Best Southern Solstice Podcasts (2025)

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Southern Solstice 2:14

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4d ago2:14

2:14

Today is the December solstice – the start of winter in the northern hemisphere. It’s the darkest time of the year – many hours of darkness for watching the stars. But it’s also a great time for space science in Antarctica, where it’s daylight around the clock. NASA launches high-altitude balloons from a base near McMurdo Station, the continent’s l…

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December Solstice meditation - suitable northern and southern hemispheres 22:31

5d ago22:31

22:31

Here's our December Solstice Meditation for 2025 - please find a place and time where you can relax, take space for yourself, and build the connections to the web of life that will carry us forward. Details of 3iATLAS https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/3i-atlas-facts-and-faqs/By Accidental Gods

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Moon and Saturn 2:14

1d ago2:14

2:14

Not many planetary spacecraft get to shower off. But the Cassini spacecraft did – more than once. It flew through plumes of ice and water vapor from Enceladus, a moon of Saturn. The encounters helped scientists confirm that an ocean hides below the moon’s icy crust. Enceladus is a little more than 300 miles in diameter – roughly the distance from L…

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Christmas Sky 2:14

1d ago2:14

2:14

A look at the evening sky is a nice way to wrap up your Christmas. It features the Moon, two bright planets, and some of the brighter stars in all the night sky. As twilight drains from the sky, the Moon is well up in the southwest. The Sun lights up more than a quarter of the lunar hemisphere that faces our way, so it’s a fat crescent. It’s waxing…

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The Magic Peach 1:05:25

18h ago1:05:25

1:05:25

Narrator: Elizabeth Grace 🇬🇧 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: breezes, wind chimes 🌬️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, you’ll be taking a magical journey to ancient Korea, where you’ll hear a retelling of a fairytale. This sweet story of young love will unfold in a world of dragons, flying chariots, and palaces in the sky. 😴 Includes me…

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Alpha Cam 2:14

1d ago2:14

2:14

For a star, showiness comes with a price. The most massive stars are far brighter than their punier cousins. But they live much shorter lives. An example is Alpha Camelopardalis. It’s the third-brightest star of Camelopardalis, the giraffe. It’s dimmed by its great distance – about 5500 light-years – so you need a dark sky to see it. Even so, it’s …

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Change is Coming! Solstice Reflections with Della Duncan, Nathalie Nahai and Manda Scott 1:14:54

3d ago1:14:54

1:14:54

At the end of a turbulent year that has seen the masks come off the death cult in ways that were probably predictable, but still shocking, we reconvene our December Solstice Traditional conversation. Manda is joined by Della Duncan of the Upstream Podcast and Nathalie Nahai of 'Nathalie Nahai in Conversation' to explore the things that have stood o…

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The 2026 Bingo Board Ritual: A Playful Alternative to Resolutions + Vision Boards 58:04

4d ago58:04

58:04

We’re swapping traditional New Year’s resolutions for our favorite tradition: the Yearly Bingo Board. Think of it as part intention-setting ritual, part manifestation play, and part permission slip to dream bigger without turning your goals into a pressure-filled checklist. We break down how the bingo board works, why it can feel easier (and more a…

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Camelopardalis 2:14

2d ago2:14

2:14

If you’d like to know how dark your night sky is, then look high in the northeast after the Moon sets this evening for the stars of Camelopardalis, the giraffe. If you can see any of them, then congratulations – your sky is pretty dark. Light pollution wipes out the view for most Americans. The glare of street lights, billboards, and other artifici…

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The Dreamy Winter Carnival 49:30

3d ago49:30

49:30

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: jingle bells, crowd ambience 🔔 🗣️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we'll enjoy a trip into a sparkling fantasy world with the many enticing scenes of a dreamlike winter carnival. You’ll wander through an ice castle, watch ice skaters and take a sleigh ride in the moonlight. 😴 In…

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Moon Bound? 2:14

3d ago2:14

2:14

Space agencies are talking a lot these days about sending people to the Moon – and even setting up permanent bases there. But you might not want to be on the Moon seven years from today. A space rock that’s half the size of an NBA arena has a slight chance of slamming into the Moon. Asteroid 2024 YR4 was discovered last year, two days after Christm…

