Balsam Swamp State Forest

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.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/8261.html

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The smoke clears as the weekend approaches but I’m in as much of as a haze ever 🌁

Andy | June 9, 2023

Through the haze I think I can see the weekend though for a while walking yesterday I could feel my throat burning. Again the smoke alarm went off in the office from the wildfire smoke, the fire department came and switched off the alarm. I reviewed votes on calender 58B at one AM in the morning, flipped a Rules Report number got up at 5:50 am and started walking. A day in the life.

Good morning! Yeah, it’s Friday! On a clear day you can still see the weekend. Summer is still coming despite the smoke which started to part yesterday. Mostly cloudy with some smoke and fog around 47 degrees in Delmar, NY. 🌁 Calm wind. The air quality index is 54. You can sort of start to breathe again this morning.

That cold cup of coffee ☕ helps a lot as died the cold air. My throat feels a lot better this morning, it really started to burn yesterday when I was walking in the mid afternoon after the smoke had appeared to lift but the air quality levels still were around 175. 🫁Walked 6 ¼ miles yesterday and 7 ½ miles yesterday which ain’t bad despite the busy schedule and noxious air. Reheating the eggs, spinach and vegetables from yesterday 🍳. A rich source of protein and energy for the coming day.

It seems like only a day more of wearing my oversized dress pants 🕴️which apparently the pair I had saved for today seems particularly oversized. In many ways I can’t believe how much weight I have lost. Now I kind of wish I had a working scale and weighted myself before I started this journey into healthy eating 🍏. I concede probably a lot of it was the two pounds of cheese 🧀 I was eating most weeks, which for as much as I love all things dairy 🐮, that’s a lot of saturated fat. I do like my new sense of taste and all interesting foods. I guess session could extend after midnight again but I don’t think I’ll be likely driving downtown to work a full day on Saturday though anything is possible. I just want things to wrap up so so I can get onto summer.

Today will have a chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Some of the storms could produce small hail. Partly sunny 🌦, with a high of 67 degrees at 2pm. 11 degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 3rd. Maximum dew point of 52 at 9am. Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. A year ago, we had light rain in the morning with more sun in the afternoon. It was somewhat humid. The high last year was 75 degrees. The record high of 100 was set in 1933.

Last night when I was working from home 💻 I made up another pound of rice 🍚 and lentils for the upcoming week. A mixture of red and green lentils in the rice as it was a red lentil week but I didn’t have enough. After lunch today the pound of black beans I cooked up on Sunday evening will be done. They were good especially cold with red onions. 🧅 I need to get to the store 🛒 soon as my fresh and frozen fruit supply has been mostly eaten at this point as I only have a single apple 🍏 left in my office 🏢 although I can finish off the red grapes 🍇 today at work. Yesterday’s dinner was the last of the rice with a thawed shrimp 🦐 and lots of kale. But I’m even getting low on frozen kale and spinach, so you know a real crisis in the pantry is ahead.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:56 pm with sun having an altitude of 70.3° from the due south horizon (-0.5° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.1 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:50 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (296°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (303°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:32 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 26 seconds with dusk around 9:06 pm, which is 36 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:52 pm. At sunset, look out for rain 🌧 and thunderstorms 🌩 and temperatures around 63 degrees. The dew point will be 53 degrees. There will be a north-northwest breeze at 5 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 17 minutes of daytime, an increase of 49 seconds over yesterday.

In an ideal world session would wrap up fairly early today, 🏡 I could get home early, take a nap 😴 and then get to Walmart around 8 pm when freshly stocked but that’s living in a fantasy world. 🧛 I think realistically the best I can do is try to get my steps 👣 in today, keep my eyes 👀 mostly open at work and celebrate 🎉 come tomorrow when the legislative session is done if it is done before then which I concede may be unlikely.

Tonight will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce small hail. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 48 degrees at 6am. Eight degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 16th. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 53 degrees. The record low of 36 occurred back in 1975.

