The Cryptonaturalist

What counts as a ghost is, perhaps, open to interpretation. 

Thanks to Steve Shell for voicing today?s field report. Steve is a co-creator, writer, and voice of the narrator on the Old Gods of Appalachia podcast. Old Gods is entering the homestretch of their fourth season and will be heading out on tour again this summer. 

Thanks to Emilie Lygren for today?s hidden lore poem, ?Chrysalis.? Emilie Lygren is a poet and educator who has published poems in several literary journals and anthologies and developed dozens of publications focused on outdoor science education. Her first collection of poems, What We Were Born For, was selected by the Young People?s Poet Laureate as the Poetry Foundation?s monthly book pick for February 2022. Emilie lives in San Rafael, California, where she wonders about oaks and teaches poetry in local classrooms. Find her online at: emilielygren.com

Thanks to Leslie Anderson for reading today?s hidden lore. You know Leslie as the voice of Cassandra and the voice of the credits. You may not know that Leslie has a new horror novel coming this August from Quirk Books. The book is titled The Unmothers and it?s a folk horror-mystery about a journalist going to a small town to investigate a rumor about a horse giving birth to a healthy, human baby. 

?The Unmothers is exquisite and haunting in equal measure. . . . Nauseatingly tense and crushingly insightful. This book represents an absolutely vital entry into the horror canon.??Sarah Gailey, nationally best-selling author of The Echo Wife and Just Like Home

For preorder information, visit LeslieJAnderson.com 

Preorders for Jarod K. Anderson?s new memoir about loving nature and struggling with depression are now open. Visit JarodKAnderson.com for more information. 

To find bonus content and a variety of strange rewards, support our show by visiting Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist. You can also help by rating, reviewing, and telling a friend.  

The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson. 

For books and poetry collections by Jarod K. Anderson and Leslie J. Anderson, visit CryptoNaturalist.com/books. 

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com. 

This show is produced and edited by Tracy Barnett. You can find them online, anywhere at TheOtherTracy or TheOtherTracy.com. 

Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com. 

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com. 

An early morning record focusing on starting the day The CryptoNaturalist way.

Thanks to Joseph Giglio for today?s hidden lore, ?The Sky.? Joseph is currently an MFA student at George Mason University and originally from Buffalo, NY. He has been previously published in Corvus Review and Dead Fern Press amongst others. He is often somewhere he shouldn't be looking for birds or ghosts, but never bird ghosts. You can find him @JoeWritesWeird on Twitter.

Thanks to Ella Watts for voicing today?s hidden lore segment. Ella is a queer, disabled director, writer and producer of audio fiction in all of its many forms. She's currently Head of Production at Six to Start, the company behind audio drama and fitness app ZRX. She's also releasing an audio drama series she wrote and directed called Camlann. It's a post-apocalyptic urban fantasy inspired by folklore and Arthurian legends. Ella is an advocate for audio fiction in all of its forms, and longtime fan of The Cryptonaturalist.

To find bonus content and a variety of strange rewards, support our show by visiting Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist. You can also help by rating, reviewing, and telling a friend.

The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson.

For books and poetry collections by Jarod K. Anderson and Leslie J. Anderson, visit CryptoNaturalist.com/books.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com.

This show is produced and edited by Tracy Barnett. You can find them online, anywhere at TheOtherTracy or TheOtherTracy.com.

Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

Stay Curious. Stay Wild. Stay Weird.

There?s something playing music just down the path, but that isn?t the only worthy mystery beneath the trees. 

Today?s hidden lore was ?The Bone Mother?s Daughter? by Tim Goldstone. Tim Goldstone is based on a true event. He has roamed widely and currently writes in remote rural Wales  Published internationally in numerous print and online journals and anthologies, including The Speculative Book, Altered States, Veil: Journal of Darker Musings, Selcouth Station, I Become The Beast, DarkWinter, Medusa?s Kitchen, Pyre, Toil & Trouble, Coven Poetry, Dark Fire Fiction, Red Wolf Periodical, and forthcoming in Flash - The International Short-Short Story magazine, among other venues. His prose sequence was read on stage at The Hay Festival, and his poetry presented on Digging for Wales. Scriptwriting credits for TV, radio, theatre. Loiters in twitter @muddygold

Thanks to Amanda Milstein for voicing this episode?s hidden lore. Amanda Milstein is a personal friend of the podcast, amateur voice actor and full-time nerd. You can also hear her as Vendetta Violent on the Violent Life Podcast. Find her at: amandamilstein.com/

To find bonus content and a variety of strange rewards, support our show by visiting Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist. You can also help by rating, reviewing, and telling a friend.  

