Death & Desserts: Recent Episodes
Czarria & Sonne
Bold and bright, delicate white. Sinister bloom, bouquets of doom.
Flowers have been intrinsically tied with death for almost as long as we’ve had society and funeral rites. Grab your favorite chocolate-covered candies because we’ve discovered ours, and let’s talk about all the flowers at funerals, found in cemeteries and arts, and of course, the blooms that can kill. This week is…THE FLOWERS OF DEATH.
Funeral flowers in other cultures
All about the poppy | Royal British Legion
Funeral Customs for Different Religions and Cultures | Teleflora.
Funeral flowers in other cultures
History and importance of flowers for funerals - South Africa Today
Top 9 Flowers That Symbolize Death - Give Me History
History & Benefits of Patchouli Essential Oil | Cutthroat New Zealand™
About Death/Scent
https://chocolatemoonshineofmd.com/
Death News: "Dead" Woman found breathing in coffin
Dessert: Fruit Salad made by Sonne with produce by Darnell Farms
Resources:
Queer Funeral Guide
Funeral Planning in the LGBTQ+ Community
LGBTQIA Deathcare Professionals
The future of queer death could be outside of the funeral home
6 Funeral Alternatives
Credits:
Research by Sonne & Czarria
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
We advise listener discretion for a frank discussion of mental illness, homophobia, transphobia, suicidal ideation, and some profoundly uncomfortable statistics regarding LGBTQ Youth in America today. If these topics are distressing, we hope you take care of yourself and skip today's episode. Whenever you’re feeling ready and able we hope you’ll join us.
Today's interview with Adrian is ultimately a display of hope, courage, and strength and while the topics are sensitive, the overall tone and message of today's episode is one of hope and joy. Today we celebrate not only Adrian but everyone with the fortitude to keep living authentically and vitally in a world that doesn't want them to. Happy Pride, ya'll. Ya'll Means All. There is no LGTBQ without the T.
Death Trivia: A natural death may be preferable to enduring CPR
Dessert: Strawberry and Blackberry Oatmeal Cookies by Gray
Resources: 2023 U.S. National Survey on Mental Health of LGBTQ Youth
Special Thanks to Adrian. Death and Desserts wish you all the luck and love with your upcoming surgery, recovery, and as you start college soon. <3
Please consider contributing to Adrian's Top Surgery
Credits:
Research by Sonne & Czarria
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Fearlessness and Badassedry by Adrian
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
In Honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we wanted to dip into Far East Asian Death Deities briefly. This will definitely be a topic we will delve into in the future, not only for the Far East Asian regions but all the other regions. We specifically wanted to talk about The Abandoned Princess. “Bari Gongju muga” is a Korean Shaman priest’s “Muga”. Muga is a ritual sacred song performed by "Mudang/무당 " (Shaman Priest/Priestesses) during "Gut/굿" (or Rituals. In our topic today, specifically guiding the dead) Bari da literally means “throw-away”, “GongJu” means Princess, so it was called, “The Song of the Abandoned Princess.”
Death Trivia: Delicious But Deadly Mochi
Dessert: Strawberry, Peanut Butter, and Mango Mochi purchased at YZ Asian Market, Asheville N.C. (딸기가 맛있어요)
Resources:
An Illustrated Guide to Korean Mythology: Choi Won-Oh
Overview of Korean Mythology
Korean Mythology on Wikipedia
Korean Shamanism
Shamanism in Korea
Community Ritual and Social Structure in Village Korea
Bari Gong Ju
Credits:
Research by Sonne & Czarria
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Death News: First Known Death Reported as an AI Hoax
Dessert: Death Cupcakes by Death Cupcakes FOR Death Cupcakes, Box mix by Betty Crocker. Effort By Sonne and Czarria.
Fun: Can You Figure Out What These Band Logos Say?
Resources:
Credits:
Research by Sonne & Czarria
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
This is uploading on the official first anniversary of Episode 1.
We have had a year of ups and downs, successes, and disasters, not only with life but also with the podcast, some of our plans, footage, and many desserts.
But we aren't stopping yet.
Thanks for hanging in there for our first season.
We will see you for the start of Season 2 in one month, where as always, we will be discussing the dark, disturbing, and sometimes beautiful elements of death, whilst eating dessert.
Did you hear that? I hope not. The wail of the banshee is an ill omen, heralding the death of a family member. Sit down, grab some tea, and let us regale you with old tails. But don’t call them superstitions…they’re to be taken more seriously than the leprechauns themselves.
