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.
Yesterday was fun with that 46 mile bike ride up to Halfmoon. Lots of interesting history, learning about the Old Champlain Canal and GE Silicone as I rode over the old Waterford dump and the past the massive slag piles from GE Silicone. The Champlain Canal was very quiet though Peebles Island was packed so I didn’t dwell there.
Good morning! Happy Sunday. Up bright and early, ran to Stewart’s around 5:30 to get milk 🐮 for my coffee. ☕ Partly clear and 29 degrees in Delmar. 🌅 There is a northwest breeze at 5 mph. 🍃. Still a while until the sun rises, but at least things will start to thaw out at around 7 am. 🌡️ That said, not going to be a real warm day today.
Fried up two onions this morning 🍳 with lots of delicious turmeric, mushrooms, spinach, kidney beans and of course two eggs scrambled up and topped with Parmesan cheese and nutritional yeast and hot sauce. I am like yum and quite healthy to boot. With that banana I had for a side, 🍌 I should be good for a while. Which is good as my pantry is getting a bit bare, going to go shopping relatively early this morning to avoid the crowds — maybe around 9 AM. Probably go to Walmart but I’ll follow up with a visit to Price Chopper as I’ll want to get King Arthur Whole Wheat flour for baking bread this week — and maybe make flatbread wraps too. 🍞 I figure shower 🚿 and get a good early start today. 😴 I’ve been up since a little after 5 AM.
Today will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 43 degrees at 2pm. Eight degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around November 30th. North wind around 6 mph. Kind of a cool day, it would have been even cooler if I had gone to Vermont. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. The high last year was 71 degrees. The record high of 68 was set in 1909. 7.3 inches of snow fell back in 1968.❄
Solar noon 🌞 is at 11:40 am with sun having an altitude of 29.7° from the due south horizon (-41.1° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 10.5 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 3:56 pm with the sun in the west-southwest (239°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (247°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 4:37 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 10 seconds with dusk around 5:06 pm, which is one minute and one second earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 5:41 pm. At sunset, look for clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 40 degrees. There will be a north breeze at 6 mph. Tomorrow will have 9 hours and 53 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 15 seconds over today.
So yesterday was a fun day. 🚲 The ride to Peebles Island wasn’t bad, though I didn’t particularly enjoy the part through Green Island as that section is entirely on-road though the rest of the trail is segregated from highway traffic. It’s good, I’ll keep this in mind for future weekends, maybe explore some of Troy or Peebles Island when it’s hopefully less crowded. It was a good bit of exercise.
Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 22 degrees at 6am. 10 degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around December 17th. Calm wind. Might have to even turn on the heat tonight. ♨️ In 2022, we had light rain in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 36 degrees. The record low of 13 occurred back in 1981.
Tomorrow going to start another 5-day work week, 🏢 working downtown in the office but I expect a relatively busy weekend, and it should go by quickly. Might be nice enough to ride to work several days next week, saving on bus fare and benefiting health 🚲 though obviously I’ll be busing it home at end of the day as it will be dark by a little after four. The following week is a 3-day week
Looking ahead, there are 4 weeks until 7:15 AM Sunrise ⌛️ when the sun will be setting at 4:23 pm with dusk at 4:53 pm. On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 31 and 20 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 40 degrees. We hit a record high of 64 back in 1966.
It’s frustrating that the Empire Trail from Albany to Waterford is almost all off city streets except in Green Island where the Empire Trail doesn’t run because Green Island is the Staten Island of Albany County and hates bicycles. Literally the seperate bike tail ends at both ends of the village lines. There is no reason why a lot of trail couldn’t be either bike lanes or entirely segregated from village traffic like it is in Cohoes and Waterviliet.
