Monday (18-June-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Late Spring Nature in New Jersey.

This hairy spider spent the day guarding my front door. I don’t know why it kept its rear leg up in the air anytime I got close to take a picture. During my daily walkabout I found a number of flowers (daisy, poppy, California poppy, Moth Mullen, yellow prickly pear cactus, etc). Still not as many as last year when I had the electric fence up. I see on my security video cameras the deer coming up every night and nibbling on the plants before they can bloom.

Hairy Spider at my Front Door. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Hairy Spider at my Front Door. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Daisy. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Daisy. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Day Lily. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Day Lily. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)




Violet Cosmos Flower. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Violet Cosmos Flower. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Yucca about to bloom. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Yucca about to bloom. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Black and White Cat trying to Hide Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)
Black and White Cat trying to Hide Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)

Thursday (14-June-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

I did a walkabout in my yard this afternoon to check if any wildflowers have appeared. Something different from the firefly trails. An ant on a daisy flower, some small cactus flowers, a larger yellow prickly pear cactus flower, a yucca plant about to bloom (kept behind a wire mesh to keep the deer away), an icelandic poppy flower, a flowering beardtongue plant, and honeysuckle flowers.


Grow Tower. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Grow Tower. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Fresh Picked Strawberries. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Fresh Picked Strawberries. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Mosquito emerging from the water. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Mosquito emerging from the water. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Spider at my Computer Desk. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)
Spider at my Computer Desk. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (David J Mathre)

Thursday (07-June-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

A Dragonfly and Icelandic Poppies.

Dragonfly on a Twig. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Dragonfly on a Twig. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Pink Icelandic Poppy Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Pink Icelandic Poppy Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Red Icelandic Poppy Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Red Icelandic Poppy Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)

Monday (04-June-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Lots going on. When the Blue Jay is at the bird feeder, all the other birds stay away. I noticed some White Clematis flowers across the street. Then I noticed some new wildflowers in my yard. So far this year it has been pretty sparse compared with last spring at this time. I don’t know the identity of the small white/pink/purple flowers. The plants in the Garden Tower are growing very fast. I am starting to eat some of the lettuce. The summer squash and cucumber plants are getting too big as their leaves are blocking light to the smaller plants in the tower. Some of the pepper plants are starting to bloom. The mile-a-minute vine is getting way out of control. In one section I used a propane torch to burn the vine. In another section I tried a chemical approach. I will compare the two sections in a week. While working the back section I found a couple of May Apple fruits. I have been told the Box Turtles eat, and then spread the seeds of the May Apple.





Mile-a-Minute Vine. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)
Mile-a-Minute Vine. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)


Saturday (26-May-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime in New Jersey.

I am back from Japan, and don’t know what time zone I am in. I’ve been wandering around the yard to see what is new. There were a few, but not many wildflowers (and weeds). The remaining Rhododendron was fully in bloom. Much of the rhododendron shrub fell down last winter, so I  glad to see these blooms. If I am lucky, I will see some clearwing butterfly moths like last year. I was glad to see significant growth of plants on the Garden Towers. It looks like the electric fence charger kept the raccoon away while I was away.

Moths Mating. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)
Moths Mating. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)




Brick Sidewalk Progress. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)
Brick Sidewalk Progress. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (David J Mathre)