Goodbye old friend

[fossis]

This is a pic of the last pit left of my Fossil hunting
grounds, I first saw them as a child, & petrified wood, &
ferns & twigs were everywhere.
The pits stretched from AR to OK, some were full of
beautiful blue-green water which we used as a playground
& swimming hole, (even had a rope swing on a large tree).
I got my start as a "Rockhound" here, joining a club, &
meeting many great folks, including the (Dallas FT. Worth)
Palentology club, which Me & A friend guided on hunts.
I also took some friends from Treasure -Net, Scotto, &
Painthorse, & their familie's hunting here.
Scotto gave me my first computer, mouse, & camera,
& opening up a "Whole new World" as he said,
(Aren't Friends Wonderful?)
So I guess all Strip & run mining wasn't so bad, they
(60 yrs ago), left us some great recreation & hunting, but
now the pits are being reclaimed & seeded with grass,
& a timber company will plant fast growing pines.
But I have many great Fossils, good health, (exercise),
many wonderful days of hunting fossils, meditating, &
wonderful memories, ( & have taught lots of young folks
about Fossils).

To every thing there is a season.

HH, Fossis................

(pic's are pit, minerals on large stone, ferns)

 

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[watercolor]

What an incredible place!
I'm sure that the folks you guided on geologic & fossil hunts out there will sadly miss it also. . .

Thank you for showing,
watercolor

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

fossis,

all things change.

Thanks for posting.

have a good un....
SHERMANVILLE

 

[fossis]

What an incredible place!
I'm sure that the folks you guided on geologic & fossil hunts out there will sadly miss it also. . .

Thank you for showing,
watercolor

Thank's, Lots of folks will I'me sure.

Fossis.............

 

[fossis]

fossis,

all things change.

Thanks for posting.

have a good un....
SHERMANVILLE

So True,
You're Welcome, Fossis..............

 

[Timberwolf]

Fossis,

Sorry to see one of your favorite hunting sites swallowed-up by "progress" (yeah right).
That area of OK is still very beautifully. I wouldn't mind living down there, if I could make a living.

On a different note, let me know when & where the "Bigfoot" festival will be.
Thanks,

Timberwolf

 

[beavis]

It's great the mining gave you an opportunity to hunt. Most people are affected by turning woods into neighborhoods. You're affected by the opposite, turning the area into woods.

 

[ivan salis]

dang nab it--

 

[Cynangyl]

thanks for sharing the photos and memories! Great place there!

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

What a beautiful site, sorry for your loss. You have many beautiful memories and photos to share for life. I love that fern photo!

 

[wesfrye53]

Fossis,

While growing up in western PA, we had an old strip mine on the farm. Too bad I didn't save all the ferns, leaves, etc that I found in the shale. Your finds are great and leave me feeling very envious

 

[fossis]

Fossis,

Sorry to see one of your favorite hunting sites swallowed-up by "progress" (yeah right).
That area of OK is still very beautifully. I wouldn't mind living down there, if I could make a living.

On a different note, let me know when & where the "Bigfoot" festival will be.
Thanks,

Timberwolf

Thanks Tom, the festival will be on the 5th
& 6th of oct, at Christ's 40 acres, Honobia Ok
everyone that can make it come on down, or up.
It was started, (tongue in cheek), by locals, but now
several folks from all over, come & tell their stories.
I set up tables, & sell my handcrafted sticks, & fossils,
& minerals.

Fossis..............

 

[fossis]

It's great the mining gave you an opportunity to hunt. Most people are affected by turning woods into neighborhoods. You're affected by the opposite, turning the area into woods.

Yes it could be worse, at least I had lots of years
to enjoy the mines, & now I can look at nature or hike.

Fossis...............

 

[fossis]

dang nab it--

Fossis.............

 

[fossis]

thanks for sharing the photos and memories! Great place there!

Glad to share,

Fossis...............

 

[fossis]

What a beautiful site, sorry for your loss. You have many beautiful memories and photos to share for life. I love that fern photo!

Thanks, I have many good memories, & later my
children got to hunt & swim there also.

Fossis...............

 

[fossis]

Fossis,

While growing up in western PA, we had an old strip mine on the farm. Too bad I didn't save all the ferns, leaves, etc that I found in the shale. Your finds are great and leave me feeling very envious

Thanks Wes, I can still get into a few on
private land once in a while in OK.
I have stockpiled several flats for trading & selling,
plus the ones i (highgraded),

(my fossil book is from Illinois, same fossils as here)
Fossis.............

 

[fossis]

Has anyone/group tried to stop the modern makeover of such a wonderful place? Must be many who are a little scorned to see nature swallowed up by ahem...progress?

Great presentation the place has an almost "top of the sacred mountain feel to it," what a shame.

Keep us posted
Blue

PS My Mother's entire family were born in either Spiro or Peautea OK. My grandfather was a US Marshall there from the late 1800's to around 1915. His Name was Lewis Allen Terry, please excuse the spelling of Poteau, I haven't been there in over twenty years.

Hey Blue, The land was basically abandoned
for years, stripped, & gone, then with deeper mining methods
they moved over & got more coal, now they have to reclaim
by law, then the timber intrests bought it for a tree farm.
But we still have acres & acres of National forest to enjoy,
that is Poteau mt. in the background, just SE of the town,
one man's father in my area, was a juror for (the hanging
judge), Issac Parker in FT. Smith AR.

HH, Fossis..............

 

[TreasureTales]

Bummer! Those fern fossils are truly gorgeous. If I found something like that, I'd be jumping for joy and registering on the Richter Scale. LOL

Sorry about your loss. So glad you had many years to enjoy the area.

Hey, let's see some photos of your "sticks." Does your avatar represent your stick carving?

 

[fossis]

Bummer! Those fern fossils are truly gorgeous. If I found something like that, I'd be jumping for joy and registering on the Richter Scale. LOL

Sorry about your loss. So glad you had many years to enjoy the area.

Hey, let's see some photos of your "sticks." Does your avatar represent your stick carving?

Thanks Mary, Here are a sample of my "sticks",
I also make a black colored one, but I'me out right now.
I make them from Hickory, persimmon, asian bamboo,
anything that will make a firm stick, the walking canes
are mostly Sumac, (oldtimers call it Shoemake), it has a
natural handle, (main root), sometimes I find them that
deer have used for a rub, (for their antlers), & it has
healed over, It makes a neat stick.
The berries make a drink much like pink lemonade, when
boiled, & sugar added.
The curvy one is where Honeysuckle vines grow around, &
into the wood, larger trees will make bedpost or furniture,
I can't keep these on hand for long, big demand.
( Avatar is woodcarving, by someone better than me)

HH, Fossis........