I double checked to make sure my stove was off 🍲 and that the refrigerator was off and the iron unplugged before leaving home because I’m sure memory is bad at this point. 💁🏻‍♂️I’ll be glad for a more normal week next week though I have a busy one planned. Got to get my summer on. ☔ I forgot my umbrella again but at this point I don’t care if I get a bit wet heading home.🌧️ I’ll dry out my suit jacket, probably will need to be dried cleaned by January at any rate and I’ll throw the rest in the wash. Probably going to end up getting at least some new dress shirts and pants should I keep off the weight if not loose more through the end of the year.

On this day in 1972, severe rainfall causes a dam in the Black Hills of South Dakota to burst, 🌊creating a flood that kills 238 people and causes $160 million in damage. This one wasn’t blown up by the Russians. I have always been fascinated about some day maybe living in the Black Hills of South Dakota. 🌲🌲🌲 Very wooded and remote, low taxes, good gun laws. If I was a Republican I would probably vote for their Governor in the Republican presidential primary as she is pretty damn sexy and has that flame thrower on her ranch. 🔥

Tomorrow will have a slight chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Partly sunny 🌦, with a high of 74 degrees at 4pm. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 27th. Maximum dew point of 53 at 8am. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. A year ago, we had light rain in the morning with more sun in the afternoon. It was somewhat humid. The high last year was 76 degrees. The record high of 96 was set in 2008.

I’m hoping to do the Gas Up 🚜 with dad on Saturday assuming that I’m not working. Then an overnight hammock camping 🏕 in the woods somewhere. I heard Stanton’s has fresh strawberries 🍓 which might be good as a snack at camp and breakfast the next morning, especially if I don’t have time to shop in the mean time.

Looking ahead to Sunday, a slight chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. ☀ Calm wind becoming southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Maximum dew point of 59 at 7pm. I might do the Gas Up again on Sunday to explore more of it and get some ice cream 🍧 made with the antique churn and the Blackstone engine assuming I’m not too tired. Plus hike at Thacher Park. 🚶 Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees.

Next week, I have a busy week ahead. 🚲 I am hoping to get some advice on my bicycle from the Albany Bicycle Rescue clinic on Tuesday, which will hopefully get me on the right track. Then come Wednesday, I need to go to the store and get my propane tank filled 🏮 and food for the long weekend. I plan to take Friday off to head up to the Adirondacks, so I will be driving north on Thursday evening, hopefully to get the House Pond Campsite and the swimming hole. ⛺ And the Potholers Monday is Juneteenth and I’m planning to take off Tuesday, so I will probably camp somewhere different for the second half of the weekend. Maybe Stewart Landing and paddle Lily Lake 🌼 in hope that there will still be the lilies out on the lake. They come pretty early in my experience and are a easy to miss.

Looking ahead, there are 5 weeks until National Nude Day 👱 when the sun will be setting at 8:33 pm with dusk at 9:06 pm. On that day in 2022, we had partly cloudy and temperatures between 85 and 65 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 84 degrees. We hit a record high of 99 back in 1995.

The worse part is the acrid smell of the smoke during the middle of the night 👃

Andy | June 8, 2023

Really in bed is when I’ve been noticing the foul air quality the most, though the smoke is everywhere including in my office. Seems as the temperature drops in the evening the smoke gets downright acrid, like something nasty made out of PVC you tossed on the bonfire. Politicians say stay indoors ignoring the fact that whatever is outdoors is likely to get indoors and a lot of people don’t have air conditioning.

Good morning on this smokey Thursday. 🌇 . Smoke and 49 degrees at the Elm Ave Town Park for the morning walk. 🌫️ There is a west breeze at 5 mph. 🍃. The current air quality index is 208, very unhealthy.

There are some people out jogging this morning 🏃 and I think they are nuts 🤪. I’m doing my morning walk 🚶 at a slow and steady pace but my nose and throat are irritated some from the air pollution but also the lack of quality sleep 🛏 after the long and crazy days at work. Managed to get in 7.3 miles walked yesterday but it’s tough between the smoke and the work schedule. Hoping both session and the pollution break soon but I see both dragging into the weekend.

