Susquehanna Life Out Loud

After a particularly cold, snowy, and difficult winter, it is time for renewal and rejuvenation. The Spring 2021 issue of Susquehanna Life Magazine provides multiple stories and features that will motivate you to get outdoors into the woods and the garden. This episode expands on some of the stories in our magazine. You will also from an experienced educator sharing insider tips for educating children outdoors. A master gardener will tell you everything you need to know to grow your own herbs for teas and herbal infusions. The Lewisburg Pod School After seeing their children struggle with remote learning at the start of the Coronavirus Global Pandemic, five families decided to pool their resources and started modern day one-room school house. They call it The Lewisburg Pod School. The students range in ages from 6 to 14 years old. With the help of a very creative teacher, they created a safe learning community during this very long Coronavirus pandemic. Every Wednesday the students and the teacher head into the woods for a full day of learning and play. Through fall, winter, and now in the spring, you will find them exploring the forest. In this episode we hear from Jenn Boyunegmez, the teacher,  Elizabeth Durden, a parent and Gabriel, a six-year old student in the Pod School. Planting an Herb Garden and Infusing Your Own Infusions and Teas rica Jo Shaffer has a storehouse of knowledge to share with those with experience and little to know experience planting and tending a garden. In a recent conversation about her Garden Shed article, Erica answers my many questions about growing herbs and using them to make homemade herbal infusions and tea.  Host, Peterson Toscano, peppers Erica with questions about seeds versus seedlings, pots versus growing in the ground, and what to do with friends who claim they simply do not have a green thumb. Erica also reveals the wonders of dandelions and stinging nettles. Behind the Scenes Look at Susquehanna Life Magazine’s Design When perusing a magazine listening to a podcast, we can become immersed in a world, but most of us are usually unaware of all the techniques and design elements that make it work. In this episode we pull back the curtain for you and introduce you to one of the people who make the magic happen at Susquehanna Life Magazine—Simone Tieber. Growing up in East Germany, Simone turned to art to comfort her during a turbulent childhood. Later in university the only way she could continue her art career though was to be an active member in the Communist party. She refused and forged her own path. Now as a graphic designer splitting her time between the USA and Germany, she has been responsible for designing the magazine that accompanies the Grammy Awards and the American Country Music Awards along with many travel, food, and university publications. Still working on each issue of Susquehanna Life Magazine is some of Simone’s favorite design work. Plus Host Peterson Toscano chats with Susquehanna Life publisher, Erica Shames about the Spring 2021 issue. Peterson also shares highlights including strategies for coping with the Coronavirus Pandemic, comfort foods, and more. Susquehanna Life Out Loud is the companion podcast to Susquehanna Life Magazine. You will find a full transcript of this episode and listings of previous episodes on our show notes page. You can hear our podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio. All the music we use on the show is licensed. In this episode you heard Dreamers of the Shore by Volcan Peaks and featuring Cody Francis. You can it and the other music at Epidemic Sound. Let us know where you hear podcasts, and we will submit our show to that platform. See a listing of where you can buy our magazine and find out about subscription options. Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options. For questions, comments, suggestions, and recommendations, you can reach us at SusquehannaLife@gmail.com

“The Riches of Kindness”Doris Lessing in her novel, The Golden Notebook, writes,“Do you know what people really want? Everyone, I mean. Everybody in the world is thinking: I wish there was just one other person I could really talk to, who could really understand me, who'd be kind to me. That's what people really want, if they're telling the truth.”Kindness. It doesn’t have the pizazz that comes from fame and fortune. There is something gentle and unassuming about it. Still in small and large ways it is often life changing.Erica Shames, founder and publisher of Susquehanna Life Magazine speaks with her podcast co-host, Peterson Toscano, about the contents of the Winter 2020 issue of the magazine. In preparing the issue, kindness emerged as a strong theme. It is so strong that Erica plans on weaving the theme of kindness into the magazine and podcast throughout 2021. So in a time when there is a lot of strife in the world, how do we promote more kindness?To find out Susquehanna Life Out Loud co-host, Peterson Toscano, chats with Joanne Troutman, the President and CEO of the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way. She tells us about wildly successful Kindness Campaign that United Way helped organized earlier this year. She also reveals bigger plans for the 2021 Kindness Campaign. Follow them on Facebook.Dr. Mel Zimmerman from the Lycoming College Clean Water Institute, updates us about the Susquehanna River and the many creeks and streams in the region. Dr. Zimmerman is featured in Darrin Youker’s article in the 2020 issue of Susquehanna Life Magazine. Dr. Zimmerman also shares ways you can show some kindness to the Susquehanna River and area water ways. You can follow the Clean Water Institute on their Facebook PageIn anticipation of her 50th birthday Karen Hendricks decided to try something completely different. An avid runner, she signed up to run 50 races for 50 different causes. Susan Ryder writes about Karen’s year-long celebration in the Winter 2020 issue of Susquehanna Life Magazine. Peterson Toscano chats with Karen to find out more about her adventure, what she learned, where she ran, and how the Covid-19 Global Pandemic interrupted but did not deter her plans.Karen blogs about each of the 50 races and each charity they races benefited. She is also the host of The Burg podcast.Dig DeeperThe official Kindness Campaign websiteVideo of Hellbender Salamander research with Dr Peter Petokas from the Clean Water Institute Integrated water quality report 2020 from PA Department of Environmental ProtectionChesapeake Bay report cardAUG 2020 WNEP Outdoor Life program featuring Dr Peter Petokas and CWI interns Hellbender researchCreate a Riperian Buffer to protect river and streamsPA Bureau of Watershed Management’s Riparian Forest Buffer GuidancePA Fish and Boat CommissionSusquehanna River Basin CommissionRoad Runners Club of AmericaSusquehanna Ridge Runners ClubThis episode of Susquehanna Life Out Loud is sponsored by Elizabeth’s An American Bistro, a true neighborhood bistro, and by the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership, sponsor of “Lewisburg in Lights” and “Late Nights in Lewisburg.” Susquehanna Life Out Loud is the companion podcast to Susquehanna Life Magazine. You will find a full transcript of this episode and listings of previous episodes on our show notes page. You can hear our podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio. Let us know where you hear podcasts, and we will submit our show to that platform.See a listing of where you can buy our magazine and find out about subscription options. Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options.Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options. For questions, comments, suggestions, and recommendations, you can reach us at SusquehannaLife@gmail.comIn this show you heard the songs “Weather Every Storm” by Cody Francis and “We’re All Runners,” by Nadja Alsén and Craig Reever. They are available at Epidemic Sound.This episode of Susquehanna Life Out Loud is sponsored by Elizabeth’s An American Bistro, a true neighborhood bistro, and by the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership, sponsor of “Lewisburg in Lights” and “Late Nights in Lewisburg.” Susquehanna Life Out Loud is the companion podcast to Susquehanna Life Magazine. You will find a full transcript of this episode and listings of previous episodes on our show notes page. You can hear our podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio. Let us know where you hear podcasts, and we will submit our show to that platform.See a listing of where you can buy our magazine and find out about subscription options. Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options.Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options.For questions, comments, suggestions, and recommendations, you can reach us at SusquehannaLife@gmail.com

Autumn is a reflective time for many people. The various fragrances of the season including the aroma of pumpkin spice treats or the earthy smell of a leaf pile, immediately stir up memories. In speaking to residents about what they remember of the fall of 1972, Andrew Stuhl, an associate professor of environmental studies and sciences at Bucknell University, learned about the powerful smell of flood mud. This was the pungent odor throughout the Susquehanna Valley after Hurricane Agnes brought historic rainfalls and a massive flood which upended lives and reshaped towns and waterways.“It reminds me of the connection between smell and memory, and how quickly a memory can come back to you if you smell something in the present day,” Andrew tells podcast co-host, Peterson Toscano. "I like to think about that as a metaphor for the importance of history and the importance of moments like Hurricane Agnes. They’re always with us, and sometimes they don’t come to our immediate senses, but they can be triggered, and they can be brought up really quickly. I like to believe in the power of memory and history, to mine those experiences, to reflect on them, and recognize and regard them, so we that can walk today in the difficult moments, and get through them.”Andrew talks about his community-based research, the Agnes Flood Project. You will learn why this one storm is still so important, not just for the region, but for the entire country. Lessons drawn from 1972 and the resiliency modeled by local residents during and after the storm will help us in coping and caring for each other during the Coronavirus Pandemic and with the growing risks of climate change.If you or someone you know have Hurricane Agnes stories to share for the Agnes Flood project, contact Andrew Stuhl and the team. They are also looking for pictures from the hurricane and its aftermath. Email agnesrevisited@gmail.comElizabeth Wislar lived in Williamsport for five years. She recently moved, but finds herself thinking a lot about the city and its inhabitants—the current ones and those who lived here long ago. These include once wealthy lumber barons and the indigenous people before them who once lived along the river. Elizabeth