White Orchid 2 

John...taken last evening 

On A Hot Summer Day 

Captured Colors 

See My New Puppy?

Johhny Depp in The Man Who Cried

Of course in discussing any Johnny Depp films, we have to have at least one close up shot of his face in the role he is playing.

Although not particularly true in this instance, there have been a few times that when he makes his first appearance on the screen in a movie I have not seen, it takes a minute for me to realize oh, there's Johnny! He truly steps right into the character completely.

Christina Ricci

Christina Ricci demonstrates such talent in her starring role for The Man Who Cried.

The Man Who Cried

Last night we viewed The Man Who Cried on our own home theatre.

Christina Ricci is in the starring role, along with Johnny Depp. Also playing a major part is Cate Blanchett. We've enjoyed Cate in numerous roles and remember when Christina Ricci and Johhny Depp played opposite one another in Legend of Sleepy Hollow.



Johnny Depp has had a number of outstanding roles. The Man Who Cried is not one of our favorites but still it was worth watching. It is a tale of a very young Russian Jewish girl who finds herself suddenly without family when her father departs to find a better life for them in America and then her grandmother is killed. She is sent to England where she grows into a young woman and departs for Paris, where she lands on the eve of WWII. It is there she meets Johhny Depp who plays Cesar, leader of a small band of gypsies.

I'm not going to tell you what happens to our heroine in the end. Does she find true love with Cesar? Will she ever be reunited with her father? Let me know how you like the video.

Taken yesterday on our walk to the park 

Our Park

The park is being readied for our annual Fourth of July Picnic. After a wet spring, they are just now getting into the soggy places to mow. Oak trees planted only a few years ago are showing promise. I hope we can get more added this fall or next spring. It would make an already lovely park even more inviting on hot summer days, while leaving the volleyball court, soccer field open for activities if we only put in more around the perimeter.

The first year we lived here our local mall was offerring blue spruce seedlings for celebration of Earth Day. We took home half a dozen and put them in containers to start. When they outgrew the containers, we donated three of them to the park, along with another little tree we had outside our entry decorated for Christmas in a container. We called it our "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree" because it looked so pathetic. Now it has filled out, grown tall in the park and decorates the upper playground!

With homes on such small lots here in the Pacific NW cities, open space is such a gift. We certainly make good use of ours. Anneka and Thea love to play in our park. I think it makes them really look forward to visiting Grandpa and Gra'ma! (~.~)

Saturday Night at the Movies

Our neighbors loaned us their copy of Hitch, starring Will Smith w/ Albert Bennaman, Eva Mendes and Amber Valetta, so we had a nice surprise Saturday night at the movies.

Love is Hitch's profession, laughter is what you'll get while watching him work. He can smoothly coach other guys into winning the heart of their true love but as the relationship of the main characters intertwine...there's going to be a HITCH!

"I'll Be There" was our Friday Night Video

Last night we rented "I'll Be There." It's a GR8 comedy, written and directed by Craig Ferguson, (who also is playing a leading roll) and features Charlotte Church. It seemed to get off to a slow start but had me laughing so the pace was OK, and then as it went along, the pace picked up as did the wonderful comedy. The story line is at times predictable as to the outcome, but takes twists and turns along the way and keeps you right along with it. No sleeping thru this one, for certain. It was released in 2003, but we'd missed it until now. If you enjoy a good laugh, some wonderful singing by Charlotte Church, some glimses into music of the 80's as we bring in members of her rock star Dad in the movie Craig Ferguson, and then also her in the movie grandpa's rock band (this character in the video is 70 and still touring and going strong) don't put it off but plan to view it this week!

Little Drummer Girl 

Big sister playing with the dominoes 

How fast they do grow! 

Smiling at her Grandpa 

Which disk is this? 

Right on the tip of my tongue 

How fast they grow

Anneka and Thea celebrate Thea's birthday in Palm Springs. Here's a colorful shot of the girls.

Digital cameras R Fun!

This afternoon I zipped thru some digital photos from several years ago of our redheads. The post below is one John took after the girls had a Saturday gymnastics class. They had to show us some of their new moves. So cute! I may be a bit prejudiced!