Pet rocks

With all the amusement surrounding the idea of &lsquopet rocks&rsquo, it is disconcerting to step up and admit that I&rsquom one of those people who have them. Quite a few, in fact tumbled stones, faceted crystals, chunky minerals &mdash a glass-bowl full of shiny, coloured rocks. So, Big Australia fascinated me, among other things, for its geological different-ness. I found these beauties in a tucked-away store in Kuranda, Queensland. The big, interesting globule is a thunder egg &mdash jasper encased in rhyolitic lava. Also fossicked locally is pyrite, the small glittery lump. It looks like gold, and during Australia&rsquos gold rush, many shouts of discovery were due to this ore &mdash and so named Fool&rsquos Gold. The third stone has a romantic name and a romantic story it&rsquos called Apache Tear &mdash believed to be tears of the widows of Apache warriors. It&rsquos volcanic black glass and feels wonderful to hold. I paid AUD 10 for them all. Now if I could only afford the opals...