If you’re visiting Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in its centennial year — as I was recently — or making a road trip that extends as far as Wyoming or Utah, it’s easy to consider breezing through southern Idaho en route to your destination.

Instead, take the scenic route through this corner of the Gem State, which offers some real diamonds in the rough. There are immaculate hot springs, delightfully odd museums, occasional good eats, hikes with uninterrupted summit views and a breathtaking canyon to explore.

Along the way, you’ll never be too far from the Snake River, which defines this part of Idaho as it winds a whopping 1,080 miles from its headwaters in Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks until it merges with the Columbia River in the Tri-Cities. The Snake carves canyons through a swath of southern Idaho that offers big sky vistas of mountain peaks towering over plains and deserts.

Dotting the rural landscape of small towns and farmland, meanwhile, are some decidedly quirky roadside attractions befitting the region that served as the setting for 2004 cult comedy “Napoleon Dynamite.”

Pocatello: Eat, climb, soak

Among southern Idaho’s small cities, I made a detour to Pocatello, curious to check out the college town home to Idaho State University which also claims to be the “U.S. Smile Capital.” I didn’t stick around long enough to vet the friendliness of the locals, but two attractions made me smile.

First was a hearty breakfast at Elmer’s, the midcentury greasy spoon diner of my dreams. The Pocatello location is one of only two in Idaho for this Oregon-based mini-chain (there are also locations in Tacoma and Vancouver, Wash.). The “looking for sun” omelet ($15) laden with cheese, salsa, avocado and sour cream started my day on a decidedly bright note.

Second was the plethora of hiking trails that rise right out of this college town nestled in the mountains. I found plenty of sun, and vistas across the Bannock Range, on the 8-mile round-trip, nearly 2,000 vertical feet climb to the summit of Scout Mountain.

Nothing beats a posthike hot springs soak, a combination Idaho offers in spades. Pocatello was also attractive because it’s just 35 miles from Lava Hot Springs, a small but bustling resort town centered on a clutch of hot mineral pools.

The hot springs facility, beautifully set against a rocky outcropping, was clean and uncrowded on my visit — a solid value at just $3-$12 per session depending on the day of the week and your age.

The waters range from 102 to 112 degrees and, a rare treat, have no sulfurous odor. Try the gravel-bottom pools for a gentle foot massage, or take a break from the mineral baths and stroll through the adjacent sunken garden. With summer hours until 11 p.m. nightly through Sept. 30, a soak under the stars comes highly recommended.

Peckish or thirsty? Lava Hot Springs welcomed Eruption Brewery & Bistro in October, a solid choice for a meal before a soak and a beer for after. (Alcohol consumption before entering a geothermal pool is not recommended.)

Small-town hotels

I’m a sucker for a touch of luxury in an unexpected setting, so I swooned at the prospect of staying at The Harkness Hotel, a bank built in 1906 and converted to a boutique hotel 10 years ago (rooms $134-$279 per night). It’s likely the only reason you’ll stop in McCammon, a speck of a town halfway between Pocatello and Lava Hot Springs.

While the rooms, each with a distinctive decorative style, looked dreamy in photos, I was less enamored upon arrival with the quality of the furniture and finishings in The Ebony. The spartan amenities — an airport lounge-style coffee machine in the lobby and a gift shop in the former bank vault — didn’t encourage me to linger. But in this sparsely populated part of the country, The Harkness is still a cut above a chain motel. On my next swing through the region, I hope to check in at The Drift Inn in Rupert.

Offbeat museums

Antique mops, vintage washing machines and the world’s largest collection of vacuum cleaners are among the exhibition highlights at the Museum of Clean in Pocatello ($5-$10 admission).

Cleaning magnate Don Aslett collected thousands of artifacts in his career preaching the gospel of cleanliness, like these vintage vacuum cleaners on display at the Museum of Clean. The museum claims to have the world’s largest collection of vacuums — nearly 1,000, the oldest dating to 1869. (Gregory Scruggs / The Seattle Times)

The haphazardly curated museum is the bizarre brainchild of Don Aslett, who while a student at Idaho State University started a cleaning company in 1957 that he turned into a national brand. Along the way he authored dozens of books on housecleaning — all of which are on prominent display near a larger-than-life statue of a janitor nicknamed “Big Don.”

Evergreen State science and history buffs surely know of our state’s role in the Manhattan Project at the Hanford site in Eastern Washington. But did you know that southern Idaho is arguably the birthplace of atomic energy, the world’s first nuclear power plant to produce in-house electricity?

Experimental Breeder Reactor-I (EBR-I) was erected at the Idaho National Laboratory along a lonesome stretch of highway. The facility lasted for a decade before it was replaced by a more advanced reactor. Today it operates as a free museum that feels like an “Oppenheimer” film set, with tours led by national lab docents. Twenty more miles west on Highway 26 and you’ll end up in Arco, the world’s first city powered by nuclear energy.

