Autumn

Zero crossing point

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We have reached the average temperature for the year for Albany, in other words, the zero crossing point.

The earth is round. This means that the average daily temperature follows a sine wave, as spinning circles always produce sine waves. When you reach the zero crossing point heading down, that means the average temperature descends faster than any other time of the year.

This happens 23 days after the first day of calendar autumn due to the delay caused by the atmosphere and ground holding summer heat. The opposite happens in the spring – 23 days after the first day of calendar spring you get the maximum warm up.

Wonderful Wood Smoke

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The other day I was out walking on a chilly early autumn afternoon outside of Manlius Center and I smelled wood smoke – that wonderful smell of cooler times to come in small-town America.

While wood is mostly just a supplemental source of heat in these more suburban areas it is a necessity for many farms and rural homes that rely on it as a primary source of heat. And it’s a wonderful thing.

It makes me dream about the days to come – not just when I make it to my long term goal of owning an off grid cabin – but also the more short term goal of my road trip and camping in mid November once this election cycle has come to an end as they always do.

Nice long November nights curled up by the fire are always nice, especially if the stars are out and I can also warm myself by the propane heater. Nice evenings to cook and relax. Something so relaxing about having a nice fire.

Indeed there is something nice about the warmth of a woodstove. Beyond November I may be cold in my apartment but the money saved today is money saved for a better tomorrow. I look forward to the days to come.

Cold Afternoon on Mary Smith Hill

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SEPTEMBER 28th is a special day. 🌞

 
If you stand out in the sun at 12:45 PM, which is halfway between sunrise and sunset, you will CAST A SHADOW that is the SAME LENGTH as your height.
 
This is because at the midpoint of that day, the sun will have an angle of 45 degrees. The tangent of 45 is 1. Any number divided by 1 is equal to numerator.

10 weeks until autumn

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10 weeks until autumn … 🍂

Average High – 72 degrees
Daylight – 12 hours, 9 minutes
Sunrise – 6:43 AM
Sunset – 6:52 PM, which is 1 hour 39 minutes earlier then tonight

More Choppiness

A Warm November day

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My favorite time of the year is a warm, blue sky November day. I like the browns and grays of the land, the long shadows the honking of geese and the blast of shotguns in hunting season. The earthy smell of farm country, the views revealed as the leaves are gone exposing new views.