Ten of the Most Beautifully Colored Creatures in the World

        

       I absolutely love beautiful creatures in nature. There are many that are indeed beautiful. Here are ten of the most beautifully colored creatures in the world.

Gouldian Finch

By Ltshears - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10846526

       The Gouldian Finch is native to Australia. It is around 4.7 - 5.9 inches in length. The beak is flesh-colored in general, but once the adult is in mating condition, its beak tip turns red, orange, or black. It is an endangered species with only about 2,500 of them left.

Source: https://www.beautyofbirds.com/gouldianfinch.html

Mandarin Duck

By Heinz Albers, www.heinzalbers.org - Own work, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1408590

       The adult male Mandarin duck is a beautiful and prominent bird. It has a red bill, large white crescent above the eye and many more colors around its face. The breast is purple with two vertical white stripes. It has two orange "sails" at the back. In molting season, the male looks like the female but can be distinguished by the red bill. As they are endangered, Mandarin ducks in eastern Russia and in China are both probably well below 1,000 pairs, but Japan may have around 5,000 pairs.

Source: https://www.beautyofbirds.com/mandarinduck.html

Golden Pheasant

By Jmhullot - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40373608

       Also known as the Chinese pheasant, the adult male golden pheasant is about 40 inches in length, with his tail accounting for two-thirds of the total length. It is native to China but has established its own habitat in areas of the United States and the United Kingdom as well. Its colors are very vibrant, making it one of the most beautifully colored birds in the world.

Source: https://www.beautyofbirds.com/goldenpheasants.html

Keel-billed Toucan

       Keel-billed Toucans are native to southern Mexico. They are amongst the larger species of toucans. There are actually about forty different species of toucans! The keel-billed toucans measure 17 to 22 inches in length - including the multi-colored beaks, which alone are about 5 - 7.9 inches long.

Source:https://www.beautyofbirds.com/keelbilledtoucans.html

Jewel Beetle

By Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE (Jewel Beetle (Chrysochroa baudoni)) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

       Native to Japan, the jewel beetle it is typically found in woods or forests in the summer. The larvae live inside a rotten nettle or zelkova tree. They are very rare. The larger and more spectacularly colored jewel beetles are highly prized by insect collectors. 

Source: http://carnivoraforum.com/topic/10160803/1/

Panther Chameleon

Fanomezantsoa Andria… [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

      The panther chameleon is native to Madagascar, Nosey Be, and Sambava. Its colors are mainly green, and could have various markings from red to blue, and from yellow to black. It is also kept as a household pet by many around the world.

Source:
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/reptiles/lizards_chameleons/PantherChameleon.php

Collared Lizard

By Hovenweep National Monument (Collared Lizard) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

       The male collared lizard is beautiful in colors, with a blue body and a bright yellow head. It can grow up to ten inches in length. It can also be kept as a house pet.

Source: https://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Collared%20Lizard.php

Mandarin Dragonet

I, Luc Viatour [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

       The Mandarin dragonet is native to the Philippines and Australia. It is a non aggressive fish with beautiful colors and no scales.

Source: 
https://reefcorner.com/reef-database-index/fish-index/mandarin-dragonet-synchiropus-splendidus/

Rosy Maple Moth

By Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren (# 7715 – Dryocampa rubicunda – Rosy Maple Moth) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

        The rosy maple moth is native to the United States and Canada. Its wingspan is 1.26 to 2.17 inches. It lives in forests with trees that lose their leaves, such as red maples.

Source: http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Dryocampa_rubicunda/

Madagascan Sunset Moth

By Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

        The beautiful Madagascan sunset moth is unusually active during the day, which causes it to be mistaken for a swallowtail butterfly, along with its bright colors and wing shape. One must be cautious around the moth, though, because it is poisonous.

Source: 
http://animals.mom.me/distinguishing-characteristics-madagascar-sunset-moth-5375.html

I believe in animal rights, and high among them is the right to the gentle stroke of a human hand. - Robert Brault

Read More

Six Ways to Tell if Your Cat Loves You Back

My kitty is always showing me that he loves me. Here are some of the way that I have found he shows his love to me:

The Slow Blink
Sometimes, I will look over and just fall in love with my cat all over again as I watch him slowly and repeatedly blink, just gazing at me. This is often a look of love from kitties and it is a sign of affection from them.

