The Lee Rayburn Show

Even before the pandemic, gardeners were turning to heirloom seeds. We talk with one of the leaders in the movement about his seed business, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., and find out what they have been doing to meet the great demand for seeds in the last year.

People often build strong connections to certain places. And maps can be a nostalgic and a beloved symbol of these special bonds. We talk about what draws us to places, and how maps are a part of these deep ties.

Does where you live affect how happy you are? We look at one man’s journey to find out. Our guest is the author of “The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World,” our first Book Club selection.

Spring bird migration has begun and some early migrants are beginning to arrive from the south. We’ll discuss what birds you may be able to see in the next few weeks and how to make your yard hospitable to them.

As we get vaccinated and slowly return to “normal” life, pets may be feeling that transition as well. We discuss the value of alone time for pets and what newly adopted dogs might need right now.

Many people find themselves alone later in life, whether from the loss of a spouse, a divorce or having always been alone, maybe with a little curiosity for what else is out there. We talk to a guest who says finding companionship and intimacy at an older age is definitely possible.

There's a lot of guidance for younger people when it comes to lifelong romantic relationships — but what comes later in life? We talk with two married psychologists about the unique challenges that couples over the age of 50 often experience and how to strengthen and reconstruct your own relationship in the "bonus years".

You can’t garden without seeds — but where do all those seeds come from and how are they developed? We talk about the SeedLinked program and how you can help growers select, and researchers improve, seeds.

A Wisconsin theater company has been teaching local students literacy skills through theater for the last ten years. We talk about the program, who it reaches and how things changed because of the pandemic.

Vegetables are often the stars of our plates these days. Much of the credit for this change goes to our guest, chef and cookbook writer Deborah Madison. We talk about her memoir and how vegetables became such a part of her life.