Ten Years Ago (14-April-2007) — New Jersey

Walkabout on an early spring day in New Jersey. These are the flowers that the deer do not eat. The Pieris japonica (Lily of the Valley shrub) still exists, and is blooming ten years later. The Azalea shrubs that were next to it are all gone.

Cluster of Pieris japonica flowers. Also known as Lilly of the Valley shrub Early spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Cluster of Pieris japonica flowers. Also known as Lilly of the Valley shrub Early spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Pair of backyard daffodils. Early spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Pair of backyard daffodils. Early spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Forsythia blooms. Early spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Forsythia blooms. Early spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early dandelion flower. Early spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early dandelion flower. Early spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)

[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]

Today (13-April-2017) — New Jersey

One of my indoor cacti started blooming last night. The flower is bright red. It looks like there will be four more flowers. I am going to try to do a time-lapsed video as they open. I will also put the plant outside in the sun tomorrow to see if the local bees find it. Otherwise, I will need to try to manually pollinate the flower.

Cactus in Bloom. Indoor spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec) and SB-900 flash. (David J Mathre)
Cactus in Bloom. Indoor spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec) and SB-900 flash. (David J Mathre)
Cactus in Bloom. Indoor spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec) and SB-900 flash. (David J Mathre)
Cactus in Bloom. Indoor spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec) and SB-900 flash. (David J Mathre)

[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]

Today (02-April-2017) — New Jersey

An early spring dandelion bloom. This one is staying close to the ground. After many days of rain and local flooding, the sun returned.

Early spring dandelion bloom. Backyard nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early spring dandelion bloom. Backyard nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]

Ten-Years Ago (24-March-2007) — Illinois

Gone to See America 2007. Springtime in Chicago.

The Drake Hotel and John Hancock Tower. I was in Chicago for the American Chemical Society spring national meeting and had some free time to walk around a take some pictures. It was grey and foggy out.

The Drake and John Hancock Tower in the Fog. Spring in Chicago. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 18-200 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 18 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 7. (David J Mathre)
The Drake and John Hancock Tower in the Fog. Spring in Chicago. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 18-200 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 18 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 7. (David J Mathre)

 

One-Year Ago (20-March-2016) — South Africa

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 75: Cape Town, South Africa.

African Penguins at Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/14, 1/160 sec).

African Penguin at Boulders Beach near Simon's Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/14, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
African Penguin at Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/14, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)

African Penguins at Boulders Beach near Simon's Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Composite of 4 images taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/13, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)