You can do IDW interpolation of missing Census Tracts fairly easily in R using the gstat library. The key is to make sure you use a projected dataset. Other interpolation methods are covered here: https://rspatial.org/raster/analysis/4-interpolation.html
# calculate the percentage of veterans per census tract acs <- mutate(acs, vet_per = VeteranE/TotalE)
# create a copy of census tracts, dropping any NA values # from vet_per field vetNA <- acs %>% drop_na(vet_per)
# a raster should be created to do interpolation into r <- raster(vetNA, res=1000)
# set the foruma based on field (vet_per) that contains # the veterans percent to interpolate. This use IDW interpolation # for all points, weighting farther ones less gs <- gstat(formula = vet_per~1, locations = vetNA)
# interpolate the data (average based on nearby points) nn <- interpolate(r, gs)
# extract the median value of the raster interpolation from the original shapefile, # into a new column set as est acs<- cbind(acs, est=exactextractr::exact_extract(nn, acs, fun='median'))
# replace any NA values with interpolated data so the map doesn't contain # holes. You should probably mention that missing data was interpolated when # sharing your map. acs <- acs %>% mutate(vet_per = ifelse(is.na(vet_per), est, vet_per))
While I support anyone who works hard for a living, I am not a fan of Veterans Day or any holiday that honors government workers over the private sector workers or the general public. I do not believe that government service is any more honorable then working in the private sector, as both workers in the public and private sectors have essential jobs that keep society moving forward. It’s important we support and honor all people who have dangerous jobs, and work hard.
Government workers – be it police, firefighters, military or politicians – regularly feel it necessary to honor their own service in their jobs. But are the services they perform any less important than farmers, auto workers, electricians, teachers or nurses? I get some jobs are more dangerous then other, but honoring the police state over other hardworking people with dangerous jobs bothers me.
I think there is something very patronizing about a government honoring itself. I think government employees should be humble and if they really want somebody to honor it should be those who work in the private sector, not the public sector. Maybe the government should have a farmers and mechanics celebration day. Or a plumbers and electrician day.
If non-governmental entities like VFW Clubs or other entities outside of government want to honor the brave work of government workers like those in the military, that’s fine but celebrations should not come from the government promoting itself.
Our veterans who stepped up and did a necessary job defending our country regardless of the wisdom of our warmongering politicians. Yes, veterans do it for a job and a career, but some may never return home, as we honor all today. War is terrible thing, it ends too many lives prematurely. Soldiers and military employees are dedicated to upholding and enacting the policies chosen by our leaders and defending our freedoms.
Day by day. The fact that Thanksgiving Day Week is basically the week after next week shows how fast the year is coming to a close. While maybe it would have been nice to get out of town this weekend, I’m thinking today I’ll ride to Peebles Island and have some fun closer to home while trying to hold the line on expenses, though I’ll probably end up taking the 18 bus back home and will probably need to get to the grocery store and or Walmart this evening as I’m eating myself out of house and home again.
Good morning! Partly clear 🌅 and 41 degrees in Delmar, NY on this Veteran’s Day. 🏵 There is a northwest breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. Temperatures will drop below freezing at around 10 pm. ☃️ Not so cold for a mid-November morning, though it won’t warm up that much and it will be breezy.
Up a bit before six o’clock ⏰ though I was awake before then. Decided to do oatmeal-banana pancakes with chia seeds today, 🥞 topped with shredded apples 🍎 mixed with boiled apple cider, cinnamon, ginger and heated in the microwave. It was good. I have to admit I also had a bit more of that soup I made up last night — chicken soup I guess — 🍲 though it was more of a stew with rich earthy overtones with lots of cumin and ground chili spice. Also finally getting around to cooking some chickpeas, 👩🍳 might make hummus or just have them with various meals. Mom was suggesting putting them in soups. I also like them with fresh fruit, kind of like a trail mix without as much as fat as nuts, though they can certainly be good mixed in a handful of almonds, blueberries, and raspberries. 🥜
Today is Veterans Day, which will will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 46 degrees at 1pm. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around November 23rd. Northwest wind 6 to 11 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became rain by afternoon. It became somewhat humid as the day progressed. The high last year was 69 degrees. The record high of 70 was set in 2002. 3.0 inches of snow fell back in 1906.❄
I am thinking about riding out to Peebles Island State Park in Cohoes. 🚲 It’s about 17 miles or an hour and a half ride each way. I am thinking I would likely ride up to the park, bring a lunch, walk around Peebles Island and maybe a little bit in Cohoes along the Canal. 📷 Going to be a nice sunny day with blue skies for pictures. Then ride back to Albany via the Empire Trail, and catch the 18 bus back home. 🚌 as I expect by then I’ll probably be running low on daylight and pretty tired as it’s a big trip. 🌆 Days are so short come mid-November. I am thinking my next out of town adventure will be in a little under two weeks — the day after Thanksgiving through the following Monday, probably Route 8 on East Branch. Some quiet time off the internet.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 11:40 am with sun having an altitude of 30° from the due south horizon (-40.8° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 10.4 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 3:57 pm with the sun in the west-southwest (240°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (247°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 4:38 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 10 seconds with dusk around 5:07 pm, which is one minute and 3 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 5:42 pm. At sunset, look for mostly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 43 degrees. There will be a northwest breeze at 10 mph. Tomorrow will have 9 hours and 56 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 16 seconds over today.
