Bone and Sickle – Bone and Sickle

Halloween Fortune-Telling Party

By boneandsickle | October 30, 2025

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:13 — 42.6MB)

This year, in the tradition of Halloween fortune-telling, we have an interactive divination game you can play at home. It comes from aa 19th-century book on cartomancy called, The oracle of human destiny: or, the unerring foreteller of future events, and accurate interpreter of mystical signs and influences; through the medium of common cards.

TO PLAY ALONG, you will need an ordinary DECK OF CARS or you could can draw your cards from a VIRTUAL DECK like the one on deck.of.cards. (https://deck.of.cards).

You will also need to know the ELEMENTAL GROUP of your ASTROLOGICAL SIGN.

They are:

FIRE SIGNS: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

EARTH SIGNS: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

AIR SIGNS: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.

WATER SIGNS: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.

Fortunes read fall into these categories (in this order):

Absent Friends and Relatives
Travel
Friendship and Enmity
Health and Longevity
Property Lost
Love
Wealth and Fortune
Success
A Potential Spouse
Happiness, Misfortune

There are 88 fortunes provided, so you’ll have more fun listening with friends who have different astrological signs. Or write down the signs of absent friends and draw cards on their behalf.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Mr. Ridenour’s Haunted Basement

By boneandsickle | October 27, 2025

Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()

If you’ve been curious regarding Mr. Ridenour’s and Mrs. Karswell’s troubles with anomalous events in the house, this short episode should answer some of your questions as Dr. Bartusch and crew attempt to restore order.

Happy May Day!

By boneandsickle | April 30, 2025

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (51.1MB)

Your favorite podcast is now seven years old! As a birthday gift to our listeners, we decided to try a super short, experimental video podcast. For your pleasure, Mr. Ridenour yesterday edited together this vide0, entitled “The May Queen”.

Announcement: Show Delay

By boneandsickle | January 31, 2025

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 0:29 — 569.8KB)

Unfortunately, release of the episode scheduled for this month has been delayed thanks to the Eaton Wildfire in California.

Your hosts are safe and sound, but complications from the fire temporarily halted production.

The episode in question should be available in February.

Thank you for your patience!

Announcement: Listener Trick-or-Treat

By boneandsickle | September 12, 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:55 — 5.6MB)

A special short announcement regarding Trick-or-treat by mail option for listeners joining Patreon. Find out how you can receive a hand-packed candy bag from the home of Bone and Sickle Podcast. Each goody bag is guaranteed to include sinister extra as described in Halloween urban legends.

Visit: https://www.patreon.com/boneandsickle

Only while supplies last!

“Always Halloween” Remix

By boneandsickle | September 9, 2023

Here is an audio-video remix of the “Halloween Girl” video that’s gone viral over the last weeks and was mentioned in our last episode featuring listeners’ thoughts on when the Halloween season begins (mentioned by someone from the “it’s always Halloween” contingent.) From the Bone and Sickle YouTube channel.

P.T. Barnum’s Magnificent Museum Fire

By boneandsickle | January 10, 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:20 — 31.3MB)

The fire that destroyed P.T. Barnum’s American Museum on July 13, 1865 was a luxuriantly surreal and tragic event, one described beautifully in a contemporary New York Times piece, which we share in this episode verbatim. Doomed whales in enormous tanks, fleeing snakes, sideshow celebrities, and melting wax mannequins are all part of this fantastic tale.

The episode also includes details on Bone and Sickle’s new format for 2023 (more and shorter shows) a morbid bit of poetry from Mrs. Karswell as well as a snippet of a 1920s recording of German soprano Frieda Hempel recreating a performance by Jenny Lind, “The Swedish Nightingale,” promoted by Barnum on immensely successful international tours.