is mixed blood—Lenape and Choctaw, and she is a registered member of the Cherokee Nation. She hopes the curiosity she has about Native history in the region will be contagious.Looking over the Susquehanna River at Williamsport, she wondered about the original inhabitants and the history too often hidden from view. She says, “I just couldn’t help but feel an absolute absence and erasure every time I walked on the River Walk. I would really like more people to understand what happened there—to the land, to the trees, to the people. An enormous amount of trauma happened in that area.”Elizabeth shares what she has discovered about the Susquehannock and the Lenape who inhabited the region. She speaks about the violence the European settlers and the leaders of the newly formed United States perpetuated against the people and the land. She unearths for us stories of the lumber barons who made and then lost fortunes in the city. She also invites current residents to join in on the conversation about this history. Elizabeth believes it will be a healing process, one filled with essential lessons needed to keep us from repeating history.Also in this episode, Erica Shames, founder and publisher of Susquehanna Life Magazine, shares a delicious socially distanced lunch with co-host Peterson Toscano. They meet up in the new outdoor patio at Elizabeth’s An American Bistro. Eavesdrop on their conversation to discover what all the buzz is about.Plus Peterson shares new features in the magazine and the perfect treat to bake this fall.You will hear all this and more in the latest episode of Susquehanna Life Out Loud. Dig DeeperLenape Facebook GroupAn app that can tell you this indigenous history of the land you are on Carlisle Indian Industrial School. The first in the nation of its kind, it served as a model for other schools separated indigenous children from their families and culturesHurricane Agnes Wikipedia pageThe Agnes Documentary Facebook pageLearning to Live with Floods, Andrew Stuhl’s Susquehanna Valley Agnes ProjectSusquehanna Life Out Loud is the companion podcast to Susquehanna Life Magazine. You will find a full transcript of this episode and listings of previous episodes on our show notes page. You can hear our podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio. Let us know where you hear podcasts, and we will submit our show to that platform.See a listing of where you can buy our magazine and find out about subscription options. Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options.Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options.For questions, comments, suggestions, and recommendations, you can reach us at SusquehannaLife@gmail.com

Erica Shames, founder and publisher of Susquehanna Life Magazine, initially had doubts about releasing the Summer 2020 issue. She recognized the disruption the Coronavirus lockdown caused for advertisers and for businesses that sold the magazine. Then she began to hear from readers and subscribers who expressed how important the magazine has been for them. In this episode of Susquehanna Life Out Loud podcast Erica explains to her co-host Peterson Toscano, "We have a role to play here," and that is to uplift and to provide a positive way to look at the region and at life. We also give readers information to make their lives more enjoyable.In the Summer 2020 edition of the magazine, Jennifer Pencek writes about a group of women who are breaking ground by getting into the water. In our show, Jennifer chats with Peterson Toscano about the growing fly fishing phenomenon drawing women in the region to the sport. The is in large part due to the work of the Women, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.  The committee is the result of partnerships with the state Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited, and local organizations with the shared goal to connect diverse populations to fly fishing and waterway conservation efforts. They offer a special training program: Intro to Fly Fishing for Women.  As a result of working on this story, Jennifer sees a wonderful connection between people who enjoy outdoor activities and their efforts to conserve the wild spaces they love. Fly fishing enthusiast, Jamie SanFillipo, trains guides people in the sport through her own business, The American Fly Fishing Company. She explains the many benefits and joys of fly fishing, as she outlines the basics a beginner will need to get started. She answers questions about the cost of the sport, safety when fishing alone, and even where you can borrow free equipment. Both Jennifer Pencek and Jamie SanFilippo outline factors that have kept women and girls from taking up outdoor sports like fishing. They also tell us what we can do to foster gender diversity and equity in the great outdoors. Kendra Aucker, President and CEO of Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania chats with Peterson Toscano about the Covid-19 pandemic and what we can do to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and fellow community members. She stresses the importance of wearing masks as part of the overall plan. Like everyone else, her life has been turned upside down by the lockdown, and she shares some of her own strategies for when she hasn’t been able to go out and see family and friends. She also tells us about her favorite Corona comfort foods. Food lovers will learn about two opportunities to sample authentic dishes. You will hear about Kavkaz Restaurant, a truck stop off I-80 in Logantown, PA close to Jersey Shore. They specialize in preparing food from the Caucasus region including Georgian, Armenian, and Russian cuisine. What do they offer?  