April 15, 2016 Evening

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I wish I was heading up to the Adirondacks tonight but alas I have the Save the Pine Bush 40 Karner clean-up tomorrow. Going to be a nice weekend for sure. Today we got up to 65 degrees in Albany, although a cool night is expected with a low around 35. 55 degrees and clear at 7:38 pm for sunset.

One of the trees in front of the Capitol is now in full bloom and is putting out green shoots but the cold nights below freezing have retarded greening up. Lots of buds around but almost no trees have green shoots despite the relatively mild weather. That said, going forward I don’t see a single night below freezing nor many nights even close to it. At least in the city, winter is rapidly fading and it’s only a matter of time before trees are in bloom.

Not sure if it’s going to be warm to sit out and back and drink, although if I do, I will need to get some beer. It depends if my neighbors have a fire too. I’m kind of tired plus I need to get a fairly early start tomorrow to be at the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center before 9 AM.

Traffic was modestly light on the 787, and with Flying Francis driving the bus, we are making good time. I expect to be home in five minutes, after which I will have a quick dinner and head down to the park.

Gore (road) – Wikiwand.

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Gore (road) – Wikiwand.

I always thought the term "the gore" on expressways referred to crashes caused by people "driving on the gore" but it doesn't. It's actually referring to an old English word that refers to the spear on the road.

There are actually two types of gore on roads -- theoretical gore and the physical gore. Theoretical gores are painted on the roads where motorists shouldn't enter for safety purposes, while the physical gore is the place where they road actually divides.

If you fail to bear left or right and hit the physical gore, you are likely to be gored. And that's why the term probably stuck.

April 15, 2016 8 AM Update

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Now we are at 41 degrees on our way up to 62 degrees or maybe 65. Bright blue skies this spring morning. I think we are done with the freezing nights for a while now, so that should keep things greening up. But in the mean time, this weekend will be quite warm and dry with a moderate to high fire risk. Sunny all weekend, 64 degrees on Saturday and 72 degrees on Sunday.

For the seven o’clock hour tonight, looking at 54 degrees under mostly clear skies. Sunset at 7:38 pm with darkness around 8:06 pm. Waxing Gibbous Moon tonight with about 2/3rds visible.  The stars will be best viewed after 8:46 PM. Could be a bit warmer but not terribly cold for a mid April Friday evening. Only going to get nicer each Friday evening as summer approaches.

Today would normally be tax day but because of a federal holiday, it’s not until Monday. That said, today I’m paying my debt to society or at least my debt to state government. All three hundred bucks. Also looking at getting a good propane camp stove and maybe a turkey gun if I see a good deal at DICK’s. I’ll be pretty broke by payday next week.

Staying in town this weekend. The 40 Karner Road clean up is on Saturday at the Albany Pine Bush discovery center. Then going fishing in the evening. Sunday maybe hit up a trout stream in the Northern Catskills and do some hiking and the exploring of a state forest. Or something like that.

Today in 1964, the original Pony Car, the Ford Mustang rolls off the show room floor, two days before it is set to go on sale nationwide.

Have a great Friday!

April 15, 2016 Morning

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Six weeks from now will be the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend. Today will be sunny and 61 degrees. Sounds warm compared to recent days but not really, as we are now in the second half of April and the average high for today is 58. Another cool night on tap with a low around 34. Those clear skies allow the mercury to fall a lot.

Next Friday is Earth Day and the full moon, known as the Pink Moon. Which doesn’t mean that moon will turn pink or green despite Internet rumors, but instead celebrates a pink spring flower that comes out around the time of the full moon in parts of the states. Wear rose colored glasses next Friday and the moon might appear pink.