Minecraft Snapshot world - Glenardd castle base

 I set up two new points on the map today in the search for a geode.  The first is a simple ferry point and small tree farm, and the second is the base for a castle.

First, the map as it stands so far.  I've dug extensive tunnels through CrissCross and at three different points in the mountains at Three Torch.  I've found gold, diamonds, emeralds, redstone galore (finally) and lots and lots of Deepslate.  I've found some Tuff, as well, and  a few dripstone caves.  I was reading on a wiki that the geodes like to spawn somewhere around water flows, and in either Tuff or Deepslate, and below level 70.  They will have blocks of Calcite and Smooth Basalt around them, which are not found in any other formation.  The Dripstone forms around water flows, as well - but is not directly related to where a Geode might be.  And just because you find a big area of Deepslate or Tuff, it does not mean there 'has' to be a geode in there.. although it does not exclude it, either.

These look like teeth!  My daughter says they really hurt and can kill you if you fall on them.  I haven't had the misfortune to find that out, yet.  I've been reading some interesting things about making everlasting lava drips and water cauldrons that always stay full with them... and the block is an interesting texture, too.

Merryman ferry and tree farm.  I like to use the diorite in a square formation like this so that it shows up nicely on the map.  This is more of a map-point along the path than a working place at the moment.  However, I did build a house there and spent some time planting and replanting trees.  Being on the edge of this big lake and a large stone hill it has potential for getting materials for the surrounding sites when needed.

Gwynardd means 'white garden' in Welsh, which I thought of when I mined all the diorite out of that hill for the dock station to show up on the map wall well.  I'm not sure where it got switched to Glenardd but I see I wrote it that way on the map already.. well, lots of places in ral life have that prblem, too.  HA. 

This dock station was supposed to be a point to stop on the way over to that interesting set of gorges I had mentioned.  But after a minute it reminded me a lot of the Cliffden castle shore I worked on last year - and I decided that I could put a base here with a small 'castle' structure and maybe a few houses.  I haven't even been further North past these glaciers - wonder what's out there?  The gorges are to the North East of here, in an isthmus between two islands, and I can see some lights down at the bottom of either mineshafts or lava... will go explore there next maybe after establishing some more at this site.