Pond Dipping - A Fun Outdoor Activity For Kids!

Pond dipping can be done in a variety of places with adult supervision of course. I used to do it in my Grandmothers ponds, as well as local ponds and streams which have pond weed.

It used to amaze me to see all of the different insects, plants, tadpoles, eggs, larvae, and other alien looking life that can be seen in an around ponds etc. - The photo shows the surface of my Mothers pond and some of her many frogs and snails.

I even used to measure newts with a ruler when I was 11 or so, I had a book detailing each newt and it's measurements :0 - I have no idea why I did that! I will Blame Gerald Durrell I think, and his amazing books.

Could This Piece Of Pot Be From An Alchemists Laboratory?

I have been doing a bit of research on this piece of pot I found in a stream. When I found it the simple pattern, and haphazard way it had been painted reminded me of Saxon runes and symbols.

I have been looking into ancient symbols (starting with Saxon symbols) and did not find anything like it. Quite by accident found a couple of pages of old Alchemists symbols. (See tables below)

In the first table the triangle shape with 3 legs is exactly the same symbol on the list for 'philosophers sulfur'

Philosophers Sulfur is obviously sulphur as we know it today. OR SO I THOUGHT....until I stumbled on more information about this mystical Philosophers Sulfur.

Beachcombing in Rivers and Streams - Free Fun For Kids And Adults

Stream and river combing are nice free activities that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. People typically look for objects on beaches, but rivers and streams can contain a wide variety of beautiful and interesting finds.

Of course safety is key so be very careful when poking around, check for mud, tides (if a tidal river), slippery banks, and other dangers. I would advise going with another person and taking a mobile phone just in case.

Take something to clean your hands with too, like anti bacterial gel. Rivers, river banks, and streams, can harbour Weil's disease (from rats urine) it is best not to enter any river or get covered in riverbank mud if you have cuts or scratches (as this is how the disease enters the body). Faster flowing streams are safest where Weil's disease is concerned.

Best Beachcombing And Fieldwalking Finds

Sometimes I fall in love with an item I have found, this can be a plant, flower, or feather, just as much as it could be a unique stone, fossil, or relic. These are my top ten finds so far...

1. Some Sort of Jasper? - This stone was actually originally part of a huge boulder, which I found outside my ex partners parents farmhouse in Granada, Spain. I have a massive interest in minerals and the farmhouse stood in a very beautiful and mountainous area. We went out with pick axes and I developed a great method for finding crystals and minerals. It was as simple as finding the crustiest looking boulder or stone around, (one that was crusty but has a definite shape.) Then smash it open, 9/10 times we found minerals or crystals inside.

This was the first boulder I smashed open, and it was so amazing I wanted to keep the whole thing. I chipped off this part with the pick axe, and it was one of the few pieces I got to bring back from Spain. Of course my luggage was full of stones and at the airport I had to remove most of them before I was allowed to get on the plane, or pay an extra £5 per kg which I did not have, Very annoying.

New River Pebbles Poster

This poster features the same picture as the background of my blog, it is one of my favorite images that I have taken this year, and my favorite of the stream bed. (I just want to point out that I am English, but writing for both America and UK audiences so I will use the American versions of words when I feel like it. Like favorite instead of favourite for example)

Anyhoo' this particular photo came out so well because the stream bed had just been swept clean by an almighty flood. I have pictures of the stream bed before the flood and it looks like it needs a damn good clean.

Pretty River Pebbles And Water by stylishimoarts

I have also used the same image to make a range of matching products, below is a sample of some of the other products featuring my river pebbles photo.

River Pebbles Home Decor by stylishimoarts

If you enjoy art, poetry, or taking pictures, then I highly recommend setting up a Zazzle account and selling your own products too.

Creating Jewlery From Beach Finds And Other Found Objects

One of the nature crafts I most love to do is to create jewelry out of my beach and river combing finds. You will be surprised at how many cute things can be found and made into pendants and charms.

I like to use old fashioned wire wrapping techniques as this gives the piece a rustic and natural feel, but things can be mounted in a host of other materials and ways. I will be giving some tutorials to show how to mount sea glass and other found objects later on in this blog.

Today I will focus on wire wrapping; some of the things I like to use for wire wrap pendants are..

old pottery - the more patterned and colorful the better, make sure it has no rough edges..

Two Vintage Buttons

I found these vintage buttons in the same area, but different locations. The first is a brass military button and was found on the bottom of a stream, just glinting up from the stones. Below you can see the front and back views.