Balsam Swamp is a sprawling state forest that stretches almost 5.5 miles east-west across 4 towns. The area is very rural, and the landscape surrounding the State Forest is predominantly forested. Balsam Swamp State Forest is comprised of a mix of native hardwood forests, hemlock swamps, and conifer plantations. There are no designated recreational trails on the forest, but there is ample opportunity for self-guided day hikes to explore the diversity of habitats represented on this State Forest. Additionally, the western section of Balsam Swamp State Forest is adjacent to Five Streams State Forest to the south.
The main attraction of this forest is Balsam Pond. The impoundment is approximately 152 acres and is a popular destination for fishing and paddle boat sports. Balsam Pond is a warm water fishery that contains a mix of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, brown bullhead and sunfish. Tiger muskellunge have been stocked in the past with the last stocking occurring in 1995. However, there have been very few reports of anglers catching any of the adult tiger muskies. A shallow gravel boat launch is suitable for launching small fishing boats.
A small rustic camp ground is also located at Balsam Pond. Camping spaces are available at no cost on a first-come, first-serve basis and there is no running water or electricity. A fire ring, outhouse, and picnic table are provided for each camping space. A sign on Balsam-Tyler Road in Pharsalia designates the entrance to the boat launch and camping facility. This is a carry-in carry-out facility. Please do not litter.
After a rough night last including many trips too the bathroom after eating too much red lentil soup and beans, and then the smoke alarm going off at 3 AM, I’m up and going this morning. Started out my day stocking up my pantry with fruits, vegetables and other healthy eats for the week to come. A barely sub-$100 grocery bill, though not by much, but I’ve finally gotten to the point where my pantry had a few things left over from last week, and most of the unhealthy stuff from a year ago is now gone.
Good morning! Sunny and 26 degrees in Delmar, New York. 🌞 I wonder how many more times I’ll be saying that. It’s weird to think it might be coming to an end. Cool and blustery with a northwest breeze at 14 mph. 🍃. There is a dusting of snow on the ground. ☃ Things will start to thaw out at tomorrow around noontime. 🌡️
It’s beautiful out today, but with the wind is fairly cold. 🌬 I’m actually not rushing to get out too soon, as I’m really hoping to speak to my new landlord again, about the questions and concerns I politely raised in an email on Saturday, ✉️ that he has not replied back to. I would feel much better if I had contact information, and if I could pay him via a mailed paper check, where the paper trail is clear in case of dispute of payment. 💵 Maybe I’m too fearful of him, but he reminds me of kid who beat the shit out of me in high school. 👊 You know, the kid who barely made it out of high school, and floats from job to job in the construction industry and on and off the unemployment rolls as his parents a dying from alcoholism and decades of chain of smoking. I feel rather sorry for him, as I think he’s become a really decent person even if he smashed my nose into the locker multiple times back in the day. I also am waiting for calls back from various mortgage loan officers, 📞 and want to talk to some friends out in the country 🐮 who have bought homes in recent years, and want to get their advice and tips.
Washington’s Birthday will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 31 degrees at 4pm. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical Northwest wind around 14 mph. A year ago, we had cloudy skies. The high last year was 47 degrees. The record high of 66 was set in 1981. 11.4 inches of snow fell back in 1972.❄
I do want to get out and do some hiking this afternoon, 🚶♀️hiking up Bennett Hill or maybe Wolf Hill. It’s sunny out but cold. But I need some of serenity of the wilderness, even if for only a few hours. 🌲Things are so crazy these days. 🤪 Then head out to the folks for Sunday dinner. 👪 It’s important to talk to as many people and listen to as much advice as possible. 👂 Time isn’t as tight and things aren’t as awful as I imagine them to be in my darker moments, but change is happening, and it’s happening much too fast. ⌛ With the stock market, my portfolio is good, and high interest rates may work in my favor, as I can offset more capital gains taxes from selling stocks in good market by using the mortgage tax exemption. 📜 God, that makes me feel old.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:10 pm with sun having an altitude of 36° from the due south horizon (-34.9° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 8.3 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 4:53 pm with the sun in the west-southwest (249°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (255°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 5:32 pm after setting for 3 minutes with dusk around 6:00 pm, which is one minute and 16 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous 🌔 Moon in the east (100°) at an altitude of 54° from the horizon, 243,483 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 6:34 pm. At sunset, look for clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 29 degrees. There will be a northwest breeze at 10 mph. Today will have 10 hours and 47 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 43 seconds over yesterday.
Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 15 degrees at 6am. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around February 4th. Maximum wind chill around 17 at 6pm; Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. In 2023, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 35 degrees. The record low of -16 occurred back in 1966.
Tuesday it’s back to work. 👨💼 I may drive in so I can retreat to my truck should bankers call to discuss mortgages, as I don’t have my private office yet, as the retiring director has a few more weeks left, though not much. It will be quite the operation to take over, and while I’ve learned a lot in these past 6 weeks and I have the skills to be an excellent leader, it’s scary, not least to say, as I’m replacing 40 plus years of experience. 🙀 But I have an excellent team I’m working with who will support me, and the reason why they trust me in such a place of high authority, is because I’ve delivered 16 1/2 years of results for my business. Still, it’s a big jump from being Deputy Director to Director, in an agency that doesn’t have deputy to fall back on. My bosses will just be several miles of up the road, and always there to support me, email and phone aren’t the same as sitting down in a room together. 👔 I might wear a suit and tie, but still a redneck inside.But I believe in myself and my future. Things could go terribly wrong, but I have a track record of success, and preponderance of the evidence is that I will do exceptionally well in the new position, especially with my knowledge of the R programming language, Unix shell scripting, C programming and technical aspects of Data Services.
Looking ahead to next weekend, it could be real nice. 😎 Saturday, partly sunny, with a high near 31. Sunday, partly sunny, with a high near 39. It’s early in the week, so I’ll take a wait and see approach. Go camping? 🏕 Who knows how busy I will be with the next steps in my life. 👣 Typical average high for the weekend is 38 degrees. Now we’re in the second half of February, things warm up quickly.
One month 📅 from now will be Last Day of Winter 🏂 when the sun will be setting at 7:08 pm with dusk at 7:35 pm (Daylight Savings Time). The average high temperature is 47 degrees, with a record high of 78 in 2021.
There is a lot to learn about becoming a first-time homeowner. But I have a bit of time as I’m early in the journey, but it’s something I am pretty determined to do this year. It makes sense from a financial perspective, and even more so from mental and physical health perspective. I need the security of a permanent home, not one at the whims of landlord or a dilapidated, moldy building while I’m the director of an important state government agency making good money. I loved my years living in the city and spending my weekends in the wilderness, but all good things must come to an end, to be birthed into new things.
Good evening! Mostly cloudy and 34 degrees in Delmar, NY. ☁ There is a west-southwest breeze at 10 mph. 🍃. There is a dusting of snow on the ground. ☃ Temperatures will drop below freezing at around 6 pm. ☃️
It’s an exciting time to be me, but also so scary. 🤯 I just keep looking around at things, knowing that it might not be tomorrow that it’s the last time I have a view, but much in my life that I once new and treasured will soon be gone. Like those final days in my office in Alfred E Smith Building when there was times I would just stare into my sunlight-filled corner office, that was increasingly packed up and empty, and out of the of windows at the sweeping views of the Hudson River and Downtown Albany. Knowing it would be gone when I moved to the suburban office in Menands. 😞
Getting out of this apartment will be good for me. 🏚 My licensed mental health counselor identified this as a major problem — and action I should be taking — three years ago. Maybe I should have kept going to see him, but it became a major expense in time and cost. 👩⚕️ It won’t happen tomorrow, and I’ll have to deal with new landlord until things are closed, which is likely many months away as I’m at the start of the journey. The guy has made it almost impossible to pay him except through his personal Venmo (or via human bank teller at a specific bank only during Monday through Friday, 9-4 PM), of him in a swimming pool and cigar in his mouth, which he uses in exchange to buy beer for his friends at the bar. 🍻 🚬 Sounds like fun, but certainly not respect. No phone number or address, just an email in case of emergencies. One that he doesn’t reply to emails. 📴 Yeah, that kind of landlord. When I own a home, I’ll miss the weekends in the wilderness, riding back and forth to work, and all the niceties of living in the city — walk to the library and park, but getting out of city will be good for me. But having a garden, livestock, a place for bonfires in backyard, and a wood stove it will be great. 🔥 🐐 🐔
Tonight will have a chance of snow showers, mainly before 3am. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 23 degrees at 6am. Four degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 5th. Southwest wind 9 to 13 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. In 2023, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 23 degrees. The record low of -07 occurred back in 1878.
