Rock Collecting Is A Fascinating Hobby
Rock collecting is a fascinating hobby for kids and adults alike. While rocks are common, cheap, and found everywhere, the variety is huge. Collected rocks can be displayed in many ways, from rock gardens to neatly kept showcases, making rock collecting a versatile hobby.
When rock collecting, you will soon find out that rocks can be categorized as one of three types. A sedimentary rock formed when sediments, such as sand or silt, were pressed together under their own weight or the weight of water, and eventually became solid. An igneous rock is one that was formed by volcanic activity. The third type of rock for rock collecting is the metamorphic rock, which is like a sedimentary rock which has been changed through intense heat and pressure.
Another type of rock collecting is collecting minerals, gems, and crystals. Pure minerals are not technically the same thing as rocks, but they fit well in rock collections. Minerals include things like pyrite, also known as fool’s gold, and quartzite, which looks almost like a diamond.
For some people, rock collecting consists of saving a pretty rock from different places they visit and keeping it as a souvenir. If these rocks are large, they can be used to outline the driveway or start a rock garden. If they are small, they can line a windowsill. Label them with a fine point marker if desired. Include the date and location the rock was found.
The souvenir type of rock collecting does not require much scientific investigation, but identifying rocks and minerals does. The different types of rock can sometimes be differentiated easily. For instance, sedimentary rocks often look like particles glued together. Sandstone is a common example of this. They also sometimes have visible flat layers. Metamorphic rocks, on the other hand, sometimes have layers, but those layers have been bent so that they are no longer laying flat across the rock.
When rock collecting, the igneous rocks make some of the most exciting finds. Obsidian is an igneous rock that looks like a broken piece of black glass. It is shiny and hard, and was used to make arrowheads in the past by the native Americans. Pumice is another interesting igneous rock which is porous, making it so light that it will float. This stone is used for cleaning and rubbing calluses off people’s feet.
Keep in mind when rock collecting that different regions of the world have different types of rocks. In the American Midwest, for instance, there are many sedimentary stones, but metamorphic and igneous rocks are less common. In the Appalacians, on the other hand, you can find metamorphic rocks such as gneiss and schist. Wherever you live, though, you are sure to find rock collecting a hobby that’s hard to resist!
Barbie Paper Dolls a Hit In The Great Depression
Barbie has always been well loved by little girls. Many mom’s have smiles on their faces as they watch their daughters play with such objects. Barbie paper dolls became a hit in the 1950’s due to the Great Depression. Children weren’t able to have all the toys they once did, but paper dolls were very inexpensive. They were also something that offered little girls hours of entertainment. They could pretend to be anything they wanted and escape the reality of what was going on around them.
Even after the Great Depression ended though, Barbie paper dolls continued to be a huge selling item. By the 1970’s the manufacturers were also printing them of her sister Skipper as well. Even though she never became as famous as Barbie, she definitely had high numbers of sales. It was also great fun for little girls to have both Barbie and Skipper to play with. However, there were many arguments out there between siblings as to who got to be which one of the paper dolls.
Towards 1975 there were more Barbie friends introduced to the line up. Ken who has been Barbie’s long time boyfriend was added. Her friend Midge was also featured in some areas. With the addition of Ken, there were often little boys taking the time to play with paper dolls as well. Due to the stereotypical roles of males being what they were at that time though, it was often frowned upon in most households.
There have been very few new lines of Barbie paper dolls to emerge on the market since the 1990’s. Those individuals that still have them from the 1950’s and even the early 1970’s have a very valuable collectible on their hands. These items are bringing in thousands of dollars depending on the quality of the materials.
Today, most little girls that are interested in Barbie paper dolls do it on the computer. Barbie has her own site where you can click on clothes and drag them to place on her. There is even great music to go along with it. Children of all ages seem to be enjoying using the computer for such games. They can even choose to print out their final production if they choose to.
