Second day of summer 🏖

Honest I’m up and going this morning, though I’m still in still in quite a haze this morning despite making sure to be in bed by nine o’clock last night.

Good morning! Happy Thursday. Partly sunny 🌞 and 54 degrees in Delmar, NY. ⛅ Calm wind. The dew point is 52 degrees.

Out for the morning walk 🚶 and I’m not feeling it today. 7 ¾ miles yesterday. I got to bed 🛏 on tike last night but I think I’m still half asleep despite sleeping in to six. The sun ☀ in sky helps a lot.

Hoping to walk down to the Park and Ride this morning, 🚍 as I’m running close to on time this morning and I have an extra lunch in the office 🏢 as I got home early enough last night to eat at home. Not a session day, they’re gone, so no shirts to iron.

Today will be partly sunny 🌞, with a high of 75 degrees at 2pm. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 31st. Maximum dew point of 56 at 6pm. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. The high last year was 67 degrees. The record high of 95 was set in 1954.

I think I’m good on groceries 🍏 through Friday night though I think tomorrow in the evening I’ll go shopping 🛒 after the store is restocked. I think I want to get more shorts and especially boxers and under shirts as my current ones are much too large and my boxers at times are slipping off. With warmer weather coming I should continue to think about quick cold meals that don’t require much cooking. Beans and rice are a once a week thing so they don’t require too much heat and can be eaten cold. 🥘

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:58 pm with sun having an altitude of 70.8° from the due south horizon (-0° vs. 6/21). The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:55 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (297°). 📸 The sunset is in the borthwest (304°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:38 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 28 seconds with dusk around 9:11 pm, which is 12 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the First Quarter 🌓 Moon in the west (266°) at an altitude of 30° from the horizon, 252,135 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:58 pm. At sunset, look for rain 🌧 and temperatures around 68 degrees. The dew point will be 57 degrees. There will be a south-southeast breeze at 5 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 22 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 seconds over yesterday.

Looking at my pay stub 🎫 person it looks like I didn’t get my federal deduction quite right so I’m going to have to talk to the pay roll office about fixing that today. State taxes are good. So I guess that’s a step forward. 👣 I’ll have to talk to the Payroll office to get that straightened out.

Tonight will be scattered showers, mainly between 11pm and 3am. Cloudy 🌧, with a low of 60 degrees at 6am. Typical for tonight. Maximum dew point of 60 at 6am. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became light rain by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 60 degrees. The record low of 44 occurred back in 1940.

Humid with thunderstorms this weekend. 🌩 Saturday, a chance of showers before 11am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11am and 2pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. High near 82. South wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Maximum dew point of 71 at 1pm. Sunday, showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Maximum dew point of 70 at 10am. Typical average high for the weekend is 82 degrees.

This weekend, I still want to look at bicycles. 🚲 I would really like to be able to start commuting to work as soon as next week on a bicycle. I am going to part out my existing bicycle, but I’ve come to the conclusion that it would be better to start out fresh with a good used or new bicycle, something more designed for road riding then a hybrid bicycle. Then keep it in good maintance, especially keeping that back tire well inflated. Bicycle tires should be checked weekly for pressure based on the bicycle repair manual I’ve been reading. Every day I delay, it’s costing me a bus fare 🚒 to say nothing of the health benefits of riding back and forth to work. Or how handy it would be able to set up camp and then ride to trail heads, especially in more spread out areas like Piseco-Powley Road or even Moose River Plains. 🚵‍♀️

I am also thinking about going to visit John Wolcott on Saturday and then do an afternoon hike in the Pine Bush. 🌲🌲🦋 I doubt I’ll see as many Karner Blues at this point, as we are a few weeks past the lupine bloom but it’s always a nice hike in the Albany Pine Bush, especially as dusk approaches. Plus I am sure I will end up forgetting to get groceries at the store on Friday and will end up stopping at Market32 in Guilderland, although based on the affordable surprisingly affordable prices at Hannaford in Voorheesville 🏬 maybe that’s where I should be going.

