Category: Daily Adventures

Blogs of everyday activates and adventures.

Fall Garden Pollinators

Fall Garden Pollinators

Fall Garden Pollinators, the bumble bees are still hard at work. Bumble bees are keystone pollinators in the ecosystem. They pollinate food crops, trees, and of course, flowers. In my own yard, I realized that the more native plants I planted, the more pollinators visited my garden. Which has been beneficial for my food crops!

Amazing how all of creation has a purpose and it all works as designed, the pollinators being an example of such design.

Fall Garden Pollinators

Bees sleeping outside the nest will sleep under a flowerhead or inside a deep flower like a squash blossom where the temperature can be up to 18 degrees warmer close to the nectar source.

Fall Garden Pollinators

Fall Garden Pollinators

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Starting New Collection

Starting New Collection

Starting New Collection – Light Houses from across the country. So far I only have two and they are at complete opposite ends of the country.

This first one is on lake Superior. There are 78 light houses on lake superior so I have my work cut out for me to photograph them all.

Starting New Collection

There are 779 standing light houses around the United States.

Starting New Collection

And this one below I took in Savannah Georgia at Tybee Island.

Starting New Collection

Have a great weekend.

Starting New Collection

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

On the Road Again

On the Road Again

On the Road Again – Song by Willie Nelson

On the Road Again

On the road again
Just can’t wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends

And I can’t wait to get on the road again
On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again

On the road again
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We’re the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turning our way
And our way
Is on the road again
I just can’t wait to get on the road again

On the Road Again
jeep
On the Road Again
Willie Nelson - On The Road Again (Lyric Video)

On the Road Again

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Landscape Photography

Landscape Photography

Landscape Photography or should I say waterscapes. Waterfalls and lakes a plenty this summer. Blue being my favorite color. Or is it green, yep it is blue and green.

The combination most often found in summer landscapes. Blue sky’s and lush green forest and add some water and it is an oasis of peace and solitude.

Landscape Photography
Landscape Photography

Landscape Photography

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Lake Superior at Sunset

Lake Superior at Sunset

Lake Superior at Sunset, we made it up to the big lake a couple of times this past summer. Sunset is always beautiful across the lake. it is like the little ocean of the north to me.

Lake Superior at Sunset

The water is cold and clear with lots of forest lining the highway along the beaches.

Lake Superior at Sunset
Lake Superior at Sunset

Colored rocks galore.

Lake Superior at Sunset

But in the winter, this lake is amazing. With ice breaks piling up along the shore lines and of so cold when the wind is blowing across the lake.

lake superior

Brrrrrr, I am glad we can go south for the winters these days.

Lake Superior at Sunset

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Macro Flower Photography

Macro Flower Photography

Macro Flower Photography – Flowers are a great subject for getting up close macro shots. I use two different lenses for macro photography. My favorite lens is a 90mm macro lens. It gets clear up close shots even without a tripod.

It is like a new world when seeing nature this close.

Macro Flower Photography

 Macro means you’re taking super close-ups of objects at 1:1. So the image size on your sensor is equal to the size of the subject in real life.

Macro Flower Photography

Macro Flower Photography

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Boating This Summer

Boating This Summer

Boating This Summer – we bought an old boat years ago that we have never had time to use at all until this year. The motor that came with the boat was old and needed some attention. My husband proceeded to work on the boat when we got home last spring and the motor was definitely a challenge for him.

Boating This Summer

He has never worked on a boat motor before, but I have to say he is so good at fixing pretty much anything that I knew he would figure this one out as well. It took him a couple of months, after replacing many different parts on the motor, he decided to take the carburetor apart one more time. As he did he discovered one tiny little inlet hole that was still clogged with dirt and grime that he had not noticed before and just like that the motor runs like brand new.

Boating This Summer

I just realized I actually do not have a photo of the entire boat. I will have to get one taken. He has to paint parts of it yet, but now he has time for that with it running properly. So many lakes to explore, it isn’t a new fancy boat, it is a classic almost antique one would say. It is stable and reliable just like us.

Oh the fun we will have and the scenic views we will see together my husband and I. We are best friends and I love this man. A true relationship is like a boat, if you work on it, it will bring you such joy and happiness. Communication is like the motor, it keeps everything running smoothly. Lack of communication and the motor starts to sputter and quits eventually.

The boat stays afloat from a good foundation of trust and faith, not only in each other but for us, it is in our Father. With this combination, adventures await us around every corner. It will stay afloat for a lifetime until our time comes that we must leave each other to go on our last adventure.

