Rockhounds in Ontario and Canada

A rockhound is an amateur geologist or collector of rocks, minerals and gemstones. It’s not always about the value or selling them. Not for me. I like the history of rocks. Such ancient things, far older than even the oldest of trees. Eroded by time and the elements (mostly water) found on and under land, sea and space, small enough to fit into a pocket or far too massive to consider moving at all. How can anyone not find even the most common rock a bit interesting.

There is some difference between being an ordinary rock collector and someone who actually knows whether the rock they just picked up (because it looks interesting) is a gem, mineral, or just another rock. I’m the ordinary rock type of beachcomber, streetcomber, forestcomber, (even though only one of those is a considered a real word at this time).

I like rocks, sometimes I carry one home in my pocket. It’s a casual hobby. But, I couldn’t say for sure whether the rocks I keep are anything but an interesting looking rock. I did study geology in high school, so I know (remember) a little about how rocks are formed.

Ontario (I live in Ontario) with links found for the other Canadian provinces afterwards.

Ottawa Lapsmith and Mineral Club
The Niagara Peninsula Geological Society – St Catharines
Barrie Gem and Mineral Club (Currently inactive).
The Gem and Mineral Club of Scarborough – Toronto

The British Columbia Lapidary Society
Victoria Lapidary and Mineral Society
Ripple Rock and Gem Mineral Club – Campbell River
Port Moody Rock and Gem Club

Alberta Federation of Rock Clubs 
Southern Alberta Rockhounds Association
Edmonton Tumblewood Lapidary Club
Calgary Rock and Lapidary Club

Prairie Rock and Gem Society – Regina, Saskatchewan

Montreal Gem and Mineral Club Quebec

The Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical Societies
Mineralogical Association of Canada 
Gem and Mineral Federation of Canada

Do you know all of these, what they are or even more about each of them? They are all connected to rocks in some way. Not on this list was rock piling or stacking. I’ve seen people turn them into bridges which continue to stand without anything but friction and gravity keeping them together. Also, Inukshuks, traditionally used for navigation and communication in northern Canada.

  • lapidary
  • tumbling
  • carving
  • sculpture
  • architecture
  • fossils
  • geology
  • paleontology
  • prospecting

List from: Virtual Museum of the History of Mineralogy

Alex Omanski Posts About the History of Underground Ontario – Mines and Caves

First, I found his site, Ontario Exploration 101, via the Curlie listing which had come up as a broken link to check. The link works, if you go past the web browser warnings of gloom and doom. People may miss all his posts because they start from the navigation bar, under the word “more…”. Not the navigation people are used to. At first the site appears to be a one page wonder. Once you hit upon the content, there is a LOT of it. Mostly about abandoned mines in Ontario.


I found more. There is a gallery of his images and more written content at mindat.org. There is a network people can join, a Mining Database.

I don’t know why the web browser (Firefox) is warning people away from his site. It would take days to read everything there. I hope it is all saved somewhere. Sites, personal projects like this, tend to disappear one day without notice. Abandoned and then lost.

Abandoned London, A Book by Katie Wignall

Katie Wignall, is a history blogger and sightseeing tour guide in London, England, UK. She is promoting her book, Abandoned London, about old, disappearing and historical places.

Amazon.ca – Abandoned London  – Available July 6, 2021.

Anywhere in Europe will have more, or at least older, places to explore than Ontario. It would be nice to see them. More than nice but I can’t think of the right word at the moment.

Where would you start exploring if you were suddenly in London? I don’t know. I definitely need Katie’s book.

In my book, Abandoned London, experience these awe-inspiring ruins, humble former shops and pubs as well as factories and offices that have been left to rot.

Arranged thematically from transport to industry, residential to commercial, these entries cover both the modern city and the historical metropolis, from hidden reservoirs to deserted tram stations, from bombed-out churches and forgotten factories to ice wells and eerie docklands.

Maybe I’d start with old shops and ghost signs from shops. Also, I don’t know what an ice well is. The Tower of London and of course, London Bridge would be somewhere on my list, but those are not very forgotten. An old garden and neglected cemetery. Those would be places to find the things I like, old brickwork, and all the trimmings.

Have you Heard of the Witch’s Heart?

I found these posted to eBay. I’d never heard about a witch’s heart, in this way. A lot of things were “to ward off evil spirits”. But, I wonder, how was this a witch’s heart in particular. What made it something other than a decorated hear? Like a claddagh (the heart with a hand holding it on each side and a crown on top) there must be a story to this witch’s heart too.

Looking into it, I found that it is also known as a Luckenbooth, the Scots word for a workshop or lockable stall. This name came about in the 17th century when they were sold in booths in Edinburgh, Scotland along the Royal Mile. These were the first permanent shops in the city but they were demolished in 1817.

