Life and Random Thinking

Okanagan Moments – Not Too Much Talking

Posted on April 22, 2022 by dfolstad58

Thank you for visiting “Life and Random Thinking” today – David

Spring is dragging its feet this year and the fruit tree blooms are slowly arriving. It was minus 1 this morning so I imagine the robins are very confused/perplexed.

Today I am going to share a handful of local photos that I have been planning to share for some time. ♥

Pictures information instead of captions –

My son and I have been painting some rocks, a few are by the front door – one of my favorites is the tiny ladybug.
The Sicamous paddle-wheeler – a landmark in my city of Penticton. The Canadian Pacific Railway used paddle-wheelers to transport goods and people before there were roads and the Kettle Valley Railway. The Sicamous was built in May of 1914. She is a steel-hulled icebreaker measuring 200.5 feet by 40 feet. The SS Sicamous carried up to 300 passengers, with overnight accommodations and a fine dining room. She ceased operations in 1936 and was permanently beached here in Penticton in August 1951. You can still tour her and we have attended jazz events and murder mysteries nights there. There is a well done miniature train set up on the main floor which shows the route of the Kettle Valley Railway.
Apricot blossoms – I love this beautiful Summerland photo from my friend Greg. Thanks Greg!
Looking north along one of the two lakes in my city, the Okanagan lake. The Okanagan lake is home to the Ogopogo a native legend that resides in the lake’s depths and surfaces just often enough to keep the legend alive.

I hope you let me know what you liked. – Happy weekend friends ♥

Posted in okanagan related, Thinking Out loud, Uncategorized | Tagged blossom, ladybug, ogopogo, Okanagan lake, rocks, SS Sicamous | 10 Comments

Do You Know What Day It Is?

Posted on April 20, 2022 by dfolstad58

Welcome back to “Life and Random Thinking” ! I say welcome back because I am very grateful to the people who visit my blog on a regular basis and I know my readers have a plethora of choices for the use of their time.

Today is National Banana Day !

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed, then today is the perfect day to ” GO BANANAS” ♥.

If you don’t have a banana costume, you could celebrate with a fun Banana Cocktail or a banana split.

Bananas arrived in North America in 1870 when Captain Lorenzo Baker brought bananas he had bought in Jamaica to sell in Jersey City, USA.

Bananas are possibly the most widely consumed fruit in America – the average American eats 30 pounds a year (that’s surprising!).

I did not eat bananas at all from about 1986 to 2019 when I new kidney transplant allowed me to eat them again. I eat one a day now!

*** That special anniversary is April 24! – Against all Odds !

Everyday on the calendar is National “something or other” AND I found it quite interesting to look up my birthday and find out it was “Body Language Day” amongst other things. (October 7)

Of course we all want to celebrate “Talk like a Pirate Day” – September 19, 2022. Pirate was definitely my Halloween favorite growing up but all I said was ” Trick or Treat.”

** If you want to look up your birthday and see what National Holiday it is – just click here **

(I am super curious what you find out!)

– Last thought – Friday is April 22 and Jellybean Day – you can celebrate with any that you have left over from Easter.

Comments are invited and that’s when I look to responding directly with you ♥ – David

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Posted in food, Just being creative, Thinking Out loud, Uncategorized | Tagged banana, bananas, jelly beans, national day | 28 Comments

Photos on a spring day

Posted on March 26, 2022 by dfolstad58

Welcome to “Life and Random Thinking” ! Thanks for visiting today.

It’s Spring! – I see people outside raking and doing yard clean up, and today I turned on my outside taps (I turn them off so they don’t freeze in the winter) and that’s a sure sign of spring. It’s still a bit chilly to wash the car in the driveway, but I could now. ♥

A few days ago my wife and I were walking at the north end of town along the Penticton River Channel. It’s a man-made river and only 7 kilometres long that connects the Okanagan Lake to the Skaha lake which are the two lakes at either end of my city.

It was created in the 1950’s to control flooding and now there is a dam at the north end to control water flow.

It was a huge project and a perfect project for men needing work after World War II ended, many of them deciding to stay and were given land to settle.

The river channel straightened out the winding oxbow that existed before and resulted in reclaimed land where previously was swamp.

It was here at the dam where my wife found a heron and where we were walking, and here are here pictures.

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It’s the simple things that we can take for granted but that are so important.

Health is easily overlooked, the simple ability to tie my own shoes or walk any distance have been a challenge in the past – but now I am more aware, and hence grateful.

_ ♥ I hope you have amazing regular day! – David

Posted in okanagan related, Thinking Out loud | 29 Comments

Hashbrowns and Pay Forwards

Posted on March 20, 2022 by dfolstad58

Thanks for visiting my blog today. I had so many wonderful comments from my last post I wanted to share my thoughts from today.

