Tag: adventures outdoors

Kentucky Rest Area

Kentucky Rest Area

Kentucky Rest Area – This week I am going to show you a place that I have wanted to stop at for years and we finally did a few months ago. We drove by it so many times, it is a rest area in Kentucky, probably one of the best rest areas I have ever stopped at.

This unique historical rest area/welcome center is, Whitehaven. It is a Victorian home built in the 1860’s and has quite the story as to how it became a rest area.

Kentucky Rest Area

This home is steeped in KY history from former Vice President Alben Barkley to many influential figures in the formation of Kentucky’s history.

This mansion was once destined to be destroyed, but was saved by the KY Transportation Cabinet.

Kentucky Rest Area

Kentucky Rest Area

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

The Sly Fox

The Sly Fox

The Sly Fox – I photographed this beautiful animal on the gulf coast. I don’t see fox very often, they are around where I live, but never see them during the day. I did catch one on my trail camera last week passing by.

Beautiful animals, have a wonderful weekend.

The Sly Fox
The Sly Fox

This is AI’s version of my fox photo painted. I kind of like it. In any of my digital work, I always list it as digital. I am a photographer before being a digital artist. But I always use photos I take to get this look with the help of technology.

The Sly Fox

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

#escapetonatureforu #nikond850

Treasures on the Gulf Coast

Treasures on the Gulf Coast

Treasures on the Gulf Coast – The Gulf Coast is a treasure trove of vibrant seascapes, and the shrimp boats there add a special splash of color to the scene.

Picture a cluster of these boats lined up along the dock or gently bobbing on the water, each one a canvas of bold hues. Bright blues, vivid reds, sunny yellows, and deep greens paint a lively mosaic against the backdrop of the shimmering Gulf.

Treasures on the Gulf Coast

I love seeing the shrimp boats on the water when we visit the coast down south. I photographed these boats at Bayou La Batre in LA when we were there.

Treasures on the Gulf Coast

Treasures on the Gulf Coast

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

A Dazzling Jewel

A Dazzling Jewel

A Dazzling Jewel – The male cardinal’s brilliant red plumage is nothing short of breathtaking, resembling a vivid splash of crimson against the soft green foliage backdrop. His striking color radiates with an almost fiery intensity, making him a dazzling jewel amidst the muted tones of his surroundings.

A Dazzling Jewel

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

The Eye of a Cat

The Eye of a Cat

The Eye of a Cat, this is my cat. Kit Kit is her name. I sit at my dinning room table to do all my computer work and this table is right by a nice large window. I like to watch the birds outdoors as I am doing my work.

The Eye of a Cat

My cat loves to sit right next to my computer, sometimes looking out the window and if it is a little cooler in the house. She likes to curl up on the transformer box that I use to charge the computer. It is like her own little warming station.

Anyway, on this day she was looking out the window and I was looking at her eyes. An amazing thing to see up close, a cats eye. So I had to take a few photos close up. I had my phone camera right next to her face and she just sat there perfectly still. Liking the attention.

The Eye of a Cat

The Eye of a Cat

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

The Storm Clouds Gather

The Storm Clouds Gather

The Storm Clouds Gather, dark and dense, A tumult roars, the heavens tense, Lightning cracks the twilight’s veil, A furious dance, a tempest’s wail.

The Storm Clouds Gather

The sky ignites with electric fire, Each flash a fierce, consuming pyre, Thunder’s voice, a booming cry, Echoes through the bruised night sky.

The Storm Clouds Gather

Yet in the chaos, midst the rage, A fleeting light begins to wage, As torrents drench the world below, A secret promise starts to show.

The Storm Clouds Gather

The storm, though wild, begins to fade, Its fierce embrace now softly swayed, And through the tears of shattered rain, A ribbon forms, a hopeful chain.

Colors break through, soft and bright, A spectral arc against the night, A rainbow blooms, a quiet cheer, A bridge of peace in storm’s austere.

The Storm Clouds Gather

Have a wonderful weekend.

The Storm Clouds Gather

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Serenity in Reflection

Serenity in Reflection

“Serenity in Reflection: Capturing Nature’s Canvas at the Lake”

First day of August, last year our first frost was on August 25th, but it is near 90 today, so we will see what the month brings.

Finally took the boat out this summer. The loons are swimming with their babies. Hope to get photos of them next time.

Serenity in Reflection

Nature’s Fury

Nature’s Fury

Nature’s Fury: The Dramatic Beauty of Shelf Clouds

Last month brought some stormy weather where I live, two shelf clouds this year so far. They move very fast being pushed by some horrific winds. The clouds roll at you in so many different shapes.

