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.
Good morning! 10.3 miles and now climbing the Hump. 🧗♂️
It’s all down hill from here, although that’s not certainly not true when it comes to the mercury. It gets cold again come Monday.
Partly cloudy and 55 degrees in Delmar, NY. ⛅ There is a northwest breeze at 13 mph. 🍃 with gusts up to 23 mph 💨💨💨. The skies will clear around 8 am.
Becoming a nice morning 🌅 as the clouds burn off. It certainly is really mild for early to mid April. 🐦 Birds are chirping this morning.
Yesterday was a busy day, 🏃 but the important things got done, my truck has been maintenanced the only thing left to do is install the air filter, hub caps and sand and paint the rust spots left by winter salt. On the list for Saturday, along with a twenty mile hike go Blodgett Hill. Sunday I might go up to see John in Colonie, it depends if he’s around.
So the maintenance 🔧is done and I should be good for trips in future weeks to do some travel. I’m considering but not set on taking a few days off for a long weekend out in Cazenovia by late April ⛺ if there is a mild but not to busy weekend at work. Got all the supplies I need for the weekend – except final coat paint which was too expensive. Tofu, air filter, primer paint.
Ten and a third miles yesterday 🚶 which isn’t bad for a work day, a busy one at that when I barely got a chance to walk at lunch. Helped having to walk down to the repair shop and stores and how it doesn’t get real dark until well after eight now.
Got paid at 6:57 AM yesterday, 💵 which was maybe 45 minutes later then normal, but the only thing it effected is it didn’t ping my phone during the morning walk. It’s good to get paid, with all the money for maintance going out the door, plus the paint, air filter and tofu. Plus it wasn’t long ago that my rent check was due, as was the insurance bill. But hopefully it’s good now summer coming. My electric and gas bill should be falling down to summer levels with the heat off.
It got dark and I was tired and stopped at 9.9 miles which is so close but not ten miles.
Good morning! Happy Tuesday. Partly cloudy ⛅ and 38 degrees in the Delmar for the morning walk. Calm wind.
Thinking about cooking up some barley 🌾 for breakfast this morning for something different. Rice, shrimp and stir fry vegetables for dinner tonight I’m making – from ingredients without all the added salt and sugar. Always trying to find healthy new foods to eat to add variety and nutrition.
Today will be partly sunny 🌞, with a high of 70 degrees at 3pm. 13 degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 10th. Light and variable wind becoming west 9 to 14 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies. The high last year was 61 degrees. The record high of 87 was set in 2017. 1.7 inches of snow fell back in 1942.❄
The service is done on my truck 🔧 but I had a meeting on Monday afternoon so I’m picking it up today before work. I think I’ll take th local 🚍 in after that, maybe from the Delaware Park and Ride, so I can get tofu for use in meals later in the week.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:57 pm with sun having an altitude of 55.6° from the due south horizon (-15.2° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 4.1 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:55 pm with the sun in the west (276°). 📸
The sunset is in the west-northwest (282°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:32 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 57 seconds with dusk around 8:01 pm, which is one minute and 9 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:36 pm. At sunset, look for mostly cloudy skies ☁ and temperatures around 66 degrees. Breezy, 16 mph breeze ⛅ from the west-southwest with gusts up to 34mph. Today will have 13 hours and 14 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 49 seconds over yesterday.
Tonight will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 49 degrees at 6am. 13 degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 17th. Breezy, with a west wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. In 2022, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 44 degrees. The record low of 13 occurred back in 1874.
Weekend continuesto look mild and fairly spring if not summer like. 🌸 Saturday, partly sunny, with a high near 78. Maximum dew point of 52 at 11am. Sunday, a chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Maximum dew point of 53 at 10am. Typical average high for the weekend is 59 degrees. Closer to normal for next week.
I’m thinking Blodgett Hill this weekend 🚶 for another 20 mile hike but it depends on the weather forecast and how I’m feeling. It’s a pretty good hike.
