It rained early in the morning with lots of thunder and lightning during the storm. When I went for my morning walkabout some of the flowers still had water droplets. The four-year old daffodil flower bed along the road on the west side of the house is doing well. I tried planting native daylilies in the same bed and they were eaten by the deer. The Piers Japonica shrub started blooming. It was here when I moved in, and the deer have not touched it. The Grape Hyacinth bulbs planted last year along the east side walkway started blooming. The deer were nibbling on the plants before they flowered. Now the deer are ignoring them. Maybe it is the hyacinth perfume? I also saw a number of tiny wild Violet flowers blooming in the backyard lawn. These may be too low to the ground for the deer to nibble.
Daily Electric Energy Used (56.1 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (59.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sunny with intermittent clouds. A surplus of 3.5 kWh.
I am a scientist by training (Eckerd College, BSc; Caltech, Ph.D.). I worked for 27 years as a Chemist in the Pharmaceutical Industry developing processes to manufacture medicines for human and animal health. I now spend my time as a photographer and world traveler. My interests include the natural world, wildlife, landscapes, sky, and seascapes, travel, and astrophotography. I look for unique ways of viewing the world and presenting my images. I have traveled to over 55 countries in six continents, often on Semester at Sea voyages. While at home in New Jersey, I spend time on home renovation and expansion of a wildflower garden/meadow.
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