Diana,  Very happy to see a fellow Michigander on the Conch L list. I also
am a gardener and live near Flint.  I think we have much to talk about.
Perhaps we could email (off list). Mine is [log in to unmask]  Again,
welcome.  Kay

-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Diana Pederson
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 1999 3:44 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Introduction


Greetings:

I am absolutely amazed to find an email group just
about shells!  I knew the internet had something
for everyone!

I am an avid gardener from Michigan.  In fact, I
write a weekly internet column about gardening
with disabilities or limitations of old age.  In
the last six weeks, I've become a hermit crab
owner which leads me back to one of my passions as
a kid (I'm over 50 now)--collecting and trying to
identify seashells.

I've had the privilege of living in Honduras.
Unfortunately I no longer have any of the shells I
found there.  Do have some from a trip my son and
I made to Florida 4 years ago.  However, due to
rheumatoid arthritis, it is highly unlikely I will
ever again be physically able to wander the
beaches and go digging in the sand to find
shells.  Will now have to settle for buying them
(mostly off the internet).

I hope to join the Conchologists (did I spell that
right?) organization or the Shore and Sea group so
I have a magazine about shells.

If anyone can direct me to some good sites for
buying new shells at reasonable prices, I'll
appreciate it.  Will probably have to wait until
after Christmas and Y2K.

I'm a natural born collector at heart (that's why
I own 200 houseplants, 15 hermit crabs, lots of
rocks packed away in boxes, and over 200 garden
books.  It will be fun to be in contact with other
shell collectors.

Question:

I am strictly an amateur.  Which of the two
magazines would be most suitable for me at this
point in time.  The chances of me becoming
anything other than just a shell purchaser are
rather slim.

Also, is there a good way to shine up shells
collected from the ocean without damaging them?
Anything I should know special about storing
shells?
--
Diana Pederson, Lansing, Michigan, United States,
USDA Zone 5
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