Tag: New Jersey

Wednesday (09-March-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal.


Birds of the day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Time-lapse Video of Yellow and Red California Poppy Flowers. Images taken every one minute using a Leica SL2s camera and Laowa 24 mm f/14 macro probe lens.

Daily Electric Energy Used (96.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (6.8 kWh) from Sense. Cloudy and rainy. Deficit of 89.7 kWh. I should note that the Solar monitoring from SolSystem via Locus Energy stopped working since the Locus LG-120 meter uses 3G cellular to connect. ATT has turned off 3G cellular.

Tuesday (08-March-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Mourning Dove. I don’t know if it is the warmer weather, or if a raptor is lurking nearby. The birds were staying away from the patio and birdfeeders.

Mourning Dove. (David J Mathre)
Mourning Dove. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens. (David J Mathre)

Outdoors, Snow Drops, and the first Daffodil flowers of the season.


Daffodils and Snow Drops. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Time-lapse video of a red California Poppy opening and closing. Also a bit of a pale yellow California Poppy starting to close. Images taken every 60 seconds with a Leica SL2s camera and Laowa 24 mm f/14 macro probe lens.

Daily Electric Energy Used (68.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (52.7 kWh) from Sense. Sun and some clouds. Deficit of 15.3 kWh. I should note that the Solar monitoring from SolSystem via Locus Energy stopped working since the Locus LG-120 meter uses 3G cellular to connect. ATT has turned off 3G cellular.

Monday (07-March-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Mourning Dove, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal.


Birds of the day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Indoor Hydroponic Updates. Bounty-01 (Day 15). Bok Choi doing well. Bounty-02 (Day 50) The Black-seeded Simpson and Rouge d’Hiver lettuce doing well. Harvesting leaves every other day. The Genovese Basil is doing well. I’ve needed to top off the water every day and add fertilizer every other day. Bounty-03 (Day 42). Dill and Genovese Basil doing well. The Italian and Curly Parsley starting to get bigger. Bounty-04 (Day 15): Basil seedlings transplanted from Farm 09R. A1: Dark Opal; A2: Cinnamon; A3: Genovese; B1: Holy; B2: Italian Large Leaf; B3: Lemon; B4: Lime; C1: Sweet; C2: Thai. I have to check the Bok Choi every day for Stink Bugs.


Bounty-01, Bounty-02, Bounty-03, Bounty-04. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Stink Bug. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

AeroGarden Farm-01L (Day 49). California Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Lauren’s Grape Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-01R (Day 42). Hungarian Bread Seed Poppy, Red Poppy, Turkish Tulip Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-02L (Day 49). Somn Blend Poppy, Red Poppy Red Poppy, Red Mix Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-02R (Day 42). Oriental Poppy, Hungarian Bread Seed Poppy, Turkish Tulip Poppy, Red Poppy, Red Poppy, Somn Blend Poppy.


Farm-01L, Farm-01R, Farm-02L, Farm-02R. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

AeroGarden Farm-03L and Farm-03R (Day 42). Kale, Collard Greens, Spinach, Mustard Greens. All of the greens are growing fast, and producing large leaves. I am having to harvest the largest leaves to provide light to the smaller plants. AeroGarden Farm-04L and Farm-04R (Day 38). Oregano, Rosemary, Tarragon, Thyme, and Sage.


Farm-03L, Farm-03R, Farm-04L, Farm-04R. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

AeroGarden Farm-05L Day 15. (A1, A2, A3): Dark Opal Basil; (B1, B2, B3); Cinnamon Basil; (C1, C2, C3) Genovese Basil; (D1, D2, D3): Holy Basil. AeroGarden Farm-05R Day 15. (A1, A2, A3): Italian Large Leaf Basil; (B1, B2, B3); Lemmon Basil; (C1, C2, C3) Lime Basil; (D1, D2, D3): Sweet Basil. AeroGarden Farm-06L (Day 33). Snapdragon (A1); Chrysanthemum (A2, A3); Iceland Poppy (B1, B2); Sweet William (B3), Columbine (C1, C2, C3); Osteospermum (D1, D2); Blue Daisy (D3). AeroGarden Farm-06R (Day 15). Various types of lettuce. Red Sails (A1, A2, A3, B3); Deer Tongue (B1, B2); Black-seeded Simpson (C1, C2); Rouge d’Hiver (C3, D3); Paris Island (D1, D2). AeroGarden Farm-07L (Day 15/27). Golden Harvest Tomatoes. AeroGarden Farm-0R (Day 15/27). Heirloom Red Tomatoes.


Farm-05L, Farm-05R, Farm-06L, Farm-06R, Farm-07L, Farm-07R. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

AeroGarden Farm-08 (Day 49). California Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Lauren’s Grape Poppy. The odd plant is Celosia. More California Poppy flowers have opened. Now a mix of light yellow and red-orange. AeroGarden Farm-08R (Day 49). Hungarian Bread Seed Poppy, Red Poppy, Turkish Tulip Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-09L (Day 45). Somn Blend Poppy, Red Poppy Red Poppy, Red Mix Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-09R Seed Starter (Day 15). Nine different Basil varieties. Row A: Dark Opal Basil (6/9). Row B: Cinnamon Basil (9/9). Row C: Genovese Basil (8/10). Row D: Holy Basil (8/11). Row E: Italian Large Leaf Basil (8/8). Row F: Lemon Basil (9/10). Row G: Lime Basil (10/11). Row H. Sweet Basil (9/9). Row I: Thai Basil (6/8).


Farm-08L, Farm-08R, Farm-09L, Farm-09R. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Outdoors, the Purple Crocus across the street have started blooming. I also noticed Honey Bees working the flowers.


Purple Crocus Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Honey Bees
working the Purple Crocus Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Finally, some spiders. Outdoors, and indoors (on a poppy leaf). There was news about a new invasive Joro spider (native to Japan) that may provide population control for the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. Not sure I want a 3 inch spider in the house…


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (64.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (33.4 kWh) from Sense. Sun and Clouds. Deficit of 30.8 kWh. I should note that the Solar monitoring from SolSystem via Locus Energy stopped working since the Locus LG-120 meter uses 3G cellular to connect. ATT has turned off 3G cellular.

Sunday (06-March-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: No birds today?

Time-lapse video of Yellow and Red California Poppy flowers opening. At least three more flowers are about to bloom.

After raining in the morning, I spent the afternoon on Red Rover spreading more of the wood chips.

Daily Electric Energy Used (72.9 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (20.2 kWh) from Sense. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 52.7 kWh. I should note that the Solar monitoring from SolSystem via Locus Energy stopped working since the Locus LG-120 meter uses 3G cellular to connect. ATT has turned off 3G cellular.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (614 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (321 kWh) from Sense. Deficit of 293 kWh.

Saturday (05-March-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal.


Birds of the day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

A second California Poppy flower opened in the indoor hydroponic garden. This one is yellow. At least three more flowers are about to bloom.

California Poppy. (David J Mathre)
Yellow and Red California Poppy. Image taken with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm lens. (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (92.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (40.8 kWh) from Sense. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 51.4 kWh. I should note that the Solar monitoring from SolSystem via Locus Energy stopped working since the Locus LG-120 meter uses 3G cellular to connect. ATT has turned off 3G cellular.