You've unlocked another Closer Look episode, where we bring you a shorter episode that relates to a topic we've touched on before. In this week's episode, Jessie guides you through befriending your neighborhood crows. With a mini deep dive into crow symbolism and familial dynamics, you'll leave this episode racing to the grocery store to pick out the perfect seeds. If you have any stories about befriending crows, let us know at ladieswholorepod@gmail.com.

Sources:

“How to Make Friends With Crows and Earn Their Trust” by Kathleen Joyce on PetHelpful

“Did Crows Actually Make These Gifts for the Human Who Feeds Them?” by Jillian Mock on Audubon.org

“Crow Symbolism: Exploring Ancient Myths and Modern Interpretations” on BirdFact

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In this week’s episode, Jessie leads the ladies down a rabbit hole of one of the world’s greatest unsolved literary mysteries: The Voynich Manuscript. As Spells and Stories is sipped, the ladies gush over Paranormal Activity the play, create some playful puns, and try to solve a conspiracy. So grab your favorite encrypted Red Blend and your best de-coder, Ladies Who Become Investor-Gators will have you up until 4 am trying to solve the riddle.

Sources:

“Lost Language, Code or Hoax? Why the Voynich Manuscript Still Stumps Experts” by Stephanie Pappas on Live Science

“Why the Voynich Manuscript May Be the World’s Most Mysterious Book” by Dave Roos on History.com

“Top 10 Intriguing Theories About the World’s Most Mysterious Book” by Mike L on Medium

“The Voynich Manuscript: Theories, Both Crackpot and Legitimate” by Madison Taylor on Medieval Codes

“Faithful friar or scientific sorcerer?” by Richard Oosterhoff on Christian History Institute

Reddit Thread “What are your theories on the Voynich manuscript?” Comment by a User that has since deleted

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In our 50th episode, Sammy leads the ladies on a hike they might not return from due to a creepy cryptid: The Hidebehind. As the Gnarled Vine is poured, the ladies consult the produce calendar, debate Slender Man’s level of hairiness, and gush over job lore. So grab your favorite Cabernet Sauvignon and don’t get distracted in the woods, Ladies Who Disappear in the Woods will have you never wanting to leave the couch again!

Happy Thanksgiving to our listeners! We are endlessly grateful for you. Good luck with the family ;)

TW

Horror

Sources:

“The Hidebehind” by HolisticJB on beastsoflegend.com

“Hidebehind: American Lumberjack Monster Folklore” by Jeff O’Connor on connectparanormal.net

“Call of the Cryptid: The Hidebehind, a fearsome cryptid of American folklore” by Wade Wainio on MSN.com

“What is known about the hide behind? Is it true that people have seen it?” Answer by Asrthak Khatri on Quora

Fearsome Critters, Written by Henry H. Tryon • Illustrated by Margaret R. Tryon

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On this special A Closer Look Episode, the ladies share their spooky tales from their tour at the worlds most haunted ship, The Queen Mary after diving deep into its history on Episode 45 "Ladies Who Go on a Ghostly Voyage".

If you have been to The Queen Mary and have any chilling stories or photos from your time on the ship, email us at ladieswholorepod@gmail.com with any stories or photos!

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In this week’s episode, Lindsay opens the storybook and tells an often forgotten unsettling fairytale: Bluebeard. As the Quail Oak is poured, the ladies open doors they shouldn’t, gush over colorful beards, and recount their favorite Taylor Swift music videos. So grab a yearless sauvignon blanc and try to find the moral of this twisted tale. Ladies Who Dye Their Beards will ensure you never ignore the ick again.

TW:

Death, gore, murder

Sources:

Estés, C. P. (1992). Women Who Run With The Wolves. Ballantine Books.

Perrault, C. (1886). The Story of Blue Beard. Project Gutenberg.

Bone and Sickle. Conomor the Accursed. Bone and Sickle.

Worderist. The Mixed Up Morality of Bluebeard. Worderist.

Tales of Faerie. The Issue of the "Moral" in Bluebeard. Tales of Faerie.

Crawford, L. Bluebeard: Why the Grimmest of Fairytales is Still All-Too-Relevant. BBC.

Sur La Lune. Bluebeard Related Tales. Sur La Lune.

Fairy Tales with Jen. The History of Bluebeard. YouTube.

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In this week’s episode, Jessie gives the ladies nightmares with tales of: The Rake. As the Martin’s Rake is poured, the ladies have telepathic dreams of ghost children, gush over Heidi Klum’s Medusa costume, and strengthen their hive mind with Lindsay’s return! So grab the nearest rosé and don’t look at the edge of your bed, Ladies Who Watch You Sleep will have you securing your eye mask extra tight tonight.

TW

Suicide, death, horror

Sources:

“The Rake” by Bryan Somerville on Creepypasta Wiki

“The Rake” by Lizsower13 on Ghosts in the Burbs

“Based on a True Story” by Jacob Geers on Culture Crush

A TikTok video by Babysyd91

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In this special Halloween episode, Sammy takes the ladies back to the start of all Halloween festivities: Samhain. As the Misfits and Mavens is poured, the ladies tell scary stories of a jealous ghost, discuss lucid dreaming in cloud cities, and bob for apples (for love, of course). So grab your spookiest Pinot Noir and don your costumes, Ladies Who Celebrate Fire Festivals will have you eager to share fun facts at every party.

NOTE: Jessie’s mic and video cut out with 20 minutes left. We did the best we could, but technology put up a good fight.

“Samhain” by Editors on History.com

“Wheel of the Year” by Anon on thenewpagan.wordpress.com

“Who Were the Druids? Demystifying the Mystics of the Ancident Celtic World” by I.E. on Irish Myths

“6 Halloween Rituals Rooted in the Ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain” by I.E. on Irish Myths

“What Is Samhain? (Definition and Etymology)” by I.E. on Irish Myths

“Halloween 2025” by Editors on History.com

“Samhain to Soulmass: The Pagan origins of familiar Halloween rituals” by Beverley D’Silva on BBC

“A Brief History of Samhain: When (and Where) Did Halloween’s Celtic Predecessor Get Its Start?” by I.E. on Irish Myths

“Spirits of Samhain: Irish mythical creatures that haunt us on Halloween” by staff on Ireland.ie

“About Puca” by staff at Puca halloween Festival

Uncover Halloween's origins in Ireland by staff at Ireland.com

Some divination and rituals with apples:

https://mossandmagic.com/apple-magic-rituals-and-spells-using-the-fruit-of-the-season/

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In this week’s episode, Lindsay takes the ladies on a trot with one of Halloween’s spookiest stories: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Headless Horseman. As the Doc’s Cider is sipped, the ladies fawn over trombones, decide the difference between Georges and read an excerpt from Julie Peters’ witchy new book. So grab your favorite cider and hold on to the reins, Ladies Who Lose Their Heads will surely have you stopping in Sleepy Hollow in no time.

Sources:

Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Project Gutenberg.

“Sleepy Hollow & The Haunted Hudson.” American History Hit, podcast, October 31, 2022

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Wikipedia, last modified October 21, 2025.

Kellermeyer, M. Grant. “The Truth Behind the Legend: Historical Inspirations for Irving’s Horseman-Haunted Sleepy Hollow.” OldStyleTales, September 4, 2018 (updated November 21, 2023).

“Beyond Sleepy Hollow: Other Headless Horsemen.” Notebook of Ghosts, January 15, 2023.

Wiggins, Steve A. “Naming Sleepy Hollow.” Steve A. Wiggins, July 13, 2025.

“Headless Horseman Bridge.” and other excerpts from Visit Sleepy Hollow.

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