My day included a nice drive and then a bike ride but as heartwarming as I find my bike rides to be, it was the people and coffee shop this morning that touched my heart. – David

We don’t normally go out for breakfast but we were meeting a friend in Oliver (which is a little city about 30 minutes and two lakes south of Penticton).

Serendipitously we changed our plans and went to a local mall restaurant which was so cozy and warm with an atmosphere of people enjoying plain good cooked food.

Looking around I saw people digging into their breakfasts and the lunch special included borscht soup!

I had a side order of Hashbrowns, it was crispy and excellent with ketchup and hot sauce.

On the way out I spotted this bulletin board (below).

I asked my server if these pieces of paper represented prepaid menu items for the needy and he grinned widely.

“The community is awesome and is hugely supportive in buying meals so needy people can come in and enjoy a restaurant meal with dignity and quietly be part of the atmosphere here. ”

I agreed, they are awesome, but so is this local business. More than coffee, I see sandwiches, grilled chicken, breakfasts and even poutine!

It brought to mind this story I read online called ” Coffee On the Wall” – when I read it I thought is was inspiring and I liked it, but seeing this community and restaurant in action really made my morning.

If you are interested in the Coffee On the Wall story – you can read it here – It’s quick and well written and a nice positive thought to share with your friends and family.

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Thank you for taking the time to come by and read my post. Sincerely, David

Not today, no white stuff now so I am putting my shovel away !

Posted in okanagan related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged Coffee, dignity, hashbrowns, heartwarming, kindness | 15 Comments

Checking In & Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on March 18, 2022 by dfolstad58

Thank you for visiting my blog today. I was munching chocolate chip cookies, homemade, and still gooey from being warm out of the oven. The chocolate gave me inspiration to check in and share a post with my friends in the blog universe.

I found it interesting how the NFL can advertise some as the “official wings of the NFL”.

Do people really care? Who goes shopping and looks at the little NFL logo and the box and says “I got to buy these!”

Where does it start and end? The official pain relievers, official plunger, official pancake mix of the NFL?

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I live in one of the two cities in the world with a lake at either end. I love riding around and will head out soon for another cruise on my bike.

A few days ago I enjoyed a wonderful bike ride to a high point (Munson Mountain) where I was looking down at Okanagan lake, and I could also look south (9 kilometres) and see Skaha lake down south.

It’s a beautiful spot and looking up the lake I admired the calm spots and where the surface twinkled reflecting the light. Unfortunately my photos are shadows compared to the real experience but I thought you might enjoy them.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

It’s an interesting question isn’t it? Would it be a business, career, public speaking, a contest of some type?

But if you knew you could not fail I wonder if it would spoil it? When I would go skiing, there was an element of fun but also risk (I’m no expert) and that’s part of the excitement. Aren’t we most alive when we also have fear of failure? Isn’t that why celebrating a race, a diploma, reaching a goal, is wonderful, because there was uncertainty?

I think it’s important to try new challenges, study language, read, cycle, and venture out and just do our best. When I do attempt challenges I often fall short, but along the way I discover and am introduced to the joys of the journey of life, and even when I falling short of success. I can embrace failure as I am enjoying the attempts.

The real failure is in not even trying.

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Thanks for visiting! – I respond to all your comments ♥ – David

Posted in Just being creative, okanagan related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged biking, failure, journey, Okanagan lake, success | 29 Comments

Random Thinking Wednesday

Posted on March 2, 2022 by dfolstad58

Thank you for visiting my blog today, I was surprised a whole month had passed since my last post. Funny how life intercedes and despite being retired, each day passes so quickly.

I have some random thoughts to share with you, that I have jotted down but I will limit my thoughts to one today and I look forward to replying to your comments. – David

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Photo by Maria Lindsey Content Creator on Pexels.com

Apples. Love them. I even enjoy the Granny Smiths although they are too tart for me to imbibe.

I drive to a fruit stand in Summerland to buy my apples. There are stores in town, of course, where I could buy apples but I want to buy from an orchardist. The drive is 20 or so minute along lakeshore so it is not a hardship. Once there, the orchardist has arranged a room with bags of apples, different types, and all from his orchard. The room smells fresh, clean and the scent is difficult to explain.

There are many varieties of apples, and in Summerland there is a research station that develops more varieties and I love them all.

Since I buy multiple bags at a time, I sometimes don’t eat them fast enough, although I receive a great deal of support in eating them from my family. (thumbs up)

Occasionally an apple will have a spot. I do what most people do, I carve out the spot and enjoy the rest of the apple.

As I did a little apple spot removing the other day, it struck me how important that is in daily life; focus not on the spots but on the best parts of our lives and people

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Best wishes to each one of you for your day today – David ♥

A few of my pictures below for you to peruse. I sometimes keep track of my rides and the route I took.