John Boyd Thacher State Park, is situated along the Helderberg Escarpment, one of the richest fossil-bearing formations in the world. Even as it safeguards six miles of limestone cliff-face, rock-strewn slopes, woodland and open fields, the park provides a marvelous panorama of the Hudson-Mohawk Valleys and the Adirondack and Green Mountains. The park has volleyball courts, playgrounds, ball fields and numerous picnic areas with nine reservable shelters. Interpretive programs are offered year-round, including guided tours of the famous Indian Ladder Trail. There are over 25 additional miles of trails for summer hiking and mountain biking, and winter cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and snowmobiling.
Good morning! The cold returns on this Sunday morning. Sunny and 29 degrees at the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center. 🌞 There is a north-northwest breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. When the wind picks up it gets cold. Things will start to thaw out at around 11 am. 🌡️
This morning is a painful reminder that winter is not done. 🦁 It’s cold but sunny this morning with the breeze. I walked out to Five Rivers. 🐦 I’m making some progress on breaking the new boots 👢 in. Helps when their not laced up so tight. Like most things in life. Some people out at Five Rivers but not super crowded at this hour. Probably see more as I head home.
Today will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 37 degrees at 2pm. Four degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around February 18th. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the afternoon. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. The high last year was 24 degrees. The record high of 60 was set in 2008. 8.3 inches of snow fell back in 1923.❄
I’ve been thinking more about Mission Fifty. One area I want to explore is what kind of skills I want to master before age 50. 🚀 One is in the field of software development. I really want to learn more about writing software libraries, GUI programming and more advanced techniques for development, so I can read and improve things. 🤖 Maybe I need to find an open source project I can cooperate with to learn. But I don’t really like playing with kids. 👨💻 I really should learn to give in and be more flexible in my thinking, but I’m not good at that. It’s just one of many angles I’m thinking about for the mission. Certainly this is a fairly low bar compared to many other goals I have for the next ten years as I head into my fiftieh birthday.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:03 pm with sun having an altitude of 25.1° from the due south horizon (-45.7° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 12.8 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 3:55 pm with the sun in the southwest (232°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (240°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 4:40 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 22 seconds with dusk around 5:10 pm, which is one minute and 2 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 5:46 pm. At sunset, look for mostly clear skies 🌃 and temperatures around 35 degrees. There will be a calm wind. Today will have 9 hours and 17 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and 13 seconds over yesterday.
After Five Rivers, it’s off to see John Wolcott and the crew up in Colonie. 👴 And then to find at least one or maybe two dress shirts at one of the big box stores. 👨💼 Then I’m hoping to hike in the Pine Bush until it gets dark out. 🌲 Then probably should go to the laundromat, or maybe I’ll wait to Monday. Usually on the weekdays it’s less crowded.
Tonight will have increasing clouds ☁, with a low of 25 degrees at 5am. Eight degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 11th. Calm wind. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became light freezing rain by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 19 degrees. The record low of -20 occurred back in 1968.
I am watching the weather for next week, and it’s improving. 🏕 I am starting to think a trip out to Brookfield next week is a realistic option. Probably won’t be for skiing. ⛷ Not enough snow. But it will be cold enough that it shouldn’t be all mud. I would love to get out to Madison County 🚜, it’s been over a year since I’ve been out to that rural, farming part of the state. 😎 Sunday and Martin Luther King Day look amazing for this time of year. But I wonder how the roads will be on Saturday, especially in the higher elevations. I guess old Rensslearville State Forest is still an option.
Looking ahead, next Sunday starts that typically is the Coldest Week of the Year 🌬 when the sun will be setting at 4:48 pm with dusk at 5:18 pm. Based on the weather outlook and La Nina that seems unlikely. On that day in 2022, we had mist, showers, partly cloudy skies and temperatures between 38 and 19 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 32 degrees. We hit a record high of 65 back in 1995.
Good evening! Mostly clear and 34 degrees in Delmar, NY. There is a northwest breeze at 13 mph. 🍃. It got cold out once again with the wind though needless to say it’s more like early March than January.
Moms 75th birthday party was fun 🎂 we had it at a Mexican restaurant in Saratoga. I find it hard to believe my mom is 75 and I’m going on forty in a few weeks, though my focus is entirely on Mission Fifty. I don’t think she appreciated when I pointed out at this point I was more focused on my fiftieth birthday than 40. But time goes by so quickly as an adult 👨🏻💼. Been five years already since I’ve been too old to be a Young Democrat. Where does time go? It’s always nice to spend time with mom. 🤶 Never know if I’ll be able to join her for her 80th. Time is precious as it compounds.