Views and brews

Daredevil Evel Knievel tried and failed to jump the majestic Snake River Canyon in 1974 (stuntman Eddie Braun pulled it off in 2016). There’s a monument to Knievel’s legendary attempt at the foot of the Perrine Memorial Bridge, which crosses the canyon just outside of Twin Falls, another of southern Idaho’s bigger (albeit still quite small) cities — but well worth the detour off I-84.

The bridge is open to pedestrians on both sides and offers sweeping upriver and downriver views. The middle is a popular site for BASE jumpers to launch into the abyss 486 feet above the Snake River (tandem jumps $250). For a river-level view, hike the steep Pillar Falls Trail — just remember, never swim near the falls, where dangerous undercurrents lurk — or rent a kayak or paddleboard from AWOL Adventures and paddle as far as 8 miles upriver from Centennial Park to Shoshone Falls ($40-$45 for six-hour rental).

After ogling the canyon high and low, retreat to downtown Twin Falls for a well-earned refreshment at Koto Brewing Co. A roomy, inviting gathering space with a steady roster of live music and events, the brewery also serves up tasty food and drink. Order an Easy Rider Pilsner done up michelada-style ($6) and tuck into a koto steak sando with housemade miso vinaigrette ($17).

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If you go

Lava Hot Springs; 430 E. Main, Lava Hot Springs, Idaho; 208-776-5221; lavahotsprings.com; $3 for ages 2 and under, $7.50-$10 for ages 3-11, $8-$12 for ages 12-59, $7.50-$10 for ages 60-plus

The Harkness Hotel; 206 Center St., McCammon, Idaho; 208-254-4340; theharknesshotel.com; room with queen bed from $134

Elmer’s Restaurant; 851 S. Fifth Ave., Pocatello, Idaho; 208-232-9114; eatatelmers.com; breakfast items from $10-$20

Koto Brewing Co.; 156 Main Ave. N., Twin Falls, Idaho; 208-933-2570; koto.beer; 16-ounce beer $5.50-$7, appetizers $10-$18, burgers and sandwiches $13-$17

Museum of Clean; 711 S. Second Ave., Pocatello, Idaho; 208-236-6906; museumofclean.com; $5 for age 1, $8 for ages 2-15, $10 for ages 16-plus

Experimental Breeder Reactor-I Atomic Museum; Highway 20/26, 18 miles southeast of Arco, Idaho; 208-526-0050; inl.gov/ebr; free

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©2024 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The 33-year-old African penguin, who made a “tremendous contribution” to the survival of his endangered species by fathering 230 chicks, was euthanized for age-related declining health, the Maryland Zoo said. He is survived by his lifelong mate Mrs. Greedy.

“This one bird was incredibly important to the continued existence of African penguins throughout the world,” Maryland Zoo bird curator Jen Kottyan said in a Sept. 5 news release. “It’s tough to lose an animal who has been such a welcome presence at our Zoo for three decades, but all of us are proud that he is survived by five generations of offspring.”

Kottyan added the median life expectancy of African penguins is 18 years, and Mr. Greedy was the oldest penguin in the zoo’s colony. Both Mr. and Mrs. Greedy hatched in 1991 and arrived in Baltimore in 1992.

“They had been paired up from the time they hit reproductive age in 1994,” Kottyan said.

Zookeepers are monitoring Mrs. Greedy, and if she shows interest, will pair her with a single male in the colony as a companion, according to the release.

The couple’s oldest offspring is 28 years old, and several of the pair’s chicks still live at the Maryland Zoo, including a fifth-generation descendant named Olive, according to the release.

Based in Baltimore, Maryland Zoo is home to the largest colony of African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) in North America, according to the release, and has bred more than 1,000 chicks.

The zoo’s Penguin Coast exhibit is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and offers private visits with a zookeeper and photo opportunities.

Reefs and trails await underwater explorers just beneath the surface of the ocean’s warm, blue waters off the shoreline in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Need an escape from the daily stresses of life? Grab a snorkel and mask, wade into the surf and submerge yourself in a world in which the only traffic you’ll encounter is a vibrant school of fish swimming by, or a graceful sea turtle crossing your path.

Of course, before you dive in, there are several things to figure out: the right location for your skill level, the necessary equipment, access points, cost, safety factors, and parking and other amenities.

We’ve taken all of this into account when compiling our list of must-snorkel spots that are easily accessible right from the beach — no boat required — and are either free or, in some cases, involve only parking or park fees.

SAFETY FIRST

Before anything else, let’s talk safety. Here are some important tips for snorkelers, courtesy of the Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation department’s website:

• Know your personal swimming limitations and snorkeling abilities.
• Always snorkel with a buddy so you can share your experiences and have somebody to help if needed.
• Check the ocean conditions, including waves, currents, wind, water visibility and weather.
• Decide on entry and exit points.
• Keep in mind that the best time to snorkel is within two hours before or after high tide.

