The ground is ALIVE, or at least agitating

[bravowhiskey]

Well, here's one for ya. A bit of a stickler, a little thought provoker.

While digging a pond out back, on the home place, I went thru three distinct layers of clay. The first was only about 10-12" down. A greyish layer that sticks like the devil to everything it touches. Then about 18-24" further a yellowish type and third a whitish, not sticky, but almost crumbly layer at aprox 5- 6'.

In this 3rd layer I noticed a leaf outline amongst some strange looking "clumps" of what appeared to me like what a person may see as the muck at the bottom of a swamp. Leaves, twigs, all mashed up.

This has to be plant fossils in the middle stage of development. This clay is hard, but will crumble if you try with a little hand pressure. See pic.

Ok, now here is some very common, in this area, petrified wood.

The problem is, the petrified wood, which is completely fossilized, is found in the very top layer of soil. It is also in the top layer of clay. The partially formed fossil, the leaf, is down farther than the actual fossil, the pet. wood.

This seems contradictory. One would think a complete fossil would be the deepest and a partially formed fossil would be closer to the surface. Relatively speaking at least.

So, the ground not only buries things (like coins) but pushes things up/out at the same time.
I'm no geologist, but this is very interesting. And for sure as we live and breathe, this old Earth is doing the same thing. Living and breathing.

Life is a constant discovery, if we pay attention.

BW

 

[Harry Pristis]

Can you imagine a scenario in which some woodland becomes flooded for an extended period -- say by a natural rock-fall dam? The first parts shed by the drowned trees would be leaves and twiggs. These would be buried rather quickly by river sediments.

Later, much later, the trunks of the trees - sometimes upright, sometimes fallen - might be buried in an accumulation of river sediments. These latter sediments may not be the same as the sediments that earlier covered the leaves. The sediment load of a river varies seasonally and also in much longer cycles. And the sediment type depends on the earth strata that are currently being cut by the river.

Thus, no "agitation," migration, or redeposition is required to explain what you have described.

 

[Tnmountains]

Nice finds Bravowhiskey !!!! The pond ready for a cookout yet?

 

[bravowhiskey]

Nice finds Bravowhiskey !!!! The pond ready for a cookout yet?

Yes, I think with 100 degree temps like we have had for the last week any fish in the pond are already cooked. So no need to cook out, We will just net 'em and eat.

 

[bravowhiskey]

Off topic but I gotta ask. How big is your pond and how long did it take you to dig it out ? I am wanting to put one on my land but don't know how long I'll need the backhoe.

Bull, I put, at last count, 300 hours on the tractor. I just kept at it with a small 35 horse 4 whl dri., front end loader and a box blade when I wasn't too busy doing anything else. It wasn't done quickly and is still not complete. But am enjoying.

BW