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, 1/400 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)
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.
My hot pepper crop that the deer left. Also some strawberries that the deer missed. The Burma water gourd vine has climbed up the trellis on the chimney. It has produced some gourds, but probably too late to get very big.
Hot Peppers grown on my Patio. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/3.5, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Hot Peppers grown on my Patio. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/3.2, 1/200 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Strawberries that the deer missed on my Patio. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/3.2, 1/200 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Burma water gourd vine growing up my chimney. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/3.5, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Daily Electric Energy Used (53.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (39.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More sun than yesterday. Notice the reduction mid-afternoon due to the sun being lower and being blocked by the leaves on the Overall a net deficit of 13.9 kWh. I would have a surplus if I wasn’t running the lights for the hydroponic gardens (17.4 kWh).
For the past week I haven’t been outside much while working on several indoor projects. Today I did my walkabout with a Nikon D5 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens. In burst mode, this camera sounds like a machine gun — but is able to focus and track moving targets. Good thing today because it was a bit windy out. I noticed that the Burma Water Gourd vine had produced several gourds. It probably is too late for these to develop into the 1 meter long gourds I saw while in Burma, and that my mother was able to grow in Florida. I was also surprised to see that I still have Strawberry plants that are flowering and producing more Strawberries this late in the season. There were lots and lots of Monarch butterflies in my wildflower meadows. They were feeding on Mexican Sunflower, Zinnia, and Marigold flowers. I also caught two Common Buckeye butterflies. I was surprised to see a Hummingbird Clearwing moth feeding on Larkspur and Lemon Mint flowers. There are still a couple of Bullfrogs in the almost dry pond. One stayed still long enough to get an image. Later in the afternoon a Doe spent some time just outside the fenced in wildflower garden. The Air Dancer Scarecrows appear to be working. Finally, while reviewing the images I found one of a backlit Cosmos flower with a Praying Mantis lurking. I admit I didn’t notice the Praying Mantis when I took the image, even though I have been looking for them for several weeks.
Burma Water Gourd. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)Burma Water Gourd. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)Strawberry flowers (and green strawberry). Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens. (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.
Common Buckeye butterfly on a Cosmos flower. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)Common Buckeye butterfly on a Marigold flower. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens. (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.
Kermit the Bullfrog in the nearly empty pond. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.
Backlit Cosmos Flower (with a Praying Mantis). Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Daily Electric Energy Used (51.1 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (49.2 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Almost break-even with an overall net deficit of 1.9 kWh. Clear skies most of the day (with the Sycamore tree blocking the solar panels in the afternoon). The Geothermal HVAC system was only on for a short time (2.7 kWh) and the new indoor hydroponic systems running (8.7 kWh).
