Sapphire Mining

The scent of autumn is in the air. Leaves are ready to be jumped in, comfort food moves into the crock pot, and we celebrate sapphires.  

Ok, that’s my spin, but it is September, and it is my birthday.

He is hopeful I might ask for a pedicure or a day to be pampered at the local spa. Instead, he holds his breath wondering if he will be on his way to a zip-line park, or a trek to Inspiration Mountain. Whatever it is,  he knows it will reverberate that gift of time I live by.  

When I say, sapphires, his expression is a mix between, are you kidding,  and a, that was easy, moment.

 I forgot to add, I wanted to find my own sapphires.

Rumor had it there was sapphire mining north of Yellowstone. We pulled in to the parking lot with the expectation of trampling into a mine with equipment strapped to our backs. I would love to tell you that was true and instead, the roadside stand felt like a touristy gimmick.

To be polite, and determined, we grabbed a bucket of pebbly mix and listened carefully to  instruction. We poured the mix into a sifting tray and rinsed it. The goal was to help the heavier gems sink to the bottom of the mix. Slamming the rocks upside-down on a table brings the bluish, translucent stones to the top, hopefully. Long tweezers and old photo film containers, were helpful in salvaging, sorting and saving.

The sapphires sparkled against the dark rocks, and I found three immediately.  Two hours later we had collected 22 carats of gems, impressed that the majority were cuttable stones.

Most people ask what I will do with them, now that I have them.  That is the easy part.  They sit in a tiny bowl as a reminder of the birthday we hunted for sapphires…  

…and stumbled across a Sapphire Pool on our drive home.  

That my friends is to be pampered.  Happy birthday to me. 

Sapphires are considered to bring peace and contentment to ones soul as well as trust in the fulfillment of his or her destiny.  – Rodika Tehi

 

The Daily Post Pamper