The heeler sisters and I took a break this morning, wandering around a coral reef.

No, I'm not on vacation, and the heelers haven't learned to snorkel (but that would be fun to see).

Our coral reef is a little dry, and has been since the Jurassic. A long, low rocky rise that runs for several miles. An ordinary rocky ridge, with rounded lumps of ordinary brown rock about every 20 yards or so.

But the rounded brown mounds used to be coral, millions of years ago. A few shell fossils mixed in.

First noticed the fossils years ago when I stopped to give a previous truck heeler a break, and spotted a small horny toad. And gave chase. Caught it, too, of course. It's not like they're fast or anything.

And found a small black rock. The center core of a nautilus.

Brought the wife and young boys out here for a day, and found quite a few nautilus fossils. Most in poor condition, crumbling as you watch. And plenty of horny toads.

This morning?

One small tubule fossil. Not sure what it used to be, but it looks almost exactly like the bone tubes used to make chokers.

And one small black piece of a nautilus. Not bad for five minute's effort.

And two thirsty heelers.