Today I rode out to Voorheesville 🚲 and then went down to the library. Filled out more mortgage applications, 📞 chatted with another mortgage broker for a while on the phone. Spent a lot of time reading about personal finance, home ownership, and the process of buying a home. I’m on my third full-length e-book on this topic since Friday night. 📚 I’ve been quite the bookworm lately. Did more reading about my legal rights as a renter, and how to protect myself from the new landlord. Maybe I shouldn’t be so scared of him, but he reminds me of so many of school yard bullies of years past. But I have the law on my side, though I don’t trust this guy, so I am going to be real careful paying him, make sure I get receipts for all payments. Had red lentil soup for dinner, and white beans with leftover chilly for lunch. I’ve been exhausted from all the stress of it all. 😟 I’ve not been sleeping well. Maybe I’ll need more mental help as I go through this process. Good things are going to happen.
Tonight will have a Waxing Gibbous 🌔 Moon with 72% illuminated. At 4 PM, the moon was in the east (89°) at an altitude of 42° from the horizon, some 240,347 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 August 19th. Buckle up for safety! 💺 The Snow ❄ Moon is on Saturday, February 24. The darkest hour is at 12:10 am, followed by dawn at 6:21 am, and sun starting to rise at 6:50 am in the east-southeast (106°) and last for 3 minutes Sunrise is one minute and 26 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌄 The golden hour ends at 7:29 am with sun in the east-southeast (112°).Tonight will have 13 hours and 13 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 2 minutes and 44 seconds over last night.
Washington’s Birthday will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 31 degrees at 3pm. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical Northwest wind 9 to 13 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 47 degrees. The record high of 66 was set in 1981. 11.4 inches of snow fell back in 1972.❄
Another chilly day tomorrow, 🌬 so maybe I didn’t miss out on much by choosing to stay in town. 🏕 It’s good to save money, big purchases ahead, lol. Really hoping to catch up with the landlord tomorrow and see if I can get answers to my questions I emailed him when he stops by. ✉️ Hard to say for sure, as I’m going to go grocery shopping in morning 🛒, then maybe for a hike mid-afternoon and then out to the folks house 👪 for Sunday dinner, a day late due to the holiday weekend.
In four weeks on March 17 the sun will be setting in the west (270°) at 7:06 pm (Daylight Savings Time),🌄 which is one hour, 34 minutes and 9 seconds later then today. In 2023 on that day, we had rain showers, cloudy and temperatures between 47 and 32 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 45 and 26 degrees. The record high of 75 degrees was set back in 1990.
Looking ahead, tommorow is Presidents Day 🧓, Daylight Savings Time 🌆 is in 3 weeks, St. Patrick’s Day 🍀 is in 4 weeks, 7:30 PM Sunset 🌇 is in 7 weeks, Cinco de Mayo 🤠 is in 11 weeks, Mothers Day 👩 is in 12 weeks, Fathers Day 👨 is in 16 weeks, Primary Day 🗳️ is in 4 months, National Nude Day 👱 is in 21 weeks, Average High 70 🎑 is in 28 weeks, September 🍎 is in 28 weeks, 7 PM Sunset 🌆 is in 7 months, Autumn 🍂 is in 31 weeks, December 🎄 is in 41 weeks, Bill of Rights Day 📜 is in 43 weeks, Bake Cookies Day 🍪 is in 10 months and Days are Getting Longer ☀️ is in 44 weeks.
I’ve spent so much of my life being broke because I’ve been automatically investing in my retirement, investment and savings account. I pay my future first and leave as little money as possible in my checking account so I always feel broke and impoverished. But a feeling isn’t necessarily reality.
I’ve applied at a handful of banks to get a mortgage to buy a house. To know what I can afford and what’s out there before getting my heart set on any particular piece of property.