I am hoping the following weekend — Independence Day Weekend 🎆 to get out of town. A lot depends if they give us that Monday July 3rd off as a state holiday. It could happen. The issue is camping four nights straight — I’ll need a permit or have to move mid-weekend. I worry about things filling up, especially if it’s nice. I could do the Green Mountain National Forest, though I guess your not supposed to be lighting off fireworks in the National Forest, though I doubt locally they do much enforcement on the 4th of July unless it’s very dry. Plus, I want to get fireworks on my way out there. Piseco-Powley would be fun again that weekend, but I don’t know if I will be able to get a campsite, though maybe I could leave early on Friday.

Looking ahead, there are 4 weeks until Ugly Truck Day 🚚 when the sun will be setting at 8:29 pm with dusk at 9:01 pm. On that day in 2022, we had hot and humid weather, mostly sunny skies and the inevitable thunderstorm and temperatures between 97 and 72 degrees. I think I was out camping in Finger Lakes National Forest that week. Or 4 weeks, was that week before and I was in the office? I don’t remember. I should think about summer vacation and what week I want to take off. Typically, the high temperature is 84 degrees. We hit a record high of 97 back in 1991.

A cool gray June day… 🌥

The air certainly has the smell of rain, grass, multi flora rose and farm but not much rain has fallen at all. I probably could have headed out of town and it would have been decent with more sun this afternoon. I guess save it for a future weekend. I’m hoping for more rain during the work week, we could use it.

Good morning! Happy Saturday. Finally the weekend! Clouds ☁️ 62 degrees this morning in Delmar. Definitely a change from yesterday. There is a northeast breeze at 13 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 59 degrees. The skies will clear around 4 pm.

Out walking 🚶 this morning closer to eight am. Banana 🍌 oatmeal pancakes this morning. I was up at six o’clock but decided to do breakfast first. Feeling a little tired and nauseous this morning, I think it’s the weather. I do think I should have gotten out of town but I told John Wolcott I would visit him today so I’m committed to staying in town this weekend. I started a pot of brown rice and lentils on stove for the coming week week, turned it off before the walk. 🍲 No to taking the Nature Bus 🚍 this week to Thacher Park. It’s kind of silly, I could drive my big jacked up truck there any week and spend the day. I have a state parks pass for unlimited use. Mom and Dad get it for me every year.

Today will have a slight chance of showers before 1pm. Mostly cloudy 🌦, with a high of 65 degrees at 3pm. 11 degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around April 28th. Maximum dew point of 59 at 8am. Northeast wind 13 to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 78 degrees. The record high of 97 was set in 1925.

I told myself that I was going to look at used bicycles this morning 🚲 but I don’t know. I just need to figure out how to repair the bicycle I have. I’m so enthralled by the throwaway culture we live in. The bicycle I have is fine, I just need to figure out the spokes for the wheel. I have the parts. And maybe I don’t want a bicycle after all. 🤷‍♂️ Walking is fine. I can’t get to the Albany Bicycle Rescue to a week from Tuesday but it’s fine I think they are closed next week. After talking with them I can get a better idea if it’s worth me rebuilding on my own 🛠 with some guidance or donate the old bicycle parts and get something used. I really don’t want to spend $800 on a new bicycle only to have it break down or be stolen. 🪚

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:55 pm with sun having an altitude of 69.7° from the due south horizon (-1.1° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.2 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:46 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (295°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (302°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:28 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 24 seconds with dusk around 9:02 pm, which is 46 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Full 🌝 Moon in the southeast (132°) at an altitude of 5° from the horizon, 232,780 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:47 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 61 degrees. The dew point will be 49 degrees. There will be a east-northeast breeze at 8 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 11 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and 11 seconds over yesterday.

After going to see John this afternoon I plan to hike in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve 🦋 to see how many Karner Blue butterflies I can see and maybe get some lupine pictures before it’s gone for the season. I was thinking last night looking at the lilies at the town park it might be too late for seeing many lilies on Lily Lake in the Adirondacks even if I visit on Juneteenth Weekend. 🌺 Maybe some year. Next weekend I promised dad I would go with him to the Gas Up Antique Tractor 🚜 Festival.

Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌃 , with a low of 48 degrees at 4am. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 16th. Northeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 49 degrees. The record low of 36 occurred back in 1947.

