Thursday, November 26, 2015

Thanksgiving 2015





















2015 has given me an endless list of things to be thankful for: earning a Masters, leading wildlife tours, getting a big girl job, teaching programs, becoming a better scientist, the new friendships, reuniting with old friends, coming back east, gaining more self-confidence, Ted the cat, my family, Marc, and so much more. I will not go and describe the many blessings that this year has given me, but I am incredibly thankful for what has been placed in my hand.


This year for the holidays, we travelled to Long Island to spend Thanksgiving with his cousins, Barry, Liz, Beth, Jen, and Lynn. It was super nice to have a relaxing holiday with his family! We also tried out a new cookie recipe that everyone seemed to enjoy!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving and holiday!
TheChristybel

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Ted the Cat

The first picture of Ted!
So, Marc and I have a new addition for our family! His name is Ted the Cat! Since we moved back to the Tetons, we have been looking for a furry friend to hang with us but never found the right one or had the perfect time to adopt. Now that we are in one place and have a home, we thought it was the perfect time to find a furry friend!

While I was at work, my executive director was asking around the office if anyone wanted a cat. His daughter had a neighbor that had moved away and left two cats behind. I immediately asked Glenn to send me the picture of the cats. And instantly fell in love. I forwarded the picture to Marc and asked if we wanted to check this cat out! Marc agreed and I texted Erin (Glenn's daughter) to set up a go-see.

The cat was from Kingston, so we travelled about 45-minutes up there to visit with the cats. One of the two had already been adopted, so it was just one left looking for a new home.

As soon as we stopped over to meet this cat, he instantly meowed and approached us with welcome and love. So much cuddling! I even sat on the floor and he crawled into my lap. He totally won us over in the first 5-minutes of meeting him.

Our First Picture Together!
We were definitely hooked. We took the weekend to talk it over, but by the following week, I drove up and brought him home! The next day, Marc brought this kitty to the animal hospital to get a check up, update him on his shot, and also, to get neutered. While that was all happening, we came to find out that Mr. Cat had feline-HIV and feline Leukemia. This was really sad to hear. This meant we could not get another cat for a friend or allow him to go outside, as he could transmit the diseases to other cats (they are not contractable to humans). They even asked if we wanted them to not wake him up?!!? Are you kidding me? Just because he was tested positive for these two cat diseases. We of course said NO! We would rather have him be a house cat than put down an animal.

Other than being diagnosed with feline HIV and feline Leukemia, he is a healthy, happy cat. Oh, and the name, Ted. We did not really choose the name, he somewhat acquired it. When Marc brought him in for his check up, the hospital asked for a name. So Marc placed 'TBD' on the form. When we came in to pick up the cat, the lady at the desk said, 'Oh you're here for Ted!' and we both look at each other and say, 'Ted?' Then we realized that she definitely ready TBD has TED. Oh man. So, the name just stuck. Now he is Ted. He does live up to the name, Ted. Similar to the teddy bear movie - super cute, but can be a total butthead at times. So yes, the name definitely sticks.

Ted has been such a cute little addition to our trio! He loves to cuddle, does not at all bite or scratch, is pretty much litter box trained, and does not scratch up the house. Although he does have some learning curves with some things. He also is still learning to be an inside cat and get used to toys, feeding times, sleeping times, and bathroom time. But he is super cute and we love him!

Enjoy some pictures of him!

TheChristyBel

Loves to Play Hide and Seek
Loves to Sleep and Cuddle
Love to Cuddle with Us!
Did we mention loves to cuddle!
Constantly Needs to Touch Us!
My Two Favorite Boys!
Happy Kitty!

Puppets with theChristyBel

Today, Marc and I travelled to Woodstock for the day. The original Woodstock is about an hour north of New Paltz. The town was filled with really cute farmer's/flea markets and shops. So here is a tidbit from what we found: puppets in a bookstore.

Marc & A Squirrel
TheChristyBel and an Owl

October at Mohonk Preserve

October has been helping me get up to speed with more things that are the Mohonk Preserve and the Shawangunks. Over this past month, I have been getting more familiar with many of the educational programs, finding really cool natural history tidbits, and having some fun experiencing the many colors of the fall foliage turning! Check out some of the October highlights!

TheChristyBel

 
Some of my students making some great progress on making fire during Lenape Lifeways!
Really Interesting Mushroom Off the Side of the Highway During the Road Clean Up

Road Clean Up
Black Rat Snake Hiding in the Lenape Longhouse
Mikey Schaefer Presenting His Movie, Force
Mohonk Red Witch Hazel
Birch Trees in the Fall!
East Coast Foliage = Best Color Scheme
Using Our Wood Stove!
Phenology Project's Fruit & Seed Workshop
Identifying Types of Fruits & Seeds
Damselfly Visits During Water Programs
Common Milkweed All Over the Foothills
Obligatory Fall Foliage Shot at Split Rock at Coxing Kill Trailhead
Huge Giant Water Bugs
Fall Foliage Turning on the Shawangunk Ridge