September Back-to-School Games

I Spy

Visual Puzzles:

Which Parking Spot?

This visual brainteaser was spotted on a Hong Kong first-grade student admissions test, and it’s a great puzzle to encourage children to think laterally. Can you work it out? Apparently, children around the age of 6 are much more likely to solve this problem than older students and even adults.

Move one glass only…

In this visual brainteaser, students can see three glasses on the left that are full and three on the right that are empty. If they make one small change, they can make a row of alternately full and empty glasses, but they only do one change! What do they have to do?

Make 10

The matchstick test is a great problem-solving brainteaser. Students need to remove six matches to make 10. Which ones do they move?

Weird Fruits: Cherimoya

I found this article on inthekitchenwithmatt.com!

Where does the Cherimoya come from and where does it grow?

The cherimoya (Annona cherimola) also spelled, chirimoya, chirimuya also goes by the name custard apple although the custard apple is a different fruit belonging to the same family (Annona reticulata.) It is closely related to the sweetsop and soursop fruits which all belong to the family Annonaceae.

It is native to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Bolivia. However, it is cultivated all around the world in Central America, South America, Southern California, Florida, Hawaii, South Asia, Australia, North Africa, Portugal, Southern Spain, in the Mediterranean, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, India, Thailand, to name several of them. There are other places and countries that grow it as well. Cherimoya trees thrive in the tropics at higher elevations, between 4000 and 8000 feet but do not like frost and snow. It is believed that it originated first in Central and South America, then it spread to other countries. As explorers returned back to their homelands with this amazing fruit.

It doesn’t grow very well in the Phoenix desert where I live, after a few years of struggling in a pot, my sapling died on me. The Atemoya, which is a hybrid between the Cherimoya and the sugar apple is a little better suited to growing where I live.

What are the nutritional benefits of the Cherimoya?

The cherimoya is loaded with nutritional benefits. Below are a few of them:

Rich in vitamin C

High in fiber

Moderate amount of lutein

May reduce inflammation

Support the immune system

Moderate amounts of potassium and magnesium

How to eat the Cherimoya?

The cherimoya is a fairly good-sized fruit that is green with hints of brown and black. The shape is very similar to a heart. The outside skin is somewhat smooth and has a scaly look to it. It kind of reminds me of a dragon’s egg.

How do you know when it is ripe?

You will know when it is ripe when you gently squeeze it with your palms it should give to the pressure, similar to avocado and pear. There should not be too much black or brown coloring on the skin. They are normally picked before being fully ripe so they can last longer before they are sold. Most likely when you buy it at the supermarket you will want to let it sit at room temperature for a few days to soften up and ripen more. To eat it, just cut it in half with a knife.

Then you will seed smooth black or dark seeds. Use a knife or spoon and scoop those out. They are not edible, do not eat them. They may be poisonous. The skin is not edible either. Inside you will see a beautiful white custard-looking flesh. It should be soft, if it is too hard the fruit is not ripe yet. Cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for a few more days to soften more. You can cut it into chunks and eat it that way. Or a lot of people will just dig the flesh out with a spoon and eat it. The Cherimoya or custard apple is commonly eaten fresh/raw or put in smoothies, ice cream, and yogurt.

What does Cherimoya or Custard Apple taste like?

When ripe the flesh will be soft and custard-like. The texture will be similar to custard as well with a little bit of stringiness to it. To me, the texture is extremely pleasant. Taste is very subjective, but it has been described by others as tasting like a mix between a pineapple, banana, strawberry, papaya, and peach. I am inclined to agree with them. The Cherimoya tastes very similar to that to me. And since those are some of my favorite fruits, that puts this fruit in my top favorite fruits category right up there with the mangosteen. The strawberry has long since been my favorite fruit of all time, but the mangosteen, pineapple, mango, are a very close second place.

SOURCE: INTHEKITCHENWITHMATT.COM

Kentucky State Mammal: Eastern Gray Squirrel (sorry Filly)

Squirrels are commonly seen because they are less shy than most animals about being out in the open during the day and are easier to spot. Squirrels are mostly herbivorous, living off of nuts, seeds, and vegetation. They collect and store food in buried caches to help them get through winter. Because they are able to store food, they do not need to hibernate to get through the winter when most of their food sources aren’t available.

Squirrels do not mate for life, and a female will pick a new partner each year. To show off for females, males will race each other up and down trees to show off how strong and fast they are. Females will have one to two litters per year, depending on how much food is available.

Like many small animals they have several predators. Predatory birds, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, raccoons, domestic cats, and snakes will all eat squirrels. Despite this, squirrels are very abundant, and the eastern gray squirrel is not considered endangered or threatened.

Did You Know?

Squirrels are able to turn their ankles about 180 degrees, allowing their wrists to support their body weight while climbing in any direction. Animals that cannot turn their ankles like this (i.e. cats) may be able to easily climb up trees but have a much harder time climbing down trees. Imagine trying to climb down a tree headfirst!

Squirrels use their tails for balance and for communication. Whenever you see a squirrel standing still twitching its tail it is usually sending some type of message such as warning other squirrels of danger or to stay away from its food caches.

SOURCE: NPS.GOV

Who You Gonna Call?

In honor of Bill Murray’s birthday today (born in 1950), I went looking for stuff we might not know about Ghostbusters! I found this article on Mental Floss:

1 DAN AYKROYD FOUND INSPIRATION FOR THE MOVIE IN HIS FAMILY’S HISTORY.

Dan Aykroyd grew up surrounded by spiritualists. His great-grandfather, Samuel A. Aykroyd, was a noted nineteenth century psychic investigator who conducted séances at the Aykroyd family farmhouse in eastern Ontario with a medium named Walter Ashurst. This predilection for the paranormal was passed down to Aykroyd’s grandfather, Maurice, who was an engineer for the Bell Telephone Company. Maurice allegedly tried to use his know-how to create a high-vibration crystal radio that could contact the spirit world. Dan’s father, Peter, kept a sizeable library of books about spooky subjects (including his great grandfather’s séances), which kept ghosts and ghouls in the back of young Aykroyd’s mind. After he left Saturday Night Live in 1979, he read an article about parapsychology in an American Society of Psychical Research publication, which inspired Ghostbusters.