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Winter Stories on a Sleepy Train Journey (Bonus) 5:26:30

7d ago5:26:30

5:26:30

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 By various writers ✍️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we’ve collected some of our favourite winter stories into one long-length episode. You’ll enjoy them from the soothing comfort of your very own cosy compartment on a winter train. 🚂 ❄️ Don't forget, you can ⁠⁠GIFT A SUBSCRIPTION⁠⁠ to someone you love this festive se…

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Winter Solstice 2:15

5d ago2:15

2:15

If you don’t like winter but you live in the northern hemisphere, then give a little thanks to the laws of orbital mechanics. Because of Earth’s lopsided path around the Sun, winter is the shortest season north of the equator. Earth’s orbit around the Sun isn’t a perfect circle. Instead, it’s an ellipse. It looks like a flattened circle, with the S…

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Capella 2:15

6d ago2:15

2:15

The “she-goat” is a lot more than it seems. What looks like a single brilliant star is actually two sparklers. Both of them are much bigger, heavier, and brighter than the Sun. Capella is the brightest star of Auriga, the charioteer. Its name comes from a Latin phrase that means the she-goat. It’s 43 light-years away – just down the block by astron…

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The Charioteer 2:15

7d ago2:15

2:15

The tales that describe many of the ancient constellations can be romantic, tragic, heroic, or majestic. Some, on the other hand, are just weird. An example is Auriga. The constellation is low in the eastern sky at nightfall, and climbs high across the sky later on. It’s marked by a pentagon of stars. It’s easy to pick out thanks to the brightest m…

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The Flying Lighthouse Santa 53:15

8d ago53:15

53:15

Narrator: Heather Foster 🇺🇸 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: waves crashing on rocks 🌊 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we’ll hear a true story about one person and one act of generosity that kicked off a tradition, touching thousands of lives and continuing for a century into the future. 😴 Includes mentions of: Heights, Flying, Bodies …

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Wild new stories: Weaving New Myths for a New Way of Being with Ally Kingston of Agency for Nature 1:25:10

10d ago1:25:10

1:25:10

How do we create the stories that will bring a whole new generation back to the web of life, that will help people find hope again, and lean into their heart's yearning for connection, relationship, being and belonging? This week's guest, Ally Kingston, is a creative facilitator and strategy lead at Purpose Disruptors, where she co-developed the br…

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Guzman Prize 2:15

8d ago2:15

2:15

At the cusp of the 20th century, it seemed like contact with another world was just a matter of time. In fact, the French Academy of Sciences announced a prize for such a feat 125 years ago today. The winner would receive 100,000 francs. There was only one catch: Mars didn’t count. The prize was established by Clara Guzman in honor of her son. He w…

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Q&A on Deity Work, Offerings, Crystals, and Cozy Winter Witchcraft 41:18

9d ago41:18

41:18

We’re back recording for the first time since Chicago, and we’re easing ourselves in with a cozy, slightly chaotic Q&A. We dig into some of the most common questions we receive about deity work, crystals, and the practical side of witchcraft. We explore what it really means to begin a relationship with a deity, why research is always the first step…

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Winter Solstice in Ancient Egypt 43:47

10d ago43:47

43:47

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Kayla Kurin ✍️ Sound effects: crickets, breezes 🌌🍃 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we'll travel back to Ancient Egypt to visit the Karnak temple in Luxor. There, we’ll witness the festivities and rituals that took place during the winter solstice. 😴 Includes mentions of: Food, Beverages, Religious Traditions, W…

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Word Magic 2025 - Accidental Gods' pick of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and podcasts through the year 32:34

13d ago32:34

32:34

Here's Manda's round up of (some of) the best books, poetry and podcasts she's come across this year. Most of the links are to Bookshop.org in the UK where you can link to an independent bookshop of your choice. In some cases, we've linked to the authors' website. Fiction Rachel Neumeier - Rihasi, Marag, Sekaran, Hedesa - all four are part of the T…