The first one here, it was a big shelf cloud with some cloud movements like nothing I have ever seen. Video Below.

Video Below;   or click this title here to see the video on my You Tube Channel, Natures Fury

Thunder Rolls, Scary Cloud Formations, Time Lapse, Heavens Open, Rainbows Shine in the End

The Second Shelf cloud storm was more straight lined right across, rolling like pie dough in a tight line. Both with winds and rain that almost made me run back into the house. 🙂

Nature's Fury

Nature’s Fury

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

The Old Windmill

The Old Windmill

The Old Windmill – In the 18th century, the Great Plains were considered unfit for cultivation. The area was termed the “Great American Desert.” Droughts would follow rainy spells and the sun and wind would dry up surface moisture.

In 1854, Daniel Halladay developed the American-type windmill. It was smaller, less expensive and could be shipped and built easily. Its sails were held into the wind by a weight, which would rise slowing to reduce the area of the sails when the wind was too fast. Traditional cloth covered sails were soon replaced with smaller wooden blades.

These new windmills were ideal for settlers on the plains. They could pump water from great depths at a steady rate. They could shift into the prevailing winds and functioned well in fast and slow winds. And to top it off, they required little maintenance.

You can still find a few of these scattered across the states. Iowa still has a few, I took this photo from the RV window. There is just something nostalgic about these windmills.

I don’t know how many of these old windmills are in Iowa these days.

The Old Windmill

But it does say there are 6000 of these wind turbines in Iowa alone as of today. The giant thing in the background of the photo below. A big difference in windmills from the old days.

I won’t get into the efficiency of these or all the controversy about them all over the country. I know at this little horse show I went to, I photographed a lot of children with their horses and had to delete a lot of windmills from the background. Which is not that hard to do in photoshop these days.

The Old Windmill
The Old Windmill
windmill at sunset

The Old Windmill

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

In Twilight’s Hush

In Twilight’s Hush

In Twilight’s Hush, where whispers drift, The storm clouds weave a gentle shift, Like ghosts in realms of azure seas, They float with soft, enigmatic ease.

In Twilight's Hush

With edges brushed in shades of grey, They roam the sky in a fleeting ballet, Their wispy tendrils tease the night, An ethereal dance of shadowed light.

They gather slow with sighs of lore, A murmured tale of tempest’s core, Yet in their grace, a calm prevails, An artful play where calmness sails.

In Twilight's Hush

No thunder’s roar or lightning’s claim, Just drifting clouds with no ill aim, They kiss the heavens, drift and part, An endless play of storm and heart.

Their fleeting forms in twilight blend, A moment’s breath that does transcend, In wispy trails, their stories told, Of storms unbound and skies unrolled.

In Twilight’s Hush

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Silhouettes and Sunsets

Silhouettes and Sunsets

Silhouettes and Sunsets – In the quiet of dusk, where day meets night, Silhouettes dance in the fading light, Outlined figures against the golden blaze, A moment suspended in the sun’s last gaze.

Silhouettes and Sunsets

Trees stretch their limbs like ink on the sky, Birds soar in patterns, bidding day goodbye, Silhouettes of wings, elegant and free, Caught in the hues of a painted reverie.

And when the night arrives, with stars aglow,
Silhouettes fade where memories flow,
But in the heart’s canvas, they remain,
Silhouettes and sunsets, eternally framed.

Silhouettes and Sunsets

Have a wonderful weekend.

Silhouettes and Sunsets

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Spring Bird Family Vacations

Spring Bird Family Vacations

Spring Bird Family Vacations – or lets call it the bird resort here at our place. This is the baby update of these 4 birds who have nested around our place.

The Raven is here every year all year. This couple had 2 babies this year. I have been trying to get a photo of all 4 of them together, but not easy to do. The 2 babies follow mom and dad everywhere still wanting to be fed by them. I just love watching how birds take care of their families.

Spring Bird Family Vacations
The Raven bird

I had mentioned in an earlier post that the Eastern Bluebirds had 4 babies. They have all left the nest and I am really going to miss these because they eat a lot of bugs. One baby somehow landed in a bucket I had outside, I took him over by the bird house and he wondered out of the bucket and than flew off.

I hope they come back next year.

The beautiful Tree Swallows had 4 or 5 babies. It is hard to count these because they fly so fast. They have all left as well. I looked up on the internet to find out where do they go after fledging. It said they usually find a group of their own and all hang out together until they fly south for the winter.

