Lunar & Meteorite Workshop

For my Science Methods I (Advanced Topics in Pedagogy) class, we were invited to go to the NASA Lunar & Meteorite Sample Disk Certification workshop tonight. This was such a cool event for us. Not only were we getting inspired about Earth Science classroom lessons and activities, but we were also getting certified to sign out actual meteorite and lunar samples from NASA! So cool, so when I become a school teacher, I can borrow and sign these out from NASA and use them in my classroom! So pumped!

Kali Placing Fish Aquarium Rocks into a Water Balloon
Prepping us for Meteorite Impact Patterns & Which Surface is Better to Find Meteorite Impact Evidence
When We Go Outside and Collect Data!

Kali's Meteorite Impact on Asphalt Surfaces

And Then the Moment Came!
Examining the Samples!
Susan Nerding out!

Oh My Gosh, It Was Super Awesome to See These Samples Up Close!

Lunar Samples Too!

Total Earth Science Nerd Out!

Now, I am certified to borrow and sign out samples for teaching! It was the best night ever!

TheChristyBel

And the Ceramics Continues!

Just an artistic update, here are my final altered forms (Problem #2) with intricate (neat-ure-themed) attachments. They are drying and almost ready to be bisque-fired! Then onto glazing! ahhh!!!

Owl in a Tree, Balsamroot, Moose Antler Ceramic Altered Forms
All Wheel-Thrown, Hand Built Attachments, Stoneware

Elk Antler, Feathers, Basal Leaves
All Wheel-Thrown, Hand Built Attachments, Stoneware

All 10 Cylinders I Threw the First Few Weeks of Class (For Problem #1)
A Variety of Glazes, Techniques, and Applications

Glazed Cylinders #1-5

Glazed Cylinders #6-10

Loving this artistic journey, even though it is long, stressful, time-consuming, and incredibly overwhelming, I am having a great time working with my hands again, experimenting, and expanding and challenging my artistic talents!

TheChristyBel

My Adventures With Gus the Cat

For practically the whole month of October, I was asked to housesit for one of my faculty in the Science & Math Teaching Center. Funny how that was a main profession of mine back home in Delaware that it found me doing it out here in the west as well. But yes, housesitting again and this time it was not for a lab, or a westie, or a shepherd, but this adorable cat named Gus.

Marc Made a New Friend.

Let me tell you, Gus is by far the smartest cat I know....in Laramie. I mean, no one ca compare to Tweedy back home, but Gus is pretty much up there! He is so adorable. He is mostly an outdoor cat that roams all over the neighborhood during the day, but by night, he strolls back in for his evening meal and will cuddle up to you when it's time for bed. Did I mention he is really smart. He answers and comes home to you when you call his name! It's really weird, but very convenient when you want him to come home. He also does not really use the bathroom inside. He does have a litter box in the house, but its usually never used - he goes to do his business outside! How convenient is that!?!

Sunbathing Before He Goes On His Daily Adventure!

So Stoic!

Although, he does have some strange habits too. He will drink his water out of a glass! Ana, the owner, has a glass just for him on the counter! It's hilarious, but really cute. However, if you leave a glass out, unmanned, you have been previously warned that he might come up and drink out of your vessel too! Although, last night, he not only will drink out of your vessel, but will drink out of the sinks if there is dripping water and out of the toilet! He's hilarious. Ana said she thinks it is because Gus is under the impression that he is not given enough water, when clearly he has several glass vessels around the house for him!

I Caught Ya!

Canine Tendencies, Eh?

But besides that, he is the most adorable cat, ever. Playing laser tag to cuddling up in your lap or in the chair with you is really precious.

A Sleepy, Ty-Ty Gus!

Gus, Where Do You Go All Day To Tucker You Out at Night?

Best Cat Friend Ever!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

TheChristyBel

Graduating From Physical Therapy!

Ready To Hike Again!!!