Homemade Khachapuri bread, which you can get with melted cheese and an egg in the center. They have stews and soup, including the most hearty borscht you may ever encounter. Meatballs with homemade mash potatoes is a favorite with the many people who left positive reviews on Yelp. They also serve Greek salad and various potato and vegetable dishes.In Sunbury, PA, writer Glen Retief, associate professor of creative writing at Susquehanna University, celebrates a local delicacy and tells us all about the annual Sunbury Sandwich Stroll organized by Sunbury Revitalization Inc. In addition to explaining how the sandwich stroll works, and how it has been received, Glen also reveals the peculiar incident that led up to the popular event.Almost four years ago our host, Peterson Toscano, a resident out on an early morning walk, saw that someone plastered Sunbury's Market Street with racist and anti-immigrate posters. The posters warned that Sunbury residents were being replaced by outsiders. Peterson spent the next few days walking around town wondering what Sunbury residents value and that we can boost and share with others. Turns out the sandwich, in one form or another, is king in Sunbury with nearly 20 shops within walking distance. Peterson's reflections led to the wildly successful sandwich stroll. The third annual Sandwich Stroll is scheduled for June 27. Check the Sunbury Revitalization Facebook page for the latest information.    From the Toscano family recipe files Peterson shares Mom's Homemade Raw Tomato Sauce. Hear about an absolutely delicious dish that is incredibly easy to make. You will hear all this and more in the latest episode of Susquehanna Life Out Loud.  Susquehanna Life Out Loud is the companion podcast to Susquehanna Life Magazine. You will find a full transcript of this episode and listings of previous episodes on our show notes page. You can hear our podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio. Let us know where you hear podcasts, and we will submit our show to that platform. See a listing of where you can buy our magazine and find out about subscription options. Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options. For questions, comments, suggestions, and recommendations, you can reach us at SusquehannaLife@gmail.comThis episode of Susquehanna Life Out Loud is brought to you by the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership. The LDP supports downtown businesses and the commercial district. They are responsible for beloved Lewisburg events: like the Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival, Fall Festival, Late Night Shopping in December and more. The LDP thanks everyone who have been supporting downtown Lewisburg. They want you to know that Many Lewisburg stores are open to shoppers--almost all offer curbside pickup and delivery. This include the many fantastic restaurants.For the most up-to-date information, visit their Facebook page. 

As Coronavirus or Covid-19 keeps many of us isolated in our homes, residents in the Susquehanna Valley have the fortune of being surrounded by many natural resources. With large gatherings and schools cancelled or disrupted, this spring is the perfect time to get outside for strolling, hiking, biking, and paddling. Susquehanna Life Magazine publisher, Erica Shames, shares a special message during this difficult time. She reminds us how resilient our communities have been in the past. With the help of Dr. Natasha DeJarnett at the National Environmental Health Association, we discuss safe ways to get out into nature while protecting yourself, your loved ones, your pets, and the community. Dr. DeJarnett also answers questions about Coronavirus, who is most at risk, and what we can do to keep from getting and spreading the virus. She provides specific information for those of us living in rural communities in the Susquehanna Valley.  For the most up to date Coronavirus/Covid-19 Information, please visit the US Centers for Disease Control.Whenever heading out into the woods, remember to protect yourself and your pets from insects that cause diseases. For information on the ticks in our woods and precautions for people and pets visit Penn State Extension. They also have a page with information about mosquito bites along with guidelines for safely using insect repellent. You can hear Susquehanna Life Out Loud on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio. Let us know where you hear podcasts, and we will submit our show to that platform. See a listing of where you can buy our magazine and find out about subscription options. Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options. For questions, comments, suggestions, and recommendations, you can reach us at SusquehannaLife@gmail.com