“If unsure of skills, stay within lifeguarded areas,” Fine said. “Look but don’t touch is the slogan to follow with snorkeling, and keep feet and hands off coral and marine life.”

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

Next, we asked marine biologist and Master Scuba Instructor John Christopher Fine — who calls Boynton Beach home when he’s not traveling around the world exploring shipwrecks and studying ocean pollution — about the equipment first-time snorkelers need before heading out into the water.

He said to start with the basics: a mask, snorkel and pair of fins (or swim shoes). Also, “wear a dive skin or nylon tights and top to protect from sun as well as stings,” he added. “Skins are inexpensive online, last a long time and are far less expensive than coral-killing sunscreens.”

A dive flag and float are required for safety and to comply with Florida law, he said.

“For beginners, I suggest a car inner tube on a yellow (polypropylene) line with a weight at the end, so the line can be dropped and the tube not float away,” he said, adding that a dive flag can be tied to it or secured with a special device.

“A tube is great to rest, holding on to it,” but it should be made of strong materials, not a typical pool float.

PLACES TO SNORKEL

Ready to jump in? We’ve gathered six snorkeling spots where you can meet marine life and experience the serenity of the sea.

And if you want a snorkeling sneak peek beforehand, just search YouTube.com for underwater videos by divers and snorkelers featuring the locations on our list below.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Phil Foster Memorial Park Snorkel Trail 900 E. Blue Heron Blvd., Riviera Beach

HOURS: Sunrise to sunset

PARKING: Free

INFORMATION: discover.pbcgov.org/parks

An underwater paradise awaits snorkelers of all levels on the south side of the Blue Heron Bridge, just beyond a guarded swimming area. Venture out about 200 feet to explore submerged structures and shark sculptures while keeping an eye out for some of the trail’s residents, including squid, octopuses, spotted rays and starfish. Six hundred tons of rock were used to build the artificial reef, made of limestone boulders and prefabricated reef modules that span 2 acres in 6 to 10 feet of water, according to the county. Need to take a break? Cool off in the shade on the beach under the bridge. To the south, you’ll see Peanut Island, another popular snorkeling location accessible by boat or ferry.

Ocean Inlet Park/Lofthus shipwreck6990 N. Ocean Blvd., Boynton Beach

HOURS: Sunrise to sunset

PARKING: Free

INFORMATION: discover.pbcgov.org

Whether you park and walk across Ocean Boulevard or under the road by the jetty, when you see the shoreline rocks along the guarded beach on the south side of the inlet, you’ve found the entry point to another popular snorkeling spot. Suit up with your equipment and wade into the ocean. Sea turtles, nurse sharks, reef fish and corals have all been spotted in the waters. For intermediate to advanced snorkelers who swim beyond the guarded area, be aware of boat traffic.

For those looking for a challenge, the Lofthus shipwreck is 1.1 miles north of the inlet, about 150 yards offshore in about 10 to 18 feet of water, Fine said. Park at Ocean Inlet Park and make the trek along the beach before the high-tide mark. He has seen guitar fish, a nurse shark and spiny lobsters hanging around the wreckage.

“Watch the weather. When the ocean is rough, waves break in shore and the shipwreck remains are not safe to dive,” he said. “Calm ocean and little wind make it a fun place to explore.”

Red Reef Park Snorkel Trail 1400 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton

HOURS: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

PARKING: $35 on weekdays and $50 on weekends/holidays (day pass); $3 per hour at metered lot across State Road A1A

INFORMATION: myboca.us

Twenty artificial reefs just offshore and a jetty that extends from the beach into the water make up the snorkel trail. Walk directly into the ocean from the guarded beach and be on the lookout for sergeant major, parrotfish, bar jack and spottail pinfish. Snorkelers also have reported seeing a small reef shark, eels, lobsters, crabs, stingrays, barracuda and a sea turtle on their adventures.

Fourteen of the reefs were installed in late 2021, which extended the snorkeling trail. They are constructed from native limestone boulders sourced from a quarry near Fort Pierce, according to the city.

“Creating an artificial-reef snorkel trail offers residents and visitors another unparalleled outdoor experience in the city,” said recreation services director Greg Stevens. “This unique attraction not only provides a stunning adventure for snorkelers but also fosters a thriving and sustainable habitat for local marine life.”

It’s the ideal location for children to learn to snorkel and get up close with ocean life as well.

“I was able to view beautiful sea life such as turtles, colorful and bigger fish,” said 12-year-old Boca Raton resident Shea Ferris, who snorkels there. “It’s a safe and peaceful place for them, and I was able to enjoy everything around me.”

