Ep 2 of Season 2 is out and I got to chat with the lovely Ellie of Cosy Gaming Over 40! We're on opposite sides of the world, connected through the internet and lots of tea! <3 Had a great time discussing Stardew!

Ellie writes Cosy Gaming Over 40 on Substack (go read it, seriously), does Lunch Hour Playthroughs on YouTube, and curates cosy picks over on Steam. In Stardew she's on Goose Farm with two dogs, four cats, and a horse named Totoro (shoutout to Studio Ghibli for the fuzzy bff!!)

We got into playing Stardew (and gaming in general) as an older player, why perfection runs never actually end because there's always another save calling your name, and then chatted about some of our fave + creepy NPCs , her love of fishing and 1.7 wishlist.

One of my fave quotes from this episode: "Life's too short for those walnuts, Shirley. It's too short." Correct. Iconic. No notes.

Reminder - there’s no wrong way to play this game and gaming doesn’t need to be productive. May you do what brings you joy <3

Editor's Note:

As a complete aside I also want to highlight that my morning brain was oh so confidentially incorrect on a number of occasions, so much so that I had to edit back in to correct myself. Enjoy those fact checks! Tee Hee (˶>⩊<˶)

Guest Info

• Substack: Cozy Gaming Over 40
• Insta: @cosygamingover40

Resources:

• Game: Spirit of The North
• Wiki: Perfection Tracker
• Fizz - Stardew Valley Wiki (introduced in 1.6)
• Pam - Stardew Valley Wiki
• Linus Sprites
• Bait Maker - Stardew Valley Wiki
• Stardew Valley: Festival of Seasons Vinyl - Fangamer

✨ Don't forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Email: [email protected]
• Merch: https://stardropteapodcast-shop.bigcartel.com/
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/StardropTea

🍵 Host: Shirley! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <3

Original Art by Brianne Burnell | Original Music by egward

Show Notes:

Welcome back to Stardrop Tea! Season Two is here, and things look a little different behind the mic. Shirley will be solo-hosting this season and also doing guest episodes. You can read more about that on Patreon. It’s been a minute since we last chatted, so we’re catching up on what’s been going on in the last few months, what I’ve been reading, some lovely listener emails and then diving straight into hot gossip. Does Gus have an alter ego? Does he actually hate Coleslaw or is this a red herring?

Shoutout to Zee for sending in the theory that sparked this episode's deep dive!

Books Discussed

• Legendborn Series by Tracy Deonn
• Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove

Resources & Links:

• Cheatcode Drama
• Stardew Valley Perfection Tracker
• Menu Options for Show Advanced Crafting Information
• Gus Wiki
• Queen of Sauce Wiki
• Reddit Post #1
• Reddit Post #2
• Reddit Post #3

✨ Don’t forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Merch: https://stardropteapodcast-shop.bigcartel.com/
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/StardropTea

Original Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Burnell⁠ | Original Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠egward⁠

Host: Shirley! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <3

Grab a lovely cup of tea and settle in for our final Mailbag ep of Season 1 💫

Quick update: Stardrop Tea will be taking a short break this summer to get some much-needed rest and plan for Season 2.

Send an email of what you'd like to hear in the future or if you're interested in being a guest!! And truly, thank you sooooooooooo much for your stories, theories, and questions. They have mean so much - thank you for being part of this community.

Truly so grateful for all of you 💛

Take good care and talk soon. <3

Editor’s Notes:

• ⁠Skull Cavern Wiki⁠ Jumping down the shaft causes ⁠Health⁠ damage equal to 3x the number of floors skipped

Resources & Links:

• ⁠Rings Wiki⁠
• ⁠Fairy Box Wiki⁠

✨ Don’t forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Merch:⁠ https://stardropteapodcast-shop.bigcartel.com/⁠
• Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/StardropTea⁠

Original Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Burnell⁠⁠ | Original Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠egward⁠⁠

Hosts: Shirley & Hilary! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <3

Pour yourself a cup of tea or miso soup and come hang out with us as we chat with Mandy.

We recorded this the week of the Stardew Valley 10 year anniversary, before the two new marriage candidates were announced. Don't miss the speculation :)

Emily’s mom is heavily featured in this episode iykyk.

Editor’s Notes:

• Not Emily’s mom also being a mermaid!
• Elliot and Willy might hang out?? ⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/StardewValley/comments/nzq17p/so_apparently_willy_doesnt_lie_about_where_he/⁠
• According to the Haunted Chocolatier site we could game the game before 2030 but tbd
• The Journal Scraps are the Sailor’s Journal… not the old mariner?? Who is the sailor?

Resources & Links:

• Hilary's farm
• Random Seed Explanation
• Dwarf & Krobus Cut Scene
• Night Market
• Old Mariner
• https://www.hauntedchocolatier.net/

✨ Don’t forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Merch: https://stardropteapodcast-shop.bigcartel.com/
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/StardropTea

Original Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Burnell⁠ | Original Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠egward⁠

Hosts: Shirley & Hilary! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <3

Show Notes:

Mailbaaag!! Shirley and Hilary read gossip from loyal listeners, updates about reaching perfection, interior design optical illusion secrets, and time loops!

This episode was BONKERS!! The theories were out of this world! Thank you all so much for sharing your ideas with us, taking the time to write, and truly making us laugh hysterically. Being a part of this community brings so much joy to our lives and we’re forever grateful.Enjoy! <3

Editor’s Notes:

• Keep the whimsy alive!