There are 2 months until Fathers Day 👨 when the sun will be setting at 8:34 pm with dusk at 9:07 pm. The average high temperature is 34 degrees, with a record high of 61 in 1895.
Today’s sunrise was at 6:20 am. The next time the sun will rise later then today 🌄 is in 146 days on Sunday, September 3.
The average high for today is 57 degrees. 🌡 The next time it will be on average cooler then today is in 202 days on Sunday, October 29 when the average temperature will be 56 degrees.
The highest point for the sun today will be 55.3° from the horizon at 12:57 pm. 🌞 The next time the sun will be lower in the sky mid-day is in 146 days on Sunday, September 3.
Today has 13 hours and 52 minutes of daylight. ⏳ The next time the day will be shorter then today is in 145 days on Saturday, September 2.
Today’s sunset will be at 7:32 pm. The next time the sun will set earlier then today 🌆 is in 144 days on Friday, September 1.
The average low for today is 35 degrees. 🌡 The next night it will be on average cooler then tonight is in 211 days on Tuesday, November 7 when the average temperature will be 34 degrees.
The moment you look at pedometer in bed and it says zero steps 👣
And that’s why I’m now and up and walking on this Monday. I have at least 7 1/2 miles ahead of me, maybe closer to nine depending on the day goes.
Good morning! Clear and 29 degrees in Delmar, NY. 🌅 Calm wind.
Cold start to the week 🌸 but it should warm up nicely by midday and should be quite nice for the balance of the week. The air smells like grain 🌾 and already the grass is greening up and by the weekend things will be in full bloom I’m thinking. Let’s get er done.
Today will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 65 degrees at 5pm. Eight degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around April 27th. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning. A year ago, we had cloudy skies. The high last year was 49 degrees. The record high of 86 was set in 1922. 5.7 inches of snow fell back in 1961.❄
Service day for Big Red 🔧, I’m thinking I might leave work early to pick him up though it gets more difficult being a session day though I expect it won’t be a real long one as they have to pass the extender early. Doubt I’ll get paid early tomorrow but it’s not like it’s the beginning of the month.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:57 pm with sun having an altitude of 55.3° from the due south horizon (-15.6° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 4.2 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer.
The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:54 pm with the sun in the west (275°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (282°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:31 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 57 seconds with dusk around 8:00 pm, which is one minute and 9 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:35 pm. At sunset, look for clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 60 degrees. There will be a calm wind. Today will have 13 hours and 11 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 50 seconds over yesterday.
Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 38 degrees at 6am. Three degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around April 17th. Calm wind. In 2022, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 29 degrees. The record low of 20 occurred back in 1874.
I think it’s a leave the windows open night 🔳 and sit out back kind of evening. That is after the walk 🚶. That said, I still want to be in 🛏 by around 9 o’clock to get to bed and get my needed sleep.
Awesome spring weekend on tap, with temperatures running 18 degrees above normal. 😎 Saturday, partly sunny, with a high near 80. Maximum dew point of 54 at 8pm. Mild for sure. And it continues. Sunday, a chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Maximum dew point of 53 at 6am. Typical average high for the weekend is 59 degrees.
As spring rolls on, there are 3 weeks until May 🕊 when the sun will be setting at 7:56 pm with dusk at 8:25 pm. On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 69 and 35 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 66 degrees. We hit a record high of 86 back in 2001.
To imagine I was angry that I forgot to buy tofu this week while shopping. 🛒
I realized how much I’ve changed in my forties. I’ve always been a bit on the dour side of things but I can’t imagine half the ways I’ve changed in my forties. The world is changing quickly but so am I too.
Good evening! Clear 🌃 and 49 degrees in Delmar, NY. Calm wind. Just saw a shooting star 🌟.
That shooting star was bright as it burned on up in the atmosphere. 💫 Things are changing in the world today 🌎, although not all things are bad like the preservation of the lands off Cheese Hill Road as forever wild as an addition to Rennselearville State Forest. Found some more ticks on me after exploring more of the Hillcross Farm Parcel but I think I got them all off. 🐜
Tonight will be clear 🌃, with a low of 28 degrees at 5am. Seven degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 23rd. Calm wind. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 36 degrees. The record low of 21 occurred back in 1974.
