Eight-Years Ago (28-August-2011) — New Jersey

Hurricane Irene. Central New Jersey.

My Sunday morning post from eight-years ago. Today we are watching Hurricane  Dorian as it tracks toward Florida.

I spent Friday and Saturday getting prepared for Hurricane Irene. The storm intensity started increasing late Saturday night. At about 11:30 PM, I heard a crash and the lights went out. When I got up Sunday morning the wind and rain had decreased significantly. I guess this was when the eye of the hurricane was moving up the coast of New Jersey directly east. When I went out I saw that a tree had fallen next to the road and took down the power, cable, and phone lines. I tried to call in the fallen lines to PSE&G, but couldn’t get past the automated emergency reporting system. My wireless Internet connection also didn’t work. A lot of branches and tree limbs were down in the yard, but thankfully no damage to the house or vehicles. The following images are of the nearby Rock Brook and local woods. Normally at this time of the year, the brook is almost dry. The road closed sign was right in front of my driveway.

Road Closed. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Road Closed. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)
Rock Brook Flooding. Hurricane Irene. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera. (David J Mathre)

Ten-Years Ago (28-August-2009) — Washington

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 07: Bellingham, Washington – Alaska Marine Highway on the MV Columbia.

Everyone boarded and we were on our way on the Alaska Marine Highway from Bellingham to Haines. My RV “White Ram” is in the hold, and I have a cabin on one of the upper decks. We had a Coast Guard escort as we left port. The flag was at half mast for the death of Senator Kennedy. I was surprised to see how many folks would be camping out on deck for the trip to Alaska.

Leaving Bellingham to Alaska on the M/V Columbia - Alaska Marine Highway. Image taken with a Nikon D300. (David J. Mathre)
Leaving Bellingham to Alaska on the M/V Columbia – Alaska Marine Highway. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera. (David J. Mathre)
US Coast Guard Escort for the Alaska Marine Highway M/V Columbia leaving Bellingham Washington for Alaska. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 18-200 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J. Mathre)
US Coast Guard Escort for the Alaska Marine Highway MV Columbia leaving Bellingham Washington for Alaska. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J. Mathre)
US Coast Guard Escort for the Alaska Marine Highway M/V Columbia leaving Bellingham Washington for Alaska. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 18-200 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J. Mathre)
US Coast Guard Escort for the Alaska Marine Highway MV Columbia leaving Bellingham Washington for Alaska. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Passengers on the Alaska Marine Highway MV Columbia camping on the Solarium deck. Composite of two images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 1600, 50 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Passengers on the Alaska Marine Highway MV Columbia camping on the Solarium deck. Composite of two images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 1600, 50 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
"The Other Boleyn Girl" Solarium Deck on the M/V Columbia Alaska Marine Highway. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 50 mm f/1.4D lens (ISO 1600, 50 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
“The Other Boleyn Girl” Solarium Deck on the MV Columbia Alaska Marine Highway. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 50 mm f/1.4D lens (ISO 1600, 50 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)

Twelve-Years Ago (28-August-2007) — Colorado

Summertime Night Sky Over Colorado.

There was a partial Lunar Eclipse  while I was working at the Merck/Sirna site in Boulder. The sky was clear and I spent much of the night observing the eclipse from the Sirna parking lot. At one point I must have stood in front of the camera for a selfie.

Accidental Ghostly Self Portrait Taken During a Lunar Eclipse. Boulder Colorado, 28-August-2007. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 14 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 400, 14 mm, f/2.8, 30 sec). (David J Mathre)
Accidental Ghostly Self Portrait Taken During a Lunar Eclipse. Boulder Colorado.  Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 14 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 400, 14 mm, f/2.8, 30 sec). (David J Mathre)

Thirteen-Years Ago (28-August-2006) — Minnesota

Gone to See America 2006 Driving Tour. Day 3: Lake Itasca, Minnesota.

Mississippi River Headwaters. The only place you can cross the Mississippi River by foot. Itasca State Park. I did this as a kid many, many years ago and ended up with several leeches on my legs. Images taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 18-75 mm kit lens.


Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Tuesday (27-August-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

While harvesting some carrots from my Grow Tower garden several very large grasshoppers jumped out. This one is almost 2 inches long.

Spur-throated Grasshopper. 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)
Spur-throated Grasshopper. 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)
Spur-throated Grasshopper. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Spur-throated Grasshopper. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Spur-throated Grasshopper. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 250 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Spur-throated Grasshopper. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 250 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Spur-throated Grasshopper. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Spur-throated Grasshopper. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (39.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (42.9 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Still cool outside but more clouds for a net surplus of 3.7 kWh.

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