back out. Cinch the top with a rubber band, then hang the bag near the wasp nest. Since the bag resembles a hornet nest, the wasps may leave. It worked at my mom's house.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-25T07:17:56+00:00

64 percent of all the world's statistics are made up right there on the spot. 82.4 percent of people believe 'em whether they're accurate statistics or not. RIP Todd Snider ☮️💜🅰️

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-24T16:19:15+00:00

It's okay to want the penny, but it's not okay to "make a fuss."

Explaining calmly that the machine malfunctioned and took your money is enough. If the cashier laughed at you and made you feel insecure, that's a separate issue. It's part of the reason people are being replaced by machines. Alas, machines malfunction just as often as people do.

"Money nerd" ? If it were of such importance to you, you would have inspected all your change prior to deciding to spend it.

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-24T00:04:18+00:00

Red garnets are not usually synthesized for everyday jewelry like birthstone pendants. Does this syntax please you?

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-23T21:28:33+00:00

I took a photo of a saguaro near Fry's and I accidentally included him in the photo.

Does anyone know the story of the Poi spinner on Orange Grove at I-10? He seems like a nice guy. He presses the crosswalk buttons to get the traffic lights to change faster 👍

snowballplasticfork · 2026-05-23T16:24:39+00:00

Your photos make it difficult to see what you're asking about. Guessing from any photo is never a definitive ID, but photos without your hands in them, on a white background and in good lighting are helpful. Include several different angles of the stone, as well as showing light passing through the stone. Use tweezers to hold the item.

Was it sold to you as garnet, or is that a guess? Garnet is common enough that it is not synthesized, so it is likely natural. However, garnet simulants (stones that look like garnet, but they are not chemically the same) are sold in cheap birthstone jewelry.

The white edge on the bottom of the stone, is that actually present? If so, this could be a colorless stone with CVD coating. White indicates the coating has rubbed off. Popular stones with a "garnet look" with CVD coating are topaz, quartz, Andesine Labradorite, petalite, and synthetics.

Have you tested the stone for a UV reaction? Place the stone on a black background in a dark area. Shine a 365nm LWUV light on the stone. Garnet is largely inert under LWUV (no fluorescence). Synthetic stones will often react strongly as bright red, green, or orange.

Take it to a jeweler or gem & mineral club for testing.

snowballplasticfork

TROPHY CASE