Thursday, July 31, 2014

Morning Walk to the LSR

Morning of Graduation, I was invited to go on a morning hike with Mandy and her mother to the LSR Preserve, also known as the Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve located in the Grand Teton National Park. This Preserve and its visitor center is unlike any other area in the Grand Teton National Park. The visitor center is 100% sustainable in any and every way possible, and the experience you have while going through the center is completely sensory and excites/prepares you for the hike you are about to embark on. The tour literally goes through all your senses: sight, sound, smell, touch (no taste - haha). So enjoy some of the photos taken from our morning stroll through the preserve and ending at Phelps Lake and back.

Next Entry - GRADUATION!! Boom!

TheChristyBel

First Morning Visitor on the Hike - A Red Fox
Second Morning Visitor on Hike - a Long-Tailed Weasel (Did Not Capture In A Photo)
Photo Credit to Sharon Redpath
Being Goofy - Mandatory Photo Opps Courtesy of Sharon Redpath
Photo Credit to Sharon Redpath
Crossing Over Some Beautiful Streams!
Two Girls Not in Dresses Today, But Match!
Photo Credit to Sharon Redpath
A View of Phelps Lake
From The Opposite Side From Where the Jumping Rock Is!
Bear Markings on Aspen!
So Cool!!!!
Photo Credit to Sharon Redpath
A View From the Bog-Area Connecting to Phelps Lake
Photo Credit to Sharon Redpath
 TheChristyBel

Good Morning From Momma Moose

This morning after dropping off Marc at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, I decided to head through Moose-Wilson Road to get to the LSR Preserve for a morning hike with Mandy and her mom. But came to a sudden stop with lots of cars in a traffic jam - this can only mean one thing: a BIG animal is nearby and all the tourists must stop and stare. When the traffic finally came back into movement, this is what I discovered on the side of the road! Enjoy!

TheChristyBel
Traffic Jam in the Tetons Means Animal Jam!
Momma Moose & Calf
My Heart Exploded!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Dinner in Jackson Hole With Mandy & Sharon

Mandy's Mom invited me to go with her and her daughter, Mandy, another grad out to dinner in town. Post-dinner we decided to be tourists and hit up the Cowboy Bar and the Elk Antlers.

It's OKAY to be a tourist every once and a while!

TheChristyBel

Sitting on Saddle Bar Stools in the Cowboy Bar!
We Had to Side-Sit on Them! 
Elk Antler Arches!
TheChristyBel

Monday, July 28, 2014

A Moment to Celebrate - One Year of Growth

Before we can officially say that we have completed the Teton Science Schools Graduate Program, the graduate students have one last assignment to turn in - we must end similarly to how we let our students end their programs: through a 'Celebration of Learning.' These celebration of learnings consist of students presenting what they have found most valuable to their knowledge and state of mind as well as a synthesis of their experience they have had here with the Teton Science Schools - so for me, TheChristyBel, here is mine!

First off, can we acknowledge that a year ago - TODAY - I packed up my Little Blue and began my drive out to the Forever West?!? Can you believe it?! I can't! As I checked in with my iPhone's TimeHop app, it posted photos of my last 'goodbyes' to my East Coast home and of the new opportunities that this western adventure had in store for me! Looking back over this blog, it has been one roller coaster of a year - A good one filled with a lot of challenges, but wonderful realizations and a clearer vision of what I plan to have in store for myself in the years to come!

For me, I wanted to do something that best represented theChristyBel for my COL: a mural, some form of a drawing, possibly even a color guard dance...but 1.) I did not have enough time to plan that...and 2.) I felt that was too predictable and sort of a comfort zone. I think it was time to find something else - as the weeks passed by through my summer capstone, I realized I already had a 'Celebration of Learning and a Synthesis of my Graduate Year.'

As many of you know, I have been recording my new chapter in my life here with the Teton Science Schools through this blog filled with wildlife, teachable moments, patterned pants, and summit poses. Originally, this blog's main purpose was to keep friends, family, former co-workers from back home, and random people in internet-land up-to-date with what is going on in the life of TheChristyBel as I embark on a new chapter - Grad School in the Tetons. I mean, why retype and rewrite the same experience over and over in many letters, when you can have a digital resource filled with photos, movies, and stories for anyone to see.

Not going to lie, I was never a 'Dear Diary' person so I thought that this blogging would not last long once the year got started and busy...but shortly after the Fall got into swing, I realized I enjoyed sharing these stories and Forever West adventures and continued to blog away for the year.

