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My wife and I recently went looking for fossils, both outside of Drumheller and on the banks of the Red Deer river in Alberta, Canada. The idea of finding a fossil has always been so exciting to me, but until recently I thought it was something only palaeontologists could do. When we found out that we were allowed to surface collect we decided to give it a go! Anyways... Here are some of the things we found. I am not confident that any of them are fossils, but I would be so stoked if at least one of them was. - The first three images are of a rock we found on the banks of the Red Deer River. There was a lot of sand stone in the area, but I don't think that this particular piece is sand stone. As you can see in the third image, it is layered. To me, it looks like at least one shellfish, potentially three. It's hard to see in the photos, but there are rays that look far to ordered to be random, and I think it strongly resembles a clam shell or limpid. - The next image is of a rock found in the same area with what I think looks like a piece of shell in it. - The fifth image is of a rock my wife found in the badlands outside of Drumheller. Not really sure what to make of that one TBH... - The sixths and seventh images are of what I think is a little piece of bone. This was also found in the badlands, and it was encased in some sandstone that I was easily able to break off with my fingers. it is very porous and at first I thought it was a stick, but the pores remind me of bone. Anyways... I really appreciate anyone who took the time to read the ramblings of a complete beginner, and your input is greatly appreciated.

The kids and I found this fossil on our first hunt today. It’s a tooth I’m pretty sure. I’m thinking a mosasaur?

The Paliotool ME-9100 arrived today and had the 1 1/2 engraver scribe on it. A quick change of connectors, a hose connected to my clean air source in the shop's paint booth and down to the pailoipaver part of the garden to get a couple of practice victims, I mean specimens. I won't talk about the first two except that they were pretty heavily fractured before I started in on them. Just know that they gave their best in the name of science and may they rest in peace. I picked a more robust one and stared in to clean up the center with better results although I don't think there should be a hole in the center. From this initial try found I will need better light and a support for the tool as it get to be tiresome after a session especially since I also worked today. Also magnification as I learn what detail to watch for. This one was happily returned to the paloipaver collection in the garden to live another day!