Dessert: Tea Cookies from Kandi's Cakes and Bakeshop
Death News/PSA: Drunk Driving - Saint Patrick's Day
Resources:
Irish Fairies | Banshee
Baile an Doire | The Schools’ Collection | dúchas.ie
Cliodhna the Celtic Fairy Goddess: 11 Ways to Work With Her
Bean-nighe - Wikipedia
The Banshee
Aran Islands Banshee Encounter
Ireland’s banshee: A delusion of peasants or a spirit with a mournful wail? – The Irish Times
Credits:
Research by Sonne & Czarria
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Happy Women's History Month!
Death Trivia: Henrietta Bowers Duterte : 1817-1903
Dessert: Twinkies by Hostess Cakes
Resources:
When Death Was Womens Business
Women are Revitalizing the Death Industry
Death Doulas Rise with Covid-19 Pandemic
Gender Dominance in Funeral Service
Badass Women of the Death Industry:
Caitlin Doughty (Mortician, Author, Advocate) - Let's Visit The Human Compositing Facility
Monica Torres (Mortician, Embalmer, Public Speaker) - Cold Hands Host Youtube Trailer
Kari Northey (Mortician, Funeral Director, Embalmer, Influencer) - Welcome Video
Sarah Ang (Funeral Director and Embalmer) - A Day In the Life of an Embalmer
Mortician Melissa - The Modern Mortician Linktree
Tan (Cemetery Worker) - Chinese Woman Takes Job at Cemetery
Cole Imperi (Thanatologist) - American Thanatology
Amy Florian (Thanatologist and CEO of - CorGenius)
Muneerah Warner (Funeral Director) and Company - Funeral Divas
Francis Willard, Julia Morgan, Jinger Zell - The Women of Cremation
Credits:
Research by Sonne & Czarria
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
How sentimental are we? Sentimental enough to keep a piece of a dead body? Should we all snip hair now to keep it on hand for the inevitable? Do you have a tattoo you’d like preserved for posterity? Let’s talk about keepsakes from the dead.
Death Trivia: Victor Noir
Dessert: Girl Scout Cookies (but are they made from real girl scouts?)
Sources:
Bronze Age Britons Made Keepsakes from Dead Relatives
Lock of Hair Keepsake Ideas for a Deceased Loved One | Cake Blog
Tooth Rings - Mourning Jewellery
Save My Ink Forever
Tattoo preservation method cuts, and frames the art after death
Books Bound in Human Skin Aren't Fiction and a UCLA Librarian Has the Whole Story
Halloween and California's Law of the Dead - Bradley, Gmelich & Wellerstein LLP
Museum of Osteology
Credits:
Bulk Research by Sonne
Editing, Art, Death Trivia by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0.
Death In The News:E-Bike Battery Blaze in Queens
12-year-old girl dies in TikTok Challenge
Two Men Killed in Freak Cockfighting Incidents
Dessert: Brownies with Cherry Whip by Sonne
Resources:Why We Write Obituaries
Cultural Implications of Obituaries
History of the Obituary
Reasons NOT to have an Obituary
Why You Should Write Your Own Obituary
What is Necrology?
Why Do Some of the Elderly Collect Obituaries?
Obituary Scams & Fraud
Our Favorite Obits:Holly Blair - Obituary for Idaho Witch Goes Viral
Son of Abuser Pens a Brutally Honest Obituary
Credits:
Research by Sonne
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0.
Is there another side? Have some of us been there? Is there dessert? We ponder such things as we discuss near-death experiences, what they are, what they are not, and whether or not such experiences are purely biological or if there is something…divine on the other side.
Death News: Research in Pigs Shakes Up What We Know About Dying
Resources:
- Near-death experience - Wikipedia
- Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) - Division of Perceptual Studies
- Frontiers | DMT Models the Near-Death Experience
- Turns out near-death experiences are psychedelic, not religious | WIRED UK
- Distressing Near-Death Experiences: The Basics - PMC
- 1 Exploring Near-Death Experiences across Cultures
- Religious Interpretations of Near-Death Experiences
- Do Only Western Religious People Have Near-Death Experiences? | Mind Matters
- https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc461731/m1/3/
- https://www.astonishinglegends.com/
- https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/12/us/shared-death/
Dessert Inspo: Blueberry Angel Food Cake - Spaceships and Laser Beams
Antarctica may be one of the hardest places on Earth to live. So how many ways are there to die on this frozen, mysterious continent? Grab the hot cocoa to warm your soul and let us count the ways.
