Quality of Life Radio

Steve and Karen Wilson of The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast take Big Blend Radio's "Adventures in Asheville" Podcast to HapBE Valley Equine & Wellness Farm, where owners Jennifer and Jason Robbins have built a horse-centered healing retreat on a former century-old family farm.
Jennifer shares how a solo retreat to Costa Rica at 50 — working with horses through groundwork, not riding — taught her more in a few days than 20 years of therapy, and how that experience became the blueprint for HapBE Valley. Jason talks about leaving a 21-year business behind to build something more meaningful, and shares a vulnerable personal story from his own first time working with a horse in front of a group.
They walk through what makes HapBE Valley different: Reiki sessions with horses, guided horse meditations down in the pasture, private "just be with the horses" appointments with no agenda, and multi-day retreats — including their long-running Equine Self Discovery program and a brand-new retreat built around Kelly McDaniel's "Mother Hunger" work on attachment and generational trauma. They also touch on their corporate herd-dynamics program and why Asheville, with its music and wellness culture, was the right home for the farm.
🐴 Learn more and book a visit: https://hapbevalley.com/ 
🏡 Stay at The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast in Asheville's Montford Historic District: https://www.lion-rose.com/ 
🎧 LISTEN: Check out the NEW Big Blend Radio "Adventures in Asheville" Digital Podcast Magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/ADVENTURES-IN-ASHEVILLE/ 
New episodes air every 1st Tuesday: https://adventures-asheville.podbean.com/ 

What if just a few intentional minutes each day could transform your relationships?
On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Soul Diving Sunday" Show, transformational life coach and author Shelley Whizin, the "Live & Die Happy Coach," shares the inspiration behind her new "21-Day Relationship Reset – A Guided Experience," a simple yet powerful practice designed to help couples, families, friends, and even individuals reconnect through daily acts of love, kindness, and appreciation.
Inspired by her "Daily Love Vows," Shelley explains how small, consistent shifts can create lasting change. From leaving thoughtful notes and playing together to practicing gratitude, listening with intention, and tending the "garden" of your relationships, this guided experience encourages participants to strengthen connections one day at a time.
Whether you're looking to rekindle romance, deepen friendships, strengthen family bonds, or cultivate greater self-love, this episode offers practical inspiration for bringing more joy, presence, and compassion into your everyday life.
❤️ Learn more about Shelley's 21-Day Relationship Reset – A Guided Experience: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/coaching-programs/21-day-relationship-reset 
🌐 Visit Shelley's website: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/ 
📰 Follow Shelley on Substack: https://shelleywhizin.substack.com 
🎙️ Listen to Shelley's Podcast: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/podcast 
🎧 More from Big Blend Radio: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/ 

Whether you're naturally intuitive, spiritually curious, or simply wondering if there's more to life's coincidences than meets the eye, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Quality of Life" podcast offers an engaging and thoughtful conversation with author Katherine Marie about her new book, "High Five Your Spirit Guides: Manifest the Life You've Always Wanted with the Help of Your Spirit Guides."
Drawing from her background in computers and IT, Katherine brings a refreshingly practical perspective to spirituality, showing how intuition, mindfulness, journaling, meditation, tarot, crystals, and simple daily rituals can help people become more aware of the guidance already present in their lives. Rather than asking listeners to abandon logic, she encourages curiosity, self-reflection, and openness to recognizing meaningful signs, synchronicities, and opportunities.
In this inspiring discussion, Katherine shares:_ What spirit guides are—and how they differ from angels and ancestor spirits- Why intuition deserves more attention in our busy, technology-driven lives- How synchronicities, repeating numbers, and everyday experiences may carry meaningful messages- Easy exercises anyone can practice to strengthen intuition- The connection between manifestation, gratitude, focus, and daily rituals- Why balancing logic with spirituality can lead to greater confidence, purpose, abundance, and joy
Learn more about Katherine Marie, her books, newsletter, and upcoming events at: https://www.innercompassmedia.com/ 
Whether you're a longtime believer or simply curious, this conversation offers practical ideas for cultivating greater awareness, inner peace, and a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you.

In this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Eat, Drink & Be Merry" Show, we welcome back Chef Ivan Flowers and his wife, Tracy Phillips, for a lively "Getting to Know You" conversation that blends personal stories with practical advice on eating well without overspending.
From rising grocery prices and smart shopping strategies to healthy meal planning and making the most of affordable ingredients, Chef Ivan and Tracy share simple ways to create flavorful, nutritious meals on a budget. Along the way, they talk about Chef Ivan's work teaching high school culinary students, Tracy's love of cooking and baking, favorite music, dream features for the Big Blend Media House, and the foods they'd love—or avoid—at a dinner party, making this a fun opportunity to get to know them beyond the kitchen.
Whether you're feeding a family or simply looking for ways to stretch your grocery budget, you'll come away with practical cooking tips, plenty of laughs, and inspiration for your next meal.
🍽️ Featured Recipe: Chef Ivan's Budget-Friendly Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/cooking-smart-living-well-chef-ivan-flowers-tracy-phillips 
Visit the Big Blend Media House: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/ 

Recovery continues across Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, following the historic flooding caused by Tropical Storm Arthur. 
In this shared special episode of Big Blend Radio's "Travel Avoyelles" Podcast, Executive Director Wilbert Carmouche of the Avoyelles Commission of Tourism joins Father Martin Laird of Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church in Plaucheville and Immaculate Conception Church in DuPont to share firsthand stories of resilience, faith, volunteerism, and the incredible spirit of the community.
The conversation highlights how neighbors, churches, first responders, businesses, and volunteers united to help families recover after record-breaking rainfall. The episode also explores how travelers can support the local economy by visiting Avoyelles Parish's attractions, restaurants, festivals, and small businesses as recovery continues.
The show concludes with hope for the future, emphasizing that while much rebuilding remains, Avoyelles Parish is open for visitors and grateful for every act of support.
Flood Relief & Area Information- Support Avoyelles Parish recovery through the Diocese of Alexandria Flood Relief efforts: https://www.diocesealex.org/avoyelles-flood-relief/ 
- Learn more and plan a future visit: https://travelavoyelles.com/ 

Celebrate Marilyn Monroe's 100th anniversary year with this inspiring episode of Big Blend Radio's "Books & Authors" Show with Books Forward, featuring award-winning author Mima Tipper discussing her acclaimed young adult novel, "Channeling Marilyn" (She Writes Press).
Rather than retelling Marilyn Monroe's life, "Channeling Marilyn" imagines what might happen if Marilyn's spirit became a mentor to a shy modern-day teenager struggling with confidence, body image, identity, and finding her own voice. Through this unique coming-of-age story, Mima explores timeless themes of fame, self-acceptance, grief, resilience, friendship, and the courage to become your authentic self.
In this thoughtful conversation, Mima shares how her fascination with Marilyn Monroe's enduring cultural legacy inspired the novel, why Marilyn remains one of the world's most recognizable icons nearly a century after her birth, and how the pressures of celebrity continue to resonate in today's social media-driven world. She also discusses writing for young adults, the importance of authentic storytelling, the role of theater in building confidence, protecting creativity in the age of AI, and how personal loss shaped this deeply emotional novel.
This episode is especially timely as we honor Marilyn Monroe's 100th anniversary year, celebrating not only the Hollywood legend's enduring influence but also the universal journey toward self-love and embracing who we truly are.
Learn more about Mima Tipper: https://www.mimatipper.com/ 
Presented in partnership with Books Forward: https://booksforward.com/ 
Enjoy more author interviews, book reviews, and literary features: https://bigblendmediahouse.com/ 

Welcome to this shared inaugural episode of Big Blend Radio's "Table & Compass" Podcast with hosts Lisa D. Smith, Joelle Machia, and Ryan Slough.
Pull up a chair for global conversations that shape a better world as we explore how travel, community, culture, and collaboration connect to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In this debut episode, the hosts are joined by Carlisle Richardson, an international relations expert whose career has included serving as Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United Nations and as a United Nations Economic Affairs Officer. Carlisle played a key role in negotiations that helped establish the landmark Sustainable Development Goals and contributed to preparations for the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Together they discuss:- Why the Sustainable Development Goals matter to everyone- - How travel builds understanding across cultures- The importance of protecting heritage sites and cultural identity- Sustainable tourism and water conservation- Community-led solutions that create global impact- Inspiring children and future generations to become changemakers- The role of storytelling in preserving culture and encouraging sustainability- Why every individual can help build a more resilient future
Whether you're passionate about travel, conservation, education, culture, or simply making your community stronger, this conversation offers practical inspiration and a hopeful perspective on creating positive change—one story and one connection at a time.
Carlisle's Books📚 The Soft Underbelly — https://www.amazon.com/Soft-Underbelly-Carlisle-Richardson-ebook/dp/B0H2FLMPN8/ 📚 Rose Grows Veggies — https://www.amazon.com/Rose-Grows-Veggies-Carlisle-Richardson/dp/1068739991 📚 Island Journeys: The Impact of the Island Way of Life at Home and Abroad — https://www.amazon.com/Island-Journeys-Impact-Life-Abroad/dp/1599326124 
Resources & Links➡️ Wanderers Compass: https://www.wandererscompass.com/ ➡️ Big Blend Media House: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/ ➡️ The Steppes of Henry Foundation: https://theglobalhenry.org/ ➡️ UN Sustainable Development Goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals 
New episodes of Table & Compass air every first Monday on Big Blend Radio: https://table-and-compass.podbean.com/ 

What makes a picnic so much more than a meal outdoors? In this shared and uplifting episode of Big Blend Radio's "Soul Diving Sunday" Show, Shelley Whizin, the "Live & Die Happy Coach," explores how picnics, family reunions, and simple gatherings in nature can strengthen relationships, celebrate loved ones, and create lasting memories.
Shelley shares how food is a beautiful metaphor for life and connection, why play and laughter are essential ingredients for healthy relationships, and how celebrating our elders and family legacy enriches every generation. The conversation also highlights the healing power of nature, the joy of potlucks and shared experiences, and even the value of taking yourself on a solo picnic as an act of self-care.
Whether you're planning a family reunion, gathering with friends, or simply looking for ways to reconnect with yourself, this episode is filled with practical ideas and heartfelt inspiration for celebrating life while the people you love are here.
🥪 Read Shelley's companion article & recipe:https://shelleywhizin.substack.com/p/celebrate-them-while-theyre-here 
📰 Follow Shelley's Substack: https://shelleywhizin.substack.com 
🌐 Visit Shelley's Website: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/ 
🎙️ Listen to Shelley's Podcast: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/podcast 
🎧 More from Big Blend Radio: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/