Linda says Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with pro.” Find a word that starts with “pro” and use it any way you like in your post. Enjoy!

A simple hobby for people who are living in their motor homes full-time is collecting rocks.

Here I show my collection so far, and a few I can break down and tell you where I picked them up. Since I’m not a professional, I didn’t think to tag each one, yet some are memorable enough that I’ll never forget where I got them.

I’m also a member of the Rock Seekers Club, meaning I get their newsletters, tips, and tricks for finding and preserving your rocks. And Dave has promised me a rock tumbler for my birthday! I’m so excited about that because my goal is to find a rare (or any) gemstones. If nothing else though, they will be shiny and hopefully I’ll also find a geode some day!

More tools of the trade will be needed as I progress in my hobby, like a pick and hammer to crack open potential geodes or break certain rocks to see if they contain crystals. This article, for example, told me that I can take rocks from certain public lands.

This first group, you might remember, is from Picacho Peak area near our resort, including the polished one Karl the rock guy gave me to use as my “train” when playing Mexican Train. The rock with the blue bits was obtained on our first-ever hike up the mountain (not the hike in the state park there), and the white and brown one is the one I found for Dave to use as his train…unpolished of course.

Our trip to San Diego mid-January is where I snagged this beauty. I love it and cannot wait to see what is revealed when I polish it. What do you think? Should I polish it or is it fine in its present state? After all, it’s been polished by the waves for who knows how long.

This group came from either the Barry Goldwater Range in the desert, or possibly two different locations but desert regardless.Tumbled, they may be pretty.

This group also came from different places but I’m sure we were hiking in the mountains when I picked them up. I can’t wait to tumble these as they may contain crystals.

When I try to remember where I picked this one all I get is frustration at myself for not tagging it at the time. I simply cannot remember anything except that it was the only one I picked up while we were there…but where were we? 🤷‍♀️

This is another of my favorites. It was obtained near Muggin’s Mt. Wilderness which is BLM land, so totally legal. I love the striations and tiny holes, like a miniature of the mountains themselves, caves included. Another question for the rock seeker’s forum, should I tumble it or leave it in its natural state. I need a pro’s opinion!
I want them all to be vibrant and shiny, or at least as clean as they can be and showing what minerals or gems they contain. I have so much to learn!

Are any of you closet rock lovers (collectors) that can share some knowledge, tips, and tricks with me? Let me know, because this hobby is liable to be a lifelong love! I wonder if when we get to the beach, I’ll still pick up shells or be more focused on rocks and sea glass? Maybe there’s room for them all! 🤣