BROWARD COUNTY

Shipwreck Snorkel TrailDatura Avenue and El Mar Drive, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

HOURS: Sunrise to sunset

PARKING: Metered parking on side streets or at South Ocean Lot, 4324 State Road A1A

INFORMATION: discoverlbts.com/diving-snorkeling

Just south of Anglin’s Fishing Pier, one of Broward County’s most popular dive and snorkeling areas provides a trail in 10 feet of water and three coral reefs just off the beach.

“Recognized as ‘Florida’s Beach Diving Capital,’ Lauderdale-by-the-Sea’s quaint Florida town is teeming with beautiful marine life in the calm, clear waters less than 100 yards off the white sand beaches, making it one of the best beaches in Florida to go snorkeling or diving with the little ones,” said town spokeswoman Aimee Adler Cooke. “The whole family can enjoy snorkeling, diving, kayaking and paddleboarding right off the beach.”

She said the town is a designated Blue Wave beach, a distinction given by the Clean Beaches Coalition to clean and environmentally responsible beach communities.

The Shipwreck Snorkel Trail, which includes an anchor, five concrete cannons and a ballast pile, was dedicated in 2002 by explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau (Jacques Cousteau’s son), according to the town.

The waters also are home to the SS Copenhagen, a British shipwreck in a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve, that is reachable by boat.

Vista Park Reef2851 N. Atlantic Blvd., Fort Lauderdale

HOURS: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

PARKING: Metered parking lot open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

INFORMATION: parks.fortlauderdale.gov

Just steps from the parking lot at Vista Park, a hidden gem among snorkeling enthusiasts is bustling beneath the blue ocean waters. The reef line starts about 300 feet out from shore and extends past the buoys. The area is the midway point of the reef that runs north and south. More advanced snorkelers can head out to the deeper depths of the reef. What will you see? Hard and soft corals, tropical fish and sea fans. Go early when water clarity is at its best.

Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park/Erojacks6503 N. Ocean Drive, Hollywood

HOURS: 8 a.m. to sunset

ADMISSION: $6 per vehicle (up to eight people); $4 for a single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle; $2 for pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass

INFORMATION: floridastateparks.org/mizell

There are various places to snorkel along the 2.5 miles of beach in the park, but one of the unique areas is the Dania Beach Erojacks, an artificial reef that runs east to west made up of concrete jacks structures. To find it, drive north to parking lot #1, walk across the bridge and to the right, follow the service trail signs in the sand heading south. You will enter the beach area at the spot where the reef is less than 600 feet offshore. The Dania Beach Pier is visible just to the south. Put your dive flag out and look for eels, fish, coral, slipper and spiny lobsters, stingrays, puffer fish and starfish. Keep in mind that the northern end of the state park, including the jetty parking lot, Jetty Pier and beach access, is closed to the public for construction.

NEW YORK (AP) — James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93.

His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home in New York’s Hudson Valley region. The cause was not immediately clear.

The pioneering Jones, who in 1965 became one of the first African American actors in a continuing role on a daytime drama (“As the World Turns”) and worked deep into his 80s, won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors. He was also given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor.

He cut an elegant figure late in life, with a wry sense of humor and a ferocious work habit. In 2015, he arrived at rehearsals for a Broadway run of “The Gin Game” having already memorized the play and with notebooks filled with comments from the creative team. He said he was always in service of the work.

“The need to storytell has always been with us,” he told The Associated Press then. “I think it first happened around campfires when the man came home and told his family he got the bear, the bear didn’t get him.”

Jones created such memorable film roles as the reclusive writer coaxed back into the spotlight in “Field of Dreams,” the boxer Jack Johnson in the stage and screen hit “The Great White Hope,” the writer Alex Haley in “Roots: The Next Generation” and a South African minister in “Cry, the Beloved Country.”

He was also a sought-after voice actor, expressing the villainy of Darth Vader (“No, I am your father,” commonly misremembered as “Luke, I am your father”), as well as the benign dignity of King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King” and announcing “This is CNN” during station breaks. He won a 1977 Grammy for his performance on the “Great American Documents” audiobook.

“If you were an actor or aspired to be an actor, if you pounded the pavement in these streets looking for jobs, one of the standards we always had was to be a James Earl Jones,” Samuel L. Jackson once said.

Some of his other films include “Dr. Strangelove,” “The Greatest” (with Muhammad Ali), “Conan the Barbarian,” “Three Fugitives” and playing an admiral in three blockbuster Tom Clancy adaptations — “The Hunt for Red October,” “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” In a rare romantic comedy, “Claudine,” Jones had an onscreen love affair with Diahann Carroll.

LeVar Burton, who starred alongside Jones in the TV movie “Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones,” paid tribute on X, writing, “There will never be another of his particular combination of graces.”

