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.
What a fascinating podcast to hear in some of the old-timers voices, who took the fight for Civil Rights and Justice to the street, declared war on American Institutions and police, fought back in many cases with the same violence that was used against them. Blew up a few bathrooms and too many of them, especially black members, got shot by the police. As a student of modern history, it’s not a story I’m unfamiliar with, but still such a tragic story how it ends. But maybe there wasn’t much of an alternative ending possible.
Ultimately though the podcast is just a reminder of the high-personal cost that political involvement has. People who choose a life of political advocacy give up much of their own life, their families, their future for their cause. Where they mad? Where they terrorists? People said many of the same things about their predecessors, such as the founding fathers, or John Brown. Or the Whiskey Rebellion. Or the Racial Uprising in Summer 2020 or the fight of Ammond Bundy and his group of gun-toating cowboys. Or the January 6th Uprising. But I’m not sure if the high cost was worth it. At least not to me. But without people willing to stick their heads out, and give their lives for our country, where we would be today? I’ve always believed a little unauthorized broken glass is a cost worth for advancing our country forward.
The older I’ve gotten, the more convinced that the political life is not for me. Every time I stick my neck out and speak out, it usually comes back to bite me. But maybe that’s the cost of progress. I honor such people, but I usually just refrain at this point. Legally, I have to be careful with state ethics law with my job. But more then that, I’d rather just play along, get along, go along, and make more money so I can invest in my future. Money can protect you from the ills of society, it allows you to hide from problems, and pay off those who are giving you a hard-time. Once I eventually move to my place in country, in the woods, I won’t have to deal with so many of the problems facing our cities and urban life — from the racist police to climate change.
While certainly government workers will have their statues and monuments created, along with naming every other highway Veterans Road, I would have to think the members of the Weather Underground and the Black Liberation Army were far braver then government workers who had the whole power of state behind them. I wish activists, rather than well paid government workers would get more respect. Small groups of committed individuals can make change, but it comes at a real cost to them personally.
Walking out to Five Rivers today in the cold is a reminder of what is ahead – many weekends when the highlight of the week is the walk out to Five Rivers. As the wind whips around and it’s just cold.
April at this point is only three months ahead. It’s not that far away, especially as I try to keep myself busy with my focus on work which often is busy this time of year and I catch the evening or night time local home from work.
While I might get out a few this winter, usually I stay closer to home and try to save money. I don’t like driving on snow covered roads and many of my favorite places are closed due to seasonal use only roads or parking is difficult due to high snow banks.
There are a few holiday weekends in January and February, so maybe I’ll have a chance to get away. But often when it’s not snowing in the winter it is terribly cold with the wind.
April always comes. It can be cold too but rarely very snowy. Burn bans and closed roads can be a problem then too but often such things are a nuisance more then a problem.
Good morning! Happy Boxing Day. 📦 Probably a really day for having a big bonfire 🔥 with all that Christmas 🤶 packaging and wrappers. Stuff burns well.
Partly sunny and 21 degrees at the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center. ☀ Calm wind. There are 2 inches of snow on the ground. ☃ ️Things will start to thaw out at Wednesday around 11 am. 🌡️
After a rather cold past few days, things have warmed up nicely. The sun is shining and no wind. I’m out walking 🚶 back home from Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and the big loop over Meads Lane 🐮 and the Fisher Trail. Ice ❄ on the sidewalks is less bad today with the sun over the past few days but I wish the town would salt more. Wore the micro spikes at Five Rivers but they aren’t fun on asphalt.
Today will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 28 degrees at 2pm. Seven degrees below normal. South wind 3 to 7 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, remaining cloudy in the afternoon. The high last year was 42 degrees. The record high of 59 was set in 1895. 13.9 inches of snow fell back in 1969.❄
Solar noon 🌞 is at 11:57 am with sun having an altitude of 24° from the due south horizon (-46.8° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 13.5 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer.
Once I get home going to take a quick shower 🚿 and get ready to head out to the folks house 🏡 for a family 👪 Christmas Party 🎅 with my parents, sister and niece.
The golden hour 🏅 starts at 3:43 pm with the sun in the southwest (230°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (238°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 4:29 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 25 seconds with dusk around 5:00 pm, which is 39 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Crescent 🌒 Moon in the south-southwest (206°) at an altitude of 24° from the horizon, 227,153 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 5:36 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 26 degrees. There will be a south breeze at 6 mph. Today will have 9 hours and 7 minutes of daytime, an increase of 18 seconds over yesterday.