Yesterday had a work lunch at Juniors in North Greenbush. 🍚 It was nice though the food was so unhealthy. I ordered a gyro bowl, the healthiest thing on the menu with brown rice, quiona, black olives and tomatoes 🍅 and when it came, it was an enormous portion, biggest bowl I’ve ever seen, and was loaded with carbs and not many vegetables. And of course being my unmindful self I eat it down. But I didn’t order beer 🍻 and went very light on the shared nachos. But I tell you it’s hard to even eat somewhat healthy when out with folks. Much rather cook at home when I have control over the ingredients. 🧑‍🍳

Looking ahead, there are 3 weeks until Latest Sunset 🌆 when the sun will be setting at 8:38 pm with dusk at 9:12 pm. On that day in 2022, we had partly cloudy and temperatures between 86 and 61 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 82 degrees. We hit a record high of 96 back in 1943.

Shift it down into overdrive ⚙

It’s now just coasting to the weekend, or so I tell myself. The hill has been climbed, now it’s just coasting to five o’clock. And next weekend is Memorial Day Weekend, which the black flies want you to know is a three day weekend.

Good morning! Yeah, it’s Friday! Mostly sunny and 48 degrees ☀ in Delmar for the morning walk. There is a south breeze at 11 mph. 🍃.

I hear that summer is coming 🏖 though lately there has been very little evidence of that lately. That said, things may get warmer for the Memorial Day Weekend though not by much. When summer finally arrives though I’m betting it will get hot.

I was thinking 💭 about eggs this morning 🥚 as I had too many carbs yesterday but I think with time limitations 🥣 and because I want eggs tomorrow I’m going to reheat the remaining barley and quinoa I have cooked in the refrigerator and serve with blackberries and cherries 🍒 this morning. 🥣 May add a little honey 🍯 just because otherwise the quiona is too bitter. Then some carrots 🥕. Tomorrow eggs 🍳 I’m thinking. I’ll make sure to limit carbs at lunch and dinner. Maybe I’ll crack open that other can of mackerel 🐠 or tuna with dinner and serve with kale to boost my omega 3 levels and vitamin absorption. Also need to use up more of the peppers 🫑🌶️ in the refrigerator they’re getting dried out a bit. I do make frozen spinach and especially kale 🥗 too big of a portion of my diet but it’s easy and cheap source of healthy fiber though I do need to mix it up more. Overdoing kale is better than overdosing on sugars and fats I tell myself.

Today will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 72 degrees at 4pm. Typical for today. Maximum dew point of 48 at 12pm. South wind 11 to 17 mph. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. The high last year was 63 degrees. The record high of 91 was set in 1989. There was a dusting of snow in 1976.❄

Yesterday was busy and I was tired 😴 by the end of the day but I still got 9.2 miles in by the end of the day. Caught the express bus 🚍 both ways, made up and eat too much brown rice 🍚 and red lentils, as its super dense but tried to make up for it by having lots of kale, tomato 🍅 and onions with the small slice of chicken 🐔 breast I had for dinner. I’ll cut back further on the carbs today. It’s about averages.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:53 pm with sun having an altitude of 67.1° from the due south horizon (-3.7° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.5 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:34 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (292°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (298°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:15 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 17 seconds with dusk around 8:47 pm, which is one minute and one second later than yesterday. 🌇

The best time to look at the stars is after 9:29 pm. At sunset, look for partly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 65 degrees. There will be a south breeze at 14 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 48 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and 57 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 51 degrees at 2am. One degree above normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 24th. Maximum dew point of 50 at 6am. South wind 11 to 14 mph. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 46 degrees. The record low of 29 occurred back in 2002.

I would like to walk 🚶 ten miles today but it’s going to be difficult as I have to probably do work this evening and pick up the Save the Pine Bush display from Lynne Jackson in the city after work. 🗒 Those committee agendas keep coming later and later into the weekend. 🤯 It’s fine, I need the comp time for summer but still it will lead to a very busy evening.

Tomorrow will have showers likely, mainly after 3pm. Cloudy 🌦, with a high of 66 degrees at 12pm. Seven degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 1st. Maximum dew point of 57 at 2pm. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Not the nicest day possible for the Lupine Festival 🦋 but not a total washout. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. The high last year was 79 degrees. The record high of 91 was set in 1962.

