Today on Behind the Bloom – I’m excited to introduce you to my Great Friend- RJ Pole… he is an avid birdwatcher- and also the host of amazing podcast about birdwatching – “Birds of a Feather Talk Together”…
RJ and I met- when he contacted me- to share that he and his wife Amanda- are big fans of my show… and that was just the beginning of something Incredible and Life Changing.
Let’s talk about RJ, Birdwatching and his podcast first… I asked RJ to come to Grand Rapids and guest on Life in Bloom- after listening to a couple of his podcasts about birds… Particularily the one about Hummingbirds… As you know- we featured our friend Donna Mclin on Episode #409- Birds of a Feather (Complete coincidence- just sayin’)… You can watch that show with Donna here… Donna shared her passion for photographing Hummingbirds... and also shared some tips and tricks- and we even enjoyed a Flower Cocktail- called the Hummingbird! (recipe here)… On Birds of Feather Talk Together Podcast- RJ and his co-hosts- talk about the Ruby Throated Hummingbird- that visits Michigan every year… and they have two podcasts-Episode #45 and then they revisit these Amazing Birds in Episode #95 as well… you can listen to them at the links above!
You can find “Birds of a Feather Talk Together” podcast- where ever you listen to your favorite podcasts- and I highly recommend it!
RJ visited Life in Bloom- in our Home Garden- to teach me some of his favorite tips about birds and bird watching… and he was just like the Bird Whisperer- We talked about Hummingbirds- and one showed up… We talked about Cardinals- and our mated pair showed up… it was amazing… You can learn more about RJ- and also watch this episode coming up in Season 8- that premieres in April of 2026… it will be Episode #812 – Get Outside! Links will be forthcoming- once this Season airs in 2026!
You’ll enjoy all of RJ’s Tips… and if you love birds- you’ll love his podcast too…
Now for Incredible and Life-Changing part of meeting RJ… I set up a time to talk to RJ on a zoom call… and he asked me why I don’t have a podcast to accompany “Life in Bloom”… I was honest- and told him- that our crew is very small- and we have a very small operation- and we don’t know how to do a podcast… I’ve had the question before- and to be perfectly frank- and honest- it’s just Kel and I and neither of us have the talent or inclination to create a podcast- and we’re lucky to get everyhthing else done- that is needed for our Public Television Series- and keep it going and all… it’s true!
Enter RJ- and his incredible offer- RJ offered to help us create a podcast- and more importantly- to CO-Host it with me… that’s the more important part- and also the life changing part… I have a different view of Life in Bloom- I’m the creator- and host- and not the viewer or the fan or follower… So RJ brings a very important, interesting and thought provoking aspect to our NEW “Behind the Bloom” Podcast… and it’s Incredible… I’m so thankful for RJ- and how he has helped me embrace and activate the Podcast Host inside me… I’m so enjoying creating this podcast with RJ…
And at the same time- it’s attracting an entirely NEW Audience to the show…
You can find the Behind the Bloom Podcast on any service where you listen to your favorite podcasts… and also on uBloom (*at this link) and on my Youtube Channel! (*at this link)
RJ and I agreed that we needed to do companion episodes to each of our Life in Bloom Episodes- and we recently completed Season 1… and we’re heading into Season 2- along with Stand Alone Episodes about fun topics like why I love COLD WATER for Flowers… Holiday Stories- (like Thanksgiving and Christmas) Flower Cocktail Hour- and more… 
The Great Part about the Companion Episodes- is that we are posting each episode of Life in Bloom- along with the podcast on our Youtube Channel too… You can always watch Any Episode on uBloom- along with the companion Podcasts too…
Life is an Adventure… and this opportunity is so exciting- and I’m so thankful and grateful for RJ- reaching out to me- and insisting we create the Behind the Bloom Podcast… I hope you’ll take the opportunity to listen to the podcast- and I hope that we can set a weekly date- to check in with each and share our Lives in Bloom!
Behind the Bloom Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, uBloom and anywhere you listen to your favorite Podcasts! I hope you enjoyed meeting my friend RJ- and will tune into “Birds of a Feather Talk Together” and “Behind the Bloom” Soon!