Northern Cardinal - David Mathre Photography

Tuesday (29-March-2022) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard: Blue Jay, American Robin, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal.

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

It appears a bear walked through the yard last night. In the morning, one of the birdfeeders was down on the ground.

Indoor Hydroponic Flowers. California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) continue to produce flowers. Yellow and White Iceland Poppy (Papaver nudicaule). Pink and white with pink lace Poppy (Papaver rhoeas). Turkish Tulip Poppy (Papaver glaucum). Time-lapse video of an Iceland Poppy and a Turkish Tulip Poppy opening. I had to start the camera half an hour before the Hydroponic LED lights went on.

Turkish Tulip Poppy Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Iceland Poppy Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Pink and White (Red) Poppy Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (98.8 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (68.0 kWh) from Sense. Sunny but cold. Deficit of 30.7 kWh.

Monday (28-March-2022) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard: Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, European Starling, American Robin, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal. It’s cold out there and the birds return.

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

Indoor Hydroponic Flowers. The California Poppies continue to produce flowers. A new yellow Icelandic Poppy joined the white Icelandic poppy. Also a white Poppy with pink lace bloomed (probably a Red Poppy). Unfortunately, both started opening before the LED Hydroponic Farm lights went on at 05:30 AM. So the time-lapse video today is the later part of the flower opening. The flower bud for a Turkish Tulip Poppy is ready to open. So I will have a camera ready to capture it tomorrow morning (before the Hydroponic LED lights go on).

California Poppy Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Icelandic Poppy Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Pink and White (Red) Poppy Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (104.7 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (45.1 kWh) from Sense. Sun and clouds, but much colder. Deficit of 59.6 kWh.

Sunday (27-March-2022) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal.

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

Indoor Hydroponic Flowers. California Poppies, and a Pink Poppy. The Pink Poppy is from the American Meadows mixed Red Poppy seed mix. I’ve also included a short time-lapse video of the poppy opening.

Pink and California Poppy Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (88.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (39.2 kWh) from Sense. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 48.8 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (539 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (292 kWh) from Sense. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 247 kWh.

Saturday (26-March-2022) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard: Mourning Dove, House Finch, Northern Cardinal.

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

Indoor Hydroponic Flowers. The California Poppies continue to bloom (yellow, white, orange, pink). No new other poppies opened. Many poppy flower buds have appeared with some looking like they may open tomorrow. Several Calendula flowers are blooming (yellow and orange). The Celosia is blooming, hidden under the California Poppies. Strange flower.

California Poppy Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Icelandic Poppy, Celosia, and Calendula Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Outdoor Backyard Daffodil Flowers. Five of my Forsythia shrubs are yellow. The deer must have nibbled the other ones. Still a few weeks before the Lilacs start to bloom.

Outdoor Backyard Daffodil Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Weekly Indoor Hydroponic Updates. Bounty-01 (Day 34). Bok Choi doing well, nearly ready to harvest. Bounty-02 (Day 69) 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 61). Dill and Genovese Basil doing well. The Italian and Curly Parsley starting to get bigger. Bounty-04 (Day 34): Various Basil. A1: Dark Opal; A2: Cinnamon; A3: Genovese; B1: Holy; B2: Italian Large Leaf; B3: Lemon; B4: Lime; C1: Sweet; C2: Thai.

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

AeroGarden Farm-01L (Day 68). California Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Lauren’s Grape Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-01R (Day 68). Hungarian Bread Seed Poppy, Red Poppy, Turkish Tulip Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-02L (Day 68). Somn Blend Poppy, Red Poppy Red Poppy, Red Mix Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-02R (Day 68). 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 61). 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 61). Oregano, Rosemary, Tarragon, Thyme, and Sage. AeroGarden Farm-05L Day 20. (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 34. (A1, A2, A3): Italian Large Leaf Basil; (B1, B2, B3); Lemmon Basil; (C1, C2, C3) Lime Basil; (D1, D2, D3): Sweet Basil.

Farm-03L, Farm-03R, Farm-04L, Farm-04R, Farm-05L, Farm-05R. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

AeroGarden Farm-06L (Day 52). 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 34). 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 34/46). Golden Harvest Tomatoes. AeroGarden Farm-0R (Day 34/46). Heirloom Red Tomatoes. Some of the tomatoes have started to bloom. Trying to pollinate with the battery-operated “Busy Bee”

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

AeroGarden Farm-08L (Day 47). A1, A2, A3 Calendula. B1, B2, B3, Osteospermum. C1, C2, C3 Sweet William. D1, D2, D3 Snapdragon. AeroGarden Farm-08R (Day 47). A1, A2, A3 Calendula. B1, B2, B3, Osteospermum. C1, C2, C3 Sweet William. D1, D2, D3 Snapdragon.AeroGarden Farm-09L (Day 47). A1, A2, A3 Chrysanthemum. B1, B2, B3, Iceland Poppy. C1, C2, C3 Chrysanthemum. D1, D2, D3 Iceland Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-09R Seed Starter (Day 7). Row A: California Poppy (American Meadows, 2018) 0/8; Row B: Oriental Poppy (American Meadows, 2019) 0/10; Row C: Lauren Grape Poppy Seeds (Marde Ross & Company, 2020) 0/11; Row D: Hungarian Breadseed Poppy Seeds (Plant Good Seed, 2020) 3/10; Row E: Red Poppy Seeds (American Meadows, 2019) 1/8; Row F: Turkish Tulip Poppy Seeds (Waterfall Seeds, 2020) 3/10; Row G: Somniferum Blend Poppy Seeds (Seed Needs, 2020) 10/11; Row H: Red Poppy Seeds (American Meadows, 2019) 2/9; Row I: Mixed Red Poppy Seeds (American Meadows, 2019) 1/8. Problem with not all of the seed sponges getting hydrated. I tried increasing the liquid level in the tray, and manually (twice a day) dousing the dry ones with water.

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

AeroGarden Farm-10L (Day 68). California Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Lauren’s Grape Poppy. The odd plant is Celosia. More California Poppy flowers have opened. Now a mix of white, light yellow and red, and orange. AeroGarden Farm-10R (Day 68). Hungarian Bread Seed Poppy, Red Poppy, Turkish Tulip Poppy. AeroGarden Farm-11 (Day 68). Somn Blend Poppy, Red Poppy Red Poppy, Red Mix Poppy. One of the Mixed Red Poppy plants has produced its first Pink Poppy Flower. The last time I tried Red Poppies indoors in a hydroponic garden it took 124 days before they started to bloom.

Farm-10L, Farm-10R, Farm-11. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (74.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (43.7 kWh) from Sense. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 30.8 kWh.

Sunday (13-March-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Turkey Vulture, Blue Jay, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal.

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

Turkey Vultures in a tree. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

The day after it snowed in March. Monochrome images, Trolls, Animal Tracks (rabbit and fox), a frozen birdbath fountain, and the Mailbox with frozen red chili Santa.

Snowy Day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

The California Poppies (Red, Orange, Yellow, Pink-White) are blooming in Farm-01L and Farm-08L. Also a Red Poppy bud nearly ready to open. The bud first appeared about 2 days ago. The last time it took almost twice as long (124 days) for an indoor hydroponic poppy flower to open.

California Poppy Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Poppy Bud. (David J Mathre) — Poppy Flower Bud. Indoor hydroponic garden. Image taken with a Leica CL Camera and Sigma 70 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (106.7 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (14.2 kWh) from Sense. Solar panels partially covered with snow. Deficit of 92.5 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 (595 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (216 kWh) from Sense. Deficit of 379 kWh.