Looking ahead to Sunday, mostly sunny, ☀ with a high near 73. Northwest wind around 11 mph. Maximum dew point of 50 at 8am. Typical average high for the weekend is 73 degrees. That should be a nicer day. Looking at minimum at Bennett Hill before seeing the folks, might also do an early morning hike to Five Rivers 🐦 – and I mean early like 5 AM – and maybe an evening hike up Blodgett Hill then get groceries for the week at Wally World.🛒

I wasn’t going to head out of town for the holiday weekend ⛺ but with the warming trend and potentially sunny hot weather, I could be persuaded elsewise. 🤷‍♂️ Hammock Camping is more likely but I could consider the Spectulator area especially if I have to spend part of the week remote working. 💻 That said I don’t like the black flies and summer isn’t that far away. I’d still almost prefer though to wait for the following week when work is less and the woods is quieter. 🌲🌲But sometimes plans change.

I’m back to thinking 💭 about the Finger Lakes National Forest for summer vacation 🏊‍♂️ mostly because I’m thinking of all the trails and flat land up on the hump between the lakes for bicycle 🚲 riding. Plus lots of opportunities to fish 🎣 and the ease of setting up camp ⛺ for the week and nearby groceries at Watkins Glen. 🍏 It was fun paddling Seneca Lake on calmer days. 🛶 And doing the Black River Valley to camp and hunt come the autumn rather than West Virginia.

One month 📅 from now the Average High is 80 when the sun will be setting at 8:37 pm with dusk at 9:11 pm. Basically almost summer at that point, I should spend it at the House Pond campsite. ⛺

Good morning! Happy Tuesday. 🌄

The countdown to summer continues. Going to relatively mild today but certainly not summer like. I’m just waiting for black fly season to be done. And water temperatures to be a bit warmer.

Cloudy and 50 degrees in Delmar for the morning walk. ☁ There is a south-southwest breeze at 8 mph. 🍃.

Not so cold this morning. 🍃 Going to be pretty nice by afternoon. Too bad I’ll be stuck in the office 🏢 most of the day. Walked 9.2 miles yesterday and 12.3 Sunday. Lots of steps but it’s been nice. Didn’t do the twenty mile hike on Sunday but it was a busy weekend.

This morning I am reheating the queche I made up on Sunday 🍳 and froze. Took out a slice from the freezer last night, plan to add some kale, mushrooms, and tomatoes as apparently I need more of them then it already has. 🍅 As they say, the more fiber the better. And some carrot 🥕 slices after breakfast. Black coffee ☕ from reheated coffee grounds plus a little fresh coffee, as I’m trying to cut expenses with coffee being so expensive these days. Eggs 🥚 are a good all morning breakfast, especially blended with lots of fiber.

Today will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 78 degrees at 2pm. Seven degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around June 9th. West wind 8 to 14 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, and we had an thunderstorm ⛈ in the afternoon. It was somewhat humid. The high last year was 82 degrees. The record high of 89 was set in 1991.

Finished up the updated maps for Save the Pine Bush 🦋 kiosk yesterday at the Lupine Festival this Saturday. I reached out to Lynne about getting the rest of the material for the display. I like tabling, leading hikes, doing maps and research but not so much public hearings especially with the jackals in the press 📰 just looking to twist your words for speaking what you think. At this point in my life, I hate politics, I’m more focused on what is right for me.

Not a pay week this week 💸 but I think it’s a pretty three paycheck month. I’m doing my best to keep expenses down but it’s tough in these inflationary times we all live in. I’m planning on saving a little money this money in my savings account for the first time in years, as interest is up and I know some point in the future 🔮 I’ll have to replace Big Red.

No tax refund for me. 💵 Oh well, not a big one, I was planning on applying any of what I thought to be a $150 refund to next year’s taxes. Didn’t owe anything either. Somehow I made a math error in calculating the amount I was liable for. 🧮 My calculated income was right but I must have read the tax table wrong. I’ll go over my form with the reconciliation statement but there is nothing further for me to do. It’s so stupid to have to file 📂 taxes when the government already has the data on their computers.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:53 pm with sun having an altitude of 66.4° from the due south horizon (-4.4° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.6 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:31 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (291°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (297°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:12 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 15 seconds with dusk around 8:43 pm, which is one minute and 3 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:25 pm. At sunset, look out for a chance of rain 🌧 and temperatures around 69 degrees. There will be a northwest breeze at 10 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 42 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 4 seconds over yesterday.

