Charles Loughlin

Retired pharmacist. Living in the Appalachian Mountains, 1 mile from the beginning of the Appalachian Trail. Truly beautiful up here. Plenty of wildlife, flora and vistas. Waterfalls abound. Lakes with mountains surrounding are common and not wasted by anyone.!! Before gold became the big draw, it was said you could hardly walk 10 feet before coming across a sizeable gemstone lying atop the ground. I checked this out... And have discovered ( just lying atop the ground) specimens such as ; amethyst (several and large), emerald ( both translucent and non-opaque), citrine ( MANY and large), sapphire ( only one large specimen) and several others. This is a land that I would consider as diverse as Madagascar. I look forward to offering many more examples !!