Purring
This is my favorite way of my kitty returning his affection towards me. Cats actually purr by vibrating their vocal cords. Kitties often purr while they are in your lap or cuddled up beside you, until they finally go to sleep. It is very soothing for people as well, of course, and can even put them to sleep too. 😊

Kneading
This one goes along with purring, and is sadly the more painful part of the signs of love from your kitty. Cats often knead you while on your lap, especially with a soft blanket or soft clothing. They often do that because they may see you as heir new mommy; when they were kittens, the kneaded the mommy kitty's tummy to get milk. Perhaps this is a remnant of that. Even though it is painful to feel those sharp claws kneading into your skin, it is actually a very sweet way that your kitty shows you some love.

They Follow You Everywhere
Wether to the toilet, or to the kitchen while cooking dinner, your kitty loves you enough to follow you everywhere (and drive you nuts!). When I know I am being followed by my cat, I have to hastily race to the bathroom in order to not allow them in there. If they make it in there, they get on the sink and open the cabinets and knock everything over. When I am cooking dinner, they swerve in and out from under my feet and trip me. Sometimes, however, I share the love back by giving them some chicken broth or something else from dinner I can give. After that, they are satisfied enough to go and take a nice nap.

They Bring You Presents
Kitties will often show you signs of love by bringing you presents from outside. When they have come in after a long night of playing and hunting, they proudly walk with their head up and bring in a dead, or half-dead, creature of some sort. They place it by your feet, come to find that you are not so pleased with this gift as they are. One of the more nastier signs of affection from kitties is definitely their special "gifts."

They Sleep with You
At the end of the day, I can always count on my sweet kitty to be my roommate at night when no one else is there. Before I turn out the light, I watch as my kitty purrs and kneads, while giving me a slow, loving blink. 

What greater gift than the love of a cat? - Charles Dickens

Read More

Ruzzle: My Favorite Word Game App

       Word games are one of my favorite types of games. One word game in particular I really like is Ruzzle. It is available on the Android and iPhone. It is multiplayer and you can sign in with Facebook or create a completely new account. You can choose from a random opponent or see where you rank and play tournament. As of now, team play is coming soon to the game as well. Now, as for the gameplay, you have two minutes to swipe through as much words as possible. The larger size and quantity of words, the better. It is similar to Scrabble as far as being able to land a double or triple word score. The best part is, you learn new words the more you play! I actually have learned that there are many two-letter words that I can quickly swipe in to get a couple points, such as "ta," "ar", and "al." Every point counts, right? Also, don't use the Ruzzle guides where you take a screenshot and then it tells you what words you can use. It takes up way too much time out of your precious two minutes. So, go ahead and download the app now. The version I use is free! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.maginteractive.rumble.free

       Also, don't forget to add me on Ruzzle! My user name is 97Castle. Happy spelling!

Read More

Six Mistakes I Made When I Started Ballet

I started ballet when I was eight years old from the very bottom. I had terrible technique, awful stage presence, and overall was pretty much clueless about this elegant art in general. Here are some mistakes that I made when I started ballet and what you can avoid doing all together.

Turning My Foot In
When my teacher told me to turn my foot out, I turned it in. I did this simply because I thought she meant for me to turn the inside of my foot out. If you think anything like me, I should let you know now that when someone says turn your foot out, it simply means to rotate your whole leg out rather than in. 

Having No Facial Expression
Wether you are just at rehearsal, class time, or on stage, you should always be expressive. You don't always have to smile, though. If music is adagio, which is a slow, often sorrowful sounding music, you would be more calm and less expressive. If it is more allegro, which is upbeat and often cheerful, you would be more exciting and joyful. Please don't ever go without expressing yourself like I did.

Timidness
This kind of goes hand in hand with the previous mistake, but being timid in ballet is actually not the way to be. Along with the fact the being expressive is a must, coming out of my shell outside rehearsals was pretty important too. The more I learned to be expressive with my friends, the more that was reflected into my stage presence.