Today will have a chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 5pm, then a chance of showers after 5pm. Some of the storms could produce small hail. Widespread haze before 11am. Patchy smoke before 11am. Mostly cloudy 🌦, with a high of 65 degrees at 5pm. 12 degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around April 28th. Maximum dew point of 53 at 3pm. West wind around 6 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning with more sun in the afternoon. The high last year was 77 degrees. The record high of 93 was set in 2011.

The air pollution locally hss been pretty bad but nothing like what they’ve had in the Finger Lakes, or even Syracuse or New York City. 🌁 We haven’t had the bright orange skies of New York City but the haze has cast a blueish pale gray on everything. Makes everything dull like a rainy day or a little like behind a car burning oil. 🚘 That said I certainly felt it racing out to the bus 🚍 which was running late or even after walking. Just a lot of congestion at times, a bit of a sore throat from all that particulate matter. Probably like a night of hard drinking 🍻 after a few smokes. 🚬 That said, life goes on and sometimes it’s best to keep a good habit going regardless of the poor air quality.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:55 pm with sun having an altitude of 70.2° from the due south horizon (-0.6° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.2 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:49 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (296°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (303°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:32 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 25 seconds with dusk around 9:05 pm, which is 37 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:51 pm. At sunset, look out for potential rain 🌧 and thunderstorms 🌩 and temperatures around 60 degrees. The dew point will be 51 degrees. There will be a calm wind. Today will have 15 hours and 16 minutes of daytime, an increase of 52 seconds over yesterday.

Last night I worked until 11 pm, though I finished up the evening from home 💻 as between the laptop and Hotspot and phone there isn’t much you can’t do remotely. I’m kind of hoping I can finish tonight off remotely too, though I concede the air quality might be better in my office 🏢. Though who knows, even with the air conditioning at work, you could smell the smoke being sucked in all day by the HVAC system. I’m starting to run low on fresh and frozen fruit 🍏 at home along with eggs 🥚 and kale but I doubt I’ll be able to get to the store before Friday. It’s possible I’ll need to run to the laundromat Friday night if I’m working Saturday. 🧑🏻‍💼

Tonight will have a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers after 5am. Some of the storms could produce small hail. Mostly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 47 degrees at 6am. Nine degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 13th. Light northwest wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became light rain by the early hours of the morning. It became somewhat humid as the night progressed. It got down to 58 degrees. The record low of 37 occurred back in 1977.

On this day in 1968, Robert F. Kennedy’s funeral takes place at the St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

Right now, a split verdict on the weekend. 😕 Saturday, a chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce small hail. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Maximum dew point of 54 at 9am. Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Maximum dew point of 58 at 8pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees.

Looking ahead, there are 6 weeks until Ugly Truck Day 🚚 when the sun will be setting at 8:29 pm with dusk at 9:01 pm. On that day in 2022, we had hot, humid, mostly sunny, thunderstorm and temperatures between 97 and 72 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 84 degrees. We hit a record high of 97 back in 1991.

I can’t breathe! 🌫️

Andy | June 7, 2023

For somebody in relatively good health, the unhealthy smoke filled air hits you when you step outside but I can only imagine how it can feel for people with asthma, breathing problems or a weak heart. I heard the cows aren’t loving the smoke either, they breathe in a lot more air then us humans.

Good morning! What day is it? A smoggy Day, of course. Canadian wildlife smoke, smog and 47 degrees for the morning walk out by the Elm Ave Town Park. ⛅ There is a west-northwest breeze at 8 mph. 🍃.

Out walking 🚶 early this morning, I figure before traffic and the smog gets worse. Plus it might be another long day at work and I want to get in at least six miles today, just like I did yesterday despite the late night, smog and much needed rain. ☔ Already the AQI is above 150 and today may be worse for air pollution then yesterday. It’s a bit hard to breathe at times at least you have to work harder but I figure the added strain on my heart ♥ is better than getting out of the habit of exercising. Most other people are inside this morning. Not a lot of walkers or joggers out today.

