adventures outdoors Archives • Into the Light Adventures

By Sandra J

Her Regal Look

By Sandra | November 1, 2024 | Comments 5 comments

Her Regal Look – My Chloee. In her defense I had to show you how beautiful she can look when she wants to sit for a portrait.

She has such beautiful eyes, masked by the dark fur giving her a bit of mystery to her face.

Oh, and another cat video of her playing with her favorite thing, red light. LINK HERE ALSO

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

She is 10 years old now and such a good dog.

Plus, after she has played for a bit, she actually looks like she is smiling when waiting for a ball to be thrown one more time.

Video below of Chloee and Kit Kit or click HERE

Dog and Cat, Early Morning Awakenings #shorts

Have a great weekend.

Her Regal Look

By Sandra J

Cat vs Dog – I have taken lots of pet photos over the years. Including my own pets. My dog Chloee has a thing about the camera, usually when I point it at her she turns around. Or she gets close trying to sniff the camera.

Which I think makes for fun photos, close up of a dogs nose.

But, cats can be just as funny at times. I took this photo below with a wide angle lens on a phone camera. It made her ear closest to the camera look cartoonist big.

Kit Kit enjoying the outdoors video below or click HERE

So then I took some photo up close to the cats fur. Quite the different colors when you look real close.

I am guessing it is the oils in the fur and the light shinning on it.

After pestering my cat with taking her photo over and over. She then gives me this look telling me that is enough. 🙂

Oh but it is never enough for me. 🙂 there will be more.

Glowing Eyes Cat Digital Art by Sandra J’s Photography

Cat vs Dog

By Sandra J

Kit Kit the Cat

By Sandra | October 30, 2024 | Comments 18 comments

Kit Kit the Cat – when I don’t have a lot of things to photograph, my cat gets her picture taken a lot. I mean a lot. Mainly because she has so much more patience than the dogs. She will sit perfectly still, which makes for much better photos.

When the temperature starts to drop. I find her sitting like this. She wraps her tail around her little paws trying to keep them warm.

A cats tail seems to have a mind of its own and is quite flexible compared to a dogs.

Kit Kit and Red Light Game Video below or click HERE

I have more videos of her on my You Tube Channel, you can click HERE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE.

Kit Kit the Cat

By Sandra J

Golden Season

By Sandra | October 29, 2024 | Comments 11 comments

Golden Season – The Art of a Flower

In petals soft, a whisper glows,
Colors dance where sunlight flows.
Each curve a brushstroke, grace unspun,
Nature’s canvas, art begun.

With every bloom, a story weaves,
In fragrant sighs, the heart believes.
A fleeting moment, beauty’s hour,
Life’s tender touch—an artful flower.

Golden Season

By Sandra J

Autumn Sunflowers

By Sandra | October 28, 2024 | Comments 19 comments

Life often teaches us in the most unexpected ways, and sometimes, it takes the simplest moments to reveal profound truths. Recently, I experienced a beautiful metaphor for resilience and grace. I want to share this lesson from a little seed I planted and then forgot.

A few months ago, I planted a few sunflower seeds. I nurtured it for a while, watering and tending to it with hope and excitement. But as time went on, I grew disheartened. The seed showed no signs of life, and eventually, my attention waned. I stopped watering it, convinced that it had failed. I gave up on it completely.

Imagine my surprise when I returned to the garden weeks later. There, midst the weeds and the remnants of my neglect, stood a stunning flower, vibrant and full of life. The colors were brilliant, and its presence was nothing short of miraculous. How could something I had abandoned flourish in my absence?

In that moment, I couldn’t help but reflect on how similar this is to our own lives and faith journeys. We often plant seeds of hope, love, and dreams. However, we sometimes see them wither due to doubt. Despair or the daily grind can also cause them to wither.

We find ourselves overwhelmed, wondering if anything we’ve nurtured will ever bloom. Just like my neglected seed, we feel like our efforts have gone unnoticed, forgotten in the chaos of life.

This experience with the flower taught me a powerful truth. Even when we give up, God is still at work. There are times we feel our prayers are unanswered. We believe our efforts are fruitless. But, like that seed, growth often occurs beneath the surface. It remains unseen and unfelt.

God’s timing is perfect, and His plans are often beyond our comprehension. My flower emerged when I least expected it. Similarly, we find that our moments of struggle and doubt can lead to unexpected beauty. Sometimes, what seems like an end is merely a pause, allowing God to work in ways we can’t imagine.

