James nord

NEWBURY, England — He is a farmer, she says, and she is a farmer’s wife. They are active in their community. She writes a bit on the side, her writing room only recently having been wired for electricity.On my recent visit to her home, she was warm and welcoming. Her yellow Lab, Bella, followed her closely as her mistress ushered visitors into the house.And oh my. What a house. Two hundred rooms. Forty bedrooms. Silk wallcoverings in one room, 16th century Spanish leather wallcoverings in another. An original Van Dyck. A display on Egyptology, in honor of one of the previous occupants who just happened to have discovered King Tut’s tomb.Hundreds of other treasures make it abundantly clear that you are not in Kansas anymore. You are, instead, on the set of “Downton Abbey,” but it’s not a set at all. It is Highclere Castle, and when Season 4 begins Sunday for American viewers of the wildly popular PBS show, it is this magnificent home they will see, … [Read more...] about Under the spell of Highclere Castle and ‘Downton Abbey’

Mason Rudolph splattered his name all over the Oklahoma State record book by cocking his right arm back and seeing just how far he could let it fly. It led to lots of wins and lots of yards and, somehow, a fair amount of complaints.Yes, really.“I mean, I love throwing the ball deep,” the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback said Thursday. “I was criticized often for doing that too much in college.”Two weeks into his career as an NFL starter, Rudolph appears to have the opposite problem. The player given carte blanche to sling it where he wanted whenever he wanted for Oklahoma State is trying to take a more disciplined approach as a pro. He completed 24 of 28 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns while picking up his first win as a starter against Cincinnati on Monday, the majority of his connections coming on check-downs to running backs Jaylen Samuels and James Conner.It was efficient. It was effective. And well, it was kind of boring. It’s an issue Rudolph … [Read more...] about Short and sweet; Steelers’ Rudolph focusing on efficiency

Soon the beauty of fall will be gone, the festive holidays a memory. The snow will have outstayed its welcome, and the world outside will be pale and cold. For those of us in the Mountain West, February, the shortest month, can be 28 long days of despair.That’s when the road south calls.I heard the call while reading “The Log from the Sea of Cortez,” John Steinbeck’s account of cruising the sea in a sardine boat, dropping anchor in Mexican villages and collecting marine specimens along the way.I didn’t have a boat, but I did have a Prius. And a plan. I would set out from my home near Denver, steering a course south into Arizona to investigate a strangely lush canyon, then head into Mexico to explore the driest place in North America and finally alight on the Sea of Cortez. It all seemed a world away as I motored down icy Interstate 25, hugging the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains through sprawling Colorado Springs, gritty Pueblo and charming Trinidad, … [Read more...] about Heading south in Steinbeck’s footsteps, with a Prius and a plan

You don’t need to stay in Barcelona to experience the rich history of this region in Spain. Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is known for its art, architecture and culinary delights. The nearby white sandy beaches attract visitors from around the world. But Catalonia has a secret the average tourist doesn’t know – its vast number of hiking trails streaking through the natural beauty and cultural history of one of Spain’s most unique and famously autonomous regions. Whether looking for challenging multi-day hikes through mountain peaks or less strenuous walks through history, Catalonia has plenty of accessible trails for hikers of all levels. Fortunately, the region also has welcoming mountain huts and famous Catalan cuisine to satisfy all your needs. Don’t wait any longer to explore this hiking mecca. St. James Way – Pilgrims of the 21st Century Hiking the pilgrimage path to Santiago de Compostela has become very popular over the last decade, … [Read more...] about Europe’s Next Hiking Destination: Catalonia

Author: James Lucas Publish date: Oct 3, 2019 The artist and climber Rhiannon Klee Williams, 31, lives in her van and makes her living as an artist, selling surreal watercolors of the Nose of El Capitan, the El Chalten Massif, and other iconic formations. Rhiannon was born in the United States and lived in Wales, UK, until she was 12, after which she moved back to Florida, finished high school, and earned a psychology degree from the University of Tampa. When she broke her back in gymnastics a decade ago, she started climbing to help strengthen her lumbar muscles. Since then, she has traveled North America, climbing in the Southwest, Yosemite, the Bugaboos, and the Wind River Range—the places that inspire her art. How does climbing influence your art? I use the landscapes I climb in as a framework to paint my experiences into. I see climbing as a creative and emotionally deep experience: Painting is how I give that experience a voice. When I’m painting, I try … [Read more...] about Rock Art: Finding the Flow—Rhiannon Klee Williams