A is for Ammonite

“Ammonites were free-swimming molluscs of the ancient oceans, living around the same time that the dinosaurs walked the Earth and disappearing during the same extinction event.”BBC Nature 

 

ammonite 2I love the idea of a free swimming creature roaming the oceans before a time that we can imagine. It translates, in my brain, as being a free spirit. Just wandering around and going where ever its fancy, or the current, took it. Moving freely. Beautiful.

Ironic that the only evidence of it’s existence is now stone. All movement vanished. Still beautiful in its architecture.

When we first moved into our house and started digging up the garden, we uncovered a fair number of ammonite fossils. Imported or original? I don’t know. We have split rocks and found more. Also the house is over 260 years old and made of the same stone. So maybe the ammonites ended their free spirited days in our back garden. Maybe we have many more, embedded within the walls. Out of sight.

When we had the house repointed a few years ago, I asked the builders to incorporate them into the walls. Randomly placed, but firmly positioned.  Every now and again, the children will spot another one. This one is easy to find near the front door. I like the quirkiness of it and the way it catches the afternoon sun. Like a rainbow made of stone.

 

I’m joining in with the talented PODcast’s Alphabet Project. A time to focus on improving my photography (My father will be pleased!). Today is the first one, so it’s theme is A. Please go over and take a look.

29 comments

  1. 😛 How lucky you guys are to actually have ammonites in your garden. We went fossil hunting over at the Jurassic coast a couple of years ago and absolutely enjoyed it. Must do that again soon! 🙂 #alphabetphoto.

    1. To be honest, I was starting to wonder how to preserve them. Fortunately our builders are old friends and were willing to humour me.

  2. Wow!!!!! I can’t believe you found these in your own garden. My son would be very jealous, he loves ammonites. I will show him this pic when I pick him up from nursery.

  3. Oh wow how fabulous to have ammonites in your garden, what a great find. Fossils are fascinating, I saw a few of my dad’s recently they’re beautiful. It’s a rather lovely idea to think there may be more in the walls too. Awesome post, thank you so much for sharing and joining in #alphabetphoto

    1. Loving this new photo challenge. Using the alphabet is perfect. So many different ways to interpret it, but still restricts it.

  4. How wonderful to find these in your garden, so interesting. And, I love the idea of adding them to your house, that’s just brilliant! #alphabetphoto

    1. Certainly ensures that I don’t lose them. They tended to get scattered around the garden. Free spirited, for sure.

    1. I’ve grown so used to them being in our garden that I tend to forget its not the norm. I’m sure the children are growing up assuming that everyone has ammonites in their garden.

    1. My son loves dinosaurs. I’m forever surprised that at the age of 6 he can spout the most amazing facts about them. He wants to be a paleontologist.

    1. I’m inspired by its freedom in life and the beautiful structure it left behind. Opposite but complementary.

  5. Brilliant photo and a great post. My eldest is amazed by ammonites at the moment; my Mum has a couple of little ones and various fossils she’s collected and my Daughter cannot get enough of them. So fascinating.

Comments are closed.