Hello Posse!
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I spent a lot of time thinking about my book serial and how I want to wrap up this part of the story for Elizabeth and Conner. If you notice, the Into the West Saga Serial is the first "book" in the Territories Saga Serials Collection. I plan to do several 5-6 book serials in different U.S. territories in this time period. Each saga will follow different characters. But for this saga, it is time to wrap things up. It was just meant to show how Elizabeth and Conner got into the Wild West and settled in there.
I was previously planning to just do one more book in this serial called, Into the West: Family Ties. I even had the cover made, but this weekend things changed. I do not have the idea completely worked out yet so I will hold off giving too many details at the moment. I should have more for you this Wednesday. Please forgive the delay, I just want to iron all the details out first before I share them with you all.
But for now, how about a great movie?
Today's western is based on a true story. Hildalgo was released in 2004 by Buena Vista Pictures. This film is a biographical western based on the life of a legendary American distance rider, Frank Hopkins, and his horse, Hildago. This movie stars Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, and Omar Sharif with a supporting cast that includes such notable actors as J.K. Simmons, Peter Mensah, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, C. Thomas Howell, and Malcolm McDowell.
The story begins in 1890 when Hopkins (Mortensen) and his mustang, Hidalgo, are performing in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. The show advertises the pair as "the world's greatest endurance horse and rider." Before joining the show, Hopkins had in fact been a long-distance rider. He had even worked for the U.S. government as a courrier. It was this former job that led to Hopkins suffer great regret and depression. He was the one who carried the orders to U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment that authorized the massacre of the Lakota Sioux at Wounded Knee.
As Hopkins, barely exists in his alcohol soaked state, he performs for crowds and lives off his past glory. Another performer with the show, Chief Eagle Horn, learns that wild mustangs are being rounded up for slaughter by the U.S. government to clear the way for farmers to take over the land. While Buffalo Bill declines to do anything to save the horses, Hopkins agrees to do what he can.
Soon after an opportunity arises that could provide a solution to save the mustangs. An emissary of a wealthy Sheikh comes to the Wild West Show to request they stop advertising Hopkins and Hildago as "the world's greatest endurance horse and rider." If they do not, the emissary asks that the pair enter the 3,000-mile distance race through the Najd desert called the "Ocean of Fire" to prove they deserve that title. The race is normally only open Bedouin or Arab riders and pure-bred Arabian horses but they agree to make an exception for Hopkins and Hildago so they may prove themselves.
The pair make their way across the sea and find it will not be as simple as just winning the race. Many people are furious an outsider has been allowed to enter their great race and set out to sabotage and even attempt to kill the pair. While navigating the race and it's unexpected dangers, Hopkins encounters a damsel in destress who needs to be saved from a life of servitude to the Sheikh. The pair manage to survive attacks, build alliances, and in the end Hopkins learns more about himself.
When things are at their darkest Hopkins turns to his roots and it is revealed that, while his father was Anglo-American, his mother was Lakota Sioux. Hopkins reconnects to his ancestors to find the strength to finish the race, save the mustangs and the damsel, while healing his own soul. You do not want to miss this epic!
Don't forget to head on over to my Facebook page (<--- click here) for today's movie snack recipe.
It's National S'mores Day!
With the weather heating up, I thought a nice chilled variation on the classic s'more treat from Delish.com would be great to go with this movie. This, slightly healthier, variation could easily be made into a s'more pop. Just add a stick and make it mostly mess free. Personally, I plan to put mine on a stick before giving them a thin allover coating of dark chocolate, then dust them with the graham cracker crumbs before freezing them the last time. It will make for a nice cool summer fruit pop. However you decided to fix yours, they are sure to be a hit!
Enjoy!
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