mining for diamonds.

A sun packed, fun packed, refreshing long weekend came to an end last Monday and it was time to drive home. Pico, Ashley, and I loaded up the car, but decided we needed one more adventure before facing the hours back to the city. After stopping at a half dozen yard sales on route 9 and packing the car with more odds and ends, we made it to the final destination at 4 o'clock.

I blame Hosanna (also a Martha crafter) for dazzling me in August when she showed me the amazing Herkimer diamonds she mined over the summer. I became obsessed with the idea of hunting for a treasure and needed to go diamond mining myself. Well, 3 hours west and way out of the way (sorry Ashley and Pico) I was about to have my chance.

Turns out Ace closes at 5 and it takes a lot longer than an hour to score the fabulous gems. $8, a hammer, and a hand rake later, I was determined. But where do we start?

"Well I don't know, let's just start smashing rocks"... and whacking them and digging under other rocks for the one that might be golden...

... "Oh it's hopeless!" My arm was tired, I had blisters on my hands, dust covering my legs and my hair was sticking to my sweating face! No wonder diamonds are so expensive! This is hard work!

And then Ashley finds one... and another.... and some more.... seriously WTF! How come I can't find any!

And then the siren goes off– the race is over– and the mine is closing and I got nothing!

I start to smash everything in sight as I retreat from the mound. No success for Kristin and Pico is pissed, but Ashley found at least one really nice one.

And another one still embedded in a rock he cracked open.

It is really amazing how these crystals grow in there!

After I cleaned myself up and returned the tools back to the office, I pouted back to the car.

4 hours back to the city without anything to show from my diamond hunt. Next time I think I need a full day, some gloves, the correct attire, a hair tie, a fanny pack, and probably an awl or something to aid in precision rock breaking and I think Pico might need to sit this one out.

Next time, next time...