0.7 Mile Walk at Buckingham Lake
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Ducked out of work briefly this afternoon, just enough time to go over to Buckingham Lake and walk around it once. One nice thing about the chilly weather - no crowds! Just a couple of people near the parking lot and a mom & kids at the playground.
The minus, of course, is a lot less wildlife - the usual mob of ducks hoping for a handout, plus a kingfisher I spotted from a distance.
Regardless - it was a real pleasure to spend half an hour or so outside, in daylight, after a long day at work (even if I had to go back to work afterwards.)
JMH
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Sigh... A Missed Opportunity...
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
I'm currently in the process of converting my music collection to digital (stage 1 - ripping CDs) and have also been expanding/updating a bit as I do so... which also has me thinking about which groups or performers I'd like to hear more of and then searching ebay and half.com for good deals. What can I say, I'm old-fashioned - I like having a CD to fall back to if something happens to one of those new-fangled digital file thingies all my students seem to think is the natural state for sharing music.
One of the groups I've enjoyed pretty consistently since college has been Battlefield Band. Their lineup has gone through tremendous changes over the decades (to the point where there are no longer any of the founding members still performing with the group) but they've maintained a consistently energetic and eclectic sound (if that makes any sense) incorporating a variety of instruments but always including bagpipes, fiddle, piano/keyboard, and guitars. Some groups I like because of their consistent sound (the Tannahill Weavers come to mind - they've found what works for them and kept at it for around 20 years with only minor changes) and some I like because of their variety - Battlefield Band is one of the latter, a band that understands and loves its traditional roots but also isn't afraid to try new things, as the "old surfing song from the Outer Hebrides" below demonstrates:
(OK... the visuals with that one are downright eerie, given the recent storm devastation in the NYC/NJ area)
Anyway, one drawback to my only occasional attention to music is I sometimes go looking for current info on an artist or group and discover that they recently performed in the area. A couple of years ago it was Dougie MacLean over in Pittsfield - thankfully I was able to attend his concert in Schenectady back in May - and this time around it turns out to be Battlefield Band, who were down in Hudson of all places, a mere three weeks ago.
Perhaps I need to do a better job of regularly checking for upcoming gigs, especially for artists and groups that don't come to the U.S. all that often. Might be another positive use for that infernal "social media" site that rhymes with "ace crook", much as I loathe spending any more time in its sinister clutches than I absolutely have to... more evidence of what an old-fashioned curmudgeon I am.
JMH
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
I'm currently in the process of converting my music collection to digital (stage 1 - ripping CDs) and have also been expanding/updating a bit as I do so... which also has me thinking about which groups or performers I'd like to hear more of and then searching ebay and half.com for good deals. What can I say, I'm old-fashioned - I like having a CD to fall back to if something happens to one of those new-fangled digital file thingies all my students seem to think is the natural state for sharing music.
One of the groups I've enjoyed pretty consistently since college has been Battlefield Band. Their lineup has gone through tremendous changes over the decades (to the point where there are no longer any of the founding members still performing with the group) but they've maintained a consistently energetic and eclectic sound (if that makes any sense) incorporating a variety of instruments but always including bagpipes, fiddle, piano/keyboard, and guitars. Some groups I like because of their consistent sound (the Tannahill Weavers come to mind - they've found what works for them and kept at it for around 20 years with only minor changes) and some I like because of their variety - Battlefield Band is one of the latter, a band that understands and loves its traditional roots but also isn't afraid to try new things, as the "old surfing song from the Outer Hebrides" below demonstrates:
(OK... the visuals with that one are downright eerie, given the recent storm devastation in the NYC/NJ area)
Anyway, one drawback to my only occasional attention to music is I sometimes go looking for current info on an artist or group and discover that they recently performed in the area. A couple of years ago it was Dougie MacLean over in Pittsfield - thankfully I was able to attend his concert in Schenectady back in May - and this time around it turns out to be Battlefield Band, who were down in Hudson of all places, a mere three weeks ago.