Resources & Links

• Mini Obelisk
• Cosy Gaming Over 40
• “Potato portrait”
• Extended Family Quest
• The Others
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
• Ferngill Republic
• Pantheon - TV Show

✨ Don’t forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Merch: https://stardropteapodcast-shop.bigcartel.com/
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/StardropTea

Original Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Burnell⁠ | Original Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠egward⁠

Hosts: Shirley & Hilary! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <3

Show Notes:

We’re finally heading down to the house at 2 Willow Lane to talk about Pelican Town’s most unlikely sisters: Haley and Emily! Are their parents really off traveling the world, or are they actually very close to home? Has the Wizard caused EVEN MORE problems? Does having green hair mean you’re related to other people who have green hair? Do you still have your childhood clothing, or have you gifted it as hand-me-downs? Was there a Voldemort reference in Stardew? (Spoiler: NO) Some of this is going to make sense!!!!

Editor’s Notes:

• Marnie does not have a bow in her hair… those are bangs? (secret note 11)

Resources & Links:

• Unhinged Reddit theory about Emily and Haley’s parents
• Picture of Marnie looking younger and with a little girl who we all assumed is Jas, but it isn’t??
• Emily Wiki
• Haley Wiki
• Haley’s farm photo
• What is a niece?
• Youtube: Haley and Emily's Family Secret... || Stardew Valley 1.6 Lore and Theory

✨ Don’t forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Merch: https://stardropteapodcast-shop.bigcartel.com/
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/StardropTea

Original Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Burnell⁠ | Original Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠egward⁠

Hosts: Shirley & Hilary! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <5

Show Notes:

We’ve heard the announcement and we have feelings. 🙃💐😈

Merch!!!

Editor’s Notes:

• Patreon Exclusive: Watch-along commentary on the 1.7 Romance Candidates announcement video by ConcernedApe
• Take me down to Goblin Village!!
• Farmhouse pro-trude-ments
• We canonically have at least one sibling or cousin??
• Mr. Qi’s name is pronounced “QWEE”???
• Hailey’s 14-Heart Event should get updated in 1.7
• We’re looking forward to seeing personal growth from Clint, I guess!!!!
• Emily Love-Triangle Strategy
• For sure one new farm Layout… but maybe 2 New Farm Layouts???
• Merch announcement!

Resources & Links:

• My Favorite Murder
• https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Tom_Kha_Soup
• Stardew Valley retrospective + 1.7 Romanceable Characters Announcement
• Haley
• Why not to use the term “cakewalk” (CW: Racism)
• Clint

✨ Don’t forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Merch: https://stardropteapodcast-shop.bigcartel.com/
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/StardropTea

Original Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Burnell⁠ | Original Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠egward⁠

Hosts: Shirley & Hilary! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <3

Grab your favorite mug and settle in! This week on Stardrop Tea, Hilary and Shirley are diving deep into the question: Who is finally getting a bouquet? 💐 With the massive 10-year anniversary update on the horizon, we’re speculating on which two NPCs are graduating from "just friends" to full-blown romance options. Is it finally time for the Wizard to find love beyond his tower? Can we finally marry Robin and give her the life she deserves? Does Marlon need someone to share his monster-slaying stories with? Or are we finally going to get a library date with Gunther?

Editor’s Notes:

• Free masks: https://maskbloc.org/
• Shirley’s mask pick: Wellbefore
• Hilary’s mask pick: evolvetogether

Resources & Links:

• Sandy
• Wizard
• Marlon
• Slime Hutch
• Adventurer's Guild
• Marnie
• Gunther

✨ Don’t forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Merch: https://stardropteapodcast-shop.bigcartel.com/
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/StardropTea

Original Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Burnell⁠ | Original Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠egward⁠

Hosts: Shirley & Hilary! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <3

Hi Stardrops! This mini ep is all about community spaces in Pelican Town and obviously, we had to give flowers to Gus, our unproblematic king and saloon legend. We’re chatting about why Gus is lowkey a hometown hero, his dynamics with the NPCs, and why Valentine’s Day absolutely belongs at the saloon.

Diamonds. Escargot. Fish tacos!!!

Editor’s Notes:

• Talk about timing! We recorded this before Concerned Ape’s announcement of two NEW marriage candidates!!!!!!

Resources & Links:

• SECRET GYM NO GIRLS ALLOWED???
• Gus
• Bouquet
• Willie and Gus made a crab deal
• Valentine’s Day in Animal Crossing

✨ Don’t forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Merch
• Patreon
• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]

🎨 Cover art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Burnell⁠⁠⁠ 🎵 Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠egward⁠⁠

Hosts: Shirley & Hilary! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <3

Pour yourself a cup of tea and come hang out with us as we chat with Maddie, an IRL farmer and a virtual one in Stardew Valley.

We get into the real vs. virtual farming life, why Stardew NPCs feel way too real sometimes, and how decorating your farm is basically self-expression. There’s lore talk, community theories, future update wishlists, and lots of love for the little details that make this game so special.

Naturally, we also hype up bees, nature, and the unmatched joy of a truly cozy game.

🌷 Show us the bees!🐝 🌷 Show us the bees!🐝

Resources & Links:

• ⁠Leo Wiki⁠
• ⁠Spa Wiki⁠
• ⁠Horse Flute Wiki⁠
• ⁠Honey Wiki⁠
• ⁠Carrot Wiki⁠
• Trinkets Wiki
• ⁠Solid Gold Lewis Statue⁠
• ⁠Megatherium - Sloth⁠
• Guest Instagram: @coldbrewandstardew
• Guest Substack:⁠@coldbrewandstardew⁠

✨ Don’t forget to rate, review, and send us your thoughts!

• Insta @StardropTea.podcast
• Merch
• Patreon
• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]

🎨 Cover art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Burnell⁠⁠⁠ 🎵 Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠egward⁠⁠

Hosts: Shirley & Hilary! Thanks Farmers & Stardrops <3