Jones made his Broadway debut in 1958’s “Sunrise At Campobello” and would win his two Tony Awards for “The Great White Hope” (1969) and “Fences” (1987). He also was nominated for “On Golden Pond” (2005) and “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man” (2012). He was celebrated for his command of Shakespeare and Athol Fugard alike. More recent Broadway appearances include “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Iceman Cometh,” and “You Can’t Take It With You.”

As a rising stage and television actor, he performed with the New York Shakespeare Festival Theater in “Othello,” “Macbeth” and “King Lear” and in off-Broadway plays.

Jones was born by the light of an oil lamp in a shack in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on Jan. 17, 1931. His father, Robert Earl Jones, had deserted his wife before the baby’s arrival to pursue life as a boxer and, later, an actor.

When Jones was 6, his mother took him to her parents’ farm near Manistee, Michigan. His grandparents adopted the boy and raised him.

“A world ended for me, the safe world of childhood,” Jones wrote in his autobiography, “Voices and Silences.” “The move from Mississippi to Michigan was supposed to be a glorious event. For me it was a heartbreak, and not long after, I began to stutter.”

Too embarrassed to speak, he remained virtually mute for years, communicating with teachers and fellow students with handwritten notes. A sympathetic high school teacher, Donald Crouch, learned that the boy wrote poetry, and demanded that Jones read one of his poems aloud in class. He did so faultlessly.

Teacher and student worked together to restore the boy’s normal speech. “I could not get enough of speaking, debating, orating — acting,” he recalled in his book.

At the University of Michigan, he failed a pre-med exam and switched to drama, also playing four seasons of basketball. He served in the Army from 1953 to 1955.

In New York, he moved in with his father and enrolled with the American Theater Wing program for young actors. Father and son waxed floors to support themselves while looking for acting jobs.

True stardom came suddenly in 1970 with “The Great White Hope.” Howard Sackler’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play depicted the struggles of Jack Johnson, the first Black heavyweight boxing champion, amid the racism of early 20th-century America. In 1972, Jones repeated his role in the movie version and was nominated for an Academy Award as best actor.

Jones’ two wives were also actors. He married Julienne Marie Hendricks in 1967. After their divorce, he married Cecilia Hart, best known for her role as Stacey Erickson in the CBS police drama “Paris,” in 1982. (She died in 2016.) They had a son, Flynn Earl, born in 1983.

In 2022, the Cort Theatre on Broadway was renamed after Jones, with a ceremony that included Norm Lewis singing “Go the Distance,” Brian Stokes Mitchell singing “Make Them Hear You” and words from Mayor Eric Adams, Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson.

“You can’t think of an artist that has served America more,” director Kenny Leon told the AP. “It’s like it seems like a small act, but it’s a huge action. It’s something we can look up and see that’s tangible.”

Citing his stutter as one of the reasons he wasn’t a political activist, Jones nonetheless hoped his art could change minds.

“I realized early on, from people like Athol Fugard, that you cannot change anybody’s mind, no matter what you do,” he told the AP. “As a preacher, as a scholar, you cannot change their mind. But you can change the way they feel.”

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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

The plan was to read a few pages, maybe the first chapter, and then put “The House Hunt” down and read an earlier book by its author, British crime and mystery writer C.M. Ewan (also know as Chris Ewan, creator of the “Good Thief” series).

Turns out Ewan’s latest thriller didn’t want to be put down.

If I’d been wearing something with lapels, the book would have grabbed me by them and not let go. It might even have shook me a little. It begged to be finished in one sitting, but I wasn’t able to oblige it. It took me a couple of days — which is even better. Is there anything quite like a lapel-grabbing book, waiting to be read?

Anybody who has put their house on the market will relate to “House Hunt,” especially the anxiety that accompanies the process, and more especially if you’re a Londoner named Lucy who has finished renovating a house your boyfriend Sam inherited. The two did most of the work themselves, skimping on nothing. Despite all the sweat equity, they are selling because they’ve decided to leave London for good: “A clean slate. Starting again.”

From the first sentence, you know something’s not right, that the anxiety surrounding this real estate transaction is in a class by itself: “Paranoia stalks me when I’m vacuuming the house and Sam is out.” Lucy is readying the house for a viewing but she is also readying herself. Her attack of nerves seems to be connected with her mysterious references to “what happened to me.”

Lucy doesn’t like being alone; she likes being with strangers even less. Her plan was to go to a nearby cafe while her estate agent, Bethany, showed the potential buyer around the house. Then Bethany calls. Leaves a voicemail. She’s running late. The viewing is in 15 minutes.

Lucy supposes she could cancel, but their “debts were spiraling” and she and Sam need this potential buyer to make an offer. She’ll just have to deal, although it won’t be easy. Lucy does what she has hoped never to have to do: She lets a stranger into her house.

