adventures outdoors Archives • Into the Light Adventures

By Sandra J

Georgia

By Sandra | November 20, 2024 | Comments 6 comments

Georgia – We made it to Georgia. Some road construction along the way really shows how much clay they have in this part of the country. Amazing how the world is made up of so many soil types and landscapes that go with them.

I heard a comic talking about the earth, something like this below.

Okay, folks, let’s take a moment to appreciate just how hilariously absurd our lives are! Here we are, trudging through our daily grind—stuck in traffic, scrolling through cat memes, and obsessing over whether we should order pizza or sushi for dinner. Meanwhile, we’re standing on a giant spinning rock, hurtling through the cosmos at a dizzying 67,000 miles per hour!

Seriously, 67,000 miles per hour! That’s faster than your last attempt to get out of a family dinner! And we’re doing all this while orbiting a massive ball of fire that’s about 93 million miles away. I mean, come on, talk about a cosmic game of dodgeball!

Georgia

By Sandra J

Giant Cotton Balls

By Sandra | November 19, 2024 | Comments 10 comments

Giant Cotton Balls rolling down the Highway. Video below or click this LINK. Pink, Yellow and Green

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

My Second Favorite Bird

By Sandra | November 18, 2024 | Comments 10 comments

My Second Favorite Bird – The Great Blue Heron photographed in South Carolina at a National Wildlife Refuge

My Second Favorite Bird Have a great week ahead

By Sandra J

Free Overnight Parking

By Sandra | November 15, 2024 | Comments 16 comments

Free Overnight Parking – I keep certain places marked on my maps so I can find them easy if I ever need to. This is one of those spots.

A casino in Alabama with free parking for RVs. It is well lit and security cameras everywhere. A good place to stop when you need to take a break.

We got there just before sunset and as you can see, the hotel part of the casino is all glass. I looked out our window and the building was lit up like a giant outdoor movie screen. So I had to go out and snap a couple of photos.

Than the moon was rising over the building, I only used the camera on the phone, so this is the best it could do.

We had a good nights sleep and hit the road the next morning.

Have a great weekend.

Free Overnight Parking

By Sandra J

Some Fall Colors

By Sandra | November 14, 2024 | Comments 13 comments

Some Fall Colors , We left a little earlier than usual this year. So we did not get to see much for fall colors. As we travel south, it seems like things are just turning brown. It is very dry through out the mid west.

Some Fall Colors

By Sandra J

The Winding Path

By Sandra | November 13, 2024 | Comments 13 comments

The winding path through the woods is shrouded in an enchanting mystery, where sunlight dances through the leaves, casting playful shadows on the forest floor.

As you follow the path, the air thickens with the scent of pine and earth, and the world outside fades away.

The Winding Path

By Sandra J

November in Mississippi

By Sandra | November 12, 2024 | Comments 16 comments

November in Mississippi – The word “Mississippi” comes from the Ojibwe (Chippewa) word “misi-ziibi,” which means “great river.” It reflects the significance of the Mississippi River to the Native American tribes in the region. The name was adopted by French explorers in the 17th century and has remained ever since

The photos capture the serene backwaters of a campground we visited, accessible by a winding trail. The grass here is as vibrantly green as it appears in the images.

November in Mississippi

By Sandra J

Daydreaming

By Sandra | November 11, 2024 | Comments 13 comments

Daydreaming, “Clouds are the sky’s way of daydreaming, floating softly on the breeze, whispering secrets to the sun.”

Daydreaming

By Sandra J

Bridge Across the Cedar River

By Sandra | November 6, 2024 | Comments 7 comments

Bridge Across the Cedar River – One of my favorite spots to visit in a small town in Iowa. This is a walking bridge for people to cross the river. Makes for a great landscape photo.

Bridge Across the Cedar River

By Sandra J

Birds

By Sandra | November 5, 2024 | Comments 12 comments

Birds – Starting to see some birds other than the blue jays from home.

First the Double Crested Cormorant known for those striking blue eyes. One of these days I would like to get a close up photo of this birds eye. So unique.

The Little Killdeer bird. Always fun to see in the spring time.

But very fast birds, it was very hard to get a shot of this one flying.

This photo below was from last spring, just cute as is. Two goslings.

Birds

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

By Sandra | October 31, 2024 | Comments 11 comments

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