The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson. 

For books and poetry collections by Jarod K. Anderson and Leslie J. Anderson, visit CryptoNaturalist.com/books. 

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com. 

This show is produced and edited by Tracy Barnett. You can find them online, anywhere at TheOtherTracy or TheOtherTracy.com. 

Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com. 

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

The Feather Fountain is as beautiful as it is deadly and it?s plenty of both.

Thanks to Cecil Baldwin for voicing the Stairway Keeper. Cecil has long been one of my favorite voices in podcasting and you can hear him on the show that first inspired me to create audio-fiction, Welcome to Night Vale.

Thanks to Kathryn Nuernberger for today?s hidden lore poem. Kathryn is the author of THE WITCH OF EYE, essays about witches and witch trials, and RUE, poems about plants historically used for birth control. ADVANCED POETRY, a textbook on reading and writing poetry co-authored with Maya Jewell Zeller was just released in January. She is currently writing a collection of essays about symbiotic mutualism, mutual aid, and ways of being together in an age of climate crises. Find her online at: kathrynnuernberger.com

To find bonus content and a variety of strange rewards, support our show by visiting Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist. You can also help by rating, reviewing, and telling a friend.

The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson.

For books and poetry collections by Jarod K. Anderson and Leslie J. Anderson, visit CryptoNaturalist.com/books.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com.

This show is produced and edited by Tracy Barnett. You can find them online, anywhere at TheOtherTracy or TheOtherTracy.com.

Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

The mirror falls, like all water, links us to many other versions of ourself.

Thanks to Cat Stone for lending her voice to this episode.

Hidden lore poetry by Matt Dennison. Matt is the author of Kind Surgery, from Urtica Press (Fr.) and Waiting for Better, from Main Street Rag Press. His poetry has appeared in Verse Daily, Rattle, Bayou Magazine, Redivider and Cider Press Review, among others. His fiction has appeared in ShortStory Substack, THEMA, GUD, The Blue Crow (Aus), Prole (UK), The Wondrous Real, and is forthcoming in Story Unlikely.

To find bonus content and a variety of strange rewards, support our show by visiting Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist. You can also help by rating, reviewing, and telling a friend.

The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson.

For books and poetry collections by Jarod K. Anderson and Leslie J. Anderson, visit CryptoNaturalist.com/books.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com.

This show is produced and edited by Tracy Barnett. You can find them online, anywhere at TheOtherTracy or TheOtherTracy.com.

Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

The Uneasiness waits and watches somewhere beyond dark windows.

Thanks to Tim Murphy for his hidden lore poem ?Wildness Unafraid.? Tim Murphy (he/him) is a disabled, bisexual poet who lives in Portland, Oregon. His writing explores disability and our complex, tenuous relationship to the more-than-human world. Tim's poetry appears in Wordgathering, Remington Review, Writers Resist, The Long COVID Reader, and more. ?Wildness Unafraid? originally appeared in Writers Resist. You can find him on Instagram and Twitter (@brokenwingpoet).

To find bonus content and a variety of strange rewards, support our show by visiting Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist. You can also help by rating, reviewing, and telling a friend.

The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson.

For books and poetry collections by Jarod K. Anderson and Leslie J. Anderson, visit CryptoNaturalist.com/books.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com.

This show is produced and edited by Tracy Barnett. You can find them online, anywhere at TheOtherTracy or TheOtherTracy.com.

Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

Rumor has it the mecha-shrew is extinct, but not all rumors are trustworthy.

Thanks to Emily Benson for this episode?s hidden lore poem, ?On the Question of the Happiness of Clams.?

Emily Benson lives in Western New York with her husband and two sons. Previous publications include Deep Wild Journal, Gastropoda, Literary Mama, Moist Poetry Journal, Paddler Press, and The Dillydoun Review. Her work can be found at www.emilybensonpoet.com.

To find bonus content and a variety of strange rewards, support our show by visiting Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist. You can also help by rating, reviewing, and telling a friend.  

The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson.

For books and poetry collections by Jarod K. Anderson and Leslie J. Anderson, visit CryptoNaturalist.com/books.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com.

