A Gather of Gatherings

Kellie Raines
  • 5.0 (3)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

What do you call a group of hawks? A kettle. Rattlesnakes? A rhumba. Orangutans? A buffoonery. Welcome to A Gather of Gatherings, a story-rich, curiosity-fueled podcast exploring the wild and whimsical world of collective nouns. Each episode begins with a single phrase—like a murder of crows—and unfolds into something much bigger: interviews with experts and artists, imagined conversations with historical voices and animals, immersive soundscapes, folklore, poetry, and plenty of animal facts along the way. From language and literature to nature, culture, and the mysteries of meaning, this podcast is your invitation to wander where words take flight. Hosted by Kellie Raines—a writer, artist, and lover of linguistic oddities—this show celebrates the poetic strangeness of how we gather, name, and know the world and each other.

Episodes

  1. 04: Gatherlings: Full Tour of Save the Snakes — Rattlesnakes, Pythons, and a Green Unicorn

    AUG 4 · BONUS

    04: Gatherlings: Full Tour of Save the Snakes — Rattlesnakes, Pythons, and a Green Unicorn

    Step inside Save the Snakes in Rancho Cordova, California, for a rare, unfiltered behind-the-scenes tour at Save the Snakes with host Kellie Raines and venomous snake coordinator and expert Amy Brumbaugh. This Gatherlings bonus episode — your companion to A Rhumba of Rattlesnakes — goes beyond rattlesnakes to explore pythons, kingsnakes, gopher snakes, and the stunning “green unicorn” rhino rat snake at Save the Snakes. You’ll even hear the moment Kellie touches a snake for the first time (spoiler: not slimy!) and the sound of a real rattlesnake in person! Packed with engaging audio and snake characters worth taking the time to get to know, this episode is perfect for wildlife lovers and the snake-curious alike. I'm listening! Support the show

    29 min
  2. 03: A Gather of Gatherings: A Rhumba of Rattlesnakes – Reckonings and Rhythms

    AUG 4

    03: A Gather of Gatherings: A Rhumba of Rattlesnakes – Reckonings and Rhythms

    What do you call a group of rattlesnakes? A rhumba. And what do you call a podcast episode that blends snake encounters, medieval language, legendary women, and the soulful beat of an Afro-Cuban dance? This one. In this immersive episode of A Gather of Gatherings, host Kellie Raines waltzes past fear (and a few fangs) with expert Amy Brumbaugh from Save the Snakes, who introduces her to her very first live rattlesnake. Along the way, you’ll learn how to safely coexist with these often-misunderstood creatures — and why they’re more percussionist than predator. But this isn’t just about wildlife conservation. It’s about language, legend, and transformation. Discover the bizarre and brilliant history of collective nouns, hear from the legendary Dame Juliana Berners (kinda) in a time-traveling, totally fictional interview, and more. Woven throughout: poetic reflections on what it means to shed your skin — literally, metaphorically, and maybe even musically. Rattlesnakes. Resistance. Renaissance. Ready to dance? 💬 What’s your favorite collective noun? Tag us or message @gatherofgatherings on Instagram and TikTok and use the hashtag #AGatherOfGatherings — we want to hear your favorites!  🎶 Music, sound design, and full credits in the show notes. 🎙️ To learn more, visit gatherofgatherings.com ⭐ If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review it — help us dance more! Show Notes Host, Producer, Writer: Kellie Raines Interviewees Amy Brumbaugh, Venomous Snake Coordinator of Save the SnakesDame Juliana Berners, portrayed by Kelley Ogden (fictional interview)Shawn B O'NealWhen I Shed My Skin… (in order of appearance) Margaret MorneauElaine BrooksTory ScrogginsAndrew Fowler*Gay CooperJohnathan SextonDamon AlumsMarilyn RainesKellie RainesRose Froling*Wrote their own “When I Shed My Skin…” vignette Special Thanks Amy Brumbaugh, Save the Snakes, Shawn O’Neal, Margaret Morneau Music Music courtesy of Melodie Music. Melodie Music Subscription: Pro Plan, Lifetime Title: Acoustic Minor Swing Artist — Bill Palmer; Composer: Palmer William John https://melod.ie/track-details/1647-acoustic-minor-swing  Title: Of Lads and Lasses — Alex Cap; Composer: Cap Alexander Stephen https://melod.ie/track-details/450-of-lads-and-lasses  Title: Who Will Pay the Piper — Vincent Russo; Composer: Russo John https://melod.ie/track-details/2297-who-will-pay-the-piper  Title: Especial — Jared Chance Taylor; Composer: Taylor Jared Chance https://melod.ie/track-details/3507-especial  Title: Dead Broke — Chris Raggatt; Composer: Raggatt Chris https://melod.ie/track-details/2423-dead-broke  Sound Effects SoundSnap (pro subscription) Referenced Resources or Links Save the Snakes https://savethesnakes.org/ The Rattlesnake Conservancy https://www.savethebuzztails.org/  I'm listening! Support the show

    1h 19m
  3. 02: A Gather of Gatherings: A Kettle of Hawks – Feathers and Figures of Speech