Bibliomancy (New Years Divination in lieu of Death News this week)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliomancy
Sources
www.coolantarctica.com
Hidden Antarctic Secrets - All is Revealed what "they" don't want you to know
First woman to cross the Antarctic solo: I've never felt so alone
Winter-over syndrome - Wikipedia.
https://www.gq.com/story/insane-in-antarctica-excerpt
https://listverse.com/2015/09/25/10-strange-and-notable-antarctic-fatalities/
Rocky’s Obituary
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/app/name/hamilton-rothrock-obituary?id=9017104
Pics of Rocky and his resting place in Ushuaia, Argentina, are available on our website :)
Death News:
Archeologists Discover Mummies with Solid Gold Tongues
Resources:
Spirits: 314 - The Wild Hunt
Calling All Spirits: Wolf Days, Liminal Time and the 12 Days AFTER Christmas
Charles Dickens...More Thana Christmas Carol
Charities & Fundraisers:
Help Nayna Kick Cancer
Help Corvus With Cancer Expenses
Binx's Home For Black Cats
Grandma Mary's Cookie Recipe:
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
½ cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon anise or vanilla
Few more drops of anise per your taste
Cream all wet ingredients together. Sift all the dry ingredients together, then incorporate them into the wet ingredients. Add flour as needed to make the dough manageable. Chill overnight.
Take out about a fourth or so of dough, roll out to desired thickness, and cut with cookie cutters. Use flour on your working surface, hands, rolling pin, and cutters to keep from sticking. After all are cut, return leftovers to the fridge and get a new ball. Repeat process. Keep dough chilled for best manageability. Pack leftovers together and roll out the same as the rest.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
If you’re really into anise, add a few drops to the frosting. Use any recipe on google for frosting/icing that hardens. Or use whatever you like.
We jump out of hiatus to talk about the funeral traditions of Southern Europe and to eat Sonne's Chocolate Raspberry Poke Cake.
Light your Jack’o’lanterns and set out your “treats” for the denizens of otherworlds as the veil grows thin. Let’s sit around a silent supper or tell each other’s futures—hushed whispers in the dark, raucous celebration in the firelight. Take a bite of an apple and learn about Samhain, the Gaelic fire festival of the dead.
Dessert: Apples from Apple Wedge Packers, Hendersonville NC
Death Trivia:
Actor Ramon Novarro Murdered On Halloween Eve
Was Ramon Novarro's Murderer Posting on IMDB from Prison?
Resources:
Tlachtga - The Hill of Ward & The Samhain Fire
The Pagan Mysteries of Halloween
Samhain
Samhain Recipes
When Dumb Suppers Were a Halloween Love Ritual
Credits:
Research by Sonne
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Death Trivia:
The Gay Love Letters of Hans Christian Andersen
The Heartbreak of HCA
Hans Christian Andersen
Dessert: Key Lime Pie from The Lunchbox Cafe - Canton, NC
Resources:
Where Does The Concept of the Grim Reaper Come From?
Death (Personified)
The Grim Reaper
Credits:Research by Sonne, Editing & Art by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
There are 4 possible afterlife destinations in the Ancient Aztec religion:
Chichihuacuauhco - The Sacred Orchard of the Gods, Mansion of the gods, and dead infants.
Souls wait to repopulate the earth.
Mictlan - The Place of Darkness, reserved for those who died of natural causes, old age, or "common" illness.
After a 4 year journey, your soul is destroyed. No reincarnation for you!
Ilhuuicatl-Tonatiuh - The Kingdom of the Sun, Kingdom for Warriors who died in battle. (Male and Female have different houses) Male warriors are reincarnated after 4 years, to become hummingbirds and butterflies. Women warriors (those who died in childbirth - who become Cihuateteo) reside in their own place (Cihuateotl), in this Kingdom. They help push the sun out of the sky every night, for it to rest.
Tlālōcān - The Mansion of The Moon, reserved for those who died in storms, by water or lightning and uncommon illnesses or those related to water.
Souls in this paradise, live here happily FOREVER. It's the literal moon.
Mictlantecutli, Ruler of The Underworld and Main Death God & his consort Mictecacihuatl rule over Mictlan. Sometimes the dead are led through Mictlan with a psychopomp, Xolotl, a soul-guide, and God of Twilight, Twins, Monsters, Misfortune, Illness, and Deformity.
