Winter Trip??

Planning a winter trip somewhere???? Here is a worthwhile suggestion that can end up making you richer, rather than flushing your purse.

Ark. Man Finds 1.22 Carat Diamond in Park

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - It might be a hobby, but Steve Lee really knows how to spot a diamond in the rough. Lee's most recent find — a 1.22 carat, gem-quality diamond — turned up during a recent visit to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro.
He said he hadn't been able to hunt for diamonds in more than two years because a disability forced him to use crutches. Lee returned this year after friends persuaded him to take up the hobby again.

"It's a real thrill to find one this nice," he said Tuesday. "Even if you can't get around good, you can still do it."

Crater of Diamonds Superintendent Tom Stolarz said the size of the find isn't necessarily unusual for the park, but the quality of the diamond is exceptional. The state park is the only diamond mine in North America in which the public can dig.

About 25 diamonds are found each year that weigh more than a carat, Stolarz said.

In previous years, Lee has found a 6-carat diamond, a 4.7-carat and a few 2-carat diamonds at the park.

The diamond he found Monday could be worth more than $1,000, but he's got other plans for it: "This one's for mom," he said.