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.
March rain and snow showers bring mud and a lower fire risk and hopefully some green though it will need to warm up a bit. But I’m sure 80 degree days aren’t far off. I am just hoping for nice weather come Easter weekend.
Good morning! What day is it? Hump Day, of course. Rain and snow showers around and 34 degrees in Delmar, NY. ☔ There is a south breeze at 8 mph. 🍃. Temperatures will drop below freezing at around 8 pm. ☃️
While I concede that I probably will get wet, I am going to ride my bike to work today. 🚲 I am nuts 🤪 but hardly that’s a secret – I figure I’m kind of the Charlie Luce of Data Services. You know the former CEO of ConEd who used to ride his bicycle to work and to construction 🚧 sites to view projects in the 1960s. I think the bigger danger is getting soaked at five o’clock 💦 though if it happens I’ll throw my bike on the bus 🚍 and come home and get changed. I like the exercise and saving the bus fare. 🎫
Today will have a slight chance of rain and snow showers before 11am, then a chance of rain showers after noon. Mostly cloudy 🌦, with a high of 47 degrees at 2pm. Typical for today. South wind 8 to 10 mph becoming west in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Little or no snow accumulation expected. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with sunny skies in the afternoon. The high last year was 52 degrees. The record high of 78 was set in 2012. 7.0 inches of snow fell back in 1944.❄
Last night I got home and was somewhat chilled through from the evening bike ride. 🌬️ It was windy to say the least. Microwaved a sweet potato, chopped it up and fried it with onions and corn. 🍳 Not a half bad dinner, I was fully engulfed in the Power Broker audio book. 🎧️ You know the classic one by Robert Caro on Robert Moses. The politics are intensely fascinating. 🏗️ I was going to read and watch some videos about building green homes, but somehow I was cold so I retired to under my electric blanket and was asleep shortly after 7 PM. I had planned to get up really early — maybe at 4 AM to do more reading, 📚️ but somehow I didn’t get up until some point between 5:30 and 5:45 AM which is late for me. I guess I needed a bit of extra sleep last night. 🛏️
Probably the reason why my sleep is so fucked up 💤 is because I drink like 2-3 large cups of coffee in the morning, ☕️ then I come into the office in and drink two more cups of iced black coffee. 🧊 It keeps me awake, but as my doctor noted last year, it’s kind of excessive to say the least. I should drink more water in the morning, and try to be more in moderation so I’m not pissing all of the time. 🥛 But also by the time I get home I’m just warn out after all those hours of studying data records. Plus I’m spending so much time thinking what my future home would look like, and all the steps to implement it. But what I need the most is a good night in the wilderness with a big fire. 🏕️ 🔥 I’m really hoping next week.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:04 pm with sun having an altitude of 47.5° from the due south horizon (-23.4° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 5.5 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:31 pm with the sun in the west (265°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (271°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:08 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 54 seconds with dusk around 7:36 pm, which is one minute and 9 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous 🌔 Moon in the east-southeast (111°) at an altitude of 51° from the horizon, 249,398 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:09 pm. At sunset, look for rain 🌧 and snow 🌨 and temperatures around 35 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 15 mph. Tomorrow will have 12 hours and 16 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 54 seconds over today.
Tonight will have a slight chance of snow showers before 9pm, then a slight chance of snow showers after 5am. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear 🌧, with a low of 22 degrees at 4am. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 4th. West wind around 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. In 2023, we had clear skies in the evening, which became clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 24 degrees. The record low of -01 occurred back in 1956.
This weekend is a mixed bag but generally Saturday is wet and Sunday is sunny but cold again. 🌦️ Saturday, snow, possibly mixed with rain, becoming all rain after 8am. High near 42. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Sunday, partly sunny, with a high near 42. Typical average high for the weekend is 48 degrees.
I am potentially thinking about driving down to Catskill Mountain Cabins in Kingston to learn more 🛖 though I almost want to do more research first as I know as soon as a salesperson gets my phone and email 📱 📧 I will be harassed to buy now. And I’m not sure if that option is right for me. Already since I’ve mentioned to people that I’m interested in building a small solar powered home, I get people sending me pictures of tiny homes and off grid cabins in the wilderness – both which aren’t practical or realistic options for the life I want to live. I want to have good information in my hands 👐 and do what’s right for me before buying 💰 but also I don’t want to delay forever.
As previously noted, there are 3 weeks until 8 PM Dusk 🌆 when the sun will be setting at 7:33 pm. On that day in 2023, we had sunny and temperatures between 67 and 30 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 57 degrees. We hit a record high of 86 back in 1922.
Signed up for it all elections automatically this year – AWESOME! I can fill it out whenever I want from the comfort and privacy of home, drop off at any polling site or post office box, postage paid.
I believe Early Voting by mail will eventually all but replace traditional polling places. While some senior citizens might enjoy going to their traditional polling place on Election Day for the church ham suppers and bake good sales, most busy professionals and families are going to want the convenience of getting their ballot mailed to them. Don’t even need a stamp to return the ballot. Just stick in any post office depository or mail box or drop off at any early Voting or polling place in the county. And track your ballot online to see when it’s counted !
