Letters to Juliet

While this is a Harlequin Romance type movie that is entirely predictable, the beautiful Italian settings makes this a perfectly acceptable way to spend a summer evening.  Vanessa Redgrave portrays a grandmother going back to find the love of her life after fifty years.

This is really a made-for-TV movie.  Except for Redgrave, the acting is not particularly strong.  The plot a little contrived.   Everyone is a little too beautiful.

It does make you want to visit Italy though.

Deck Trees and Garden June 1st

All twelve of my cedar trees/shrubs survived the winter.  Last fall, I purchased and transplanted these trees to form a screen from my neighbours.   As they were end-of-season cast-offs, I was not entirely sure if many of them would survive.   Luckily, all of them are showing some new growth.  It even looks as if the smallest ones (the three yellow ones in the top row) need transplanting again.

Unfortunately my garden plot is not doing so well.  We have had a cold and wet Spring.  I have just replanted squash, cucumbers and zucchini seed after my transplants withered.  So far this year, I have had only a few radish, some rhubarb and chives.   My beets tops are almost ready to thin and eat.  I do have lots of garlic and spinach but have not been eating either lately. 

And, my six year old, well worn camera seems to be giving up the ghost.  I can't seem to get rid of the pink tinge at the top of my photographs lately.

Salmon Berries

This is a photo of the Salmonberry blossom. In very short order these flowers become berries.

I notice the salmon berries are ripe now. These are usually the first berries to ripen around here. While they are not as flavourful as raspberries, they are usually available about two weeks before our garden variety raspberries.

I haven't picked any yet as they grow wild and I am waiting for some company to help me. I don't want to compete with the local bears. If there are two or three of us, hopefully we can make enough noise to keep the bears away.

NINE

The Production Nine at Presentation Theatre on Granville Island was highly entertaining - it is unfortunate that it closes today - last performance at 7 p.m. tonight.

This musical about Victor Contini's mid life crisis was on Broadway in 1982 and ran for 729 performances. The latest film version released in 2009, starred Daniel Day-Lewis, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren and Kate Hudson to name just a few of the stars.

In the Vancouver production, twenty three women and one man give us everything - amazing dance numbers, great singing and a story you will remember.

Now I need to rent the film version so that I can compare the two.