Aging Well: Finding Beauty in the Gray

<p>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.</p>

Next Steps: Hugh Willard brings 3 years of the Aging Well podcast to a close...for now.

Send us a text The Aging Well: Finding Beauty in the Gray podcast has been privileged to share the stories and expertise of many Third Agers to an ever expanding, loyal and loving, international audience. At this time, Hugh is turning his time and energies to various writing projects. Stay tuned to hear more about Hugh's Substack page. Support the show Have comments or questions for us? Interested in sharing your story on Aging Well? Please send your information and questions to Hugh via ema...

09-30
14:43

One Step at a Time: Mike McKinney and the hiker's path to health and healing

Send us a text Mike McKinney is a retired first responder. He served in several capacities and roles over the course of his career. Originally from Springfield Illinois, he and his wife decided to move to follow their kids an grandkids to central NC at the close of his career. Mike is the co-director of the NC State Chapter of the 52 Hike Challenge; the Chief Hiking Officer for the Triangle Hero Hikers; and a NC Waterfall Keeper. Join us for this great conversation. To learn more about the 52...

09-23
26:51

Finding and Following Her Bliss: Author Niamh McAnally Life's Journey

Send us a text Niamh McAnally is an Irish-born bestselling author, keynote & corporate speaker, former TV director, and youngest daughter of the late BAFTA award-winning actor, Ray McAnally, and actor, Ronnie Masterson. Niamh has traveled all over the world and lived and worked as a volunteer in many island nations in the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Flares Up: A Story Bigger Than The Atlantic was conceived in Antigua when she witnessed Paul Hopkins and Phil Pugh cross the finish line...

09-16
36:08

Great Trips: Dr. Carolee Duckworth and the value of presence in new places

Send us a text Dr. Carolee Duckworth is a talented and creative woman of numerous skills and interests. She is an author of many books and articles including Shifting Gears to Your Life and Work After Retirement that she co-wrote with Marie Langworthy. She is an expert trip designer, and co-author (with Brian Lane) of the books Your Great Trip to France, Your Great 5-Day Trip to Paris, and Your Great 5-Day Trip to Loire Châteaux, available on amazon.com. Carolee's latest project in this area ...

09-10
35:40

Hometown America Movie Magic: Professor Benita VanWinkle and her passion for historic movie theaters

Send us a text Benita VanWinkle is a national and internationally exhibited and award winning artist and photographer. She is also an Associate Professor of Art at High Point University in North Carolina. Her passion project for many years has been to photograph and chronicle historic movie theaters across the U.S. The culmination of this will be her book America's Hometown Movie Theaters: Please remain standing. This will be published in the Spring of '25. Join us to hear more of Benita's st...

09-02
35:55

Keep, Donate, or Toss?: Jeannine Bryant and the Art of Rightsizing

Send us a text Jeannine Bryant is an expert at helping seniors and their families through times of transition. As the owner of Easyrightsizing and Changing Spaces SRS, a senior move management company in Lincoln, Nebraska, she and her team are proud to provide a valuable service that helps take away the stress when clients are rightsizing, moving, or clearing out an estate. For the last 15 years, Jeannine has found her passion helping seniors rightsize their belongings and their lives. ...

08-26
29:42

Coming Back To The Land For The First Time: Bestselling author Jeanne Blasberg and life on the Flynn Creek Farm

Send us a text Jeanne Blasberg has always been a writer. She is the bestselling and award-winning author of Eden; The Nine; and her latest novel, Daughter of a Promise. Most recently, she has reinvented herself through regenerative farming with her husband in central Wisconsin. She joins us to talk writing, midlife pivots, and the arc of healthy farm life. Learn more about Jeanne and her good work at https://jeanneblasberg.com/ and https://www.flynncreekfarm.com/ Support the show Have commen...

08-19
32:06

"We aspire to inspire before we expire!": Sherry Cantrell and the Sun City Poms

Send us a text Sherry Cantrell is a child of the speedway and from Speedway. That is the town and the home of the Indy 500 where her stepdad and mom worked. Sherry did not follow in the family footsteps literally, but she has led a full life culminating in her involvement with the Sun City Poms, who are celebrating their 45th anniversary this year. As the president of the Poms, Sherry is at the helm through this time of celebration. She graduated from Purdue University and then from Webster U...

