Sylvia Shults's Blog, page 42

Lights Out: U-505

The U-505, housed at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, is the only German submarine captured during World War II. Secrecy around the capture was paramount. But how do you hide something that’s a city block long? We’ll take a deep dive into the history and hauntings on this magnificent boat. https://youtu.be/_WztPON1GSk

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Today I Learned …

Pluto is only about half as wide as the United States. (From National Geographic Weird but True 8.)

Lights Out: Pioneer Zephyr

Stuck at home? Let’s go for a train trip! The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is home to several spirits. One of their lightly haunted exhibits is the Art Deco-inspired Pioneer Zephyr, one of the very first high-speed trains to serve the travelers of the Midwest in the 1930s. Join us for tales of the rails. https://youtu.be/I7YQOBf_VqU

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Today I Learned …

The smell of freshly cut grass comes from the chemicals plants release when in distress. You monster.

Dandelion Fizz

So you’re stuck at home. It’s the perfect time to learn something new, wouldn’t you say? How about home-made soda? Okay, so it’s not Dr Pepper, but it’s yours, made with your own two hands. How cool is that?

Today we’re making Dandelion Fizz. First, go out in your yard and pick some dandelions.

[image error]The recipe calls for two cups of blooms, and you’re going to want to clean the green off of the flowers. Trust me, you do not want ANY green; it will make the soda bitter and undrinkable.

The best way to do this is to take the bloom between your fingers, use your thumbnail to snap the green base of the bloom in half, then use the nail on your other thumb to cut the yellow away from the green.

After a while, you’ll have a bowl full of lovely yellow petals. (Since dandelions fade so quickly after picking, you may want to pick half at a time, clean them, then go back for the rest. The blooms get harder to clean the longer they sit.)

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When you’ve got the flowers all cleaned, bring the water to a boil, then pour the boiling water over the flowers in a primary fermenter (a big food-safe plastic container, or a stainless-steel pot).

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Let this stand twelve hours (overnight is good). Strain, then add sugar and sliced lemon. Heat just until sugar dissolves — it doesn’t need to boil. Bottle and let cool.

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I like to use a plastic bottle for this — not because it’s plastic, but because when the sides of the bottle get rigid, to where you can’t squeeze the bottle, that means the soda’s fizzy and ready to drink. Are you ready to try this? Here’s the recipe!

Dandelion Fizz. 5 cups dandelion flowers, cleaned, 4 1/2 quarts water, 4 cups sugar, 2 lemons, sliced with peel. Bring water to the boil. Pour over flowers in primary fermenter (I just boil the water in a 2 gallon stainless steel canning pot, then put the flowers in. Same diff.) Let stand twelve hours. Strain, then heat dandelion water gently with sugar and lemon. Heat just until sugar dissolves — do not boil. Bottle and let cool. Cap and store in a cool dry place three to four weeks. Then the fizz will be ready to drink, and should be stored in the fridge. Keeps three to four months.

Today I Learned …

The Migratory Bird Act prevents domestic birds from being bought or sold for commercial purposes. So unless it’s a cartoon, you’ll never see a backyard bird in a TV show or a movie. If you see a bird, it’s either an imported species, or it’s CGI.

Thank You!

I just wanted to give a big shout of thanks to everyone who listens to Lights Out. To everyone who watches it on YouTube (which is where the links I post take you), thanks very much. And for those who prefer the podcast experience, I really appreciate your listening as well. It may interest you to know that you guys broke a record last month! Yes, the highest month I had stats for had been January, when 232 people listened in. But yesterday, I saw that 236 people had tuned in to the podcast during the month of April — thank you guys so much! I appreciate every one of you, and I promise to keep bringing you guys awesome fun ghost stories. You all rock! (And if you weren’t aware, Lights Out is available on Spotify, iTunes, iHeart Radio, and everywhere you find quality podcasts.)

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Lights Out: The Dana House

Time for another episode of Lights Out! The Dana House in Springfield, Illinois, is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces. It’s haunted by the melancholy spirit of Susie Laurence Dana, the woman who commissioned it. Join me for a peek inside, and listen to a few of the encounters people have had in this gracious home. https://youtu.be/M_bI37h7WW8

Today I Learned …

So … we talk about someone “Hulking out”, but there’s actually a frog that does a pretty good Wolverine impression. The hairy frog, a species found in central Africa, has a bad-ass defense mechanism — when it’s attacked, it breaks its own toe bones and pushes them out through its skin to form sharp claws. Researchers aren’t completely sure, but they think that the bones slide back under the skin when the threat passes and the frog’s muscles relax. (Researchers DO agree that this frog is one of the coolest EVER.)

Lights Out Extra: COVID19 Edition

Lights Out Extra: COVID19 Edition. Since we’re all cooped up at home, let me bring a bit of ghost hunting to you! I went out for some fresh air, and visited the fine folks at the Peoria State Hospital. (Don’t worry — I did stay six feet away. They’re all in the cemetery.) Enjoy the “cootie edition” of Lights Out! https://youtu.be/EHCK2Wc3b8I

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