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A variety of maps, writings, and photos on a various topics that can’t easily be categorized into a county or place.

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High Temperature in Albany in April, 2011-2026

Date 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Apr 1 47 51 52 47 70 44 47 42 55 41 53 74 60 49 59
Apr 2 54 37 60 67 53 59 47 53 57 36 50 46 47 47 41
Apr 3 58 41 54 65 38 61 44 62 51 50 45 63 43 68 61
Apr 4 58 53 51 47 26 51 52 47 63 57 54 58 40 63 60
Apr 5 49 53 47 42 36 53 39 42 62 62 61 56 46 47 48
Apr 6 54 47 56 63 44 48 40 59 62 63 59 65 50 51 46
Apr 7 57 60 56 48 62 46 40 68 65 67 51 48 59 41 40
Apr 8 59 61 65 41 47 50 39 59 60 72 58 52 68 39 49
Apr 9 50 60 54 42 46 70 44 65 51 70 52 55 77 43 60
Apr 10 57 59 66 52 47 81 47 50 48 74 49 67 62 50 71
Apr 11 52 45 66 50 52 87 50 50 50 70 61 74 61 51 54
Apr 12 58 41 69 68 51 61 54 60 64 51 67 78 67 43 57
Apr 13 63 51 79 74 53 60 63 74 64 65 77 89 53 57 75
Apr 14 71 47 78 66 58 64 49 59 52 69 82 89 53 66 86
Apr 15 70 61 66 67 64 71 36 63 48 57 68 84 65 66 81
Apr 16 91 60 42 69 66 87 49 58 45 44 58 78 66 46 85
Apr 17 73 64 53 66 76 66 45 62 50 49 48 64 65 56 79
Apr 18 55 66 50 77 78 58 47 58 49 60 60 51 49 71 73
Apr 19 73 72 61 62 65 54 44 77 67 58 43 47 62 81 61
Apr 20 78 53 63 55 62 62 47 71 54 54 52 66 63 60 45
Apr 21 76 51 73 61 76 57 60 72 52 45 60 79 49 62 โ€”
Apr 22 44 58 70 60 76 55 65 74 46 40 60 68 57 72 โ€”
Apr 23 60 55 55 45 64 70 69 75 56 56 57 54 70 69 โ€”
Apr 24 54 73 59 44 58 74 70 61 54 67 72 56 63 79 โ€”
Apr 25 53 57 63 57 59 56 57 66 67 57 69 54 57 78 โ€”
Apr 26 57 58 59 59 47 73 56 61 57 50 55 62 63 69 โ€”
Apr 27 47 66 53 59 58 73 50 50 46 63 51 62 67 56 โ€”
Apr 28 53 74 62 66 58 81 68 51 63 70 54 66 75 76 โ€”
Apr 29 58 60 54 73 59 74 50 58 66 56 61 56 67 84 โ€”
Apr 30 60 72 48 69 66 53 51 51 59 53 64 59 74 66 โ€”
Andy Arthur, 4/8/26
NWS Observations, Albany Airport.

A History of Powley Place

Located deep within the remote wilderness of the southern Adirondacks in the town of Arietta, Powley Placeโ€”often historically spelled “Pauley Place”โ€”stands as a significant site in the environmental and social history of New York. Its story mirrors the broader transition of the Adirondack region from a landscape of early agricultural homesteads to a premier destination for wilderness sports and, eventually, a strictly protected forest preserve.

Early Settlement and Farming

The area first appeared in official records in the 1870 Agricultural census for Arietta, listed as the farm of John Powley. Valued at three hundred dollars, the homestead included 35 acres of improved land and 100 acres of woodlot. John lived there with his wife Rosetta and their children, supporting the family through modest livestock holdings including milk cows and oxen. At that time, the site was a functional island of agriculture in a sea of forest, producing grass and hay to sustain the family and their few laborers.

Sunny Morning at Powley Place Bridge

The Lodge and Sporting Era

By the late 19th century, the property began its transformation into a renowned sportsman’s lodge and hotel. As interest in hunting and fishing in the Adirondacks grew, the buildings at Powley Place became a hub for outdoor enthusiasts.

  • Management Transitions: Ownership and management shifted through several hands, including Albert Dunning and his wife Cora, who were renting the lodge by 1898.
  • State Acquisition: When New York State began aggressively purchasing land for the Forest Preserve, the property was sold to the state by 1900.
  • Squatter Tenure: Interestingly, despite the state taking title, former residents were often allowed to remain as “squatters” to provide essential lodging and services for the influx of sportsmen. In fact, Albert Dunning was even appointed by the state as a game warden to prevent timber theft while continuing to run the lodge.

Powley Place

Fire and Final Removal

The physical history of Powley Place was punctuated by fire and rebuilding. In the early 1900s, while under the management of Frank Fournia, a fire destroyed the main lodge. It was eventually rebuilt and operated by brothers Fred and Harry Fish as a lodging place for hunters until the mid-1910s.