This afternoon going to hike Bennett Hill 🗻 and then head home and maybe work on free code camp and the blog. 📝 Probably just a quiet 🤫 evening as I think about the upcoming work week after my week off.
Tonight will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 16 degrees at 4am. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around January 11th. Maximum wind chill around 17 at 6pm; South wind 5 to 7 mph. In 2021, we had cloudy skies. It got down to 26 degrees. The record low of -18 occurred back in 1914.
Stilllooks rainy but mild for New Years Eve. 🎇 ☔ A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Typical average high for the weekend is 34 degrees.
Good morning on this cold but clear Christmas Day! 🎅 Partly cloudy and 17 degrees at the Elm Avenue Town Park. 🌥 There is a south breeze at 7 mph. 🍃. There are 2 inches of snow on the ground. ☃ ️Things will start to thaw out at Wednesday around 11 am. 🌡️
Out for a walk this morning at the town park 🏞. A chilly morning. I was going to walk 🚶 out to Five Rivers via Meads Road but I’m joining my parents later today for Christmas lunch 🍲 and I got a late start so I decided to save that hike for tomorrow and do the town park nature trail this morning.
My knee is feeling better 🧎after last night’s fall out walking. It was sore for a while and knee bloody but I didn’t rip my jeans 👖. I should wear a head lamp 🔦 while walking this time of year in the dark but it’s just another thing to remember and I like walking in the darkness and looking at the stars. 🌟
Heat is back on most of the time in my apartment ♨ which I’m not happy about but I will turn it down in the day time and did the best I could patch the air leaks around the door. 🚪 And I keep the thermostat as low as possible.
Christmas Day will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 26 degrees at 2pm. 10 degrees below normal. Southwest wind around 7 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. A year ago, we had rain in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. The high last year was 35 degrees. The record high of 66 was set in 1889. 19.2 inches of snow fell back in 2002.❄
Cold ❄ by recent standards but maybe not that cold historically. Going to be in the fifties for the New Year but maybe rainy for New Years Eve. I don’t think Brookfield Horse 🐴 Camp is going to happen this NYE or anywhere else but I’m still thinking Martin Luther King Jr Weekend may be good for skiing 🎿 although the weather may turn bitterly cold again by then.
Probably a good day for the Christmas Day bird 🐦 count with the clear skies and less wind and more sun ☀ after yesterday. Saw a great big red headed woodpecker among many others in my walk through the woods. Birds certainly like the weather today more than yesterday though I’m sure they’re just bulking up on calories when it’s somewhat moderating the weather.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 11:56 am with sun having an altitude of 24° from the due south horizon (-46.8° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 13.5 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer.
The golden hour 🏅 starts at 3:42 pm with the sun in the southwest (230°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (238°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 4:28 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 25 seconds with dusk around 4:59 pm, which is 37 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Crescent 🌒 Moon in the southwest (217°) at an altitude of 15° from the horizon, 226,412 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 5:36 pm.
At sunset, look for partly clear skies 🌃 and temperatures around 24 degrees. There will be a west-southwest breeze at 7 mph with gusts up to 21mph. Today will have 9 hours and 6 minutes of daytime, an increase of 14 seconds over yesterday.
Listening to Peter Paul and Mary’s Moving album this morning. 🎧 I haven’t listened to it in a long time and I’m so over all things Christmas 🤶 but now that I’ve gotten older I don’t think much about the seasons except for long weekends when I get home. I listen to the radio less and less and don’t own a television so I’m increasingly isolated from the whole holiday scene. I’m mostly focused at this point at making it through the winter months.
Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌃, with a low of 12 degrees at 6am. Eight degrees below normal. Maximum wind chill around 8 at 5am; Southwest wind 3 to 8 mph. In 2021, we had light drizzle in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 34 degrees. The record low of -17 occurred back in 1914.
Good Christmas Evening! Partly clear and 13 degrees in Delmar. There is a south breeze at 8 mph. 🍃. The current wind chill is 2. There is a inch of snow on the ground. ☃ ️Things will start to thaw out at Wednesday around noontime. 🌡️
The party 🎉 at my parents house was postponed until Monday due to my sister not being able to come out due to bad roads up north from the ice. I did drive to Price Chopper and got a few things. Had that issue with the lock freezing up. Also set the solar controller down so it will start charging the starting battery 🔋 at a lower voltage in the cold ❄ of winter. This should ensure the starting battery is fully charged when parked for a prolonged time parked in the winter.
