The Golden Bear!

Recently, Sarah and I had the great privilege of spending a few hours with the great Jack Nicholas, AKA the Golden Bear and LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam while attending the Champions Challenge golf event at Thanksgiving Point. Johnny Miller sponsors this tournament each year which pairs father/son, brother/brother, sister/sister and friends in a best ball tournament for a two day golf extravaganza.

Over the years I have carried on conversations with the likes of Sergio Garcia, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Mike Weir, Jim Furyk Fuzzy Zoeller, Hale Irwin, David Duval, Tom Kite, and even the colorful John Daly.

The weather is usually quite toasty and this year we saw more of the same, Sarah put up with another of Dad's odd hobbies and was very supportive, she even received and nod of the head and a wink from host Johnny Miller himself. I still recall an exchange with Arnold Palmer some years ago when Aaron was a young lad of some 8 or 9 years old.

Harry Potter, coming to a theater near you!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will be shown in theaters, November 2008. That's only a few short months away, even before the return of 24!

What is your favorite Potter Movie? I liked the 4th, Goblet of Fire, the tri-wizard tournament with Victor Krum and Cedric, oh my oh my!

Here is a list of the movies and a short plot summary, the last book will be broken into 2 movies and released in 2010 and 2011.

Vote for your favorite......

#1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter is an 11 year old boy. At a young age, he was attacked by Lord Voldemort who killed his parents; his survival brought unknown fame to Harry. He was taken by Hagrid to live with his aunt and uncle. Eleven years later, in 1991, Harry enters his first year of Hogwarts along with his new friends Ron and Hermione.


#2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to Hogwarts for their second year which proves to be more challenging than the last. The Chamber of Secrets is opened, leaving students (and ghosts) petrified. Harry learns that he can speak parseltongue which leads to many students believing he is the heir of Salazar Slytherin. Near the end of the year Harry, Ron and their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lockhart, discover the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. There he battles the young memory of Lord Voldemort (Tom Marvolo Riddle) and his basilisk. During the battle Godric Gryffindor's sword appears out of the sorting hat (brought by Fawks), which we later learn from Dumbledore that the sword would have only appeared for a true Gryffindor.


#3 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry's third year truly begins when the Hogwart's express stops moving, a Dementor attacks Harry and is dispatched with the help of new professor, Lupin. The Dementor flees but not before it causes Harry to faint. A prisoner named Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban prison, he was incarcerated there twelve years previously for apparently aiding Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Harry, believing it was Black who caused his parent's deaths, finds out at the end of the year the real truth.


#4 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire:

Harry's fourth year begins with him having a nightmare about Frank Bryce being killed by Voldemort. At Hogwarts, there is a new professor, Alastor Moody, Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament, a dangerous tournament between three schools of magic. Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum and Cedric Diggory are the three champions. But Harry's name appears out of the Goblet of Fire making him a fourth champion.


#5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry's fifth year begins with Harry being attacked by Dementors in Little Whinging. He finds out later that the Ministry of Magic doesn't believe that Voldemort has returned and is in for a hard year. Professor Umbridge, a representative of Cornelius Fudge, is the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, and the rebellion between the students of Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic begins.


#6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry believes that Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape are up to something. Harry falls in love with Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister. Towards the end Professor Dumbledore and Harry face an army of Inferi and return to Hogwarts to find that Death Eaters have attacked. The film is due for release in November 2008.


#7 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's quest to find all of Voldemort's remaining horcruxes begins. It's meant to be Harry's final year at Hogwarts but Voldemort's rise to power prevents him from attending. The trio undergo a long adventure to destroy Voldemort once and for all.

Can anyone identify this photo?

I have been trying to organize the many photos collected over the years and came across this one which appears to have been taken in a hotel. I think I know who these characters are, where was it taken and when?

There are many others that I will post in the future, some from the Ward history project that coincides with the Stake 25th anniversary and our very own family files.

Dadoo!