This show is produced and edited by Tracy Barnett. You can find them online, anywhere at TheOtherTracy or TheOtherTracy.com.

Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

The Shadow Fly drinks from your shadow, which, in turn, drinks from you.

Thanks to Hannah Ringler for this episodes hidden lore poem. Hannah Ringler is a poet, parent, and gardener from North Carolina. She is the coordinator for the North Carolina Poetry Society's Poetry in Plain Sight program, which is a community outreach program across North Carolina to bring North Carolina poets and readers together.

To find bonus content and a variety of strange rewards, support our show by visiting Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist. You can also help the show by rating, reviewing, and telling a friend.

For books and poetry collections by Jarod K. Anderson and Leslie J. Anderson, visit CryptoNaturalist.com/books.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com.

The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson.

This show is produced and edited by Tracy Barnett. You can find them online, anywhere at TheOtherTracy or TheOtherTracy.com.

All trees talk. Some trees walk.

Special thanks to Ellen Weatherford for voicing today?s field report! Ellen is a co-host on the Just the Zoo of Us podcast, a family-friendly show that researches, rates, and reviews wildlife, along with hosting a wonderful variety of expert guests.

Hidden lore poetry by Mia Cong. Mia is an aspiring chef, occasional poet, and current scribe working under the handle theshitpostcalligrapher across all platforms. Still looking through the urban wilds of Toronto Canada for a kitchen to call home, you can find her writings and love of the deep ocean and decay at genericpoetryblog on tumblr.  

Special thanks to Guy Montgomery for voicing this episode?s field report. Guy does stand up comedy and you can watch him do his new show ?Guy Montgomery By Name, Guy Montgomery By Nature? this month at the Melbourne Comedy Festival or in May at the Sydney Comedy Festival. If you aren?t going to be in Australia for those shows, check him out on Twitter @guy_mont or on the podcast The Worst Idea of All Time, a show that started with two friends watching and reviewing the movie Grown-Ups 2 every week for a year and, if anything, has gotten stranger since then. Guy is a delight. Look him up. His website: guymontgomery.co.nz

Check out Field Guide to the Haunted Forest by Jarod K. Anderson wherever books are sold.

 Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

Mailing Address:

The CryptoNaturalist

PO Box 837

Delaware, OH 43015

 Exclusive stickers, pins, shirts, and access to bonus content and strange expertise on strange topics awaits you at our patreon page. Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist.  

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com.

 The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson.

Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

The Brambleberry Scrambler is just on the edge of being real, which is a perfectly lovely place to call home.

Hidden Lore poetry by Katelyn Allred. Katelyn is a writer and student currently working towards a Bachelor?s Degree in English. Her work has been featured in The Merrimack Review, and you can find her on Instagram @katelynallredwrites.

Special thanks to Matthew Zahnzinger for playing Professor Taylor Hoyt. Matthew is a stage actor in the Greater Boston area, a devotee of Peter Cushing, a board gamer and a collector of walking sticks. He?s a regular cast member on The Penumbra Podcast and he was a guest performer on the debut season of Second Star to the Left. Reach out to him for voice acting opportunities via his Twitter handle, @MatthewofBoston.

In this episode, The CryptoNaturalist shares a homemade winter tradition and ponders the importance of making meaning, ritual, and gratitude.

 Check out Field Guide to the Haunted Forest by Jarod K. Anderson wherever books are sold.

 Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

 Mailing Address:

 The CryptoNaturalist

PO Box 837

Delaware, OH 43015

 Exclusive stickers, pins, shirts, and access to bonus content and strange expertise on strange topics awaits you at our patreon page. Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist.  

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com. The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson. Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Humans once believed that doorways were a separate place  ? neither one room nor the other, but their own distinct world.

 Broadly speaking, people don?t believe that anymore, but that doesn?t mean it isn?t true.

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

Exclusive stickers, pins, shirts, and access to bonus content and strange expertise on strange topics awaits you at our patreon page. Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist.  

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com. The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson. Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Thoughts about loving ourselves in an imperfect world in a strange tavern on a dark hill.

Thanks to Andrew Collins for the use of his song Farewell my Old Friend. I borrowed it with his permission from a 2020 YouTube performance. I just love Andrew?s playing. Find out more about his music and check out his mandolin lessons at www.andrewcollinstrio.com.