Walked around Five Rivers for a while 🐦 it was cold but there wasn’t a lot of people around so that as nice. Did 20,000 steps today so I’m working on my goal again for the steps. 👣 I’ve been bad lately.
Skinned up my knee 🧎 on my evening walk 🚶 in the dark on black ice or maybe white ice. What do I know it was dark and now it hurts. Cold out but not that bad when you are moving. I hear the heat on downstairs. Stars though tonight are pretty but I’m sure in the mountains too cold for camping 🏕. Maybe next weekend.
Tonight will be partly clear 🌃, with a low of 8 degrees at 5am. 12 degrees below normal. Maximum wind chill around 2 at 9pm; South wind around 8 mph. In 2021, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became rain by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 28 degrees. The record low of -22 occurred back in 1969.
Tonight will have a Waxing Crescent 🌒 Moon with 4% illuminated. The Wolf 🐺 Moon is on Friday, January 6. The darkest hour is at 11:56 pm, followed by dawn at 6:52 am, and sun starting to rise at 7:24 am in the east-southeast (122°) and last for 3 minutes and 25 seconds. Sunrise is 25 seconds later than yesterday. 🌄 The golden hour ends at 8:10 am with sun in the southeast (130°).Tonight will have 14 hours and 53 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 12 seconds over last night.
Christmas Day will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 25 degrees at 2pm. 11 degrees below normal. Southwest wind 7 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. A year ago, we had cloudy skies. The high last year was 35 degrees. The record high of 66 was set in 1889. 19.2 inches of snow fell back in 2002.❄
That just sounds cold for Christmas. 🎄 But actually warmer than today.
In four weeks on January 21 the sun will be setting in the west-southwest (244°) at 4:55 pm,🌄 which is 27 minutes and 34 seconds later then tonight. In 2021 on that day, we had snow showers, partly cloudy and temperatures between 31 and 14 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 32 and 15 degrees. The record high of 61 degrees was set back in 2006.
Good morning! Partly cloudy and 15 degrees in Delmar. ⛅ There is a south breeze at 3 mph. 🍃. The current wind chill is 5. There is a inch of snow on the ground. ☃ ️Things will start to thaw out at Thursday around 10 am. 🌡️ And then maybe head up into the fifties?
Today will be partly sunny 🌞, with a high of 17 degrees at 4pm. 19 degrees below normal. Maximum wind chill around -4 at 9am; South wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. A year ago, we had cloudy skies. The high last year was 29 degrees. The record high of 72 was set in 2015. 13.0 inches of snow fell back in 1966.❄
Going to be a cold day today. ⛄ See what happens when you vote for a President who said they’d end global warming. 🌎 Fortunately I think I voted for whoever the crazy libertarian was in 2020. Heck in 2015, on Christmas Day I hiked at Glimmerglass State Park and then camped at the upper camp at Brookfield State Forest. Yes, there was that little snow and it was that mild, that I could drive up there with no issues.
I am considering hiking out to Five Rivers today. 🐦 I will bring my microspikes. It’s going to be a cold day, but I can bundle up and I really should get my steps in, 👣 I’ve fallen so far behind in recent weeks. The snow is frozen hard, and is compacted so I don’t think I’ll need my skis at this point, which makes it easier, especially if I don’t want to drive. I do need to get razors to shave, 🧔 so I might end up running to the store later on, though I’m not sure they may close early on Christmas Eve.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 11:56 am with sun having an altitude of 24° from the due south horizon (-46.9° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 13.5 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 3:41 pm with the sun in the southwest (230°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (238°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 4:27 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 26 seconds with dusk around 4:58 pm, which is 35 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇
At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Crescent 🌒 Moon in the southwest (226°) at an altitude of 5° from the horizon, 226,339 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 5:35 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 16 degrees. The wind chill around sunset will be 4. ☃️ There will be a south-southwest breeze at 9 mph. Today will have 9 hours and 6 minutes of daytime, an increase of 10 seconds over yesterday.
Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌤, with a low of 7 degrees at 6am. 13 degrees below normal. Maximum wind chill around 4 at 6pm; South wind around 9 mph. In 2021, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became rain by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 28 degrees. The record low of -22 occurred back in 1969.
