Month: April 2020

Sunday (26-April-2020) — New Jersey

Indoor Springtime Hydroponic Farm.

Although many of the plants started in January (or last fall) in the AeroGarden Farms are nearing the end of their lifecycle, I am still harvesting tomatoes and strawberries. The strawberry plants will be transplanted outside into a Grow Tower system. This will be an experiment since some of these plants came from the outdoor Grow Towers last fall. I’m still waiting to see if the Hot Peppers and Ground Cherries will ripen indoors. They are being slow. I am not sure if this is a temperature or amount of light issue.

Strawberries grown in my indoor hydroponic farm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 500, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Strawberries grown in my indoor hydroponic farm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 500, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Yellow and Red Cherry Tomatoes grown in my indoor hydroponic farm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 500, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Yellow and Red Cherry Tomatoes grown in my indoor hydroponic farm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 500, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (51.6 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (8.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of rain and clouds. A deficit of 43.5 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (403 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and meter readings. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (310 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A deficit of 93 kWh. I hoped to go net positive this week, but too many cloudy and rainy days. Numbers corrected by meter readings for the time that the Sense monitor was offline.


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Saturday (25-April-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Morning birds: Female Northern Cardinal and Chipping Sparrow. Midday birds: Carolina Wren and Black-capped Chickadee. Evening bird: Male Northern Cardinal.

Female Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Black-capped Chickadee. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 640, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Black-capped Chickadee. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 640, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Carolina Wren. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Carolina Wren. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (60.0 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor was offline for several hours after a power glitch, and had to be rebooted before it started recorded again. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (64.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy (and confirmed by a meter reading). Some clouds, but lots of sun. A surplus of 4.8 kWh.


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Friday (24-April-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Fewer birds today — only a Black-capped Chickadee. While cooking dinner, I looked out the kitchen window and saw at least eight deer. At least they were on the correct side of the electric fence. The OIS (optical image stabilization) in the Fuji lens does a great job — these images were hand-held with the shutter speed between 1/20 to 1/45 second.

Black-capped Chickadee. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/25 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Black-capped Chickadee. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/25 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)


Deer walking outside the electric fence to a wildflower meadow. Images taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (54.0 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (13.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Cloudy and rainy all day. A deficit of 40.6 kWh.


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Friday (24-April-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Nighttime Spring Nature in New Jersey.

Young Fox out on her own last night.

Daily Electric Energy Used (54.0 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (13.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Cloudy and rainy all day. A deficit of 40.6 kWh.


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Thursday (23-April-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily bird images. Early morning: Chipping Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco at and under the bird feeder; Mid-morning: Brown-headed Cowbird and Tufted Titmouse at the bird feeder; Noon: Mourning Dove, pair of Northern Cardinals, Chipping Sparrow, pair of American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, and Red-bellied Woodpecker at and around the bird feeder.

Chipping Sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Dark-eyed Junco. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Dark-eyed Junco. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Brown-headed Cowbird. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Brown-headed Cowbird. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tufted Titmouse. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tufted Titmouse. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Mourning Dove. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Mourning Dove. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrowl. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrowl. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female American Goldfinch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female American Goldfinch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male American Goldfinch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male American Goldfinch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Black-capped Chickadee. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Black-capped Chickadee. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tufted Titmouse. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tufted Titmouse. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red-bellied Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red-bellied Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (57.7 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (45.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of clouds. A deficit of 12.2 kWh.


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