My northern Flicker residence are still here and they had 2 babies as well. I still see them flying around as a family for now.

If I can get any new photos of the kids, I will surely share them with you.

Spring Bird Family Vacations

Love of Bird Photography

Love of Bird Photography

Love of Bird Photography – Some of my favorite shots this summer so far.

Eastern Bluebird on the Fly, update on these birds nesting in my purple martin house. They had 4 babies and I saw one fly out of the bird house with its parent. The other 3 would take turns coming out of the nesting box and sit on the little porch. That is a small space for 4 baby birds so they are all probably about ready to test their wings and fly to a tree.

Love of Bird Photography

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird stopping by the feeder.

Shore bird after a dip in the water

Love of Bird Photography

Oh and my favorite, the White Pelican in flight. Nothing I love more than photographing these beautiful birds as they fly right over top of me. It is very hard to hold the camera in a complete vertical position but so worth the efforts. 🙂

Love of Bird Photography

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Part of the Farm

Part of the Farm

Part of the Farm – My niece not only has horses, pigs are a part of the farm during the summer months. Her two children and their cousins show pigs, sheep and rabbits at their local fair. Which we are going to this year.

It is a great way for children to learn how to take care of animals and the importance of feeding and grooming them, even pigs. I don’t know much about pigs, but it is fun to watch the children work with them and take care of them.

They are a very curious animal, I was standing at their fence trying to get a photo and this one kept wanting to get close, looking for more food I reckon.

Part of the Farm

Part of the Farm

What Keeps You Busy

What Keeps You Busy

What Keeps You Busy in the summer months? Well, I love to work in the garden. But as I am getting older, it gets harder to weed the garden and plant it when it is at ground level. I have been reading a lot about raised garden beds. So this is what is going on here.

This photo is my garden from last year. It has to be fenced because of the deer. But imagine this spot covered with grass that is at least 4 ft tall and intertwined into the fence around it in the spring.

It is so discouraging to start a garden when you have to clean up the weeds first.

What Keeps You Busy

My husband is an amazing guy, he rototilled the garden for me and it looks ready, but I asked him if he could maybe build me a raised garden area in this spot. I showed him a picture of what I was thinking of, and by the way, he can build anything. I am quite impressed at what all he does for us, from fixing our cars to caring for our home and RV.

What Keeps You Busy

So he started with one box, than the dirt had to be moved.

Then he built another box, so on and so forth.

What Keeps You Busy

We did not have enough dirt to fill the boxes so husband cut up a bunch of dead trees to fill the boxes up half way.

We put a fence around the garden that the birds love to perch on.

What Keeps You Busy

Plus, they are helping me weed the garden I think and picking out bugs.

This is the final project. So much easier on my back when it comes to planting and weeding. The entire thing is planted and now I just have to maintain it. Thank you dear husband. 😉

What Keeps You Busy

Have a great weekend.

What Keeps You Busy

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Horse Art

Horse Art

Horse Art – nothing prettier than a team of draft horses in harness I think. I raised draft horses for years. But never did drive them. I only raised them just because they are beautiful animals. I had one that I rode which was a blast. He weighed in at almost 1 ton. His name was Big Mac.

Horse Art
Horse Art

Draft horses and mules seem to go together. They sometimes use mules to train young horses to lead. This mule below is a cutie, also belonging to my niece.

Horse Art

Horse Art

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Whistle the Paint Horse

Whistle the Paint Horse

Whistle the Paint Horse – this is my niece’s horse, I made this first photo for her this year. Showing Whistle when she was just a youngster and how she has grown into a beautiful 3 year old mare this year. She does have one blue eye as well. Beautiful horse indeed.

Whistle the Paint Horse

The paint horse is a very popular breed, thanks to its flashy coloring, genial temperament, and versatility. In fact, the American Paint Horse Association counts around 100,000 members in roughly 40 countries around the world. 

Whistle the Paint Horse

Whistle the Paint Horse

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

The Ruby’s

The Ruby’s

The Ruby’s – Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, Ruby, Emerald, Touch of Safire. This tiny bird has all the royal colors from creation. In such a small package, a tiny little heart that keeps this bird going. I am always amazed to watch hummingbirds, how fast they are and to know how many miles they fly a year is a wonderous thing. Truly a gift to witness the strength and tenacity of this living thing.

The Ruby's
The Ruby's
The Ruby's
Portrait of a Hummingbird, the female Ruby throated hummingbird. Beautiful in its smallest form, creation.

