It occurred to me afterwards that your sample just might have been even more interesting that merely a superb find of fluorescent sodalite in a sample of igneous syenite.  A rare form of sodalite exists is relative abundance in Ontario.  I mentioned it to you once before.  It's called hackmenite and it has the property of tenebrescence.  Not only will it fluoresce when exposed to UV-light but it will temporarily change the colour of the crystal even after exposure to UV.  It will gradually return to its original dull creamy, calcite-like colour over time until re-exposed.  So, if your enigmatic pebble contained hackmenite, then it would have perhaps changed colour from its original appearance when viewed with a regular flashlight. 

Maybe you should have marked its location and drawn a treasure map on weathered parchment (Staples).  Try to make the map look even older by avoiding the use of pixels and place it in an old bottle of rock-gut.  Pretend that you found it washed up on the beach when you reveal your find to the other members of your club.  Let the club members interpret the map and come to their own conclusions and don't feel annoyed when they wrench it from your capable hands.  Let others find the glowing pebble so that their authority remains a convincing illusion.  You then point out to the more obtuse members that being in-charge clouds your judgment and that if they put the chain-of-command on the sand and look more closely that not only does the pebble fluorescence in UV-light and do so with distinction but also that there is a temporary normal-light colour change. Exclaim a discovery of tenebrescence to the amazement of your collaborators, some of whom are already arguing about how to spell it while doing an online search.  While they are behaving frenetically get a nice tight shot of their collective expressions.  It's about then that the director yells "CUT!".  That's a wrap.

How's that for a youtube short?

Cool sighting. In an interesting coincidence, at about 10:00 this morning, a Cooper’s hawk hung out around our backyard bird feeder. The squirrels were unimpressed and eventually challenged it. It then moved to the gazebo frame in our neighbours’ yard. I got a few shots, but I am not on a photo sharing site to post them.

Thank you very much for your kind words and geological advice.


I returned with some friends the next day. We found some interesting ones.


One is a conglomerate with at least a dozen pebbles. Had I seen it in daylight, I would have assumed it was a degraded concrete block. It looks crazy under UV light. That one would be for another video on its own soon.


My back pain has been at its worst. Whenever I got a bit better, if I put on my backpack even without much in it, the acute pain would return. The clip was photographed with my smartphone. My telephoto lenses are taking a vacation.


It sounds crazy to do the things I am doing, but I only live once. Who knows if I would be able to do it again? If I stay at home, I still have the pain, but without the pleasure of discovery.


More to come.

With all that fresh snow in the fields north of Barrie will you even be able to see them?

Very nice sighting in your backyard!