Still Time for Joy

Sandra Levine
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  • MENTAL HEALTH
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Still Time for Joy features practical advice for weathering life's storms, and inspiring stories of resilience.Host Sandra Levine interviews experts on caregiving, trauma, grief, and other intense challenges to provide a road map for survival. Heroes and healers, adventurers and innovators encourage you to pursue more self-care, reflection, connection, and fun—and your own unique and joyful purpose.Sandra is a television producer, filmmaker, and speaker who spent 20 years as a caregiver, first for her husband Michael, who had a brain injury, and then for her mother Dorothy, who had Alzheimer's Disease. She created this show to share lessons learned from those experiences to help you get through difficult times, too. Still Time for Joy is also available as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

  1. 3D AGO

    Seals of Sandy Hook, NJ - American Littoral Society Teaches Visitors about their Comeback Story

    During winter months, numerous harbor seals can be seen resting or "hauling out" on the rocks in the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The American Littoral Society, a coastal advocacy nonprofit, hosts regular seal walks during which visitors learn about the seals' amazing comeback story. Seals historically came here from Canada and New England, following their prey, but their numbers plummeted due to water pollution and overhunting. The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and cleaning up the environment, have helped turn that around. Samantha Hemming, education coordinator for the American Littoral Society, teaches visitors about the seals, the need to give them plenty of space - you must stay at least 150 feet away - and the importance of continuing to protect the environment we share with these marine mammals. Special thanks to Caroline Fairhurst for the beautiful seal photos and video. American Littoral Society  https://www.littoralsociety.org/ Sandy Hook Unit - Gateway National Recreation Area  https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/sandy-hook.htm Sandra Levine Productions https://sandralevine.com/ Watch "Still Time for Joy" as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

    6 min

  2. MAR 14

    Renowned Arachnologist on the Importance of Spiders & Why We Should Protect Them, Not Fear Them

    March 14 is National Save a Spider Day, the perfect time to highlight the critical need to protect spiders, not fear them. Dr. Paula E. Cushing, past president of both the American Arachnological Society and the International Society of Arachnology, has been joyfully studying spiders for decades. She says our fear of spiders is outsized: of the more than 53,000 species of spiders, approximately 100 species have venom that can badly hurt (or in rare cases, kill) humans.  Still, arachnophobia is often cited as the top phobia in the world. Dr. Cushing says learning about spiders and being exposed to them often greatly reduces people's fears. Spiders are an important part of the ecosystem. They devour insects, including mosquitoes, and they also are food for birds, reptiles, small mammals, and other species. Habitat loss and pesticide use are among factors causing reductions in spider populations. Dr. Cushing is senior curator of invertebrate zoology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in Colorado. Special thanks to the museum and Dr. Cushing for providing photographs for use in this episode. Denver Museum of Nature & Science https://www.dmns.org/ American Arachnological Society https://www.americanarachnology.org/home/ International Society of Arachnology https://arachnology.org/home Sandra Levine Productions  https://sandralevine.com/ Watch "Still Time for Joy" as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

    27 min

  3. MAR 5

    Using Compost Made from Kitchen Scraps & Leaves Beautifies Your Garden & Saves Space in Landfills

    Learn all about composting - whether you want to use a worm bin inside, or a larger bin outdoors - from Master Composter Sandra Blain-Snow, with the Ocean County Department of Solid Waste Management. Composting not only creates a rich, natural fertilizer for your garden, it saves critically important space in the landfill.  Blain-Snow talks about the best ingredients to add to your compost bin - fruit and vegetable scraps, newspaper, coffee grounds, leaves, and more - and what to leave out - including meat and dairy products. She also discusses the many joyful benefits of spending time in the garden. The New Jersey Shore is known for its sandy soil, and adding compost greatly improves it. With support from the Board of Commissioners, the Ocean County Department of Solid Waste Management holds multiple composting workshops every year, where each participant receives a free composting bin. Also offered is a free, 15-hour Master Composter Training Program, that goes into greater detail about the process: https://www.co.ocean.nj.us/oc/solidwaste/frmMCP.aspx Sandra Levine Productions https://sandralevine.com/ Watch "Still Time for Joy" as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

    8 min

  4. FEB 25

    Maple Sugaring at NJ Forest Resource Education Center is a Sweet Intro to the Wonders of the Woods

    Do you know how maple syrup is made? Recently visitors to the New Jersey Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson Township, NJ, learned all about the fascinating process. At the Sugar Shack, Roger Smith, a seasonal naturalist at NJ FREC, talked about tapping sugar maples for sap, which is then boiled down on an evaporator. Participants even sampled the pure, maple syrup on small pancakes, before embarking on an hour-long trek through the forest, to learn about wildlife, various tree species, and the importance of taking care of natural resources. Visit the website of the New Jersey Forest Resource Education Center to find out about the many recreational opportunities and programs it offers: https://dep.nj.gov/parksandforests/conservation/forest-resource-education-center/ Sandra Levine Productions: https://sandralevine.com/ Watch "Still Time for Joy" as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