Autumn Sunflowers

By Sandra J

As Dawn Breaks

By Sandra | October 25, 2024 | Comments 12 comments

As Dawn Breaks, the world begins to stir. From the vantage point of an old bridge, the river below lays perfectly still, a sheet of glass reflecting the sky above.

The water is a mirror, capturing fluffy clouds drifting lazily across the horizon. It’s a moment where time seems to pause, inviting deep breaths and quiet contemplation.

Standing on the bridge, the view is breathtaking. The river winds gracefully through the landscape, flanked by trees adorned in the vibrant greens of late summer.

The silence is soothing. It is broken only by the occasional rustle of a breeze. There is also the soft splash of a fish breaking the surface.

In this serene setting, worries drift away like the clouds above. Here, on this bridge, amidst the stillness, one can find clarity and tranquility. It’s a perfect morning, a fleeting glimpse of nature’s serenity, reminding us of the beauty that exists in quiet moments.

Have a wonderful weekend.

As Dawn Breaks

By Sandra J

Camping Along the River

By Sandra | October 24, 2024 | Comments 8 comments

Camping Along the River. Early morning along the river can make for some beautiful photos. My favorite time of day. Peaceful and quiet.

Have a great day.

Camping Along the River

By Sandra J

First Snow Up North

By Sandra | October 23, 2024 | Comments 16 comments

First Snow Up North, I wrote on my calendar that the first snow in 2023 was in November. But it isn’t anything that is going to collect on the ground, yet.

It is that time of year. 🙂

Digital Art by Sandra J’s Photography

First Snow Up North

By Sandra J

Good Ole John Deere

By Sandra | October 22, 2024 | Comments 13 comments

Good Ole John Deere

John Deere the company would not have been possible without the determination of John Deere the man. From the time he created the first steel plow in 1837, Deere worked hard. He was committed to helping farmers handle their daily tasks with ease.

Demand for these plows increased. Deere moved the business from Grand Detour to Moline, IL in 1848. He chose this new location due to the power and transportation benefits it offered.

Iowa isn’t just farmland, it is made up of beautiful rolling hills and lots of state parks and lakes.

Good Ole John Deere

By Sandra J

Harvesting Beans

By Sandra | October 21, 2024 | Comments 17 comments

Harvesting Beans in Iowa. Harvest was in full swing when we were in Iowa, it is hard to get a photo of combines in the field without some windmills in the background.

Husband has a quick mind for coming up with funny statements. He saw this photo and said, ” So that is how they dry beans in Iowa.” Get it, the big turbines, they are spinning and drying the bean fields. :0 Ha, Love his sense of humor.

I took these photos with a cell phone camera, so the windmills look kind of funny when the camera does not have a fast enough shutter speed.

Harvesting Beans

By Sandra J

Standard Long Hair Collie

By Sandra | October 18, 2024 | Comments 11 comments

Standard Long Hair Collie. Such a beautiful and unique looking dog. This dog is one of the smartest dogs I have been around. Very good dog around the family and he actually won grand champion at the dog show that my nieces daughter took him to.

Below is a photo of how much he has changed since his puppy picture from last year.

Have a great weekend. 🙂

Standard Long Hair Collie

By Sandra J

Horses and Mules

By Sandra | October 17, 2024 | Comments 10 comments

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

By Sandra J

After the Rain Link to You Tube Video Here

After a Heavy Rain

By Sandra | October 16, 2024 | Comments 8 comments

After the Rain, water going over a dam. I might have posted these photos before. But, here they are again, encase you missed them. 🙂

Victory Dam After a Heavy Rain, Massive Amounts of Water at the Dam Falls Dam Rainbows as Well :)

By Sandra J

Beautiful Morning

By Sandra | October 15, 2024 | Comments 18 comments

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

By Sandra J

Last of the Summer Flowers

By Sandra | October 14, 2024 | Comments 7 comments

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

By Sandra J

We Learn From Nature

By Sandra | October 11, 2024 | Comments 19 comments

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

By Sandra J

On Pine Tree Needles

By Sandra | October 10, 2024 | Comments 12 comments

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

By Sandra | October 9, 2024 | Comments 16 comments

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

By Sandra J

A Majestic Marvel of Nature

By Sandra | October 8, 2024 | Comments 12 comments

The white pelican is a majestic marvel of nature, embodying a blend of grace, power, and beauty in its wingspan. As it spreads its wings, the sheer expanse is nothing short of breathtaking. With a wingspan that can reach up to nine feet, the white pelican commands the sky. Its presence is almost regal.