Ewan is adept at building the trust necessary to prolong suspense, among characters and the reader. Lucy is suspicious and fearful right out of the gate, so Ewan must provide a path for her — and us — to move forward. (The sane thing to do, after all, is for her to reschedule the viewing.) He does this by alternating Lucy’s first-person chapters with third-person chapters involving Sam, a psychological and behavioral science lecturer at the London School of Economics.

As Lucy shows Donovan the house, Sam carefully leads a group of five people confronting their phobias. The juxtaposition grounds the action even while Ewan keeps the tension thrumming, the sense of unease never letting up.

Even though the plot occasionally strains credulity, the short chapters — I do love a short chapter — kept pushing me forward, egging me on to read just one more. And so I did, collecting a bit of real estate wisdom along the way: If you’re selling your house and the person looking at it never takes their gloves off, be very afraid.

The House Hunt

By: C.M. Ewan.

Publisher: Grand Central, 423 pages, $30.

©2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

PITTSBURGH — In the mood for a quick and easy dessert that ushers summer sweetly into fall?

The end of August and beginning of September are typically when peaches shine the brightest at Pennsylvania farmers markets and in local groceries. Georgia may call itself “The Peach State,” but Pennsylvania grows a lot of the fruit, too — nearly 40 million pounds each year with an annual value of approximately $20 million.

Some of the most celebrated fruit wear a “Chambersburg” sticker. Devotees say the Franklin County soil in which the trees have been planted for more than a century makes its peaches especially sweet and juicy. Having eaten quite a few over the years, often out of hand, I’d have to agree.

You can certainly hit the sweet spot with an old-fashioned cobbler or peach crisp, but the fruit is just as tasty in a crunchy parfait. Most often I make the treat with yogurt for breakfast, but if you layer the individual glasses or bowls with fresh whipped cream instead — here, gently spiced with cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar — it’s a pretty terrific way to end a meal.

Homemade granola (so easy!) adds a wonderful crunch.

For more color and variety, add a handful of fresh blueberries or raspberries if you’ve got them.

While you can use any variety of peaches — freestones are probably the easiest to prepare — make sure the fruit is ripe but not overly squishy; there should only be a tiny bit of give when you (very gently) squeeze it.

To easily remove skin, cut a small X through the skin of the bottom of the peach, blanch in boiling water for about 10 seconds, then place in ice water. The skin should slide right off.

Peach Parfait

PG Tested

For granola

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups mixed raw nuts and/or seeds, such as cashews, pecans or walnuts
• 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
• Generous sprinkling of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For whipped cream

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of ground cinnamon

For parfait

• 4 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced thin
• Fresh cherries or mint sprigs, for garnish

Prepare granola: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend well.

Add oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Toss well, so that all the ingredients are lightly coated. Pour granola mixture onto your prepared pan and spread it out in an even layer.

Bake until lightly golden, about 24 minutes, stirring halfway. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely. (The granola will further crisp up as it cools.) You should end up with about 6 cups of granola — more than enough for the parfaits with some left over for snacking.

Prepare whipped cream: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream, brown sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 — 4 minutes. Use immediately, or cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours

Assemble parfaits: Using a large spoon or pastry bag, fill wine or parfait glasses about 1/4 full with the spiced whipped cream. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup granola on top of the whipped cream, followed by 1/4 cup sliced peaches. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Garnish with a fresh cherry and/or mint sprig, and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Ron Howard, 70, said during an interview with Deadline at the Toronto International Film Festival that politics wasn’t discussed that often while the move was being made.

“Well, we didn’t talk a lot of politics when we were making the movie because I was interested in his upbringing and that survival tale. That’s what we mostly focused on,” Howard said, adding “based on the conversations that we had during that time, I just have to say I’m very surprised and disappointed by much of the rhetoric that I’m reading and hearing. People do change, and I assume that’s the case. Well, it’s on record.

Howard said at that time, in 2020, Vance “was not involved in politics or claimed to be particularly interested. So that was then. I think the important thing is to recognize what’s going on today and to vote.”

One year later, Vance ran for the Ohio U.S. Senate seat vacated by Rob Portman. After being endorsed by Donald Trump, he went on to win the 2022 election, defeating Tim Ryan.

In another interview with Variety in Toronto, Howard added he’s “been surprised and concerned by a lot of the rhetoric” from the Trump-Vance campaign.

“There’s no version of me voting for Donald Trump to be president again, whoever the vice president was,” he said.

Glenn Close who starred in the movie as Vance’s grandmother spoke to Variety last month during the premiere of her movie “The Deliverance” and slammed Vance for flip-flopping on Trump.

“You only hope that people in our government have a moral backbone and that they don’t say one thing and then say something that’s 150 degrees different,” she said.

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“A lot of my designs stem from the imagination I created while growing up in Baltimore. … No matter what or where I was at, or what part of the city I was in, you can always tell that identifying and expressing who you are through your garments is very important,” said Cromartie, 33, who now lives in Los Angeles but once called Baltimore’s Waverly neighborhood home.

