Category: Landscape

Views of the land around the world

Wednesday (19-June-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

While reviewing images on the security cameras, I noticed two rabbits walking by the house early in the morning. I had seen a rabbit earlier in the year way back in the yard. With all of the rain we have been having the backyard grass is getting tall, and has lots of clover. Later in the afternoon, one of the rabbits was back nibbling on plants growing just outside the fenced in wildflower meadow. Now if I could just train it to eat the mile-a-minute vine (in the foreground)…

Wet Rabbit nibbling on plants. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Wet Rabbit nibbling on plants. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Power Use (44.7 kWh) from Sense and Solar Production (13.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Power use is down since I powered down the backup server (will only run it when  running backups). I am also not generating much solar energy with all of the rain.

Current Weather Conditions

powered by Ambient Weather

Tuesday (18-June-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

It rained a lot today (1.71 in/43 mm). More wet Red Poppy pictures. This time some with real bees.

Red Poppy after the Rain. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red Poppy after the Rain. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)


Red Poppy and a Bee after the Rain. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red Poppy and a Bee after the Rain. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red Poppy and a Bee after the Rain. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red Poppy and a Bee after the Rain. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Power Use (54.5 kWh) from Sense and Solar Production (23.13 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Power use is down since I adjusted the thermostat to 72°F.

Current Weather Conditions

powered by Ambient Weather

Monday (17-June-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

I continue to get new poppies blooming every day. The most are red, some are pink, and one was white. The flowers attract tiny hoverflies.

White Poppy. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
White Poppy. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)


White and Pink Poppy. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
White and Pink Poppy. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Power Use (54.0 kWh) from Sense and Solar Production (38.75 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Power use is down since I adjusted the thermostat to 72°F.

Current Weather Conditions

powered by Ambient Weather

Sunday (16-June-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Wildflowers in bloom and my urban garden. The yucca plant sent shoots up to flower. The local deer really like these, and if I don’t catch and protect the shoots I don’t get any of the yucca flowers. These flowers bloom at night, around a full moon and attract some large moths. Lots of red poppies and cosmos flowers. Other flowers include the blue spiderworts (open for a day, every day new ones), cornflowers (bachelor buttons — attract goldfinches), morning glory vines, and daisy’s. The garden towers are full of fruits and vegetables. One of my sunflower plants is taller than I am. It is also supporting a burma gourd (water gourd plant) that I hope to get some gourds this year.







Daily Power Use (74.2 kWh) from Sense and Solar Production (42.05 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Power use is up since I reduced the indoor temperature provided by the WaterFurnace Geothermal HVAC system. Will raise the indoor temperature to 72°F for tomorrow. The power was also out for a little over one hour in the morning. For safety/code reasons, if the PSE&G power is down, my solar panels are disconnected from the grid. I’m thinking of getting a couple of Tesla PowerWall batteries so this doesn’t happen in the future.

Current Weather Conditions

powered by Ambient Weather

Sunday (16-June-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

I noticed a squirrel running from my patio that has a big belly. Either it is expecting, or has a large tumor (or Alien). Went a grabbed a camera with a telephoto lens. Before it left, I told it to stay away from the raccoon trap.

Squirrel with a Heavy Pouch. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a Heavy Pouch. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a Heavy Pouch. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a Heavy Pouch. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a Heavy Pouch. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a Heavy Pouch. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a Heavy Pouch. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a Heavy Pouch. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Power Use (74.2 kWh) from Sense and Solar Production (42.05 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Power use is up since I reduced the indoor temperature provided by the WaterFurnace Geothermal HVAC system. Will raise the indoor temperature to 72°F for tomorrow. The power was also out for a little over one hour in the morning. For safety/code reasons, if the PSE&G power is down, my solar panels are disconnected from the grid. I’m thinking of getting a couple of Tesla PowerWall batteries so this doesn’t happen in the future.

Current Weather Conditions

powered by Ambient Weather