On Saturday she got to select a dozen samples to take home in an egg cartoon at the River Valley Rockhounds, Inc. 59th Rock, Gem, Mineral, Jewelry and Fossil Show on the Webster County Fairgrounds.

Ehrlich is 10 … going on PHD.

“I picked this one because rose quartz is my favorite, this one because it reminds me of my cat Jasper, this one reminds me of Pikachu, this one I like the way it reflects the light, this one, the stripe reminds me of a river; I really like the color on this one, it forms a heart.” she said.

But wait, there’s more.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Deb Davis, president of the River Valley Rockhounds, Inc., shows off how an ultraviolet light can make certain minerals emit visible light Saturday during the club's 59th Rock, Gem, Mineral, Jewelry and Fossil Show at Webster County Fairgrounds.

“My favorite is amethyst,” she said. “I like to play Minecraft; there’s a lot of gemstones in that.”

Collecting is a family tradition. Ehrlich often attends rock shows with her grandma, Deb Davis, president of the River Valley Rockhounds.

Davis had several tables set up with displays where visitors could learn about real and fake fossils, look at insects embedded in amber through a microscope and watch minerals emit visible light when struck by ultraviolet light.

“I like excitement in the kids,” Davis said. “They get to try doing things that are science.”

She’s impressed with Azelea’s zeal.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Arleigh DeWall, of Parkersburg, and her son, William DeWall, 8, look for sample rocks to take home Saturday morning during the River Valley Rockhounds, Inc. 59th Rock, Gem, Mineral, Jewelry and Fossil Show at the Webster County Fairgrounds.

“She’s the most inquisitive.” Davis said.

Arleigh DeWall, of Parkersburg, was going through the samples with her son William DeWall, 8.

“We’re big rock hounds,” she said. “Every vacation we go on we pick up rocks. Now we’re learning what they are.”

William DeWall quickly filled his egg carton.

“I ran out of room,” he said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Not to be confused with actual pieces of used gum, the samples of Bubble Gum Agate were among the many specimens available at the River Valley Rockhounds, Inc. 59th Rock, Gem, Mineral, Jewelry and Fossil Show at the Webster County Fairgrounds.

Running out of room for the rocks is a family tradition. DeWall’s mom, Lorri Scallon, of Ankeny, said her daughter always collected rocks wherever they went.

“She was the first rock hound,” Scallon said. “She had shoe boxes of them under her bed. When she went off to college, I had to get rid of a lot of rocks.”

The show continued Sunday.