The Ruby’s

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

A Colorful Surprise

A Colorful Surprise

A Colorful Surprise this year at home. Eastern Bluebirds have decided to use my bird house this year to raise their babies. I have never seen an eastern bluebird up here. Matter of fact I have only seen a couple of them over the years, so I feel that it is a treat to see them at all.

Their beautiful colors of blue and tan and a wonderful song they have as well.

I put two bird houses up to try and attract Purple Martins. Over the last couple of years, the only birds using this house are tree swallows. They are interesting birds because they will put nesting material in every spot so other birds think this home is occupied.

Come to find out, eastern bluebirds do the same thing. There was a slight battle between the bluebirds and tree swallows. But they seem to come to an agreement. Tree swallows took one house and bluebirds took the other.

A Colorful Surprise

This could have been a great shot of the tree swallow in flight, they are super fast birds. Very hard to photograph in flight. This couple had 3 or 4 babies this years. Yesterday they all came out of the house for a fly around the place. I counted 5 or 6 flying around.

A Colorful Surprise

Both birds eat lots of bugs, so they are a wonderful addition to our home this year.

A Colorful Surprise

A Colorful Surprise – Have a great weekend.

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

The Rose Garden

The Rose Garden

The Rose Garden – Not my rose garden, I have never actually planted a rose bush in my flower garden. Not sure why not, I guess I have heard they need a lot of care and I don’t have the greenest of thumbs. 🙂

But I love photographing roses, so many different kinds. Have a wonderful Wednesday.

The Rose Garden
The Rose Garden
coral color rose
The Rose Garden

The Rose Garden

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Feathers From Heaven

Feathers From Heaven

Feathers From Heaven – In many spiritual traditions, feathers are also associated with the concept of spiritual ascension and the idea of rising above one’s earthly troubles. For example, in some traditions, feathers are thought to represent the connection between the physical world and the spiritual world and are seen as symbols of spiritual growth and enlightenment.

I do pick up feathers when I find them. On this particular day, I actually saw this fall out of the Northern Flicker bird as it flew overhead. Last week I posted a photo of the Flicker flying and showed what pretty yellow feathers it has. Than it flew over me and one landed right in front of me. So I had to pick it up.

Quite extraordinary it is. Such a beautiful yellow.

Feathers From Heaven

This is the tree the bird flew to, you can barely see him at the top of the pine tree.

The red on the back of the head is a good way to identify it. I have a pair that nest here in my yard. They also love taking dirt baths in my garden. So fun to watch.

Feathers From Heaven
Feathers From Heaven

Feathers From Heaven

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Hanoverian and Thoroughbred

Hanoverian and Thoroughbred

Hanoverian and Thoroughbred – I just love horses. Most of you know I raised many of them in my younger years and now I love photographing them. I actually wasn’t into photography back when I had horses. That is when I should have started though, that would have been fun.

These two beautiful animals are from the Mobile Al mounted police department. I made a portrait of these two and sent it to the department. They loved it and said thank you, plus they told me the horse on the left is a Hanoverian, and his name is Avalon. He retired this year. The one on the right is named Papa and he is a thoroughbred Percheron mix.

They were in a parade where I took these photos. I was watching these two horses and they seemed like buddies and were just hanging out in line with the other horses and their police officers.

When it comes to getting just the right shot, I take a lot of photos waiting for just that right look, and these two gave it to me as they were touching noses in my last photo. That is the one I picked to make the portrait.

As if they have a language all their own, a moment of beauty.