 Hidden lore poetry by Eric Fisher Stone. Eric Fisher Stone is a poet and writing tutor from Fort Worth, Texas. He received his MFA in writing and the environment from Iowa State University. His poetry collection, The Providence of Grass, was published by ?Chatter House Press? in 2018. His second poetry collection, Animal Joy, is forthcoming from ?WordTech Editions? in October 2021.

I recently put out a call for help on social media asking folks to contribute to my work via Patreon or Ko-Fi and I have received a truly awe-inspiring amount of support. I?d like to specifically thank Jennifer Reed for her generosity in joining my Patreon at the CryptoNaturalist level. You are exceedingly kind.

Check out Field Guide to the Haunted Forest by Jarod K. Anderson wherever books are sold. If you?d like a signed bookplate for your copy, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Jarod Anderson

PO Box 837

Delaware, OH 43015

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

Exclusive stickers, pins, shirts, and access to bonus content and strange expertise on strange topics awaits you at our patreon page. Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist.  

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com. The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson. Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Cassandra recalls an old friend and a nameless fish.

 The CryptoNaturalist is written by Jarod K. Anderson and Leslie J. Anderson. Cassandra is voiced by Leslie J. Anderson. The CryptoNaturalist is voiced by Jarod K. Anderson.

 Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

 Exclusive stickers, pins, shirts, and access to bonus content and strange expertise on strange topics awaits you at our patreon page. Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist.

  You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com.

 Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Special thanks to Sarah Rhea Werner for reprising her role as Valentina Blackwood. Sarah has so many wonderful projects, including The Write Now Podcast and Girl in Space. Sarah has all sorts of ways to entertain, educate, and inspire you and you should really learn more about her at sarahwerner.com.

 And double-special thanks to Elena Fernández Collins for voicing Ave María?s field report. Elena Fernández Collins is a genderfluid podcast critic and reporter and a forensic sociolinguist living in Portland, OR. She curates a biweekly newsletter about audio fiction, Audio Dramatic, where she reviews episodes and provides essays and news for the community. She also covers the audio fiction podcast beat for The Bello Collective, an indie online publication about podcasting, and is a contributor to The AV Club?s Podmass, among others.

 Check out Field Guide to the Haunted Forest by Jarod K. Anderson wherever books are sold.

Welcome to the Cassandra Logs. In this episode, Cassandra visits with a dragon.

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

Exclusive stickers, pins, shirts, and access to bonus content and strange expertise on strange topics awaits you at our patreon page. Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com. The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson. Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

The thing about an unexplainable RV is that it?s unexplainable, but let?s give it a shot anyway.

Thanks to Fara Tucker for this week?s hidden lore poetry. Fara Tucker is a writer, poet, storyteller, teacher, photographer, former therapist, and current therapy client. She is currently wading through liminal space, which is occasionally good for producing poetry, and consistently good for producing anxiety. You can find her on IG @faratucker where she shares reflections on this beautiful and devastating life in poetry and prose. Her blog and links to published work can be found at faratucker.com.

Check out Field Guide to the Haunted Forest by Jarod K. Anderson wherever books are sold. If you?d like a signed bookplate for your copy, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

 Jarod Anderson

PO Box 837

Delaware, OH 43015

A jellyfish is part ghost part flower and part trap. Is it any surprise that some defy explanation?  

Check out Field Guide to the Haunted Forest by Jarod K. Anderson wherever books are sold. An audio version as well as signed bookplates are coming soon.

Reminder: Transcripts of this and every episode are available at cryptonaturalist.com.

Ticking clock sound effect courtesy of: www.freesfx.co.uk

The forest. The fire. The guitar in the wind. The covered bridge that has no business being there.

Background guitar music was ?Three Ravens? by Axletree. Downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree.

Thanks to Meredith Smith for this episode?s hidden lore poetry. Meredith is a flash fiction writer and micropoet in Seattle, WA. She is an alumna of the Hugo House and student of writers who are students of Raymond Carver. She lives in a brick building by the lake with her tiny human. Learn more about her work and her re-released zine Movement at meredithsmith.com.

There are many places to hide strange nature. Mountaintop snows. Undersea trenches. In your pocket. Thanks to The Pine Hill Haints for permission to play their song. You should get to know them. Visit thepinehillhaints.com to learn more.