Good afternoon! Snow flurries and 31 degrees in Delmar. ❄ There is a west-northwest breeze at 13 mph. 🍃. There is a dusting of snow on the ground. ☃ Things will start to thaw out at tomorrow around noontime. 🌡️
It shocks me to think I’m ready 🤯 but now is the time. I’m settling into my new position at work, it’s obvious my time is coming to leave my apartment 🏘 and move onto a house of my own, where I’m not dependent on my landlord for repairs or generosity in renewing my lease or not jacking up my rent. 📄
I’ve been saving and investing for years, building my career and skills, I should be able to take advantage of the mortgage and local tax deduction. Paying a bank 🏦 a lot more than my landlord is fine as it ultimately will build equity and will get me closer to the life I really want with some land, fresh vegetables 🍆 and stock. 🚜 I’m committed to my career and it no longer makes sense to rent a cheap moldy apartment, with everything worn out and falling apart, more so with the big rent increase and the loss of my previously wonderful and caring landlord. I want a place I can be proud of, bring friends and family to share meals with, have chickens and goats. 🐐 Maybe not off grid but with a wood stove and grid tied solar and a heat pump. Get an electric car eventually for commuting 🚙, try to get away from all that plastic. I have to live a good life while I serve as Director of Data Services in Albany for the next decade or two, which might mean I have to knock my dreams down a notch or two – still a big step forward from my moldy apartment.
This afternoon will have a chance of snow showers, mainly before 5pm. Mostly sunny 🌦, with a high of 34 degrees at 3pm. Two degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around February 8th. Northwest wind around 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. A year ago, we had light rain in the morning, remaining cloudy in the afternoon. The high last year was 55 degrees. The record high of 60 was set in 1981. 11.9 inches of snow fell back in 2003.❄
So that been my day, 📄 gathering documents for potential mortgage sellers and trying to find out more about the mystery LLC that bought up my apartment building who so far hasn’t provided a phone number or business address and wants to be paid rent through one of those cash apps. 🔎 I think I know a fair bit about the landlord’s mystery LLC from my research skills gathered as deputy in Regional Services and public records but what I’m finding is not good news 📰 even if the new property manager seems friendly in person. 🚧
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:10 pm with sun having an altitude of 35.3° from the due south horizon (-35.6° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 8.5 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 4:50 pm with the sun in the west-southwest (248°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (254°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 5:30 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 1 seconds with dusk around 5:57 pm, which is one minute and 17 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous 🌔 Moon in the southeast (139°) at an altitude of 70° from the horizon, 237,634 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 6:31 pm. At sunset, look for snow 🌨 and temperatures around 28 degrees. The wind chill around sunset will be 17. ☃️ There will be a west-northwest breeze at 13 mph. Today will have 10 hours and 42 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 43 seconds over yesterday.
Tonight will have increasing clouds ☁, with a low of 19 degrees at 1am. One degree above normal, which is similar to a typical night around February 19th. Maximum wind chill around 14 at 6pm; Northwest wind 5 to 13 mph becoming south after midnight. In 2023, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 19 degrees. The record low of -21 occurred back in 1973.
Looking ahead, there are 2 weeks until Read Across America Day 📚 when the sun will be setting at 5:48 pm with dusk at 6:14 pm. I read so many ebooks 📖 with that libby app. Including one about buying a house. On that day in 2023, we had cloudy, rain showers and temperatures between 41 and 35 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 40 degrees. We hit a record high of 65 back in 1991.
Programmers with their cryptically named functions
~ or ~
GIS Professionals with their naming of layers on ArcGIS Servers
I mean it probably makes perfect sense to them, and it saves typing a few extra characters by choosing short non-sensible function names, methods, and layer names. And not like you’d ever see them typing a meaningful description in the description field or the method description in the comments.
But of course I stepped outside, the sun felt good as did not paying the buck thirty for the bus or the wasted time sitting on the bus when I could be riding and enjoying nature around me as I peddled to work. I rode in early, so I took my time, rode up to the Menands Exit on the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway, then into the office early.
Good morning! Yeah, it’s Friday! Generally sunny with a few snow flurries around and 30 degrees in Delmar, NY ❄ Breezy, ️25 mph breeze from the west-northwest 🌬 with gusts up to 45 mph 💨💨💨. The current wind chill is 16. At times the wind was really roaring, though as the sun has risen, it has slows significantly. There is a dusting of snow on the ground. ☃ ️Things will start to thaw out at around 10 am. 🌡️
I got a fairly early start 😵 figuring that I would walk laps on the Concourse 🏃 before catching the shuttle bus over to the suburban office. But then I stepped outside, and decided the wasn’t that cold, and I’d rather save the bus fare and get the greater health advantage to riding the bike, plus then I could listen to the audio book I just started on the ride in. 🇸🇦
Today will have a chance of snow showers, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy 🌦, with a high of 34 degrees at 12pm. Two degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around February 8th. Breezy, with a northwest wind 17 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. The high last year was 57 degrees. The record high of 61 was set in 2006. 17.3 inches of snow fell back in 1958.❄
Rode home last night 🚲 with the last part being quite dark. 🌃 It was just kind of a cloudy evening, ☁️ and I didn’t get out of the office until a little after five. I didn’t really need the light on my bike until I was out to Elsmere Avenue and back on public streets, though I did use it while I was on that section of South Pearl with a lot of cross streets, and riding down Erie Boulevard in Albany as it was already kind of dusky.
