Happy Thanksgiving!

Great Smoky Mountains, TN, some truly awesome rocks!

Thanksgiving Day is here and I've finally given myself permission to do some reminiscing about what I am truly thankful for. With the subject of this blog in mind, I think a story from my childhood is a good start to explaining why I feel that I am a blessed person.

As a child, I loved to collect rocks. It wasn't unusual for me to grab a grocery bag and con my mother into accompanying me for a children's version of a rock hound expedition. The couple blocks that would take us to an area that had a sloped hill filled with the objects of my quest were a chance for my mom and I to have some quality time together. We would diligently search through piles of stones, looking for the 'pretty' ones. My concentration was truly dedicated to the subject at hand and the walk home would be filled with questions about the incredible finds that I had collected. My mom, who probably wasn't nearly as interested in rocks as I was, did her best to field the questions and always encouraged my youthful enthusiasm in regards to my hobby.

My dad was also very much a part of my geological education. Boxes of 'pretty' stones soon appeared after he realized my interest in them. He took the time to study with me and I began to learn about my hobby. Soon I knew that amethyst and citrine were both quartz. I learned that moonstone wasn't really from the moon (although ancient Romans and Hindus both believed it was formed from moonlight), but is actually a feldspar, which shows aspects of adularescence, having a milky or bluish iridescence. When cut in a cabochon, the moonstone sometimes displays chatoyancy, a changeable luster, such as a cats-eye.

That the beautiful opal, my birthstone, shows play-of-color and is formed when

Opal vein. What a beautiful gift from nature!

rainwater soaks down into the earth, along with dissolved silica. When the rain evaporates, the silica is deposited between layers of sedimentary rock. The dissolved silica then forms the opal. Opals always conjured up visions of Australia, so very far away from home. Mines with names like Coober Pedy and Lightning Ridge, revved up my imagination of adventure and intrigue. I'm astounded by the beauty of the opal. This photograph of a true opal vein shows the results of this incredible process. You wouldn't think it could actually be real, but I saw it for myself when my parents visited Australia and brought a natural rock with an opal vein running through it back home with them.

My parents gave me the awesome opportunity to attend the University of Wisconsin, another reason to consider myself to be truly blessed. One of my favorite college classes was geology, where I learned about the layers of earth. About fossils and minerals and rocks. About eras and eons. I soaked the knowledge in and have never seemed to want to forget it. In later years I took my first class in gemology. I learned about colored gemstones and again, the information has stuck with me forever. 

Being able to grow in knowledge is such a blessing in itself. The advantages I had of learning about this incredible planet was just one of hundreds of blessings that my parents bestowed upon me. They were always interested in me and what I was interested in.   

So, on this Thanksgiving Day, I give thanks that I had the best parents that a person could possibly ever have. That I have a fantastic family and great friends and that I live in a country that still holds tremendous opportunities for learning, success and happiness.

Return to 'It Started With the Pantheon'

Mount Vesuvius, A Look at a Sleeping Giant, Present Day Views on the Future!

Although the last eruption was in 1944 during World War II, there is no doubt that another eruption will take place in the future, a fear that Naples and the surrounding area has to permanently live with. Yet although the government has offered local inhabitants living on the mountainside a monetary compensation for moving, the majority of residents continue to choose to live with the danger.

So, why do the inhabitants of Naples and the area surrounding Mount Vesuvius stay while knowing that at any time their life could be in extreme danger due to an awakening giant? Many good reasons. Volcanic soil is extremely fertile, which is an allure for farming, vineyards and olive groves. Vesuvius is stunningly beautiful in a rather terrifying way. It provides lucrative earnings for the local inhabitants through tourism. The time between eruptions can be hundreds of years which allows people to forget what eruptions are all about. Perhaps to those who call the region home, the danger and intrigue of the unknown holds a certain mystique. Whatever the reason, over three million people live and work within the reach of Vesuvius's influence. Thus, Mount Vesuvius is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.

The word volcano comes from the ancients belief in Vulcan, the mythical god of fire. Anyone taking the trek to the edge of the summit of Mount Vesuvius today can readily experience the same respectful attention to nature.

We still have little control over the havoc that volcanoes can create. The good news is that through years of monitoring and studying volcanic activity throughout the world, there is now the promise of earlier prediction of an eruption. It is certainly not a perfect science and those communities within the danger zones must make that ultimate decision on whether to evacuate or not according to today's information. The Istituto Nazionali di Geofisica e Volconologia in Italy, along with the United States Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Japan are front runners in prediction study. The World Organization of Volcanic Observatories is the largest community of member nations that are funded to observe volcanic activity in order to help humanity deal with the reality of nature. 

The Emergency Plan, which is updated on a regular basis, includes the 'Red Zone' an area directly in danger from a Mount Vesuvius eruption. The 'Red Zone' was updated in 2007 to include 800,000 inhabitants, but many volcanologists feel that the entire city of Naples should be included. 

Which brings me to Naples, the third largest municipality in Italy, behind Rome and Milan. My experience with this ancient city was brief. It was merely the port where we embarked on a ferry for our Capri adventure. Since our day was full and we had to return to Rome that evening there was no time to explore. 

Naples hasn't always had the best of reputations. Crime, corruption and sanitation problems are words used regularly in regards to the city. I'm pretty certain that Naples hasn't totally lost this reputation, but there seems to be a great deal of positives about visiting the city too.