Woke up last night after the rain ☔ and got a deep breath of the smoke and coughed a bit. I guess it’s something people get used to, these levels of air pollution weren’t uncommon in big cities years ago or even Albany on hot summer days. But usually the heat and humidity hits you more when the air quality is bad. Especially now that the sun is rising as is the mercury you can smell the on smoke on the air. Kind of like wet campfire.

Today will have a chance of showers, mainly after 3pm. Widespread haze between 7am and 2pm. Mostly cloudy 🌦, with a high of 71 degrees at 2pm. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 16th. Maximum dew point of 49 at 9am. Northwest wind 8 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. It became somewhat humid as the day progressed. The high last year was 80 degrees. The record high of 95 was set in 1999.

Yesterday session ended about 7:40 pm so I got stuck waiting for the 8:15 bus 🚏. It wasn’t bad in the sense it gave me time to walk some laps in the Capitol while I waited for the bus. Ended up doing a little more then six miles yesterday 👣 mostly because I did a midday walk on the Plaza to take in the air pollution and then laps in the office 🏢 in the evening and later in the Capitol. I hate to break the pattern. It was better to walk inside in the evening as it was raining by the time I left and it was so smoggy out downtown and everything stunk like wet wood on the campfire. I wonder how much of the summer we will be dealing with bad air quality locally. I’m hoping tomorrow is the last day of session, though I’m prepared with one more set of dress shirts and pants if necessary for Friday and can press another shirt and pants into service or necessary or find time to do a load of wash at laundromat on Saturday, not such a thing is likely in my mind but it could happen. I’m ready for casual dress and 9-5 at work again.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:55 pm with sun having an altitude of 70.1° from the due south horizon (-0.7° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.2 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:49 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (296°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (303°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:31 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 25 seconds with dusk around 9:05 pm, which is 39 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:50 pm. At sunset, look for a chance of rain 🌧 and temperatures around 60 degrees. The dew point will be 46 degrees. There will be a north-northwest breeze at 11 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 15 minutes of daytime, an increase of 56 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will have a chance of showers, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 49 degrees at 6am. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 19th. Northwest wind 5 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It was somewhat humid. It got down to 61 degrees. The record low of 38 occurred back in 1951.

On this day in 1965, the Supreme Court of the United States hands down its decision in Griswold v. Connecticut, 💏effectively legalizing the use of contraception by married couples. An important decision but has been whittled down a lot since Row was overturned. I don’t like the celebration or promotion of abortion by Planned Parenthood and the alike but I don’t think the Supreme Court should have overturned that decision. Somethings should be condemned but kept private, civil matters.

The weekend has slid downhill a bit. 😕 Saturday, a chance of showers after 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Maximum dew point of 54 at 7pm. Sunday, a chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Maximum dew point of 58 at 8pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees. Still think it might be good for the Gas Up with Dad on Saturday ⛽ and doing some overnight hammock camping 🏕 and then a second day at the Gas Up, followed by hiking at Thacher Park. 🏞

Looking ahead, there are 2 weeks until Summer ️⛱️ when the sun will be setting at 8:38 pm with dusk at 9:11 pm. On that day in 2022, we had partly cloudy, rain showers and temperatures between 70 and 51 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 81 degrees. We hit a record high of 97 back in 1938.

The haze this morning reminds me of a winter’s morning 🌫

Andy | June 6, 2023

Cool and gray though maybe not quite winter like. The light is just very dull this morning, the mountains mostly hidden by the haze. Maybe I’ve just forgotten what a cloudy day looks like after so many sunny days.

Good morning! Happy Tuesday. Clouds, haze and 55 degrees in Delmar for the morning walk. 🌫️ There is a west breeze at 7 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 45 degrees.

Made it second gear ⚙ of the week. I don’t think I stalled it going into first yesterday, letting the clutch out easily going through Monday and rolling ahead. It gas helped that I’ve been once again making it a priority to be asleep by around nine and staying in bed 🛏 without playing with my phone 📱. Good sleep is key 🗝 for good health. I like walking 🚶 in the evening but if it means cutting it back by a half mile to get to bed in time, it might be worth it. I did 7 ¾ miles yesterday.