The charm started appearing in the 15th century. Usually the design has the bottom of the heart twisted to the right.

In the Middle Ages they were worn to ward off evil for lovers and loved ones. Tiny witch’s hearts were pinned to baby blankets to ward off evil spirits and evil eyes.

By the 18th century they were worn as tokens of love, symbolizing being bewitched (with love) by or for someone.  Some have a crown (a symbol of loyalty) on the top. Double hearts were for a betrothal or marriage. They could be engraved with dates, initials and mottoes on the back. Most were made of silver with jewels (real or paste) like garnets.

It is more often called a luckenbooth brooch or pendant when I have searched for it online. I suspect the history of being known as a witch’s heart will eventually be forgotten. The luckenbooths tend to be very Celtic Scottish looking. So, search for witch’s heart if you want less history and more heather (heathergems).

Modern Schools Teach Sex and Leave Young People Ignorant

What is the purpose of school for children any more? They don’t seem to know English (the language, spelling, etc), or history, or geography. Schools must (I hope) still teach enough for them to function but ask them questions… there is a LOT they don’t know. Especially here in Ontario. My nieces and nephew don’t know basic Canadian history or geography, and they are not taught Canadian spelling and language arts. Test your own children, can they spell, locate on a map and tell you something about the Canadian province of Saskatchewan (even those who live in Saskatchewan, though I’d hope they would know more/better).

I taught my nieces and nephews about Canadian history, geography, spelling and cursive writing. (Typing/ keyboarding is no longer taught now either. Children are expected to be proficient due to frequent computer/Internet use. I find that sad). Of course, there is still far more they don’t know. The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know, yet. But, basic things like finding the provinces and territories on the map. Knowing the capitals and how to spell it all. Why isn’t that taught in schools? The schools we pay for with our tax money. But, that’s just part of it. I want them to know basic Canadian things and have a good general education before they graduate into high school and then onto college, university or a job.

The kids do seem to be taught a lot about sex. Still not told condoms are NOT 100% effective. That always comes as a surprise to them. I tell them about that when they hit high school age. I know schools delve into all of that early, far too early, and make it something the children research on their own, on the Internet of course, the source of such great and reliable (pornographic) information. But, the school does not teach other important things which we used to learn at school, not only reading, writing, arithmetic, simple science, regional history, and geography. But things like hygiene, good posture, penmanship, good sportsmanship. I taught my nephews and nieces about hygiene, even at high school age they didn’t seem to know basic things about being clean, walking (picking up their feet versus walking like a troll) and standing/sitting without slouching, and speaking clearly (good elocution). I can remember that being part of what I learned in school. My Mother and Grandmother also learned about those things and told all of us.Schools don’t seem to do that any more.

Ironic that modern schools teach children a lot about sex, gender based on stereotypes, sexual fetishes, etc but it is now left to parents and family members to teach children about reading, writing, arithmetic, science, hygiene, posture, etc. All those hours children and young people spend in school, even now during the so called pandemic, but they don’t seem to be learning about anything that really matters, just how to fuck themselves and others. What a waste of time. What are schools setting our young people up for in life? What are they capable of doing, when the schools say they have graduated.

Test the young people, see what they know and where they learned it. I found more about condoms than I ever cared to know, or needed in 50+ years including being married some of those years, but they did not know how to spell Saskatchewan. I learned that early and I made sure I remembered it. Canadian spelling, history, geography were things that mattered to me. They still do. What matters to young people now when their education seems focused on sex, not things that young people really need to know to be successful, or at least competent, in life.

Talk to people who hire young people for jobs. They can give you some real stories about our young people, not being able to work, even at basic tasks, not being able to read, write or figure out simple things. Some of them on drugs, prescription drugs, which leave them unable to function. Some so addicted to their cell phone they just lean against a wall and say anything more is too much for them to handle. (These are actual cases, real cases, which my sister has experienced as a local employer over the past few years). What are schools doing to this generation of young people? It seems to me schools are failing, badly.

Note, I do see wonderful young people and feel very proud of them, happy to meet them and hear they are doing well, feeling good and happy. I wish that for all the young people.

Toronto Fire 1904 Postcard

I have heard about the fire in old Toronto. So long ago (before I was born) that I forget the year. But, this postcard says it was 1904, and this is where the fire started. None of those old buildings will still be standing. The others which survived in 1904 are mostly gone too. The don’t make them like that any more, is certainly true. They were brick and beautiful, crafted. Now they seem utilitarian, plain and functional. Not fair to say they have no style, a different style is still a style. But, they lack the feeling that someone actually built them. Instead they seem to be something that just appeared, already formed.

You can read more about the fire and the history, but you can’t ever see it, just images and news reporting. The old grandmother buildings are gone. That always seems sad to me.