Discover the Charm of Paducah A Hidden Gem of History and Art. A beautiful little town filled with history and art. Another town that we have camped near for many years, but we never actually went into the town itself. Until last spring. What a surprise we had to find such a historical little town full of brick streets, old buildings and museums. The grand attraction called the Wall to Wall Murals, Portraits of their Past.
This town is full of historic beautiful homes, a vibrant downtown area with lots of original brick buildings and streets. Just a fun place to visit.
This is one of the murals below showing the bustling main street of Paducah from back in the day.
The man behind the murals is;
Robert Dafford, Muralist
Dafford, a resident of Lafayette, Louisiana, fell in love with the city on his first visit. He was introduced to several local citizens. He learned about Paducah’s history. He stated, “This river town has vast and colorful history. It would be an ideal location to paint images from its past”. He and his team of talented muralists were commissioned to start painting Paducah’s floodwall the next spring. Dafford has painted over 500 murals across the United States, Canada, France, England and Belgium.
He has been painting murals, signs and fine art paintings for over 50 years. In the past 40 years, Dafford has concentrated on working along the Ohio River. He has painted over 200 large historical images of cities on their floodwalls. Many riverboat and motor coach tours make stops along the Ohio River specifically to see these murals.
He has a team of artist that help him paint these murals. The tour guide at the museum told us that when he started painting these it cost $10,000 dollars a photo. She said now it is over $30,000 to paint one section. There are a few empty pieces of the wall yet in need of a mural, but because of the cost. He has not done anymore lately.
Discover the Charm of Paducah: A Hidden Gem of History and Art
Days Are Getting Shorter – As I sit at my computer on this serene early morning, I watch the daylight gradually stretch its arrival, casting a gentle glow through my window. I wait patiently, eager to see the birds make their appearance at the feeders.
The blue jays have arrived, bringing their young along to learn the art of foraging. The fledglings, fluttering around with eagerness, receive gentle guidance from their parents as they practice eating on their own.
I have been taking photos of these colorful birds, trying to get shots of them in flights to see their colorful feathers.
As most of you have probably heard, AI is here to stay and it is making an impact on our photography world as well.
Yes, I have been dabbling into the art of AI with my photos as I have extra time these days. Exploring this new technology to make greeting cards for the upcoming seasons apon us.
I only use photoshop and they have incorporated a new AI into its program this month. I quite enjoy using it and creating art by using my photos as the generative reference images.
I have two samples below showing the difference between using your own reference photos and using text to image program.
This first photo below I used my blue jay photos to make this wintery greeting card. It does pretty well I think. I also list on all of my work when it is AI generated or not and how I made the piece.
Now this print below is using the text to image system. Where you describe what you want the photo to look like. I do not prefer this type of imagery. But I can see where some folks might like to use this, for creating children’s books or something like that.
There is a place for art using this new technology I believe, it does not replace photography at all, but it is definitely here to stay and being used throughout industries of all kinds, from advertising to creating movies.
Right now I can still tell the difference between AI and Real, but that may change as the software keeps improving.
I believe there will always be a place for genuine photographs because computers can’t replicate the human touch. While technology can imitate creativity, it can never replace the authentic essence of human expression.
Night Sky Phenomena – I cannot explain these photos as all. I took some photos in the middle of last week as I noticed the night sky was clear and the stars were shinning bright.
I set my camera up for time lapse again, I then went inside and fell asleep for a couple of hours. Woke up and went outside to retrieve my camera and put the SD card in my computer and this is what I saw.
There were a few shooting stars mostly going south west. This light appears on the left side of the shot and it is moving NE with the two lights in the middle of the larger lights. All three were moving together north.
It took 10 consecutive shots as the light moved from the tree line and then went out of frame. It held the same shape the entire distance, Now I don’t know what it was, but my imagination says it could be angel wings, which is a hopeful thought for me. These lights are extremely large as well.
I have photographed many stars over the years and have never seen anything like this. I will never know probably what it is, but I know what I would like it to be. 🙂
Perseid Meteor Shower – you may have heard that last weekend was the highlight of the Perseid Meteor shower. I had my camera gear ready and we had a clear night for the even last Sunday.
