A Blog About Stone Gathering, Tumbling and Polishing, and Rocks and Landscapes, from New Zealand – With Musical Interludes (john.tumblestone@gmail.com)
Final Alert Level Two Stone, Monday 8 June – Stone 12, Light-Coloured Maroon Stone from Gemstone Beach
Today, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the country will move to Alert Level One from midnight tonight. There are now no active cases of people with Covid-19 in the country, with an official death toll of 22 from the virus.
The vast majority of restrictions, such as limits on the size of gatherings, will be lifted. To all practical purposes, life will be “normal” except for tight border restrictions. So this stone is the last in the various series of “pandemic stones”.
Stone 11 of Level Two.
Stone 10 of Level Two.
Stone 9 of Level Two.
Stone 8 of Level Two.
Stone 7 of Level Two.
Stone 12 of Level Two is unusual because of what looks like the lines of a light coloured “wash” on its surface. The maroon colour of most of the stone appears a bit “washed out” as well.
Stone 12 of Level Two, from Gemstone Beach.
One side of Stone 12 of Level Two.
Close up of first side of Stone 12 of Level Two.
Close up of first side of Stone 12 of Level Two.
Close up of first side of Stone 12 of Level Two.
Close up of first side of Stone 12 of Level Two.
Stone 12 of Level Two.
The stone has a very complex make-up, revealed in the close-ups.
Other (second) side of Stone 12 of Level Two.
Close up of second side of Stone 12 of Level Two. Very thin silica veins, some cracking of surface.
Close up of second side of Stone 12 of Level Two. Some darker maroon patches apparent.
Close up of second side of Stone 12 of Level Two. Silica veins, the line of the cream wash.
Close up of second side of Stone 12 of Level Two.
Close up of second side of Stone 12 of Level Two.
The stone has a dullish appearance. The following images show how I treated the photographs, to deepen the colour a little compared to what came out of the camera:
The original image, straight from the camera.
Cropped version of original image.
The “saturated” cropped image, deepening the colour.
Retired Academic, male, living in the New Zealand countryside near Whanganui with his wife as well as Jasper the dog, Fluffy the cat, Dancer and Penny, the horses, and a shed half-full of stones. Email john.tumblestone@gmail.com.
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