EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
Each cacher must send his/her own answers BEFORE logging a find. ... "Geocachers must complete the tasks before they log the EarthCache as found." (4.3. EarthCache logging tasks)
Enjoy the journey (learning adventure) as well as the destination (smiley earned). Remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints. To get credit for this Earthcache, complete the following tasks:
NOTE: Answers via message -and- log signature picture is required to post a find for this cache.
1. MESSAGE …. Where is the RED located? What is responsible for the color? Is this a result of minerals/impurities in the rock or weathering? If weathering, is it mechanical or chemical?
2. MESSAGE …. Where is the YELLOW located? What is responsible for the color? Is this a result of minerals/impurities in the rock or weathering? If weathering, is it mechanical or chemical?
3. MESSAGE …. Where is the GREEN located? What is responsible for the color? Is this a result of minerals/impurities in the rock or weathering? If weathering, is it mechanical or chemical?
4. LOG …. Take a moment to look at the names of those honored here. What is the name of one whose name begins with one of the letters in your geocaching name?
5. LOG …. Post a picture of you or your signature item anywhere near the memorial without any spoilers. This picture is your log signature.
OPTIONAL - Please respect the time and effort involved in finding and creating this earthcache by adding A B C to your log.
A. Visit a memorial honoring our fallen heroes. Post a picture at the memorial. Label picture with name and location of memorial.
B. JOURNEY OF THE MIND ... Science explains what we observe. Relate (in your own words) something you found interesting in the reading. This adds to your learning adventure and your log.
C. JOURNEY OF THE HEART ... Art shares our personal experience of what we see. Share something special you found on site, and why it is special to you ... prose / story / poem / picture. This is a memorable addition to your log and will make other hearts smile.
Journeys of Heart and Mind ...
Stories to Touch the Heart and Puzzles to Challenge the Mind / Rainbow Tree Story
SANDSTONE
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock formed when sand grains are compressed into rock. They are inorganic in origin. While the grains themselves might be quite hard, the material between them (matrix) is softer and prone to faster erosion. Sandstone may be any color due to impurities within the minerals, but the most common colors are tan, brown, yellow (feldspar), red (iron oxide), grey, pink, white, and black.
FELDSPAR
This is a common rock-forming mineral. It can be any color of the rainbow due to impurities. Light colors, however, are the most common. The yellow seen here is probably due to the presence of Fe3+ (tetrahedral iron - crystal structure).
WEATHERING
Weathering is the breaking down of rock into smaller fragments. All rock weathers over time. Grains of sediment fall out. Cracks develop on the surface and deep inside. Weathering causes rocks to fracture, buckle, and crumble into soil and sediment. There are two types of weathering - mechanical and chemical. Mechanical weathering breaks apart rocks without changing their chemical composition. Each fragment and particle weathered away by a mechanical process retains the same characteristics as the original rock. Chemical weathering occurs when water, air, and other substances react with the minerals in rock (or metal). In chemical weathering, the composition of the rock changes. Biological weathering can be either mechanical or chemical.
RESOURCES ... Colors in Sandstone / Sandstone Comparison
This series is dedicated to my dad who served in World War II.
GOD’S PROMISE …. A MOTHER’S LOVE
Told by my uncle (Joseph) ... And my father (Anthony)
Family was seated around the table on Thanksgiving Day when my uncle related why he and his brother returned home safely from the war.
Unbeknownst to my uncle aboard the carrier transporting him across the Atlantic, his ship was targeted by an underwater submarine. There were flashes in the distance that he later learned was the submarine being destroyed.
While stationed in Europe, his base was targeted by enemy fire. He awoke to the sound of the thundering of bombs exploding and saw the dark sky turn bright as the noonday sun. Men were scrambling for safety, but he remained seated with a peace that passeth all understanding. When the carnage was over, he looked down. There was a piece of shrapnel lodged just above his heart, but had not penetrated through his clothing.
Similarly, unbeknownst to my father aboard the carrier transporting him across the Pacific, his ship was targeted by an underwater submarine. There were flashes in the distance that he later learned was the submarine being destroyed.
My father loved to be amongst nature whenever and wherever. One day he was comfortably seated below a tree in the jungles of Australia. He laid his helmet beside him and was enjoying the peace of the moment. When it was time to leave, he reached for his helmet but was guided to look within before placing it upon his head. There sat a poisonous spider which would have surely been his demise. He dislodged the spider and returned to camp.
One day while on her knees communing with the Creator, my grandmother prayed for her sons to return home safely. She arose from prayer knowing God’s hand was upon her sons and they would return unharmed.
And so it was, many close encounters, but my uncle and my father each made it safely home. It was there the two brothers learned of God’s Promise and their Mother’s Love.