Perhaps I need to do a better job of regularly checking for upcoming gigs, especially for artists and groups that don't come to the U.S. all that often. Might be another positive use for that infernal "social media" site that rhymes with "ace crook", much as I loathe spending any more time in its sinister clutches than I absolutely have to... more evidence of what an old-fashioned curmudgeon I am.
JMH
Monday, November 12, 2012
MORNING CRITTERS
2.5 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Monday, November 12, 2012
After yesterday's aborted trip to Five Rivers, I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and a day off from work to make a rare early morning visit, reasoning that (1) there wouldn't be too many people around, and (2) the critters would probably be more active than they are mid-day. And happily I was right on both accounts - enough so that it made up for having to get up early on a day off.
I heard lots of woodpeckers today and spotted a few too - a couple of small downy's, and also a couple of pilated woodpeckers, including one which I had a fairly good view of for a while. Lots of small birds as well, especially chickadees (they seemed to be everywhere.) I even shot some slightly blurry video of a what I think was a wren singing very loudly.
The Beaver Pond hosted a heron which I startled initially but then seemed pretty cool about my hanging back on the trees taking pictures. The water was the highest I've seen it in some time, I would imagine in part due to the rain we've had recently but also because I think the beavers have raised the height of their dam along the edge of the spillway. The Heron Pond was also looking good, and the very itchy duck mob was hanging out on the fallen tree - some snoozing, most itching. I used to think they were so itchy because of feathers growing on but after months now - I wonder if they have mites or some other sort of parasite?
Wandered over to the smaller ponds past the old orchard and spent a while watching and photographing a red-tailed hawk that perched in several trees along the access road. Not much else going on in those ponds at the moment.
It was tough to tear myself away but I did want to get out on my bike and maybe walk at one or two other places today... and perhaps it was just as well, since more people were starting to arrive, complete with noisy children...
JMH
2.5 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Monday, November 12, 2012
After yesterday's aborted trip to Five Rivers, I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and a day off from work to make a rare early morning visit, reasoning that (1) there wouldn't be too many people around, and (2) the critters would probably be more active than they are mid-day. And happily I was right on both accounts - enough so that it made up for having to get up early on a day off.
I heard lots of woodpeckers today and spotted a few too - a couple of small downy's, and also a couple of pilated woodpeckers, including one which I had a fairly good view of for a while. Lots of small birds as well, especially chickadees (they seemed to be everywhere.) I even shot some slightly blurry video of a what I think was a wren singing very loudly.
The Beaver Pond hosted a heron which I startled initially but then seemed pretty cool about my hanging back on the trees taking pictures. The water was the highest I've seen it in some time, I would imagine in part due to the rain we've had recently but also because I think the beavers have raised the height of their dam along the edge of the spillway. The Heron Pond was also looking good, and the very itchy duck mob was hanging out on the fallen tree - some snoozing, most itching. I used to think they were so itchy because of feathers growing on but after months now - I wonder if they have mites or some other sort of parasite?
Wandered over to the smaller ponds past the old orchard and spent a while watching and photographing a red-tailed hawk that perched in several trees along the access road. Not much else going on in those ponds at the moment.
It was tough to tear myself away but I did want to get out on my bike and maybe walk at one or two other places today... and perhaps it was just as well, since more people were starting to arrive, complete with noisy children...
JMH
Sunday, November 11, 2012
17.1 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, November 11, 2012
I had thought I would go for a walk at Five Rivers first, but when I got there the parking lot was packed and overflowing... and the thought of having to put up with that many people just did not appeal. So I headed over to the Lions Park in Niskayuna (which was also packed - guess folks appreciate a warm Sunday afternoon in November) and got on the bike an hour earlier than I planned.
Rode all the way to partway up GE's hill - then stopped to take pictures of a flock of geese grazing on the lawn, decided I'd had enough of hills, and headed back. Stopped just past the Niska Isle bridge on the way back to watch a heron hunting and some ducks dabbling. Just before the small parking area east of the Lions Park, I spotted a small raptor in the trees near the river. Stopped to take a picture and of course it flew off, followed a short while later by a red-tailed hawk that shrieked at me before heading for a different perch. Watching jumpy birds while wearing flourescent yellow just isn't a good plan.
