December 2011
Travel Adventure & Hobby
and the Aztecs knew it as “Chalchihuitl”.
It
has been mined con- tinuously since at least 6000 BC when discov- ered by early Egyptians. Metaphysically it attracts love, suc- cess and prosperity.
It
absorbs negative forces and increases prophet-
ic
Turquoise & Blue Topaz
by Paul Forster
SEBASTOPOL, CA. ~ Turquoise and Blue Topaz are the modern Western cultures birthstones for December. The “Modern” birthstone list was adopted in 1912 by
the American National
Association of Jewelers and is the list most commonly used by American jewelers today. Many other traditions exist and you can find them on the internet.
Topaz is also the
birthstone for the Zodiac sign of Sagittarius (November 22 through December 21) if you use that tradition. Turquoise: Chemically
Turquoise is “Cu Al6 (PO4)4 (OH)8 * 5(H2O)” which trans- lates
to System is triclinic,
Aluminum Phosphate” for the avid collectors.
“Hydrated Copper Its Crystal
has a
hardness on the Mohs scale between 5 & 6 and is pos- sibly the most valuable, non- transparent mineral in the jewelry trade.
Its name dates
to the 16th century and is derived from a French word for "Turkish" because the mineral was first brought to Europe through Turkey from the mines in Persia. Pliny the Elder, a Roman philosopher in the 1st Century AD, referred to the mineral as “Callais”, the Iranians named it "Pirouzeh"
pow-
ers. It is said to give
access to the col- lective wisdom of all humankind and energizes and balances mood swings. It is said to clear “Electromagnetic Smog” and is a protection against pollutants in the envi- ronment. It relaxes the mind, and
eases mental tension.
Turquoise is sacred to many Native American's and was carved in the shape of animals and birds. These carvings were placed in the Indians tombs to attract beneficial spirits and to guard the dead. Turquoise was also used by medicine men for healing and by warriors who fixed turquoise to the end of their bows to insure accurate shots.
Blue Topaz: Chemically
Topaz is “Al2 SiO4 (F,OH)3 or “Aluminum Silicate Fluoride Hydroxide, again for the avid collectors. Its Crystal System is orthorhombic, has a hardness on the Mohs scale of 8 and has an index of refraction of 1.61 to 1.64. It is the hardest Silicate min- eral and one of the hardest minerals in nature, Zircon is a Mohs 9 and Diamond is 10. However it has a perfect cleavage (it splits easily so it should be protected from hard knocks) which causes prob- lems for beginning faceters. It is found all over the world but primarily in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Russia. Naturally pale to medium blue topaz is enhanced by irra- diation to produce an intense blue color. Probably the most
Crown Jewels. A Red and Pink variety were
used in the jewelry of the 18th and 19th Century Russian Czarinas and is why topaz is sometimes called "Imperial Topaz".
Metaphysically it
brings leadership ability to anyone who wears or carries it. Enhances and improves psychic knowledge, spiritual growth, and psychic insight and lends and air of tran- quility
in those endeavors.
famous topaz is actually a col- orless stone that was originally thought to be a diamond. It is a 1680 carat stone known as the "Braganza Diamond" which is set in the Portuguese
It is also a talisman for the sign of Sagittarius. During the Middle Ages topaz was thought to heal both physi- cal and mental disorders and prevent death.
The Greeks
believed it had power to increase strength and to make its
wearer invisible while
the Romans believed it had power to improve eyesight. The Egyptians wore it as an amulet to protect them from injury.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Paul Forster is owner of The
Uncarved Block, 110 North Main Street in Sebastopol, California.
Pg 29 Meanings and Myths about Minerals Weird Facts & Trivia -11
Watermelon has 1200 varieties. The smaller the berry, the sweeter it is.
When honey is consumed, it will enter your bloodstream within 20 minutes.
The term pound cake originated from the pound of butter needed to make it.
Bubble gum flavor comes from the mixture of wintergreen, vanilla, and cassia (a type of cinnamon).
Popcorn has existed for about 6000 years.
The first hamburger was invented by Louis Lassen in 1900. He took some ground beef and broiled it, then served the patty in between toast.
To prevent bananas from turning brown, put them in the refrigerator. You may also squeeze lemon juice on apples and bananas to prevent oxidation.
The world's hottest pepper is Habanero.
To reap the therapeutic benefits of green tea, you have to drink 4-5 cups everyday.
The color of a chili will not indicate its degree of spiciness. Usually the size indicates the spiciness. The smaller the chili
or pepper, the hotter it will be.
To easily cut off fat from chicken or steak, slice them while they're partially frozen.
Pandy, Marie & Samantha Love to shop at WFC!!
We really like coming to Western Farm Center because they have so many cool toys for animals. There are so many great things, we don’t know where to begin! We do know that they are very friendly and have the best food for our new puppy Pandy!
Western Farm Center
21 West 7th Street • Santa Rosa ~
www.westernfarmcenter.com Open Mon-Sat 8am-5:30pm • Sun 9:30am-4pm Vaccination clinics every Sunday from 9:30am to 11:30am
(707) 545-0721 It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. ~W.T. Ellis UPBEAT TIMES • December 2011 • 29
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