Blogs of everyday activates and adventures.
Horses and Mules. This mule below is a new one to my nieces farm. She just got it. Half mule half draft horse. Really nice mule.
And more photos and a video below. 🙂
I love videoing horses in slow motion. Here is a cute video below of two horses standing by the gate. Or click the link Here – When They Fell In Love
Horses and Mules
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
After the Rain, water going over a dam. I might have posted these photos before. But, here they are again, encase you missed them. 🙂
After the Rain Link to You Tube Video Here
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Beautiful Morning at one of the campgrounds as we head south. It is very dry here in Iowa, as most areas in the mid-west. Harvest season is in full motion. The combines are out everywhere. They are working on the bean fields first and then moving to the corn fields.
Finally some cool nights this month, long time coming I say. I like the evenings when they are in the 50’s.
Beautiful Morning
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Last of the Summer Flowers full of color. Bees and hummingbirds were enjoying them all month, but we have had a couple of frost already. So they are about done now.
Thanks to my husband, I had the best gardening year ever. Below is a photo of my old garden area.
This summer he built this for me. So much easier to work in and keep.
Who knew dill plants can grow as tall as corn. When I finally pulled them out they were almost 6 feet long.
This plant below is Eggplant. I have never grown them before. It is very interesting to watch this plant grow. But I have to start them much earlier in the season. They never produced completely because they take over 100 days to mature. There are dozens of fruit on each plant as well. Next year I will try again.
Overall it was a very productive garden. We were picking vegetables everyday, adding them to our meals. Such a delight to grow your own food. Can’t wait until spring.
Last of the Summer Flowers
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
We Learn From Nature. Look at this amazing dragon fly up close.
Awhile ago I mentioned something interesting. Engineers observed birds in flight to figure out the design of airplanes. Feathers on bird wings have different purposes that help them land and take off.
Well, I am going out on a limb here. I am thinking they may have gotten the design of pilots helmets from these little guys. Look at the next few photos and you will see what I mean. As I keep zooming in closer to the eyes of this one.
Have a great weekend. 😉
So amazing.
We Learn From Nature
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
On pine tree needles, dew drops lie,
In soft, glistening light beneath the sky.
Each pearl of dawn, so pure and bright,
Reflects the grace of morning light.
In their shimmer, a silent prayer,
A testament to love and care.
A whisper of our Savior’s grace,
In nature’s touch, we see His face.
On Pine Tree Needles
Graceful Pelican Landing A Mesmerizing Display of Nature’s Precision
Witnessing a white pelican land on water is a mesmerizing spectacle of nature’s artistry and precision. As the pelican descends, its majestic wings spread wide, creating a grand, sweeping arc against the sky. The powerful beats of its wings gradually soften, guiding the bird into a graceful and controlled descent
The air currents interact with the pelican’s wings. This creates a delicate balance. It allows the bird to approach the water with both elegance and precision.
The pelican in the water, glances to its right, clearly uncertain about the landing abilities of the other bird.
As the pelican touches down, the air currents from its landing ruffle the feathers of the second pelican nearby.
This graceful landing is marked by the pelican’s aerodynamic glide. It skillfully uses its feet as natural skis. This is a testament to the remarkable interplay of power and poise in nature.
It’s a moment where every element—from the sweeping wingspan to the delicate touch on the water—comes together. It results in a harmonious show of beauty and precision.
Graceful Pelican Landing
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
The Horse Show. My favorite class to watch at horse shows is the halter class. Where they mostly just show the composition of the horse compared to the others in the class.
The judge is in the pink shirt heading over to this 4 H girl showing her horse. I think her horse has done this a few times. Its eyes are closed, taking a nap I believe. 🙂
This next one has a bit more energy. But the girl has no problem with her horse and lets him warm up a bit before the class.
Short video below of the horse and riders at the beginning of the show carrying the flags.
The Horse Show
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Glowing Spots – I love this shot, as if this fawns white fur is glowing in the morning light. The sun is just coming up over the trees, and with a faster shutter speed. The white really stands out as the background is darker.
Glowing Spots
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Horses at the Fair. I have a couple more photos to share. They are from my visit to the small town fair in Iowa. I went to the fair recently.
I showed horses in my younger days. It was so much fun getting together with other like-minded people. We enjoyed a day or two of hanging around with some very beautiful horses.
They spent some time working on this horses mane below. Lots of rubber bands. Very pretty.
Horses at the Fair
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Local Canine Beauties that I have photographed this past week. Neighbors pups, a little corgi and golden retriever.
The golden is a pure bred with curly hair. I have never seen that before on a golden. Sweet pups.
Local Canine Beauties
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Next Generation. I am so excited, my oldest niece is interested in photography. I have been helping her learn how to use a DSLR camera and the camera on her phone. But she wants to learn with a camera which is so exciting to me.
I love talking photography and teaching her everything I know. Photography is fun and gets you to slow down a bit. It helps you look at everything around you more closely.
Even though I live 8 hours away from her, with today’s technology, she sends me photos that she takes. I give her advice on how to change the composition to make an eye catching photo. She likes to enter her photos into the fair in her town.
Take for example this photo below, She took this with her phone and sent it to me. As she was standing there by the river and it was getting close to sunset.
So I had just a couple of suggestions for her. First there is too much in the foreground with that cement pad there. I can tell the river curves to the left in front of her. The sun is dropping off to the right in the background.
I text her back. I said to go right down to the edge of the river. She needed to turn her cell phone upside down so that the camera was right at the water’s edge. Then put the camera on its widest angle, which is .6 with a Samsung. She said ok and give her a minute and she will try it.