    6 min

  5. FEB 17

    12 Kind Ideas to Try On Random Acts of Kindness Day, February 17th, or Any Day of the Year

    The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, based in Denver, Colorado, celebrates Random Acts of Kindness Day every February 17th. A recent interview I did with the vice president of the foundation inspired me to create a list of 12 Kind Ideas for you to try today, or any day, that come from the foundation's 2026 Kindness Calendar.  You can download the calendar--and lots of other resources--for free from the foundation's website https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/ Sandra Levine Productions https://sandralevine.com/ Watch "Still Time for Joy" as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

    5 min

  6. FEB 14

    Improve Your Health & Help Make the World a Better Place by Doing More Random Acts of Kindness

    A random act of kindness can be as simple as holding the door for the person behind you, or writing a heartfelt note of gratitude. Brooke Jones is vice president of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, based in Denver, Colorado. Jones explains the science behind the mood boost that comes with being kind: an increase in levels of the brain's feel-good chemicals, including dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin.  Not only does being kind make you feel good, it benefits the recipient of the kind act, and even people witnessing it. The RAK Foundation's mission is to "Make Kindness the Norm" through three areas of focus: Kindness in schools, the workplace, and the home. The foundation's curricula and ideas are being implemented in countries around the world. In this interview, Jones shares candidly about how acts of kindness during two traumatic times in her life, helped her tremendously. Random Acts of Kindness week begins February 15th, 2026, and February 17th, 2026 is Random Acts of Kindness Day. The RAK website is packed with free resources at https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/ Sandra Levine Productions https://sandralevine.com/ Watch "Still Time for Joy" as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

    28 min

  7. FEB 6

    Help Songbirds During Frigid Weather by Providing Food & Water

    In late January 2026, large swaths of the United States were blanketed for more than ten days in snow and ice, making it difficult for wildlife to find food and water. In this episode of “Still Time for Joy”, we talk about the best ways to help songbirds with Josh Gant,  president of the Atlantic Audubon Society in New Jersey, at the Jersey Shore. Gant, who is a naturalist at Wells Mills County Park, in Waretown, New Jersey, says while many birds will survive these conditions on their own, people who want to give them a little help can provide both food and water—the right way. Black oil sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts are all good choices for food. To keep water from freezing, try heated water bowls, or place a heating element in a birdbath. Keep the water shallow or partially cover the top to prevent birds from bathing in the water. If a bird's feathers are damaged, water can stick to its body and quickly freeze, making it difficult, if not impossible, for the bird to fly. Supply fresh water daily. Birdbaths and feeders must be cleaned with water and a very light bleach solution—less frequently in winter, and at least once per week in warmer weather. Atlantic Audubon Society https://www.atlanticaudubon.org/ Ocean County Parks https://oceancountyparks.org/ Sandra Levine Productions  https://sandralevine.com/ Watch "Still Time for Joy" as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

    13 min

  8. JAN 27

    Gardeners - Learn How to Winter Sow Seeds Now to Grow Lots of Hardy Plants by Spring & Save Money

    The Jersey Shore Chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey held an informative workshop on Winter Sowing at Jakes Branch County Park in Beachwood, New Jersey, in January 2026. Ellen Silverman, a member of both the Native Plant Society of New Jersey and the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Ocean County, provided expert tips on how to jump-start your garden with winter sowing. Steps include gathering plastic jugs, creating drainage holes, cutting the jugs almost all the way around, adding soil and water, labeling the jugs, sprinkling on (ideally) native seeds, taping the jugs closed, and putting them outside for the winter. The seeds used require cold stratification to bring them out of dormancy. The jugs protect the seeds from birds, chipmunks, mice, and other wildlife.  In the spring, gardeners will separate the hardy seedlings and put them in pots or in the ground. Growing plants in this way is much less expensive than purchasing seedlings from a store. Growing native plants both beautifies your yard and benefits local wildlife. Native Plant Society of New Jersey  https://npsnj.org/ Sandra Levine Productions https://sandralevine.com/ Watch "Still Time for Joy" as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

    6 min
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About

Still Time for Joy features practical advice for weathering life's storms, and inspiring stories of resilience.Host Sandra Levine interviews experts on caregiving, trauma, grief, and other intense challenges to provide a road map for survival. Heroes and healers, adventurers and innovators encourage you to pursue more self-care, reflection, connection, and fun—and your own unique and joyful purpose.Sandra is a television producer, filmmaker, and speaker who spent 20 years as a caregiver, first for her husband Michael, who had a brain injury, and then for her mother Dorothy, who had Alzheimer's Disease. She created this show to share lessons learned from those experiences to help you get through difficult times, too. Still Time for Joy is also available as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

Information

  • Creator
    Sandra Levine
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Still Time for Joy
  • Show Website
    Still Time for Joy