As I look back through the 150+ entries I wrote since my Forever West Journey started, I realized this blog is one of my biggest treasures from this program (besides my AEFECD Field Journal of course). Filled with every experience I've had: this blog helped me reflect and realize three main things about myself while being here with TSS: from where I stand among the four pillars that represent this graduate program and where I want to see myself in the future based on the goals I had coming here.

Beginning this program, I was dead set on pursuing a career in the science realm educating others in a formal middle school or high school classroom. With keeping this teaching career in mind, that was how I tried to focus this past year - a stepping stone to being a teacher. I was incredibly grateful to have outreach for my fall practicum - I absolutely loved the classroom, admired teaching with wonderful teachers that provided immediate feedback, and how to properly lesson plan. Having outreach under my belt and incorporating Lemov's Five Principles of Classroom Culture (discipline, management, control, influence, and engagement) definitely helped me be a better educator and learn how to create thoughtful and engaging activities and lessons for my students. I also discovered my first big realization: I enjoyed younger children a whole lot more than older ones. That was the first turn in my career path to teaching - aim to paddle towards elementary education!

Winter was the next step with a bunch of challenges that all revolved around SNOW! When our first snowfall fell, I could not believe what type of environment I got myself into for the next six months. But it made me realize that it is okay to show your students you are not perfect - for instance falling flat on your face in the snow while on cross-country skis: incredibly embarrassing - yes, incredible opportunity for you to demonstrate how to properly get up from your fall and admit to others I am also new to snow activities too: incredibly powerful. I believe it takes a type of leader and a thoughtful team member to show your own flaws and help others learn from them, and for me to present that to my students who were struggling in the very same area I was struggling in, was a great way to earn trust and an understanding from them when I taught. Winter also gave me time to perfect lessons: reteaching them week after week, learning what worked, and reflecting on the outcomes, helped sort out the kinks and make lessons stronger for spring.

Heading into spring with one last week left of the winter practicum, I was given the opportunity to work in the Journey's School (a second opportunity in a school) and an exciting chance to show off and incorporate some of my own talents into teaching - ART! Being paired with another talented artist grad student, we had the chance to create an art class elective for the middle schoolers! I was beyond super excited! Through the discussions of planning this week-long course, we were able to incorporate both of our knowledge and passion for art and give it a naturalist twist for our students in a shared teaching vision. A beautiful progression of differing drawing techniques each day resulted in an end of the week beautiful gallery walk full of wonderful pieces drawn by each student. That elective week, was by far my favorite and most proud moment of being a teacher and that's when I had my second realization: I really love art, maybe a little more than science.

Through the spring, I was able to enhance my naturalist skills much more - taking AEFECD enabled me to fill my mind with more natural history than I had learned during IFST and resulted in a field journal filled with countless sketches. If you've seen that journal, I think I took my understanding for the natural world to a whole new level and discovered I learned more when I got to draw it out. Through drawing, you are able to capture those small intrinsic details that an animal or plant holds and understand their ecological relationship to the rest of the ecosystems and communities.

Going into the capstone, I really felt strongly to one of my Expression team's key understandings: Science is an Art & Art is a Science. You definitely need one for the other. Using that same concept of the AEFECD field journal, my students were able to connect scientific and naturalist concepts through artistic observations and sketching data. During one of my observation debriefs, my faculty coach stated that I taught well, but I taught art really well and that I should continue teaching art and using it in my teaching. 'We need more Christy-Art in this life.' That capstone experience helped solidify this love for art and sharing that with others. And that is when I had my last realization: as much as I love teaching about science and the outdoors, I believe there is something I'd rather teach art!

Reflecting back on this year, the one last concept that I want to emphasize is the Golden Circle model where you define your what, how, and why of an idea or soul-purpose or goal. Through my experience here with TSS, I believe it helped me define my real 'why.' The what: realizing I enjoy teaching and working with younger minds. The how: I use my artistic talents for all of my teaching tools and assignments, I gain understanding and trust of my students through one-on-one check-ins and small group teaching and an ability to give students their own time to reflect on what their needs actually are. and the why: it is not directly teaching science, but using the natural world and scientific concepts to teach art.

For me this program was more than perfecting where I stand on the four pillars of the grad program, it was solidifying what I want to do with my life. I thank Teton Science Schools for helping me narrow down the path of where theChristyBel needs to be and that is with a pen and paper in my hand and teaching a passion that I've only focused on as a hobby. So here's to figuring it out - and I did. I believe that as I continue my path, I will be able to take what I have learned here of the and incorporate it into some other realm of teaching: art.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Corn Hole - Team Fancy Pants

The Only Photo!! I captured from the 2014 Annual Kelly Campus Corn Hole Tournament!