This is what she sent me next. So much better. I love the clouds reflecting in the water and the trees on both sides. By the time she took the shot, the sun was adding a bit of color.
It looks like she is in the water and the viewer has a leading line to look down the river.
I edited it just a bit to straighten up the horizon and sent it back. Amazing that she and I can do this all through texting.
I gave her my old DSLR bridge camera that she will learn from. We will be working with that this fall when I get down there.
I took this photo on drift wood beach in Georgia, An example of using a wide angle lens. With the right landscape, I love how it elongates the scene. It draws the eye down to that tree in the middle of the shot.
Next Generation
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
When They Look right at you. I love shots like this. When it looks like I have made eye contact with the animals I photograph. As if the animal is posing just for the shot.
I also love the fact that this horses main is framing its face. Definitely going into my favorite folder and I am printing this one.
This one is just the opposite, they are all looking at something down the street. 🙂 Well, except for two who look like they are napping.
When They Look
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Colorful Semi Truck. I always like seeing some of the nice semi rigs out on the road. This one was turning right in front of us. Quite the colors.
I used to go and watch the world of outlaw funny cars back in the day. It was very fun.
Colorful Semi Truck
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
White Tailed Deer.
The deer also wags its tail from side to side while flagging. Flagging also helps other members of the herd locate each other. A startled deer skip any or all of the preliminary signals, but it almost always displays the flaglike tail as it runs away
Video Here, Click the Link – Mother and Fawn Playing in a Puddle
I took this video below with my phone camera through a window. It is not the clearest video. I saw mother and fawn playing in a water puddle out in the yard.
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
I Believe I Can Fly – After the hot spell finally went away, the deer are back in the yard and the fawn is running and having a good time.
Fawn chasing Mom in video below or click this link here from my you tube channel; Fawn after Mom
I Believe I Can Fly
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
On The Road Again. That is all for Paducah Kentucky, I am sure we will be back there. I do have a couple of new spots we are going to camp at this winter. So much to see, nature is calling.
Have a great weekend.
On The Road Again
The Old 1518. A Mikado steam engine, the last “Iron Horse” used by the I.C.R.R., serves as a memorial to the passage of the Steam Age.
Located on Water Street in Historic Downtown, the memorial and marker are dedicated to the Illinois Central Railroad Company. They emphasize the importance of the railroad to Paducah’s history and commerce.
I am truly fascinated with the old steam locomotives. The power of them, the sound and the engineering itself.
There is one locomotive that I would love to see one day, it is the Big Boy 4014. It does tour the states, the last couple of years it sat still during the covid. But this year it is back on tour.
I found the schedule. It is going through Iowa. I think it is next week. I just can’t make it there right now.
But I will see it one of these days. 🙂
The Old 1518
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
A Summer’s Warmth. Gently recedes, autumn steps in with its own distinct charm. It drapes the world in a stunning tapestry of golden hues.
There’s a certain magic in this season. Nature’s palette shifts from the vibrant greens of summer to a more mellow, sunlit symphony of golds, ambers, and ochres.
The leaves have started to turn in my neck of the woods.
A Summer’s Warmth
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
CN’s Autonomous Track Inspection. CN’s ATIP is a fleet of fully automated rail cars. They use wireless communications to test and check real-time geometric track measurements. They also conduct track asset condition assessments without interrupting normal railroad operations.
With its ATIP cars powered by solar panels and a generator, CN achieves 24/7/365 track inspections. The cars travel at revenue service track speed. These completely self-sustaining and autonomous test platforms make it possible.
I had no idea what this train car was until I looked it up. We were sitting at a park and I looked up and it was crossing this bridge. I just assumed it was a passenger rail car but I noticed it did not have an engine.
Interesting
CN’s Autonomous Track Inspection
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Exploring the National Quilt Museum. A Visual Delight
Well, I never knew there was a museum for quilts. But a museum it should be because the quilts were amazing. I have never seen anything like them.
This museum is in Paducah Kentucky. Each quilt has a card next to it with a bar code. You can scan it and read all about the making of the quilt. You can see how long it took to make and where it was from.
This one below is my favorite quilt, the picture does not do it justice. It has hundreds of sequence on it that just sparkle no matter what angle you view the quilt at.
I am not a quilt maker, I do not have the patience for that at all. I truly enjoyed looking at these as did my husband. Amazing what people can make.
Exploring the National Quilt Museum
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
The Other Side of the Wall in Paducah is the Ohio River. This river flooded the town many years ago, hence the building of the mural wall.
Lined with interesting looking trees
Mural of the locks on the river
Street musicians playing some wonderful music as we walked downtown enjoying the scenery.
Have a wonderful weekend. Next week I will show you a museum. I did not know this type of museum existed anywhere in the country. Cool place though. 🙂
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Lots to See in Paducah. An old style theater where they still put on plays. Beautiful architecture on all the streets.
Signs every where telling you some history as you walk along the river side.
Museums with lots of items from days gone by. This is what the drug stores looked like, beautiful wooden cabinets holding all the medicinal items.
Lots to See in Paducah
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
Murals Depicting Real Time. The painter picked photographs to paint on the wall of actual scenes from back in the day in Paducah Kentucky. You get to walk along the wall and see how the area changed from his murals.
Murals Depicting Real Time
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
One of My Favorite Murals
One of My Favorite Murals
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
A Hidden Gem of History and Art
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
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
My Favorite Horse Art for this past week. I can’t pick just one. These are all my photographs and I change the background to make them portraits.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. 🙂
This is the original photo below.
My Favorite Horse Art
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
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.
Days Are Getting Shorter
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
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. 🙂
I Don’t Know What This Is
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
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.
Perseid Meteor Shower
Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures
Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts
By Sandra J
