Marigold - David Mathre Photography

Saturday (29-August-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

I received the newly released Sigma 100-400 mm telephoto zoom lens with a L-mount and spent the day testing it with a Leica SL2 camera. Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma formed an alliance to use the L-mount system. This lens provides a bit more reach than the Leica 90-280 mm lens. The alliance means that Sigma was able to make a lens that is fully compatible with the Leica TL2, CL, and SL2 cameras (autofocus and aperture control).

Something has been nibbling on the May Apple seeds, and wonder if a turtle found them. The wildflowers (Cosmos, Lance-leaf Coreopsis, Plains Coreopsis, Chicory, Marigold, Blanket Flower, Sunflower, Gloriosa Daisy, Shasta Daisy, Thistle, Lemon-mint, and Zinnia) are almost done for the season. I noticed an Eastern Chipmunk eating seeds under the birdfeeder. In 25+ years here, I’ve never seen a chipmunk in the yard before. I wonder if it will leave my Grow Towers alone. Kermit the bullfrog was out in the pond. Birds at the patio bird feeder today included Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, and Northern Cardinal. At one point a Blue Jay and Mourning Dove were feeding when an immature Red-bellied Woodpecker chased them away.

May Apple Seeds. Image taken with a Leica SL2 camera and Sigma 100-400 mm lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Wildflowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Eastern Chipmunk. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Kermit the Bulfrog. Image taken with a Leica SL2 camera and Sigma 100-400 mm lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Birds at the Birdfeeders. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Blue Jay and Mourning Dove chased away by an immature Red-bellied Woodpecker. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (47.8 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (26.1 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. More clouds. A deficit of 21.7 kWh.

Sunday (15-December-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

Ripe indoor hydroponic strawberry and broccoli head nearly ready to harvest. Indoor hydroponic Snapdragon, Marigold, California Poppy, and Zinnia flowers.

Indoor Hydroponic Strawberry. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 80 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Indoor Hydroponic Broccoli. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 80 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery to access the individual images in the following slideshow.

Daily Electric Energy Used (73.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (20.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 52.8 kWh.

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Saturday (23-November-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Hydroponic Flowers.

The first Strawberry flowers have appeared. Since I do not have bees inside the house, I will have to manually pollinate these to get indoor strawberries this winter. Other plants that have bloomed (or are about to bloom) include Plains Coreopsis, Lilliput and Thumbelina Zinnia, Marigold, and Cornflower.

Strawberry Flower. AeroGarden Farm 07 Right. Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 OIS macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/14, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Plains Coreopsis Flower. AeroGarden Farm 04 Left. Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 OIS macro lens (ISO 320, 80 mm, f/11, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Yellow Thumbelina Zinnia Flower. AeroGarden Farm 04 Left. Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 OIS macro lens (ISO 800, 80 mm, f/11, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Pink Lilliput Zinnia Flower. AeroGarden Farm 04 Left. Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 OIS macro lens (ISO 320, 80 mm, f/11, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Marigold Flower. AeroGarden Farm 04 Left. Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 OIS macro lens (ISO 800, 80 mm, f/11, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Cornflower Flower Bud. AeroGarden Farm 04 Left. Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 OIS macro lens (ISO 320, 80 mm, f/11, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (73.1 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (30.0 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sunny with some clouds, but cooler outside. Overall a net deficit of 43.1 kWh.

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Saturday (09-November-2019) — New Jersey

Autumn Indoor Nature in New Jersey

The Asian Lady Beetle is still on the Zinnia flower. My first indoor Marigold flower opened.

Asian Lady Beetle on a Pink Zinnia Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Asian Lady Beetle on a Pink Zinnia Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

First Indoor Hydroponic Marigold Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (75.5 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sun and clouds, but cold outside. Overall a net deficit of 43.7 kWh. I’ve run out of credits for the excess electric energy produced this summer, so will be paying an electric bill this month.

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Sunday (20-October-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey

Daily walkabout with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter. I was looking to see what survived he frost we had a couple nights ago. There are still some Cosmos, Marigold, Lemon-Mint, and Larkspur flowers. The Burma Water Gourd vine is also still blooming. I see a couple of gourds have set, but don’t expect them them to get much bigger than they are. I also found I still have some late season strawberries.

Click on the above image to access my Photoshelter Gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.

Daily Electric Energy Used (64.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (6.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. It rained most of the day so not much sun. Overall a net deficit of 58.5 kWh. Geothermal HVAC to heat the house (2.7 kWh), Hydroponics (22.6 kWh), Computers and Servers (21.7 kWh), Kitchen (3.4 kWh).

Weekly Electric Energy Used (410 kWh) from Sense and Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (192 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 218 kWh.