Five-Years Ago (06-October-2013) — Arizona

Gone to See America 2013. Nikonian Annual Photography Adventure Trip. Day 1: Sedona.

The first stop for our van was at Slide Rock State Park. While walking down one of the trails, I noticed a park bench right next to a steep drop to Oak Creek. Even though chained to the ground, you would need a seat belt to safely sit on the bench.

Bench on the Edge of a Cliff. Rock Slide State Park, Arizona. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Image converted to B&W in Capture One Pro 7. Nikonians ANPAT-13. (David J Mathre)
Bench on the Edge of a Cliff. Slide Rock State Park, Arizona. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Image converted to B&W in Capture One Pro 7. (David J Mathre)
International Harvester McCormik Farmall Tractor at Rock Slide State Park in Arizona. Gone to See America 2013. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/50 sec). Image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro 7. Nikonians ANPAT-13. Note the John Deere tractor in the corner. (David J Mathre)
International Harvester McCormik Farmall Tractor at Slide Rock  State Park in Arizona.  Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/50 sec). Image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro 7. (David J Mathre)
Backlit Summer Bloom. Slide Rock State Park, Arizona. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 160, 220 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Backlit Summer Bloom. Slide Rock State Park.  Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 160, 220 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Penny Caught in a Cactus. Sedona, Arizona. Gone to See America 2013. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 32 mm f/1.2 lens (ISO 160, 32 mm, f/2.8, 1/8000 sec). Nikonians ANPAT-13 (David J Mathre)
A Penny for your thoughts?  Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 32 mm f/1.2 lens (ISO 160, 32 mm, f/2.8, 1/8000 sec).  (David J Mathre)

Monday (30-July-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

I finally saw a large butterfly again in my wildflower plot. This time a Tiger Swallowtail. There have been a lot of tiny butterflies and bumblebees, but the Monarch butterflies and the Clearwing Hummingbird moths have stayed away.  While checking the garden towers, I saw that one type of caterpillar has pretty much eaten all of my dill plants. I’m glad that I collected and froze some of the dill earlier. A different type of caterpillar pretty much ate all of my kale plants (almost overnight). I pulled all of the remaining kale and put them into a sealed mulch container. I also got several images of this strange (Darth Vader) spider.





Individual images in the slide shows can be viewed here.

Tuesday (17-July-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

First sighting of a Clearwing Hummingbird Moth this year. Last year I saw them on the Rhododendron flowers, but those shrubs were damaged by snow and early spring storms. This year they appear to like the same Zinnia blooms that have also attracted a Monarch Butterfly. They also like the Wild Bergamot flowers. Individual images in the slide show can be viewed here.

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Zinnia Flower Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens/ (DAVID J MATHRE)
Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Zinnia Flower Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens/ (DAVID J MATHRE)






Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Wild Bergamot Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Clearwing Hummingbird Moth in Flight. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Friday (15-June-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime in New Jersey.

I am starting to see flowers, and wildflowers  — but not the large numbers (or meadow) like last year. The plants in the grow tower are getting big. I actually had to cull (remove) the zucchini and cucumber plants because they were getting too big and blocking the sun from the other plants. I did see a frog hiding near the newly expanded pond. Also, one of the may apple plants still has its apple (seed pod).



Frog hiding just out of the pond. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Frog hiding just out of the pond. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
May Apple Seeds. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
May Apple Seeds. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Wild Blackberries (?). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Wild Blackberries (?). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (06-June-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

My wildflower meadow is still very bare. I did notice two Bachelor Button flowers, and I have still not identified the small white & pink flower. On the other side of the house there were some daisy like flowers. The pepper plants in the planter, and vegetables & lettuce in the Garden Tower.

Blue Bachelor Button. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)
Blue Bachelor Button. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)
White and Pink Wildflower. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)
White and Pink Wildflower. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)
Daisy Like Wildflower. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)
Daisy Like Wildflower. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)