Hanoverian and Thoroughbred

Hanoverian and Thoroughbred

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Iowa Storm This Year

Iowa Storm This Year

Iowa Storm This Year – The day started out normal, the sun was shining. We were in Iowa visiting my sister. I am one that checks the weather often on my phone. There was mention of a storm brewing and heading our way. But that was not until later in the day. So, in the morning, on this day, my sister and I got in the car and headed to the grocery store. Wanting to get some errands done before the rain sets in later in the day. We rounded the corner to turn into the parking lot and my sister stopped and said, ” Well, there is a tornado”. I looked up and was startled to see it right in front of us, about 1 mile away. We sat there for a moment and watched it. I took a quick photo and then it touched down to the ground but did not stay there long. It was moving quite fast eastward. More like a funnel cloud I think they call them. Tornado sirens started and we headed back to her house. I quickly left to go out to the campground where husband and our 2 dogs and cat are to check on the situation and the weather updates.
Iowa Storm This Year
In the photo below, the first camper is ours, with the jeep behind it. The one next to us is my brothers, who came here from Montana to visit while we were there. A nice little family reunion. The weather said the storm was coming straight out of the south, which means it was going to come right at our rv, being my brother is on the north west side of us. Well, as I was watching the weather, I told my brother I think we might move to the other side of him, because there wasn’t any wind breaks on the south side of us. Thinking his trailer might break some of the winds heading our way. They were predicting 60 mile an hour wind gust starting by 5 pm.
Iowa Storm This Year
The clouds are starting to roll, the weather said the winds had changed and would be coming out of the south east. More behind us where there is a line of trees. So, we decided not to move our RV to the other side of my brother. But, 60 mph winds are a lot when you are in an RV, we have been in 40 mph winds and that was scary. I told my husband I am heading into town to go to my sister’s house who has a basement. He said he was going to stay there and my brother was holding out as well. I took our little dog with me and I told him to head over too their house if it gets to bad out. So off I went.
The winds hit right on schedule, all of 60 mph. Husband kept calling and checking in. He was fine. We were all watching out the windows of my sister’s house. The rain is coming down in sheets, the wind keeps changing. Spinning round and round, going east and then west.
Iowa Storm This Year
My husband called, he heard a big crack outside the RV, he looked out the side window and branches were braking off of the trees.
After about an hour, the storm was over. The sun came out, the river was raging and coming out of its banks. I drove back out to the camper to see the damage and check on everyone.
For as long as I can remember, my intuitions have saved me many times. Intuitions or the small voice that has led me through many of hard times to a safer place. I never ignore these voices, I never ignore the nudges that I get, I believe they are from a higher place. I will show you why next.

For as I was saying earlier. We had talked about moving to this spot here, but at the last minute something told me to just stay where we were.

If we would have moved this branch, which was just as heavy as a tree itself, would have fallen right on top of our RV, I can imagine the damage it would have done, not to say what might have happened being my husband was in there as well. Gives me goose bumps looking at the photos to this day.
By later in the day, the owner of the campground had the tree all cleaned up. He had his chainsaw out and one person helping him load all the wood onto it and the spot was level and ready for business again.
Moral of this story, a gut feeling is worth listening to. A gut feeling to me is someone giving you a nudge. It’s a kind of inner voice, a nudge that seems to guide us towards a decision or away from danger. Have a great weekend. 🙂 Iowa Storm This Year Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts By Sandra J
Raindrops from Heaven

Raindrops from Heaven

Raindrops from Heaven – gentle reminders of His power and presence.

In the quiet of twilight, they begin to fall,
Silver tears from heaven’s gentle call.
Raindrops, soft and fleeting, grace the earth,
A symphony of whispers, a timeless rebirth.

Raindrops from Heaven
Raindrops from Heaven

Video Below or click here – Rain Drops and Flowers

Water Droplets, Flower Art, Macro Photography, 90mm lens, Soft Music, Sparkling Water Droplets

Raindrops from Heaven

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

The Friendship Cemetery

The Friendship Cemetery

This is the last of our stops in Columbus Ms. This cemetery was founded in 1839.

This location is the burial site of four Confederate generals, more than two thousand Confederate soldiers, veterans from every war the United States has fought, as well as distinguished authors, legislators, and people from all walks of life. It is the site of America’s first Decoration Day (1866), inspiring the writing of the poem “The Blue and the Gray.” This site also represents the reconciliation after the Civil War, as the Ladies of Columbus put flowers on the graves of  both Confederate and Union soldiers who had been buried there.

The Friendship Cemetery

Many of the tree roots have grown around the markers.

The Friendship Cemetery

Every spring a group of high school students conduct a tales from the crypt program in the cemetery. We went to it one night as I have never been to one. The students had to choose a person who was buried in the cemetery and study the person and his or her life.

They gave a speech as that person and dressed in the proper clothing of the time. It was very informative and all the students did very well.

The Friendship Cemetery

The Friendship Cemetery

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J

Blues Musicians

Blues Musicians

Blues Musicians playing in Catfish Alley, Columbus Ms. I don’t know a lot about blues music. I never listened to it much. But I have to say these bands were very good, it was a treat to sit and enjoy the talents of these musicians.

Blues Musicians

Mr. Sipp – Grammy award winning artist below

Blues Musicians

Terry Big T Williams

And Blind Mississippi Morris

Below is a snippet of the musicians playing, or click here; Blues Music

Cat Fish Alley Blues Music - Blind Mississippi Morris, Terry Big T Williams and Mr. Sipp

Blues Musicians

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

By Sandra J