So this morning, I was celebrated for enduring through seven-weeks of lots of stretching, strengthening, painful needle procedures, and core-work exercises. Homestead Physical Therapy has given me the clear on being discharged from the clinic. They say my knees are stronger and that they have done all they can do to help my knees. And I'm feeling great! My physical therapists have stated that as long as I keep up with the exercises I have been given, I do not need to go to physical therapy anymore. However, I am always welcome back if something happens!

This is incredibly exciting! I have been hiking a whole bunch at Vedauwoo and in Boulder (as you can see from previous posts), and I have not had little to no issues (knock on wood). Hopefully I can start training for some bigger and more strenuous hikes for the future! Backpacking and maybe some Thru-Hiking, Here I Come! Mandy Redpath: Get Ready!

TheChristyBel

Ceramics - From Home to Studio

This week has been pretty much...hell. I had a huge teaching project due this week for my science methods class, teaching at Spring Creek Elementary, lots of class work, lots of meetings, ample amounts of work for my GA, and lots of ceramics projects due. For Ceramics II, along with 10-cylinders that needed to be glazed, I needed to produce 6-altered forms with attachments ready to be fired. Luckily, most of the art is not due until tomorrow evening and Monday morning...so, I still have time to finish up these projects for Ceramics II. Here is my progress so far! During this time of stress, I bought clay home and was able to work on some attachments while in class, I threw my pots. I really like that process, that way I can relax and get creative with my attachments at home and then put them together in the studio. Enjoy! 

Glazing Process of the Cylinders -Waxing Designs Then a Glaze Dip!

The Beginning of the Nature-Themed Altered Forms
One: Feathers

Two: Basal Leaves and Florets

Owl on a Branch Attachment!

Home Clay Time
Tootsie Pop Owl By Marc Sweet
Yes, Totally Firing This for Him

Home Clay Time
Cubism
Yes, Totally Firing This for Him

Four of My Finished Six!
Almost There!
Four: Owl In Tree, One: Feathers, Two: Basal Leaves & Florets, Three: Elk Antler

Four: Owl in Tree
Bringing the Owls Back From High School to Grad School

Three of the Six - Ready to Be Fired!

More finished products photos to come! Stay Tuned!

TheChristyBel

Jack O'Lanterns Time

So when Marc and I went to Boulder (the first time) our friends, Meg and Matt, carved some really awesome pumpkins. So feeling the Halloween Spirit, we bought some carving pumpkins at Whole Foods. It took us, what, two weeks later to actually sit down and carve them. I was studying and doing homework all morning today, and for our 'Brain Break' we decided to sit down and plan out what to carve, and actually carve our pumpkins! Made a pit stop at Safeway to buy a pumpkin carving kit and got back to plan what we were going to do.

It was so nice out, that we carved our pumpkins outside my apartment! Marc decided to carve out a scary Jack O'Lantern face, named Fred, while I wanted to draw out an owl. Marc found a really cool idea online and so I just free-hand drew it from the screen. Check out our process and photos! And!!!! Our FINISHED Products! We were totally excited to light them this evening when it got super dark out! Enjoy!

The Blue Prints for Our Pumpkins

Taking Out the Seeds...the Gross Part!

Carving Time!

The Finished Products?!
We Have a Potential Career in Pumpkin Carving, Right?

My Owl!

Fred, the Scary Jack O'Lantern

The Night Glowing-Finale!

Happy Early Halloween!
TheChristyBel

Rappelling in Boulder Canyon

So after my emotional lack of rappelling yesterday down the Third Flatiron, Marc was awesome and took me to Boulder Canyon to give me a lesson on rappelling. We went to Mine Hole Crag where we had this nook all to ourselves! He set up an anchor, showed me what to do, rappelled down himself, then held the rope at the bottom for me in a fireman's rappel as I rappelled myself down. After my first rappel, he made me do it a number of times until I did not feel nervous or scared anymore. What a teacher. haha. Here is how my lesson went! Enjoy the photos...and please note the awesome patterned pants I was wearing!