When I got home I ran into my new landlord 👷 or at least the handyman overseeing my building now that my fomer landlord has closed out the sale and has moved to the Adirondacks. He says he’ll be sending the paperwork over the next few days and an updated address to send the rent checks. 📬 Seemed like a nice guy, though being a corporate partnership owning the building, probably rent will go up. But I was evaluating the rent for similar apartments, and my rent really isn’t that much of a deal currently despite having lived there for so long at this point. At least if things break now, it won’t be quite like I’m calling somebody whose taking repairs it out of their individual family business account. 🔨 Maybe then I can get some things better fixed in my apartment like the leaky door.
I’ll read the paperwork carefully when I get it over the weekend, and decide if I should stay or look at moving. 🔍 Just a casual glance at apartment listings and there are some options there within my price range, though I kind of would rather avoid moving at this point, as things are crazy enough 🤪 with my new job. That said, if I do end up signing a new lease 📄 I think I should evaluate over the next year more seriously if I should buy a house. 🏘 The problem is it’s tough to find a small house that won’t cost a fortunate to heat and light, and I’d kind of like to move back out to country and have land and livestock. 🐮 Maybe a single-wide modullar house on significant acreage would be nice or a cabin, though I don’t love the idea of a crazy long automobile commute, especially as cars can break down.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:10 pm with sun having an altitude of 34.9° from the due south horizon (-35.9° vs. 6/21). Definitely can feel the strengthening sunlight as I rode in this morning. A six foot person will cast a 8.6 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 4:49 pm with the sun in the west-southwest (247°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (254°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 5:28 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 2 seconds with dusk around 5:56 pm, which is one minute and 18 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the First Quarter 🌓 Moon in the south (176°) at an altitude of 71° from the horizon, 234,761 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 6:30 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 32 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 15 mph with gusts up to 25mph. Today will have 10 hours and 39 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 42 seconds over yesterday.
Tonight will have a slight chance of light snow after 4am. Mostly cloudy 🌨, with a low of 24 degrees at 6am. Six degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 8th. Maximum wind chill around 21 at 6pm; West wind 5 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. In 2023, we had partly cloudy skies in the evening, which became light rain by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 23 degrees. The record low of -16 occurred back in 1973.
Tomorrow will have a chance of light snow, mainly between 7am and noon, then a chance of snow showers after noon. Mostly cloudy 🌨, with a high of 34 degrees at 3pm. Two degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around February 8th. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west 11 to 16 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. The high last year was 55 degrees. The record high of 60 was set in 1981. 11.9 inches of snow fell back in 2003.❄
Looking ahead to Sunday, a slight chance of snow showers before 1pm, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 1pm and 4pm, then a slight chance of snow showers after 4pm. 🌦 Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. Southwest wind 8 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Typical average high for the weekend is 36 degrees.
Looking ahead, there are 2 weeks until March 🌨 when the sun will be setting at 5:46 pm with dusk at 6:13 pm. On that day in 2023, we had mostly cloudy, snow showers and temperatures between 39 and 20 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 40 degrees. We hit a record high of 66 back in 2017.
I often don’t want to change but the world keeps changing around me. Not only are things different with my new job out in the suburbs, I may likely have to move now that my landlord sold the apartment. It’s really falling apart and I’ve been rough on it over the past 16 ½ years and maybe it’s time to move on. I knew this day would come some day.
Good morning! Happy Thursday. Clear and 15 degrees in Delmar. 🌅 There is a northwest breeze at 9 mph. 🍃. The current wind chill is 3. There is a dusting of snow on the ground. ☃ Things will start to thaw out at around 11 am. 🌡️
That doesn’t sound like the warmest morning ever for the ride into work 🚲 but at least it won’t be quite as windy. The gloves 🧤 mom got me for my birthday 🎂 definitely help with the winter riding. Should a bit warmer once the sun rises.
