6. Dig for Topaz

In Dallas, Houston, and other big cities, you have to go to the mall to buy jewels. In the Hill Country, you find them lying on the ground. Topaz, the state gem of Texas, is found only in Mason County, about an hour’s drive from Fredericksburg. Clear or blue-tinted stones are generally located close to the surface around granite outcroppings in creek beds and ditches. Hunt all you want at Lindsay Ranch, 325/ 347-4052. Or buy a stone custom faceted with a Lone Star cut by gemologist B. Diane Eames at Gems of the Hill Country Lapidaries & Jewelers, 325/347-0475, on the town square in Mason.