07-15
36:58

Hiking For You, Me, and the Whole Average Gang: Nicola Ross shows us the way.

Send us a text Never imagine yourself hiking the Appalachian Trail, The Pacific Coast Trail, or The Salt Path? Great! Nicola Ross is an environmentalist, National Magazine Award–winning journalist, and the bestselling author of six Loops & Lattes hiking guides, with over 50,000 copies in print. She lives with her partner in Caledon, Ontario. Her latest book, 40 Days and 40 Hikes: Loving the Bruce Trail One Loop at a time is now available. Nicola reminds us that there are many beauti...

07-08
32:45

Life and Times on the Farm: Barbara McLean's 50-year odyssey with sheep, nature, and change

Send us a text Barbara McLean and her partner, Thomas, have a 50-year career overseeing their sheep farm, aptly titled Lambsquarters, in Ontario, Canada. Alongside the constancy of this farm’s work, Barbara is a spinner and weaver. She taught English and Gender Studies at Guelph University and has written 2 books about life on the farm: Lambsquarter’s and her latest, Shepherd’s Sight: A Farming Life. Barbara is joining us today to share more about Shepherd’s Sight, her time on the farm, her i...

07-01
31:56

Soaring On Matriarchal Winds: Author and artist Mary Carroll Moore charts her second-act course.

Send us a text Mary Carroll Moore is a bestselling and award-winning author of 14 books in three genres, including the PEN/Faulkner and Lambda Literary Awards nominated young adult novel, Qualities of Light. This is the prequel to A Woman's Guide to Search and Rescue. Her latest novel is Last Bets, a story of second chances, extra-sensory abilities, and recognizing our own faults. Mary recieved her MFA from Goddard College while in her 50's after a long and successful career as a chef, cookbo...

06-24
35:09

Are the Stars Out Tonight? Vermadel Nienstedt and the Crystal Coast Stargazers

Send us a text Vermadel Nienstedt was raised in Beaufort, North Carolina. She and her husband Jimmy lived in Columbia, South Carolina for 30 years before returning to coastal North Carolina. In retirement, the pair have reinforced their love of the night skies. As a part of the Crystal Coast Stargazers, they help educate many groups and individuals, about not only the beauty of astronomy, but also the critical message of curbing light pollution and its deleterious effects on our ecosyst...

06-17
26:48

Keep Moving!: Maria Fernandez with Older, Fitter, Stronger

Send us a text Out of her own health challenges in her younger years, Maria Fernandez turned into the intentional path of greater health. For the past 18 years, she has been a Personal Trainer and Yoga teacher in the United Kingdom. She has a particular love for working with seniors in support of their own healthier lives. She now offers her own classes for folks 60+ both in person as well as online. Learn more about Maria and her good work at https://www.moveliftflow.com/older-fitter-stronge...

06-10
28:56

The Legacy of Good People: Fred Surgeon's Dinosaurs Delight at the Sweet Valley Ranch

Send us a text 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 each passing year. To learn more about Fred, the Sweet Valley Ra...

06-04
29:50

Steadying Roots: Hugh Willard reads a few essays from his book Finding Beauty in the Gray

Send us a text 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 learn more. Support the show Have comments or questions ...

05-27
20:38

A Four Season Life: Marianne Borowski and the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail

Send us a text 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 and the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail...

05-20
33:54

All Aboard! Neil Bromilow and the Gibsonville Garden Railroad

Send us a text 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 with 22 trains running at one time. This wonderland attracts...

05-13
35:53

Funny Business Down on the Farm: Laurie Zaleski and the Funny Farm Rescue & Sanctuary

Send us a text 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 story of repeated and remarkable redemption and ren...

05-06
32:23

In Every Language, A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Filipino multimedia artist Eliseo Art Silva

Send us a text 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/ Support the show Have comments or questions for us? Interested in sharing ...

04-29
33:58

A Considerable Age: Writer Alice Goldbloom and her journey through family stories.

Send us a text 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, who survived the Nazi occupation of...

04-22
36:40

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