School 🚸 budget vote today, I’ll probably go after the evening walk 🚶 as then I’ll avoid the crowds and morning traffic as the polls are open until 9 pm and I’m usually in bed 🛏 before then. School Board elections are more rigged then most but it’s the one chance you have to vote against government spending. I also should get milk 🥛 this evening which I keep avoiding because frankly I’ve gotten into drinking my coffee ☕ black.

Tonight will have a slight chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 42 degrees at 6am. Seven degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around April 29th. North wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 50 degrees. The record low of 30 occurred back in 1959.

Sunday looks to the best day for the weekend. Saturday, a chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Maximum dew point of 49 at 7pm. Sunday, a chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Maximum dew point of 52 at 10am. Typical average high for the weekend is 73 degrees.

Looking ahead, there are 5 weeks until Primary Day 🗳️ when the sun will be setting at 8:38 pm with dusk at 9:11 pm. On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 82 and 47 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 81 degrees. We hit a record high of 97 back in 1953.

May 12, 2023 Morning

Shift it up into overdrive and enjoy the nice weather 🏖

Just watch out for the black flies and the bad drivers whose minds have already shifted to the weekend.

Good morning! Yeah, it’s Friday! Partly cloudy ⛅ and 56 degrees in Delmar, NY. Calm wind. The dew point is 49 degrees.

Not such a cool morning for the walk 🚶 but then again it will be in eighties later on in the day. 11 ½ miles walked yesterday with similar hopes for today, assuming that I get out at lunchtime. I wish my bicycle 🚲 was finished it would be a nice day to ride to work.

Today will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 82 degrees at 2pm. 12 degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around June 24th. Maximum dew point of 52 at 9am. No complaints about the humidity today. Light and variable wind becoming west 9 to 14 mph in the morning. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. The high last year was 87 degrees. The record high of 91 was set in 1881. There was a dusting of snow in 2020.❄

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:53 pm with sun having an altitude of 65.5° from the due south horizon (-5.3° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.7 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:27 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (289°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (296°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:08 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 12 seconds with dusk around 8:39 pm, which is one minute and 5 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:19 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 73 degrees. The dew point will be 51 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 8 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 34 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 12 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 58 degrees at 5am. 11 degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around June 16th. Maximum dew point of 51 at 8pm. West wind 3 to 8 mph. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It became somewhat humid as the night progressed. It got down to 62 degrees. The record low of 29 occurred back in 2020.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 78 degrees at 2pm. Seven degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around June 9th. Maximum dew point of 52 at 7am. North wind 5 to 10 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. The high last year was 84 degrees. The record high of 86 was set in 2004. There was a dusting of snow in 1953.❄

As I mentioned yesterday, I have this crazy 🤪 idea of spending Saturday night in a hammock in the wilderness though I’m not set on it as it’s going to be a busy weekend with work, getting things ready for the Pine Bush booth, the truck and other projects. Next weekend is thr Lupine Festival so that will be Saturday. 🦋 Following weekend is Memorial Day Weekend but between the black flies 🐜, work and crowds I doubt I’ll be heading anywhere.

Looking ahead to Sunday, cooler but mostly sunny, ☀ with a high near 66. North wind around 11 mph. Maximum dew point of 35 at 10am. Typical average high for the weekend is 71 degrees.

Looking ahead, there are 9 weeks until National Nude Day 👱 when the sun will be setting at 8:33 pm with dusk at 9:06 pm. I was thinking yesterday how much fun the old crocks are down at the swimming hole. 🏊‍♂️ On that day in 2022, we had partly cloudy skies and temperatures between 85 and 65 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 84 degrees. We hit a record high of 99 back in 1995. That’s about as hot as it ever gets in Albany as I don’t think their thermometer at the airport can read three digits, or so it seems it hasn’t since 1953. But it’s an El Niño year so maybe the baby 🤱 boy will change his mind.

May 31, 2020 Morning

Good morning! Where did May go? Still not June despite what I thought yesterday. May had 31 days. Next Sunday is Strawberry Moon 🍓. Mostly sunny and 51 degrees in Delmar, NY. ☀ There is a northwest breeze at 10 mph. 🍃.

