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.
America is the one of the few countries that protects minority rights through our political system. Most democracies do not have a mechanism that protects the rights of minorities through the power of the filibuster, federalism, and the ability of different political parties to control different branches of government.
We also have a Constitution which protects additional rights, that can not be questioned by Congress or the President. Congress has two branches, the House and Senate, drawn from distinctively different constituencies. It also have a separate executive, the President, who is drawn from a national constituency. Unless all these diverse groups agree, no policy can be implemented.
Most countries allow their governments to engage in rash decisions, allow a simple majority to act in a tyrannical fashion. Fortunately, America is globally unique, and and we restrict the power of the majority by empowering minorities. This is one of the reasons why America’s democracy has outlived most other countries, and has proven to be a stable, long-lasting form of government.
Maybe I should cut back on the turmeric. That 6.2 oz bottle I bought last Sunday is third eaten already. My teeth could yellow and folks think I’m a smoker, lol.
That said I shouldn’t have to worry much about tooth plaque or gingivitis.
I just like my food yellow and tasty plus I never have any aches anymore despite climbing all the those stairs and riding all those miles.
My idea of off-grid homeownership would be closer to camping then modern suburbanite living. My home of the future would be like camping, but with more insulation and better protection from the elements during the winter months and severe weather like heavy rain storms and snow. Having a reliable, relatively clean and non-smelly source of heat (e.g. not a smoky campfire that makes your clothes stink) like a wood stove or coal stove would be important for the cold winter months, a hot shower to get clean, and a refrigerator/freezer to keep cold meat and beer is important too. Running water, at least stored water that is electrically pumped, probably is a good thing too. If I have to purify it before drinking, it’s a not a big deal.
But other then that, I can hardly imagine having much more modern technology then what I already use for camping. I don’t have a problem with composting toilets, building a fire, burning my trash, conserving electricity by using LEDs and low voltage USB powered devices, cooking on a camp stove and Coleman oven. I don’t mind having to purify water or doing some of the dirty work of life like stirring humanure. Having a microwave and waffle iron is somewhat handy in my apartment, but it’s hardly a show stopper to live without. I don’t own a television and I don’t have Internet at home. I do like the idea of building my own small, energy efficient electronics and low-voltage lighting, to automate my house, and provided carefully controlled light output, as efficiently as possible. Just because you have to conserve energy, doesn’t mean you can’t use energy-efficient LEDs controlled by a microprocessor and build displays to tell you about battery voltage and other details, like with my Max7219 projects I’m currently working on.
As I sit in traffic this evening, the radio is talking about the Paris Climate Talks and the year 2050. I look back at the lit up Empire State Plaza. Something so absurd and surreal about it all.
The year 2050, I will turn age 67. I am planning to retire that year. It won’t be that far away. It’s a bit scary. Every year I max out my Roth IRA because that year won’t be long, as I look back at the Empire Plaza one last time, going home from work.
One of the things that always fascinates me is the hydrology of the Erie Canal — the dozens of reservoirs that keep the Erie Canal flowing regardless of weather condition all summer long.
The hydrology of the entire Western Adirondacks and much of Central NY has over time been redirected in part to flow into the Erie Canal to ensure adequate water supply even in the driest weather.
The Black River is dammed up, almost at it’s start, with the North and Middle Branches being dumped into the the 3-mile long North Lake, and it’s South Branch being dammed up in the 2-mile South Lake. Water is slowly drained out during dry times to keep the Black River flowing. Kayuta Lake Reservoir provides additional storage. Additionally, Wolf Lake and Woodhull Lake were dammed up and raised several feet to add supply to Little Woodhull Creek which also flows into the Black River at Forestport Reservoir.
At Forestport Reservoir, the Black River Canal Feeder brings water from the Black River to the former Black River Canal via Boonville. From there, the former Black River Canal brings water to the Lansing Kill. The Lansing Kill brings the water to the Mohawk River and Delta Reservoir and ultimately the Erie Canal in Rome (the highest portion of the entire canal).
The canal system also taps other rivers, including the West Branch of the Canada Creek via the Hinckley Reservoir which is fed by other reservoirs including Honnedaga Lake which feeds the Honnedaga Brook to the West Branch. This is less interesting then the other system, as Honnedaga Lake is in the Mohawk Valley Watershed (versus the Black River which is in the Black River Watershed). West Canada Creek feeds into the Mohawk River at Herkimer.
To the south in Madison County is Lake Moraine, which feeds the old Chenango Canal and ultimately the Oriskany Creek and the Erie Canal via Oriskany. This is a much smaller reservoir then ones in the Adirondacks, but is unique in being one of the few ones south of the Mohawk River.
Ducks spend a lot of time in water, nibbling at plants, bugs, and other shoreline inhabitants, If you let them wander in your vegetable garden or flower bed, they will help control garden pests, although you have to take care they don’t run out of other things to cat and start in on your pea vines or pansies. Muscovies in particular relish slugs, snails, and other crawly things. In fact, the San Francisco area once had a rent-a-duck service that loaned out Muscovies to local gardeners. Ducks also enjoy chasing flies, in the process offering not only fly control but also a great deal of entertainment, Ducks also keep mosquitoes from getting beyond the larval stage. Unfortunately, tadpoles will suffer the same fate.
Each area code in NY State has a little over 1 million residents outside of New York City, due to most of state traditionally having 7-digit dialing.
While in theory, within a area code can have 10 million numbers, there are restrictions on numbers that can be used in North American Plan, which gets you down to 7.9 million numbers. It wouldn’t work for example to give somebody the number 911-5424.
But it’s actually much less then 7.9 million numbers per area code, because they allocate numbers out of local exchanges, and many numbers remain unallocated but in ownership of local exchanges and carriers.
NYS Population by Area Code
Except for New York City-area codes, most areas codes in NYS have had between 1 to 1.5 million residents.