2 GHOSTBUSTERS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT—AND MUCH BIGGER.

Aykroyd found comedic inspiration in films like Bob Hope’s The Ghost Breakers, the horror-comedies of Abbott and Costello, and Bowery Boys fare like Spook Busters and Ghost Chasers. He went wild writing his original script, which took place in the future and had a much darker tone. The actors he had in mind for the three main protagonists were himself, John Belushi, and Eddie Murphy. His concept involved dozens of Ghostbuster groups fighting specters across time and different dimensions. The now-iconic Stay Puft Marshmallow Man—which is in the climax of the finished film—appeared much earlier (on page 20) and was one of 50 large-scale monsters that the Ghostbusters would do battle with. Eventual director Ivan Reitman estimated that the first script would have cost up to $300 million to produce—and that was in 1984.

3 JOHN BELUSHI STILL APPEARS IN THE FINAL FILM, IN SPIRIT.

Part of the reason Aykroyd had to recontextualize and rethink his idea—other than its implausible potential budget—was the tragic death of his fellow former SNL castmate John Belushi, whom he envisioned as the sarcastic Peter Venkman. The role was later immortalized by Bill Murray, another SNL alum, but the writers still wanted to honor Belushi by somehow involving him in the movie. When it came time to think up the design for the first ghost the group is commissioned to bust, Aykroyd conceived of a gross-looking, gluttonous, party-guy persona for the apparition as an ironic homage to his friend Belushi. The ghost made it to the screen and was later christened “Slimer.”

4 THE MOVIE HAD TO BE MADE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

Once Aykroyd nailed down the general concept and the narrative of the film (but before he’d penned the final draft), he brought on Ivan Reitman, not only to direct, but also to sell the movie to a major motion picture studio. Reitman had previously directed the popular Bill Murray comedies Meatballs and Stripes—both of which had been co-written by another eventual Ghostbuster, Harold Ramis. Since Reitman had a relationship with Columbia Pictures (which produced Stripes), he approached pragmatic studio head Frank Price with Aykroyd’s outrageous one-sentence pitch—“Ghost janitors in New York”—in May 1983. While admittedly skeptical, Price was attracted to the project because the tripartite of comedy geniuses who had agreed to play the leads: Aykroyd, Murray, and Ramis.

Price asked Reitman just how much the outrageous-sounding movie would cost, and the director allegedly threw out a random guesstimate of $30 million. Price agreed on the budget and the movie with one stipulation—that it must have a firm release in June 1984, in time for the summer season. This was no small detail, considering this gave them only 12 months to finish the script, shoot the film, and create and finish the special effects. The rushed production schedule immediately forced Aykroyd, Ramis, and Reitman to retreat to rented houses on Martha’s Vineyard for a marathon three-week writing session to complete the final shooting script. Afterward, they immediately began prepping the shoot and scouting locations.

5 SIGOURNEY WEAVER GAVE A UNIQUE AUDITION.

Despite the fact that the film began production with its three leads already cast, Reitman needed the right actress for another vital part of the film. For the role of Venkman’s headstrong love interest, Dana Barrett, Reitman chose Sigourney Weaver. She was eager to do a comedy after her amazing performance as Ripley in Ridley Scott’s Alien, so she tried something altogether different for her audition. She offered up a wordless scene where she turned into one of the grotesque dogs that do Gozer’s bidding, an act that allegedly involved writhing across the casting couch and loudly snarling at Reitman. The director was impressed—if not a little scared—and she got the part.

6 THE PART OF LOUIS TULLY WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR ANOTHER SECOND CITY ALUM.

For the loveable loser-turned whacked-out demon “Keymaster of Gozer” Louis Tully, Aykroyd thought of actor John Candy. The Canadian comedian had previously worked with him in 1941 and The Blues Brothers; with Reitman, Ramis, and Murray in Stripes; and for Ramis again in National Lampoon’s Vacation. But Candy envisioned Louis as a stern German man with a thick accent who kept dozens of dogs in his apartment. He also wanted the character rewritten and made into a starring role. Filmmakers preferred the original character that Aykroyd and Reitman had developed, so they gave the role to another member of the Second City troupe, Rick Moranis. The soft-spoken, bespectacled comic brought his own brand of misfit comedy and improv styles to the now-classic character—and he also provided his own wardrobe.

7 “EGON SPENGLER” WAS INSPIRED BY A FRIEND, AN INTELLECTUAL, AND AN UNKNOWN.

When trying to come up with the perfect name for his character—who was the brains of the Ghostbusters—co-writer Harold Ramis combined both personal and academic inspirations. “Egon” was the first name of Egon Donsbeck, a Hungarian exchange student at Stephen K. Hayt Elementary School who was Ramis’ classmate when he grew up in Chicago. “Spengler” came from German historian and philosopher Oswald Spengler. For the “look” of his character, Ramis copied the style of an unknown guy he’d seen on the cover of an abstract architectural journal. He thought the man’s old three-piece tweed suit, wire-rim glasses, and puffed-up hair were perfect for his geeky parapsychologist.

8 GHOSTBUSTERS IS THOUGHT OF AS A NEW YORK MOVIE, BUT SOME SIMPLE MOVIE MAGIC WENT INTO MAKING ITS VARIOUS LOCATIONS.

Come to New York and you can visit some key Ghostbusters locations. The exterior of the fully functioning FDNY Hook & Ladder #8 building at 14 North Moore Street in TriBeCa served as the Ghostbusters’ base of operations—definitely not a “demilitarized zone,” as Egon said. The building at 55 Central Park West housed the apartments of Dana Barrett and Louis Tully. The main branch of the New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street is recognizable for the lions guarding its entrance, and Columbia University’s Havemeyer Hall served as the Weaver Hall Department of Psychology building that the guys are kicked out of at the beginning of the movie. Then there’s the legendary restaurant Tavern on the Green, where Louis was attacked by one of Gozer’s dogs.

But none of these places appear exactly as they do onscreen. The interior of the Ghostbusters’ firehouse was actually an abandoned fire station in Los Angeles, and the rooftop temple scenes at Dana’s apartment were filmed at a huge set built on Stage 16 at Columbia Pictures (large-scale matte paintings were used for long shots). The early library scene where Egon is introduced was in fact filmed at the New York Public Library, but the scene where the three Ghostbusters come across the old librarian ghost in the stacks was actually shot across the country at the Los Angeles Public Library. Similarly, the Sedgewick Hotel—where the guys bust Slimer—wasn’t in New York at all; the exterior and interior shots were taken at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

9 THE ECTOMOBILE WAS ONE A KIND—AND THEN IT BROKE DOWN.

Out of the handful of iconic details from Ghostbusters is the Ectomobile, a 1959 Cadillac ambulance outfitted with gadgets and gizmos to help the guys bag pesky poltergeists. In a typical movie production, several similarly-adorned vehicles are used for stylistic and insurance purposes. (The production of Back to the Future, for instance, used three different DeLoreans.) Because the filming of Ghostbusters was so rushed, only one Ectomobile was put together. Naturally, everyone on set was very cautious around the then-25-year-old jalopy. While they handled the ambulance with care, the car broke down at the end of a shot of the Ecto driving across the Manhattan Bridge. Luckily, this didn’t happen until after main production wrapped in New York City, but still, the car was DOA and wasn’t available for use again.