Spring starts at 11:50 pm in the evening not that it feels much like spring today. I’m sure it will be bitterly cold until it’s like 80 degrees out. Always happens that way.
Good morning! Snow flurries and 30 degrees in Delmar, NY. ❄ There is a northwest breeze at 13 mph. 🍃 with gusts up to 23 mph 💨💨💨. Not a constant wind but I hear it picking up at times. Things will start to thaw out at around 9 am. 🌡️
Going to be cold ride in this morning, but I still enjoy the ride. 🚲 It was cold riding home last night as I was doing the Zoom meeting for Save the Pine Bush 🌲down in the Noonan Preserve though it started to get dark and I had to head home. 🌆 Dinner last night was red kidney beans I cooked and mashed into essentially refried beans minus the frying in fat, on top of onion Johnny cakes. Not a half bad dinner. I was tired and cold to bed 🛏 shortly there after.
Today will have a slight chance of snow showers before 8am. Mostly cloudy 🌦, with a high of 42 degrees at 4pm. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around March 8th. Northwest wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. The high last year was 33 degrees. The record high of 78 was set in 2012. 9.6 inches of snow fell back in 1971.❄
Yesterday I got my Early Voting by Mail Ballot 🗳 and I promptly filled it out and will toss in a post office box 📮on my way riding to work. Decided to vote for Dean Phillipson for President, not that it’s going to change anything but I figured why not. I will probably vote Green or Libertarian come November, I’m not super thrilled with either of the leading elderly candidates. I think Biden has done a lot of good things, but I can’t argue that in some ways Trump has personally been better for me with the tax cuts.
I’ve been having problems with root rot with some of my plants, 🥀 so I brought them home and repotted them with fresh soil. I am tough with plants. Doesn’t help though my office is bone try, due to being over a printing plant 🏭️ where they have to keep things dry to keep paper from sticking together.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:04 pm with sun having an altitude of 47.1° from the due south horizon (-23.8° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 5.6 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:30 pm with the sun in the west (264°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (271°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:07 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 53 seconds with dusk around 7:35 pm, which is one minute and 10 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous 🌔 Moon in the east-southeast (119°) at an altitude of 61° from the horizon, 247,292 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:08 pm. At sunset, look for snow flurries 🌨 and temperatures around 39 degrees. There will be a southwest breeze at 6 mph. Less windy by evening. Tomorrow will have 12 hours and 13 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 54 seconds over today.
I haven’t had a chance to talk to my neighbor about the garbage pile 🗑️ next to his unit as he got home from work after I was in bed. If see him out and about I’ll try to find out what’s going on. He doesn’t look like he’s packing up to move out and the transfer station was open Saturday and today so it’s kind of werid. I figure if anything the rats will be attracted to his unit. 🐀 The whole situation is kind of awkward and I don’t want to be the tattle tail but also not be dealing with problems.
Tonight will have a chance of snow showers, mainly after 9pm. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 31 degrees at 6am. Four degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 30th. South wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. In 2023, we had light snow in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 21 degrees. The record low of 2 occurred back in 1967.
Another kind of shit March weekend. 😕 Saturday, rain and snow likely before 2pm, then a chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 38. Typical average high for the weekend is 48 degrees. I’m hoping for nicer weather come the following weekend to head up north, although even with a forecast like that I’ll make it owrk.
Looking ahead, there are 3 weeks until 7:30 PM Sunset 🌇 with dusk at 7:59 pm. On that day in 2023, we had sunny and temperatures between 55 and 29 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 56 degrees. That should feel very spring like. 🌷 We hit a record high of 77 back in 1991.
One thing I really despise is climate change activists who have decided on what their ideal target for climate change would be, and that we must meet those ends, by using any means possible. You’ve certainly heard the logic, “we must limit climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius, to ensure a livable climate and therefore must do the following…”
That’s assuming there is only definition of a livable climate, and that there should be no debate on how clear or polluted we want our environment to be. It also is a form of ends justifying the means, rather then taking into careful consideration the means and how they relate to the ends. A higher climate target such as 2 or 3 or even 5 degrees Celsius global temperature mean might be entirely realistic when we consider the costs of the most aggressive plans for climate change.
I think a better plan would be to take a look at current technology and what people desire from existing energy services like motoring, electricity, and heat, and see what improves can be made to the system in a realistic time period. We should take a hard look at the likely climate outcomes, and see if this motivates society to step up it’s game — but keep everything in context. Rather then choosing an unrealistic climate goal of 1.5 degrees for a livable climate, I think we should look at the unlivable climate we are moving towards, work to adapt society to the changing climate and take reasonable steps to promote conservation like increased fuel efficiency, more renewables.
Tomorrow officially starts spring on the calendar, but as usually is the case in New York State that doesn’t mean tulips and warm weather is right around the corner — though with El Nino and climate change in control I’m not convinced in a few days it won’t get real warm quickly. Remember, the record books are littered with 80 degrees over the years throughout March. No ninety degree days so far, but the climate is warming.