Bad Posture
I know this kind of goes without saying, but bad posture is a big no-no in ballet. As soon as I learned proper posture, the rest of my technique became even better. The proper balletic posture goes as follows: draw your ribs in, put your shoulders down and back, lean slightly forward, elongate your neck as if a string was pulling up your head, and lift your sternum. 

Not Breathing
You wouldn't think that with getting hot and sweaty that one would forget to breathe in ballet. I, along with many of my classmates, forgot to breathe, however. It is actually quite a task to learn how to breathe while you are thinking of your technique. Make sure you practice breathing from your diaphragm, and to practice breathing exercises as well.

Going with the Crowd
One terrible mistake I made when I started ballet was following other people's mistakes. If someone would roll their feet in, I would roll my feet in. Even if the teacher previously told us not to. I did this simply for the fact that I was afraid to stand out, even to possibly be laughed at by my classmates. NEVER be afraid to stand out in class by doing the right thing. Plus, your teachers will love you. 😉

I hope you learned from my mistakes sooner than I did. Be patient, however, your technique still won't change overnight. Over time, you will improve. Never give up. The show must go on!

We're fools wether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. -Japanese Proverb

Read More

Eight Old Dating Traditions That We Should Really Bring Back

There are many dating traditions that are simply too sweet to be forgotten forever. I would like to present those to you today. 

Here are eight dating traditions that should be brought back to the youth of today.

Dancing

Not just any kind of dancing, either. What I mean is that we need to bring good old fashioned swing dancing back, instead of twerking on stage as if we were Miley Cyrus herself.

Chivalry

It's the little things that add up to big things. They matter. Things like opening doors for women, insisting upon paying for the meal, and taking the lady home on time should all be brought back to the dating world. Also, walking on the outside of the sidewalk to protect her should be in there, too. Girls of today like to feel empowered in a way that they feel they need to prove they don't need a man's protection. It is just as empowering, however, if not more empowering, to allow a man to be a gentleman and protect her.

Flowers (and chocolate!)
Sometimes, it's the simple things in life that makes someone's day. Ladies love the simple gift of flowers and chocolate. If you can't give them to her yourself, you can send these thoughtful gifts to your lady through delivery. The point is that it is from you, and she will love it. So go ahead and get some roses and Russel Stover's sent to your lovely lady right away.


Putting Effort Into How You Dress
For some people, dressing nicely could mean their best pair of jeans and a nice shirt. For others, it could simply be the old fashioned petticoat and midi dress. For the guys it could be a suit a tie, or a nice pair of jeans and a button down shirt. Either way, whatever you can put effort into wearing, it will show that you care enough about how you present yourself to the other person.

Simple Compliments
Instead of telling someone they look hot or sexy, just say they look beautiful or handsome. It comes across as much more respectful this way.

Saving Yourselves For Marriage
Honestly, sex is way overrated in today's society. It has even less meaning in today's "hook up" culture when two people get together and are more involved physically with each other than they are emotionally. Wait and see if that person is the one you want to be with for the rest of your life before you give yourself to them completely, rather than having sex merely for pleasure.

Writing Poems or Songs
Writing love poems or even love songs is such a romantically old fashioned gesture. Knowing how to play an instrument to go along with it just adds to it all.

Writing Hand-written Letters
There's so much concern today about who texts first. What if it didn't matter? What if you just started writing hand written letters, wether you are a man or a woman, and just simply went back and forth from there? It would be much more simpler and you would think much more thoroughly about what you are going to write before you send it to your lover. 

I'm not saying that you have to add all of these gestures into your dating life. I'm saying it would be nice if you would add at least some of them, and it would be a change in pace after all. It would also earn you much respect.

Love is, above all, the gift of oneself. -Jean Anouilh

Read More

Ten Ways to Tell If You're a Cat Person

You talk to them.
When you accidentally bump into your cat, you apologize. When they're on your lap, you talk to them like a baby. If they've done something wrong, you do more than to just say "no." You give them a whole lecture about it.

Every chance you get, you save boxes just so that the cat can have a bed to sleep in.
When you've ordered that new cat toy in a package, and it finally arrives, you break it out of the box. Your cat doesn't even pay attention to the new toy. Instead, it curls up in that cozy box that you got just for him. How generous of you.

When you open a new jug of milk, you save the ring from the lid.
Both of our cats love to play with the milk rings. Again, they never pay attention to their so-called "cat toys." Instead, they like to jump on their back legs and dance around with the amazing milk ring.

Even if they shed all over it, you allow the cats to sleep on the furniture.
The vacuum is your new best friend when your cats sleep on the furniture. It's a lot of work, but the satisfaction of seeing them sleep on the couch in peace is worth it.

You spoil them with things like canned food, catnip, and fancy toys.
This means everything from mushy canned food to catnip spray and laser lights. Your cat will love you forever especially if you give them that deliciously meaty canned food.

You let them have some of your food.
Besides feeding them canned food, you also let them have some of your food every once in a while. Wether it is droppings from the dinner table, or a dollop of whipped cream, you spoil your cat with the much envied human food.

You allow their wet nose to touch your bare skin.
If you can more than tolerate your cat touching your leg with its wet nose, you are definitely a cat person.

Certain elements of your wardrobe have to do with cats.
It may be a hello kitty necklace, or it may be a cute sweater that says something like "Eat, Sleep, Cats." If you're a cat person, you will have at least one thing in your wardrobe that shows your fondness with felines.

You let them sleep with you.
Even if that means they push you out of bed, you put up with sleeping with your cat because you just love them that much (and they love you, too!).

You're not afraid to kiss them.

If you give your cats head butts or kiss them on their head, you are, without a doubt, a cat person.

People that hate cats will come back as mice in their next life. - Faith Resnick

Read More

My 15 Favorite Remedies for Headaches and Migraines

Okay, so I'm going to be real here. I get headaches. A LOT. It's probably because I get stressed out too much, resulting in tension headaches. So, I've researched and compiled a list of headache and migraine remedies for those of you that just have a little more tension than others.

Topical:

Lavender oil

Lavender oil is good for soothing many things, including headaches. Just rub some onto your temples (or wherever your headache is) and relax.

Ice

Ice is great for headaches. There are two techniques that you can use. You can either put an ice pack over your head, or you can simply get one ice cube and rub it on the back of your neck. This method has worked many times for me when my head is in pain. 

Heating pad

If the ice doesn't work, you can heat things up a bit with a heating pad. Just place it on your head and rest.

Moist towel - warm or cool

Hot shower

Internal Use:

Alka-Seltzer

This is by far my favorite remedy for internal use to cure a headache or migraine. It works very fast. Just use one pack of it in a small amount of water, less than 8 oz. You can buy Alka-Seltzer at Walmart for $6.

Cayenne pepper

Take two cayenne capsules, rather than choking the powder down in a glass of water. This method is much easier and still has the same effect.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea is a relaxant. So, just do exactly that and treat yourself to some nice warm chamomile tea.

Ginger

Some people swear by it this. I took ginger once for a headache, and it never seemed to help me. I will, however, still put it out there that many other people say that it does actually work for their headaches.

Almonds

Eating 10-12 almonds is about the equivalent of taking two aspirins. They may not taste that great to some people, but it can cure a headache if it really gets that bad.

Other:

Massage

If you have a vibrator, massage therapist, or a loved one willing to tend to your headache, you can just lay down, relax, and get the spa treatment.

Stretching

Stretching is a great way to relieve headaches. Simply take your right hand and put it over the left side of your head, then gently pull your head to the right. The repeat the same on the left side.

Exercising

Exercising can be be an amazing way to promote circulation throughout the body. You can do any kind of exercise, but the higher and longer it gets your heart rate up, the better. I recommend at least 30 minutes of upbeat exercise.

Sleep

This is definitely my favorite overall remedy to kill a headache. If you have time, you can take a nap, but long overnight sleep is preferred to kill headaches.

No electronics

Last but not least, staying off electronics will ease a headache. So, what are you waiting for? Put your phone down and get some rest!

Pain is not forever. - Saint Bernadette Soubirous

Read More