I got up around 2 am and looked out the window first and noticed the sky seemed kind of bright for viewing stars. I went outside and low and behold the Northern lights were dancing across the sky as well, that is why it was brighter than normal.
Bad news, I saw a few shooting stars but not as many as they said there were because of the northern lights where I live.
This photo below shows the northern lights plus I stacked about 100 photos to show you the star trails. I had my camera set to time lapse photos, 15 sec shutter speed, WB 4500K, ISO 4000, F2.8 with a wide- angle lens.
This next photo, I was able to capture just a bit of the milky way with the northern lights, this photo was taken with a small little Go Pro Camera. Set to time lapse photos.
I did notice that these photos facing SW showed more pink and green lights
Whereas this photo below, I was facing north and the lights were greener and more vibrant. I have a lot of trees lining my driveway, so I had to walk down the driveway, which is very dark and kind of spooky because there are a lot of wolves, bears, fox, and coyotes, oh my, 🙂
So, I walked down the driveway, took 2 photos quick and hurried back to the cabin. But, not one photo with a shooting star. Maybe next time.
She is Sneaky this little fawn, she is just starting to come out of the woods with mom in this first photo, the minute I come out with the camera she high tails it back to the woods.
Everyday she is getting more brave to not run when she sees me, she is curious and mom keeps a close eye on her.
The Infinity Mirror – as the tour guide took us upstairs and by the way, the railing on this staircase is so short. Because people were shorter back then. It was only about 3 ft tall, my husband is 6’3″ and the railing came up just above his knee. The tour guide told us that because a lot of people trip on the stairs being the railing is misleading for support.
A beautiful hallway that holds a remake of the infinity mirror.
Which is 2 mirrors right across from each other so it goes on forever.
So this is it for this tour, if you are ever crossing the border by Paducah Kentucky, make sure to stop at this welcome center. They still have lots of pretty flowers growing all around the home as well. Wonderful place to take a break on your journey.
Some People Returned Items – some of the stolen items were returned when they found out they were restoring this home. A lot of it was also just donated that was not original to the home. But it fit the time period and looks amazing in there now.
There are constant repairs that need to be done, like cracks in the walls and ceilings. But overall they did an amazing job restoring this old place.
Vandalism of This Historic Home – we learned the history of this home by going on the free tour they give. The tour guide was so informative, she really new everything about this place.
So, it was owned by a couple different people, the second owners did a lot of landscaping and made flower gardens around the 52 acre home. Lots of gatden parties back in the day.
These folks left the home in 1968, as the new interstate was being built right in front of this home and they figured it was going to get torn down. But it never did get torn down as they built the interstate and subsequently, people started vandalizing the home, taking items like the chandelier below. They took all the original stained glass windows or just broke them.
You can see by the photos below what it looked like at one point. Quite a few people were actually sleeping in the house and building fires in their to cook food and keep warm, using the original wood around the house.
Along with the destruction from rain and snow coming in through the windows and roof. It seems like this place should have been torn down.
But the transportation cabinet along with Governor John Brown, they decided to restore it. They needed a welcome center on the new interstate and instead of building a new one, they restored this mansion.
They also moved in all of the Vice Presidents office things to this building as it needed a place to go from where it was at previously. So you can see his desk and items he used when he was in office.
Kentucky Rest Area – This week I am going to show you a place that I have wanted to stop at for years and we finally did a few months ago. We drove by it so many times, it is a rest area in Kentucky, probably one of the best rest areas I have ever stopped at.
This unique historical rest area/welcome center is, Whitehaven. It is a Victorian home built in the 1860’s and has quite the story as to how it became a rest area.
This home is steeped in KY history from former Vice President Alben Barkley to many influential figures in the formation of Kentucky’s history.
This mansion was once destined to be destroyed, but was saved by the KY Transportation Cabinet.
The Sly Fox – I photographed this beautiful animal on the gulf coast. I don’t see fox very often, they are around where I live, but never see them during the day. I did catch one on my trail camera last week passing by.
