Monday (28-October-2019) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey

The sun was out in the morning as I went for my daily walkabout with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens with a 1.4x teleconverter. Backlit fall leaves, Praying Mantis egg sacks, late season wildflowers, and the Burma water gourd vine, with small gourds.

Backlit Autumn Japanese Maple Leaves. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 200, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/450 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Backlit Autumn Japanese Maple Leaves. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 200, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/450 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Backlit Autumn Japanese Maple Leaves. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 200, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Backlit Autumn Japanese Maple Leaves. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 200, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)


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



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



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


Grass. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Grass. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (60.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (26.9 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sun out in the morning, but then cloudy. At this time of the year the sun is lower, and the Sycamore tree leaves shadow the solar panels in the afternoon. Overall a net deficit of 33.9 kWh.

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Saturday (26-October-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

Heavy rain is predicted for tomorrow so I needed to put down some lime, rototill, and seed some of the wildflower sections with crimson clover as a winter cover crop. Some of the work was recorded as time-lapse video with a Garmin VIRB-360 camera. During the work I found another Praying Mantis ootheca or egg sack that I moved to a protected location.

Daily Electric Energy Used (62.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (28.7 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More clouds than yesterday. At this time of the year the sun is lower, and the Sycamore tree leaves shadow the solar panels part of the day. Overall a net deficit of 34.1 kWh. Use higher than yesterday because of laundry (4.2 kWh)

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Friday (25-October-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

While taking the recycling out to the curb early in the morning I noticed the sky lighting up with colorful clouds and a waning moon. I went back in a picked up a camera with a fisheye lens to try and capture it all.

Colorful clouds and waning crescent moon at dawn. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 64, 15 mm, f/5.6, 5 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Colorful clouds and waning crescent moon at dawn. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 64, 15 mm, f/5.6, 5 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (59.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (29.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More clouds than yesterday. At this time of the year the sun is lower, and the Sycamore tree leaves shadow the solar panels part of the day. Overall a net deficit of 29.6 kWh.

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Sunday (20-October-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey

Last week I noticed something attached to the Cosmos stalk. I didn’t know what it was. Today, I found out that it was an egg sack as I came across a Praying Mantis laying her eggs.

Praying Mantis egg sack. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1000, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis egg sack. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1000, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 500, 112 mm, f/4, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 500, 112 mm, f/4, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (64.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (6.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. It rained most of the day so not much sun. Overall a net deficit of 58.5 kWh. Geothermal HVAC to heat the house (2.7 kWh), Hydroponics (22.6 kWh), Computers and Servers (21.7 kWh), Kitchen (3.4 kWh).

Weekly Electric Energy Used (410 kWh) from Sense and Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (192 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 218 kWh.

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Sunday (20-October-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey

Daily walkabout with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter. I was looking to see what survived he frost we had a couple nights ago. There are still some Cosmos, Marigold, Lemon-Mint, and Larkspur flowers. The Burma Water Gourd vine is also still blooming. I see a couple of gourds have set, but don’t expect them them to get much bigger than they are. I also found I still have some late season strawberries.

Click on the above image to access my Photoshelter Gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.


Daily Electric Energy Used (64.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (6.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. It rained most of the day so not much sun. Overall a net deficit of 58.5 kWh. Geothermal HVAC to heat the house (2.7 kWh), Hydroponics (22.6 kWh), Computers and Servers (21.7 kWh), Kitchen (3.4 kWh).

Weekly Electric Energy Used (410 kWh) from Sense and Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (192 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 218 kWh.

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