Notes on Naples:

• Naples is one of the oldest cities in the world.The list is long of those who have had control over Naples throughout the centuries.  
• Art and Architecture: Ancient to Renaissance, Baroque to Modern and everything in between. There are castles and cathedrals and underground cities which all speak of layers of history.
• Pizza - The famous Margherita! Naples is where it supposedly all began.
• Pasta - Classic Neopolitan recipes usually include seafood. Pasta Fazool, (Naples version of Pasta Fagioli). Spaghetti ala Puttanesca.   
• Gelato - This I did have the opportunity to try, as it was part of the tour. I remember distinctly that the citrus type of sorbet or granita was very tasty.
• Pastries - Sfogliatelle, a layering of thin pastry filled with ricotta cream, candied citrus and cinnamon.
• Opera - One of the oldest, working theaters in Europe!

Opera House, Naples, Italy

• Naples underground city: Being built on layer upon layer of volcanic tephra, Naples has another surprise for visitors in the form of an incredible underground.  Everything from ancient Roman ruins to World War II bomb shelters can be seen on tours of underground Naples.

Recent Events:

• Naples hosts NATO's Allied Joint Force Command.
• The Port of Naples is one of the most important ports in Europe.
• Naples historic city center is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The people of Naples refer to themselves as Neopolitans. The city is vital, chaotic and interesting. The history is rich and the residents of Naples are known for living life to the fullest. So, although Naples lives next door to a sleeping giant, there's no doubt in my mind it will always continue to defy the odds.

Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius (photo is Public Domain)

Return to 'It Started With the Pantheon'

Mount Vesuvius, A Look at a Sleeping Giant, World War II

Vesuvius and World War II

Damaged B25C Mitchell of the US 340th Bombardment Group -
Pompeii Airfield (Terzigno, Italy)1944

What happens when nature decides to interfere 

with monumental human events? 

Naples was bombed repeatedly during World War II by Allied forces. Casualties were high and the city was in shambles.  Just prior to the Allied invasion of Naples, the Germans temporarily took control of the city. Atrocities became rampant and in September of 1943 the citizens of Naples decided to take hold of their own destiny and forced the Germans out of the city. Known as the Four Days of Naples, September 26 - 30, 1943 the uprisings were inspired by local citizens and lead by ex-Italian soldiers and street youth. Allied troops entered Naples on October 1, 1943.

By March of 1944, Allied troops had control of Naples but authorities were just starting to deal with the problems that existed in the area. Lack of food, disease, organized crime and extreme destruction due to war-time conditions had taken a big toll on the local population. And then came the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Pompeii Airfield was constructed in Terzigno by the U.S. Army Air Corp, and was the base for the U.S. 340th Bombardment Group. Within months of the airfield being completed some 80 aircraft were destroyed by hot ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted on March 18, 1944. There were no military casualties but the airfield was destroyed and had to be dismantled and transferred to Paestum.

The eruption was Strombolian-Vulcanian in nature. It was the lava flow produced in this type of eruption which destroyed San Sebastiano, Massa di Somma and Cercola. This first phase lasted from March 18th to the 21st. Starting on the 21st the second phase of the eruption began with fire fountains erupting from the main crater. These fountains produced tephra which fell upon the area surrounding the mountain. The third phase featured more explosive activity, electrical storms and seismic activity.This took place on March 22 - 23rd. From the 23rd to the 30th the fourth and final phase of the eruption was primarily Vulcanian explosions. The eruption ended on March 30th.  Responses of the Anglo-American military authorities to the eruption of Vesuvius, March 1944 David K. Chester a,*, Angus M. Duncan b, Philip Wetton c and Roswitha Wetton c

Besides destroying several cities and causing numerous deaths, the eruption caused major problems for the allied command. Ash clogged machinery, troops had to be evacuated out of the danger areas and were assigned to helping the local civilians. The progression of the Allied invasion was delayed.

Mt Vesuvius Erupting in March 1944. Shot by John Reinhardt, B24 tailgunner is the USAAF in WWII

So how did the locals react to the eruption? As always, during times of troubles, religion became important. St. Januarius is the patron saint of Naples and also protects from volcanic eruptions. Three times a year, a vial of congealed blood from the Saint liquifies and bubbles up, denoting a year safe from disasters. In 1939, the blood did not bubble up. Old superstitions were renewed. Rumors abounded about why they were so cursed by such tragic events. But even as the last ounce of angry energy was being wrung from Vesuvius, the local population was beginning the process of rebuilding on the very same slope. 

One interesting character of the 1944 eruption was Professor Guiseppi Imbo, the director of the Osservatorio Vesuviano. Months prior to the eruption, Professor Imbo was seeing potential signs of Vesuvius volcanic activity. Although removed from the observatory by Allied forces, he managed to get permission to monitor the  eruption.     

Professor Imbo and his wife moved into the Observatory during the eruption and was able to obtain a great deal of data regarding the volcano's actions during the eruption. The Osservatorio Vesuviano (founded 1841) in Naples, now a member of the Italian government agency INGV is the oldest volcano observatory in the world. 

A quote taken from the April 17, 1944 LIFE magazine, from the director of the Mount Vesuvius Observatory at the time of the 1944 eruption, in which Professor Imbo gave a more positive Italian viewpoint of Vesuvius:

“A marvelous thing, my Vesuvius. It covers land with precious ash that makes the earth fertile and grapes grow, and wine. That’s why, after every eruption, people rebuild their homes on the slopes of the volcano. That is why they call the slopes of Vesuvius the compania felix — the happy land.”

Watch for next week's post which will continue the story of Mount Vesuvius. 

 Return to 'It Started With the Pantheon'