Beautiful animals, have a wonderful weekend.
This is AI’s version of my fox photo painted. I kind of like it. In any of my digital work, I always list it as digital. I am a photographer before being a digital artist. But I always use photos I take to get this look with the help of technology.
Heading Out to Sea – what a job this must be. Staying out on the water for days or weeks. I know I could not do it. I am pretty sure I would get sea sick. I like to boat, but I have never been on really big boats or big waves.
Treasures on the Gulf Coast – The Gulf Coast is a treasure trove of vibrant seascapes, and the shrimp boats there add a special splash of color to the scene.
Picture a cluster of these boats lined up along the dock or gently bobbing on the water, each one a canvas of bold hues. Bright blues, vivid reds, sunny yellows, and deep greens paint a lively mosaic against the backdrop of the shimmering Gulf.
I love seeing the shrimp boats on the water when we visit the coast down south. I photographed these boats at Bayou La Batre in LA when we were there.
The Eye of a Cat, this is my cat. Kit Kit is her name. I sit at my dinning room table to do all my computer work and this table is right by a nice large window. I like to watch the birds outdoors as I am doing my work.
My cat loves to sit right next to my computer, sometimes looking out the window and if it is a little cooler in the house. She likes to curl up on the transformer box that I use to charge the computer. It is like her own little warming station.
Anyway, on this day she was looking out the window and I was looking at her eyes. An amazing thing to see up close, a cats eye. So I had to take a few photos close up. I had my phone camera right next to her face and she just sat there perfectly still. Liking the attention.
The Storm Clouds Gather, dark and dense, A tumult roars, the heavens tense, Lightning cracks the twilight’s veil, A furious dance, a tempest’s wail.
The sky ignites with electric fire, Each flash a fierce, consuming pyre, Thunder’s voice, a booming cry, Echoes through the bruised night sky.
Yet in the chaos, midst the rage, A fleeting light begins to wage, As torrents drench the world below, A secret promise starts to show.
The storm, though wild, begins to fade, Its fierce embrace now softly swayed, And through the tears of shattered rain, A ribbon forms, a hopeful chain.
Colors break through, soft and bright, A spectral arc against the night, A rainbow blooms, a quiet cheer, A bridge of peace in storm’s austere.
Nature’s Fury: The Dramatic Beauty of Shelf Clouds
Last month brought some stormy weather where I live, two shelf clouds this year so far. They move very fast being pushed by some horrific winds. The clouds roll at you in so many different shapes.
The first one here, it was a big shelf cloud with some cloud movements like nothing I have ever seen. Video Below.
Video Below; or click this title here to see the video on my You Tube Channel, Natures Fury
The Second Shelf cloud storm was more straight lined right across, rolling like pie dough in a tight line. Both with winds and rain that almost made me run back into the house. 🙂
The Old Windmill – In the 18th century, the Great Plains were considered unfit for cultivation. The area was termed the “Great American Desert.” Droughts would follow rainy spells and the sun and wind would dry up surface moisture.
In 1854, Daniel Halladay developed the American-type windmill. It was smaller, less expensive and could be shipped and built easily. Its sails were held into the wind by a weight, which would rise slowing to reduce the area of the sails when the wind was too fast. Traditional cloth covered sails were soon replaced with smaller wooden blades.
These new windmills were ideal for settlers on the plains. They could pump water from great depths at a steady rate. They could shift into the prevailing winds and functioned well in fast and slow winds. And to top it off, they required little maintenance.
You can still find a few of these scattered across the states. Iowa still has a few, I took this photo from the RV window. There is just something nostalgic about these windmills.
I don’t know how many of these old windmills are in Iowa these days.
But it does say there are 6000 of these wind turbines in Iowa alone as of today. The giant thing in the background of the photo below. A big difference in windmills from the old days.
I won’t get into the efficiency of these or all the controversy about them all over the country. I know at this little horse show I went to, I photographed a lot of children with their horses and had to delete a lot of windmills from the background. Which is not that hard to do in photoshop these days.