Hidden lore poetry by Hal Y. Zhang. Hal Y. Zhang is a lapsed physicist who splits her time between ghosts of her once-green plants and the Internet, where she writes at halyzhang.com. Her language-and-loss chapbook AMNESIA was published by Newfound, and her women-with-sharp-things collection Goddess Bandit of the Thousand Arms is forthcoming from Aqueduct Press.

A simple old tale about a RV, a cosmic bat, and a low Earth orbit mosquito.

Hidden lore poetry by Patricia Killelea. Patricia Killelea is the author of the poetry collections Counterglow (Urban Farmhouse Press, 2019) and Other Suns (Swan Scythe press, 2011). She is currently Poetry Editor at Passages North and an Assistant Professor of English at Northern Michigan University. Her work appears in cream city review, Seneca Review, Trampoline Poetry, Atticus Review, Quarterly West, The Common, Waxwing, Spiritus, and As/Us. She also produces videopoems, which have been featured at Moving Poems, Poetry Film Live, screened and shortlisted for the O'Bheal International Poetry Film Competition, and longlisted for the Rabbit Heart Poetry Film Prize.

Thanks to Isabel Renner for voicing Trillium Spencer. Isabel Renner is graduated with a BFA in Acting from Mason Gross School of the Arts right before the arrival of the pandemic. A NYC dweller, you can find her on Instagram @isabelrenner and at isabelrenner.com

The train in the pines is a great getaway provided you can get there and then get away.

Hidden lore poetry by Annie McAndrew. Annie is a writer of speculative fiction from the edge of the Texas Hill Country. She can be found exploring the local creek trails and other odd, fantastical worlds.

The quiet folk are there. Sort of. Let?s not call too much attention to them.

Special thanks to Elliott Kalan for voicing Paul Hogan. I?ve been a fan of Elliott?s work for a long time. He was the head writer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he was also the head writer on the new Mystery Science Theater 3,000. He also cohosts my favorite movie podcast, The Flop House. I recommend checking out his children?s books: ?Horse Meets Dog? and, coming soon in September, ?Sharko and Hippo.?

Hidden lore poetry by Olivia Williams. Olivia is a geology PhD student who uses ice to study our planet?s ancient past. She writes short fiction, poetry, and all kinds of science stuff, but when she?s not doing any of that you can find her in the woods looking for cool plants. Find more about her writing and research at oliviawilliamsgeo.com.

In this episode recorded in quarantine, the CryptoNaturalist gets philosophical about meaning, life, magic, and you.

Special thanks to Jo Firestone for today?s field report. Jo Firestone is a Brooklyn-based comedian who can be seen on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Joe Pera Talks With You, High Maintenance, Shrill, The Chris Gethard Show, and others. She can be heard on Maximum Fun?s Dr. Gameshow, a podcast she co-hosts with Manolo Moreno. Her album, "The Hits" is available on Comedy Central Records, and if you like puns, check out Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers. She is very willing work with animals please consider her for animals.

Hidden Lore poetry by Luísa Black. Luísa Black is an anarcho-swampist and amateur ecologist methodically inspecting mosses in the coastal wetlands of southeastern Virginia. Her work has been published in Rabble Lit and under several prestigious overpasses. Her loyalties lie with the lichens.

Exclusive stickers, pins, shirts, and access to bonus content and strange expertise on strange topics awaits you at our patreon page. Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com. The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson. Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Some of my favorite trees are actually fifty-foot insects.

Special thanks to Jesse Thorn. Jesse Thorn is the host and producer of Bullseye and Jordan, Jesse, Go!, and the co-host and producer of Judge John Hodgman. He's also the founder and proprietor of the Maximum Fun podcast network. I must say, that if it wasn?t for the Maximum Fun network, I?m not sure that I ever would have taken an interest in podcasts or started this show. So, thank you, Jesse.

Hidden Lore poetry by Terry Maggert.

Terry Maggert is an Author. He?s left-handed. He likes dragons, coffee, waffles, running, and giraffes. Not necessarily in that order. With 32 novels and a dozen short stories, he?s certainly got something to thrill, anger, or leave you wondering why he didn't become a professional baker. He doesn?t sleep, but you probably guessed that already. Find his work on Amazon and Audible. Follow him on Twitter @TerryMaggert.

Exclusive stickers, pins, shirts, and access to bonus content and strange expertise on strange topics awaits you at our patreon page. Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com. The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson. Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom from his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

There are many voices in the woods. The more you listen, the more you?ll here.