Today will have a slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Some of the storms could produce small hail and gusty winds. Widespread haze before 1pm, then widespread haze after 3pm. Partly sunny 🌦, with a high of 71 degrees at 4pm. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 16th. Maximum dew point of 53 at 11am. Northwest wind 7 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 81 degrees. The record high of 94 was set in 1925.

After what was kind of a carb heavy week last week, been trying to cut back this week. 🌯 I don’t have any events or receptions to go to this week. Cold lunch and dinner yesterday where good with black beans, red onions, mushrooms, peppers and I think some tofu last night. I actually packed rice, chicken and black beans but last night I got out of work at 6:15 and ended up eating a quick meal at home before walking. Black beans are my super food of the week, they fill you up quickly but I’ll rotate it out for something different next week I’m sure.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:55 pm with sun having an altitude of 70° from the due south horizon (-0.8° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.2 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:48 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (296°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (303°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:31 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 25 seconds with dusk around 9:04 pm, which is 41 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:49 pm. At sunset, look for rain 🌧 and temperatures around 63 degrees. The dew point will be 49 degrees. There will be a northwest breeze at 13 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 14 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and one second over yesterday.

I wonder if we will get the much needed rain this evening. 🌧️ It’s possible I don’t know. Still want to try to get my steps 👣 in for the day as I’ve been doing every day since mid January but this week could be a challenge with the late nights at work and unsettled weather patterns. You do the best you can, I tell myself. Once session is over for the year it will be much easier. 🌇 The rain should also help clear out the hsze in the sky.

Tonight will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Widespread haze before 8pm. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 50 degrees at 4am. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 23rd. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. In 2022, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 65 degrees. The record low of 37 occurred back in 1958.

Gas Up Weekend forecast still looks excellent 🚜 but with a chance of showers. 😎 Saturday, a chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Maximum dew point of 53 at 7pm. Sunday, a chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Maximum dew point of 58 at 6pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees.

Looking ahead, there are 2 weeks until Primary Day 🗳️ when the sun will be setting at 8:38 pm with dusk at 9:11 pm. On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 82 and 47 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 81 degrees. We hit a record high of 97 back in 1953.

There isn’t a Democratic primary in Bethlehem 🐴 though there is a Conservative primary for Highway Superintendent which I can’t vote in as I’m a registered Democrat. It’s interesting to see that Albany County Conservative Party gave Marc Dorsey a Wilson Pakula especially with Craig Seals the volunteer fire fighter 🧑‍🚒 running as an enrolled conservative. Probably the cops back Dorsey, usually that’s who gets the conservative line. Ultimately though I’m not convinced winning 🥇 the conservative line matter much for either party.

As they say, all things must come to an end

Andy | June 5, 2023

The 2023 NY legislative session included. Nothing is longer than the present moment but nothing is quite as fleeting. But the best one could do is put one foot in front of another and apply more paint and bondo over the rust holes. I’m looking forward to summer and not having to wear my loose fitting dress shirts anymore, knowing that I can catch the 5 o’clock home every day.

Good morning! Today 8:30 PM Sunset ️⛱️ . I guess that’s a sign of spring even if the mercury isn’t agreeing. Partly cloudy and 47 degrees in Delmar, NY. ⛅ There is a north-northwest breeze at 5 mph. 🍃.

I got a good night’s sleep 🛏 that is relatively speaking but I’m still dragging my ass on the morning walk 🚶 a few minutes late again. 🏢 Maybe I’m fearing the week to come 😱 but I don’t know why as the latest night last week was 6 pm and often on the real late nights I can work from home.

Today will be partly sunny 🌞, with a high of 75 degrees at 4pm. Two degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 31st. Maximum dew point of 48 at 10am. North wind 5 to 11 mph. I still haven’t needed to get my fan out of the closet. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 77 degrees. The record high of 97 was set in 1925.

