The Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area is a 5,100 acre upland tract, situated approximately eight miles west of Dansville, New York. Roughly two-thirds of the area lies in southern Livingston County, while the remaining third lies in northern Allegany County. The tract was purchased in the 1930’s under the Federal Resettlement Administration and is one of several such areas turned over to DEC for development as a wildlife management area.
The area is appropriately named after the Timber Rattlesnake, which may be occasionally found in the more remote sections of the “Hill”.
The area offers an interesting blend of upland habitats such as mature woodland, overgrown fields, conifer plantations, old growth apple orchards and open meadows.
The area is inhabited by a variety of game species and is open to public hunting. The white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, grey squirrel, cottontail rabbit and woodcock are found on the area. An occasional snowshoe hare may be observed adjacent to thick creek bottom brush or conifer plantation habitats.
A number of small marsh units have been developed and provide limited hunting for waterfowl. Some of the area’s furbearing species such as mink, beaver and raccoon may be occasionally viewed at these marsh units.
Kind of a cool start to the morning and probably even cooler come the weekend with the clouds and the breeze from the hurricane off the coast.
Good morning! Yeah, it’s Friday! Partly clear and a chilly 49 degrees in Delmar for the morning walk. 🌅 There is a north-northwest breeze at 6 mph. 🍃.
Out for the morning walk 🚶 getting things ready to head out of town for the weekend but first work in the office. Going to ride Blackie 🚵 to work today and then leave work at 4 PM, catch the express home an then head up to camp. 🏕 Just a quick weekend camp, planning to be out to the folks house on Sunday back 2 PM to do apple picking with dad. Seems like a lot of work to go away for two nights, and really just a full day, but I’m keeping it simple. 🍏 🍎
Today will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 70 degrees at 2pm. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 26th. Maximum dew point of 51 at 1pm. North wind 6 to 11 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 70 degrees. The record high of 92 was set in 1915.
Went to Walmart and bought some more jeans 👖 and supplies. Couldn’t believe the bill was $161 but I got two pairs of jeans and needed a lot more supplies for camping and cleaning around home then I had realized. Things are just more expensive these days with inflation. I spent some time studying food processors, and other kitchen equipment there. I’m leaning towards getting a Ninja 850 watt, 9 cup food processor for $100 but I want to study the reviews and think about it before laying down my money next week. That said, once I have a lot of apples from apple picking this weekend, I am going to want ways to quickly chop a bunch of them up 🔪 and make apple sauce and the alike.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:52 pm with sun having an altitude of 50.5° from the due south horizon (-20.3° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 4.9 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:30 pm with the sun in the west (269°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (275°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:08 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 55 seconds with dusk around 7:34 pm, which is one minute and 47 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:09 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 64 degrees. The dew point will be 48 degrees. There will be a north breeze at 10 mph. Today will have 12 hours and 33 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 51 seconds over yesterday.
Tonight will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 55 degrees at 3am. Two degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around September 11th. Maximum dew point of 49 at 6pm. North wind around 10 mph. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 45 degrees. The record low of 32 occurred back in 1964.
Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a high of 73 degrees at 3pm. Two degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 19th. Maximum dew point of 50 at 12pm. Northwest wind 13 to 15 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 71 degrees. The record high of 92 was set in 1939.
Going to be a cool and cloudy start to the weekend, but I figured it’s good get away ⛺ for a few days. Next weekend might be better, might head to the Adirondacks for that. Just some nice meals over the campfire, 🔥 and doing some trail and road riding with Blackie. 🚵♀️ It’s the first weekend of autumn next weekend, though I’m not expecting much color at this point because it’s been such a mild late summer, bar this past day through the weekend. 😎 But come Sunday and especially next week after the hurricane 🌀 moves further off shore it looks like it could warm up quite a bit again.
Looking ahead to Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 77. ☀ West wind around 7 mph. Maximum dew point of 56 at 5pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 75 degrees. Will be nice weather for apple picking 🍏 though got to watch out for clouds and rain showers come the evening.
Looking ahead, next Friday is Autumn 🍂 when the sun will be setting at 6:54 pm with dusk at 7:21 pm. On that day in 2022, we had rain and temperatures between 71 and 51 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 72 degrees. We hit a record high of 95 back in 1895.
But cheese is so calorie dense and loaded with saturated fats that you really should consume it in moderation. And I don’t like moderation.
I’m interested in experimenting with nutrional yeast as part of my diet. It’s just yeast that’s been deactivated and apparently has a cheesy – umami flavor. Good source of protein and fiber too.
I’m always interested in trying new ideas and foods – not wedded to any one orthodoxy. If it’s vegan or if it’s meat I don’t care. South Mall or Mediterranean? Doesn’t matter to me. But how healthy is it? How does it taste? How does it fit into the picture of who I am and want to become?
The sun is rising and it’s going to be a nice day. While I prefer to walk before eating breakfast it’s too dark now. Just got to moderate the coffee.
Good morning! Happy Thursday. Partly sunny and 55 degrees in Delmar, NY. 🌅 Calm wind. The dew point is 52 degrees.
Well rested, feeling good this morning. 🛏 This week on many levels has been a struggle but the good sleep and sun with low humidity this morning helps a lot. Much more energy ⚡ this morning and less achy compared to a rainy day like yesterday. Trying to cut back on the coffee ☕ in the morning, even though I get up early and drink more water 🥛 in the evening like the doctor says. 🧑⚕️
Today will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 70 degrees at 2pm. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 26th. Maximum dew point of 54 at 9am. Light northwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Relief from last week’s humidity. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning with more sun in the afternoon. The high last year was 79 degrees. The record high of 93 was set in 1931.
Should be a great day, 🚲 looking forward to the bike ride to work today. I think with the chain 🔗 well lubricated and the gears indexed ⚙ it should be a nice commute. None of that sitting in the shitty traffic yesterday on the bus 🚍 just waiting to get home. 🏡 Heck of it is by afternoon it wasn’t bad out and I probably could have almost beat the bus home on my bicycle and gotten free exercise to boot. 👢
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:52 pm with sun having an altitude of 50.9° from the due south horizon (-20° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 4.9 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:32 pm with the sun in the west (269°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (276°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:09 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 55 seconds with dusk around 7:36 pm, which is one minute and 47 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:11 pm. At sunset, look for clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 63 degrees. The dew point will be 49 degrees. There will be a northwest breeze at 10 mph. Today will have 12 hours and 36 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 51 seconds over yesterday.
Remembered last night that I had egg plant 🍆 in the fridge so with mini onions and potatoes, 🥔 and the last of the olive oil plus some garlic and seasoning made up a good dinner in the broiler. Last night I pulled salmon out of the freezer and that should be defrosted for dinner tonight. Also cooking down kidney beans this morning for dessert or maybe just a side this evening. Also good go bring up to camp this weekend. 🍚
Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 49 degrees at 6am. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around September 24th. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph. Temperatures in the forties are a true sign of autumn coming. . In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 51 degrees. The record low of 33 occurred back in 1975.
Tonight it’s off to Walmart and get supplies 🛒 and rack up more on my credit card 💳 after retiring the debt this week. Really need more good fitting jeans 👖 now that the weather is cooling, refill my pantry 🥫 and look at food processors as my mini chopper after working a bit more has quit again. I’ve been overloading it I think, I really need something more powerful especially when I’m grinding and milling so many foods. Plus soon after I go apple 🍏 picking with dad I’m going to need to be able to process a lot of apples.
Cloudy ⛅ and blustery come the weekend especially Saturday from the hurricane 🌀 off the coast. Saturday, mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Northwest wind 14 to 16 mph. Maximum dew point of 51 at 12pm. Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Maximum dew point of 56 at 4pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 75 degrees.
It’s been quite a week ⛺ and I’m looking forward to getting out of town for a couple of days even if it’s going to be quite a windy day on Saturday and cloudy, maybe a bit cool. But I just need some quiet and time away from all this crap 💩 of the week that was. Then I guess apple 🍏 picking with my parents on Sunday.
Ever since I got that call from that nurse friend who was asking me if I was dying because of my weight loss and asking many questions about my diet and health status, I’ve been deeply troubled by that question that too many other people have asked of me lately either to my face or behind my back.
I went to the doctor earlier this week, ostensibly because I was concerned about having to take too many pee breaks on morning road trips since I’ve gotten into healthy eating especially in the season of so much fresh zucchini, watermelon, peaches and fruit go eat. Mom told me it’s probably just a bladder infection but I should get checked out lest it spread to the kidneys.
All the tests came back negative but the doctor told me I have to cut back on the morning coffee and make sure I’m having a glass or two of water with dinner. Still awaiting the results of the blood work but the doctor didn’t seem particularly concerned as all my other health indicators remain excellent. It’s probably $50 pissed into the toilet between the doctor visit and blood work co-pay. They’re busy I was told and not to expect any numbers back until Friday at the earliest.
Still I’m discomforted by this all. I’m in my forties, and this is the decade where things can go terribly wrong. What if it’s bladder or prostate cancer. Or another issue with the prostates. My mind quickly drifts into a dark place, questioning whether it’s my healthier food choices and more exercise – or if it’s masking something underneath. I mean I’m not eating much less – but these days I’m more stuffing my face with rice-lentils, beans, vegetables and fruits. Not the multiple pounds of cheese, glasses of milk and pounds of white pasta and ravioli. I’ve askewed much of the typical American diet for healthier options and I’m learning to cook but not in the junk food way popularized by the cooking shows.
At the same time, something more discomforting is happening in the world, time is passing by much too quickly. Too many friends and colleagues both of today and yesteryear have passed on. Summer seemed to pass me by in a blink of an eye. It was too much of an ordinary summer. And the world keeps changing though maybe not in ways I always find agreeable. I’m continuing to save and invest towards my tomorrow but money grows much too slowly. My future keeps being delayed in favor of one more investment, one more day of growth and development. And it’s not just money in the bank, but wisdom, skill and knowledge which I’m growing both professionally but also by learning on my own. My blog has been a major source of learning and growth for myself – if not for the blog I doubt I’d ever had become such a good R programmer or talented with QGIS.
I still have the dream of owning my own land but it’s not something I dwell on too much these days as it’s obvious in my mind that it’s still something I’m not quite ready for. And if I want to move to a Red State – that protects my second amendment rights doesn’t attack rural living like the socialists so gleefully do in blue states – I would have to give up my career and it would require a complete reboot of my life, lost connections of family and friends. With my parents getting elderly, I can’t walk away now never to see them again. My best course of action is to stay the course, keep advancing my career, skills and investments but I’m well aware such things involve risk and I might never get the chance to take advantage of all I forgo today.
That said, I’m deeply troubled by the week’s developments in the state. The $2.50 ammunition tax and $9 gun tax and having to wait for delays to buy is a major infringement on our rights, one the liberal press seems either seems gleeful about or otherwise ignore. It reminds me of burn ban which in a month was enacted in a very similar fashion 14 years ago. Or the many back country roads and campsites closed due to the demands of wilderness advocates, the loss of ATV trails, the bans on farm seeds and traditional sustainable farm practices. Most of these things don’t directly impact me but I know they’re so bad for my people and the rural communities. I think I’m so troubled by this all as I personally profit from these changes while the state goes to complete shit. I want to move to a Red State where I can have my freedom but I worry about running out of time. So every little health scare and loss of a loved one seems to strike a bit deeper at the heart.
It looks like it’s going to be a wet one for at least a few more hours and then some clearing. I’m not moving fast, I stayed up too late after doing some cleaning in the kitchen putting away clothes and fine tuning the indexing on my bike after really greasing up the gears, leading to some good smooth shifting again.
Good morning! What day is it? A wet one, of course. Rain and 64 degrees at the Elm Ave Park and Ride. ☔ Calm wind. The dew point is 64 degrees. The skies will clear around 8 pm.
I’m really not in the groove this morning, moving slowly but surely though the eggs and spinach 🍳 are helping a bit. I didn’t catch the earlier express bus 🚍 downtown, so I can do some extra steps in the Plaza but maybe not as many as I should before work but I’ll get off my butt and certainly do the stairs up to the 18th floor.