10 ONE VISUAL EFFECT SHOT OF SLIMER INVOLVED SOME SPRAY PAINT AND A PEANUT.

Visual effects supervisor Richard Edlund and his team—who also worked on such films as Raiders of the Lost Ark, the original Star Wars trilogy, and Poltergeist—were given only 10 months to design, storyboard, build, and shoot every special effect in the film. The quick turnaround forced workers like animation supervisor Terry Windell to have to think on their feet, especially when the deadline got very tight. When a wide shot that featured Slimer quickly floating around a chandelier in the Sedgewick Hotel scene wasn’t coming out right, and time was running out, Windell spraypainted a small peanut green in order to mimic the green ghoul. The seconds-long shot depicted Slimer blurred and spinning, so detail wasn’t a factor, and the shot was used in the final print of the film. Windell revealed that the extreme tactics taken for certain shots proved that the effects team was “totally serious about making it stupid.”

11 DIRECTOR IVAN REITMAN MADE A COUPLE OF UNORTHODOX APPEARANCES IN THE MOVIE.

You won’t see Reitman in Ghostbusters, but still, he does have a presence: For the noises of Slimer pigging out on a pile of food before he famously slimes Peter Venkman, Reitman stepped in to provide the gross-out grub-gorging sounds. Reitman’s naturally deep voice also proved perfect for the moment when Dana becomes possessed and says “There is no Dana, only Zuul,” which was later enhanced with special effects for a truly spooky result.

12 BILL MURRAY’S CADDYSHACK CHARACTER, CARL SPACKLER, APPEARED IN ONE SCENE THAT WAS CUT.

It isn’t specified, but the voice and mannerisms of the character that Murray plays opposite Dan Aykroyd in this deleted scene is eerily similar to Carl Spackler, the lowly groundskeeper he portrayed in the 1980 comedy masterpiece Caddyshack (which was directed and co-written by Harold Ramis). The scene was cut for time, mostly to get to the scene where Louis Tully is attacked by the demon dog chasing him, but one doesn’t have to wonder what it would have been like if the worlds of Caddyshack and Ghostbusters had collided in such a fashion.

13 ONE OF THE FILM’S PRODUCERS CREATED THAT ICONIC LOGO.

The most indelible icon from Ghostbusters is the famous “no-ghost” logo that appeared on the guys’ car, their uniforms, and widely among advertisements and promotions for the movie. Associate producer Michael C. Gross, a bit of a renaissance man, designed the image. Prior to getting into the movie business as a producer, Gross served as an art consultant for The Muppets, John Lennon, and The Rolling Stones. He also served as art director for National Lampoon and Esquire in the 1970s.

14 PRODUCTION SHUT DOWN CENTRAL PARK WEST, AND ISAAC ASIMOV WASN’T PLEASED.

While shooting exteriors in front of Dana’s apartment building, the production had permission to temporarily shut down traffic in the area surrounding West 65^th Street and Central Park West. What they didn’t know was that it would disrupt traffic throughout Manhattan. During rush hour, cars backed up to Columbus Circle, eventually going all the way downtown. In fact, Aykroyd was concerned that they had inadvertently pushed the traffic jam all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge. After receiving complaints, cast and crew members jokingly told others that the delay was caused by Francis Ford Coppola’s production of The Cotton Club, which was shooting in New York at the same time. One particularly ornery Upper West Side resident who complained was author Isaac Asimov, who stumbled on to the set and told Aykroyd that they were “inconveniencing” him. Aykroyd, a lifelong fan of the writer, smoothed things over by using the opportunity to lavish praise on the irritated Asimov.

15 “CROSSING THE STREAMS” WAS MADE UP ON THE SPOT.

The deus ex machina of the Ghostbusters crossing the streams of the proton packs helped them to—spoiler alert—defeat the Marshmallow Man and the evil demon Gozer at the end of the film. According to Ramis, this activity didn’t appear in script. He and Aykroyd were unsure how to get the Ghostbusters out of the final scene alive, and because the nuclear technology behind the proton packs was “explained” with humorous techno-babble and mostly left up to the audience’s imagination, they came up with the idea of crossing the streams—an act which would somehow cause a cataclysmic shift in our dimension. After this decision was made, they added in some foreshadowing of the event to an earlier scene, only to revisit the concept in the climactic standoff at the end.

16 ON SET, THE MARSHMALLOW WAS REALLY SHAVING CREAM.

Once the Ghostbusters cross the streams, the rift between the two dimensions causes the Marshmallow Man to explode, raining down marshmallow on the unsuspecting New Yorkers below. But getting that amount of actual marshmallows to dump on the film’s extras was implausible. Instead, Edlund’s team collected 500-gallon batches of shaving cream to substitute for the remnants of Mr. Stay-Puft. William Atherton, who played EPA villain Walter Peck, was skeptical about having such a large amount of heavy cream dropped on him, so they tested the idea on a stuntman using only 75 pounds, and it knocked him to the ground. The stuntman was okay, and another smaller batch was collected to dump on Atherton for the final take in the film.

17 THE MOVIE ALMOST HAD TO CHANGE ITS NAME.

Once production wrapped, Reitman faced a situation that would possibly have derailed the whole movie. In the 1970s, Universal Studios had produced a live-action TV series titled The Ghost Busters, and their lawyers threatened legal action if the name of the movie wasn’t changed. Reitman, who had shot footage of the leads referring to themselves as the Ghostbusters and of massive crowds shouting “Ghostbusters! Ghostbusters!” was in deep trouble.

Luckily, Frank Price—the head of Columbia Pictures and the man who originally green-lit the movie—was moving to Universal Studios to become the new studio head there, and allowed Reitman to keep the name for the film. But the legal snafu reared its head again when a TV cartoon was made out of the movie. To satisfy Universal, the Saturday- morning fare was labeled The Real Ghostbusters, so as to not legally confuse the two properties.