Went all the way to the top of the hill past the water treatment plant - there was a deer crossing the grass as I pulled up, and on the way back I spotted a bat fluttering around and later on what I think might have been an owl - the brief glimpse I had as it flew across the path suggested a very rounded head. I considered doing a few more miles but decided to call it an evening - I'll have plenty of chances to ride in the dark over the coming weeks.
Foot ached on and off, but nothing too bad. My left knee hollered at me a couple of times - not sure what that was about, unless it's trying to warn me that favoring my right foot is stressing out my left side.
JMH
Sunday, November 11, 2012
I had thought I would go for a walk at Five Rivers first, but when I got there the parking lot was packed and overflowing... and the thought of having to put up with that many people just did not appeal. So I headed over to the Lions Park in Niskayuna (which was also packed - guess folks appreciate a warm Sunday afternoon in November) and got on the bike an hour earlier than I planned.
Rode all the way to partway up GE's hill - then stopped to take pictures of a flock of geese grazing on the lawn, decided I'd had enough of hills, and headed back. Stopped just past the Niska Isle bridge on the way back to watch a heron hunting and some ducks dabbling. Just before the small parking area east of the Lions Park, I spotted a small raptor in the trees near the river. Stopped to take a picture and of course it flew off, followed a short while later by a red-tailed hawk that shrieked at me before heading for a different perch. Watching jumpy birds while wearing flourescent yellow just isn't a good plan.
Went all the way to the top of the hill past the water treatment plant - there was a deer crossing the grass as I pulled up, and on the way back I spotted a bat fluttering around and later on what I think might have been an owl - the brief glimpse I had as it flew across the path suggested a very rounded head. I considered doing a few more miles but decided to call it an evening - I'll have plenty of chances to ride in the dark over the coming weeks.
Foot ached on and off, but nothing too bad. My left knee hollered at me a couple of times - not sure what that was about, unless it's trying to warn me that favoring my right foot is stressing out my left side.
JMH
So Much For After the Leaves...
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Yesterday's very easy run made it clear - any running in the near future is going to have painful consequences. And since I really want to be able to run the Lil Rhody Runaround next Sunday, that means the best plan is to skip After the Leaves Have Fallen today. Needless to say I am very unhappy about this - both the loss of today's run (though I might go to Minnewaska tomorrow and ride) and the fact that it throws in question my ability to run the Seashore Nature Trail 50k in mid- December.
Sigh. Injuries suck big time.
JMH
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Yesterday's very easy run made it clear - any running in the near future is going to have painful consequences. And since I really want to be able to run the Lil Rhody Runaround next Sunday, that means the best plan is to skip After the Leaves Have Fallen today. Needless to say I am very unhappy about this - both the loss of today's run (though I might go to Minnewaska tomorrow and ride) and the fact that it throws in question my ability to run the Seashore Nature Trail 50k in mid- December.
Sigh. Injuries suck big time.
JMH
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Friday, November 09, 2012
QUIET NIGHT...
2 Mile Walk in the Pine Hills Neighborhood
Friday, November 9, 2012
I had hoped to try going for a run tonight to see how my foot would react, but by the time I left work I was sufficiently tired and hungry that it just wasn't happening... actually, it took some doing for me to eventually convince myself to get off my lazy backside and make an extended walk to the store. I was surprised by how quiet it was... maybe it's early enough that the college kids haven't started partying yet, or maybe people are taking advantage of the long weekend to go away...
One of the reasons I like wandering around outdoors is all the things I end up thinking about and all the things I notice around me - something I think is a lost art, given that most people are endlessly distracted by their music, text messages, phone calls, and so on when they're out and about. As I walk around the Albany neighborhoods one of the things that stands out is how the houses are mostly up on hills, well above street level. And I wonder how that happened - it seems far too regular to be just a coincidence of geography. Were the streets dug down to run below the level of the houses, or was the land under the houses built up higher than the streets? And why? Drainage? Perhaps one of these days I'll do a bit of research about the architectural background of Albany and it's streets and find the answers... for now I just continue to ponder the questions while I'm out walking around.