Out hiking in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve and surrounding lands today. 🚶 Doing some bird watching 🐦 and plant identification 🌿 with some of my fellow citizen scientists, doing the kind of work that only people not affiliated with the government and governments and corporate grants can do. 💵 It’s not to say government workers are bad people but they have to put food 🍲 on the table like the rest of us. Definitely a beautiful day for sure. 😎 Lots of people in the Pine Bush 🌲👪 which is good for advocacy even if not as good for our research purposes. Not so many Karner Blue today due to the cold weather but lot of pretty blue lupine to look at and a fair number of grasslands birds although mostly common ones.

Today will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 64 degrees at 3pm. 10 degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around April 30th. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 76 degrees. The record high of 92 was set in 2013.

Regardless a beautiful day. 🐸 I might go to Black Creek Marsh later for more wildlife observation although midday 🕛 might not be a very good time a dig might be better to wait for early tomorrow morning or around dusk tonight. I also didn’t pack much of a lunch so that’s a consideration too. 🍔 I probably should have packed a lunch but I stayed up too late last night 🌃 watching the protest, and was groggy 😴 and get a late start.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:54 pm with sun having an altitude of 69.4° from the due south horizon (-1.4° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.3 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:45 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (295°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (302°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:27 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 23 seconds with dusk around 9:00 pm, which is 48 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous 🌔 Moon in the south (182°) at an altitude of 49° from the horizon, 226,344 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:44 pm. At sunset, look for mostly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 56 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 11 mph. Going to be chilly, if I do decide to go to the Black Creek Marsh, I’ll want long sleeves. 👚 Today will have 15 hours and 5 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and 19 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌤, with a low of 42 degrees at 5am. 10 degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around April 30th. Northwest wind 6 to 11 mph becoming light west after midnight. Going to be a chilly night. In 2019, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 49 degrees. The record low of 35 occurred back in 1945.

Been reading 📖 a book I got out about the practice of welding and metal work. 👷 Welding is very much a skill of practice and I might some day get a welder when I own my own land and have a shop. Welding is a good skill to fix broken farm machinery 🚜 or even fabricate something like a farm trash incinerator that I can use year round safely when I own land. 🔥 I’ve been doing a lot of reading 📚 about things besides politics, history and contemporary events because there is much in the natural and physical world I want to understand better. 🐮 Cows and tractors, birds and bees 🐝 are remarkably important parts of our world and I’m woefully ignorant. 🐛

As previously noted, next Sunday is Strawberry Moon 🍓 when the sun will be setting at 8:31 pm with dusk at 9:05 pm. Close to the latest sunset of the year. On that day in 2019, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 82 and 53 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 76 degrees. We hit a record high of 95 back in 1999.

February 15, 2020 Night

Good evening! Partly cloudy and 20 degrees in Delmar, NY. 🌃 There is a south breeze at 15 mph. 🍃. The current wind chill is 6. There are 2 inches of snow on the ground. ☃ Cold but reasonable. ️Things will start to thaw out at tomorrow around 9 am. 🌡️

Cold evening but not that bad. 🌃 It is reasonable for this time of year. Tomorrow is going to be pretty mild. Busy day today with Pine Bush things and the Reszin Adam’s documentary but at least was decent if cold. Didn’t get a lot of video 📹 of Rezin talking but some good b roll 📼 and a few discussions. The Pine Bush meeting was good 🌲🌲🌲as was lunch at Yonder Farms. 🍏 Always like the cookies 🍪 and sweets there. They are making good progress on fighting the Crossgates Maul development but they’re is much more to do.

I got a few hours put hiking and even climbed to the top of the long closed Greater Albany Landfill 🗻 to watch the sunset. I haven’t been up there in years. Eventually thought the Pine Bush commission is planning a trail over the landfill which will have great views of the Pine Bush Preserve and surrounding areas.🌄 It will be fascinating to see how things look when they plant Pine Bush grasses and maybe even Lupine on the landfill once it’s fully closed in a few years. Technically that area is off limits right tbut it’s not posted and it was five o’clock on a Saturday evening and nobody was at the landfill. 🚮All things said and done the landfill isn’t that big of a deal compared to something like the acres of parking 🅿 at Crossgates but still when I own my own land, I’ll probably use a burn barrel or maybe better yet a forced air homemade incinerator 🔥 so I only have to go to the recycling center ♻ less than once a year with a bag of cans and glass – which nowadays is less and less of the trash with plastics taking over. New formulations of PET have all but completely replaced glass 🍶 for everything but a few things like wine 🍷 and I don’t drink wine. That said, worrying much about landfills nowadays seems silly when they are proposing 10,000 acre solar farms everywhere. ⚡