As Coronavirus or Covid-19 keeps many of us isolated in our homes, residents in the Susquehanna Valley have the fortune of being surrounded by many natural resources. With large gatherings and schools cancelled or disrupted, this spring is the perfect time to get outside for strolling, hiking, biking, and paddling. In this episode of Susquehanna Life Out Loud we share with your some of the many free resources in the region we can enjoy. With the help of Dr. Natasha DeJarnett at the National Environmental Health Association, we discuss safe ways to get out into nature while protecting yourself, your loved ones, your pets, and the community. Dr. DeJarnett also answers questions about Coronavirus, who is most at risk, and what we can do to keep from getting and spreading the virus. She provides specific information for those of us living in rural communities in the Susquehanna Valley.  For the most up to date Coronavirus/Covid-19 Information, please visit the US Centers for Disease Control.Also in this episode Host Peterson Toscano reveals highlights from the Spring 2020 issue of Susquehanna Life Magazine. He chats with writer Brian Auman about a new and growing activity taking place in the Central Pennsylvania mountains that has the potential to bring a lot of people to the Susquehanna Valley.Brian Auman in his article The Secret is Out believes Mountain Biking can be a driver for regional economic growth. More importantly, he says Interscholastic Mountain Biking provides an exciting new activity for middle and high school students. In our show he shares the history of mountain biking in the region and why he believes we are poised to see the region become a destination for serious mountain bikers from all over the country. Peterson also chats with 16 year old, Luly, from the Centre County Crow teams. She loves hurtling down the hill as fast as possible, and advises listeners to always wear a helmet. Luly's mom, Margot coaches the team and points out how great the program is for the youth in the region looking for new opportunities. We also learn about the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership, an ambitious plan to use trails and waterways to connect towns along a 500 mile stretch of the river. Alana Jajko, director of communications and outreach, tells us about two trails you can enjoy right now. Whenever heading out into the woods, remember to protect yourself and your pets from insects that cause diseases. For information on the ticks in our woods and precautions for people and pets visit Penn State Extension. They also have a page with information about mosquito bites along with guidelines for safely using insect repellent. Susquehanna Life Magazine publisher, Erica Shames, can be heard above the din of a chainsaw as she talks about the Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous. Experience it for yourself April 23rd, 24th, and 25th in Ridgeway, PA.Erica also tells us how to make her very own Sesame Noodle Recipe. Loaded with spring vegetables, it is the perfect dish for the season. Peterson looks through nearly 10 pages from the Spring 2020 issue of Susquehanna Life Magazine to share a few events that he is planning to attend. Out of hundreds of possibilities, this is his short list:Promised Land State Park in Greentown, PA will host Eagles—Masters of the Sky on April 11May 3rd to June 14th see The Needle Art Exhibit at the Fort Hunter Mansion. And while you are there you can enjoy the Fort Hunter Greenway trail.The  Covered Bridge Bus Tour in Columbia County takes off on May 16thAnd so much more including events for children and the whole family. There is also  a special listing of events to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day.NOTE: Before going to any of these events, we encourage you to contact the organizers to learn if the event has been cancelled or postponed. See the complete Events Guide in the Spring 2020 issue of Susquehanna Life Magazine.  You will also learn about Restaurant Weeks taking place in the Valley.Montour and Columbia counties: March 20th to the 29th. Snyder, Union and Northumberland counties: April 19th to April 26th.You can hear Susquehanna Life Out Loud on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio. Let us know where you hear podcasts, and we will submit our show to that platform. See a listing of where you can buy our magazine and find out about subscription options. Do you want to be a sponsor of Susquehanna Life Magazine? Find out about advertising options. For questions, comments, suggestions, and recommendations, you can reach us at SusquehannaLife@gmail.comMany thanks to all the guests and to Raúl Díaz Palomar and music from his album: Música Para Poder 

Host Peterson Toscano chats with Erica Shames about the Spring 2020 issue of Susquehanna Life Magazine. Reaching back into the archives, Peterson interviews author Glen Retief about his Spring 2013 article, 48 Hours in the Susquehanna Valley.Imagine you have a friend visiting you in the Susquehanna Valley for the very first time. You only have two days to entertain this friend and show off the region. During those precious 48 hours what would you do with your visitor? Where would you go? What do we have in the Valley that might seem commonplace to us but may just be downright extraordinary to a first time visitor?Writer Glen Retief, a professor at Susquehanna University, found himself in this situation. He hosted a childhood friend from his home country of South Africa. His friend, wild life painter, James Stroud, had never visited Pennsylvania before; Glen knew they were starting with a blank slate.Learn about the hidden spots Glen has discovered which he shows off to James. Hear how James marvels over something he witnessed in the Pennsylvania woods that was completely exotic to him. Glen's love for the Susquehanna Valley will give you a new appreciation for the region.You can hear Susquehanna Life Out Loud on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio. Let us know where you hear podcasts, and we will submit our show to that platform. For questions, comments, suggestions, and recommendations, you can reach us at SusquehannaLife@gmail.com