Good morning! Monday’s come back around again. Mostly sunny 🌞 and 32 degrees in Delmar, NY. There is a west breeze at 7 mph. 🍃.
Up and going a little after 5 AM ☕️ after running to Stewart’s to get more of the moo juice for my coffee. 🐄 Carrot pancakes this morning 🥕🥞 with fresh maple syrup and blueberries that were pretty damn good. It was a beautiful morning when I went out to Stewart’s, and now I’m sitting at my desk here in my apartment looking out the window. As usual, I am going to ride to work today. A bit cool of a day, but so be it. I will wear gloves and a winter jacket if necessary. 🚴♂️
Today will have increasing clouds ☁, with a high of 45 degrees at 3pm. One degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around March 17th. West wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. The high last year was 44 degrees. The record high of 69 was set in 2012. 8.0 inches of snow fell back in 1977.❄
I’m hoping to talk to my neighbor about the growing pile of garbage bags 🗑️ next to his apartment. I didn’t say anything last week, as I assumed on Saturday he’d be making a trip to the transfer station. ♻️ I assume he doesn’t give a rats ass 🐀 about the landlord at this point because he’s moving out with the rent hike coming in search of greener pastures, but I don’t want rats in my apartment nor do I want the fire risk 🔥 that piles of garbage bring. The new month-to-month agreement is pretty clear that not allowed — I had to ask for special permission to have my kayak outdoors. 🚣 If he doesn’t clean it up soon, I’m going to email the new landlord, and if he doesn’t take action, I’ll call the town. 🏛️
It’s obnoxious to deal with, because I normally wouldn’t care, especially if the garbage was in cans, 🛢️ as sometimes it’s a while before I get it burnt up, taken to my parents trash pickup, or hauled to the transfer station, but I don’t leave it sitting out where animals can get to it. 🐿️ Already I’ve seen some garbage strewn around. I need to get out of this dumpy apartment before it burns or I get evicted in pursuit of redevelopment of the land — but I want to buy myself whatever time I can, especially if I want to build my dream solar homestead. ⏳️🏠️ That said, I won’t complain too much, as I’m kind of loud with my food processor and smoke alarm — to say nothing of cussing out the world when drop a pot on my foot, dirty and generally obnoxious too. 🤬 Trust me I can be vulgar at times, sometimes even a bit downright racist.
Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:04 pm with sun having an altitude of 46.7° from the due south horizon (-24.2° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 5.7 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:29 pm with the sun in the west (264°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (270°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:06 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 54 seconds with dusk around 7:33 pm, which is one minute and 10 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous 🌔 Moon in the southeast (136°) at an altitude of 70° from the horizon, 244,770 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:07 pm. At sunset, look out for snow showers 🌨 and temperatures around 39 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 11 mph with gusts up to 21mph. Tomorrow will have 12 hours and 10 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 55 seconds over today.
I am coming to realize how abusive Rosa the substitute dental hygienist was on Friday. 🦷I am not going to pay somebody to get abused — even if my insurance covered the visit. I appreciate constructive criticism 🪥 and I’m thinking about getting an electric toothbrush for better cleaning, but Rosa was downright abusive. I get she had her new toy that showed how bad my teeth were in high-resolution colored pictures, but I did not deserve to be berated for a half hour about how bad my oral care is despite my attempts to each healthy 🍎 and floss regularly. 😁 She scheduled with me for a follow up visit, but I am the customer so I have every right to cancel that appointment 🛑 and find a hygienist who is professional.
Tonight will have a slight chance of snow showers before 3am. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 29 degrees at 6am. Two degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 24th. Northwest wind 10 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. In 2023, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 22 degrees. The record low of -10 occurred back in 1967.
More reading and studying about building a house tonight. 🏠️ The usual of checking Zillow and Landwatch for new parcels and houses to come on them market, expanding my circle out a bit 🛞 looking at different acreage and locations to determine what would be the best place to live. I mean if I see a small house on acreage, I would be willing to consider it, it as it’s greener to reuse an existing structure and not develop new land, but the flip side is such a property would be likely very poorly insulated and grid-tied. 🏚️Plus if at all possible, I want to avoid vinyl siding, which I despise to no end.
Right now, a split verdict on the weekend. 😕 Maybe it’s too early to really determine for sure. Saturday, a chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 41. I have some other places I want to check out this weekend, plus find time for some hiking and fun, as I have to keep living while building my dream homestead. 🏃♂️ Typical average high for the weekend is 48 degrees. 🌻 There is hope for spring. The following weekend — Thursday evening through Easter Sunday I’m hoping to camp in the Adirondacks unless there is a shit ton of snow or rain is promised all weekend.
As previously noted, there are 2 weeks until April Fools Day 🤡 when the sun will be setting at 7:23 pm with dusk at 7:50 pm. On that day in 2023, we had rain and temperatures between 74 and 41 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 52 degrees. We hit a record high of 77 back in 1986.
Rather then building all of these casinos in New York, wouldn’t it be a better policy to eliminate the long-term capital gains tax on middle class families? This way, if people had the urge to gamble, they could strategically invest in our economy, and if they invested in the right way, rather then gambling, could improve their economic situation.