The end of the permanent structures at Powley Place came in the autumn of 1917. As part of the state’s “Forever Wild” mandate, which sought to remove commercial structures and return the wilderness to its natural state, the hotel and lodge were torn down. This marked the conclusion of its era as a settled homestead and commercial outpost.

Powley Place In Autumn

Modern Legacy

Today, Powley Place is a popular landmark on the Powley-Piseco Road, an unpaved, 17-mile seasonal road that cuts through the Ferris Lake Wild Forest. The site remains a favorite for:

  • Natural Beauty: It is home to “the Potholers,” a series of rapids and cascades on East Canada Creek where loose stones have carved deep holes in the flat bedrock over centuries.
  • Recreation: It serves as a starting point for hiking, camping, and fishing, preserved as a wilderness area for public use.

Though the buildings are long gone, the name Powley Place endures as a testament to the resilient pioneers and the early sporting culture that defined the southern Adirondacks.

Trump Complains DOJ Is ‘Slow-Walking’ Marijuana Rescheduling, Four Months After He Issued An Order To Get It Done – Marijuana Moment

Trump Complains DOJ Is ‘Slow-Walking’ Marijuana Rescheduling, Four Months After He Issued An Order To Get It Done – Marijuana Moment

President Donald Trump on Saturday appeared to complain that federal officials are “slow-walking” following through on an executive order he issued to complete the process of federally rescheduling marijuana.

“You’re going to get the rescheduling done, right, please? Will you get the rescheduling done, please?” Trump said, seeming to speak to a Department of Justice or White House official during an event in the Oval Office on Saturday. “You know, they’re slow-walking me on rescheduling. You’re going to get it done, right?”

The president did not specifically mention cannabis, and it’s not immediately clear who the official he was speaking to is, but it has been four months since he directed the attorney general to complete the process of moving marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to Schedule III “in the most expeditious manner.” That hasn’t yet occurred, however.

Spring on Vac-kay ๐ŸŒท โ„๏ธ

While my phone is warning of snow showers this morning and mercury was 31 degrees and I turned on the heated blanket this morning, it could be worse, I can remember a few weeks back. Still after several 70 and 80 degree days, and things rapidly greening up all around, it’s a painful reminder that summer is not here yet. The warm coffee and blueberry pancakes help a lot with that tangy ginger warming up in my mouth.

Another work week ahead, ๐Ÿ˜€ on Friday Old Smokey gets his bed liner installed. Then just waiting for the truck cap. The first half of the week is expected to be fairly cold but then seasonable by the second half with rain coming for the weekend. โ˜” It’s fine, this past weekend was pretty nice especially on Saturday but also Sunday evening was decent but chilly once the rain pulled off. No vacation for me, got to work all week so I have more money to dump into the SuperDuty as a poor desprate individual, while all you drive back and forth in your 25-year old Honda Civic to your plastic house with a recycling bin in suburbs. Listening to Karen Dalton’s Are You Leaving for the Country, remembering those very wet, cold and rainy days riding trail at Horseshoe Lake stoned out of my brain, taking in all those autumn colors last autumn. ๐Ÿ Fun times on that final big trip with Big Red.

Riding in today and tomorrow most likely, ๐Ÿฅ• need to get Cider Vingar and carrots this evening, as I hate plain water and pancakes without carrots in the mix. ๐Ÿฅž When you get used to having every meal with a lot of fiber that makes things crispy and filling, it just tastes so empty and plain without them. Those pancakes were good this morning but without the carrots, really felt not super filling. ๐ŸŽ‚ Wednesday is not only Earth Day ๐ŸŒŽ but also Administrative Professionals Day, ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ so I’ll have to get some cupcakes or other treat for the team in the office and have a meeting. Also there is a planning board on Wednesday, so I’ll have that to go to. Friday I have to drive early up to Adirondack Off-Road outside of Schenectady with my mountain bike, ๐Ÿšฒ drop the truck off to get the big spray-in bedliner done, then hop on an express bus ๐Ÿš downtown and from there ride over to the office. ๐Ÿข

Went out and visited Mom and Dad last night, ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ it was good and cleared out so I did a quick jog up Bennett Hill before dark. Came back over Plank Road, I was happy to see the bridge has a posted weight limit of 12 tons so I can take Old Smokey over it legally. I’ve discovered more then a few roads are off limits in town where I live due to signs either saying “Weight Limt 3 Tons” or “No Commercial Trucks”. Old Smokey is registered at 3 1/2 tons, and has commercial plates. That said, most of the roads also have “Except Local Delivery” and I doubt the cops would follow you along the road to see if you’re just passing through, especially on just a 1-ton pickup. Still I try to follow the law when I think cops ๐Ÿ‘ฎ might be looking. It’s stupid, it’s a gasser pickup, and only 1 1/2 inches longer then my lifted Silverado. There was a surprising amount of color on Bennett Hill, and it wasn’t pungent with the stink of cow ๐Ÿฎ then I expected for spring time, but it looks they’ve already disced the cow shit into the fields. ๐Ÿšœ Planting season is probably only a month away.