Sunday (23-April-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

An early spring walkabout in my yard to catch some flowers in bloom.

Small daffodils in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 177 mm, f/5, 1/300 sec). (David J Mathre)
Small daffodils in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 177 mm, f/5, 1/300 sec). (David J Mathre)
Plum tree blooms my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 190 mm, f/5, 1/850 sec). (David J Mathre)
Plum tree blooms my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 190 mm, f/5, 1/850 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early blue wildflowers in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early blue wildflowers in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early yellow wildflowers in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/850 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early yellow wildflowers in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/850 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early blue wildflowers in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early blue wildflowers in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dandelion seeds in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/350 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dandelion seeds in my front yard. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/350 sec). (David J Mathre)

Today (18-April-2017) — New Jersey

After spending several days outdoors in the sun, the cactus flower closed. I brought it back inside. Next thing I knew there was a Stink bug sucking on the flower. I have read that Stink bugs are vegetarian, and have pictures of them on a grapefruit slice and on my cactus before.

Stink bug on an old cactus 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, 1/125 sec) + SB-910 flash). (David J Mathre)
Stink bug on an old cactus 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, 1/125 sec) + SB-910 flash). (David J Mathre)

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Today (16-April-2017) — New Jersey

While the barrel cactus with the big red flower was allowed a few day outside in the sun, one of the other barrel cactus inside and under the LED grow lights decided to bloom. It has many flowers, but they are much smaller.

Barrel cactus with tiny red flowers. Indoor spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/32, 1/125 sec) + SB-910 flash. (David J Mathre)
Barrel cactus with tiny red flowers. Indoor spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/32, 1/125 sec) + SB-910 flash. (David J Mathre)
Barrel cactus with tiny red flowers. Indoor spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec) + SB-910 flash. (David J Mathre)
Barrel cactus with tiny red flowers. Indoor spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec) + SB-910 flash. (David J Mathre)

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Today (14-April-2017) — New Jersey

I took the cactus bloom out to get some real sunlight. I am hoping that the bees will find it. For the last month it has been indoors under LED grow-lights.

Cactus bloom out in the sunlight. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 335 mm, f/5.4, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Cactus bloom out in the sunlight. Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 335 mm, f/5.4, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

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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)

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