The Annual Kelly Campus Corn Hole Tournament is an event held every year to celebrate the current graduate class as well as help raise money for the upcoming graduate class. This years current class all pitched in to donate a sum of money for next year's class and in return the TSS Grad Faculty and staff pitch in and throw this fun-filled, delicious food-filled, corn-hole tourney to celebrate!

Mandy & I were Team Fancy Pants!
Lost in the first round! Haha.

TheChristyBel
Team Fancy Pants!

Saturday, July 26, 2014

A Day Outside - Climbing Blacktail Butte

Today was the first day in a little more than three weeks, where I was able to sleep in, embrace the outdoors, and not worry about school or teaching! With yesterday being many of the grad students' last day with their summer capstone program, today was the first day that I could dedicate the entire day to ME! So can you guess what I did?!?! 

Well, one, I slept in until like 9:00am (you may think this is early, but since I've been getting up at 6:45am the past three weeks, 9:00am is a great sleeping in achievement). Then it was about time I embraced the outdoors - without students! So many options: I wanted to hike Specimen Ridge, but that fell through based on scheduling of things (this is postponed for mid-August). Then there was this offer to hike and climb up the Middle Teton, but that also fell through. Then it was decided to that the today was the day to finally start using my climbing gear to the test and go a little smaller than the Middle - Blacktail Butte!

Not going to lie, I enjoy and prefer bouldering over top-rope and lead climbing since I am not used to those two activities on the rock, but overall, had a really great time learning something new. Climbing up onto the rock was not the challenging part - it was the confidence and trust of being belayed down. Not quite sure why, but all these scary thoughts of the rope giving out or my knots coming undone - really freak me out and give me so much hesitation to actually lean back into my harness and let someone lower me down...But, I did it - up and down the Lower Blacktail Butte wall! Andafter a few times of getting used to the rock and being belayed down, my worries are slowly declining. It will take some time, but I have a feeling I'm going to like this activity! 

Today was amazing! Being able to sleep in, play outside, and participate in activities on your own time was beyond anything I could ask for after straight teaching for three-weeks! Literally - the best day ever! Enjoy some photos that were captured!

TheChristyBel

Marc & I at the Top of the Upper Blacktail Butte!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet
Of Course There Was a Summit Pose Involved!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet
A Well Deserved Lunch & Soak in the Sun at the Shores of Jenny Lake!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet
Then the Evening was Topped with Home-Made Paleo Chocolate-Hazelnut Ice Cream!

Expressions in Nature & Art

Hiking On Up Lobo Hill
Hanging in Hammocks at the Art Fair
For the past twenty days, my main attention has been focused on 16-high school students from all over the country and the globe! Our program, eXpressions in Nature and Art used experiences in nature to build identity and relationships through creative expression informed by science and the natural world. Many of these students that I had the honor of teaching for the past three weeks were incredibly talented (not just artistically, but intellectually, emotionally, athletically, and so on). The one thing I admired through this program was the diversity and richness of types of individuals coming into this program. We had individuals that were here on scholarship to individuals that had family in the GYE and were here on vacation. There were students that did not speak English as their primary language to individuals that did not speak Spanish. Some students were not even interested in art, but applied for this course anyway. The list of unique characteristics and qualities of our students goes on and on. 

High school can be one challenging age groups for educators, and well for other high schoolers. These students definitely challenged us as their friends, their instructors, their role models, and their guides through not just program time and lessons, but on real-life/world scenarios and topics. It definitely reminded me of my time working with my summer counselors back at the Delaware Nature Society. You are pushed in two different directions: one - where you are their adviser, their manager, their boss and two - where you want to be their friend and earn their respect. That battle was constantly challenged and trailed through the program. You learn to know boundaries, communicate clearly, and set expectations in the proper way, but still earn that respect and 'friend' level with your students.
Oh, Helium Stick...

The first few days were challenging: trying to get them out of their comfort zones, getting them to open up, making new friendships, and exploring and getting used to their new home for the next 20-days. Through team-builders, activities, and hikes around the GYE, our students were slowly getting used to this new program, this new place, to each other, and to their instructors. And well...so were the instructors!

Everyday, as we explored the Tetons and the GYE, we incorporated a variety of artistic mediums for them to express what they had learned, their feelings, their experiences, their emotions, everything. From drawing, to natural plant dyes, to poetry, to storytelling, they were able to challenge themselves and find their creative inner artist - whether they knew they had one or not.

Intermixed with the art, we took them backcountry camping, rafting, canoeing, front country camping, hiking, and so on!

Soaking in the Creek After Lots of Hiking
Canoeing at String Lake




Cooking Plants to Make Natural Dyes


Evening Program in the Tent
Escaping the Mosquitos
Sand Hill Cranes Out of Natural Materials
Carrying Out the Huge Mosquito Tent
Liam Teaching About Mountaineering and Mountain Men of the Tetons
Look at Our View!
Team Fancy Pants Backcountry Instructors!

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Getting Inked By Tyhara From Expressions!

I let Tyhara, one of our students from Expressions in Nature and Art, use my arm as one of the mediums for her art portfolio, body art - pen & ink. She's such a talented artist! I was watching her doodle all over her legs during one of our sit-spots, earlier today, and totally had to ask her to give me some ink on me too!

Still a work in progress, I'm loving the tree and the fossilized dinosaur on my arm! 

Makes me really want to get inked permanently. One day!!

Getting Inked by Tyhara
Fossils & Dinosaurs
Should I Get a Real Full Sleeve?
A Living Piece of Artwork By My Girl, Tyhara!

Don't Worry, Mom...It's Not Real.
Yet.

TheChristyBel

Friday, July 18, 2014

Haze Over the Tetons

After the field day was over, I wanted to get in a small hike before Expressions traveled to Yellowstone for the next five days (and for their last leg of their summer program experience!). So Marc and I hiked up to Coyote Rock on the southeastern side of campus. The view from the top was beautiful - although there has been some really intense fires over on the Idaho side that there has been tremendous amounts of thick haze over the Tetons and many of the other surrounding mountain ranges. It's crazy to think that fires over the range can spread their evidence over such large distances (and result in hazy scenic views over in Wyoming). Just so crazy.

Here are some photos of the view.

Enjoy.

A Hazy Teton Silhouette
Hello!
A View From Entering a Mosquito-Infested Upper Meadow
A Teton Sunset - With ChristyBel
TheChristyBel

An Artist's Statement By TheChristyBel

The Creative Ways of the Christy Bel

For the final project for our Expressions in Nature & Art summer program, we have assigned each student to provide a portfolio of their best work and a written interpretation of their own 'artist's fingerprint.' Here is my portfolio. Enjoy.

Ever since I was a young child, I have found three passions that I have comfortably connected with that served as an escape from the realities of the real world – dance, art, and nature. I draw and dance to capture moments of time I want to remember, to give myself brain breaks, to find ways to meet new people, and to release emotion – without them in my life, I would feel bottled up. I consider myself as a visual artist that can capture moments and things that I see, but also can feel an emotion and mold it into my own movement and interpretation.  Throughout my life, I have been able to incorporate these passions into my every day life.


Since the age of five years old, I have found that being able to express yourself with your body and music is such a healthy activity not just for your body, but your soul. Being able to perform on a floor, allow the music to carry you away into oblivion, and to intertwine a creative collaboration with movement and tossing of flags and sabres was a way for me to connect to my community. Having the honor to dance with a group of twenty or more other talented performers helped me share my love for dance and guard not only with myself, but also with others who shared the same passion. Performing in front of thousands of people gave you a rewarding rush, but also gave you the opportunity to connect with your audience as you performed to them – that was the most rewarding experience any performer could have.  As I performed on the floor, being able to share a moment in a show with one audience member, even if it was just a second of locking eyes, was a moment of connectedness and joy that is truly priceless gift you can give as a dancer.


2011 Alter Ego - Lux AEterna

                  My second piece reflects my understanding of detail in the natural world. I sketch and draw to understand concepts, details, and qualitative characteristics in my surroundings. Considering myself as a field naturalist and inspired by other naturalists such as the Muries, E.O. Wilson, John Muir Laws, and David Allen Sibley, I have been able to understand the place and community by the observations I see and capture of the natural history that reside there. When I needed some quiet time or a place to hear myself think, I would resort to the window of my cabin. There, I was able to sit, relax, and view what ever visited my window. In this piece, these were birds I had observed outside my cabin window throughout the winter and spring here on the Kelly Campus. Being able to sit and draw a bird – from the type of beak, feather color patterns to tail shape helps me understand the types of birds that are able to thrive in a particular community and how they adapt to a place. Recording every detail observed through cross-hatching, stippling, and shading, it helps me get a thorough idea of the local flora and fauna through texture, depth, and proportion, as well as how the animals differed from other parts of the country and world.

Kelly Campus Wyoming Birds Outside My Cabin Window 

                  The last piece I am sharing is my Advanced Elements of Field Ecology Course Design Field Notebook. I believe that not all art is a framed picture or photograph, a song or a poem. It can be anything, as long as the artist is proud of the time, dedication, and work they put into creating it. My field notebook is one of my top pieces of artwork I have created while out here. Not only are my field sketches from field days enclosed amongst the pages, but notes, thoughts, and ideas area captured. This is a synthesis of my learning as a field naturalist here in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem – I have made connections of the communities that thrive here and the natural flora and fauna that can live here.
Pages From Inside My AEFECD Notebook
Pages From Inside My AEFECD Notebook
Hope You Enjoyed.
TheChristyBel

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Happy One Year, Blog!


One year ago, today, I decided to document every and any experience that headed my way as I traveled westward to Kelly, Wyoming to embark on a new chapter of my life - graduate school and environmental education in a formal, professional career path.

I hope that many of you, my followers and blog readers, have enjoyed my experiences that I have shared and feel as if you were here with me in the Tetons experiencing these unforgettable moments alongside me!

This blog has been a great keepsake and record of my new life here in the Tetons, as well as a great resource for me to reflect back on in the future.

This is not the end of this blog, there is plenty more to come!

Just celebrating the fact that I have been actually keeping up with this thing, since journals were never my thing!

Enjoy!

TheChristyBel

A Little Moment of Joy Found Today on the Main Lodge Porch
A One-Eyed Sphinx Moth!!!!

Saturday, July 12, 2014

While Prepping for the Backcountry

After trying to fit into the box in the grad office, TheChristyBel wanted to see if she could fit into other things...
...this is what happened while checking inventory and gear when prepping for the backcountry.

Checking the Backpacks
Photo Credit to Mary Beth Cox, fellow Teton Science Schools Graduate Student
The Torn Mosquito Screen Tent Bag
Photo Credit to Mary Beth Cox, fellow Teton Science Schools Graduate Student
Enjoy these precious, but hilarious moments.
TheChristyBel

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

When You Go Host Crazy

I am just going to leave you with this photo.

The Things You Do When You're Whole Team Is Rafting on The Snake
And You're Stuck Hosting...

Attempting to Mail Myself
Oh The Things You Do When You're Hosting
Photo Credit to Dani Biersteker

Saturday, July 5, 2014

A Relaxing Sketch Session

When your days are filled with busy moments, constant planning, and babysitting,
taking time to breathe and relax and sketch out some stress is a beautiful thing.

This afternoon after a full day of babysitting and a week's worth of planning summer camp,
time was taken to sit on a shaded porch and sketch.

It was much needed.

Sketch session time!
For once, I drew people!
Not a comfort zone of mine!
Got a Tattoo!
Don't worry, Mom, it's not real!
Marc's Drawing of a Moose!
So Good!
TheChristyBel

Auctioning Off Babysitting!

A few weeks ago, the Kelly Campus hosted an Auction to raise money for next year's graduate class. This was a really fun event because all the current graduate students donated something(s) to the auction to bid off. Some of them were really silly (aka stealing faculty's car keys or personal items from their desks) to really beautiful hand-made art, baked goods, food, and activities/event. Not only did I donate some of the artwork from TheChristyBel, but since I also enjoy being with little humans, I donated 3-individual nights of free babysitting! Score! Since I have been craving working with pre-K and little ones since I was on outreach, it was a great way to get my 'baby fix' while I worked with middle and high schoolers all summer long.

So during the week of my planning week for eXpressions in Nature and Art, I sent out e-mails to the three lucky faculty that won my babysitting tickets to start penciling in some dates to watch some children! Here are some photos of a few of the children I got the honor to play with this past week!

Stickers & Drawing with Talia
Please Note Her Dorothy Outfit!
Making Bugs with Dylan
Shout Out to my Ashland Nature Center Counselors!
Dylan and Bard Playing in String Lake!
How Cool Are These Towels?!?!
I Was Not Babysitting Two Boys - But An Alien & A Toad!
Paddle Board Time!

Don't worry parents, TheChristyBel will be here all August-long in the Tetons!
She is still taking babysitting gigs!

TheChristyBel