Money is just kind of tight 💳 after vacation and renewing my blog contract and all the trips I’ve been taking. ⛽ I ended up transferring in $750 from savings to ensure I had enough money to pay my credit card bill and maintain adequate balance in my bank account through the money. It’s not a pay week but come Wednesday, $1,300 goes out to the credit card. Already earned $135 from blog advertising, though I won’t get paid until mid-December under the Google Ad Sense rules that require a $100 minimum unpaid balance at end of the month to get paid, and then they hold your check for three weeks to verify it and collect interest on it. 🏨 I know, it’s kind of obnoxious but I’ll probably earn at least another $30 or $40 bucks before the month is done to tack on the $135. Web advertising is a bit of a mystery, based on bidding — one day I earned like $11 in ad revenue which is crazy compared to a buck or two most days and when you multiply it out over the months, especially for a small little blog like this. It’s good I’m staying home this weekend.
Truth is I have a lot of money coming in, 🔀 but the thing is as soon as it comes in a lot goes out. I am continuing to invest heavily into my retirement accounts 👴 as now is the time to do it while I’m relatively young and making good money, 💵 and also into my investment accounts so they can continue to grow and own my own land eventually. While interest rates are up on my savings account — close to 5%, with inflation I figure it’s better to be going into the stock and bond market, especially over the long term. There will be a recession 📉 but eventually we’ll come out of it and things will grow. I am hopeful I can pay back my savings account in the next few months, especially as some of those short term expenses like vacation come and go, though soon I’ll have heating bills, though so far I’ve avoided using the heat, though yesterday ♨️ I finally put the screens in my window and patched the air leaks around the door, 🪟 as I know I’ll need the heat before long. I have the heated blanket ready to go but I haven’t put that on the bed yet, though I will be ready when those days come.
Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 26 degrees at 6am. Seven degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around December 3rd. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening. In 2022, we had light rain in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It was somewhat humid. It got down to 49 degrees. The record low of 15 occurred back in 1976.
Yesterday, I rode out to Voorheesville 🚲 and spent a lot of time reading and watching video and reading material for yet another Udemy class that I get free from the library. 📱 Last week I finished a class called the Fundamentals of Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis, now I am a few hours into a class on Remote Sensing and QGIS. Basically it’s all about using data collected from satellites 📡 to learn about what is happening on the earth’s surface. 📚 I was going to go down to the library last night but I was tired and comfortable in my bed, after enjoying that soup that I made earlier int he day. 🛌 I figure this is the time of year to learn more, and Remote Sensing is only going to improve my GIS skills, especially combined with the use of raster math both in QGIS and R programming language.
As previously noted, next Saturday is Regular Deer Season in Southern Zone 🦌 when the sun will be setting at 4:32 pm with dusk at 5:01 pm. On that day in 2022, we had partly cloudy skies, snow showers and temperatures between 43 and 28 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 48 degrees. Opened this morning in Vermont. We hit a record high of 71 back in 1928.
But truth be told, I need a break from traveling and this weekend is going to be rather chilly especially in the Green Mountains. My credit card and truck need a break and I really need some home time to clean, put away gear and not be go go go. Weather wise past today will be bright and sunny but cold, and otherwise I would have taken Monday off. I kind of wish I had put off the Madison County trip another week but at this point I’m thinking of an Adirondacks trip for Black Friday extended through the Monday thereafter and maybe a trip running from the first day of winter Thursday December 21st through Christmas Eve on the 24th weather dependent.