18 HUEY LEWIS WAS NOT A FAN OF THE THEME SONG.

Because his song “Holiday Road” was featured prominently in National Lampoon’s Vacation (directed by Harold Ramis), Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham was allegedly approached about a theme song for the film, but he passed on the project. Reitman hoped that Huey Lewis & The News would take the job, and even used their hit “I Want a New Drug” as a temporary filler song while cutting the film. Lewis declined as well, because he had already agreed to contribute the song “Back in Time” to Back to the Future and didn’t want to do any more soundtrack work. The filmmakers then approached Ray Parker Jr., who had sung hits with Raydio (“Jack and Jill”) and was finding success as a solo artist as well. Unfortunately, the titular tune—with the often quoted “Who you gonna call?” and “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!”—bore a striking resemblance to Lewis’ “I Want a New Drug,” so much so that the song’s publishers sued for plagiarism. The suit was settled out of court, but you can decide for yourself with the mashup of the two songs above.

19 ELMER BERNSTEIN EXPERIMENTED WITH NEW INSTRUMENTS ON THE SOUNDTRACK.

Composer Elmer Bernstein wanted to go beyond a conventional orchestra for Ghostbusters, so he used both new and old technology. He included the then-cutting-edge Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer to create weird sounds that orchestral instruments couldn’t conjure up, and even employed an Ondes Martenot—a relatively obscure early electronic instrument created in 1928 by inventor Maurice Martenot—for additional otherworldly tones. You can hear it in the beginning and middle of the song above.

20 IVAN REITMAN WAS PETRIFIED DURING THE FILM’S FIRST TEST SCREENING.

On paper and out of context, Ghostbusters was an admittedly outrageous prospect for a feature film. During the movie’s first test screening, held for 200 random people at Columbia Pictures Studio only three weeks after principal photography wrapped, Reitman was utterly terrified. He was not only uncertain about the fundamental plot of the film; he was also concerned that perhaps-too-absurd major details (like the Marshmallow Man) might take audiences “out” of the movie. In addition, only one fully-completed effect shot was available for the test screening—one of the film’s opening scenes, where an old librarian ghost transforms into a frightening ghoul. Reitman waited in the wings during the scene, and when audiences burst out laughing one second and hid their eyes the next, he knew that his fears were unfounded. And Reitman knew he had a major hit on his hands while walking around New York City during the second week of the film’s release, where he saw street vendors selling bootleg Ghostbusters T-shirts.

SOURCE: MENTAL FLOSS

Irish Crown Jewels Mystery

Filly brought this story to my attention and I thought it would make an interesting open.

From historicmsyteries.com:

A star, decorated with flawless Brazilian diamonds, and with an emerald trefoil and ruby cross set against blue enamel. A diamond badge, and five gold jewel-encrusted collars. These were the stunning pieces that made up the Irish Crown Jewels, and on July 6, 1907, the gems were discovered to be missing.

Most of the 394 jewels came from Queen Charlotte, wife of George III and Queen of Great Britain (and later the United Kingdom) from 1761 until 1818. Their value, for the stones alone, has been estimated at many millions of dollars, but for the history they encompass they are priceless.

And nobody knows where they are.

The Heist

The timing of the theft was particularly significant: the jewels were taken just before the visit of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom in the summer of 1907. As part of this occasion, the jewels were supposed to be used to swear in Lord Castletown as a new knight of the Order of St Patrick.

Just four years earlier, in 1903, security around the jewels had been beefed up. The Ulster King of Arms office in Dublin Castle, who had responsibility for the jewels, had moved from the Bermingham Tower to the Bedford or Clock Tower.

The jewels were moved to a new safe, which would be kept in the newly built strongroom set up specifically for that purpose. But the new safe was too enormous to fit through the entryway to the strongroom, so the Ulster King of Arms, Sir Arthur Vicars, had it housed in his library instead.

Vicars and his employees owned seven latch keys to the Office of Arms’s entrance, as well as two keys to the safe containing the jewels. With so many locks protecting the safe and the priceless artifacts within, they were considered completely safe from theft.

However, one should never discount the human element in such security measures, and here we have our first suspect: Vicars himself. Somehow, he had access to the jewels and could retrieve them on his own, a clear vulnerability in the system.

Furthermore, during the long night hours spent on duty guarding the jewels, Vicars was known to drink. On one occasion, he awoke from a drunken stupor to discover he was wearing the jewels around his neck.

Was this the actions of a drunkard who didn’t take his job seriously? Had someone placed the jewels around his neck while he was passed out to mock him, as a cruel joke at his expense exposing his incompetence?

Or could this be a trial run for the theft itself?

Who Stole the Irish Crown Jewels?

One of the key problems with solving this almost inconceivable crime is that it is not known when exactly the jewels were taken. There was no system in place to regularly inspect the jewels, and they were kept locked in the safe out of sight. It was only with the imminent arrival of Edward VII that the jewels, somewhat embarrassingly, were found to be missing.

The jewels had last been seen in the safe on 11 June 1907, and so were stolen at some point between then and 6 July when, four days before the King’s arrival, their theft was noticed. The King still came to Ireland, but Lord Castleton, without the jewels, was not invested as a knight.

Francis Shackleton, the brother of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton and Vicars’s second-in-command, was the leading suspect. Shackleton, despite his renown, was in financial trouble, and furthermore had the opportunity to obtain the key and duplicate it.

At the time of the theft, Shackleton was found to be out of the country. But this did not completely exonerate him, as the lack of forcible entry has led to speculation that it must have been an inside job.

Another hypothesis holds that Shackleton planned the heist and had his associate Captain Richard Howard Gorges carry it out. Both men were homosexual at a time when this was illegal, and the theory was that Gorges had given Vicars whiskey until he had fallen asleep.

The King and Viceroy of Ireland would have been keen to avoid a scandal, given that following this line of inquiry would have exposed the pair as homosexual. Given the friends and associations of Shackleton at the highest levels of society. Shackleton was exonerated, possibly to suppress this information.

If Not Shackleton, Who?

The Dublin Metropolitan Police conducted a police inquiry, distributing posters depicting and describing the lost diamonds. On the 12th of July, Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector John Kane arrived from the United Kingdom to assist.

His report, which was never made public, is alleged to have identified the perpetrator but was suppressed by the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). Vicars declined to resign from his job, and also refused to appear before the commission investigating the theft.

Instead, Vicars called for a public Royal Commission with the power to summon witnesses and publicly accused Shackleton of the theft. Shackleton refused to participate.

As mentioned above, the commission found Shackleton not guilty, and also concluded that Vicars had not exercised adequate vigilance or proper care as the custodian of the regalia. Vicars was then forced to resign, as were all of the others who worked under him.