Tlāloc, although not a death god, is the ruler of the 4th layer of the upper world, Tlālōcān. Tlālōcān is a paradise for souls who died in storms, water, lightning, diseases associated with water, as well as children who were sacrificed, usually to Tlaloc, in exchange for the rain to aid their crops.
Ītzpāpālōtl is also not a death goddess. But in some myths, she is the ruler of not only the Cihuateteo, (divine women, souls of women who died in childbirth), but also the ruler over the Tzitzimitl (star demons who were progenitresses of mankind but also cosmic shit-disturbers awaiting the solar eclipse to swallow everything so the sun wouldn't rise again). WHAT A BAD ASS. We are fangirling hard.
Death In The News:
Historic African-American Church Cemetery listed on National Register of Historic Places
Dessert:
Cannoli by DiMaggio Pizza & Pasta
Resources/Stuff You Need To Read:
The difference between Palliative Care and Hospice
7 Documents You Need to Fill Out ASAP
Five Wishes
The Freedom of Planning for Your Own Death
Credits:
Research by Sonne & Beth
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Death Trivia:
King's Drops
Medicinal Cannibalism in Early Modern English Literature and Culture
*author misattributed. The author is Louise Noble.
Dinner Guests:
Hunter S Thompson, Rumi, Alice Roosevelt, Joan of Arc, Nietzsche, Emma Goldman, Bruce Lee, Tutankhamun, Kafka, Christopher Lee, Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Vincent Price, Nina Simone, Jack The Ripper, Alan Turing, Lewis Carrol, Jonghyun, Oskar Schindler, Zelda Fitzgerald, Queen Elizabeth I, Doc Holliday, Kurt Cobain, Amelia Earhart, Amy Winehouse, Marilyn Monroe, Carl Sagan, Stan Lee, Steve Irwin, Gandhi, Hemingway, Wayne Static, Jeff Hanneman, MLK Jr, Genghis Khan, Nature Ganganbaigal, Anthony Bourdain, Oscar Wilde, Dorothy Parker, Christopher Hitchens, Tesla, Sally Ride, Mary Shelley, Alexander the Great & Haphaestion along with a handful of beloved family members, friends, and pets.
Credits:
Dessert by Sonne - Recipe
Editing by Czarria
Theme Music - "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
This episode was entertaining and exciting for us, it may sound weird, but it's true. On our recent journey of exploring burial options, we kept running into new things we had NEVER heard of. I think it's fair to say that we are both rethinking some aspects of our current personal funeral plans. There is no reason to shy away from thinking about your options, or at the very least, understanding what your options are because you've got them! Death Trivia: Crestone End Of Life Project (open-air cremation site, Colorado) Resources:
Development of Modern Embalming What is Green Burial? Why Choose It? Aquamation Terramation - We Compost Human Bodies Fabric Shrouding Green Burial Project - Find Shrouds, etc - Some links/resources, broken Pine Box Burials Wicker Coffins Shallow Grave Burial Sky Burials Texas Body Donations Promession (Freeze Drying) Mushroom/Infinity Suit Mushroom Suit - Debunked - This made an unhappy Sonne
Credits: Research by Sonne & Czarria Dessert by Barber Orchard Fruitstand Editing and Art Provided by Czarria Theme Music: "Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
If you could have a dinner party for 5 dead guests, who would they be, and why?
What would you serve to eat? A full menu, or just dessert? Give us all the details!
We will be publishing a Listeners Episode, on the first Saturday of every month.
For the September episode, the deadline to submit your answer is August 30th!
Please DM or email us!
You can connect with any of our socials here
or Send Email
Want the dead to open up and tell you their secrets? Well, you’ll have to open them up yourself and take a peek! We talk about the often inaccurately depicted procedure known as the autopsy and enjoy some melty dessert from the local heroes at Jukebox Junction.
Death In The News: Human Remains and Animal Sacrifices Found in Dorset
Resources:
What Is an Autopsy?
Autopsy Types
Private Autopsy Providers
College of American Pathologists, Provider List Autopsy 101
Virtual Autopsy (SONNE PERSONALLY ENCOURAGES YOU TO DO THIS!)