Special thanks to Ella Watts for voicing Juniper Grey. Ella Watts is a podcast producer for BBC Studios, and executive producer for the science fiction drama podcast The Orphans, a terrifying adventure about robots, clones and friendship. You can find Ella on Twitter @GejWatts , or follow her podcast @OrphansAudio. Find out more about The Orphans at orphanspod.com

Exclusive stickers, pins, shirts, and access to bonus content and strange expertise on strange topics awaits you at our patreon page. Patreon.com/CryptoNaturalist.

You?ll find information about submitting your poetry or prose for our hidden lore segments in the about section of our website at CryptoNaturalist.com. The CryptoNaturalist is written and read by Jarod K. Anderson. Thanks to Adam Hurt for the use of his song Garfield?s Blackberry Blossom off of his album Insight. For more information on Adam?s music, performances, and teaching, visit adamhurt.com.

Owls know about you. The least you can do is know about them.

Special thanks to Hank Green. Hank Green is the CEO of Complexly, a production company that creates educational content, including Crash Course and SciShow, prompting The Washington Post to name him "one of America's most popular science teachers." Hank co-hosts Dear Hank and John, an advice podcast, and Delete This, a review of his Twitter feed. Find out more about Hank?s many delightful projects at HankGreen.com.

There?s a cemetery that has never had a proper gate, but we?ll explore it all the same.

The CryptoNaturalist has been nominated for the 2019 Audio Verse awards in the categories of: Spoken Word ? Program; Spoken Word ? Writing; and Spoken Word ? Performance. Visit https://audioverseawards.net/ before October, 31st to vote.

When a landscape chooses a rhyme scheme, we must join in the poetry.

This episode is written as a series of Shakespearean sonnets.

Hidden lore by Leslie J. Anderson

If you crawl into a burrow to meet its owner, it?s good to keep an open mind and a close eye on all your body parts.

Thank you to Jeffrey Cranor for playing Dr. Simon Blank. Jeffrey is a co-creator of a number of my favorite podcasts including Welcome to Night Vale. Give a listen to Jeffrey?s newest podcast Start with This. It?s a creativity and writing focused show and each episode centers around a topic from world building, to opening lines, and even failure.

Hidden lore by Tyver Foucault. Tyver can be found exploring the unusual places that radiate outward from Columbia, South Carolina. He has written over a thousand micro stories in the Strange Twitter sphere, and he welcomes you to read along on Twitter @TheDoorTHEDOOR

Cats are cats, even when they?re also trees or crustaceans.

This episode was co-written by Alice Pow. You can find Alice on twitter @AlicePow8. Special thanks to Matt Young for playing Skipper McCloud. You probably know Matt as Usidore the Blue from (one of my favorite podcasts) Hello from the Magic Tavern. The premiere of Magic Tavern season three that starts on July 22nd.

Hidden Lore poetry by Aspen Hougen. Aspen Hougen is a poet and anti-racist educator. She lives in Montana's Gallatin Valley with her wife and son. Find her on Twitter @anagyo_yo.

I don?t want to alarm you, but today?s creature is a lot closer to you than it is to me.

Angela Hall played by Jordan Cobb. Learn more about Jordan?s work at www.jordanvcobb.com or on Twitter @inkphemeral.

Hidden Lore poetry by Taylor A. Greene. Taylor A. Greene is a graduate student of archaeology at Ole Miss and a Kentucky native. His poetry is inspired by love, loss, and the beauty of Southern nature. His work has been featured in Rootstalk: A Prairie Journal. In lieu of a personal website, Taylor requests listeners "pay it forward" with love and joy.

Sound Effect Credits:

Splatter: https://freesound.org/people/Aegersum/sounds/344904/

Chitter: https://freesound.org/people/Tomoyo%20Ichijouji/sounds/279040/

Owl Screech: https://freesound.org/people/Yacob_l/sounds/397690/

This is a bonus episode from the CryptoNaturalist Patreon page. Subscribing to our Patreon page supports the show and unlocks more bonus content. Visit www.patreon.com/cryptonaturalist for details.

Winter Horses and Other Unknowables was written by Leslie J. Anderson

Find Leslie on twitter @inkhat or at www.lesliejanderson.com.

You are a cryptid worthy of study, a creature of the marshland night, a fascinating animal who is about to make a new friend.