Boating This Summer

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Does it Lean to the Left

Does it Lean to the Left

Does it Lean to the Left – those who take photos, do you notice if your shots lean one way or the other? Meaning are they level for you? I have noticed over the years all my photos lean to the left.

The middle photo I tried to fix but ended up going back to the left. When I set up the grid line in photoshop and make it level with that. Then it always looks like it is leaning to the right after fixing it, like the last photo.

I am left handed, maybe that has something to do with it. 🙂

Does it Lean to the Left
Does it Lean to the Left

This one below looks like it is leaning to the right after fixing it in photoshop.

Below is a video of the Shelf Cloud that went through my area a couple of weeks ago, along with some of my lightning photos. Or click here; Shelf Clouds

Shelf Cloud - Thunderstorm and Lightning - Very Very Frightening - Lightning Photographs Slow Motion

Does it Lean to the Left

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Knowledge is Power

Knowledge is Power

Knowledge is Power – Autumn is upon us and it is always the time of year that brings me to reflect on the past summer as our travel plans get closer. But this weekend I was thinking about time, I was actually given a senior discount for something I purchased, it is my first senior discount and just the word senior made me think about time and all those who have gone before me.

I was thinking about my grandfather who has passed away now over 30 years ago. How is time for him. I thought about my mother who passed away only 3 years ago and I thought of all the time she spent cooking meals, cleaning house, taking care of family and friends. All that which is just gone now, but for a memory.

As I am approaching my 62 birthday, I thought about the lifetime I have had so far and how I am in a place of peace and happiness that I believe just comes with age. Maybe because I have a better sense of time now, knowing that my time here is very short. When we are young it seems like time will last forever.

Knowledge is Power

As I was contemplating all these things about life, an article appeared before me that I found very relatable. I would like to share a part of it here.

In the year 2123, exactly 100 years from now, we shall all be laid to rest beside our loved ones.

Our homes, which we have fought so hard to create, will be occupied by total strangers, and they will possess all we have right now. Everything we own, even the expensive car we didn’t even buy yet, will eventually be scrapped and sold to a collector nobody has ever heard of.

Our offspring won’t recognise us or remember us for very long. How many of us can name the father of our grandfather?

A few years after our deaths, our history, photographs, and acts will fade into history’s oblivion, at which point we will be remembered only as a portrait on someone’s bookshelf. There won’t be any trace of us left.

Maybe if we took a day to reflect on these issues, we’d see how foolish and feeble the desire to have it all really is.

We would be different people with new perspectives and ways of thinking if only we could give this some serious thought.

The pursuit of more has left us with little time for the things that truly matter. Would people give it all up if it meant getting to experience the walks they never took, the hugs they never gave, the kisses they never got to offer to loved ones, and the jokes we never got to tell. Those would be the best times to reflect on, because they would bring us so much more wealth and happiness.

Knowledge is Power
Knowledge is Power

Knowledge is Power

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

All Creatures Great and Small

All Creatures Great and Small

All Creatures Great and Small – I found this colorful bug in my marigold plants. It isn’t any bigger then the end of a pencil, the lead end of a pencil. But the bold red stripes caught my eye right away when I was about to water them. How unusual is this.

How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures..
living things both large and small.

All Creatures Great and Small

Along with this one below, it resembles a fly but again it is very very small and shined like gold on this leaf. Amazing what we might see when we look really close.

All Creatures Great and Small

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Percentage of Bad Photos

Percentage of Bad Photos

Percentage of Bad Photos – What is the percentage on average of photos that don’t make the cut and end up on the editing floor so to speak.

Well on average 2 out of 20 photos will be good when you are photographing a series or trying to follow a subject like wildlife.

Here are some perfect examples. I am trying to photograph this red squirrel, who by the way can move very fast.

Leaf in the way, no good

Percentage of Bad Photos

Not a fast enough shutter speed at all

Not fast enough yet

Percentage of Bad Photos

Below is a short video showing this squirrel moving so quickly, you can see why they are hard to photograph. I put the music from mission impossible movie with this clip. It fits pretty well 🙂 or click here; Mission Impossible Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel on a mission impossible to sneak some food. #shorts

Oh the expression, he seems a bit perturbed with me and would rather eat in peace. Bird seed doesn’t come free for these guys, the deal is they have to get their photos taken. I am pretty sure they signed a contract somewhere along the line. Maybe just in my mind. 🙂

Come back here

Who knows what happened here

The odds are right on, I had two good photos out of 18. I did not put all the bad ones on here. Just keep that in mind when you are out taking photos. They will never all be perfect, but photography is like playing golf to me. When you get that one awesome shot, it just makes me want to keep going and do more. Have a great weekend.