Totally ignored the doctors advice ☕ and had the extra cup of coffee this morning. 🧑⚕️And hot peppers with the eggs so I’ll probably have to piss extra but whatever I’ll be in the office and I’m not taking my bike to work. 🚳I thought about putting the bike on the bus but I figured between the rain and riding on the front of the bus down the expressway in the rain my grease job would be for naught by the afternoon commute. Traffic will be heavy at rush hour and I won’t be able to get exercise while riding the bus 🚍 home but I can walk 🚶 after getting home. Forgot to get the salmon out of the freezer before work 🐠 so I’ll have to plan something else. Maybe finish off the sweet corn 🌽 and I guess I can defrost some chicken in the microwave if I’m really looking for something warm for dinner. Or maybe just heat up some of soup or rice-lentils I have in the fridge. 🤷♂️
Today will have showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. 🌦 High of 73 degrees at 3pm. Three degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 19th. Maximum dew point of 65 at 12pm. 🏖️ Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. A year ago, we had light rain. It was humid. The high last year was 79 degrees. The record high of 92 was set in 1948.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:52 pm with sun having an altitude of 51.3° from the due south horizon (-19.6° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 4.8 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:34 pm with the sun in the west (270°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (276°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:11 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 55 seconds with dusk around 7:37 pm, which is one minute and 46 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:13 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 67 degrees. The dew point will be 62 degrees. There will be a calm wind. Today will have 12 hours and 39 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 50 seconds over yesterday.
I was thinking 💭 today would be the day to go to Walmart 🛒 and get all the things on my list 📃 that Hannaford didn’t have at a good price, but I might wait until tomorrow as I want to go for an evening walk and then I can get fresh spinach, berries or anything else I might want. I think it will be warm enough tomorrow to wear shorts to work but I want to try on 34×32 pants 👖 for l size before I order a few more pair online. I’m going to one of these days put most of my XXL clothes into the attic, as they really don’t fit well anymore and they really look like when I wear them I’m starving and just got out of a concentration camp. Plus between the too large and good fitting clothes, I really have too many to put in my dresser.
Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌃 , with a low of 53 degrees at 5am. Typical for tonight. Maximum dew point of 62 at 6pm. Calm wind. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 57 degrees. The record low of 32 occurred back in 1963.
Weekend still looks cool and sunny, though some models show more clouds then sun on Saturday. 😎 Saturday, partly sunny, with a high near 72. Maximum dew point of 53 at 4pm. Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Maximum dew point of 56 at 12pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 75 degrees.
Looking ahead but not necessarily forward, there are 2 weeks until More Night then Day 🌌 when the sun will be setting at 6:46 pm with dusk at 7:12 pm. I guess it means more time by the campfire in the evening. 🔥 On that day in 2022, we had partly cloudy, rain showers and temperatures between 68 and 50 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 70 degrees. We hit a record high of 89 back in 2017.
No, but my primary focus is on consistently delivering high-quality results for my clients. I don’t work for ideological reasons, for the sake of a higher calling, or out of patriotism. Instead, my commitment lies in fulfilling my role to the best of my abilities within my position.
In the early stages of my career, I used to give an honest, albeit self-centered, response when assessing whether a project was something I wanted to undertake or if a particular position would benefit my personal career goals. At that time, I was more preoccupied with my own interests and less attentive to the needs of my team and the company I represent. Politics used to feel intimately tied to my work, making it a place for personal opinions. However, as I’ve matured, I’ve come to a profound realization: my personal opinion holds little sway and doesn’t significantly impact outcomes. What truly matters is wholeheartedly supporting my team and the success of my business.
I’ve learned to keep my personal life choices, such as my voting preferences, separate from my professional endeavors. My clients depend on the delivery of top-notch services, and when they succeed and their interests advance, it’s a victory for both of us. This satisfaction arises not only from knowing that I consistently produce quality work but also from recognizing that I’m advancing my own career by acquiring new professional skills, expanding my resume, gaining valuable experience, and ultimately securing higher pay and better job titles.
I’ve wholeheartedly embraced a “can-do” attitude towards my work. Regardless of my clients’ diverse opinions, my mission is clear: to effectively convey their message and serve their interests, irrespective of their ideological beliefs.
Work boils down to its fundamental purpose—earning a living—where success is mutually beneficial: when my clients win, so do I.
I was thinking this was going to be the start of the cool weather so I soaked 15 bean soup and dried peas last night, and kneaded whole wheat dough. But it’s not going to cool down to tomorrow. I’ll guess I’ll take Blackie to work today, it looks like a fairly nice day though maybe not real sunny.
Good morning! Happy Tuesday. Mostly cloudy and 65 degrees in Delmar, NY. ☁ Calm wind. The dew point is 63 degrees. Still a bit sticky out. The skies will clear around 1 pm. Rain tomorrow and low humidity and sun from Thursday through the weekend.
