Thursday (26-December-2019) — Florida

Gone to See Florida — 2019 Road Trip.

Boxer Day. After the sun rose, we went looking for birds at Fort De Soto Park. We found a Great Blue Heron fishing, and some Osprey Nests. One of the male Osprey was flying around with the big fish he caught to show off to his mate.


Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.


Daily Electric Energy Used (52.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 20.4 kWh. Most of the hydroponic gardens were off or only on for fewer hours. Also, the thermostat for the Geothermal heater and hybrid heat pump hot water heater were set for vacation mode.

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Tuesday (24-December-2019) — Florida

Gone to See Florida — 2019 Road Trip.

I arrived in St. Petersburg, Florida before lunchtime. The Chickens in the backyard urban garden loved the Broccoli leaves I brought from my indoor hydroponic AeroGarden Farm. My father pointed out that a bunch of Bananas were resting on top of a bee hive. My mother had some blooming orchids hanging from the Mango trees. She also had strawberry plants and berries in a Grow Tower that had been moved to the upper part of the driveway.

Hens feasting on Broccoli leaves from my indoor hydroponic garden in NJ. Urban garden & farm in St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/2.5, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Hens feasting on Broccoli leaves from my indoor hydroponic garden in NJ. Urban garden & farm in St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/2.5, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Bananas on a Bee Hive. Urban garden & farm in St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Bananas on a Bee Hive. Urban garden & farm in St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Orchid Flowers in the air. Urban garden & farm in St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/1.4, 1/100 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Orchid Flowers in the air. Urban garden & farm in St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/1.4, 1/100 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Strawberry Plants and Berries in a Grow Tower. Urban garden & farm in St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/2.2 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Strawberry Plants and Berries in a Grow Tower. Urban garden & farm in St. Petersburg Florida. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/2.2 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (45.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (33.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 25.7 kWh. Most of the hydroponic gardens were off or only on for fewer hours. Also, the thermostat for the Geothermal heater and hybrid heat pump hot water heater were set for vacation mode.

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Friday (20-December-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Nature in New Jersey.

I harvested my first indoor hydroponic Broccoli today. Most folks didn’t believe it could be done. The broccoli leaves were giant allowing only two plants to thrive in a single AeroGarden Farm hydroponic tray. The Cauliflower also just started to form a head. Unfortunately, since I was about to leave for Florida for a couple of weeks it would not have time to fully develop. Both the Broccoli and Cauliflower went into my stir-fry dinner.

Indoor Hydroponic Broccoli Harvest. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/2.5, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Indoor Hydroponic Broccoli Harvest. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/2.5, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Indoor Hydroponic Broccoli Harvest. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/2.5, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Indoor Hydroponic Broccoli Harvest. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/2.5, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (96.9 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (35.2 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Rained much of the day. Overall a net deficit of 61.7 kWh.

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Thursday (19-December-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Nature in New Jersey.

I harvested the first of the indoor hydroponic strawberries today. Before tasting them I took this focus stacked image with some German chocolate.

Indoor hydroponic Strawberries and Chocolate. Composite of 50 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/2.8. 1/15 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Indoor hydroponic Strawberries and Chocolate. Composite of 50 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/2.8. 1/15 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (99.5 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (27.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Rained much of the day. Overall a net deficit of 72.2 kWh.

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Sunday (15-December-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

Ripe indoor hydroponic strawberry and broccoli head nearly ready to harvest. Indoor hydroponic Snapdragon, Marigold, California Poppy, and Zinnia flowers.

Indoor Hydroponic Strawberry. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 80 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Indoor Hydroponic Strawberry. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 80 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Indoor Hydroponic Broccoli. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 80 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Indoor Hydroponic Broccoli. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 80 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)


Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery to access the individual images in the following slideshow.


Daily Electric Energy Used (73.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (20.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 52.8 kWh.


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