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Quincy Covid Memories

My Geo-stones in public places

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Geo-stones, May 2020.JPG

Title

My Geo-stones in public places

Subject

Description

About two months ago I took a cue from the numerous friendly rocks that kids have been painting and then leaving on sidewalks, municipal parks and the DCR trails during this pandemic. The children have been putting out brightly-painted colored stones with a friendly word or two at many locations in Quincy and beyond.

My labelled (correct US Geological Survey name and age of formation in My (million years)) geologic pieces are about 2" by 2", and I leave them on prominent neighborhood boulders and municipal and state parks. Since I walk many of the same series of sidewalks and DCR trails during the course of a week or two, I know if they are looked at and put back or simply taken. In any event, my simple goal is to put a smile on the face of the occasional interested person. And ultimately get the kids engaged in the natural sciences.

So far I have put out about 24 stones (sometimes with a small cairn) and they all are related to the specific locations where I found them and then where I return them. The trail and path gravels provide the stones for me (the in situ stones tell me much about what the glaciers scrapped off the underlying bedrock). While on a trail for my near-daily Blue Hills Reservation walks, I've received the occasional thank you from someone who knows me, or simply asks me.

We all have to try to steer a friendly way, any friendly way, during this surreal time. I don't put my personal ID on these pieces: not really important.

Creator

Tyrala, Lester (Prof Geologist)

Date

2020 May 3

Contributor

Tyrala, Lester (Prof Geologist)

Citation

Tyrala, Lester (Prof Geologist), “My Geo-stones in public places,” #QuincyCovidMemories, accessed March 29, 2024, https://quincyculturalmemory.com/items/show/180.