Hidden Lore poetry by Jarod K. Anderson.

Please take a moment to leave a review for The CryptoNaturalist wherever you listen to this podcast.

Ambient wetland sound credit: https://freesound.org/people/tonant/sounds/260760/

Today we learn about the small, migratory songbird that?s bigger than all existence.

Holly Day?s poetry has recently appeared in Plainsongs, The Long Islander, and The Nashwaak Review. Her newest poetry collections are In This Place, She Is Her Own (Vegetarian Alcoholic Press), A Wall to Protect Your Eyes (Pski?s Porch Publishing), Folios of Dried Flowers and Pressed Birds (Cyberwit.net), Where We Went Wrong (Clare Songbirds Publishing), and Into the Cracks(Golden Antelope) .

You can?t always believe your ears and you shouldn?t trust cute, furry faces peering up from the sea.

This episode was thought-up and mostly written by the wonderfully talented Julia Schifini. Julia is a writer, sound designer, voice actor, and aspiring professional wrestler. She is the co-host and producer of Spirits, a boozy dive into myths and legends. She loves world-building, fancy cheese, and all things creepy and cool. She works with networks like Multitude Productions and The Whisperforge. You can hear her work on other shows such as Janus Descending, Tides, What?s the Frequency, 1994, and Greater Boston. (You can also hear her on episode 14 of this show.)

Our hidden lore piece ?The Seaweed? was written by Doug Marshall. Doug Marshall, known to many as Spyglass, is a crepuscular gremlin of the twilight hours who engages in a variety of creative pursuits, including the creation of two podcasts: the science fiction anthology Starhopper Radio, and the upcoming actual-play tabletop RPG show called The Escape Artists. He is an avid consumer of fiction in many forms, a student of astrobiology, and an occasional world traveler on the side. He can be found under the handle of SpyglassRealms on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr.

The patchwork islands of greenery nestled on the edges of roadways hold secrets worth our attention.

Hidden Lore fiction by Olivia Williams. Olivia is a student of geoscience and literature. She writes short fiction, poetry, science articles, funding applications, and D&D sessions, but when she?s not doing any of that you can find her in the woods looking for cool fungus. Her writing and opinions about rocks live on Twitter @OliviaOnCampus.

Willow Armstrong was played by Lucille Valentine. Lucille Valentine is a desert rat masquerading as a voice actor, poet, visual artist, and LGBTQ+ community advocate whose works often include themes of poverty, womanhood, queer and trans experience, along with whatever her current existential crisis is. You can hear her in the podcasts The Six Disappearances of Ella McCray, the upcoming second season of Unplaced, among a number of other upcoming shows, or by pressing your ear up against a cactus skeleton on a windy night. You can find her disappointing every grammar elitist over on twitter @severelytrans.

Beneath our feet, the under hawks glide in search of shadows to pluck from the surface of the world.

Hidden Lore poetry by Eli Reeve. Eli is an aspiring artist and writer from Norway nesting in the jungles of Hawaii. Find her on Instagram at username eli.reeve (instagram.com/eli.reeve).

There?s a wilderness inside every library. This episode visits one of the nocturnal residents after closing time.

Hidden Lore poetry by Lucille Valentine. Lucille is a desert rat masquerading as a voice actor, poet, visual artist, and LGBTQ+ community advocate whose works often include themes of poverty, womanhood, queer and trans experience, along with whatever her current existential crisis is. You can hear her in the podcasts The Six Disappearances of Ella McCray, the upcoming second season of Unplaced, among a number of other upcoming shows, or by pressing your ear up against a cactus skeleton on a windy night. You can find her disappointing every grammar elitist over on twitter @severelytrans

A special thanks to my friend Saker for playing the voice of Jed VanDorn. Saker is a cohost of It's All Been Done: A Barenaked Ladies podcast. It?s a comedy podcast in which two pals take a journey through BNL?s entire discography a song at a time. You can find it on your favorite podcast catcher. Saker also has a nerd hip-hop group called 2d6, online at 2d6music.com.

A strange visitor joins the CryptoNaturalist around the campfire for a pleasant, if one-sided, conversation.

Special thanks to Tim Sniffin for being the voice of The Transmission. Hear more of Tim on the Hello From The Magic Tavern podcast as the Mysterious Man, and find more of Tim's work at timsniffen.com

Oh, and subscribe to our new YouTube channel for upcoming bonus videos. We?re currently working on a CryptoNaturalist makeup tutorial video, which is just as strange as it sounds.