Out walking for this morning 🏃 a little bit after 6:20 PM when it was starting to get light out. I started cooking at around 4:50 AM after I woke up and ran to the bathroom. 🚽 I figured I was up, and it would be a good time to start the bread rising in the oven and get the pot with the 15 bean – pea soup boiling down, and also a pot full of brown rice and lentils going. I was expecting tonight to be cold, but regardless, it will be good. The soup is good to eat cold too, plus I’ll freeze a lot and have it throughout the week. I made two loaves of whole-heat bread baguette style, as it cooks faster and better for dipping into soup. 🍲 One loaf is in the fridge, I had some of it for breakfast, the rest is for dinner. 🥖
Today will be mostly cloudy with more sun later ⛅ 👉 ☀ , with a high of 80 degrees at 3pm. Four degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around August 31st. Maximum dew point of 66 at 1pm. Calm wind. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning with more sun in the afternoon. It was sticky. The high last year was 80 degrees. The record high of 94 was set in 1947. Should be a nice day, especially by afternoon.
Going to ride Blackie 🚵♀️ into work today, and it should be a good ride back. After the lubrication soaked in and some further adjustment using the fine adjustment on the handlebars, I have the shifting back to 90% where it should be, especially in the higher gears and low crawl gears I use more, riding well most of the time. I rode it to the doctor’s appointment yesterday and then down to the supermarket in the evening. ⚙
I can’t believe I spent $75 at the store yesterday, 😱 and that’s after a $3 coupon. But then again I bought a big package of salmon fillets, chia seed, Smoky Chipotle bouillon to add to the rice and lentils, pastry brush and some other more pricey ingredients that should last a few weeks.🛒 And the hell of it is I still need to get eggs, more whole wheat flour, carrots or celery and a few other things I forgot — plus a pizza crust cutter, blue jeans and maybe a food processor 👖 when I go Walmart later this week to get food for the weekend and other supplies.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:53 pm with sun having an altitude of 51.6° from the due south horizon (-19.2° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 4.8 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:36 pm with the sun in the west (270°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (277°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:13 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 55 seconds with dusk around 7:39 pm, which is one minute and 46 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:15 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 73 degrees. The dew point will be 65 degrees. There will be a calm wind. Tomorrow will have 12 hours and 39 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 51 seconds over today.
Yesterday, I left work early to get checked out by the doctor 👩⚕️ because I was concerned about my need to go the bathroom a lot, especially in the morning 🚽 after drinking a lot of coffee and eating lots of fresh fruit. ☕ 🍊 Mom thought I might have a bladder infection, I was concerned more with something even more serious like bladder cancer or a prostate issue. Doctor ran the number tests, drew blood 💉 but doesn’t wasn’t super concerned based on the urine sample. I’ll get the bloodwork back on Friday or maybe early next week 🩸 but it seems like after discussing my symptoms it’s more an issue that I’m dehydrating myself in the evening by not drinking enough water with dinner — used to drink a ton of milk 🥛 but cut back due to calories — and then come morning I’m making up for it with coffee which isn’t good, because coffee can dehydrate you, rather then hydrate you while irritating the bladder. She said no more then one cup of coffee most mornings, stay away from citrus and really spicy foods for breakfast, especially if I’m planning a long road trip. Having to take a pee once an hour, especially after a lot of coffee isn’t abnormal. 🚽 Your bladder fills up. All my other numbers are quite healthy, I’ve lost five pounds of the summer 🤰 but my blood pressure was up slightly but still healthy, probably as I’ve been using a bit more salt with my meals but also because I rode my bike to the doctor through rush hour traffic. 🚲 Maybe it was a waste of $50 but it’s good to know I’m not sick and all my numbers are good.
Tonight will have a chance of showers, mainly after 5am. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 62 degrees at 3am. Eight degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 66 at 6pm. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. In 2022, we had light drizzle in the evening, which became light rain by the early hours of the morning. It was very sticky. It got down to 58 degrees. The record low of 37 occurred back in 1964.
Cool, basically perfect late summer – autumn weekend ahead. 🍂 Saturday, partly sunny, with a high near 73. Maximum dew point of 54 at 12pm. Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Maximum dew point of 56 at 12pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 75 degrees.
Definitely heading out of town this weekend ⛺ though maybe not too far as mom wants me to go apple 🍏 picking with dad this weekend. Maybe just close to home and then I won’t have to take off Friday. I’d rather save time for when there is more color, especially up north.