Autopsies via Brittanica
History Summary
Prehistory to 16th Century History
Historical Milestones of Forensic Autopsy
Credits:
Research by Sonne & Czarria
Dessert by Jukebox Junction
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music:
"Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Oh, sweet deathlings, you shared such wonderful stories. From the subtle presence of a lost beloved sister to tiny but fierce guardians to a wild group experience, you gave us some great stories. Thank you so much and we can’t wait to hear more! Please check out our show notes on our website to see the location featured in the story directly from Sonne's Uncle Chuck.
Death In The News:
Colorado Funeral Director Sells Body Parts and Defrauds Families
Credits:
Ghost Stories Provided by our lovely audience
Dessert by Farm To Cake Bakery
Editing and Art Provided by Czarria
Theme Music:
"Not As It Seems" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
In Today's Episode, we wrap up Part 2 of our discussion around Eastern European Death and Funeral Customs. We learned so much from all the research for these episodes, and we hope you did the same. From the Macedonian use of Magic Kerchiefs and Albanian Custom of preventing vampires to the Ukrainian "Week of the Nymphs", and their Pysanky Eggs, our minds were boggled at every turn. But not as boggled as when we created the Dessert Abomination of Failure. I think we will leave making Krempita to Eastern Europe. Please make sure you tune in to us next week as we talk about Autopsies, and if you're interested in our Listener's Episode (out 8/6), send us your ghost stories!
Remember, life is short, have dessert!
Death Trivia:
William Price - Cremation Pioneer & Arch-Druid
Research Resources:
- Funeral Customs and Folk Traditions of Macedonia
- Bosnian and Herzegovian Culture & Bosnian Culture & Grief
- Serbian Funerary Practices & Serbian & Montenegrin Culture
- Funeral and Mourning Customs in Croatia
- Bulgarian Necrologs & Death and Dying in Bulgaria
- Russian Funeral Traditions & Folk Culture and Orthodox Funerals of Russia
- Ancient Ukranian Burial Rites, Ukrainian Orthodoxy Customs & Ukrainian Pysanky Eggs (Week of the Nymphs)
- A Moldovan Funeral & Moldovan Religion and Culture
- Traditional Romanian Death Customs & Superstitions & Romanian Funeral Traditions
- Belarusian Death Traditions & Radaunitsa in Belarus
Oh, Sweet Darklings. We took such a journey. From the Balkans to the Baltics and everywhere in between, we tread through some of the most mysterious and ancient parts of Eastern Europe and found their pagan roots still mingling with their Eastern Orthodox and Muslim patriarchs. It was magical and I hope it piques your curiosity as it did ours. The journey was so long, that we had to break it into two parts. So come with us for this first leg and we'll bring you back home for the second after two weeks.
Trivia: Defenestrations Of Prague
Dessert: Ukrainian Apple Sponge
Resources:
- Estonian Funeral Customs
- Laundry Day!
- Traditions In Latvia
- Lithuanian Funerals
- Czech Funeral Etiquette
- Natural Burial Alternatives in Czech Funeral Culture
- Hungarian Customs and Burial Folklore
- Traditions and Culture of the People of Slovakia
- Burial Customs And Superstitions About Death Among Slovaks - Stara Pazova
- Polish Funeral Customs
- Polish Funerals Explained
- Good Mourning - Celebrating The Day of the Dead in Slovenia
No need for the Spooky Girls to wait for October to be Spooky. Ghosts don't pay attention to the calendar and neither do we. Today we gather around the campfire for some yummy S'Mores Cupcakes from Bri's Sweet Treats and dig into some ghostly experiences. This is the first episode in what we plan to flesh out in future episodes. This is your ghostly primer. What's the difference between ghosts, angels, and demons? What's the difference between a poltergeist and an intelligent ghost... We dive into all of this, alongside Sonne's own personal experiences and Czarria's lack of experiences. Grab some marshmallows and get cozy.
Death Trivia - Pliny the Younger Ghost Story:
https://historyofyesterday.com/an-ancient-ghost-story-by-pliny-the-younger-cbe8011ecbca
Types of Ghosts:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost
https://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/types-of-ghosts
The Difference Between Angels, Demons, and Ghosts:
https://www.learnreligions.com/angels-demons-and-ghosts-oh-my-4108502
History of the Ouija Board:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-strange-and-mysterious-history-of-the-ouija-board-5860627/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrisSweetTreatsShop?ref=shop_sugg
Theme Music by Kevin McLeod
Research by Sonne & Czarria
Editing & Artwork by Czarria
SFX for Episode 11 by Julius H at Pixabay
We finally return from hiatus with a special episode to commemorate Sonne’s sisters' birthday (40 looks great on you, Rachel!) Our Rachel is fascinated by the Royal Family, so what better way to jump back into the saddle, than to eat yummy chocolate tombstone cakes and discuss The Monarchy? What happens immediately and automatically upon the death of a Monarch? What’s the difference between a State and Ceremonial funeral? We discuss the modern funerals of Prince Phillip, Princess Diana, Princess Margaret, and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
https://www.the-sun.com/news/2706347/difference-ceremonial-royal-funeral-state-funeral/#:~:text=Ceremonial%20royal%20funerals%20are%20often,gun%20carriage%20and%20military%20contingents.