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The Christmas Clock 1:03:30

15d ago1:03:30

1:03:30

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: jingle bells, grandfather clock 🎄🕰️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we'll witness several Christmasses over the course of a century in the Miller household, from the vantage point of a faithful grandfather clock. 😴 Includes mentions of: Food, Family, Parents, Grandparents, Chil…

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Barefoot Economics in a world of Hobnailed Boots with storyteller Inez Aponte 1:11:15

17d ago1:11:15

1:11:15

If we are to build systems that meet our real needs we have to first understand what those needs are and start growing the stuff that will allow us to thrive: good food from healthy soils, safe and supportive homes and communities, space to develop and express our creativity, opportunities to increase our capacity for co-operation and kindness. As …

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The Witching Stones: Where Crystal Magic Meets Real-World Science with Nicholas Pearson 59:42

16d ago59:42

59:42

What if the most magical crystal in your collection… is the one you’ve been ignoring?This week we’re joined by crystal scholar, museum specialist, and magical science nerd Nicholas Pearson, author of The Witching Stones. Nicholas shares how he accidentally went from music major to museum earth-science expert, and how that twisty path led him to bec…

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A Sleepy Evening of Latkes 46:36

17d ago46:36

46:36

Narrator: Vanessa Labrie 🇨🇦 Writer: Kayla Kurin ✍️ Sound effects: kitchen ambience, grater, cooking sounds 🍳🥄 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we’ll join Adina as she prepares latkes with her grandmother and learns all about the history of this savoury treat. 😴 Includes mentions of: Food, History, Religious Traditions, Family, Grandparents, Holi…

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🎄 Get Sleepy's Christmas Story Collection (Bonus) 5:21:30

19d ago5:21:30

5:21:30

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 By various writers ✍️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we have a special, rather magical selection of our very best Christmas stories, stitched into a long-length compilation episode. 😴 We hope you enjoy listening! 🎅 Watch, listen and comment on this episode on the Get Sleepy YouTube channel. And hit subscribe while you…

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A Dreamy Myth of Dionysus (Olympians #12) 54:25

22d ago54:25

54:25

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Frankie Regalia ✍️ Sound effects: mythical flute, crickets 🪈🌾 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, in the last of our 12-part series, we will explore the passions and triumphs of Dionysus as the young god of freedom, liberation, passion and theatre. 😴 Includes mentions of: Religious Traditions, Food, Beverages, Myth…

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Roots to Health - building Food Resilience at all Scales with Daphne du Cros of the Shropshire Good Food Partnership 1:03:04

24d ago1:03:04

1:03:04

We all know by now that plants grown in living, thriving, life-filled soil, give us living, thriving, life-filled food... but the steps to getting there in the face of a multinational industry devoted to toxic, nutritionally empty, addictive - and highly profitable - ultra-processed 'food-like substances' are harder to see. This week's guest, Daphn…

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Mabon Rituals for Beginners: Simple Ways to Celebrate the Autumn Equinox 44:49

23d ago44:49

44:49

It’s the finale of our Wheel of the Year series, we’re diving into Mabon aka pagan Friendsgiving and the autumn equinox. We chat about why this sabbat feels like a second, decolonized Thanksgiving: feasting, gratitude, gathering with our people, but without the gross history. We riff on root veggies, delicata squash, Tofurky loyalty, molasses cooki…

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Spreading Christmas Cheer with the Chelsea Pensioners 49:23

24d ago49:23

49:23

Narrator: Simon Mattacks 🇬🇧 Writer: Jo Steer ✍️ Sound effects: London ambience, flowing river 🏙️ 🌊 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we’ll meet the Chelsea Pensioners, the retired soldiers known for their scarlet uniforms. We’ll delve into their yuletide traditions, from the stirring of the Christmas pudding to the Ceremony of the Cheeses. 😴 Incl…

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The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (Seven Wonders #7) 1:04:35