Good morning on this VeteransDayObserved! 🪖🇺🇸🎖️⚔️Mostly cloudy and 40 degrees in Delmar, NY. ☁ There is a south-southwest breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. Kind of a dark morning. Temperatures will drop below freezing at tomorrow around 10 pm. ☃️
Up at 5 AM today like usual for breakfast, 🥘 which was the usual pan of eggs and the fixings. I should do pancakes again soon but I’ve not really been into sweet lately for breakfast. I’ll eat plenty of fruit through the day so I’m not worried on that. 🍏 I actually fried up some apples, bananas and cinnamon with honey last night. I am still so in love with the high temperature avocado oil 🥑 which you can use a ton of heat with without risking the oil burning or starting to break down. 500 degree flash point is probably hotter then my stove burner can get.
Rather then do a morning walk today, I am thinking of going out for a bike ride to Voorheesville. 🚲 Not going to be a real nice day, lot of clouds. But I want to get some exercise, and then maybe go down to the library to work on some various projects. 📚 I do need to be careful how much riding I do today as my carpal tunnel I think I’m developing in my hands 🙌 is bothering me as I have very little feeling in my pinky finger this morning. 🧤 I really do need to think about getting riding gloves. Going to get dark fairly early, as it’s a cloudy day ☁️ and it’s November. I guess I’m not missing much by staying in town this weekend.
Today will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a high of 52 degrees at 3pm. Typical for today. Southwest wind 6 to 13 mph becoming west 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 65 degrees. The record high of 72 was set in 1931. 3.2 inches of snow fell back in 1987.❄
Solar noon 🌞 is at 11:40 am with sun having an altitude of 30.3° from the due south horizon (-40.5° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 10.3 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 3:58 pm with the sun in the west-southwest (240°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (247°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 4:39 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 9 seconds with dusk around 5:08 pm, which is one minute and 4 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 5:43 pm. At sunset, look for partly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 50 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 8 mph. Tomorrow will have 9 hours and 58 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 18 seconds over today.
Today I want to get get the storm windows 🪟 back in on my apartment, use some insulating tape to fix any air leaks around the door and also get out my electric blanket. Not expecting real cold weather this week but those days are going to be here before you know it and at some point I’ll want to turn the heat back on. Then do a bunch of cleaning around, especially in the bathroom. 🚽 It seems like my toilet gets a lot dirtier quicker with all that fiber I’m eating 🥦 with my healthy eating habits.
Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌃 , with a low of 36 degrees at 5am. Three degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around November 2nd. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming southwest in the evening. 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 48 degrees. The record low of 15 occurred back in 1956.
I am thinking soup this evening. Maybe with chicken 🐔 or tuna fish, 🐠 I have cans of both. Plus then I can use up the fresh broccoli and spinach in my fridge before it goes bad, along with with the carrots I have, some pasta, and then start digging into some of the frozen vegetables. Plus obviously some diced onions and who knows what else. 🍲 It’s a great way to warm up at the end of day, and it uses up a lot in the fridge. I’m thinking about going shopping tomorrow, though I’m trying to cut expenses over the next few day. 💸
Veterans Day will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 46 degrees at 1pm. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around November 23rd. Northwest wind around 11 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. The high last year was 69 degrees. The record high of 70 was set in 2002. 3.0 inches of snow fell back in 1906.❄
Looking ahead to Sunday, sunny with a high near 43. ☀ Kind of a chilly day. It would have been cold in Vermont — only talking 32 degrees. But it’s fine, I don’t want to be up there during hunting season, interfering with people looking for their deer. 🦌 Typical average high for the weekend is 51 degrees.
Looking ahead, there are 2 weeks until Buy Nothing Day 🛍️ when the sun will be setting at 4:27 pm with dusk at 4:57 pm. On that day in 2022, we had partly sunny and temperatures between 49 and 24 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 46 degrees. We hit a record high of 70 back in 2014.
