December 20, 8:30am

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We may have snow today around noon. Not as much as in this picture which was taken on our first snow day, December 5th, this year. I would love it to be this pretty.
We were out late last night. Went to see the Wizard of Oz at UPAC for free! So, got up later than usual and temperature at 26 degrees with wind at 6 mph plus, I decided to say indoors.
When snow is approaching the skies are pretty grey. Dim. Things seem sadder and thoughts may follow on the same vein. Always dream of lovely sunrises with bright red sun peeking up in the distance. But not every morning is like that.
Christmas is a week away. Next Tuesday night, Christmas Eve. We will stay home! The days of long drives at night and binge eating are over for me.
Even last night the wonderful Mexican restaurant, Taqueria Mi Pueblito, the food was delish but over abundant. It’s so hard to stop eating when the taste buds start hopping like Mexican jumping beans. I wonder where THAT expression came from.
I put on a pound and hope that I can shave it off in the next day or so.
After doing the weather report each day I get concerned by all the crazy things that are happening around this country AND the world. Of course, the Weather Channel capitalizes on the tragic events, like the giant Christmas tree that fell and killed 1 person.
I am happy that they are predicting a lot of snow around Christmas. Yay! Nothing more joyful than a White Christmas.
Although I am always thinking about baking pfefferneuse (?) this time of year. But then how do I keep myself from eating them all as soon as they come out of the oven. Also would love to make coquito eggnog with Bacardi rum. How do you keep from drinking it all down the first night. And how do you fight THOSE calories!
I am still struggling to get to where I was before Thanksgiving. Oh well. Life is short. Best to enjoy the few pleasures that you can create for yourself. Right?

Rich blue sky

It’s 6:35am but sunrise is not until 7:20am today. Very annoying. I love to start my day between 5:00 and 6:00am but during that time it’s pitch dark. Oh well. Some things are just meant to be.
As I drive down by the Wurts Street Bridge with all it’s new lights, I want to go down and take a picture. It’s been a long time since I have done this. I now prefer to drive to Kingston Point Beach to walk instead of promenading along the Rondout Creek.
The rain from the night before dropped leftover clouds in a blue sky and the richness of the blue begs a photo.
Once there I notice that the Creek water has begun to freeze. Temps have been in the 20’s so ice has been forming. I think they said it would be in the low 20’s and teens by next week. Christmas week.
That should be interesting. Of course every day is different. Every season changes. You never get bored witnessing what Mother Nature dabbles in. Yeah, never a dull moment. Trees have shed all their leaves now and you can see things you could not see with full foliage. Every scene takes on a new look. The winter fashion replaces the fall fashion. A wonderful start to each day for nature aficionados. Have a wonderful day, week and remainder of 2024. Which was a nice year. One of the best for me at 75 years of age! A bit more to come.

RONDOUT, KINGSTON, NY: TIDES AND CURRENTS.

THURSDAY …….December 19th, 2024….. Time:……5:10am

Feels like 36°F (High 41)….CLOUDY……Humidity 85% …….
Wind 3 mph from WSW rising to 6 mph at 12:00pm ……
Precipitation 16% at 8:00am ……
USGS Water temp 36.7°F (2.6°C)
Water plus air temperature = 72.7°F
Lat Long: 41.92 N ..73.96 W

—————-Tides—————-
Tide…….. Time (EDT)….Height.

High Tide 4:16 AM 3.35 ft (1.02 m)
Low Tide 10:16 AM 0.15 ft (0.05 m)
High Tide 4:22 PM 3.87 ft (1.18 m)
Low Tide 11:05 PM -0.06 ft (-0.02 m)

—-NOAA Currents Report—————
Time……Event…Knots

3:03 AM flood 1.19
5:44 AM slack –
8:39 AM ebb -1.17
11:22 AM slack –
2:07 PM flood 1.15
5:30 PM slack –
9:04 PM ebb -1.51

[Ebb current is when the water flows towards the south (Poughkeepsie). Flood current is when the tide flows towards the north (Albany). Slack is the period in between when the water is still (not flowing north or south).]

————Sunrise and Moon —————————————
Sunrise Today: 7:20 am↑ 121° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:27 pm↑ 239° Southwest
Moonrise Today: 9:05 pm↑ 69° East, 81.6% Waning Gibbous
Moonset Today: 10:46 am↑ 294° Northwest
Daylight Hours: 9 hours, 7 minutes (-9s)


NOTES:
The sunrises in a different place every day. See this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZd46xbrAoM
ALSO: For updates throughout the day, use this link ” https://therondoutrower.com/weather-updates-page/

Heart-stopping

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I didn’t expect to see much at this morning’s sunrise. Yesterday I remembered the fog of the night before that had hidden the lights on the Wurts Street Bridge. As I drove north east on Strand I notice the fog over the Creek and the River on my right. I decided to stop at the edge of North Street on the Rondout Creek. The view was heart stopping. The fog was the backdrop in the distance towards the lighthouse. The water was in slack (the point between the high tide and low tide where the current is still, not moving north or south). What I realize is that in the dark morning fog the water becomes a mirror. My favorite pictures are during these times which are infrequent. Precious. I took this picture as I took in the breath of the scene. Everything is quiet, still.
Then, after I got my fill of this magnificent scene, we drive to the Rotary for a brief walk to the footbridge. The temperature is 29 degrees. I can’t be out too long. But the walk on the frozen grass makes me feel like a child enjoying the crunching of our shoes on the frost glazed blades. Sweet.

Every day is a gift of Mother Nature. Unfortunately, life goes on. I have things to do, places to go, people to see. On with life. See you tomorrow, Mother.

RONDOUT, KINGSTON, NY: TIDES AND CURRENTS.


WEDNESDAY …….December 18th, 2024….. Time:……4:36am

Feels like 31°F (High 47)….CLEAR……Humidity 85% …….
Wind 1 mph from WSW rising to 5 mph at 1:00pm ……
Precipitation 51% at 5:00pm ……
USGS Water temp 35.8°F (2.1°C)
Water plus air temperature = 66.8°F
Lat Long: 41.92 N ..73.96 W

—————-Tides—————-
Tide…….. Time (EDT)….Height.

High Tide 3:20 AM 3.45 ft (1.05 m)
Low Tide 9:29 AM -0.1 ft (-0.03 m)
High Tide 3:28 PM 4.12 ft (1.26 m)
Low Tide 10:18 PM -0.27 ft (-0.08 m)

—-NOAA Currents Report—————
Time……Event…Knots

1:58 AM flood 1.19
4:49 AM slack –
7:43 AM ebb -1.19
10:22 AM slack –
1:05 PM flood 1.35
4:36 PM slack –
8:14 PM ebb -1.66
11:37 PM slack –

[Ebb current is when the water flows towards the south (Poughkeepsie). Flood current is when the tide flows towards the north (Albany). Slack is the period in between when the water is still (not flowing north or south).]

————Sunrise and Moon —————————————
Sunrise Today: 7:19 am↑ 121° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:26 pm↑ 239° Southwest
Moonrise Today: 7:56 pm↑ 62° Northeast, 89.0% Waning Gibbous
Moonset Today: 10:18 am↑ 300° Northwest
Daylight Hours: 9 hours, 7 minutes (-13s)


NOTES:
The sunrises in a different place every day. See this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZd46xbrAoM
ALSO: For updates throughout the day, use this link ” https://therondoutrower.com/weather-updates-page/