Snow Day on the Mountain

It was snowing!
Mohonk Lake in Total Narnia Filter!

Meeting Gia

Met Marc's New Cousin, Gia.
She's Super Cute, Cuddly, and Loves Animals
My . New . Best . Friend!

Gia, I hope you know, I am gonna teach you EVERYTHING about nature! Whether you like it or not!

Foxfire Family Tradition 2016

The 2016 Foxfire Family Photo
Love is Love is Love is Love

We Have Been Family Way Before 2012

Wool Felting

So a few weekends ago, a few coworkers and I went to a wool felting workshop at a local yarn barn. Felting is when you poke raw wool with serrated needles. Poking the wool with needles will constrict the fibers of the wool and cause them to tighten up and be able to mold into shapes. It was super cool to learn how to use unspooled up wool and turn them into shapes, then into creatures! Enjoy the steps we took to make a bird! I was so thrilled with my ending result of a goldfinch that I bought a kit from the White Barn Farm and made another felted friend during the holidays! I think I found a new hobby! Check it out!

TheChristyBel

Step 1 - start with some wool, felt it into a ball, then cover it with colored wool.

Step 2 - A colored body!

Step 3 - Add some colored wings, details, and a tail!

Step 4 - Add more embellishments

Final Step - Add a bright colored beak

Showing Off Our Birds (Even Everest Loved Them!)

My Moose I Made From the Kit I Bought!

Belardo - Burton Christmas

A Huge Thank You to Marc for taking holiday photos of the family.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

Love,

TheChristyBel

2016 Belardo-Burton Holiday

The Family

Oh, Brother!

My Number One Man!

Phyllis and the Fabulous Five Grand Babies!

Some Late 2016 Ted the Cat Moments

Sun Sleeping


We Think He Loves Being Snuggled With Our Faces


Watching TV...Such a Couch Potato Cat

Marc Claimed He Was Kicked Off the Island (aka the Bed)
But He Was NOT! Ted Just Wanted to Snuggle Under the New Heated Blanket!

Mohonk Lake: Winter Style

Mohonk Lake, Frozen Over!

So Pretty!

Mohonk Lake Freezes Over

My first New Paltz-Gunks Winter was very different than the one we are experiencing right now. Today, I discovered from our Mesonet Weather Station, that it was 1 degree outside! That is amazing! I have not seen such low temps since Wyoming. With the low temps and the calm winds, we also discovered that Mohonk Lake froze over! This was a whole few months earlier than last year. Super excited to see how Mohonk Lake does this winter season! Enjoy the pics!

TheChristyBel

The Mesonet Reading of Such Low Temps!

Ice Crystallization on my Window

A Light, Thin Ice Over on Mohonk Lake

Super Glisteny!

Reflecting on Pond Keepers

Bringing Some TSS to My Pond Keepers Closing Program
#WordWeb

Happy Holidays From the DSRC

Happy Holidays from the DSRC!
(The Wreath was Purchased, but I Decorated It)

Love Notes

A Love Note Found on My Car From Mr. Marc
(Yes, he does call me Christy Bear! hahaha)

Ginger Bread Houses

So since it is the holidays, this time of year calls for lots of food, fun, and festivities. Full of holiday parties and getting together with loved ones and friends, these are opportunities for lots of food, fun, and festivity. Around town, we have been seeing some excellent examples of gingerbread houses. This afternoon, we went to one of my co-workers' houses, and made our own. Check out our dream gingerbread home! And some examples from elsewhere in town!

TheChristyBel

My Chimney Work on Our Gingerbread House

Our Front Door
Check Out Marc's Excellent Shingling on the Roof!

Summer Houses at the Mountain House

A Replica From a German Castle at the Brauhaus!

The Mohonk Winter Scene

The Wintery View From The Mountain House Patio

My Mohonk Lake View Is Much Different Than My Summer View!

Shouldn't You be Hibernating?

It's November 29 and It's Been Really Cold Lately
And This Evening, Found This Little One on Our Driveway
Shouldn't You Be Hibernating?

Double Rainbow

Double Rainbow After the Storm Today

Thanksgiving 2016

Thanksgiving 2016, I went home down to Delaware to celebrate the holidays. Since Marc and I have been a duo, it has usually been celebrating with his family on Thanksgiving and with mine in December. But with losing my grandfather earlier this spring, I felt the need to be home in Delaware. This will mark the first huge family holiday where Ray will not be with us. I have been all sorts of emotions and anxiety lately and even this whole holiday weekend. I really hope my grandmother is okay with the holidays coming through and him not being with her (and us). But being back in the 302 was all good sorts of feels. I was able to see the Foxfire family (loads of laughs and drinking), Ted got to come down (which was a rollercoaster of a ride for both of us), and then being with the Burton juniors (I have not been with them on a big holiday since Thanksgiving 2014. Wah. So it was good being home to see loads of family and a few friends along the way. I am super thankful for this never ending feeling of love and 'home' when I return back to the DE roots. There has been a lot of change happening recently and this year; this 'home' helps anchor some of that chaos spiraling around you. I hope everyone else feels that too and feels thankful for it.

Happy Turkey Day Everyone!

TheChristyBel

Foxfire Family Reunion - Thanksgiving Eve

Shenanigans

Tedders, Drugged Up and Headed Down to Delaware

Bonding with the Brother

I think they like each other

Feels Good to Be Home With Family

Taste of Rock the Ridge

Well, I have been convinced to join a team with three other co-workers and participate in the Preserve's annual "Rock the Ridge." This event is a 50-mile race up and down and around the Shawangunks Ridge! I know...what was I thinking! We are signing up as hikers and each solo racer or group are given up to 24-hours to complete this event. This morning, Marc and I participated in a "Taste of Rock the Ridge" where we joined other racers and hiked or ran on the carriage roads that make up the route of the race. It was super nice to get out on the land and be with some great people. TBD on more information on the race! Join me in wishing me luck (which I'll need) and hearing more about it!

TheChristyBel

Starting Out at West Trapps on Undercliff Road

Getting Out Near Glory Hill

Group Shot of the Fellow Hikers!

Wood Turtles in the Coxing

While collecting creatures on a somewhat chilly morning down at the Coxing, Cathy (another educator in our department) and I stumbled upon something 'yellow' amongst the brown leaf litter in the Coxing Kill. After moving a bunch of the leaves around, we discovered NOT ONE...but TWO turtles. Unfortunately, we did disturb the two doing some 'intimate' activities, which caused them to separate and escape their separate ways. Got some photos of them and released them on their merry way. After some research we discovered they were Wood Turtles. I had never seen them that large before. Still a cool find.

TheChristyBel

Female (left) and Male (Right) Wood Turtles

Beautiful Shells

Sorry We Disturbed

Want to be Jealous?

I'll Just Leave This Here - This Was My Evening. Be Jelly.