https://www.royal.uk/funeral-duke-edinburgh-0
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/11/prince-philip-what-does-period-mean-national-mourning-sport
https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1588724/queen-mother-death-anniversary-princess-margaret-funeral-royal-family-spt
https://www.royal.uk/princess-margaret-funeral-arrangements
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_and_funeral_of_Queen_Elizabeth_The_Queen_Mother
http://www.unofficialroyalty.com/when-the-monarch-dies-immediately-and-automatically/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral_of_Diana,_Princess_of_Wales
Research by Czarria and Sonne
Death birthday cakes baked by Sonne
Editing by Czarria
Theme song by Kevin McCleod
From the bottom of our dark hearts, thank you to everyone who wrote in and shared their thoughts and dreams with us. We didn’t expect to be so moved by “bucket lists” but we were. And your lists gave us things to contemplate, as I hope they do for other listeners. We’ll be thinking about this one for a while. Also, chocolate chip cookies really are the best go-to, aren’t they?
- https://www.sporcle.com/blog/2020/02/why-do-we-kick-the-bucket/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kick_the_bucket
- https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/134218/where-and-when-did-bucket-list-come-to-mean-what-it-does-today
- https://med.stanford.edu/letter/bucket-list/bucket-list-research.html#:~:text=Results%3A%20Around%2091.2%25%20participants%20had,68.2%25)%2C%20v2%20%3D%2037.67.
- The Bucket List (2007) Official Trailer - Morgan Freeman, Jack Nicholson Movie HD
Theme Music by Kevin McLeod
Research by Sonne and Czarria
Editing by Czarria
Special thanks to everyone who engaged us in this conversation.
Classically, blackbirds are thought to be bad luck or omens of death. In the rest of the nursery rhyme, one of the birds goes on to snip off some poor girl's nose. How did the birds survive the baking? Bçse, they're powerful beings, of course. Along with owls, condors, bats, ravens, crows, and tiny, flitting moths. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sing_a_Song_of_Sixpence https://www.pelletsinc.com/blogs/news/symbolic-meaning-of-owls#:~:text=interpretation%20of%20change.-,Owls%20as%20a%20Sign%20of%20Death,owl%20is%20taken%20very%20seriously. https://www.owlpages.com/owls/articles.php?a=62 https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/owls-in-Japanese-culture https://www.bellaonline.com/article.asp?id=38441 https://mauiinvasive.org/2015/02/05/pueo-or-barn-owl-heres-the-difference/ https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1280&context=jbm https://vecamspot.com/owl-facts-symbolism-why-the-bird-is-considered-evil-in-africa/ https://abcbirds.org/bird/andean-condor/#:~:text=In%20Andean%20mythology%2C%20the%20Andean,health%20in%20many%20Andean%20cultures. https://worldbirds.com/condor-symbolism/ https://worldbirds.com/vulture-symbolism/#:~:text=The%20vulture%20symbolism%20is%20linked,intelligence%2C%20cleanliness%2C%20and%20protection. https://otherworldlyoracle.com/moth-spirit-guide/ https://worldbirds.com/moth-symbolism/ https://www.history101.com/camazotz-death-bat/ https://www.learnreligions.com/the-magic-of-crows-and-ravens-2562511 All research was done by Sonne & Czarria. All editing by Czarria. Theme song by Kevin McCleod. Pie by Sonne, with no official recipe.
Where did the idea of the Rainbow Bridge come from? Why are we both so bothered by the concept of a dog not getting into heaven when we are both Atheists and don’t believe in an afterlife, heaven or hell? What options do we have for memorializing and burying our pets? Discuss all this and more in today’s special episode - which we dedicate to my beloved companion who passed April 27th. I highly recommend eating your emotions beside us as we dig into some cheesecake from The Cheesecake Mousse.
Main Topic researched by Czarria. Editing by Czarria.
