Rocks, Large and Small: While they are seldom noticed, most stones that lie in river and creek beds eventually lost their rough shapes and become smooth and rounded. Some are as...

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

While they are seldom noticed, most stones that lie in river and creek beds eventually lost their rough shapes and become smooth and rounded. Some are as rounded take on the resemblance of a watermelon or cantaloupe. Others, depending upon the frequency and volume of the water flow, can become shaped as small and round as marbles.
Here in Round Top, Texas where the medical clinic that provides my physical therapy, had their yard landscaped. Around some large live oak trees, they placed dozens of these river stones, some quite large and others as small as apples, or oranges. Their patients fell in love with the arrangement and asked if they might have some. All these requests were denied due to the high cost of replacement.
Earlier, when I was living in New Orleans there was a large tree in my back yard between the house and garage were huge river stones, I was told these stones had been ballast for sailing ships coming into port from Europe. I had intended to bring one with me back to Texas. They were about the size of small watermelons, but I forgot to pick up one during the move. Now these were not perfectly round, but more oval and quite heavy.
Along the Red River, where I grew up there were several canyons, all had as their bottoms, harder sandstone which slowed down the erosion process. Most of this was smooth and level, but there were areas of smooth sandstone that had deep holes, like holes shaped like 55-gallon barrels and perhaps 5 to 7 feet deep and as big around. Often after several hard rains, the runoff water would have created several rock-like marbles. I suppose these stones were too heavy to be thrown out by centrifugal force but kept spinning and eventually become rounded as marbles.
Also, in this same canyon there would be crevasses that began as a slot only six to twelve inches wide at the surface but would open up to a room from six to eight feet wide at its bottom. It is practically impossible to gain a clear knowledge of these subterranean chambers that offered protection to pre-historic people who did use real caverns and would have known about and used them for shelter and storage of food and other useful items. Today, such caves, caverns, and such works of nature and are not places of residence or food storage. Could World events bring civilization back to such a desperate state of fortune? One can only wonder! Just Sayin…RJS

Chuckay Loc: Central Florida

Robert J Samples wrote:

While they are seldom noticed, most stones that lie in river and creek beds eventually lost their rough shapes and become smooth and rounded. Some are as rounded take on the resemblance of a watermelon or cantaloupe. Others, depending upon the frequency and volume of the water flow, can become shaped as small and round as marbles.
Here in Round Top, Texas where the medical clinic that provides my physical therapy, had their yard landscaped. Around some large live oak trees, they placed dozens of these river stones, some quite large and others as small as apples, or oranges. Their patients fell in love with the arrangement and asked if they might have some. All these requests were denied due to the high cost of replacement.
Earlier, when I was living in New Orleans there was a large tree in my back yard between the house and garage were huge river stones, I was told these stones had been ballast for sailing ships coming into port from Europe. I had intended to bring one with me back to Texas. They were about the size of small watermelons, but I forgot to pick up one during the move. Now these were not perfectly round, but more oval and quite heavy.
Along the Red River, where I grew up there were several canyons, all had as their bottoms, harder sandstone which slowed down the erosion process. Most of this was smooth and level, but there were areas of smooth sandstone that had deep holes, like holes shaped like 55-gallon barrels and perhaps 5 to 7 feet deep and as big around. Often after several hard rains, the runoff water would have created several rock-like marbles. I suppose these stones were too heavy to be thrown out by centrifugal force but kept spinning and eventually become rounded as marbles.
Also, in this same canyon there would be crevasses that began as a slot only six to twelve inches wide at the surface but would open up to a room from six to eight feet wide at its bottom. It is practically impossible to gain a clear knowledge of these subterranean chambers that offered protection to pre-historic people who did use real caverns and would have known about and used them for shelter and storage of food and other useful items. Today, such caves, caverns, and such works of nature and are not places of residence or food storage. Could World events bring civilization back to such a desperate state of fortune? One can only wonder! Just Sayin…RJS

While they are seldom noticed, most stones that li... (show quote)

Good morning Mr. James, it takes a long time for those stone's to form the way they are and I don't think this world has that much time left if you know what I mean... hope you have a great weekend, Chuck

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

I enjoyed your "rock story" RJ! Stones can be very intriguing, and as for myself I have to admit a certain fascination for them. We find many interesting variations along the shores of Lake Michigan and Southern Lake Superior.

I hope that you don't mind me adding some photos of a few "cairns"!

Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan...

Lake Superior
Lake Superior...

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Fishyaker: Not at all, it makes my article more believable. Just Sayun...RJS

Big dog Loc: Bayshore, Long Island, New York

Robert J Samples wrote:

While they are seldom noticed, most stones that lie in river and creek beds eventually lost their rough shapes and become smooth and rounded. Some are as rounded take on the resemblance of a watermelon or cantaloupe. Others, depending upon the frequency and volume of the water flow, can become shaped as small and round as marbles.
Here in Round Top, Texas where the medical clinic that provides my physical therapy, had their yard landscaped. Around some large live oak trees, they placed dozens of these river stones, some quite large and others as small as apples, or oranges. Their patients fell in love with the arrangement and asked if they might have some. All these requests were denied due to the high cost of replacement.
Earlier, when I was living in New Orleans there was a large tree in my back yard between the house and garage were huge river stones, I was told these stones had been ballast for sailing ships coming into port from Europe. I had intended to bring one with me back to Texas. They were about the size of small watermelons, but I forgot to pick up one during the move. Now these were not perfectly round, but more oval and quite heavy.
Along the Red River, where I grew up there were several canyons, all had as their bottoms, harder sandstone which slowed down the erosion process. Most of this was smooth and level, but there were areas of smooth sandstone that had deep holes, like holes shaped like 55-gallon barrels and perhaps 5 to 7 feet deep and as big around. Often after several hard rains, the runoff water would have created several rock-like marbles. I suppose these stones were too heavy to be thrown out by centrifugal force but kept spinning and eventually become rounded as marbles.
Also, in this same canyon there would be crevasses that began as a slot only six to twelve inches wide at the surface but would open up to a room from six to eight feet wide at its bottom. It is practically impossible to gain a clear knowledge of these subterranean chambers that offered protection to pre-historic people who did use real caverns and would have known about and used them for shelter and storage of food and other useful items. Today, such caves, caverns, and such works of nature and are not places of residence or food storage. Could World events bring civilization back to such a desperate state of fortune? One can only wonder! Just Sayin…RJS

While they are seldom noticed, most stones that li... (show quote)

Well sir, I’m sure you recall what Albert Einstein said: “ if we ever have a nuclear war, the war after that will be fought with sticks and stones”.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Well, King David of the Bible, handled stones very effectively! We can if we must. Just Sayin...RJS