The Next Chapter: The Gunks
A Rock, A River, A Ridge - From the Grand to the Gunks
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Friday, September 29, 2017
Baby Garter vs. Spider Web
There are times where I love my job more than usual: this is one time. So I was sitting at my desk and my co-worker comes up to me and plops a piece of paper on my desk. On that paper, was the tiniest snake I had ever seen. Our Associate Director of Facilities & Grounds was sweeping the floors and discovered this little guy caught in a spider's web! He rescued it and gave it to me to take care of it! Haha. I find it quite amusing that I am the go-to person to be given such tasks. But I'll take it! So we used some tweezers to remove the cob webs and placed it in a specimen jar to calm down from its terrifying series of events. Before we let it go, we had to take a picture of it next to a quarter. It was that tiny!
It really got me thinking, could a spider really eat a snake? Maybe a tiny, tiny snake? Herp friends, help me out! Is it possible?
theChristyBel
It really got me thinking, could a spider really eat a snake? Maybe a tiny, tiny snake? Herp friends, help me out! Is it possible?
theChristyBel
The Tiniest Garter Snake Ever Found |
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Guess the Warbler
Besides teaching, part of my job is to draw flora and fauna of the Preserve. These images can be used in our programs, advertisements, curriculum, and exhibits. We are considering an event in the next year or so, and I was asked to create some images for a potential logo. I am starting to draw three different warblers for this logo. Going detailed first and once they go into Photoshop, we'll make them a less-detailed and more logo-friendly. In the meantime, can you guess which Warbler I am drawing?
Hint 1: the Sketch |
Hint 2: Begin the Pen & Ink |
Hint 3: Finished |
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Thoughts?
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a Black and White Warbler!
(kind of easy as there was no color to this one)
Sunday, September 10, 2017
The Petting Zoo with Amanda & Ev
Having Marc leave for the week is pretty hard for me. I get super lonely when it's just me in the apartment with Ted. Marc just left for a 2-week work trip to visit and work with his mother out of her Phoenix-Home Office! Having time away from Marc is sometimes nice, but it gets pretty boring and lonely without him. I have a small list of friends that I hang out with up here, so it does help fight that lonely feeling. This afternoon, my officemate, Amanda, texted me asking if I'd like to join her and her son, Ev, to an afternoon at the petting zoo. I happily accepted. It was super fun. The petting zoo is the Goodnow Family Farm right near our work on Rte. 44/55. It's tiny, but for $5 you can visit with some goats, llamas, cows, pigs, chickens, a donkey, a few horses, and sheep. Oh, there were also a bunch of kitties! Ev, Amanda, and I had a great time feeding and petting ALL the animals! Afterwards, we taste-tested the new ice cream parlor on Rte. 44/55. Ev really approved of the chocolate ice cream. The store was also giving away a whole bunch of CD's; he even picked me out one. Watch out Marc, Ev is moving in by sending me mixed tapes! Haha!
theChristyBel
theChristyBel
Llama, Llama, Are You My Mama? |
Feeding Goats |
Ev is a Little Hesitant of the Goats |
He Liked the Bunnies |
But Really Loved the Cats! |
Who Doesn't Love Cats? |
Hanging with My Other Boyfriend! |
Love = Mixed Tapes |
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Pond Keepers Poster Redesign
I have been coordinating the Pond Keepers program for the Preserve for about 2.5 school years now. Pam, the former Pond Keepers Coordinator, did a phenomenal job getting this program up and running. After some time, I finally decided to retire Pam's Poster drawing and add a bit of theChristyBel into the program. So, I began to redesign a new Pond Poster that each program will get to color in and add a bunch of pond creatures to as they learn about the Pond!
Sketching Out the Design |
Begin to Add the Plants and Bottom of the Pond |
Pond Poster Finished Before Labels and Creatures |
An Example of a Pond Poster When Finished (Minus the Coloring) |
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Bike Ride with Marc
Monday, June 26, 2017
Kerhonkson Thank You Gift
The Perks of Being an Educator: the Thank You Cards
One of Kerhonkson's 1st grade classes sent me a "Caddisfly Thank You Book" for teaching their class about the Forest and Stream! It is beyond amazing!
Check out some of the pages! They are adorable, hilarious, and cute!
theChristyBel
One of Kerhonkson's 1st grade classes sent me a "Caddisfly Thank You Book" for teaching their class about the Forest and Stream! It is beyond amazing!
Check out some of the pages! They are adorable, hilarious, and cute!
theChristyBel
The Cover |
Love Mrs. Eck's Classes! |
Nature Bingo is always fun to play! |
Another Nature Bingo Fan! |
Salamander Catching! |
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Quick! Pose Like Ted
Marc will probably kill me for posting this, but I caught them on the bed laying like each other!
"Like Father, Like Fur-Child"
theChristyBel
They Look Alike! |
Friday, June 16, 2017
A Rainy Hike at Minnewaska State Park
Decided to take a hike around Minnewaska State Park and Preserve while I waited for Marc to return home. It was a little misty from the rain, but its a great time to find things along the trail. Check out some of the finds from my hike!
theChristyBel
theChristyBel
Dew-Outlines on Spider's Webs |
Reflective Foggy Lake Side Views |
Foggy, Creepy Trails (Also completely all mine!) |
The Start to the Mountain Laurel Bloom |
Honey Suckle? |
Tiny Sheep Laurel Blooms |
Striped Maple Leaves the Size of My Hand |
Striped Maple Samaras About to Ripen |
Purple Columbine |
A Spider Playing Camouflage on the Quartz Conglomerate |
Wild Turkeys "Hiding" in the Fog |
Summer Houses that have No Lake to View |
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Mohonk Preserve Auction
Although, I did not attend the Mohonk Preserve's Annual Auction, I was sent photos of my work being a hit at the Silent Auction. I am thrilled that there were several bids on my drawing! And the winner was one of my volunteers from the Daniel Smiley Research Center! I am super glad it is going to a home that I know appreciates art and will take care of it!
theChristyBel
theChristyBel
The Spring Peeper |
On Display with My Biography at the Auction Photo Credit: Wendy Toman |
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