Sunday Scenes From An Oxnard Rock Show

I had the honor of attending the Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society's 42nd annual "Galaxy of Gems" gem and mineral show at the Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center this weekend. I was there for the purpose of assisting my friend David Richter of Rocks & Relics. This year's show theme was petrified wood. Today starting early this morning I captured some images of the show and share them here.

Rocks & Relics booth in the early morning hours before opening.

Sunday morning quietude pervaded the hall.

Rose Quartz display case.

Blue Forest Petrified Wood display case.

Sharks Tooth Hill display case

Assorted petrified wood display case

Agates from around the world display case.

Agates from across the United States display case.

Display case with assorted and more monumental petrified wood specimens.

Assorted petrified wood display case.

Assorted petrified wood case.

Carbon minerals display case.

Polished sphere display case including an Australian petrified "peanut wood" sphere.

Outgoing OGMS President (and soon-to-be V.P.) Louisa Carey's Green Case.

Assorted petrified wood display case.

Fossil leaf display case.

Assorted petrified wood display case.

Gypsum/Selenite display case.

Scary Gary From Tulare scaring me.

Gary Robertson sorting money faster than the camera's eye can see... DO NOT play cards with this man!

David Richter putting the finishing touches in preparing his booth for the day.

Liquid sunshine was one of the things we were concerned about aside from the economy and drunks in the park.

Initially it appeared the rain would keep folks from coming out today but that is not what ended up happening.

World-renowned paleo-botanist Walter Wright talking petrified wood with Dave.

A gorgeous Argentinian Rhodochrosite sphere being polished by Ray Quitoriano as part of his demonstration of such.

C.J. Quitoriano has written on her childhood report cards "plays with fire".

C.J.'s fire-breathing glass dragon.

CFMS president and OGMS-member  Jim Brace-Thompson and Ismael Sanchez of the Bakersfield Mineral Mites.

Stephanie Hagiwara of the OGMS in a photoshooting standoff with guess who.

Norb Kinsler was the show chairman this year and I christaned him "The Norbster".

Some of the Rocks & Relics offerings this day.

Andy and Sonia DeLong responding to my suggestion she divorce him and marry me instead.

In spite of and/or because of the hard rain today folks really showed up this afternoon.

The mirage of solidity and permanency to the Rocks & Relics booth now gone with the dismantling of it.

All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved)