Esoterizona Stones 17

Fluorescent Minerals

Multi-color banded specimen. 5"x4"x3" (Pima County)

Unidentified pale yellow fluorescent mineral. 5"x3"x2" (Pima County)

Secondary deposit of yellow caliche over blue diopside. 4"x3"x2" (Pima County)

UV Scorpion Live

A little sliver of scorpion nightlife.

Seems Like I've Been Here Before

1970s pull tab Bud can, found in an old mine. Perhaps I left it behind in a previous life.

Esoterizona Stones 16

Fluorescent Minerals

Calcite (red) and scheelite (blue), shortwave UV and white light. 3"x1.5"x3" (Pinal County)

Banded and scattered scheelite. 6"x4"x3" (Pinal County)

The left face is a solid sheet of bright red calcite under SWUV,

 and a mix of crystalline and dendrite formations under white light. 

The right face is a mix of calcite and scheelite. 9"x6"x4" (Pinal County)

State of Texas Mine

This stone comes from the State of Texas Mine in Cochise County, off-limits to collecting as it is located on protected federal land. Read more about Grace Marion Sparkes and the history of Coronado National Memorial here.

Flat sawcut surface, white light. 7"x4"

Fluorescent calcite (red) and willemite (green), shortwave UV.

Close-up view of the sawcut side.

Close-up view of the rough side. An unidentified blue fluorescence is visible here as well.

Purchased from Polman Minerals.

Huachuca Bed & Breakfast

Welcome to a lovely, rustic setting high in the Huachuca mountains ...

The Sonoran Desert inspired menu features frijoles, elotes, and serapes ...

The breath-taking views make this desert canyon hideaway well worth the trip.

Esoterizona Stones 15

Fluorescent Minerals

Willemite, calcite, fluorite, and hydrozincite. 4"x3"x3" (Cochise County)

Willemite and calcite, front view. 5"x3"x3" (Cochise County)

Back view.

Willemite, calcite, and fluorite. 8"x4"x6" (Cochise County)

Esoterizona Stones 14

Fluorescent Minerals

 

Caliche and hydrozincite, shortwave UV. 6"x6"x4" (Pima County)

Yellow fluorescent caliche over light blue calcite crystals. 6"x3"x3" (Pima County)

Side view of the same rock, yellow over blue.

Four color specimen, red, blue, green and yellow. 3"x2"x1" (Pima County)

Bloom Time 3

Bud emerges from a spine cluster on a Peruvian apple cactus. (Cereus peruvianus)

Over the course of a week or so the bud elongates and turns bright green.

The flower blooms for one night only, and wilts in the morning sun. 

Bud and blossom with pollinated fruit below.

The night-blooming cereus is pollinated by the white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata).

Break Time

The mule needs fuel. Photo by the Yeti.

Aurichalcite

Bright green aurichalcite crust and crystals. (4"x3") (Pima County)

Close-up view of the botryoidal crust.  FOV: 1"

Close-up view of a cluster of acicular crystals. FOV: 3/4"