But the more I think about it, the more Mission Fifty becomes what I think 🤔 about. Older people keep telling me I’m rushing my life and wasting time ⏳ but I’m really excited to think about where I could be in ten years if I maintain and build on my progress. While I’ve long known about the power of maintenance of effort, dividends and compounding – the brushing up on financial literacy textbooks and video – really reminds me how important it is in all parts of life from health to work skills to knowledge. Don’t overextend yourself and don’t sweat a down day but know things add up over a decade. I keep telling myself that this is the decade that will define so much of my remaining years and I should work every day to build 🏗️ towards Mission Fifty in all parts of my life.
Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌃 , with a low of 23 degrees at 4am. Six degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 5th. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph. In 2022, we had partly cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 8 degrees. The record low of -18 occurred back in 1878.
Begrudgingly the heats back on and my thermostat is turned up to 50. Had to do it with freezing weather expected ♨ and the inside temperature dropping into the forties. The main reason for heat inside in my view is to keep the pipes from freezing. I kind of admire those who live without running water in their households as they don’t have to waste so much energy on heat especially when they’re not home. I really hate modern life, I look forward to the day I can live a simpler life.
Tonight will have a Full 🌝 Moon with 98% illuminated. At 7 PM, the moon was in the east-northeast (71°) at an altitude of 17° from the horizon, some 252,270 miles away from where you are looking up from the earth. 🚀 At the state speed limit of 55 mph, you’ll make it there by July 18th. Buckle up for safety! 💺 The Wolf 🐺 Moon is on Monday, January 23. The darkest hour is at 12:02 am, followed by dawn at 6:54 am, and sun starting to rise at 7:26 am in the east-southeast (120°) and last for 3 minutes and 22 seconds. Sunrise is 8 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌄 The golden hour ends at 8:11 am with sun in the southeast (128°).Tonight will have 14 hours and 43 minutes of darkness, a decrease of one minute and 11 seconds over last night.
Tomorrow will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 38 degrees at 2pm. Five degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around February 21st. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the morning. A year ago, we had light snow in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. The high last year was 24 degrees. The record high of 60 was set in 2008. 8.3 inches of snow fell back in 1923.❄
In four weeks on February 4 the sun will be setting in the west-southwest (249°) at 5:13 pm,🌄 which is 34 minutes and 9 seconds later then tonight. In 2021 on that day, we had partly sunny and temperatures between 37 and 15 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 34 and 15 degrees. The record high of 61 degrees was set back in 1991.
Looking ahead, Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk Day 🥛 is in 5 weeks, 6 PM Dusk 🌆 is in 6 weeks, National Drink Wine Day 🍷 is in 6 weeks, April Fools Day 🤡 is in 12 weeks, 7:30 PM Sunset 🌇 is in 3 months, Tax Day 💰 is in 14 weeks, Earth Day 🌎 is in 15 weeks, 8 PM Sunset 🌇 is in 4 months, Latest Sunset 🌆 is in 24 weeks, July 🏊🏿 is in 25 weeks, Cow Appreciation Day 🐂 is in 27 weeks, Work Like a Dog Day 🐩 is in 30 weeks, Last Sunset After 8 PM 🌆 is in 31 weeks, National Dog Day 🐩 is in 33 weeks, Daylight Savings Time Ends 🛥️ is in 43 weeks, Veterans Day 🇺🇸 is in 44 weeks, Regular Deer Season in Southern Zone 🦌 is in 45 weeks, Small Business Saturday 🛍️ is in 46 weeks, Average High is 40 🌨 is in 48 weeks, Earliest Sunset of the Year ⌛️ is in 48 weeks, Tea Party Day 🐍 is in 49 weeks, Festivus 🍖 is in 50 weeks, and Bacon Day 🥓 is in 51 weeks.
As Arlo Guthrie, says just wait for it to come around on the guitar 🎸.
Politics these days has gotten much too angry lately. Why do people have to hate others who live differently then themselves so much?
We all have different priorities and values. Some people view some rights more important then others, some prefer freedom over safety on certain issues. Some people believe certain activities should be legal others believe they should be banned.
There needs to be more respect for people who are different then you. Not everybody is of the same race, gender, creed, sexual orientation, or religious belief. Some people live in cities, some in suburban areas, and some in rural areas.
As a society, we would be better off if people took a deep breath and said, while I disagree with you, I understand where your coming from. People who are different then you are not stupid or ignorant, but instead just have different values.
I wish more often people would say, I disagree with you but I respect you for having different experiences and views.
