Tag: adventures outdoors

A Majestic Marvel of Nature

A Majestic Marvel of Nature

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

A Majestic Marvel of Nature

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Cooper’s Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

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.

Cooper's Hawk

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

Cooper's Hawk

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

Cooper's Hawk

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

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Little Known Fact

Little Known Fact

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.

Little Known Fact

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.

Little Known Fact

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

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

There Are 4 of These

There Are 4 of These

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.
There Are 4 of These
There Are 4 of These

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

There Are 4 of These

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

5 Ds of Dodge Ball

5 Ds of Dodge Ball

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

5 Ds of Dodge Ball

Duck

5 Ds of Dodge Ball

Dip

Dive

5 Ds of Dodge Ball

Dodge

5 Ds of Dodge Ball
Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography
Perfect Landing Blue Jay Slow Motion

5 Ds of Dodge Ball

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Go Pro Photos

Go Pro Photos

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.

Go Pro Photos

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

Go Pro Photos
Go Pro Photos

 Birds on a Table Video Link Here

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

Go Pro Photos

Have a great weekend.

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

The Horse Show

The Horse Show

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. 🙂

The Horse Show

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.

The Horse Show

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

Horse Show Video Click Here

The Horse Show

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Glowing Spots

Glowing Spots

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
Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography
Baby Fawn Growing Up video link

Glowing Spots

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Discovering the New Bird Sanctuary

Discovering the New Bird Sanctuary

Discovering the New Bird Sanctuary near Paducah KN. I just looked at the map and saw a green area not far from us. So we took a drive to see what it was.

This area had a nice size man made lake with a road that you can drive all around it. Plenty of habitat for a lot of birds and people out fishing on the lake as well.

We discovered this new bird walking along the shore line.

Discovering the New Bird Sanctuary
New Bird Sanctuary

Dozens of Egrets in the trees and on land. I will definitely be visiting this park again to see more birds.

Discovering the New Bird Sanctuary

Discovering the New Bird Sanctuary

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Horses at the Fair

Horses at the Fair

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.

Horses at the Fair
Horses at the Fair

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

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Just One Shot

Just One Shot

Just One Shot is all I get of these sand hill cranes. They landed in the field next to our place. You can hear them easily in the mornings, as they make their bird calls.

This particular morning they flew right over my head and landed the next field over. I went out there to get a photo of them and only snapped this one before they took off. They were quite far away as well.

I never realized they have red eyes like the black swans until I looked at this photo.

Just One Shot
Just One Shot
Just One Shot

Just One Shot

Have a Great Weekend

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Next Generation

Next Generation

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.

Next Generation

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

Next Generation

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

When They Look

When They Look

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.

When They Look

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

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Heron Fishing

Heron Fishing

Heron Fishing today and this one is having some good luck. Catching big fish and eating them right away.

Heron Fishing
Heron Fishing

Before we left the small lake, heron tried again for a fish and came up empty handed. 🙂

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

Heron Fishing Video Link

Heron Fishing

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

White Tailed Deer

White Tailed Deer

White Tailed Deer.

When a white-tailed deer raises its tail, it is signaling a warning. This signals a warning of possible danger to other deer that be nearby.

This is called flagging. It exposes the white fur of its tail and backside. This alerts others in its herd of danger

The deer also wags its tail from side to side while flaggingFlagging also helps other members of the herd locate each otherA startled deer skip any or all of the preliminary signals, but it almost always displays the flaglike tail as it runs away

White Tailed Deer
White Tailed Deer
White Tailed Deer

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.

Watch this video on YouTube.
Sandra J's Photography

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

On The Road Again

On The Road Again

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

On The Road Again

The Old 1518

The Old 1518

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.

The Old 1518
The Old 1518

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

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

A Summer’s Warmth

A Summer’s Warmth

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.

A Summer's Warmth
A Summer's Warmth

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

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

CN’s Autonomous Track Inspection 

CN’s Autonomous Track Inspection 

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.

CN’s Autonomous Track Inspection

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

CN’s Autonomous Track Inspection 

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Exploring the National Quilt Museum

Exploring the National Quilt Museum

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.

Exploring the National Quilt Museum

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.

The National Quilt Museum
The National Quilt Museum
Exploring the National Quilt Museum

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

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

The Other Side of the Wall

The Other Side of the Wall

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.

The Other Side of the Wall

Lined with interesting looking trees

Mural of the locks on the river

The Other Side of the Wall

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

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Lots to See in Paducah

Lots to See in Paducah

Lots to See in Paducah. An old style theater where they still put on plays. Beautiful architecture on all the streets.

Lots to See in Paducah

Signs every where telling you some history as you walk along the river side.

Lots to See in Paducah

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

Lots to See in Paducah

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850