Well, we’re done! We’ve shopped until we dropped. What an experience this has been.
We’ve seen so little of what’s on offer but in the heat it has been pretty overwhelming. We’ve been so happy to drive away from the busyness of town to our little mountain hideaway each evening.
My intention this evening was to check our purchases for the day and take some photographs, but as soon as I sat down I fell asleep. I then managed to take just one photograph - of this rather pretty Pyrite sphere - before we had a huge but very welcome thunderstorm. More photographs will have to wait now until we are home.
So what did I buy today?
My first stop was to buy Pyrite, Rhodochrosite and gorgeous pink Rhodonite from a family of Peruvians. This sphere is just one piece from that haul. I have to be careful with Pyrite in my crystal barn because, being at the bottom of a valley with a stream running by, the environment is very damp and it does not suit raw Pyrite. I’ve had beautiful Pyrite suns fall apart. When it’s polished, however, we can keep it if we’re very careful. I bought Spheres, hearts and freeforms.
My next stop was not a small family business but still very nice people who had contacted me before we left. They were really kind and helpful and I bought bracelets, a biggish not-top-grade Quartz that might fulfil someone’s wishes, some glorious golden Selenite, Smoky Elestials and lots more. It was very busy indeed and it was quite hard going so now I can’t remember exactly what went in the box! I do know, however, that at the last minute I spotted a box of gorgeous raw Ruby - every one with record keeper markings.
After lunch I went to see some dear friends from the UK. They are located miles from Cornwall so it was nice to catch up and I stocked up on Preseli Bluestone and they had some rather nice Boji Stones. The latter will make one of our students very happy since she asked me to look for some for her.
Then - something really lovely happened.
I had intended buying Moldaviite on this trip and opposite my friends’ stall was a Moldavite stall so I popped in to look. I thought I recognised the man and asked if he’d ever been to Cornwall. Many years ago - I can’t remember exactly but I think it’s well over 20 years - I was busy in the barn and one of my children came to tell me that there was a man in a camper van at the gate who was selling crystals and wanted to see me. If you know me, you’ll know that I am very private and hold a tight boundary around my home, so I said to go and tell him to ring and make an appointment. The child came back and said he is insistent that you will want to see what he has got. I walked down to the gate and the man said that he was sure I'd want to see his wares and showed me a piece of Moldavite. I invited him in!
His stock was absolutely beautiful. Then, as now, he can tell you the exact locations of his stock and they are all gorgeous. He also had a few pieces of jewellery and I bought a Moldavite ring in silver and gold with rune markings. I call it my magical ring and it has been very magical indeed. Over the years, when friends have been in sticky situations, I’ve asked if they want to borrow it. I explain that it will definitely unstick stuckness, but the transformation may not be what they expect, want, can imagine, so they have to assure me that they are open to that before I hand over the ring. That ring has mad many adventures!
Because I’ve had very little stock in recent years, I’m excited to show you the Moldavite when I get home. I also bought 10 tiny pendants which will be around £36 each.
I also bought Citrine crystals and clusters - something that I have found increasingly difficult to find recently.
I had almost had enough when I saw a small stall with lots of small polished Labradorite freeforms, staffed by two young people. I thought that they’d be perfect for people who love Labradorite and would like to connect but don’t have a lot of funds. I stopped and chatted to them and chose quite a few pieces. The young woman was absolutely delightful and was laughing because she said I had a ‘proper English accent’! She told me that it is her Madagascan mother’s business. Her mother is in Madagascar and she was here selling the pieces.
I’m sorry that I have no more images for you tonight. Instead I’ll share a few photographs of homes that we drive by each day that give a feeling of where we are. Tomorrow we’re off to Paris on the first stage of our home journey.
