A visitor from the Northern Cape

On a recent visit to Upington, I was shown an Amethyst mine on the farm Vryheid about ten kilometres from the town.
    After viewing the "crack in the earth" where the amethyst is mined from, farmer Stirling Strauss invited me to take a stone with me. I picked up this one and you can see the lilac lines running through the stone.
 

     It has found a temporary place in the entrance hall but I will relocate my semi-precious gift to the book room soon.