1M ago1:04:35

1:04:35

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Jo Steer ✍️ Sound effects: gentle birdsong, distant waves 🐦‍⬛🌊 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we’ll travel back in time to the 1st century BCE. In Ephesus, we’ll explore the magnificent Temple of Artemis, also known as the Temple of Diana. 😴 Includes mentions of: Religious Traditions, Mythology, Travel, Histor…

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Dance of the Spiritual Warrior: Balancing Love and Power with Jamie Bristow 1:27:00

1M ago1:27:00

1:27:00

What does it mean to (re)orient our entire culture around the power of love? To answer this, we have to understand the nature of love and of power and how both of these have many meanings in our culture, some of them essential to moving forward - and some of them so toxic they turn the entire concept into a poisoned cue. This week's guest is friend…

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A Dreamy Night on the 20th Century Limited 46:31

1M ago46:31

46:31

Narrator: Simon Mattacks 🇬🇧 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: trains, city station ambience 🚆 🏙️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, in the second part of our two-part adventure, we'll travel back to the 1930s to ride one of the most luxurious trains of the 20th century. 😴 Includes mentions of: Food, Beverages, Trains, Travel, History, Fant…

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Lughnasadh Explained: A Practical Guide to the First Harvest Sabbat 40:46

1M ago40:46

40:46

Ever wished there was a witchy holiday that officially celebrates bread, abundance, and cozy harvest energy? Lughnasadh (also known as Lammas) is the first harvest festival of the Wheel of the Year and the perfect time to lean into corn, carbs, gratitude, and simple seasonal witchcraft. In this episode, we chat about what Lughnasadh represents, why…

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A Dreamy Evening at Grand Central Terminal 55:29

1M ago55:29

55:29

Narrator: Simon Mattacks 🇬🇧 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: busy city ambience 🏙️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we’ll immerse ourselves in the first part of a two-part adventure as we experience a dreamy tour of Grand Central Terminal. Many have long considered it to be the most gracious portal to New York City. 😴 Includes mentions …

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Bonus Compilation: The Adventures Of Auggie The Cat 3:21:30

1M ago3:21:30

3:21:30

Narrator: Simon Mattacks 🇬🇧 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we have a special bonus episode, where we'll enjoy all five episodes (so far) from our popular series about Auggie, a fluffy, mischievous cat who lives alongside her family of humans. 😴 Connect Stay up to date on all our news and even vote on upcoming episode…

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Brighton on a Rainy Day 44:54

1M ago44:54

44:54

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Lottie Finklaire ✍️ Sound effects: seaside ambience, gulls, distant train, voices 🌊🚆🗣️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we’re off to the seaside in south-east England, where our story takes place on a rainy day, which is just part of the cosy charm. 😴 Includes mentions of: Food, Beverages, Travel, Rain. Watch, l…

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The Magic of Darkness: learning to love life in the night with author Leigh Ann Henion 1:06:31

1M ago1:06:31

1:06:31

Do you love the dark? Do you yearn for sunset and the amber glow of a fire with the night growing deeper, more inspiring all around you? Most of us don't - though our ancestors through all of history have lived by firelight, moonlight, starlight... until the modern era of light at the flick of a switch. But there's a world out there of sheer, unadu…

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Litha Explained: Southern Hemisphere Swaps, Fairy-Friendly Traditions, and Hurricane Season Safeguards 43:23

1M ago43:23

43:23

Feeling the call to reconnect with the sun? In this episode of Demystify Magic, we’re diving into Litha, the height of light, growth, and celebration on the Wheel of the Year. We explore the Holly and Oak King myth, how different cultures have honored the solstice, and how we bring that energy into our own practices. You’ll hear our favorite low-ef…

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The Autumn Pie Auction 48:30

1M ago48:30

48:30

Narrator: Heather Foster 🇺🇸 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: crackling fire 🔥 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we'll travel back in time to the late 19th century to experience a cosy pie auction along with Liza, who is very much looking forward to all that the evening will bring. 😴 Includes mentions of: Food, Nostalgia, Children, Baking…

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A Dreamy Night on a New York City Rooftop 48:35

