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August is for Space Aliens

I could end it right there.  There is enough going on, why not space aliens?  But let me explain...

August is the month of heat, and last hurrah's, lions, dried grass, earlier evenings, and the stone that sums it all up - peridot.  I say "pear-ih-doh", but some people say "pear-ih-dot", and google translate agrees with them.  

There are only 2 green birthstones.  One is Emerald, which is famous, and has ties to other stones in its Beryl family, like Aquamarine.  The other is peridot, sometimes called "the evening emerald" because it keeps its glowy green essence in low lighting, like an... alien?  No, not yet.  Stay with me.  

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Peridot gets its green from its iron content, which is unique in stones.  It comes in many shades, but no other colour, and is linked to no other gems.  It is a loner, a maverick, an outsider.  The world used to get its peridot from the Red Sea, but now peridot is mined from Pakistan to Arizona.  It is not made in a lab, as most other gems can be.  The closest we've come is to make a quartz crystal in a similar tone.  It is generally inexpensive in the gemstone world, so the idea that anyone would bother making it in a lab at all is... alien?  Nope, that's not it either.

Amongst those who collect gems for metaphysical properties, Peridot is known to balance heart and mind, give wisdom in relationships, and help with restful sleep.  Peridot brings you love.  Peridot brings you peace. Just like the episode of the Simpsons from 1997, when Mr Burns went through a series of medical testing that left him glowing green, bestowing loveliness on everyone, and accidently convincing residents he was an alien.  Almost there.

In museums all over the world, there are very impressive gems displayed loose or in elaborate jewellery pieces.  The Smithsonian's Hope Diamond has received 100 million visitors since 1958, and I know two of those people, one being me.  They have many other specimens that are gorgeous, and priceless.  I mentioned before that peridot is relatively inexpensive, but there is one population of peridots that is extremely rare, expensive and coveted - the alien peridots.  That is correct.  It is very rare, but gem quality peridot aliens have been known to travel to earth via meteorites such as the very large Brenham meteorite.  They don't usually end up in jewellery, they tend to stay in museums.

All of this means that peridot is the gorgeous green alien birthstone from space (sometimes) that brings us peace and love, which makes August an amazing month to celebrate to the end.
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