Pet Remain Options: https://www.pet-loss.net/funeral.shtml
World’s Oldest Pet Cemetery: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/651317-oldest-pet-cemetery
Do All Dogs Go To Heaven?
Catholicism: https://time.com/3631242/pope-francis-dogs-heaven-catholic-church/
Christianity: https://ebcky.com/2020/10/30/do-animals-go-to-heaven-when-they-die/
Islam: https://islam.stackexchange.com/questions/28595/do-animals-go-to-heaven
Buddhism: https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/animals.shtml
Hinduism: https://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_animals.asp
Photos & Emotional Support by Sonne (One of the best non-feline besties ever <3 )
Dessert - Strawberry Cheesecake by The Cheesecake Mousse
Theme music by Kevin McCleod
Very Special Thanks to Agape Pet Services for handling my soulmate with care!
Lastly, please consider a donation to a local non-profit organization that rescues, fosters, protects, and adopts, the most beautiful & magical of all cats, black cats! Find out more at Binx's Home For Black Cats
Let us stroll, darklings, in the graveyards and memorial gardens and learn about all the different types of places one can be laid to rest. On the way, maybe we’ll stop to sit upon a ledger stone or at a table tomb and snack on some homemade sugar cookies and sip sweet tea from Old Growth Alchemy. What’s the difference between an ossuary and a columbarium? What’s a tent tomb? And what is up with exploding caskets? For extra fun, take a shot every time Sonne and Czarria laugh or giggle-snort. Make sure you pick out your burial option first! We will help!
The main topic researched by Sonne
https://liverytours.com/2014/10/new-orleans-cemeteries-and-graves/
https://www.tngenweb.org/darkside/typology.html
https://www.legacy.com/advice/the-pros-and-cons-of-a-mausoleum/
https://www.usurnsonline.com/burial/what-is-a-crypt/
https://schillingfuneralhome.com/blogs/blog-entries/9/Blogs/35/Columbarium-and-Mausoleums.html
https://archaeology-travel.com/top-ten/10-popular-ossuaries-in-europe/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/definitive-guide-to-ossuaries-crypts-and-catacombs
https://www.tngenweb.org/darkside/typology.html
Trivia researched by Czarria
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/01/world/asia/japan-corpse-hotels.html
Editing by Czarria
Photos of graves collected by Sonne with links to their origins
Sugar Cookie Recipe by Jennifer Cloke https://www.instagram.com/carolinakitchenwitch/ , baked by Sonne
Tea came from https://www.oldgrowthalchemy.com/
Theme music by Kevin McCleod
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSZXFhRIx6b0dFX3xS8L1yQ
Even if you’re as busy as folks in Sweden, you can still listen to us discuss modern funerary and mourning practices in the chilly and chill Scandinavian countries and Nordic territories and maybe even take a break with some cream puffs (or some danishes, if you’re early enough!) from Farm To Cake Bakery in Waynesville, NC. Plus Sonne & Czarria plot their demise via Reindeer, but not Polar Bear. Humans aren’t good for Polar Bears.
Research -
- http://finnishtraditions.blogspot.com/2013/09/funerals-in-finland.html
- https://www.thespruce.com/swedish-death-cleaning-4801461
- https://deadhappy.com/stories/swedish-death-traditions/
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/160314-pictures-death-ritual-funeral-burial-ceremony-people-culture
- https://longreads.com/2015/10/22/why-greenlanders-dont-have-epitaphs-on-their-gravestones/
- https://dna-explained.com/2018/11/09/norwegian-cultural-gems-burial-practices-cemeteries-heritage-clothing-and-family-traditions/
- https://blog.sevenponds.com/cultural-perspectives/why-leave-the-window-open-a-danish-death-tradition
- https://myend.com/country/denmark/
- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draugr
- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_funeral
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/heading-to-iceland-just-make-sure-you-dont-die-there
- Special thanks to Jussi and Ivy Laine
Trivia - https://www.oattravel.com/community/the-inside-scoop/travel-trivia/life-and-death
Dessert Provided by https://farmtocakebakery.com/
Research was done by Sonne and Czarria
Artwork and editing by Czarria
Theme music by Kevin McCleod
We put on our serious faces in Asheville Hair Design to talk to Tricia about her experience helping folks with a part of mourning most of us don’t think about. It does get kinda heavy, so make sure you have a cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes for some emotional support. And my youngest makes his podcast debut!
