California – SERPENTINE & BENITOITE

California is home to so many rocks, minerals and gems that it not only has a State Gemstone, Benitoite, it also has a State Rock, Serpentine.  California was actually the first state to designate a State Rock.

Serpentine, usually a green and blue rock, is found throughout California and was so named because it resembles the skin of a snake.  It is, however, also found in a variety of colors including red, brownish red, brownish yellow and white.

It has been used since ancient times to guard against disease and sorcery.  Drinking vessels made of Serpentine were used to protect against poison.

Benitoite, only found in San Benito, California, is sometimes called the "blue diamond." It is a very rare gem that ranges in color from a light transparent blue to dark, sapphire blue.

Serpentine has been used to help one find inner peace.  It aids in meditation and improves spiritual exploration.  It can help one to restore their memories of past lives and retrieve forgotten knowledge.  Serpentine encourages the use of peaceful means to solve conflicts, corrects mental and emotional imbalances and helps one to let go of contained anger.

One can wear Serpentine to relieve lethargy, protect against poisonous creatures, relax cramps and balance mood swings.  Nursing women can use it to regulate their milk supply.  It can reduce kidney and stomach ailments; treat diabetes and aid in the absorption of calcium and magnesium.  Serpentine can control cardiac irregularities, assist with the healing of lung problems, relieve headaches, colds, and nervousness.

The addition of Serpentine to my necklace will strengthen my bones and stabilize my moods while protecting me from snakes and other creepy crawlers.

Serpentine was named the official State Rock of California in 1965.

Benitoite can be used to enhance psychic ability and clairvoyance.  It can also be helpful to overcome one's fear of water. 

Benitoite is believed to cure excessive bleeding and accelerate the healing process. 

California designated Benitoite as its official state gemstone in 1985.

South Carolina - AMETHYST

It seems like I’ve taken an extended break from my blog entries but as long as the Cardinals keep winning all other extra curriculums take a back seat.  Well the Cards have a day off to travel to LA to win the Pennant race in the City of Angels, so I thought I’d try and catch up.  (BTW – They had to come home and win it in St. Lou, but all the same, we’re World Series bound.)

First let me fill my wine glass before we talk about Amethyst, the purple quartz believed by the ancient Romans to prevent drunkenness. OK, too late.  The name given to South Carolina’s state gemstone comes from the Greek word "amethystus" meaning not intoxicated.  Amethyst, better known as the patron stone of the designated driver.  

Amethyst is a calming stone which is used to provide serenity, balance and patience.  It can be helpful when dealing with legal problems and money matters.  This stone has been known to protect one from thieves and to watch over travelers.  Amethyst has also been helpful during times of grief and to promote inner strength.  The Amethyst is thought to be a natural tranquilizer which can relieve stress and tension and equalize mood swings.  It can calm your fears and take away your anxieties.

This beautiful purple stone has been used to aid in the healing of addictions to alcohol, drugs and smoking as well as compulsive behavior of all kinds.  It has also been used to cure headaches, insomnia, arthritis and diabetes.  The Amethyst can help you with your circulatory and respiratory issues and lessen the symptoms of menopause and PMS. It can help the body to fight against cancer and aid in tissue regeneration.

The addition of an Amethyst to my necklace will prevent me from drinking too much while I’m traveling.  Oh, that’s no fun.  So I’ll use it to help with the morning after headache.

South Carolina designated the Amethyst as the official state gemstone in 1969.

Missouri - MOZARKITE

As I sit looking out on the waters of the Lake of the Ozarks, there couldn’t be a better time to write about Missouri’s state rock. Mozarkite.

I had the hardest time remembering the name of this stone until I read an article that explained that the name Mozarkite is formed from Mo (Missouri), zark (Ozarks), and ite (meaning rock).  Now it seems so simple.

If you think that was quaint, here’s another Missouri gem, no pun intended.  Leave it to a Missouri rockhound to coin the descriptive term for a rock specimen that’s not worth keeping as a piece of “leavarite” — as in “leave it right there.”

Mozarkite can increase your listening abilities and help you to find and develop your creativity.  If you have a tendency to over worry, this stone can assist you to set aside your worries for a while.  If you have an issue with recreational drug use, Mozarkite can help you to quit.  It can stimulate communication, mental concentration and rational thought.  Oh, and as an encore, it can help you to find lost items.

It is believed that Mozarkite can assist the liver and kidneys perform their jobs.  If you travel a lot, it can help to alleviate jet lag by encouraging sleep and healthy digestion. Mozarkite can be used in the treatment of chemical imbalances and to soothe allergic reactions.

The addition of a Mozarkite stone to my necklace will help me to worry less, listen better and find my keys.

The Missouri General Assembly adopted Mozarkite the official state rock in 1967.

Connecticut – ALMANDINE GARNET

Connecticut, another state without a designated gemstone, has elected an old favorite as its state mineral, Almandine Garnet.  Although unlike Pennsylvania (2 gemstones ago), Connecticut is one of the most plentiful sources of this brilliant gemstone in the world.

This mineral’s hardness has made the garnet useful as an abrasive, resulting in an important industry throughout Connecticut's history, the production of garnet grinding wheels, saws, and a superior variety of sandpaper, garnet paper.

The addition of the Almandine Garnet to my necklace will keep my eyes healthy, prevent panic attacks (good luck) and encourage my creativity.   (See Pennsylvania’s post for more healing properties of the Almandine Garnet.)

The Almandine Garnet was named the state mineral of Connecticut by its General Assembly in 1977.   

New Hampshire – SMOKY QUARTZ

Quartz, the most common of all minerals, has been, over the ages, the mineral most commonly used as a gemstone.  Quartz crystal has been used in religious rites and by shamans for thousands of years.  Ancients thought Quartz to be solidified water or ice and therefore used it to bring rain to many parts of the globe.  Wiccans use Quartz to represent the God and Goddess, the creative powers of the universe.   Myths often have Quartz as the protector of forest and gardens. 

Throughout history, Quartz mounted in silver, was worn by the British as amulets against illness.
Smoky Quartz is nature's stone of endurance.  Carry it with you for that extra boost.  Smoky Quartz also promotes joy in living, creativity in business, and the desire to learn.  It also enhances organizational skills.  Place Smoky Quartz by your bed to improve dream interpretation.

Smoky Quartz is a protection stone that reduces negative energy and enables you to get everyday things done. 

Smoky Quartz can help to relieve depression, build self esteem and provide balance to the nervous system.

Physically, Smoky Quartz improves the overall health of the kidneys, abdomen, pancreas and reproductive organs and helps to reduce menstrual cramps, fertility issues and water retention.

It is thought to relieve headaches, back pain and ease muscular spasms.  Smoky Quartz benefits the heart, muscles and nerve tissue and helps the body to absorb minerals.

The addition of Smoky Quartz to my necklace will keep me more organized, in a better mood and prevent my ankles from swelling.

New Hampshire selected the Smoky Quartz as its official gemstone in 1985.  (Maybe that’s why everyone is so happy there and I thought it was the lack of Income Tax.)

Pennsylvania – ALMANDINE GARNET

We seem to have hit a draught regarding state gemstones.   Once again, Pennsylvania leaves us with no state gemstone, mineral or even a declared fossil.  It is commonly known amongst rockhounders (or so I’ve been told) that state designated gems, minerals, fossils, etc. lend insight into the potential for rock hounding opportunities.  Hint – Don’t go digging in Pennsylvania hoping to find your fortune.

For the record, in 2004 Celestine was unsuccessfully proposed as the state mineral. 

Just so that we would have something to talk about and to avoid a blank space where Pennsylvania is found on my map, I looked up gemstones that have been unearthed in the Keystone state and found Almandine Garnet mentioned several times.  Luckily, Almandine Garnet is commonly found in the United States so it was bound to be discovered somewhere in Pennsylvania.

The Almandine Garnet stimulates strength and stamina.  It can be helpful in the healing of disorders of the heart, lungs, liver and pancreas.  The Almandine promotes good eye health and can encourage your circulation and metabolism.  It can also prevent colds and the flu.

The Almandine is used to represent profound love and truth.   It encourages charity and compassion.  This deep wine-colored gem has been used as a talisman of protection.  The energy from the Almandine Garnet helps to alleviate worry, panic and fear and promotes a sense of security and safety.

This gemstone is often associated with fertility, physical love and relationships.  It can increase willpower, build resistance to negativity and enhance creativity.

The addition of the Almandine Garnet to my necklace will keep me safe, charitable and free of colds.   

North Dakota - TEREDO PETRIFIED WOOD

Well if this isn't proof in the pudding that states are picked randomly for this exploration, I don't know what is.  Our next state is another one that doesn't sport a state gemstone, state rock or even a state mineral.  And the state fossil is a duplicate, albeit a different variety, of the Texan state fossil, Petrified Wood. 

North Dakota's version is Teredo Petrified Wood, so called because it bears the boreholes of shipworms, known as Teredo.  Although the Teredo isn't really a worm at all, millions of years ago this mollusk would attack trees that washed into the Cannonball Sea that covered much of North Dakota, riddling the wood with holes.  As the wood petrified the holes were replaced by quartz preserving the mottled look.

Teredo Petrified Wood promotes general health and fortifies the body defenses.  It encourages mental stability and contentment.  It aids in the good health of your bones, skin and hair.  An elixir enhanced with Petrified Wood adds thickness and shine to your hair.  It has been said to aid in the healing of atrophied limbs and to relieve paralysis.

Known as a stone of business success, Teredo Petrified Wood helps ground energy, promotes concentration, draws wisdom from your practical and leadership side and encourages goal setting.  During a crisis, a piece of Petrified Wood will give you strength and support, provide insight into cause and effect and help to make you feel safe and secure.

A bead of Teredo Petrified Wood added to my necklace will add glamour to my hair and give me a strong physical and spiritual backbone.

In 1967 North Dakota designated Teredo Petrified Wood as its official state fossil (one of the first states to honor a fossil symbol).

Wisconsin - TRILOBITE

Wisconsin is one of those states that have a state mineral – Galena, a state stone – Granite, and a state fossil – Trilobite, but no state gemstone.

Granite has been admired by the Aboriginal and Mayan cultures, as a sacred and powerful stone, used for protection. It has been thought to encourage diplomacy, discretion, cooperativeness and balance. Granite is the great balancer of water and earth (the emotional and he practical). Earth helps water to keep its deep emotions in check. 

Granite also has been used to strengthen hair, bones, muscle and soft tissue.

Although I’m a firm believer in balanced relationships and strong bones, Granite will not make it on to my necklace.

Galena, a primary source of lead, will definitely not find its way onto my necklace.  However, it deserves mention as a “stone of harmony" that brings healing, calmness, efficiency, and insight. It is thought to help with circulation problems and hair growth. But, carry it, don’t wear it.

Now the Trilobite is something different.  I have been fascinated with this funny, detailed fossil for many years. Trilobites were hard-shelled, segmented arthropods that existed over 500 million years ago.

Trilobites are said to help in the healing of eye and head pains.  They can also correct deficiencies in Vitamins A and D, calcium, and iodine. It is believed that the Trilobite reduces anxiety, stress, and fatigue and can balance your emotions.

Trilobites can also inspire leadership and management character. It assists in the development of patience, confidence, strength, and perseverance and can help you to attain the goals you have set for yourself.

The addition of a Trilobite to my necklace will give me the confidence and fortitude to be a successful manager.

Granite and Galena were designated state representatives in 1971 while the Trilobite crawled its way into the state record in 1985.

Alaska - JADE

With all the gemstones in the world you wouldn’t think we’d run into that many duplicate state gemstones, but alas…….

Having the second largest deposit of Jade in the world, it kind of makes sense that Jade would become the representing gemstone of our 49^th and largest state, Alaska.  But as I mentioned we’ve covered Jade in an earlier entry (See Wyoming, Bead 14) so I’ll skip the unique properties of this rich and protective stone and tell you about the Jade Mountain.

Found in the Far North Region of Alaska, on the Seward Peninsula, the truth is there is little to learn about the, inaccessible by road, Jade Mountain, save that it is entirely made up of Jade.

I expected to find tales of gnomes and ogres, fairies and trolls or at least a tall tail about a Russian nesting doll come to life (since you can see Russia from the back yard).  But no brilliantly woven tales were to be found.  Not even an Eskimo whale story.  So I am left, as are you, to my own devices to imagine the tale of the famous (fill in your own mythological or fairy-tale creature) that did something, that angered someone, who imprisoned someone in the illusive Jade Mountain.  Or better yet a giant elf turned to Jade by an evil witch.  And Jade Mountain is actually the elf hat reaching up to the sky.

How far we can roam……

The addition of Jade to the necklace will bring increased energy, reduce stress, and attract good luck and friendship.  (But does little for the imagination.)

Alaska legislated Jade to be the official state gemstone in 1968.