In Twilight’s Hush, where whispers drift, The storm clouds weave a gentle shift, Like ghosts in realms of azure seas, They float with soft, enigmatic ease.
With edges brushed in shades of grey, They roam the sky in a fleeting ballet, Their wispy tendrils tease the night, An ethereal dance of shadowed light.
They gather slow with sighs of lore, A murmured tale of tempest’s core, Yet in their grace, a calm prevails, An artful play where calmness sails.
No thunder’s roar or lightning’s claim, Just drifting clouds with no ill aim, They kiss the heavens, drift and part, An endless play of storm and heart.
Their fleeting forms in twilight blend, A moment’s breath that does transcend, In wispy trails, their stories told, Of storms unbound and skies unrolled.
Silhouettes and Sunsets – In the quiet of dusk, where day meets night, Silhouettes dance in the fading light, Outlined figures against the golden blaze, A moment suspended in the sun’s last gaze.
Trees stretch their limbs like ink on the sky, Birds soar in patterns, bidding day goodbye, Silhouettes of wings, elegant and free, Caught in the hues of a painted reverie.
And when the night arrives, with stars aglow, Silhouettes fade where memories flow, But in the heart’s canvas, they remain, Silhouettes and sunsets, eternally framed.
Part of the Farm – My niece not only has horses, pigs are a part of the farm during the summer months. Her two children and their cousins show pigs, sheep and rabbits at their local fair. Which we are going to this year.
It is a great way for children to learn how to take care of animals and the importance of feeding and grooming them, even pigs. I don’t know much about pigs, but it is fun to watch the children work with them and take care of them.
They are a very curious animal, I was standing at their fence trying to get a photo and this one kept wanting to get close, looking for more food I reckon.
What Keeps You Busy in the summer months? Well, I love to work in the garden. But as I am getting older, it gets harder to weed the garden and plant it when it is at ground level. I have been reading a lot about raised garden beds. So this is what is going on here.
This photo is my garden from last year. It has to be fenced because of the deer. But imagine this spot covered with grass that is at least 4 ft tall and intertwined into the fence around it in the spring.
It is so discouraging to start a garden when you have to clean up the weeds first.
My husband is an amazing guy, he rototilled the garden for me and it looks ready, but I asked him if he could maybe build me a raised garden area in this spot. I showed him a picture of what I was thinking of, and by the way, he can build anything. I am quite impressed at what all he does for us, from fixing our cars to caring for our home and RV.
So he started with one box, than the dirt had to be moved.
Then he built another box, so on and so forth.
We did not have enough dirt to fill the boxes so husband cut up a bunch of dead trees to fill the boxes up half way.
We put a fence around the garden that the birds love to perch on.
Plus, they are helping me weed the garden I think and picking out bugs.
This is the final project. So much easier on my back when it comes to planting and weeding. The entire thing is planted and now I just have to maintain it. Thank you dear husband. 😉
Horse Art – nothing prettier than a team of draft horses in harness I think. I raised draft horses for years. But never did drive them. I only raised them just because they are beautiful animals. I had one that I rode which was a blast. He weighed in at almost 1 ton. His name was Big Mac.
Draft horses and mules seem to go together. They sometimes use mules to train young horses to lead. This mule below is a cutie, also belonging to my niece.
Whistle the Paint Horse – this is my niece’s horse, I made this first photo for her this year. Showing Whistle when she was just a youngster and how she has grown into a beautiful 3 year old mare this year. She does have one blue eye as well. Beautiful horse indeed.
The paint horse is a very popular breed, thanks to its flashy coloring, genial temperament, and versatility. In fact, the American Paint Horse Association counts around 100,000 members in roughly 40 countries around the world.
Stormy Weather here lately. From Iowa and up where I live. Iowa is known for a lot of stormy weather. Seems like their tornado warnings go off quite often there during the summer months.
The Rose Garden – Not my rose garden, I have never actually planted a rose bush in my flower garden. Not sure why not, I guess I have heard they need a lot of care and I don’t have the greenest of thumbs. 🙂
But I love photographing roses, so many different kinds. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
Hanoverian and Thoroughbred – I just love horses. Most of you know I raised many of them in my younger years and now I love photographing them. I actually wasn’t into photography back when I had horses. That is when I should have started though, that would have been fun.