Good evening! Mostly cloudy and 37 degrees in Delmar. ☁ There is a northwest breeze at 7 mph. 🍃. Temperatures will drop below freezing at tomorrow around 7 pm. ☃️
It’s a nice evening 🌃 for me evening walk after a rainy start to the day. I’m wearing my old boots 👢 as my new ones are bothering my ankle in part because they’re not broke in. I got the higher ankle boots to protect my ankles but they’ve not worked out good. I’m hopeful though. I will wear them to work on non session days but keep my old boots for walking around town until they are fully broke in.
Christmas Party 🎉 at work was good, but odd with the holidays come and gone and people busy with session things. The bananas 🍌and oranges 🍊I brought went quick but I brought much too much milk 🥛. I kept the extra milk in the fridge and brought it home and froze it. I’ll thaw it when I run out of milk. It’s odd as the last holiday party was pre COVID but I still wore my muzzle 😷 during most of the party. I was thinking with all that spare milk I need hogs. 🐽 Maybe some day. But first my investments have to grow.
Tonight will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 33 degrees at 3am. 16 degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around April 5th. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening. In 2022, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became light snow by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 16 degrees. The record low of -12 occurred back in 1878.
Tonight will have a Full 🌝 Moon with 99% illuminated. At 8 PM, the moon was in the east (86°) at an altitude of 37° from the horizon, some 251,906 miles away from where you are looking up from the earth. 🚀 At the state speed limit of 55 mph, you’ll make it there by July 16th. Buckle up for safety! 💺 The Wolf 🐺 Moon is on Sunday, January 22. The darkest hour is at 12:02 am, followed by dawn at 6:54 am, and sun starting to rise at 7:26 am in the east-southeast (121°) and last for 3 minutes and 22 seconds. Sunrise is 6 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌄 The golden hour ends at 8:11 am with sun in the southeast (128°).Tonight will have 14 hours and 44 minutes of darkness, a decrease of one minute and 7 seconds over last night.
Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a high of 41 degrees at 1pm. Eight degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around March 3rd. Light north wind becoming northwest 8 to 13 mph in the morning. A year ago, we had cloudy skies. The high last year was 31 degrees. The record high of 56 was set in 1915. 7.2 inches of snow fell back in 1994.❄
I decided against turning the heat on tonight ♨ as it’s not going to be super cold but I can see the writing on the wall – I’ll need at least a little heat come tomorrow. Still January. The warm weather pattern is breaking down thought still going to be relatively warm by historical standards. I just can’t wait until it’s warm enough to have the windows open 🔲 for the summer season and it’s easier sleep. 🛏 That said, I do better going to bed before nine most days.
In four weeks on February 3 the sun will be setting in the west-southwest (248°) at 5:12 pm,🌄 which is 33 minutes and 50 seconds later then tonight. In 2021 on that day, we had snow showers, mostly cloudy and temperatures between 30 and 24 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 33 and 15 degrees. The record high of 57 degrees was set back in 2016.
I was looking at the January 6th memes on Facebook 🤜 thinking what a tragedy the whole thing was all together. So many lives and families ruined for the sake of stupid politics. People who chose a life in politics often loose their lives and their freedom in America 🇺🇸. We like to pretend that’s not true but I would argue that those who die for their country without pay or benefits are the true American heros. While I think the whole rigged election thing was sham – Biden won fairly under the various state and federal rules in effect in 2020 – you got to respect anyone who raises their voice based on their convictions. But I would argue personal and family well being is far more important than the country as a whole. Making money 💵 to put food on the table 🦃 is more important than any ideological belief you may have.
Looking ahead, Make Your Dream Come True Day 🏡 is Next Friday, Save the Pine Bush Turns 43 🦋 is a month away, Clean Your Computer Day 🧹 is in 5 weeks, 5:30 PM Sunset 🌇 is in 6 weeks, St. Patrick’s Day 🍀 is in 10 weeks, 7:30 PM Sunset 🌇 is in 13 weeks, Cinco de Mayo 🤠 is in 17 weeks, National Nude Day 👱 is in 27 weeks, Average High 70 🎑 is in 34 weeks, September 🍎 is in 34 weeks, Labor Day Weekend Begins 👨🏭 is in 34 weeks, Autumn 🍂 is in 37 weeks, Buy Nothing Day 🛍️ is in 46 weeks, December 🎄 is in 47 weeks, Saint Nicholas Day 🎅 is in 11 months, Bill of Rights Day 📜 is in 49 weeks and Days are Getting Longer ☀️ is in 50 weeks.
There are 215,430 acres or 337 square miles of abandoned coal mines in Pennsylvania.
92,231 acres are dry strip mine, 6,710 acres are strip mine filled with water. 86,317 acres are coal mining refuse, 722 acres of it is currently burning. Underground coal fires burn on an additional 2,609 acres.