I bought a four pound bag of broccoli and two pounds of frozen 🌽 so I should be good on vegetables for a while. Probably will go shopping on Tuesday night after work I’m thinking now as it’s going to wash the salt off the roads 🚗 with the rain and I am probably good for groceries in the meantime. I really try to minimize 🚫 the amount of driving I do especially in the winter. It’s kind of nice to stay home and save for a better tomorrow, especially with road trip and camping season not that far off. ⛺

Tonight will have a chance of snow showers, mainly between 1am and 4am. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 19 degrees at 10pm. Two degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around February 21st. Maximum wind chill around 6 at 9pm; South wind 13 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. In 2019, we had light rain in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 22 degrees. The record low of -20 occurred back in 1943.

Tonight will have a Waining Crescent 🌘 Moon with 49% illuminated. The Worm 🐛 Moon is on Monday, March 2. The darkest hour is at 12:11 am, followed by dawn at 6:25 am, and sun starting to rise at 6:54 am in the east-southeast (107°) and last for 3 minutes and 2 seconds. Sunrise is one minute and 23 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌄 The golden hour ends at 7:34 am with sun in the east-southeast (114°). Tonight will have 13 hours and 24 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 2 minutes and 42 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a high of 41 degrees at 3pm. Six degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around March 7th. South wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light in the afternoon. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became cloudy by afternoon. The high last year was 34 degrees. The record high of 61 was set in 2006. 17.3 inches of snow fell back in 1958.❄

This evening when I got home I got a $60 check from my dental insurance company saying that my dentist is out of network. 😷 I know I should be happy when they sent a check. Same dental hygienist and dental insurance, so I’m not sure the issue. Maybe a different dentist at the same office, they’re in and out in five minutes. Dentist hasn’t sent me a bill yet. 📄 I am hoping that I don’t get billed for the $177 that they billed the insurance for – there normally is no copay for normal cleanings. When I get the bill I’ll call 📞 and see if they will give me a better rate for paying in cash as I normally don’t pay with my insurance and it’s the same insurance policy I had with my new job as the old. An I will probably have to find a new dentist. The only other thing I can think of is maybe I visited the dentist one week short of six months ago – my insurance pays for twice a year cleanings but I’m not sure if they count days or two services per calendar year. Regardless! Frustrating 😤 though for somebody who is always trying to save money 💵 and run a tight budget.

Continuing to read Wiring Simplified by HP Ritcher et al. 🔌 While I’m not planning on any wiring projects in the near future, it’s a good skill to become more knowledgeable about and library books are free to read 📖. I want to be more knowledgeable about wiring and safety when I own my own land, as even if my house is off grid I’ll probably want some lights and wiring and off grid power systems are hardly maintenance free. Some of endless stuff about the code requiring outlets every so many feet in a kitchen seem kind of silly but on the other hand using robust equipment that is UL rated and safely installed, not drawing too much current over the wires is a big thing. ⚡ Arc fault sensors and GFIs have only become a bigger deal in the code lately, for good reason. Looking forward to the chapter about barnyard wiring 🐮 as barns have unique electrical challenges and safe wiring in barns is important with hay, water, rats 🐀 and livestock 🐮 chewing away at wires. The more I learn today the less to learn from scratch in the future. 🎓

In four weeks on March 14 the sun will be setting in the west (268°) at 7:01 pm (Daylight Savings Time),🌄 which is one hour, 34 minutes and 34 seconds later then tonight. In 2019 on that day, we had mostly cloudy, mild temperatures between 59 and 39 degrees. I definitely could use a day that warm again. Typically, you have temperatures between 43 and 25 degrees. The record high of 75 degrees was set back in 1946.

Looking ahead, Ides of March ✝ is a month away, Average High is 50 🌸 is in 6 weeks, Tax Day 💰 is in 2 months, Average High is 60 🌼 is in 9 weeks, Average High is 70 🐮 is in 13 weeks, Memorial Day Weekend Starts 🏕️ is in 14 weeks, Last Day of Session 🏛 is in 18 weeks and Summer ️⛱️ is in 18 weeks.

🇺🇸🦅Only 96 days remain until the start of Memorial Day Weekend!🦅🇺🇸

Andy Arthur.org

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