If you have been following this blog, you know that I am obsessed with "rocks".  We left Texarkana, TX this morning on our way to Natchez, MS to go down the Natchez Trace which is both historic and beautiful.  About 30 miles east of Texarkana, I told Joe, "You are lucky I'm not going to want to go to Crater of Diamonds".  It is in Murfeesboro, AR which was about 80 miles out of our way.  Joe, being the kind and generous man that he is, said, "Do you want to go"?  That is like asking a mouse if he likes cheese.  I love Crater of Diamonds!!

Yes folks, there really is a place in Arkansas where you can find diamonds.  It is the only public diamond mine in the world.  For a small fee you can look all day in a plowed field and actually, if you are really lucky, find diamonds.  Some are small, but some are in the 5-6 carat range.  There is one diamond found a few months ago that was over 8 carats and is now being cut by a diamond cutter in Little Rock.

Today on the way to Crater of Diamonds State Park, I was acting like I was carrying on a phone conversation with a diamond at the park, asking where he was located and telling him I would bring him cake and something cool to drink if he would let me find him.  I also told him to round up all his friends, whether small or large, and bring them to the party.  Of course, this was a silly, make-believe conversation, but now I wonder because I felt like the diamond was in the far left corner of the field under a tree.  Joe and I stopped by the park this afternoon on the way to the motel and I was talking with 2 repeat visitors to the park who have found diamonds at Crater of Diamonds in the past.  They said that diamonds have been found in the area of the park I was describing to them - the far left corner under a tree.  Half the problem with the park is that there is so much land to look through and a diamond can be just anywhere - on top of the soil, under the soil, to the right 10 paces or at the far end of the field on the right - in short, you don't have a clue where or if there is a diamond that will be found that day.  Which way do you turn when you enter the field?  If you go to the right and don't find a diamond, you will always think, I should have turned left instead.  After my mock conversation with a diamond today, I at least have a direction to head when I enter the field.  That has got to be a head start on the hunt, don't you think?  

Everyone think DIAMONDS all day tomorrow and maybe I'll find one!!  I've been to Crater of Diamonds several times before and not found anything, but there is always tomorrow, so concentrate hard for me.

I'm not sure that we will end up doing the Natchez Trace, but I do know that we will still be going to Anniston and Taladega, Alabama.  This diamond prospecting adventure will change the route, but we will still be going there.

Since Joe is not interested in "rocks", he will probably work on the car or come back to the motel.  I will be working hard out in the hot sun, digging in the dirt and will come back tomorrow afternoon, hot, tired and very, very, very dirty, but very, very happy.  Wish me luck!!