SHINE

My almost (tomorrow) 10-year-old great nephew Luke and I share something besides the fact that his middle name is the same as my last name. Literally and figuratively, we both dig rocks. Luke loves them so much that the top mattress of his bunk bed is reserved for his special specimens. I don’t go so far as sleeping with rocks, provided you don’t count Big Bore rolling over on me in the middle of the night….which is more like a boulder.

Last summer, Luke and I went on a cave tour and visited a rock museum/shop in Missouri, and right after that we started planning bigger. This coming week we are headed to a state park in southern Arkansas to dig for diamonds. Now, personally I’ve never been all that keen for wearing diamonds and I’ve never owned more than cubic zirconium. I’d rather load up on rubies, emeralds, and sapphires; however, sitting around in a big pile of dirt digging for diamonds appeals to me. Same with Luke. ---So, I’ve packed up the car with buckets and trowels and we are leaving on Tuesday, in search of the big mother lode. We will take a crash course in the art of diamond digging and then go for it. I am hoping it will be raining because that’s the best condition for successful diamond hunting, and everyone knows that I am mud-friendly, provided I'm wallowing in someone else's yard. A side trip to Devil's Den to hike and explore the cave there is also planned.

The Flaming Bore is over and out for the next five days. And always remember: diamonds are a girl’s best friend…as well as a little boy’s.