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t is a continuous source of great amusement to both my wife and children to witness my fascination for examining, collecting, studying and occasionally even purchasing “rocks.” You can probably imagine the snickers generated when they discovered I was adding a Web page for rock collecting. After all, what could be more mundane than these omnipresent chunks of “petrified dirt” upon which we obliviously tread on a daily basis? To be totally honest, rock collecting is not a hobby that I pursue as avidly as do many collectors, but rather more as an occasional or opportunistic diversion. Web design on the other hand is something that I do enjoy on a more on-going basis,and therefore many of my hobbies get their own pages at my Web site. Amateur geology or "rockhounding" as it is known is, however, a hobby enjoyed by thousands of people around the world, and so I hope this page is worthwhile. It is probable that my general affinity for rock-collecting, and geology in general was initially provoked by some vague, adolescent awareness of my mother’s collegiate major (Geology), and her subsequent, casual observations about various rock formations, strata, petroleum basins and the like. Certainly, that interest was further developed during my pre-teen years, as my parents became members of the Oklahoma Gem & Mineral Society, and began taking my siblings and me on occasional “rockhounding” excursions, where we would dig for selenite crystals at the Great Salt Plains (near Jet and Cherokee, Oklahoma), or to hunt for "rose rocks" (near Noble, Oklahoma), or to search for Indian arrowheads, agates, fossils or other specimens. later, I even took a couple of courses in Geology, as electives, while at college and participated in several field trips. Personally, I have always been awed by massive and on-going geologic and other natural forces that have created, carved and polished the countless and varied igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks throughout the millions of years, and which ultimately produce such ancient, perfect works of art as this tiny, simple, rose-colored pebble. Click here to proceed to Michael's Rock & Mineralogy Pages Back to Michael's Hobbies page Back to Michael Marcotte's HomePage