JMH
2 Mile Walk in the Pine Hills Neighborhood
Friday, November 9, 2012
I had hoped to try going for a run tonight to see how my foot would react, but by the time I left work I was sufficiently tired and hungry that it just wasn't happening... actually, it took some doing for me to eventually convince myself to get off my lazy backside and make an extended walk to the store. I was surprised by how quiet it was... maybe it's early enough that the college kids haven't started partying yet, or maybe people are taking advantage of the long weekend to go away...
One of the reasons I like wandering around outdoors is all the things I end up thinking about and all the things I notice around me - something I think is a lost art, given that most people are endlessly distracted by their music, text messages, phone calls, and so on when they're out and about. As I walk around the Albany neighborhoods one of the things that stands out is how the houses are mostly up on hills, well above street level. And I wonder how that happened - it seems far too regular to be just a coincidence of geography. Were the streets dug down to run below the level of the houses, or was the land under the houses built up higher than the streets? And why? Drainage? Perhaps one of these days I'll do a bit of research about the architectural background of Albany and it's streets and find the answers... for now I just continue to ponder the questions while I'm out walking around.
JMH
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Feels More Like December...
1.2 Mile Walk in the Pine Hills Neighborhood
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
No run tonight, thanks to my blasted foot... but I did manage to walk to the store and back to pick up some food. The "nor'easter" is supposed to come through later tonight, with the possibility of a bit of snow (a couple of inches, tops) and possibly some rain. Tonight was cold and damp, with spatters of very fine, very wet snow coming down... brrr. The last few days have felt much more like mid-December than early November.
And it doesn't even have the distinction of "first snow of the season" since it barely qualified as snow, plus I drove and ran in snow flurries Saturday morning...
JMH
1.2 Mile Walk in the Pine Hills Neighborhood
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
No run tonight, thanks to my blasted foot... but I did manage to walk to the store and back to pick up some food. The "nor'easter" is supposed to come through later tonight, with the possibility of a bit of snow (a couple of inches, tops) and possibly some rain. Tonight was cold and damp, with spatters of very fine, very wet snow coming down... brrr. The last few days have felt much more like mid-December than early November.
And it doesn't even have the distinction of "first snow of the season" since it barely qualified as snow, plus I drove and ran in snow flurries Saturday morning...
JMH
@#$*&#%#!!!! Foot...
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Partway through my walk at Vischer Ferry yesterday the inner arch of my right foot began grumbling... and gradually progressed to hollering. I figured it was a cramp due to the fit/flex of the shoes I was wearing, changed shoes, and walked a little over 2 miles more yesterday with it still griping but not quite as much. And it kept hurting all evening.
Today I'm not nearly as confident about the cramp diagnosis - it's still pretty painful. So much for running tonight and possibly for the near future... right when the double whammy of the loss of daylight savings time and unseasonably cold weather makes riding after work difficult. Not to mention needing to train for a running a 50k in 5 weeks...
Seems like it's going to be one of THOSE weeks...
JMH
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Partway through my walk at Vischer Ferry yesterday the inner arch of my right foot began grumbling... and gradually progressed to hollering. I figured it was a cramp due to the fit/flex of the shoes I was wearing, changed shoes, and walked a little over 2 miles more yesterday with it still griping but not quite as much. And it kept hurting all evening.
Today I'm not nearly as confident about the cramp diagnosis - it's still pretty painful. So much for running tonight and possibly for the near future... right when the double whammy of the loss of daylight savings time and unseasonably cold weather makes riding after work difficult. Not to mention needing to train for a running a 50k in 5 weeks...
Seems like it's going to be one of THOSE weeks...
JMH
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Sunday, November 04, 2012
Saturday, November 03, 2012
Friday, November 02, 2012
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