Have a great weekend. 🙂

Percentage of Bad Photos

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Art of the Feline

Art of the Feline

Art of the Feline – Cat Art

Art of the Feline

At the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, a bold painting by Austrian artist Carl Kahler made a splash among critics. Entitled My Wife’s Lovers, the work drew tremendous attention for its lavish depictions of a wealthy socialite’s paramours.

It wasn’t infidelity, though: The “lovers” were her cats. Now, My Life’s Lovers—perhaps the greatest cat tribute ever created by human hands—just sold at Sotheby’s auction for a whopping $826,000.

Art of the Feline
Art of the Feline

Art of the Feline

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Mother and Fawn

Mother and Fawn

Mother and Fawn – Well mom is finally bringing her baby out into the open with her. This female deer below is the oldest of the adults, she has seniority over all the others ones and lets them know it if they get to close to the feeders when she is around. I know her now because of her size and a dark spot on the side of her neck.

Mother and Fawn

This fawn is a little older now and still has a few of its white spots across its body.

I snapped this photo just right, looks like she got a taste of some sour corn off of the ground.

Mother and Fawn
Mother and Fawn

Mother and Fawn

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Bumblebees

Bumblebees

Bumblebees are one of the most important pollinators in the world. They are hard at work right now in my gardens. They are covered in pollen and busy little bees. They are so round and plump looking. They don’t mind my camera being near them at all.

There wings beat 130 or more times a minute.

Bumblebees
Bumblebees

Bumblebees

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

The Colors of Summer

The Colors of Summer

The Colors of Summer, I believe I mentioned awhile ago that the hummingbirds seems to have already left my area. Well, they are back, or they were just waiting for all my flowers to bloom so they could enjoy them.

I planted lots of zinnia’s and cosmos and a few other things to bring bright colors to my yard for the hummingbirds and butterfly’s.

They are buzzing all around the gardens, enjoying the warm weather and bountiful nectar found all around my yard. This has been the best year for flowers for me. I planted them all over 2 months ago and thought they were never going to make it for the birds, bees and butterflies, but they did.

So much fun out in the gardens this month.

The Colors of Summer
The Colors of Summer

Oh, and the little goldfinches are enjoying my bird bath as well.

The Colors of Summer

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Photographing Star Trail Circles

Photographing Star Trail Circles

Photographing Star Trail Circles – another goal of mine is to photograph a circle of star trails, a full circle with no obstructions in the foreground. Finding the spot and the right conditions is the challenge more so then actually taking the photo.

I live in dark sky country, so that makes it much easier to accomplish this task. Well, a couple of days ago I went to a lake that I knew had a clear view to the north and I though that would have plenty of space to photograph the circle of stars.

But what I did not think of, is that even after the sun went down behind the horizon, the glow of the sun would still linger way past sunset with no obstructions to hide the last bit of light. Which made it more difficult to find the north star.

I used a compass to find due north, but as you can see in this first photo I was off center and the north star is to the left. Plus the mist coming off the lake kept blurring the lens. But it sure was fun trying to get the shot.

Photographing Star Trail Circles

Not this photo is from my yard, I know where the north star is and as you can see I have a lot of trees blocking the full circle effect. But I will find a location yet to accomplish this task.

Photographing Star Trail Circles

On our way home at midnight, we stopped at a lake that I knew at a clear view to the south and photographed the milky way over the water.

I did a little photo light painting as I shined my flashlight on the water to light it up for this first photo. The second photo is without the extra light.

Photographing Star Trail Circles

Adventures await everyday, sometimes right outside out own backdoors.

Have a great weekend.

Photographing Star Trail Circles

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Snow in August

Snow in August

Snow in August – no, 🙂 these photos are from 2 years ago. I have not seen snow in 2 years and that is ok with me. But I do enjoy looking at the photos I have taken of snow and deer in the snow.

We are preparing to head south already, time to go visit family and put the lawn mowers away. I love the autumn season and traveling when it isn’t so hot out as well.

Snow in August
Snow in August

Snow in August

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

White Tailed Deer

White Tailed Deer

White Tailed Deer – Wildlife has been very scarce this year. Normally there are over a dozen deer around here and this year I have seen 2 adult female deer. This one has a fawn running around, I have seen it a couple of times, still has its spots on it.

But it is just starting to come out of the woods with mom, so hopefully I will get a few photos of the fawn soon to share here.

White Tailed Deer

Below is a short video of mama deer looking for some food out of my feeder, or click here; White Tailed Deer Standing

Just looking for some food, Mama white tailed deer. #shorts

White Tailed Deer

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts