Empress of the World (of Quilting)

Two new finds on my list today. Biggies.

First, look what I found on The Empress of  The World (quilting blog),  Empress of the World (of Quilting)  the heretofore un-noticed 9-part PBS series, Why Quilts Matter: History, Art and Politics. Produced by Shelley Zegart of the Kentucky Quilt Project, it is available on DVDs for $40.  I'm thinking about ordering for the upcoming November 11-13 Retreat for the Triangle Modern Quilt Guild, as a possible evening program for the quilters to watch. Or not.  Maybe I just want it for myself.

Executive Producer and Host for the series, Shelly Zegart, a co-founder of The Kentucky Quilt Project, Inc., The Alliance for American Quilts, and an expert at the forefront of quilt study for over three decades, has created the first series for television to show the world that quilts are bigger than people think. Using hundreds of examples from quilt makers past and present, Zegart introduces viewers to a group of enlightened academics, savvy dealers, and passionate quilt makers who share their personal stories, experiences and opinions.

From the video-trailer I found that our neighbors, Bill and Marcie Ferris of UNC, are both interviewed as material culture scholars from UNC's Studies in American History Center (Marcie is a former board member of the Alliance for Quilts). Take time to watch the two-minute video with Zegart and learn how in-depth this series has been created.

And number two -
Am I the only one watching "Outnumbered" on UNC-TV (public television)?
A British family of five living in London is the BBC's newest comedy series to find the Triangle. I speak of  Outnumbered; The Pigeon Episode, shown recently. You can watch a short video about the Bad Bird Omen when a pigeon flies into the house just moments before prospective buyers for the property are due to arrive. The youngest of three children, 5 year-old Karen announces that a bird in the house is an omen that someone will die and promptly departs for the safety of her room. Why this episode fell into my life at this time is telling. 

Those who know us also know that we are in the midst of selling our house and for the duration we live in a "magazine ad" where nothing can be out of place lest a realtor might call to book ashowing. For that reason the past few months have been rather stressful not to mention the recession economy about to do a double dip. 

Last week our realtor brought a buyer to see the house and in the inspection pulled down the folding ladder in the guest bedroom that accesses the attic space. What happened next will be the centerpiece of realtor's bad house tales for decades to come. I personally have never been in the attic and it is doubtful anyone has since the builder completed construction. No sooner had the ladder been dropped to the floor than wads of insulation and - a long dead and dried out squirrel hit the floor.

Talk about bad omens! The likelihood of ever hearing from that buyer again is nil. When we heard the story later that day we did not know whether to laugh or cry (?). All the storing, staging and cleaning for showing the house, who knew there was a dead squirrel in the attic?  

Quickly recalling  "The Pigeon" episode I thought of the omen about birds in the house. Well, no one is likely to die (except for the squirrel that is).
Why me?  bb