Other suspects were suggested. One immediate rumor was that the gems had been taken by political activists affiliated with the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Pat O’Brien, Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom accused “loyal and patriotic Unionist criminals” of having committed the crime.

Some tabloids claimed that Lord Haddo, son of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, was involved in the robbery. Augustine Birrell, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, declared in the Commons that Haddo had been in Great Britain when the crime occurred and that the speculation was baseless.

Laurence Ginnell claimed in 1912 and 1913 that the police investigation had established the identity of the thief, that his report had been suppressed to avoid scandal. He also claimed that the jewels could be easily retrieved, however in fact they never were.

The Mystery Still Unsolved

The lack of a clear solution to the mystery has invited much speculation down the years. According to a 2002 book, the jewels were stolen as part of a Unionist scheme to disgrace the Liberal government and then restored to the Royal Family in secret.

Another theory put forward by the Genealogical Office of the Republic of Ireland was that the jewels were never removed from the Clock Tower, but merely hidden. Donal Begley, the Chief Herald of Ireland, supervised the dismantling of walls and floorboards during repair work to the Clock Tower in 1983, in case the jewels would be discovered, but they were not.

There have also been a lot of false alarms over the years. James Weldon, a jeweler, received a letter containing unusually detailed information on their movements, recognized the person who delivered it as Shackleton.

He received another letter twenty years later, which he brought to the attention of W T Cosgrave, first President of the executive of the Irish Free State. However, the diamonds were never found,

And to this day, their location is unknown. What happened to them, and where they are now, remain a mystery. However, there is still hope that one day, the diamonds will be recovered for Ireland.

SOURCE: HISTORICMYSTERIES.COM: BIPIN DIMRI

DIY: Uses for Apple Peels

Since we’re beginning apple season, I wanted to share an article I found on ways to use up apple peels. This was written by Brittany Davies on the tastingtable.com website:

Apples are delicious, versatile fruits that can be enjoyed fresh or cooked, sweet or savory, on their own or as a tasty addition to anything from oatmeal to salads to baked goods. After making a batch of applesauce, preparing a flaky pie, or peeling apple slices to appease a picky eater, you have probably found yourself with a pile of apple skins on the brink of being tossed in the garbage. In addition to making the most of your produce, reducing food waste by utilizing every part of the apple contributes to positive outcomes for the environment and the food supply. The USDA estimates between 30% to 40% of the food supply goes to waste with 31% of food loss occurring at the retail and consumer levels. Valuable nutrients and resources used to produce, transport, prepare, and store wasted food are all lost in a landfill. To combat this problem, the United Nations suggests consumers get creative to reduce food waste at home while speaking up in their communities and local governments.

Although food waste is a big problem, small actions daily such as finding ways to reuse apple peels are easy opportunities to minimize your impact. Wash your apples before peeling them to eliminate any residual pesticides, then enjoy the peels as a nutritious snack, transformed into baked goods, and even as a natural cleaner. Save money and the planet while making the most of your produce with these ways to use up apple peelings.

Turn them into a crunchy snack

Eating apples provide a variety of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, (via Harvard School of Public Health). However, much of the fiber and beneficial flavonoids are found in apple skins. Finding ways to incorporate the entire apple into your meals, whether eating it whole or finding innovative ways to consume the peels, is the best way to reap the most benefit from the fruit.

Using an oven, air fryer, or dehydrator, you can transform apple peelings into a crunchy, nutrient-rich snack. Environmentally-minded snack producers like RIND are already doing this with dried fruit products, all with skins intact. Meal kit service HelloFresh also offers suggestions for reinventing fruit peels as chips, candy, seasoning, and tea. To make crunchy apple skin chips in the oven, preheat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and place the apple peels on a lined baking sheet. Season with a dash of cinnamon or get creative with your favorite blend of spices. Bake the peels for about 30 minutes, tossing halfway through to get them nice and crisp. Enjoy these crunchy snacks on their own, or as a way to add texture to salads, sandwiches, and wraps.

Stay hydrated with fruit infused water

Soak up the benefits of fruit-infused water by adding apple peels to your reusable bottle. In addition to keeping you hydrated, Dr. Danielle Hairston-Green of Prairie View A&M University, explains that infusing water with fruit and herbs offers flavor. The nutrients from the fruit can also support healthy skin and digestive systems.

Enjoy the refreshing flavor of apple skins on their own, or enhance them with other fruits, herbs, and spices. For a fall-inspired flavor, add orange peel, ginger, and cinnamon sticks to your water along with the apple peels, or give your water a bright, refreshing boost with apple peels, cucumber, and lemon. Infused water is a fun, versatile way to get the most out of produce scraps such as apple peels and cores, citrus rinds, mango peels, strawberry tops, herb stems, and even celery leaves. Check the produce for mold, then add scraps to the bottom of a pitcher or water bottle, stir, and let sit for at least an hour or up to overnight in the fridge, giving the fruit and herbs time to release their flavors.

Make tea

Apples are the perfect complement to chilly autumn evenings, especially paired with cinnamon and served hot in a cute mug. Apple peel tea is a quick way to warm up on a cool autumn day. Simmer apple peels and spices such as cinnamon and clove with water for about 10 minutes, add some lemon or orange zest and cook for an additional minute, then strain the peels and spices before serving the cozy drink with lemon slices and a drizzle of honey. You can also use dried apple skins as the base of a spiced tea mix that is ready to brew whenever you want it.

For those in search of a cool and refreshing apple beverage, try transforming leftover apple peels and cores into an herbaceous iced tea. Apples pair naturally well with robust herbs such as sage, rosemary, and thyme to create a unique flavor profile. To make apple peel and herb iced tea, boil herb leaves with one part maple syrup to one part water for herbed simple syrup. Combine your favorite loose-leaf tea, herb stems, apple peels and cores, and cold water in a pitcher. Stir and press down the scraps, making sure they are covered by water. Let the ingredients steep in the refrigerator overnight. Strain the scraps and serve the brewed tea over ice, sweetened with your homemade simple syrup.

Boost a smoothie

Packed with important nutrients, apple peels are a great way to boost your favorite smoothie. If using apples in your smoothie, save prep time by setting aside the peeler and using the whole fruit. If you’re debating whether to peel or not to peel prior to blending, know that apple peels, even when blended, might leave bits and pieces in the mixture. If you don’t enjoy the texture of the blended peels, consider making some homemade dried apple powder as a way to boost the flavor and nutrients in smoothies, oatmeal, and more.

With its many health benefits, it is no surprise that apple peel powder is a sought-after supplement that can be purchased in health stores to increase fiber and other nutrients in your food. According to research in the National Library of Medicine, dried apple peel powder has been associated with increased joint function and range of motion, among other benefits. With leftover apple peelings, you can make your own fiber-rich smoothie booster at home. Use an oven or dehydrator to dry the apple pieces, then pulse the dried peels in a blender until they form a powder. Condition the powder in a low-temperature oven for 15 minutes, then store in an airtight container.

Sweeten a salad

With their subtle sweetness, apples work equally well when paired with sweet or savory dishes and are a great way to liven up an average salad. The best salad ingredients enhance the dish with color, variety, and texture. Adding a hint of sweetness along with a unique mouthfeel, leftover apple peels make a tasty and versatile topping for salads. Try incorporating apple peelings in a hearty spinach salad topped with walnuts, sharp cheddar, and dried cranberries, which also pair well with the apples.

Chopped leftover apple skins could make an interesting change to a classic chicken salad as well, offering a fresh element to balance rich and savory ingredients. Thinly sliced apple peelings can also help stretch out coleslaw while adding a subtle touch of sweetness to the mix. Whether using red or green apple peels, the vibrant skins are a colorful and nutrient-dense addition to the vegetable blend.

Bulk up breakfast and baked goods

Savory or sweet, there are many creative ways to cook with apples. Incorporating leftover apple peels adds texture, flavor, and nutrients to a variety of breakfast options and tasty baked goods. They can be included whole for the most texture as well as chopped or blended into a finer mixture. Apple peel powder can also bring a sweet and nutritious boost to your breakfast and baked goods.

Bulk up your oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, or yogurt with a handful of apple skins or apple peel powder for an extra dose of fiber in your morning meal. For a savory breakfast delight, try including chopped apple peels in your homemade sausage recipe to add a touch of sweetness to the mix. You can also enhance bread, muffins, pies, cinnamon rolls, marshmallow treats, and other desserts with leftover apple peelings. They work especially well in recipes featuring warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, or star anise for a fragrant, fall treat.

Upgrade your baking with homemade apple extract

Level up your baking with even more apple-forward flavor by transforming leftover apple peelings into homemade apple extract. Pure extracts made from scratch are easy to prepare and taste better than synthetic versions. You can make extracts of any flavor using a few simple ingredients that are free of artificial flavors, colors, and heavy corn syrup.

To prepare your homemade extracts, you only need vodka and natural ingredients such as apple peels, citrus rinds, or vanilla beans. A water and vegetable glycerin mixture can be used as an alternative to alcohol, or you can swap the vodka for bourbon for a richer flavor. It only takes a few minutes to combine the ingredients, but the process of extracting the flavor can take five to six weeks. If you have access to the sous vide machine, you can speed up the process and intensify the flavor using this helpful device. Extracts made with vodka or bourbon will keep for a long time thanks to the high alcohol content. The bottles should be stored closed and away from light and heat in a cabinet or cupboard.

Make apple syrup

Leftover apple peelings are made even more delicious with some added sugar. We suggest saving apple peels to make rich, homemade apple syrup by reducing the peels with maple syrup or brown sugar and water. The result will be a little thinner than traditional maple syrup, but not as runny as plain simple syrup, and can be further enriched with cream, honey, or butter. You can even make spiced syrup by mixing in cinnamon and other warm spices or create interesting and complex syrup flavors by incorporating ingredients such as citrus peels, herbs, bourbon, or berries.

Use your homemade apple syrup to sweeten coffee, tea, and cocktails. Drizzle your fruity syrup over yogurt or oatmeal, mix it into homemade granola, or pour some over French toast, waffles, or pancakes for an elevated morning meal. You can even use your homemade syrup to make a sweet compound butter to spread over bread, bagels, and muffins.

Reduce them into jelly

Pectin-rich apple peels are perfect for making a batch of homemade apple jelly. Science Direct explains that pectin is a carbohydrate and natural gelling agent found in fruits, particularly citrus rinds and apple peels. Pectin is used to solidify jams, jellies, or preserves and has been included in juices and other beverages to improve the viscosity and mouthfeel. Plant-based pectin mimics the effects of gelatin, which is derived from animals and has a variety of culinary uses from making a glaze for fruit tarts to firming up gummy candies.

Because apples naturally contain higher amounts of pectin, making apple jelly requires only a few ingredients including apple peels and cores, water, sugar, and lemon juice. The pectin in the peels will thicken the mixture as it boils, creating a delicious jelly that can be stored in the refrigerator to enjoy right away or processed in a water bath canner for long-term storage. You can also use leftover apple peelings to extract pectin for use in other recipes. The best type of apples for making pectin are very firm, green apples because pectin levels decrease as the fruit ripens. Use your homemade apple pectin for a wide range of cooking, baking, and canning projects.

Turn them into apple cider vinegar

There are many myths and claims attached to apple cider vinegar, but regardless of the purported health benefits, the tangy substance has a number of versatile uses in and out of the kitchen. Apple cider vinegar is a fermented product that can be time-consuming to prepare but is well worth the effort for its myriad of uses from making salad dressing to cleaning your home. Although it can be a long, laborious process, all you need to make apple cider vinegar are apple peels and cores, a little bit of sugar, and water.

In addition to whipping up homemade salad dressings, we suggest using your homemade apple cider vinegar as an all-purpose solution for just about everything from killing weeds and deterring flies to washing produce and enhancing your beauty regimen. In the kitchen, you can employ apple cider vinegar to make a quick buttermilk substitute by mixing it with milk or include it in marinades to tenderize meat. The sour liquid can be used in pickle recipes as well as to make salsas, homemade mayonnaise, relishes, and more.

Infuse your booze

No longer a mere garnish, leftover apple peels can infuse your booze with a boost of apple flavor. To make a simple, apple-infused liquor, pack a sterilized jar with apple scraps such as peels and cores and fill the container with liquor and seal it with a lid. Store the container in a cool dark place for several weeks, shaking the jar every few days. Strain the apple remnants and enjoy straight or creative cocktails. Customize your infused liquors with herbs, spices, and other fruits for unique, signature additions to your liquor cabinet.

For a boozy use for apple peelings that takes less patience, try adding them to sangria along with citrus peels for a fragrant addition to the fruity beverage. Creative connoisseurs might try infusing their homemade alcoholic concoctions with leftover peels. We suggest those interested in making their own wine consider adding leftover apple skins to the mix or incorporating them into a cozy recipe for hard cider.

Treat your pets

Many pet parents love to please give furry friends special treats. After talking with your veterinarian about your individual pet’s needs, you might use your kitchen scraps to create tasty homemade treats your pet will love. According to the American Kennel Club, apple peels are good for dogs and can help ease digestive issues and maintain a healthy weight thanks to the extra fiber. However, refrain from feeding dogs apple seeds or cores as they contain small amounts of cyanide and may be a choking hazard. The apple peels can be eaten raw in small amounts or baked into chips or dog-friendly cookies.

Apple peels are a great snack for other types of pets as well, such as chickens, goats, and pigs. Offer leftover apple skins in small pieces for chickens to peck to save the peels from going into the trash. Goats and pigs will likely also enjoy the sweet apple treat.

Remove stains from cookware

Leftover apple skins are versatile kitchen scraps with a range of uses beyond the culinary world with surprising applications throughout the home. Fruit and vegetable peelings have many benefits around the home, including as a natural stain remover. The acid in apple peels can help break down grease stains and restore the shine of aluminum cookware and utensils.

To harness the cleaning power of your apple scraps, boil the pieces of apple skin in water and let them simmer in the stained aluminum pot or pan for about half an hour. Let the cookware cool, then wash it with dish soap, rinse, and dry it as usual. After applying this process, the stains and discoloration should be gone and your cookware will be restored to its original glory. Thanks to the fragrant fruit, you can also enjoy a fresh, lovely apple scent in your kitchen and home.

Freshen up with potpourri

Along with warm spices, the cozy smell of apples is a signature scent of fall. Freshening up your space with leftover apple peels can be as simple as pouring boiling water over a handful of apple scraps in a bowl, allowing the scent to disperse throughout the room. You can also capture the autumnal aroma with a do-it-yourself potpourri featuring leftover apple peels.

Fill your home with fragrance using a stove-top version in which the ingredients are added to water and simmered until the aroma fills the room or break out the dehydrator to create a dried mix that can be utilized throughout the house, even doubling as a cozy decoration. There are a plethora of uses for potpourri at home, in the car, for bags and suitcases, or as gifts. Dried apple skins can be placed in a small cotton sachet and placed in drawers or linen closets for an easy way to freshen up fabrics.

Enrich compost

If you find yourself with too many leftover apple peels to use before they go bad, note that apple skins can be frozen for future use. If wildlife frequents your yard, you might put them out for the squirrels, chipmunks, or birds to enjoy. However, if you do not wish to save your peels, consider returning any remaining bits to the soil by using them to enrich your compost. Make sure the apples have been washed to remove any potentially harmful pesticides or chemicals and take off any non-biodegradable produce stickers from the apple skins.

There are multiple ways to create compost, even if you are living in an apartment or other small space. The USDA explains that composting benefits the earth by feeding the soil without the use of chemical fertilizers, keeping food waste out of landfills, and conserving water by creating healthy soils. Two popular styles of compost include backyard composting and worm composting, also known as vermicompost. Apple peels can be broken down using either method, enriching the soil with the many nutrients found in the scraps while preventing food waste.

SOURCE: tastingtable.com Brittany Davies

Louisiana State Flower: Magnolia

From almanac.com:

Magnolias aren’t just for southern gardeners. The genus Magnolia is varied and encompasses hundreds of plant species, with many more cultivars developed. Today, magnolias are available in all sizes, from small shrubbery to large shade trees, deciduous or evergreen. Some are cold, hardy, and frigid, as in zone 4.

Magnolias are believed to be among the oldest flowering plants, at about 100 million years old. They have been blooming in spring and summer since dinosaurs roamed the earth.

The giant of the family, southern magnolias (M. grandiflora), are evergreen trees with large, leathery leaves found throughout the American South and grow to gigantic proportions, often reaching 60 to 80 feet tall. Leaves can be epically sized as well, and on larger trees, can be a foot long. The blooms are dinner-plate-sized, and the fragrance is fantastic.

Magnolias come in so many sizes that they can be used for every landscape situation, from huge shade trees to flowering specimens, privacy hedges and borders, screening plantings, and even in beds and containers. When shopping, choose magnolias based on flowering time, hardiness zone, color, and mature size.

When to Plant Magnolias

Magnolias can be planted in spring or fall. If planting in autumn, get the tree in the ground 4-6 weeks before the first frost to allow time to grow new roots. Bare root stock received in spring should be planted as soon as received.

Where to Plant Magnolias

While specific cultivar needs may vary, most members of the Magnolia genus prefer full sun to light shade and, in hotter climates, need protection from the intense afternoon sun. Their branches can be brittle, so pick a site protected from the wind.

Magnolias grow large, thick, shallow root systems and should be kept away from building foundations or sidewalks. Check the tag and visualize the mature size of the tree or shrub. Some magnolias are enormous, while others are small enough to grow in containers.

When planting, select a site with the following:

Full to partial sun. Choose a site with morning and midday sun but afternoon shade in hotter climates.

Moist but well-drained sites are best. Very dry or wet sites are not suitable.

Acidic soil, pH 5.5-6.5, is best.

Types of Magnolias

Little Gem’ (M. grandiflora) is a good choice for small yards. It reaches 15 feet in height and flowers within a few years.

Centennial’ (M. stellata) is a star magnolia with slightly pink 5-inch flowers. A vigorous and cold hardy cultivar.

San Jose’ (M. x soulangeana) is a saucer magnolia with deep magenta flowers. Fragrant and vigorous, it makes an excellent container plant.

SOURCE: ALMANAC.COM

Know-It-All Tuesdays: Animal Names

I found this quiz on the quiz-everyday.com website:

Question 1:

A male tiger is called a tiger and a female tiger is called a _______.

Question 2:

A female zebra or a horse is known as a mare and a male zebra or a horse is known as a _______.

Question 3:

A male chicken is called a _______ or a cock and a female chicken is called a _______.

Question 4:

A male lion is known simply as a lion and a female lion is known as a _______.

Question 5:

Male pig is simply called a _______.

Question 6:

When it comes to cats, a male cat can be called a ______ and a female cat can be called a _______ or a pussy cat. (use the longer form for a male cat and use only one word in both cases)

Question 7:

When we talk about a female dog, we use the word _______.

Question 8:

Male fox is simply called a fox but for a female fox we use the word _______.

Question 9:

When we want to say a male cow, we can use the word ______.

Question 10:

For a female duck we can use the word hen but for a male duck we use the word _______.

Pretty easy quiz! How did you do?

Tigress

Stallion

Rooster, hen

Lioness

Boar

Tomcat, queen

Bitch

Vixen

Bull

Drake

Till next month…stay sharp!

What Shall We Bake Today?

Today is National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day and this recipe makes 3 loaves!

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₂ cups milk

1 cup warm water (must be between 110-115 degrees)

2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast

3 eggs

¹⁄₂ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

¹⁄₂ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup raisins

8 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter, melted

directions

Warm the milk in a small sauce pan on the stove until it just starts to bubble, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat.

Let cool until lukewarm, about 120-125 degrees.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside until yeast is frothy, about 10 minutes or so (make sure your water is at the correct temperature or the yeast won’t activate.) Then mix in eggs, sugar, butter salt and raisins (stir in the cooled milk slowly so you don’t cook the eggs.) Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until smooth.

Place in a large, buttered, mixing bowl and turn to grease the surface of the dough.

Cover with a warm, damp cloth and let rise (I like to let my bread rise in the oven with the light on. It has just the right amount of heat and keeps the bread out of drafts.) Allow to rise until doubled, usually about 1 1/2 hours.

Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick.

Moisten the dough with 2 tablespoons milk and rub all over the dough with your hands.

Mix together 1 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon and sprinkle mixture evenly on top of the moistened dough.

Roll up tightly (the long way).

The roll should be about 3 inches in diameter.

Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends and pinch bottom together.

Place loaves into well greased (you can use Crisco or butter for this) 9 x 5 inch pans and lightly grease tops of loaves.

Let rise in warm place, uncovered, again for about an hour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped.

Remove from oven and let cool on rack.

Take melted butter and spread over tops of loaves.

After about 20 minutes, lay loaves on their sides and remove from pans.

Allow to cool before slicing.

ENJOY!

Sun Conure

Brilliantly colorful, friendly, and loaded with character, the sun conure has long been popular as a companion bird. These parrots are intelligent, trainable pets known for having playful personalities that are especially suitable for a family setting.

Owners should be prepared; this bird is one of the loudest of all the medium-sized parrots. So, while conures are good pets, they are not good for beginners since they require a lot of consistent training, daily interaction, and constant socialization to stay tame and well-behaved.

What is a Conure Parrot?

Conures are small-to-medium-sized parrots with vibrant feathers, long tails, and curved beaks. These birds are characterized by their talkative nature and active temperament.

The population of this currently endangered bird is dwindling rapidly due to loss of habitat and trapping for the pet trade. According to the World Parrot Trust, populations have dipped drastically over the past three decades despite the U.S. import ban of 1992 and European Union ban in 2007.

Temperament

The sun conure is a playful, amusing bird that enjoys athletic tricks. These birds are smart, interactive, and easily trained. In general, the sun conure is a very affectionate and cuddly bird that is gentle to all members of the family as long as they are treated well. The bird is not without assertiveness, though; they can turn aggressive suddenly if provoked.

This parrot can go through nippy phases that can be hard on children as well as on adults. Even the tamest pet bird can get startled and bite. This is not a true reflection of their personality; it’s a natural reaction.

Like all parrots, sun conures are social birds that need a considerable amount of interaction with their human owners to be happy. They are naturally playful and affectionate when they get the attention they need, making them uniquely suited for those who want a bird for steady companionship. These birds will do well with another sun conure as a companion.

Keep in mind that the sun conure is extremely loud, capable of emitting ear-piercing screams. The loud, shrill call is used in the wild to bring attention to important situations from miles away. Likewise, this bird can stand in as an excellent version of a watchdog for your home.

Speech and Vocalizations

In captivity, this bird’s loud, harsh calls may elicit return calls from angry neighbors. This bird is not suitable for apartment or condo dwellers. You can’t expect to “train away” their calls, but you can train them from early on to curb excessive screaming. They do express excitement and fear with shrill screams. Conures are not shy birds and will let you know vocally if they are bored or if their needs are neglected.

Sun conures are not known for their talking ability, but some birds demonstrate an uncanny ability to mimic other types of sounds, such as doorbells, microwave buzzers, and telephone chimes.

Sun Conure Colors and Markings

At maturity, a sun conure is bright orange and yellow with traces of green and blue. Juvenile sun conures are not nearly as colorful as adults—this is a natural defense mechanism. The first feathers are olive green in color, changing to a mixture of yellowish-orange at around 6 months of age. Full-color plumage occurs at approximately 18 months to two years of age. Sun conures have black beaks and feet and characteristic white patches around each eye. The sexes are identical in color and markings. To determine sex, your bird would require genetic testing or a surgical sexing procedure.

Caring for a Sun Conure

The sun conure is an active bird that will be happiest in a roomy enclosure. At a minimum, give your bird a cage that is 30 inches by 30 inches in footprint with a height of at least 36 inches for a bird on the smaller size. Make sure the cage has relatively narrow bar spacing (3/4 to one inch) to prevent the bird from getting their head stuck between the bars. Keep the house between 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit for your bird’s comfort.

As is true of most other parrot species, the sun conure needs safe out-of-cage areas to explore and investigate. This athletic bird loves to create their own tricks. Provide a play gym on top of the cage so it can stretch its legs and wings. Consider adding a perch or flight cage.

Like most pet birds, sun conures require training if you want to have a positive and fun relationship with them. Use positive reinforcement techniques to train this parrot to do several athletic tricks. This bird will not respond well to scolding or any kind of negative reinforcement.

Sun conures tend to enjoy bathing and will splash about daily when provided with a shallow water bowl. They may also enjoy a spray shower from overhead misters as some other parrots do.

Diet and Nutrition

In the wild, sun conures primarily feast on fruit, nuts, and seeds. In captivity, they do best on a formulated, balanced pellet diet supplemented with fruits, leafy greens, and root vegetables. Slightly steamed sweet potatoes are an excellent food for your pet conure.

When it comes to pellet food, this should account for approximately 75-80% of the bird’s diet. As for fresh fruits and veggies, offer about a 1/8 to 1/4 cup in the morning and at night.

Like other companion birds, a sun conure needs and appreciates treats, so make healthy choices for treats. Nuts and seeds are always a good choice for an occasional treat. Walnuts and almonds are excellent selections. If you would like to make feeding your feathered companion easier, try making a grain bake casserole dish. It freezes well for a healthy, portioned meal for your bird.

Avoid giving your sun conure overly salty foods, chocolate, or anything with caffeine. Additionally, give any dairy products in moderation since sun conures are lactose-intolerant.

SOURCE: SPRUCEPETS