Somehow I thought my evening commute last night would be cold but by the time I had climbed out of the gorge I was sweating. 😰 Felt great with my heart pumping as I reached out to the summit climbing out of the gorge. 💓 Now that I’m riding back and forth to work in Menands, my bicycle commute is 17 ½ miles total. 🏞 And that doesn’t include if I decide visit the Riverfront, Albany Rural Cementary or random back streets in North Albany at lunch time.
Today will have a chance of snow, mainly after 5pm. Increasing clouds 🌞, with a high of 36 degrees at 1pm. Typical for today. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning with more sun in the afternoon. The high last year was 64 degrees. The record high of 55 was set in 2006. 9.0 inches of snow fell back in 1894.❄
Breakfast this morning was red onions, peas, corn, eggs and corn meal 🥚 and an apple 🍏 for dessert. Dark and chilly when I first awoke but the sun is rising. 🌅 Drinking coffee ☕ chewing over the bombshell 💣 that was last night. It’s not a big deal, I have options but a lot to think 🤔 about in the coming days. Last night was sweet potatoes and onions fried with spinach and corn with turmeric and other spices. Then too much mango as I was stress eating. 🫦
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:11 pm with sun having an altitude of 34.6° from the due south horizon (-36.3° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 8.7 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 4:47 pm with the sun in the west-southwest (247°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (253°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 5:27 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 1 seconds with dusk around 5:55 pm, which is one minute and 18 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the First Quarter 🌓 Moon in the south-southwest (206°) at an altitude of 64° from the horizon, 232,122 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 6:29 pm. At sunset, look for snow 🌨 and temperatures around 34 degrees. There will be a south-southeast breeze at 9 mph. Tomorrow will have 10 hours and 39 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 42 seconds over today.
It is what it is, 🚚 I have options when it comes to moving or deciding to stay. My apartment has a lot of issues I’ve been rough on it but also not super demanding on the landlord when things wore out. I keep trying to patch the air leaks around the door 🚪 but that’s falling apart like so many other things. Maybe it’s a sign to start anew. My lease could change at any point, I’m sure rent will go up with the new landlord but how much is the question. Where to move to next, it would be nicer to be closer to my office 🏢 in suburban Menands but also I wouldn’t mind moving back to the country 🐔 but I don’t really love driving 🚘.
I fret the additional costs of moving on, 🏡 but I’ve been saving a lot and I do have options. Really if I had to I could find quite a bit more money 💵 in my budget but I fret to spend what I want to go towards my future 🔮. But maybe now is the time to cash in some of those stocks and bonds – or just cut back on my investing. 📊 It all depends on what I decide to do. I’d love to move back to the country and have land but being single in many ways that’s hard to do. I’m so jealous of my friends and colleagues that have land while I’m still in the apartment I’ve been in since a few months after graduation 🎓 from college and my first real post college job. But I’ve been saving end investing towards this next step though I’ll probably end up paying a lot of capital gains taxes should I end up having to sell a lot of stock to finance this next big step. 👣
Tonight will snow, mainly before 1am. 🌨 Low of 28 degrees at 5am. 10 degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 21st. Breezy, with a south wind 14 to 19 mph becoming west 20 to 25 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 43 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. In 2023, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 40 degrees. The record low of -20 occurred back in 1943.
I am really getting up to speed at the new job, 🕴🏻 it’s just such a cultural shock 🤯 and different from when I worked downtown. Mastering all the particularlities of the job is a challenge 📄, it’s still so paperwork based. So many procedures to learn – as the manager your expected to wear any hat 🎩🧢🤠 depending who is out on a particular day. The money is good, I often complain about that but it’s because I see so little of it because I’m investing. And the technical skills I’m practicing, refining and building into my life and resume in a professional manner really will push me forward to the next step in life.
Cloudy and windy for the weekend. ❄ Saturday, a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. West wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Sunday, partly sunny, with a high near 34. Typical average high for the weekend is 36 degrees.
I was hoping for a nice weekend in Madison County 🐮 but it’s going to be cold, cloudy and windy. It’s President’s Weekend and that’s to be expected. I should chew over my options going forward about where I should move, looking at apartments and houses. I hate to change but time marches on. 🕰️ I remind myself I moved to this apartment when I was 24 years old back when my salary was $27,500 and I’m 41 now and significantly more. Time marches on.
One month 📅 from now will be Ides of March ✝ when the sun will be setting at 7:03 pm with dusk at 7:30 pm (Daylight Savings Time). The average high temperature is 44 degrees, with a record high of 75 in 1946. Hello, friendly strangers in a black sedan. 🖤
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