“I love seeing some of the buildings, like abandoned buildings or like industrial buildings, where you can see how the building was held up.”

With last year’s Season 20 “Project Runway” All-Stars win under his belt and clients including Lizzo, Victoria Monet, Jennifer Hudson and Ciara, Cromartie is returning to his hometown for a talk about his journey as a designer at the Baltimore Museum of Industry on Oct. 9. The event will kick off the museum’s new Labor + Innovation speaker series co-produced by Baltimore artist Cheyanne Zadia and moderated by Baltimore podcast producer Aaron Henkin, slated to run through June of next year.

“We really wanted this talk series to reflect industry leaders, everyday workers, and really tell human stories about the intersection of work and art,” said Brianne Mobley, the Baltimore Museum of Industry’s public engagement manager.

After Cromartie’s solo appearance, the lineup will feature multiple speakers coming together to offer insight on the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse on Dec. 3; women in the culinary arts on March 13; and AI technology on June 4.

Mobley said the series is inspired by the museum’s galleries and collections, including its garment loft exhibit, which focuses on Baltimore’s history of garment making.

Cromartie was preparing for the online debut of his fashion film “Brutal Cry” on Sept. 10 during New York Fashion Week when he spoke with The Baltimore Sun, and said the collection explores the topic of grief. His older sister, Chimere Faye Wall, died from colon cancer in 2022 after being diagnosed while he appeared on Season 17 of “Project Runway”; his new film and collection is about “releasing the burden of grief and rediscovering yourself.”

“To come home is kind of like a home run,” he said. “The timing of it is perfect.”

If you go

Bishme Cromartie’s two-hour talk at the Baltimore Museum of Industry will start at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 9 and is free via registration online. It will be preceded by a meet and greet for museum members at 5:30 p.m.

What’s the first industry to fall victim to climate change? There’s a decent argument that it already happened — more than 600 years ago.

When the Norman Conquest in 1066 installed a French feudal aristocracy in the British Isles, the invaders brought with them a love of winemaking. Those skills flourished in the conditions of the Medieval Warm Period, a patch of unusually high temperatures from about 950 to 1250 that allowed vineyards to spread across the well-drained chalk soils of southern England. The mild conditions gave way to a frigid period known as the Little Ice Age, however, which held sway until the 19th century. As the climate cooled, English viticulture collapsed.

That should be a worrying example if you’re a winemaker. Grape vines are notoriously sensitive to the smallest changes in landscape and climate. Those with a skilled palate (I’m not one of them) can supposedly sense the subtlest of environmental effects in a bottle of wine — whether the winter that preceded the vintage was warm or cold, the harvest wet or dry, the grapes grown on a slope facing to the north or the south.

It doesn’t take much imagination to see how a warming climate could play havoc with this. Own a semiconductor factory, and your climate exposures will occur on the macro scale. Will bigger rainstorms flood the site, and will hotter summers push up my bill for air conditioning? A vintner, on the other hand, has to think about micro issues. Will a few extra warm nights or blazing days in growing season throw off the delicate balance of sugar and water formation in developing bunches? And will that make the resulting bottles less fragrant or complex than they otherwise would be?

For winemakers in Europe, a fresh climate headache is looming in the geographic indications they’ve used to defend their art. For the best part of a century, European agricultural producers have built a complex system of intellectual property around the idea that particular types of food and drink are regionally distinctive, and have names that must be protected under copyright law. There’s even a line on geographical indications in the Treaty of Versailles, the document that formally ended World War I.

Recognition of geographic indications is a basic hurdle for any nation wanting to strike a trade deal with the European Union and gain access to the world’s second-biggest market. It’s why makers of sparkling wine in most of the world can’t call their product Champagne, and why Australian and Canadian producers of fortified white wine these days label their bottles as “Apera,” because only those from the Jerez region of Spain can call themselves Sherry. Fully 1,646 of the 1,658 geographic indications for wine listed on the European Union’s eAmbrosia register are for EU countries. Of the rest, five are in the UK, four in China, two are in the U.S. (the Napa Valley and Willamette Valley) and one in Brazil.

Adding such geographic limits might have seemed like a good idea during the stable climate of the 20th century, but in the more disordered era into which we’re now moving it’s a risk. Many geographic indications assign a specific grape variety for a specific region. Barolo, arguably Italy’s most revered wine style, must be grown only with Nebbiolo grapes in a handful of communities among the misty mountains of Piedmont. As a warming planet makes the climate of northern Italy more like regions further south where Nebbiolo can’t flourish, the rigidity of Barolo’s geographic indication risks driving it into extinction.