1M ago48:35

48:35

Narrator: Arif Hodzic 🇺🇸 Writer: Angela Wood ✍️ Sound effects: city hum, light chatter 🌃🗣️ Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we’re travelling to New York City and spending an evening on the beautiful rooftop terrace of a skyscraper, overlooking the lively, light-filled city. 😴 Includes mentions of: Heights, Drones, Fireworks, Beverages, Travel, H…

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Starting in the Ruins: Of Lions and Games with Crypto-Advocate and Changemaker Andrea Leiter 1:29:28

2M ago1:29:28

1:29:28

This week's guest, Andrea Leiter, is one of those polymaths who brings not just breadth, but astonishing depth to the work of bridging the worlds of technology, biodiversity and international law; bringing them together in service of a new way of being built from the ruins of collapse. Andrea works at the intersection of law, digital transformation…

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Beltane Explained: Witchcraft Traditions, Fairies & May Day Magic 44:09

1M ago44:09

44:09

The Wheel keeps turning, and we’ve reached Beltane, the fiery midpoint between spring and summer. This brings passion, fertility, creativity, and a playful connection to the fair folk as the veil thins once again. In this episode, we share where Beltane comes from (bonfires, maypoles & handfasting) and how it evolved into a celebration of love, ple…

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A Sleepy Space Cruise to Andromeda 1:09:27

2M ago1:09:27

1:09:27

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: The French Whisperer ✍️ Sound effects: spaceship pass-by, crickets 🚀🌌 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we’ll be travelling to space. By the power of imagination, we're going to accelerate to several thousand times the speed of light until we reach the distant Andromeda Galaxy. 😴 Includes mentions of: Heights, Fl…

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A Dreamy Myth of Apollo (Olympians #11) 55:54

2M ago55:54

55:54

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Frankie Regalia ✍️ Sound effects: mythical flute, crickets 🪈🌙 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we'll follow the story of the god of archery, medicine, music, prophecy and the sun - Apollo. 😴 Includes mentions of: Religious Traditions, Fantastical Creatures, Mythology, Ancient History, Art, Music, Prophecy, Famil…

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Walking the wild, mythic Edge of Being with visionary elder and soul initiator Bill Plotkin 1:27:35

2M ago1:27:35

1:27:35

What is the true vow of your life, the one it would kill you to break? This phrase comes from the poem 'All The True Vows' by David Whyte, but there can be no better introduction to this week's guest, who knows how to help people - ordinary, every-day people from our culture - build true, heart-felt connections with the web of life such that we com…

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Ostara Explained: Spring Equinox Rituals, Pagan Traditions, and Manifestation Magic 34:18

2M ago34:18

34:18

The Wheel keeps turning, and this week we’ve arrived at Ostara, the Spring Equinox, a moment of perfect balance between light and dark, rest and renewal. As the earth wakes up and everything starts to bloom again, we’re diving into the magic of fresh starts, fertile soil, and that buzzy creative energy that always seems to show up this time of year…

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Auggie’s Autumn Adventure 49:30

2M ago49:30

49:30

Narrator: Simon Mattacks 🇬🇧 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: autumnal breezes, cars driving by 🍂 🚙 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we rejoin Auggie, Meatball and their humans on a cosy autumn day, following Auggie as she monitors the family leaf cleanup in the garden. 😴 Includes mentions of: Food, Cats, Heights, Nostalgia, Children, Au…

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The Mystery of Fairy Lights (October Bonus #5) 59:23

2M ago59:23

59:23

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: nighttime crickets, distant river 🌌 🌊 Happy Halloween, sleepyheads! 🎃 Tonight, we’ll explore the mythology, origins and science of fairy lights. We’ll hear tales of the fairies and their mischief, of lost souls making up for bad deeds, and of deities who foretold the fate of marine…

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A Sleepy Evening at the Historic Theater 54:55

2M ago54:55

54:55

Narrator: TK Kellman 🇺🇸 Writer: Alicia Steffann ✍️ Sound effects: calm traffic 🚗 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we'll enjoy the nostalgic sights and sounds of a classic movie theater, taking in a film before heading home for a good night's rest. 😴 Includes mentions of: Food, Beverages, Nostlgia. Watch, listen and comment on this episode on the…