Treme

 Lately television has been taken over by "reality" shows, few good, many bad and some bordering on the absolute ridiculous. Often posts recommend a more literary list, but hey, I grew up watching TV and I still do and I'd be a bald faced liar if I said it was just for the news! Since  interesting and well produced dramas are an endangered species on TV, here's a good one for you. "Treme", which is set in post Katrina New Orleans. It's co-produced by David Simon, who also produced "The Wire" (and if you haven't seen that 5 year series, you're missing something really special!). This is an HBO production, so if you don't have HBO, you'll have to rent the DVD's. I use Netflix but since they are trying to make the world sign up for video streaming and such, the quality of their DVD by mail rentals has been steadily declining. The cast is an assemblage of character actors and New Orleans locals and if you like music, mostly jazz and blues, you'll get your fix of the some of the finest. This is not fantasy television, this is gritty, true to life and for gosh sakes don't watch it with the kids. This is not Disney does New Orleans.

So when I wasn't spending the weekend sacked out in the comfy chair with a quorum of my favorite furry friends watching season 2 of Treme, I was busy outside. Horses got ridden, donkeys got brushed



 and finally Gene and I hauled the two stray round pen panels up to expand the existing pen. We had been using these panels for years to make a hardship stall where Bob the tractor is usually parked. With the addition of the stalled shelter last fall it meant I didn't need to keep those two panels stacked in the barn, so we loaded them into the newly cleaned and scrubbed horse trailer and hauled them up to the round pen. It took a fair amount of tugging and pulling to open the pen up for accepting them but they're in and it's made it a lot bigger. The panels are 12 or 14 feet long. Plus we left an opening and backed the horse trailer up to it. It means I have a nice set-up for working on trailer loading and boy, do my guys need it! I'm hoping to have some wonderful pictures of horses standing calmly in said trailer soon! ;)

In sewing and weaving news, not much going on. I worked on a Tina Given Mia Dress pattern. I really did do it up in plain muslin.



 It's not finished yet, but I will be giving a full review of the pattern soon.  I did some curtain sewing..UGH! The warp is ready to go on the Murphy loom.

That about wraps up my weekend. The latest read on the Kindle is "Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I". It's a bit dry, but well researched.
If you like this period in time, it's a must read. It goes into depth the significance of the Bayeux Tapestry.  French legend believes it was commissioned by Matilda, which of course, is subject to differing theories of exactly who (and why), commissioned it. Matilda herself was an amazing women in her time and that alone makes the read worthwhile.

Parting shot: Cooper showing off the latest in face wear .