The beauty of the white pelican’s wingspan is remarkable. The contrast of its pristine white feathers against the vast sky accentuates this beauty even more.

As sunlight filters through the feathers, they can shimmer with a soft, iridescent glow. When the pelican soars, it casts a striking silhouette against the horizon. Its wings form a dramatic, sweeping arc. This captures the eye.

A Majestic Marvel of Nature

By Sandra J

He Sticks the Landing

By Sandra | October 7, 2024 | Comments 10 comments

He Sticks the Landing, nothing prettier than watching a pelican land on water. My favorite bird to photograph.

He Sticks the Landing

By Sandra J

Cooper’s Hawk

By Sandra | October 4, 2024 | Comments 28 comments

Cooper’s Hawk – here it is. A small hawk, but he can move. He was chasing the blue jays in and out of the trees so fast. It was hard to get a photo of it.

He would chase one and then it would escape through the trees. It would wait for one to move and at it again.

The blue jays are just as fast and can zip in and out of the tree branches as well.

I never did see the hawk catch one bird. I did see the blue jays chase it off many times. But it would come back a few days later and try again.

Nature taking its course. Oh, and when the blue jays are warning everyone around that the hawk is here. All the bird species take cover. The chickadees stay hidden until the coast is clear.

Have a great weekend.

Cooper’s Hawk

By Sandra J

Little Known Fact

By Sandra | October 3, 2024 | Comments 15 comments

Little Known Fact about the Blue Jays, or maybe others do know this about this colorful bird.

They work together when danger is close by. I have heard others say that blue jays are a pest. Mainly because they kind of hog the bird feeders. Well, they do that, yes. I have seen them, but other birds can be pushy as well, like the grackles and morning doves.

I saw for the first time a Coopers Hawk hanging around my bird feeders this year. It just doesn’t seem right that a bird will eat another bird. Coopers hawks do just that.

We knew when the hawk was in the area because all the blue jays give out warning calls. All of a sudden the hawk is flying after one, as the blue jay gets away. All the blue jays start chasing the hawk.

I will have photos of that tomorrow. I was pretty impressed how these blue jays stuck together to try and chase it off. More tomorrow.

Little Known Fact

By Sandra J

There Are 4 of These

By Sandra | October 2, 2024 | Comments 5 comments

There are 4 species of nuthatches found in North America. They are the red-breasted nuthatch, the white-breasted nuthatch, the brown-headed nuthatch, and the pygmy nuthatch. 

While they have distinct physical features, these tree-climbing birds share habitat, food, nesting, and foraging behaviors in common.

I photographed two of them this fall here at my place.  The white breasted and the red one.

Plus I included some more Chickadee photos. I can’t resist taking their photos when they practically come right up to me.

There Are 4 of These

By Sandra J

Little Birds in Slow Motion Video Link

They May Be Tiny

By Sandra | October 1, 2024 | Comments 23 comments

They May Be Tiny but they are fast little birds. Here’s to some of the prettiest tiny birds this fall from my backyard.

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

They May Be Tiny

By Sandra J

5 Ds of Dodge Ball

By Sandra | September 30, 2024 | Comments 9 comments

5 Ds of Dodge Ball – Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge

These blue jays have the moves of the old Dodge Ball Game. Do you remember that game. I do, we played it in gym class. I don’t think they play that one anymore.

I just bought that old movie Dodge Ball, it is a classic for me.

Dodge

Duck

Dip

Dive

Dodge

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

5 Ds of Dodge Ball

By Sandra J

Birds on a Table Video Link Here

Go Pro Photos

By Sandra | September 27, 2024 | Comments 16 comments

Go Pro Photos. I was experimenting with the go pro camera at my bird feeding table last week. I normally just use the camera for videos. But I thought I would try the photo menus and see what happens.

It is not bad if the subject isn’t moving to much. Mainly because you can not control the shutter speed when you have the camera running on auto.

There is a little blur with wing movement, which I knew would happen. A fun little experiment though.

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

Go Pro Photos

Have a great weekend.

By Sandra J

Horse Show Video Click Here

The Horse Show

By Sandra | September 26, 2024 | Comments 9 comments

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.

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

The Horse Show

By Sandra J

Glowing Spots

By Sandra | September 25, 2024 | Comments 11 comments

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.

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

Baby Fawn Growing Up video link

Glowing Spots

By Sandra J