Balsam Swamp State Forest

Good morning! Happy Sunday.

Nice final weekend of October. The bright sun, no breeze really makes it feel quite warm and sunny.

Sunny and 32 degrees at the Rensselaerville State Forest. 🌞 Calm wind.

While I’ve been quite busy with work 📱 it’s been nice to get away for two nights, do some walking around and observing 🔭 nature through the binoculars. It’s been nice coming up here every third weekend and noticing the shift into autumn from greens to colors to the grays of November. Been so clear and nice. ✨

I swear that Friday I was going to get the cold 🤯 that was going around the office with a terrible migraine the fresh air and the sun ☀ seems to have nipped it in the butt. Ever since I got out in the woods 🌲 I’ve been feeling so much better.

Work has been just so tough lately. 😩 I’ve had this client who has been so obnoxious, giving us a daily demeaning of the work we do. My truck is old 🔧 and falling apart piece by piece, and I just don’t really know what to do about it. My apartment is equally as bad. So a weekend in nature is nice. 🐿 Just walking and observing. I’m facing age 40 down the barrel and there is so many things I want to do but I feel so stuck in life. The woods helps. Just siting, listening 👂 and observing.

Hiked ten 🔟 miles yesterday 🚶 just over the dirt roads and truck trails of the State Forest. Nothing real special. Been reading 📖 a book on Willie Wilkerson that utility executive that ran against Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940 election. Interesting character.

Out for a walk 🚶 this morning and then I will head home, shower 🚿 get unpacked and head out to the folks house for Sunday dinner. Want to try to get back home so not driving 🚘 in the dark this evening.

Probably the last time I will camp at Rennselearville State Forest ⛺ for a while but I might do an occasional winter camping and skiing 🎿 trip after rifle season is over in December. With energy prices so high and my truck getting old I’m trying to really cut back where possible.

Good morning! Happy Saturday. Made it to the last weekend of October 🎃

Let’s be honest, it’s essentially November. Tuesday is. If I had to choose I much prefer the way the woods looks with the leaves off the trees.

Cold start to the morning in the twenties but warming up fast. Sunny and already 45 degrees at the Rensselaerville State Forest. 🌞 Calm wind.

Chilly this morning, used the heater but also cold tonight. Temperatures will drop below freezing at tonight around 1 am. ☃️ But it is almost November and today is beautiful so no complaints.

I had planned to head out of town for the weekend ⛺ but I felt so sick on Friday morning 🤮 but by afternoon was feeling better and already had things packed. Last weekend until March with Daylight Savings Time so figured best to make the most of the additional time ⌚ in the evening. Plus it’s mild, sunny and not too breezy though it was down in the twenties by morning.

Out walking today 🚶 stopping to observe nature 🐦 🦃 🦌 and reply to too many work emails 📧. I have to say it’s been a working trip. Hardly just a vacation. But I’m getting good at reviewing Google Docs from my phone and my current phone has a long battery 🔋 life.

Big fire 🔥 last night 🌃, though I retired to bed 🛏 by around 9 o’clock. Going forward I’m going to start cleaning and separating out the recyclable plastics ♻ as I shift towards more of a winter mode of living with fewer trips. I don’t care they burn fine but urban recycling is good too that is when it’s not a scam. That said, when own my homestead I doubt I’ll recycle much off the farm except maybe metals. The rest will be fed, composted or burnt. 🐽 Real recycling is about making less garbage by buying less crap and making the most of what you and your land has. 🚜

I really do love these clear days 🍂 once the leaves are off the trees. Something about how clear the woods is without leaves on the trees, the long November shadows. Knowing that winter is coming ❄ but there is something wonderful as nature prepares for the time ahead.