I was thinking once it warms up and gets green out, I want to hammock camp ⛺ at the Hillcross Farm Parcel, now that it’s state land and sit down by the pond one summer evening and look at the stars over the Catskill Mountains.
Tonight will have a Waining Gibbous 🌖 Moon with 84% illuminated. The moon will rise at 11:48 pm. The Pink 🌸 Moon is on Wednesday, April 26. The darkest hour is at 12:58 am, followed by dawn at 5:56 am, and sun starting to rise at 6:25 am in the east (79°) and last for 2 minutes and 57 seconds. Sunrise is one minute and 41 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌄 The golden hour ends at 7:03 am with sun in the east (85°).Tonight will have 10 hours and 49 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 2 minutes and 49 seconds over last night.
Going to be a very mild week coming up, 🌸 first real preview of spring. Should be nice, so excited about sleeping with the windows open but not until tomorrow night. 🔳 Now that the evenings are longer it will be nice in the park, 🏞 to say nothing about sitting out back.
Tomorrow will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 65 degrees at 4pm. Eight degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around April 27th. Calm wind becoming northwest around 6 mph in the morning. A year ago, we had light rain in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. The high last year was 49 degrees. The record high of 86 was set in 1922. 5.7 inches of snow fell back in 1961.❄
Tomorrow my truck gets serviced 🔧 with a whole bunch of stuff due for 100k. It’s running decently well this year and I want to get more years out of it if at all possible. 🛻 Going to paint or at least prime over the really rusted parts of the undercarriage and wheel wells probably next weekend.
Already giving a little thought about my next vehicle, once again thinking about a small car or Prisus for easier parking 🅿 and saving money on longer trips but mostly because I don’t want to spend a fortune on a new vehicle and may want to switch over to more tent camping and backpacking as my health improves. 🏕 Big trucks are so expenses these days, or maybe I’ve just grown more cost sensitive in my advanced age. Priorities in your forties are different and a decade really is just a blink of an eye 👁🗨.
In four weeks on May 7 the sun will be setting in the west-northwest (294°) at 8:03 pm,🌄 which is 31 minutes and 48 seconds later then tonight. In 2022 on that day, we had mostly cloudy and temperatures between 59 and 45 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 69 and 45 degrees. The record high of 92 degrees was set back in 1930.
Looking ahead, Average High is 60 🌷 is Next Sunday, 8 PM Sunset 🌇 is in 4 weeks, Mothers Day 👩 is in 5 weeks, Fathers Day 👨 is in 9 weeks, Last Sunset After 8:30 PM 🌆 is in 14 weeks, 6:30 Sunrise 🌇 is in 22 weeks, Constitution Day 📜 is in 23 weeks, October 🎃 is in 25 weeks, Average High is 65 🍂 is in 26 weeks, Average High is 40 🌨 is in 8 months, Earliest Sunset of the Year ⌛️ is in 8 months, 7:15 AM Sunrise ⌛️ is in 35 weeks and Christmas Eve 🎅 is in 37 weeks.
Not a long drive but a busy week ahead. This afternoon I am going to visit the folks for Easter dinner 🍲 and then go grocery shopping 🛒 for the week and wash my truck. 🛻
Tomorrow my truck gets serviced – a big list of things that need to be done for preventative maintenance as 100k some of which should have been done last year but I didn’t drive much. 🛠
Work this week in the office 🏢, but who knows how things will progress. I could have to work next weekend or there will be late nights but I expect they’ll do a budget extenter 📝 tomorrow for another week. I’m thinking the week of April 17th will be crunch time in the office. I’ve been wrong before, I thought last Monday the budget would be done after an all nighter. 🤷♂️
Next weekend I plan to stay in town, do a spring hike possibly out to Blodgett Hill, 🚶 a 20 mile loop. Enjoy the warm spring weather 🌷 especially the nights sleeping with the windows open.
