Our last sunset in Picacho, AZ.  We had a peaceful and restful week here.

We were sad to say goodbye to our neighbors, the Scotts and the Osterhofs.  They were great neighbors!

After contemplating where to go next, we decided to go back to Quartzsite and booked a month.  It was much easier to get a spot in an RV park now that it is February.  There are still some vendors here, but it is much saner and enjoyable.

This is my friend Jo (alias Aunuts on RTH).  We were glad to a little more time here and see her and her husband Terry again.  Today, Jo took me on a tour of the largest Gem and Mineral Club of its kind in the nation, right here in Quartzsite.

This is the cabbing room.  Have you ever seen so many cabbing machines in your life?  All in one room?  (and this isn’t all of them)

This is the casting room.

With centrifuge.

This is the saw room.  Lots O’ Big Saws!

Then we wet into the silver-smithing room.  This is where silver is cut, melted, soldered, filed, braised, polished, etc.

I see a beautiful Malachite getting a shiny new setting!

This is the opal working room.

This is the faceting room.

It’s a big room!  They have you start with a colored marble and turn it into a gem!

Then, we went into the wire wrapping room… another huge room packed with people!

Then we went outside where people were learning to carve.

They were using soap stone.

It was too cool!

I’m so grateful to Jo for taking little ole me (Jo) around to see it all.  I was amazed.

This evening our neighbor, Ralph, was working on a large spear point made of the most beautiful glass you could imagine.

He gave me a short preliminary lesson and now I can practice with the flint we found in Texas.  This will keep me busy!

Ralph really enjoys it here in Quartzsite during the winter and goes out daily in his little yellow buggy with his wife Roberta, and friends on the other side of us, Barb and Charlie.

Needless to say, we will be very busy here for a while.