Yesterday I made a 1 lb of black beans 🍲 and baked up a bunch of chicken and asparagus for the week to come. I have plenty of rice 🍚 and lentils cooked for the first half of the week plus a few pounds of spinach and kale in the freezer, along with lots of peppers, tomatoes and onions. I may need more fresh fruit before the week is done but I anticipate getting my truck and driving in on some of the late nights. Also need toothpaste 🦷 but I’ll squeeze what I can out of the tube or cut open to get anything remaining out of the tube.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:55 pm with sun having an altitude of 69.9° from the due south horizon (-0.9° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.2 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:47 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (295°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (302°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:30 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 25 seconds with dusk around 9:03 pm, which is 42 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:49 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 67 degrees. There will be a north-northwest breeze at 5 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 13 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and 3 seconds over yesterday.

Barley and quinoa with frozen raspberries for breakfast 🥣 this morning. I was hoping to find Juneberries in the woods this weekend without much luck. I think where I was looking has gotten too shaded in recent years. 🍓 Then iron my pants and shirt while cooking 🕴️, shower 🚿 and catch the bus downtown. 🚍 Going to try to do this without racing 🏁 out the door 🚪 today. Found another tick on me this morning. 🐜 Finished off the rest of the barley and quinoa, did a better job rinsing the quinoa which made it less bitter. I still need a better strainer for that.

Tonight will have a slight chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 52 degrees at 5am. Three degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 29th. Maximum dew point of 46 at 6am. Northwest wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 51 degrees. The record low of 38 occurred back in 1971.

Packed both a lunch and dinner tonight for work. 🍴🧆 Decided on a lighter lunch, with out the carbs as it seems like lately I’ve been overdoing it. Red onions, peppers, black beans for lunch. Dinner is rice, black beans, chicken, asparagus and kale. I’m worried about back sliding after last week. 🤰🏼Plus I know with work today it will be a fairly sedintary day, though I’ll try to get over to the legislative office building and Capitol during the day to get my steps in. 👣 I really want to walk at least five miles today. 3 miles so far.

A picture perfect weekend on tap for the Gas Up 🚜. Saturday, mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Maximum dew point of 54 at 8pm. Sunday, a chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Maximum dew point of 55 at 9am. Should be fun with dad on Saturday and maybe I’ll hammock camp on Saturday night. Maybe go back to Gas Up ⛽ myself on Sunday after camping to see the parade. Just a thought. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees.

Looking ahead, there are 2 weeks until Average High is 80 🏖 when the sun will be setting at 8:37 pm with dusk at 9:11 pm. On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 73 and 50 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 80 degrees. We hit a record high of 94 back in 1995.

Going to be a cool but maybe damp weekend ahead 🌦️

Andy | June 5, 2023

I’ll believe the rain when it comes. High temperatures in the sixties and seventies. It’s just been a rather cool spring. The days are long but it’s hard to think of it as the second week of June. I’m just hoping it warms up for Juneteenth Weekend in two weeks and the rain holds off for it.

Today. Feels like … May 31st.	Partly sunny. North wind 5 to 11 mph. and	75 degrees	, 48 max dew point,	8:30 sunset.
Tonight. Feels like … May 29th.	A slight chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy. Northwest wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. and	52 degrees	,	5:16 sunrise.
Tuesday. Feels like … May 23rd.	A chance of showers. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. and	73 degrees	, 52 max dew point,	8:31 sunset.
Tuesday Night. Feels like … May 19th.	A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. and	49 degrees	,	5:16 sunrise.
Wednesday. Feels like … May 6th.	A chance of showers. Partly sunny. Northwest wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. and	68 degrees	, 47 max dew point,	8:32 sunset.
Wednesday Night. Feels like … May 19th.	Mostly cloudy. and	49 degrees	,	5:16 sunrise.
Thursday. Feels like … April 28th.	A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Chance of precipitation is 40%. and	65 degrees	, 50 max dew point,	8:32 sunset.
Thursday Night. Feels like … May 16th.	Mostly cloudy. and	48 degrees	,	5:15 sunrise.
Friday. Feels like … May 3rd.	Mostly sunny. and	67 degrees	, 50 max dew point,	8:33 sunset.
Friday Night. Feels like … May 19th.	Partly cloudy. and	49 degrees	,	5:15 sunrise.
Saturday. Feels like … June 8th.	Mostly sunny. and	77 degrees	, 51 max dew point,	8:34 sunset.
Saturday Night. Feels like … June 5th.	Partly cloudy. and	54 degrees	,	5:15 sunrise.
Sunday. Feels like … June 11th.	A chance of showers. Partly sunny. Chance of precipitation is 30%. and	78 degrees	, 55 max dew point,	8:34 sunset.

