I jump in if I feel I have something to offer. I don't presume to know enough to post to every query. My area of experience(s) is in working the stone itself such as cutting or carving or identifying them because of my passion for geology and geography.

I don't think there are too many experts reading this forum as this is the busy season for them and the are other forums on the 'net that are actually better suited to answering some of these questions. This is here because of the size of Garden Web and catering to the off chance someone from another GW forum may get a quick answer here.

It'd be nice if folks responded to the answers they get but that's not why I try to give some help. Some of the questions really do require an experts assistance and people should ask those technical questions on more active forums.

I've seen forums here on GW and the 'net that are dominated by the one person who think they know everthing or just need to jump in on every post and that does not make for a good forum. I don't want to be that type of person.

This just doesn't seem to be that active of a forum either. It'd be nice if it were.

There, I answered them all.

I've been lurking and reading. I haven't really forumlated any questions. I certainly didn't want to ask "What should I do with a couple dozen huge stones and a few more 90 pounders?" and I didn't care to present my stone arrangements for critique.

Now that I know there's someone here who may be interested in the "geology and geography" of my stones, here is one of the larger ones. A few measured more than 60 inches at the widest part, I think this one was 62 inches.

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Views from the east, north and west sides of a single stone.
The angle makes it hard to 'see' the stone as it really sits.

They came from underground in a field in Southwest Georgia between the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers and above the Floridan Aquifer. There are hard layers and soft layers -- parts wash away when hit with a stream of water from the hose; there are chalky places where the dozer blade scraped across. Lots of fossils visible on many of them. I was hoping to find another with a depression suitable for a birdbath -- I already have two in use.

Nell

What do you need to know Nell? These specimens that you show have been worked by water in its many forms if you want to use them in a water garden situation they are perfect.

I don't really need to know anything. I was just sharing photos of this big ol' rock that I think is beautiful.

If chipping out some of the clay-sand stuff and jacking up one side doesn't give me a depression suitable for a water feature, I may have it turned over and just use it as a stone feature in a planting. These stones develop lichens, moss, tiny ferns and other interesting life very, very quickly.

One day I'll post a photo of another one that has a piece of rusty metal imbedded in it and we can take turns guessing whether it's a farm machine piece that broke off and was buried, decades ago, or where it may have come from.

Nell

Good thread title, INK, and nice rock, Nell.

I actually stopped even coming to this forum a couple of weeks back after I answered a number of questions and there was no follow-up - in particular, people who post questions here just never seem to come back, and on the chance they've found your input useful, the word "thank you" just doesn't seem to be in their vocabulary - I think there was one exception. Today I thought I'd click through on my way to Ferns, as I used to do.

Foxesearth, Sorry to take so long to get back to you here. Been a hellacious busy week LOL.

From your description it sounds like you got some pieces of a type of limestone. Those are the ones that generally have fossils in them. It would be an easy stone to put a depression in via several methods. It all depends on how comfortable you are with power tools. Or if you have more time than tools you could do it by hand several ways too.

If you're interested I could explain more for you. It's not as hard as you think. I have this hope that mor people will get interested in working stone themselves. Tools are easier to come by now whether they are diamond or carbide or a grinding wheel for masonry.

You got some great stones there to do something with. Good luck.

Hewer, I am interested, yes. It's a toss-up here as to whether we have more tools, or more time. If there aren't enough tools, we can always get some more.

I have a question of a sort. The stone in the photos, when you tap gently on it, rings. A hollow sound like when you tap a clay pot to see if it's sound. Few of the other stones have this ringing quality. Is it because of the bowl shape, or is there a hollow in there?

Thank you and thanks to InK, for encouraging this exchange.
Nell

P.S. When you're busy, I have lots of patience, too. Post as you can. Thanks.

Okay, I admit to posting a question. I got one reply and didn't understand it. I suppose I could have asked for clarification, but I was waiting to see if my question generated more responses......I've done that on other topics here. So I will now go back to that question, post a 'thank you' and ask for clarification. Most times I do post a reponse/thanks to those responding to my question. Thanks for the reminder.

By the way, your boulder has 'personality' with the shape and colors!

Nell, I'd very much like to help and answer any of your questions. But I think maybe we should do it by starting a new topic heading. It'd be easier for others to see the discussion if it had it's own thread and wasn't under this topic. So if you'd like to start a new one let's go from there. Thanks.

There's a new thread -- Working Stone by Hand....
Thanks.

Nell

as a lurker I am still learning. But for a general discussion, I have 2 1/2 acres in sand. I was planting a lilac bush in the front yard for my huband, and as I dug the hole found a large rock, 20x10, so I had to expand my hole to get it out. It is probably the only rock in the whole yard-and right where I wanted that shrub! LOL.

I have to bring this to the top again as, of all the forums I visit, this one has the least feedback or discussion and I am only talking about politeness not schmooshing. I don't think it encourages people to post a reply so they don't, I don't.

I stop by this forum every day to see if there's any discussion--I've always thought that rather than rudeness, there just wasn't a great deal of interest in the topic. But maybe the rock people have broken all their fingers and can't type, poor things. And here you are badgering them.

I've never contributed to this forum because I'm a faux stoner and didn't want to get booed off--I stay mostly on the hypertufa forum. But I am developing a passion for hardscaping and visit this forum to look for ideas and see what people are doing--just don't feel qualified to answer questions.

If you're interested in concrete garden art, visit the hypertufa forum (it does move a lot faster). If you'd like to see my secret garden/paver patio/hypertufa block retaining wall & stairs project that I've been working on for a couple of years, click the link below--I add pictures as I progress. It started out as a dirt path from the side yard to the street and is slowly evolving into a wonderful place to hang out. It's almost done--just needs a few more blocks and a little mortaring.

Deb

Here is a link that might be useful: my project