Tag: adventures outdoors

The Pileated Woodpecker

The Pileated Woodpecker

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The Pileated Woodpecker is one of the biggest, most striking forest birds on the continent. It’s nearly the size of a crow, black with bold white stripes down the neck and a flaming-red crest.

Look (and listen) for Pileated Woodpeckers whacking at dead trees and fallen logs in search of their main prey, carpenter ants, leaving unique rectangular holes in the wood. The nest holes these birds make offer crucial shelter to many species including swifts, owls, ducks, bats, and pine martens.

The Pileated Woodpecker

I normally see 4 of these gorgeous birds around my place all summer long. They are easy to find because of their size and they are actually very fast birds in flight. I actually got a couple photos of them flying I will share on tomorrows post.

The Pileated Woodpecker

I photographed this one below in Montana.

pileated woodpecker

The Pileated Woodpecker

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Such a Cool Looking Bird

Such a Cool Looking Bird

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Such a Cool Looking Bird – Many people consider the loon a symbol of wilderness; its rich yodeling and moaning calls, heard by day or night, are characteristic sounds of early summer in the north woods. In winter, silent and more subtly marked.

Common Loons inhabit coastal waters and large southern lakes. In such places they are solitary while feeding, but may gather in loose flocks at night.

Such a Cool Looking Bird

The Common Loon video;

Sounds of the Common Loon Bird, Striking Colors, Young Loons Preparing to Fly from Water, Sparkles

Loons are water birds, only going ashore to mate and incubate eggs. Their legs are placed far back on their bodies, allowing efficient swimming but only awkward movement on land.

Such a Cool Looking Bird

Loons are like airplanes in that they need a runway for takeoff. In the case of loons, they need from 30 yards up to a quarter-mile (depending on the wind) for flapping their wings and running across the top of the water in order to gain enough speed for lift-off.

Such a Cool Looking Bird

Like many young birds, juvenile loons are really on their own after mom and dad leave at about 12 weeks. The parents head off on migration in the fall, leaving juveniles to gather into flocks on northern lakes and make their own journey south a few weeks later. Once the juveniles reach coastal waters on the ocean, they stay there for the next two years. In the third year, young loons return north.

Such a Cool Looking Bird

Such a Cool Looking Bird

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Boating This Summer

Boating This Summer

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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

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The Cheerful Flower

The Cheerful Flower

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The Cheerful Flower – Sunflowers grow large, tall, and cheerful flower heads that brighten and animate your yard—and though you most commonly see these aptly-named beauties in sunny yellow, the annuals can be red or orange, too. There are so many good reasons to grow them, beyond the fact that they make you happy: They’re easy to cultivate, attract beneficial pollinators like butterflies and native bees, and draw beautiful songbirds (many species love these blooms!)

Including deer, they love eating them when they are young plants. But I was able to keep them away from a couple of my sunflowers so I could see them bloom and provide seeds for the birds this year.

The Cheerful Flower

Short video below of my tallest sunflower, over 10 ft. this one. Like the sun looking right at you. Click here, Sunflower

New Day Dawn's #shorts

Have a great weekend. 🙂

The Cheerful Flower

Have a great weekend.

The Cheerful Flower

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Hummingbirds and Flowers

Hummingbirds and Flowers

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Hummingbirds and Flowers -This was the best summer I have had with my flower gardens and seeing the hummingbirds, bees and butterflies using them was such a treat. I will be doing this again next year for sure. The hummingbirds are gone now for this year.

We have had a couple of frost already up here and some of the flowers did not do so well. Except these below and my sunflowers, the frost did not bother them.

Hummingbirds and Flowers
Hummingbirds and Flowers

I am not sure what to make of this photo below. Does it not look like the hummingbird on top is sticking its tongue out at the hummingbird below.

Crazy kids. 🙂

Hmmm Hummingbirds :)

Until next year hummingbirds, can’t wait to see you in the spring again.

Hummingbirds and Flowers

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Daran the Heron

Daran the Heron

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Daron the Heron – I have just a couple of photos left of this beautiful bird that I took down south last winter. I actually took enough photos of them to be able to share with you all summer off and on. I never get tired of looking at their amazing colors and long flowing feathers.

Daran the Heron

One thing I noticed when I look at the videos I take of these birds is that they have a lot of patience and they can go along time without blinking. Yes they blink, they actually have 3 eyelids.

This video below is an example of one not blinking for 30 seconds. Click here, Heron Staring Contest

Staring Contest with a Blue Heron, Can You Go 30 sec Without Blinking, #shorts Stare into his eyes
Daran the Heron

Daran the Heron

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Happy Monday

Happy Monday

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Happy Monday – I guess I really don’t pay attention to the days of the week anymore except to write my blog post. When you are retired, they all just kind of blend in.

Now that my sister has finally retired that has changed as I used to call her every Saturday, her day off. Now we can call each other whenever knowing I am not interrupting her work. Just love it when I go and visit and can visit with her all week when we are there.

Happy Monday Again

Below is a cute video to start your week. A fawn playing and running during a cool morning start of the day. This is filmed with a trail camera so the quality is not as good as a camera, but it is a fun video that will make you smile. Or click this link here; Fawn Playing

Browning Trail Camera Fawn Running and Playing - White Tailed Deer - Cute Baby Fawn

Happy Monday Again

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Song Birds

Song Birds

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Song Birds – this first picture is a bird called a song sparrow. It has a very pretty bird call. This was the only bird around our place last month. I am not sure where they all went, but it is was pretty quiet here for quite awhile, except for this one little bird who would sing every time I put some bird food out for it.

