Aging Well: Finding Beauty in the Gray

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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.

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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 at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

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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 Hike Challenge, go to: https//www.52hikechallenge.com

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 email at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

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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 after rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic. The book was shortlisted in the 2023 Sunday Times Vikki Orvice Award.
Her memoir Following Sunshine: A Voyage Around the Mind, Around the World, Around the Heart was released in September, 2024. Gripping and heartfelt, Niamh’s beautifully written memoir [Following Sunshine] unfolds with warmth, courage, and a touch of cinematic magic. It’s a MUST-READ for anyone seeking inspiration and a deeper connection to the world." --Liam Neeson
Her short story Haul Out is featured in the anthology A Page from My Life.  She has been published in The Journal, Caribbean Compass, Sail, The Irish Times Abroad, Writing.ie and Subsea magazines.
To learn more about Niamh, go to https://www.thewriteronthewater.com/ or find her on many social media sites.

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 email at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

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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 is a series of websites. The first is greattripguide.com that will coordinate and offer resources for more European adventures. Join us to learn more about these great resources!

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 email at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

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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 story! To learn more about Benita and her fine work, go to https://www.busybstudio.com/

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 email at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

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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.  Originally from a farm in North Dakota, Jeannine now calls Lincoln, Nebraska her home, where she lives with her husband and two children. To learn more about Jeannine's work, go to https://easyrightsizing.com/

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 email at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

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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 comments or questions for us? Interested in sharing your story on Aging Well? Please send your information and questions to Hugh via email at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

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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 University for her Master’s degree.  After retiring, Sherry and her husband relocated to San Antonio. From there, they started spending some of their time in Sun City, Arizona. This is where her fate and connection with the Sun City Poms was sealed. To learn more about the Sun City Poms, go to https://suncitypoms.org/

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 email at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

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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 beautiful options in nature that don't require excessive time and resources. 

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 email at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

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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 insights on the changes that have occurred over the past 50 years, both for the farm and herself.

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 email at [email protected] or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We’d love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources.  And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would  most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!