Tumbled Gemstones and a Linky

I had in mind to continue sharing photos of the Karoo Desert Botanical Garden, but because of my weekend book review about a picture book on rocks and minerals, I decided to share photos of our tumbled gemstones collection instead. I wasn't able to classify all of them, but I did my best. Enjoy!

*** If you want to comment or join the linky, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and is best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

Agate

Agate

Agate

Agate

Agate

Jasper

Jasper

Red and Brecciated Jasper

More Gemstones

Banded Amethyst

Rose Quartz

Snowflake Obsidian

Dalmatian Stone

Tiger Eye

Jasper, Unakite, Lapis Lazuli

More Gemstones (Unclassified)

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Here's a peek at
my latest post

on 1camera1mom:

Mazzaro's Italian Market
Pics from our trip to Florida.

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My Latest Book Review:


Scavenger Scout: Rock Hound

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*** If you want to comment or join the linky, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience, and is best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

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Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

and

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
• Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
• If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
• Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

<center><a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS14XLc-z2uSUW00dIvyZc7lEfLP2tkPgO3qmU3NWi_UObDs_d7XqpYhjp0BBeROyZot-8YlEFU9rguELrZYu3arN1qHHNpB4_ezrb-TlBlfHRSOvP7pBA0VI-j1RkUkF77wJxUc7M7ye/s150/Picture%2520Perfect%2520Party%2520Linky.jpg"/></a></center>

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.
Please load page as http and not https.

How to use the linky widget:

First make sure that you load this page as http and not https if you want to see the linky. Type in the name of your blog post under Link Title, then type in your email under Email Address (which I don't sell to anyone), then copy your permalink to your post (most link parties ask for blog posts and not blog homepages) and paste that under URL (make sure that you use http:// or https:// only once), then click Submit Link and that's it!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

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Scavenger Scout: Rock Hound and a Linky

Tumbled Gemstones

We have a collection of tumbled gemstones, including Agate, Amethyst, Dalmatian Stone, Jasper, Snowflake Obsidian, Tiger Eye, and Unakite. Amanda chose most of them from the Scratch Patch in Simon's Town, South Africa. I'll be sharing more photos in detail of our collection on Tuesday, so be sure to visit!

If you want to introduce your children to the natural world of colorful rocks this Christmas, then consider getting them the Scavenger Scout: Rock Hound, a few semi-precious gemstones, and a poster of gemstones with their names. Not only is this a fun gift idea, but it's also educational!

Scavenger Scout:

Rock Hound

About the Book:

Title: Scavenger Scout: Rock Hound | Author: Shelby Wilde | Illustrator: Yana Popova | Pages: 22 | Genre: Children's Picture Book on Rocks and Minerals | Recommended Ages: 4 - 8

Book Description

Scavenger Scout is not an ordinary seven-year-old. She's a rock hound! Hunting for rocks is her passion and she loves to show and tell. The stories she tells are more fantasy than reality, but the rocks she hunts are real. Follow along as she haggles with a host of characters to add rocks to her collection. Follow Scout as she hunts for azurite, alexandrite and fluorite and find the rock on every page!

STEM-inspired story that encourages creative problem solving

Scavenger Scout uses science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) concepts to overcome the challenges she faces. Kids will delight in the real-life rock hounding tools Scout uses such as a crack hammer, chisel or a rock hammer. Kids can use their powers of observation to search for the rock on each page and come up with hypotheses for how they would get each of the rocks home.

Seek-and-Find Element

The story of Scavenger Scout will appeal to kids who love to hunt and who love adventure, so why not give them the opportunity to help Scout find the rock on every page? In each vignette, Scout hunts for a different rock and kids get to hunt with her! The difficulty level varies with each page so even kids as young as 2 or 3 will be able to find the rocks.

“Scavenger Scout: Rock Hound” is the perfect holiday gift or birthday gift, but would also be a great gift for when your favorite Scout moves up from Daisies to Brownies or Bobcat to Tiger Cub or Scout to Tenderfoot.

This book is the first book in a series and is crafted for ages 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, preschool and kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade.

Purchase on Amazon

My Review:

I love the concept behind Scavenger Scout: Rock Hound. This book introduces children to beautiful earth and space rocks as 7-year-old Scout goes on adventures to find them. She uses a bit of technology and engineering to retrieve them. The illustrations are gorgeous and there's also the seek-and-find element where young ones get to look too!

My 10-year-old daughter, Amanda, read this picture book to me. She enjoyed searching for the rocks hidden in the colorful illustrations. She looked for blue azurite in the cave, green and purple flourite on the ocean floor, the changing green and red alexandrite in Saturn's rings, and more! We both recommend this book for children 8 years and younger.

Disclosure: I own a Kindle version of this book. I chose to do this review with Amanda and this is our honest opinion.

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*** If you want to comment or join the linky, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience, and is best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

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Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #290

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

<center><a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.co.za/" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaX10yWr7xxEQ5BBMhOqdZxobJ0omJBq-v8ENFn3YNNebsnsYBHwcGyje-XzSlHSJOIlZ1rEOp89LyNI97XrPFZtdeH_AvaNV3F8hOvHfsuwe29ALNQw75ibK34buYq7nhpGGZJ8UTnoB/s150/Make+My+Saturday+Sweet.jpg"/></a></center>

Weekend Linky

How to use the linky widget:

First make sure that you load this page as http and not https if you want to see the linky. Type in the name of your blog or blog post under Link Title, then type in your email under Email Address (which I don't sell to anyone), then copy your permalink to your post (most link parties ask for blog posts and not blog homepages) and paste that under URL (make sure that you use http:// or https:// only once), then click Submit Link and that's it!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link-ups I take part in.

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Botanical Garden and Home with a Linky

Amanda with the home in the background 

We have the pleasure of knowing the manager of the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden and his family. These are a few pics of their garden and freshly picked flowers that decorate their home. One of the plants that is happily growing in semi-shade in their garden was recently discovered and the manager brought a sample home. We have Spring in South Africa, so I'll be sharing lots of photos of the flowers in bloom at the Botanical Garden over the next few weeks.

*** If you want to comment or join the linky, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and is best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

The wife made this sign, "Plant Smiles, Grow Laughter, Harvest Love,"
which hangs outside by their front door.

Front entrance

A round kitchen window with protea flowers.

A king protea - South Africa's national flower

An unusual plant that was recently discovered and
now grows happily in their garden too.

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Here's a peek at
my latest post

on 1camera1mom:

Fourth Street Shrimp Store
Pics from our trip to Florida.

*********************

Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

and

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
• Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
• If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
• Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS14XLc-z2uSUW00dIvyZc7lEfLP2tkPgO3qmU3NWi_UObDs_d7XqpYhjp0BBeROyZot-8YlEFU9rguELrZYu3arN1qHHNpB4_ezrb-TlBlfHRSOvP7pBA0VI-j1RkUkF77wJxUc7M7ye/s150/Picture%2520Perfect%2520Party%2520Linky.jpg"/></a></center>

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.
Please load page as http and not https.

How to use the linky widget:

First make sure that you load this page as http and not https if you want to see the linky. Type in the name of your blog post under Link Title, then type in your email under Email Address (which I don't sell to anyone), then copy your permalink to your post (most link parties ask for blog posts and not blog homepages) and paste that under URL (make sure that you use http:// or https:// only once), then click Submit Link and that's it!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

Read More