These two beautiful animals are from the Mobile Al mounted police department. I made a portrait of these two and sent it to the department. They loved it and said thank you, plus they told me the horse on the left is a Hanoverian, and his name is Avalon. He retired this year. The one on the right is named Papa and he is a thoroughbred Percheron mix.
They were in a parade where I took these photos. I was watching these two horses and they seemed like buddies and were just hanging out in line with the other horses and their police officers.
When it comes to getting just the right shot, I take a lot of photos waiting for just that right look, and these two gave it to me as they were touching noses in my last photo. That is the one I picked to make the portrait.
As if they have a language all their own, a moment of beauty.
Iowa Storm This Year – The day started out normal, the sun was shining. We
were in Iowa visiting my sister. I am one that checks the weather often on my
phone. There was mention of a storm brewing and heading our way. But that was
not until later in the day. So, in the morning, on this day, my sister and I got in the car and headed
to the grocery store. Wanting to get some errands done before the rain sets in
later in the day. We rounded the corner to turn into the parking lot and my sister stopped and
said, ” Well, there is a tornado”. I looked up and was startled to
see it right in front of us, about 1 mile away. We sat there for a moment and
watched it. I took a quick photo and then it touched down to the ground but did
not stay there long. It was moving quite fast eastward. More like a funnel cloud I think they
call them. Tornado sirens started and we headed back to her house. I quickly
left to go out to the campground where husband and our 2 dogs and cat are to
check on the situation and the weather updates. In the photo below, the first camper is ours, with the jeep behind it. The one next to us is my brothers, who came here from Montana to visit while we were there. A nice little family reunion. The weather said the storm was coming straight out of the south, which means it was going to come right at our rv, being my brother is on the north west side of us. Well, as I was watching the weather, I told my brother I think we might move to the other side of him, because there wasn’t any wind breaks on the south side of us. Thinking his trailer might break some of the winds heading our way. They were predicting 60 mile an hour wind gust starting by 5 pm. The clouds are starting to roll, the weather said the winds had changed and would be coming out of the south east. More behind us where there is a line of trees. So, we decided not to move our RV to the other side of my brother. But, 60 mph winds are a lot when you are in an RV, we have been in 40 mph winds and that was scary. I told my husband I am heading into town to go to my sister’s house who has a basement. He said he was going to stay there and my brother was holding out as well. I took our little dog with me and I told him to head over too their house if it gets to bad out. So off I went. The winds hit right on schedule, all of 60 mph. Husband kept calling and checking in. He was fine. We were all watching out the windows of my sister’s house. The rain is coming down in sheets, the wind keeps changing. Spinning round and round, going east and then west. My husband called, he heard a big crack outside the RV, he looked out the side window and branches were braking off of the trees. After about an hour, the storm was over. The sun came out, the river was raging and coming out of its banks. I drove back out to the camper to see the damage and check on everyone. For as long as I can remember, my intuitions have saved me many times. Intuitions or the small voice that has led me through many of hard times to a safer place. I never ignore these voices, I never ignore the nudges that I get, I believe they are from a higher place. I will show you why next.
For as I was saying earlier. We had talked about moving to this spot here, but at the last minute something told me to just stay where we were.
If we would have moved this branch, which was just as heavy as a tree itself, would have fallen right on top of our RV, I can imagine the damage it would have done, not to say what might have happened being my husband was in there as well. Gives me goose bumps looking at the photos to this day. By later in the day, the owner of the campground had the tree all cleaned up. He had his chainsaw out and one person helping him load all the wood onto it and the spot was level and ready for business again. Moral of this story, a gut feeling is worth listening to. A gut feeling to me is someone giving you a nudge. It’s a kind of inner voice, a nudge that seems to guide us towards a decision or away from danger. Have a great weekend. 🙂 Iowa Storm This Year Sandra J’s Into the Light AdventuresSandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts By Sandra J