Hidden lore fiction by Madison Trupp. Madison is a Canadian writer and artist with a love for haunted fantasy, escapism, and standing under streetlights on rainy nights. She writes novels for children and blog posts about writing. You can find more of her work at www.madisontrupp.com.

The Cryptonaturalist is lost and then found in the usual place, a twisted scientist?s volcano lair.

Hidden lore poetry by Leslie J. Anderson. Leslie?s writing has appeared in Asimov?s, Uncanny Magazine, Strange Horizons, Daily Science Fiction, and Apex, to name a few. Her collection of poetry, An Inheritance of Stone, was released from Alliteration Ink and was nominated for an Elgin award. Poems from it have won 2nd place in the Asimov?s Reader?s Awards, and were nominated for Pushcart and Rhysling award. Find Leslie at www.lesliejanderson.com or @inkhat on twitter.

The CryptoNaturalist is missing, but Cassandra is on the case.

Hidden lore poetry by Emily Olorin Emily is a writer from Down Under (whether the depths of hell or Australia is open to interpretation). They are interested in body horror, sci-fi, and pretty poetry - preferably in combination. Further works can be found at: olorinwrites.wordpress.com

Today we visit an elusive cryptid that hides in plain sight and borrows human voices.

Hidden lore poetry by Alice Pow. Alice Pow allegedly saw Mothman in a Chicago neighborhood during the summer of 2017. She is a writer of prose, poetry, and the upcoming podcast Stone Soup for the Gut. Find her on twitter @Alicepow and if you like her work, feel free to reach out. She is always in search of the most abundant, yet elusive cryptid: friends.

We?re all made of star stuff, some of us more literally than others.

Lauren Dee was played by Julia Schifini. Julia is a podcaster, historian, and big fan of professional wrestling. She is the co-host of Spirits Podcast, a boozy tour of mythology, legends, and folklore, as well as a voice actor on several audio dramas. To find out more about her work, visit juliaschifini.com

Lauren Dee was named for Patreon supporter Lauren Dermody. Thanks to Lauren for her support.

Thanks to Phoebe Wagner for contributing the poem ?Glacial.? Phoebe Wagner grew up in Pennsylvania, the third generation to live in the Susquehanna River Valley. She currently lives in Reno, Nevada with her tree-climbing husband Andy and their two cats: Mab and Mith. When not writing, you can find Phoebe at the nearest riverbank.

This week we visit home territory and visit a special grove of sassafras trees.

Hidden lore segment poetry contributed by Suzannah Dalzell. Suzannah lives on Whidbey Island north of Seattle, Wa where she divides her time more or less equally between writing and land conservation. Among the journals her work has appeared in are Flyway, Pilgrimage Magazine, About Place, Earthspeak and The Raven Chronicles. She is currently working on a collection of poems that explore the places where her ancestry bumps up against race, class and environmental damage.

What creature swims through the ocean of the sky? What could graze within the storm? I know the answer. Listen and you will too.

Poetry by Priyanka Sacheti. Priyanka is a writer based in Bangalore, India. Raised in Oman and educated in United Kingdom, she has been been published in Guardian, Art Slant, The Establishment, Gulf News, and Brownbook among others. She is presently an editor at Mashallah News. Her literary work has appeared in various journals and anthologies. She tweets @priyankasacheti1. A collection of her writing can be found at priyankasacheti.contently.com

When you find the dirt road with the unnamed creature, obey the rules, respect the emptiness, and make peace with the fact that not everything is there for your convenience.

Cara Ehlenfeldt is a writer, sound studies grad student, and co-creator of the upcoming audio drama podcast the Godshead Incidental. She originally hails from the New Jersey Pine Barrens, although she considers the forests of the Pacific Northwest to be her true home. The Indegogo campaign for Godshead Incidental can be found at: https://igg.me/at/godsheadpod (Launching on Monday, 9/17/18).

This week we explore safety, discover a very unusual snake, and receive an important update about squirrels.

Saker played the voice of Jed VanDorn. Saker is a cohost of It's All Been Done: A Barenaked Ladies podcast. It's two boys talking about almost anything but Barenaked Ladies. You can find it on your favorite podcast catcher. Saker also has a nerd hip-hop group called 2d6, online at 2d6music.com.