    APR 2

    02: A Gather of Gatherings: A Kettle of Hawks – Feathers and Figures of Speech

    What do hawks have to do with language, myth, and medieval manuscripts? In this debut episode of A Gather of Gatherings, we take flight with a fun collective noun—a kettle of hawks—and explore the stories it stirs up. Join host Kellie Raines as she metaphorically skydives into the world of hawks (and the archives), blending rich storytelling, language, history, and real-life falconry with imagination and curiosity. 🦅 You’ll hear from Kate Marden, master falconer and founder of West Coast Falconry, who shares her journey from childhood wonder to working with real-life raptors. 📖 You'll also meet Dame Juliana Berners (sort of…), a 15th-century nun, in a fictional time-traveling interview about birds, books, and who gets to write history. 🎧 And yes—there will be soundscapes, bird trivia, falconry terms, and one or two winged metaphors that might surprise you. This isn’t just a podcast about grammar—it’s a journey through language, nature, culture, and imagination, all launched from the odd and wondrous world of collective nouns. Show Notes Host, Producer, Editor, Writer: Kellie Raines Interviewees Kate Marden, Founder and Owner of West Coast Falconry Dame Julianna Berners, portrayed by Kelley Ogden (fictional interview) Shawn B O'Neal If I Were a Hawk Writers/Voices (in order of appearance) Each person below wrote and voiced their own “If I Were a Hawk…” content Jessica Laskey, Leah Daugherty, Filipe da Cruz (French), Elizabeth Sosner, Emma Young da Cruz (German), Olivia Raines, Shawn B O'Neal, Ruby Sketchley Special Thanks David, Shawn, Colleen, Rose, Agnes, Olivia, Alice, Shannon, and the Witches Music Music courtesy of Melodie Music. Melodie Music Subscription: Pro Plan, Lifetime Title: Acoustic Minor Swing Artist: Bill Palmer; Composers: Palmer William John https://melod.ie/track-details/1647-acoustic-minor-swing Title: Of Lads and Lasses Artist: Alex Cap; Composers: Cap Alexander Stephen https://melod.ie/track-details/450-of-lads-and-lasses  Title: The Battle Of The Boyne Artist: Vincent Russo Composers: Russo John https://melod.ie/track-details/2296-the-battle-of-the-boyne  Title: Dappled Light Artist: Karl Steven Composers: Steven Karl Solve  https://melod.ie/track-details/1588-dappled-light  Title: Distant Galaxies Artist: Patrick Rydman Composers: Rydman Patrick Finn  https://melod.ie/track-details/4817-distant-galaxies  Title: Trials And Tribulations Artist: Sam Lipman Composers: Lipman Samuel Mark https://melod.ie/track-details/903-trials-and-tribulations  Sound Effects LibriVox (free public domain audiobooks) SoundSnap (pro subscription) Excerpt from Il pleure dans mon cœur by Paul Verlaine (1874) From Romances sans paroles (1874) Public domain. Courtesy of LibraVox performed by Alexandre Ivan Kard I'm listening! Support the show

    55 min
  4. 01: A Gather of Gatherings Begins – Collective Nouns and Creative Curiosity

    SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    01: A Gather of Gatherings Begins – Collective Nouns and Creative Curiosity

    Why is it a murder of crows? A dazzle of zebras? A rhumba of rattlesnakes? Welcome to A Gather of Gatherings, a poetic, playful, and story-rich podcast exploring the curious world of collective nouns—and the surprising stories they unlock. In this introductory episode, host Kellie Raines invites you into the heart of the show: where grammar meets folklore, where language spirals into wonder, and where imagination is very much encouraged. You’ll hear how a single odd phrase—like a kettle of hawks or a mob of meerkats—can become a launching point into nature, culture, creative nonfiction, fictional interviews, sound-rich storytelling, and more. Whether you're a word nerd, a nature lover, a history buff, or simply curious about how we name and narrate the world—we’re so glad you’ve gathered here.  Show Notes Host, Producer, Writer: Kellie Raines Interviewees Kate Marden, Founder and Owner of West Coast Falconry Dame Julianna Berners, portrayed by Kelley Ogden (fictional interview) If I Were a Hawk Writers/Voices (in order of appearance) Each person below wrote and voiced their own “If I Were a Hawk…” content Leah Daugherty Music Music courtesy of Melodie Music. Melodie Music Subscription: Pro Plan, Lifetime Title: Acoustic Minor Swing Artist: Bill Palmer; Composers: Palmer William John (APRA: 00536259538) 100% Publisher: Melodie Music Pty Ltd (APRA: 865412820) 100% CAT ID MEL331_03_1 ISRC AU-NZK-20-01874 Release year: 2020 https://melod.ie/track-details/1647-acoustic-minor-swing  Sound Effects SoundSnap (pro subscription) Referenced Resources or Links Special Thanks David, Alice, Colleen, Rose, Shawn, Agnes, Olivia, Shannon, and the Witches I'm listening! Support the show

    9 min

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

What do you call a group of hawks? A kettle. Rattlesnakes? A rhumba. Orangutans? A buffoonery. Welcome to A Gather of Gatherings, a story-rich, curiosity-fueled podcast exploring the wild and whimsical world of collective nouns. Each episode begins with a single phrase—like a murder of crows—and unfolds into something much bigger: interviews with experts and artists, imagined conversations with historical voices and animals, immersive soundscapes, folklore, poetry, and plenty of animal facts along the way. From language and literature to nature, culture, and the mysteries of meaning, this podcast is your invitation to wander where words take flight. Hosted by Kellie Raines—a writer, artist, and lover of linguistic oddities—this show celebrates the poetic strangeness of how we gather, name, and know the world and each other.

Information

  • Creator
    Kellie Raines
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 A Gather of Gatherings
  • Show Website
    A Gather of Gatherings