Thursday, January 7, 2010 — The holidays may seem like they're over...unless you're celebrating Old Rock Day, celebrated on January 7th! The history of this wacky holiday is not known, with its origins nearly as hard to unearth as a fossil. But however you spin it, Old Rock Day is an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate old rocks...including fossils of all sorts. And it's easy to take part. You can start a rock collection, make a pet rock, or head to the museum to view fossils on display.

Of course you can also try to find a fossil on your own! In Millsberry, the Colhurst Tunnels are the perfect place to start your search. And you never know what you'll find. In fact, archaeological digs can often surprise. For example, you might find traces of an animal or plant from long ago—fossil impressions preserved over time, when buried in the Earth's crust. Just remember: you'll need good health by eating a balanced diet every day, a shovel, and high intelligence stats. For high intelligence stats, go to the Arcade and play games with the yellow light bulb icons.

Daniella Rodriguez, caretaker at the Colhurst House, wasn't even aware of the holiday until she noticed the rising numbers of Millsberry citizens lining up for tickets! "Everyone's been so excited to embark on a dig that I've actually had to turn people away. There just isn't enough room for everyone in the tight space all at once!"

We'll have to take Daniella's word for it because we were among the many rock hunters told to come back when it wasn't so crowded! Fortunately, though, this allowed us to see how other citizens were celebrating Old Rock Day. Among the popular picks: making pet rocks! One participant gave us the step-by-step on how to make your own, explaining, "First, find a smooth, flat, or round rock. Second, wash off any dirt or sand and dry completely before moving on. Next, use acrylic paints to draw your pet rock's face, or mix it up by gluing on extras like googly-eyes, yarn (for hair), glitter (for extra sparkle), stickers, or anything else that comes to mind! You can even give it a name!"

Millsberry Academy science teacher, Mr.Fort, revealed to us that he's got an impressive rock collection...and a few pet rocks of his own. He admitted, "I've been adding to my rock collection for a long time. One day, I decided to decorate a few to give as gifts. Now I'm hooked!"

"My favorite is made out of a marble," Fort continued, "I found it in the mountains! Its crystals were formed when the rock was pushed down below the Earth's surface where it was subjected to intense heat and pressure for many thousands of years. And, though some marble is solid in color—or all white—some varieties have colorful swirls, like mine. In sum, building a rock collection is an easy and fun project to start with friends. And, since rocks are all over and come in so many shapes, sizes, colors, and textures, it's super-simple to collect and compare!"

Mr. Fort also showed us how to make a funky paperweight from a rock—great for keeping papers from flying off your desk, something we at the Gazette know a lot about! Just select a rock and color it with crayons, glitter, and whatever else you like, and you'll have a decorative desk item to keep your papers secure! Not a bad idea for a quick and easy gift!

So however you choose to celebrate Old Rock Day, be sure to rock on and have fun!