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The winter of 2010-2011 was one of the severest within living memory and we were quite prepared to find all the fields covered in snow and all collecting activities snookered. In point of fact, however, the thaw arrived a fortnight or so before we did and collecting was possible on a number of fields, though as the farming calendar was running at least two weeks late several fields were still un-ploughed and those that were ploughed were challengingly fresh.

In spite of this, and also the attentions of a well-known lapidary club who had visited ten days previously, we managed to do quite well; a notable (and quite Spring-like) afternoon at Binn produced some beautiful large specimens showing the characteristic highly contrasted grey and white fortification patterns, while a field at Usan produced a number of rather dark and mysterious but very handsome onyx landscape stones.

A day on Tayport beach was an endurance test owing to an unprecedentedly severe gale. This is now a very difficult site and one needs to apply careful concentration when searching to find anything -- not easy when you are being blown off your feet every few minutes. However, at Moonzie (see above), Jean did manage to find a very fine and large (85x45mm.) agate.

Some weeks later we made our customary trip to Ayrshire, where we were able to get onto two new fields, one of which had not been ploughed for many years and the other on a farm where we had not previously collected. Both fields provided a lot of agates; nearly all of them highly coloured and some outstandingly beautiful. The new farm also has some very promising fields which we were not able to visit as they were in crop --- perhaps next year!

Collecting on fields is becoming very challenging; farms seem to change hands with bewildering frequency and contiguous fields on the same farm are often found to have different owners. Also there is a definite trend for once-arable fields to be put down to permanent grass, which is frustrating.

We are very sorry to report that our much-loved cat Hamish suddenly became ill and died last November. As well as being a friendly, very intelligent and warmly affectionate friend he also rigorously policed the garden, catching (and eating) innumerable rabbits, grey squirrels, mice and voles. And yet he never touched a bird. Now that he has gone these raiders have returned in force and it has become almost impossible to grow anything.

He has left a very big hole in our hearts.

We can supply standard or custom size cabochons of Scottish agates and other British stones, also some lovely Australian opal; we can also supply finished jewellery items. Ask us for details.

Cabochons For Jewellery

Hamish, our talented IT expert and efficient rodent operative

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