Aging Well: Finding Beauty in the Gray

Fred Surgeon is a man of many talents, all driven by his late father's desire that Fred and his siblings be "good people." Through his extensive involvement in the community, in mental health services, and in environmental education, Fred and his wife Anita now head the Sweet Valley Ranch in Fayetteville, North Carolina. This includes Dinosaur World, a growing attraction that is drawing more and more visitors with ea...

Have you read Hugh's book, Finding Beauty in the Gray yet? Join us on the Aging Well: Finding Beauty in the Gray podcast as Hugh takes time to read a few essays from his book that speak to our need for self- and other-care through these angular, stressed times. If you've read Hugh's book, please do the kindness of writing an online review at Amazon, Goodreads, or other sites. This is immensely helpful for others to l...

Marianne Borowski is a retired biochemist and lifelong biker. She has ridden
cross country and on rail trails all over the U.S. In 2017, she developed the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail. Walkers, bikers, runners, skiers, and horse back riders alike all enjoy the 83-mile majesty that is the great New Hampshire outdoors. Marianne is currently the Vice President of the NH Rail Trails Coalition. To learn more about Marianne an...

Neil Bromilow is a widower, father, grandfather, and twice retired civil engineer. "Retired" is a very relative term as Neil has remained quite active in a number of civic and community pursuits in the Central North Carolina town of Gibsonville, where he and Estelle raised their family. These days, Neil spends a good bit of his time at the helm of the Gibsonville Garden Railroad, over 2900 feet of G-scale train tracks wit...

For over 20 years, Laurie Zaleski has taken her late mother's dream and made it her own. Today, this graphic design small business owner, pilot, author, and founder of the Funny Farm Rescue & Sanctuary, heads a host of volunteers in caring for over 750 abused and abandoned animals of all ilk and breed. This magnificent, motely crew live in relative harmony at the Funny Farm in Mays Landing, New Jersey. Tune in to here this...

Eliseo Art Silva is a contemporary multimedia artist in L.A. who weaves his Filipino heritage into his art, fostering community connection and compassionate interaction. His passion and his mission are to share the Filipino experience and it's rich heritage and contributions to the greater world community. 
To learn more about Eliseo and his extraordinary work, go to https://www.eliseoartsilva.com/

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Alice Goldbloom, a longtime Montrealer, has been writing her whole career—mundane government, business, and consulting documents of every kind. In 2020, with a fulfilling career behind her and two children semi-launched into the world, she began writing stories to please herself and share. 

 She writes about being a first-generation Canadian, the small town in Ontario where she grew up, and her discovery of the story of her parents,...

Join us as we celebrate Earth Day 2024 with naturalist, entomologist, and trail keeper Kim Hainge. Kim lives on a 36 acre United Plant Savers Sanctuary in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina with her botanist husband, Jim. Here she hosts talks, lead hikes, and in general shares her love of nature with any and everyone she sees.

Learn more about Kim by following her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kim.hainge.9 or Instagr...

Jenny Poelman, 66, became a published author for the first time last year. Jenny spent most of her childhood in South Korea with her missionary family. Nowadays, she and her husband, Ken, divide their time between North Carolina and Montana. When not writing, Jenny and Ken can be found fly-fishing, hiking, traveling, and most of all, spending time with the kids and grandkids. Join us as Jenny shares more about her passions and the ...

Jonathon Ray made his stage debut as a child at the historic Flat Rock Playhouse in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. He has taught theater and communications courses at several colleges and universities for many years, including Lenoir-Rhyne and Appalachian State. He recently decide to retire, but the theater remains ever-present in his world. Join us for this encore interview with Aging Well's very first ...

Cheryl Beversdorf brings several of her talents together, along with her passion, to produce and host the AGING MATTERS weekly radio program, podcasts, and television show. Cheryl is a veteran, RN, not-for-profit association executive, and public communications specialist. Her shows feature interviews with experts discussing aging-related subjects, all in pursuit of supporting healthier lives for older adults. Cheryl's shows a...

In picturesque downtown Sylva in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, there is a three generation chocolate-making legacy that is Baxley's Chocolates. The middle tier of this legacy, Steve Baxley, son of Russell, husband of Beth, and father to Lauren, joins us to share more about this family's journey and magical operation. Just in time for Easter! To learn more about Steve and the family business, go to https://b...

Did you know that March is National Knitting and Crochet month? Across the United States, there are thousands of dedicated Knit Wits-groups of committed volunteers, many of whom are seniors, creating hats, scarves, even toys, to share with infants and children in need in their communities and across the globe. Join us as we welcome Mary Ann Stover and Donna Powers from the Edgemere (Dallas, TX) Knit Wits. They share a bit about the...

Dr. Connie Zweig is a retired therapist and author. Known as the Shadow Expert, she has written several books on the spiritual path to health and wholeness. In this show, we talk about her book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul. Connie has many important insights for all of us as we cross numerous thresholds in the later years. To learn more about Dr. Connie Zweig and her work, go to https://conniezweig.com/ Pleas ...

Michelle Garren-Flye is the owner of the Next Chapter Books & Art in New Bern, NC. She is a multi-published author of romance, children's books, and poetry. Michelle was named the Heart of the Pamlico Poet Laureate in 2021. She is ever curious, and ever expanding her experimentation with various forms of poetry and other narrative structures. To learn more about Michelle, go to https://michellegflye.com/

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Jennifer Simonic and Masey Kaplan are  the founders of the Loose Ends Project. Both avid knitters, they realized they had a shared experience: Friends would often ask them to finish blankets, sweaters, or other projects left undone by deceased loved ones. They always do so enthusiastically, understanding what it feels like to wear something a loved one has made. They have parlayed this project in a few short years to an internation...

Two years ago, Gloria and Frank, both retired psychologists, met on Silver Singles (https://www.silversingles.com/), an online dating website for folks 50+. Since their first date, they have been inseparable and decided to share the secrets to finding love with other seniors through their new book, Open to Love: The secrets of senior dating. This practical, witty, fun and serious guide is a must have for any and all single persons ...

Join us as we welcome Heather Lyons back to the interviewer's chair. Heather and Hugh will reminisce about memorable shows and guests over the past year and Hugh will read more from his latest book Finding Beauty in the Gray: Stories and Verse From the Third Age.

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Have comments or questions for us? Interested in sharing your story on Aging Well? Please send your information and questions to Hugh via email ...

For the past decade, Santa Warren Keyes, Stafford Braxton, and the rest of the folks with santasjustlikeme.com have travelled the Southeast United States, igniting and sharing in the excitement and anticipation of the magic of Christmas to little kids and big kids alike, especially those of color. Their experience has been captured in the award winning documentary American Santa. In this season of acceptance and love, join us for t...