Aging Well: Finding Beauty in the Gray

Aging Well: Finding Beauty in the Gray

Aging Well: Finding Beauty in the Gray is a podcast for everyone in or approaching the retirement years. There’s a lot to unpack here apart from the financial planning component, and we’ll do just that. We’ll explore new interests, priorities and goals and finding purpose for ourselves and in our relationships. Join me each episode as I share stories and chat with guests learning to live their best next act, lives. Have a question or comment? Please reach out to me, Hugh Willard, at willowwaycreations@gmail.com or via any of the social media links at the top of this page.

Episodes

May 6, 2024 32 mins

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...

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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,...

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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...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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 ...

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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...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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...

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Landis Wade is a recovering trial lawyer turned award winning author turned founder and host of the popular Charlotte Readers Podcast. https://charlottereaderspodcast.com/   His third book, The Christmas Redemption won the Holiday category of the 12th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards. His novel, Deadly Declarations received praise by Kirkus Reviews, BookLife Reviews and Midwest Book Reviews and was named a Finalist in the Th...

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Joanna Eldredge Morrissey is a native of Peterborough, New Hampshire. She migrated west to get degrees in communications and philosophy from Cal State Fullerton. She stayed for a time working at a commercial photo studio and the Corona Public Library before returning to New Hampshire to raise her two daughters and run her family farm. In addition to tending to the farm, its crops and all of its two and four legged inhabitants, Jo i...

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Millard and Connie Locklear, husband and wife, are the owners and operators of the New Ground Farm, a 26-acre abundance of heirloom and hybrid crops that follow the traditional farming methods of their Native Lumbee families. They were named Small Farmers of the Year in 2022 by the Cooperative Extension at NC A&T University. Join us as we celebrate the Locklears during Native American Heritage Month.
To learn more about the...

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For this week's show, we have a special guest host. Heather Lyons, Hugh Willard's partner in love and life takes over the interviewer's headset to talk with Hugh about his long awaited book, Finding Beauty in the Gray: Stories and Verse From the Third Age. They chat about the inspirations for the book, the writing and publishing process and turn an eye towards what's ahead for Hugh and Heather together. The offi...

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Dr. Heather Altman has spent the bulk of her career in the non-profit, healthcare, and aging services sectors. She is currently the Executive Director of the Health Sciences Health Innovations Group and the North Carolina Serious Illness Coalition. She is also a Senior Living Specialist with All About Seniors, Inc. As if these were not already a full plate, Heather is also a burgeoning media star with Friday Facts, an online, news ...

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