A lazy Sunday fun day, still too tired 😴

Andy | June 4, 2023

I may take a nap as I woke up a little after five AM with the sun rise and couldn’t get back to bed. I stayed up late too. I was bad. With the early sunrises and late sunsets I’ve been staying up much too late and rising early.

Good morning! Happy Sunday. Mostly cloudy ⛅ and 51 degrees for the morning walk in Delmar. There is a north breeze at 8 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 45 degrees.

Today will be partly sunny 🌞, with a high of 62 degrees at 2pm. 14 degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around April 21st. North wind 8 to 15 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 78 degrees. The record high of 97 was set in 1919.

Looks like today is going to be pretty cool. 🍃 I’m hoping for more sun today though it’s not looking promising. I do plan going out to the folks house 🏡 later and then maybe hike Bennett Hill. I am feeling low energy today but I do want to walk a minimum of 6 miles today. Did yesterday nine miles and 11 ½ on Friday. 👣 Lately I’ve been feeling really tired. I hope it’s not Lyme disease but I’m a bit worried. Also trying to boost my protein and dairy levels up and reduce sugar intake without going really overboard with calories. 🐮 I love dairy and cattle, I can easily go way overboard the other way.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:55 pm with sun having an altitude of 69.8° from the due south horizon (-1° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.2 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:47 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (295°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (302°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:29 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 24 seconds with dusk around 9:02 pm, which is 43 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:48 pm.

It was nice going up to see John and Linda yesterday then hiking the balance of the afternoon at the Albany Pine Bush. 🦋 I got groceries at Market 32 in Guilderland which they always have a great selection of plastic free produce. They are bit overpriced and didn’t have the selection of all the products a normally get at Walmart. But I figured with the cost of gas and being on the way home it made sense. 🍏 🥦 I forgot to get toothpaste 🪥 and eggs 🥚 but I expect late nights at work this week and I can stop by the store 🏬 when driving 🚘 in on the evening later in the week.

At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 59 degrees. There will be a north breeze at 9 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 12 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and 7 seconds over yesterday.

This evening when I get home, 🌰 I want to cook up the black beans I got at the store this week. And maybe some chicken 🐔 for dinner for the coming week. Also maybe some chickpeas could he roasted that I preciously soaked a few months back, stuck in the freezer and forgot about. Do as much cooking as possible tonight as a busy week ahead. Then refrigerate and freeze everything. Later in the week I’ll need to do more brown rice and lentils 🍚 but that’s something I can do before work easily and it’s better fresher as I have a few days supply in the refrigerator currently.

Tonight will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 48 degrees at 4am. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 16th. Northwest wind 6 to 9 mph. In 2022, we had clear skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 47 degrees. The record low of 39 occurred back in 1990.

I want to get to bed 🛏 before nine o’clock with lights out 💡 at nine. Abusing my sleep is so bad for health. During the winter I was so good with many nights in bed before eight and rarely not sound asleep by nine. Some of it is my work schedule but mostly lately it’s the getting up at 5:30 when the sun rises and to bed after 9:30 due to the late dusk 🌆 and me out walking 🚶 to then.

Next Sunday is the Gas Up ⛽ when the sun will be setting at 8:34 pm with dusk at 9:07 pm. On that day in 2022, we had partly sunny and temperatures between 78 and 50 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 78 degrees. We hit a record high of 94 back in 1947. Might do that with dad followed by a night in the hammock up in the woods.