caffeinated discoveries

Many, many people celebrated Pulse. We were told we deserved it. That it was God’s punishment for our sin of loving the same sex. We are sent messages like these I received in 2018:

We in the community often call the victim count 49+ to include the survivors who couldn’t live with the pain.

The event was never officially declared a hate crime or targeted homophobic attack and is rarely listed as one in databases.

At our vigils for those slaughtered, Extremist Christian groups showed up to protest, holding signs like this:

ID: Me kissing a woman I was casually seeing in front of an angry looking man with a “Sodomy is Sin” sign.

Please understand how much more than just a mass shooting this was. We are still to this day harassed and told we deserved it by some.

Matelot Kevin Druez 1, 2009

Vintage Brio bag.

Handground Azurite Dark. I managed to make this much before my pestle broke. Such a beautful natural rock. Swipe for the close up of the rock. I thought it was going to be much darker but as soon as it broke the surface a lighter blue appeared. 😍

My current red calcite cab I’m working on, as well some Dallasite slabs, and an unknown slab.

I actually quite like the end chunk, of the plain gray, that came off the bigger chunk of Dallasite. 

Portal to peace - Thunderegg

Natural Forces

Throwback Thursday! Do you remember the 1970s? 💃🕺 Saturday Night Fever was playing at the theaters and disco was pumping at Studio 54. What was happening at the Museum? We were opening a groovy Gems and Minerals Hall, complete with carpet, a sunken pit, and cave-like lighting. This archival photo, snapped in 1976, depicts visitors in the hall as it appeared shortly after opening. Its design was meant to simulate the Earth from which the exhibited specimens were extracted.

During the years since then, the fields of mineralogy and geology have advanced significantly. The Museum’s Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals—which now features more than 5,000 specimens—were redesigned to reflect these changes. Today, this space tells the fascinating story of how the vast diversity of minerals arose on our planet, how scientists classify and study them, and how we use them for personal adornment, tools, and technology.

"Gletschermühle" - Glacier Mill

BAUERMEISTER, MARY

1934 Frankfurt a.M.

Title: "Stein-Mandala oder Steinzeit Kreissäge".

Date: 2002.

. Technique: Stones on wood.