TheChristyBel

Rappelling - Butt Shot!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Having Fun and Not Nervous Anymore!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Learning to Even Enjoy Looking Down
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Getting the Hang of It!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

TheChristyBel Learned to Rappel!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Attend Homecoming? No - Climbing the Third Flatiron

I guess I enjoyed Boulder, Colorado so much the first time, that I had to go back again! It was the University of Wyoming's Homecoming. For some reason, I was not feeling the urge to celebrate and partake in this 'Rite of Passage' college experience. I think I was so spoiled with the University of Delaware's Homecoming Festivities during and after my time there, that I really did not feel the urge to celebrate here at UW. So, off to Boulder, CO I went! I just love it down there. It is so beautiful, lots of awesome hiking and climbing, and I just really enjoy the vibe, atmosphere, and community down there. I think it might be the next calling...but I am totally getting ahead of time and the purpose of this entry.

The FlatIrons
From Right to Left: The First, Second, and Third!

Marc was already in Boulder at an event for one of his friends, Matt. But we decided to make our stay for the long weekend to do some exploring. Friday morning, we decided to go climb the Third Flatiron. The Flatirons are part of the Fountain Formation - a rock unit that stretches along the eastern margin of the modern-day Front Range. The formation was deposited in rivers and stream roughly 300-million years along the flanks of a mountain range that geologists refer to as the Ancestral Rockies. The Flatirons were tilted into their present position by the Laramide mountain-building episode approximately 70-million to 40-million years ago.

The Third Flatiron is a popular pastime for local climbers. It is the fastest known time for free-soloing the 1,200-ft East Face (timed in at 5-minutes & 59-seconds). Don't worry, I didn't climb it that fast nor free soloed it! From what Matt has stated, the Third Flatiron is one of the best multi-pitches to do and the technicality is a 5.4-5.6.

Getting Ready to Ascend...But Let's Take a Selfie First!

Smiling and Excited...and Nervous!

For the ascent, we hiked part of the Mesa Trail for the approach where it connected to a steep and bouldery climber's trail that led you to the start of the climb on the Third. Matt has led and free-soloed this climb, so he led the route for us. The route was the Standard East Face route. I went in the middle of Matt and Marc, even though we had a double rope where Marc and I followed up Matt.

Marc Taking Butt Photos of My Ascent Up the Third
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

The views as we ascended were so beautiful. We were able to see the whole city of Boulder, as well as Denver in the distance! We had perfect, sunny weather, clear skies, and beautiful scenic views, however, as the views got more appealing, the look down got more terrifying. I tried to not look down as much as possible. Hey, this was my first real big climb and my first multi-pitch, so of course I was nervous of the height!

The View Around Us.

We climbed up 5-pitches to where we reached the summit. There we were greeted by a few climbers who had free-soloed it and were about to rappel down. So while we waited, we were able to take a breather from the climb, take in the view, and for Marc and Matt to 'teach' me how to rappel.

The First and Second Flatiron From the Summit of the Third
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Happy He Made it Up!

Panoramic From the South (Left) to the North (Right)

What a View!

A Marker In the Rock!

Waiting to Rappel...Yes I Was Nervous!

So the idea is to rappel down three pitches. Well....this was my first rappel, and on top of being nervous and never rappelling before this climb, I was incredibly nervous. And well, as soon as I got into the rappel rope, I looked down, and well, I didn't rappel. I was so scared, practically broke down into tears. I cannot just perform an action without practicing it first. So, with the awesome flexibility and patience from Marc and Matt, they helped me top-rope me down two pitches. So in the diagram below, we did the first two yellow rappels in one, then did the third yellow rappel instead of the long red one. After the third rappel, we hike back around the Third back to the Mesa Trail.

The Descent Route

Cannot Believe I Climbed That!

I know, I did not rappel down, but I was able to climb up without a problem. Marc said that he would take me to a not-so-high climbing area and actually give me a rappelling lesson. So, I will be rappelling soon enough! Maybe just not a 200+ first time rappel. Other than the rappel, I really enjoyed the climb and adventure today! Really appreciative and grateful for two flexible and supportive people to climb with! :)

Summit Posing At the Summit of the Third! Duh!

TheChristyBel