Trivia was found at https://historyofyesterday.com/causes-of-elizabeth-i-death-the-reality-behind-the-royal-queen-makeup-48633b7cf64f
Dessert came from https://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/
And our guest can most often be found at https://www.ashevillehairdesign.com/
Editing and art by Czarria. Theme music by Kevin McCleod.
When your little brother’s back on his bullshit and kills you, but that doesn’t stop your sister wife and your potential love child from resurrecting you. A Family drama that rivals the Greek gods? Must be the Death Gods of Egypt. Let’s stop at Gypsy Queen Cuisine in Asheville, NC, and dust off the hieroglyphs to tell the story of the most famous set of siblings in the Egyptian pantheon and even their pet, the Devourer (Ammit!)
The main content was researched and presented by Czarria. Examples of the gods in media are researched and presented by Sonne, as was the trivia.
Today’s dessert was provided by Gypsy Queen in Asheville, NC.
https://gypsyqueencuisine.com/
Theme music is composed by Kevin McLeod.
Resources:
- The Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Ancient-Egypt-Helen-Strudwick/dp/1782744363
- The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0810932253/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_1TZ2EZK0X856B07WZG2B
- Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt https://www.amazon.com/dp/0140262520/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_BBZADZPW40JBTAGT3VD8
Cat trivia - https://quizzclub.com/games/welcome/in-ancient-egypt-the-shaving-of-eyebrows-signified-which-type-of-death/answer/494135/
Funerals in the western world tend to follow the same familiar templates, largely impacted by the endemic Christian religion, so we got curious about local traditions and colloquial customs. From France’s sweet sentimentality to Switzerland’s gardens of the dead, have an eclair and join us as we wander around the cemeteries and mourning places of western European countries.
Credits - research was done by Sonne and Czarria, with some added intel from our friends Christina and Nicole.
- https://www.frazerconsultants.com/2018/01/cultural-spotlight-french-funeral-traditions/#:~:text=A%20French%20funeral%20service%20is,but%20some%20people%20choose%20cremation.
- https://www.frazerconsultants.com/2018/03/cultural-spotlight-german-funeral-traditions/#:~:text=Burial%20and%20Cremation&text=At%20the%20burial%2C%20mourners%20throw,the%20cemetery's%20grave%20decoration%20rules.
- https://www.dw.com/en/rip-german-funeral-rites-and-practices/a-45382829
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/most-unusual-cheese-switzerland
- https://blog.sevenponds.com/cultural-perspectives/swiss-pragmatism-extends-into-death#:~:text=The%20Swiss%20are%20free%20to,creates%20a%20%E2%80%9Cliving%20gravestone.%E2%80%9D
- https://www.frazerconsultants.com/2017/06/cultural-spotlight-belgian-funeral-traditions/#:~:text=Christianity%20is%20the%20most%20common,honor%20and%20remember%20the%20deceased.
- https://www.frazerconsultants.com/2019/06/cultural-spotlight-dutch-funeral-traditions/#:~:text=Dutch%20people%20may%20choose%20burial,right%20after%20a%20Dutch%20funeral.
- https://youtu.be/uzZiEwtzMlk
- https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2015/10/10-things-about-death-in-the-netherlands/
- https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/luxembourg/healthcare/death-dying/funeral-arrangements
- https://ucatholic.com/blog/the-morbid-reason-why-the-rhone-river-was-consecrated/
Theme music is by Kevin McCleod.
Dessert was purchased at Wildflour Blue Bakery.
https://www.wildflourblue.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wildflourbluewaynesville
https://www.instagram.com/wildflourblue/
In our very first episode and the very first attempt of ever doing something like this, we discuss trying to define death, why we need to define death, and why it isn’t as easy as we thought. We also rave about the Black Forest cake from Amanda Brown of Amanda’s Cakes and Stuff and talk about Corpse Tourism, which isn’t what I thought it was.
Please be kind and patient with us, we’re still learning and evolving.
Sources for research were
https://www.german-way.com/history-and-culture/germany/the-german-way-of-death-funerals/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5570697/
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death?utm_campaign=sd&utm_medium=serp&utm_source=jsonld
https://www.britannica.com/science/death/The-meaning-of-death
Dessert provided by Amanda Brown of Amanda’s Cakes and Stuff in Asheville, North Carolina
https://www.instagram.com/amandascakesandstuff/?hl=en
Theme music is Not As It Seems by Kevin MacLeod
https://soundcloud.com/kevin-9-1?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing