Goals and Pretty Rocks - A Crazy Juxtaposition In My Thoughts

This weekend is the annual Minnesota Mineral Club show and sale. It's a long drive, but always at a beautiful time of the year. We've been there in snow, rain, cold and heat over the years. It's always fun and we always end up with something, even if it's only a single stone or slab. There's just something addictive about looking at pretty rocks. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but I can't seem to break its' hold on me. 

Last year the MN Mineral Club hosted an event called a
"Celebration of Agates". Even though I'm fonder of
jaspers than agates, I thought I'd share some agate
photos with all of you today. 

I'm hoping the drive out to the location won't be too fraught with construction. Yes, it's October and yes, we're in the midst of Autumn weather guessing games, but the road construction continues onward until sometime in mid to late November. Every day the workers can get out there is a win for next year's schedule. I keep hoping that construction will be over, but know that's an impossibility. There's always another project on the horizon. 

Agates can be stunning, especially those with colorful banding. Here
in the Frozen Northlands, we have agates flung onto the beaches
of Lake Superior in the far north of the state. Maybe that's one
reason why people here love agates so much. 

That's rather like life and personal goals for most of us. We set them - some goals small, other goals large, and a few set for life. Then we start focusing on accomplishing them. My small goals can be as little as getting that one pound from the weekend's indulgence back off - relatively easy if I can keep to my exercise schedule and eat sensibly. Larger goals can be things like getting my holiday cards banged into shape and into the mail on time. That;s a two-month goal since my absolute deadline is having things in the mail no later than Solstice. The life goals - those are the harder ones. 

This agate is one that I do love, though. This is a fire agate - similar in
fire to opal, but different stone. I've always loved fire agate - the
shift of warm colors that catch the light. 

Life goals are the big ones - buying houses, saving for education, helping children grow up and become wonderful adults, taking care of things like wills so that heirs and others won't be bothered in future. These are goals that can take a lifetime to achieve, and that are always shifting their scope but that never truly end. These are goals that merge and meld, one into the other, a long and sinuous pathway. 

Here's a lovely banded agate in bright and happy coloring. I especially
like the top and bottom of the stone where all of the colors jumble
together into a mish-mash of happy. 

But, right now I'm looking at my life goals and saying "Meh". I think I need to focus on those mid-range goals instead for a while because those large goals can be a bit frightening at times. On that note, I'll sign off for the day and wish all of you a wonderful Friday. The plan is to return tomorrow, so there you have it - a small goal for the next 24-hour period. Have a great day!