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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Connecticut, like totally rocks!

I guess you could say I am motivated by symbolism. I look at everything in search of some other relevant alternative meaning. This doesn't make me a philosopher, it merely serves my own desire for a laugh.I hit the tag sale trail each weekend (or whenever they occur) as an opportunity to gather material and practice pulling incongruous symbolic references out of (almost) thin air. I want to look at everything I can because in each object or subject there could lie the perfect pun, metaphor, site gag, etc.

Beach combing is much like tag sale'ing, just about anything can float ashore, dead fish, medical waste, bits of mystery, and every now and then – treasure. I found this rock resting in the mud along the shore of a lake, I think it has an uncanny resemblance to the shape of Connecticut. Whether tag sale'ing or beach combing, in either situation you are not allowed to be to shocked at what you come across, because you are actively looking. I suppose if you were reading or sunbathing and the tide brought in a fish head and replaced it with your suntan lotion you would have every right to scowl, shriek, and write to your congressman about the appalling conditions of the environment. The message is that: you can find what ever you’re looking for, and often what ever you’re not. In fact, I get the biggest thrill out of finding what I haven’t been looking for. Think about it - If I knew it was there, I might not have found it. - Whoa! For someone who claims to not be a philosopher - that's either deep or deeply troubling.

So, I guess I would have to confess I am interested in geology with a bent toward archeology as well. I can't pass by any interesting rock without considering its shape (as above) or it's age, how it came to be in the shape it's in as well as how it it came to be here. I owned a home in New Milford and when I moved in I was lucky enough to have the previous owner leave a few things that I consider treasures. I had never seen petrified wood before, but knew this rock was something special when I saw this in the corner of the garage. The pattern of the layers was too tight and defined to be regular sedimentary rock and although heavy, still looked like a piece of wood.It was dense, weighing about 5 pounds and about 7 inches long by 4 inches high. The unique part of this rock is what is left of the center of the tree known as the heartwood. This is an inactive part of the tree (an understatement in this case) which is there to strengthen the tree. (I keep wanting to call it "pith", but so far I can't find any research that will support this.) It has petrified to an almost ceramic quality.
I do see rocks for sale at tag sales, usually the ornamental kind polished geode slices, and the occasional section of amethyst (I'm sucker for that). I was at a Bridgewater sale and found a selection of interesting rocks I couldn't identify and one I couldn't pass up.
I have looked this over a hundred times. It is a smooth stone with a continuous ridge wrapping around it so as to appear to have be bound, or bound to something. The wrapping is as hard as the rock, which is about 4" x 3" and weighs about 1.5lbs.
I want to believe that is is a ancient artifact, like a stone axe, or weapon of some kind. It lacks any dirt or collected sediment in any of the creases. It is in almost too good a condition, and it may be a reproduction, but of what?


1 comment:

  1. Shugarius the WandererJuly 11, 2009 at 11:41 AM

    Hi, Greg--

    Our friend G.M. has a stone that he uses to test guests about such things as this. It is a mere five-pound stone with a crease around it, providing for someone to tie a rope onto it easily. Pause a moment and try to guess what you would do with this in 1850.


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    It's a horse hobble stone. You tied the bridle reins to it and the horse could graze freely, but didn't get the notion of going too far. (This is not a true hobble, which is usually a leather strap that keeps the front legs close together.)

    If you're going to be collecting rocks, you're gonna need a bigger barn.

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