Song Birds

In the video below you can hear the sounds of the song sparrow and some bird sounds from earlier this spring. Song Bird Sounds

Song Birds Singing,Squirrels, Bright Colors, Scarlet Tanager, Beautiful Bird Sounds, White Tail Deer

So I am adding some birds in red to give some color to this blog.

Song Birds

Song Birds

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Does it Lean to the Left

Does it Lean to the Left

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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

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Nature is a Perfect Example

Nature is a Perfect Example

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Nature is a Perfect Example teaching us about life and survival. I have always been fascinated by observing nature, learning from it, watching how animals survive. Photography has really enhanced this study as I have to be in nature and wait patiently as I watch everything from birds, animals and even flowers and trees, go about their daily task called life.

How does something as tiny as a hummingbird survive looking for food, raising babies? Let alone wondering how they migrate thousands of miles every year. Instinct, DNA, survival mechanism that were given to them.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

I was walking past my garden and a shinny reflection caught my eye, tiny ruby colors glistening in the sunshine on a leaf. I moved to look closer and it was gone. I went around to the other side of the leaf and their it was, the most beautiful color, shinning bright as the sunlight caressed these 3 little feathers stuck on a leaf.

They are 3 of the smallest feathers I have ever picked up. They are from the throat area of the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. They are so small I could barely keep them in my hand as I took them inside to get a photo of these marvelous little shinny feathers.

I put them next to a penny so you can see the size comparison. The hummingbirds sit on my fence around my garden and groom themselves. So this tiny feather probably fell out, right below the fence on a leaf.

Watching and learning from birds makes me think about how they survive on a daily bases. They search for food, they feed their family’s and themselves. Plus they appear to be happy, they enjoy sitting on a fence in the sunshine watching what is going on around them. I do that as well, sitting on my porch, not a fence. 🙂

But, “𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝕃𝔻 𝕚𝕤 increasingly 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 to 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐮𝐬. Happiness isn’t very good for the economy. If we were happy with what we had, why would we need more? How do you sell an anti-ageing moisturizer? You make someone worry about ageing. How do you get people to vote for a political party? You make them worry about immigration. How do you get them to buy insurance? By making them worry about everything. How do you get them to have plastic surgery? By highlighting their physical flaws.

To be calm becomes a kind of revolutionary act.

To be happy with your own non-upgraded existence. To be comfortable with our messy, human selves, would not be good for business.”

– Matt Haig,

Be the change! Learn how to be happy with what you have. Reprogram your mindset for positive outlook gratitude, calmness and most importantly 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕.

Reprogram and remove programming/conditioning that no longer serves you, the self limiting beliefs that keep you from growing to your full potential. ❤️

Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Flower Garden

Flower Garden

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Flower Garden – Well I planted lots of flowers two months ago and they are in full bloom. So many wonderful colors and I am happy to say the hummingbirds are still here. They appear to be having a blast going to all the flowers and chasing each other.

I have two flower gardens that way the hummingbirds have plenty of room to check out all the flowers.

Flower Garden Finally Blooming
Flower Garden Finally Blooming
Flower Garden Finally Blooming

Flower Garden Finally Blooming

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Marigolds

Marigolds

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Marigolds –  marigolds symbolize purity, auspiciousness, and the divine. Their strong fragrance is believed to ward off negativity and evil spirits. Plus they are said to ward off mosquitos.

The vibrant colors of marigolds also represent the sun’s energy, signifying warmth, passion, and creativity.

I planted a lot of marigolds this year to test out the theory of keeping mosquitos away. But by the time they bloomed the mosquitos were already gone. So I can not testify that this theory is correct until next year. 🙂

Marigolds
Marigolds

This one is not a marigold, I just added it because of the color scheme and background.

Marigolds

Marigolds

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Knowledge is Power

Knowledge is Power

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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

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All Creatures Great and Small

All Creatures Great and Small

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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

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Percentage of Bad Photos

Percentage of Bad Photos

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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

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Wings Touching Water

Wings Touching Water

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Wings Touching Water – Awhile back I had mentioned how I wanted to take more photo of birds in flight with their wings just grazing the water. Well, pelicans are a good one for doing this because they ride the updrafts along the water, so they can glide for long periods of time and then flap their wings and stay close to the water.

So when we went back north this past spring, we had to stop at the Mississippi river, where you will always find some white pelicans and I was able to add a couple more photos to the list.

Wings Touching Water
Wings Touching Water

Wings Touching Water

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Art of the Feline

Art of the Feline

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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

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Mother and Fawn

Mother and Fawn

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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

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Bumblebees

Bumblebees

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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

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The Colors of Summer

The Colors of Summer

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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

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Photographing Star Trail Circles

Photographing Star Trail Circles

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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

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Snow in August

Snow in August

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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

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Sandra J

Sandra J

I am a traveling photographer, I like to travel rural America, the roads less traveled when I can. I love the great outdoors, my Photo Galleries contain Landscapes, wild life and a few just for fun photos. Thank you and have a great day.

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