Researchers in Europe recently analyzed 1,085 wine geographic indications across the continent to work out which were most at risk from a warming climate. What they found should worry viticulturalists: a swath of country is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and has little natural capacity to adapt.“Strong yield decreases were projected for northern Italy, central Spain, Greece, and Bulgaria,” they wrote, “and decreased suitability for Spain, parts of France, central and northern Italy, and large parts of eastern Europe.” In Burgundy, regions known for the Pinot Noir grape may become unable to grow the variety. The geographic indication system needs to be rethought to allow winegrowers to switch their practices as the climate warms, they argued.

That shouldn’t be impossible. Champagne, grown at the northern limit of wine cultivation and traditionally seen as the product of a difficult environment, is conventionally made from just three grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier. But there are four other less celebrated varieties (1) that can be added to the blend, and may provide a way of preserving the wine’s characteristics even as the climate of Champagne starts to more closely resemble that of southern France. A further variety, known as Voltis, has been selectively bred as part of a deliberate effort to prepare for the effects of a warmer climate.

For many wine regions, that’s going to be a wrenching shift. What makes European wine unique is the marriage of a particular grape and viticultural practice with a particular region’s soil, climate, and intangibles. That sort of thinking is going to have to change as the planet warms. If Europe’s winemakers don’t want to experience the fate of medieval English vineyards, they’ll need to adapt before they’re wiped out.

(1) The varieties are Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc. They’re often regarded as more difficult to work with in Champagne.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

David Fickling is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering climate change and energy. Previously, he worked for Bloomberg News, the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.

©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com/opinion. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Many would agree with you. We often hear people asking, “Where has the time gone? It just seems like yesterday.” 

Can you remember sitting through a boring lecture? Five minutes may have felt like an hour. Or how about a boring sermon? That hour may have seemed like it was forever. Contrast that sense of time to being at a party. Time sprints by when having a good time, working on something you love and being engaged in new experiences. 

We know time does not slow down, it’s our perception of it that does. This is not a new concept. Psychologist William James wrote about the phenomenon of time perception in his Principles of Psychology in 1890. 

Here are some theories that affect our perception of time: 

Theory No. 1: Years are relatively smaller. As we age, each year is a smaller proportion of our time. For a 10-year-old, that birthday represents 1/10 of life which is a big portion. For an 80-year-old, University of Michigan psychology professor Cindy Lustig told the Huffington Post, that birthday is 1/80 of life which is a smaller portion that contributes to the feeling that it went by quickly. Each year feels shorter compared to the total time we have lived and therefore seems to go by faster. 

Theory No. 2: Theory of firsts. When we’re young, Diana Raab wrote in a Psychology Today piece, we encounter a lot of “firsts.” They might be our first kiss, our first love, getting our first car or the first day of college. It might be learning to swim or falling off a bike. We pay attention to the details of our unique and memorable experiences. The more details we can recall, the better we remember them. As we age, we have similar experiences over and over again, perceived time goes more quickly. 

Theory No. 3: Brain function. This helps explain the theory of firsts. Our brain lumps time together when the days or weeks are similar. So, for an 80-year-old who may be doing the same or similar things daily, time gets blended together in one’s mind, making it feel like it went by quickly. What seems new and exciting in a single day is what makes a day or month feel different, slowing our sense of time. (Note: Many 80-year-olds also experience new and familiar experiences daily). 

Theory No. 3a: More on brain function. Adrian Bejan, professor of mechanical engineering at Duke University, has a theory based on neural signal processing. With age, he notes the rate we process visual information slows down, contributing to our experience of time speeding up. In other words, “time does not go faster, we just go slower, cognitively speaking,” as quoted in a 2024 Huffington Post piece. 

So how to live a life where time moves more slowly?

• Fill your time with new experiences. It’s a way to counteract routine. A research study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found the perception of time is shorter when engaged in routine activities. So, accept challenges, learn new skills and ask questions. Just step outside the norm. 
• Make meaningful progress. Time passes quickly when we do not take action. Increasing productivity and making progress on projects and goals slows one’s perception of time and builds motivation. 
• Practice mindfulness. That means focusing on the present moment and being aware of what you are doing and where you are. It’s paying attention to details of an experience, incorporating all senses in the process. And make sure to take a few breaths. 
• Go outside to nature. Take time to observe the trees and clouds in the sky; listen to the birds and watch the dolphins and waves in the ocean. This magically slows down time and is calming, writes Raab in Psychology Today. 
• Take time for reflection. Consider journaling. This can be memories of one’s youth, a gratitude list or events of a vacation or just a day. One can also recall details of experiences and share them with others through conversation, photos or in writing.

So, yes, time seems to go by quickly with age. But that can change by filling our lives with new activities, learning something new, being reflective, enjoying nature and doing something that makes us feel useful and productive. Then we will not be going through the motions of life; rather we will savor our moments, days and months with satisfaction and pleasure. 

Thank you, D.L., happy birthday and thank you for your good question. Time is our gift. Let’s use it well. And let’s all make kindness the norm. 

Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com. Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity