I’ll tell you, but you have to keep it a secret

Posted on October 4, 2024 by dfolstad58

Last week my son and I meandered slowly through both floors of the beautiful Revelstoke Museum (even the building is charming) and enjoyed it immensely.

At the museum, constucted in 1925 and the site chosen by PM Wilfred Laurier in 1910

As I was signing the museum guest book I took the opportunity to peek at the comments of previous visitors and where they were from. I saw praise from visitors from Swiss, German, Norwegian and Australian visitors and many many more countries.

When trying to pick a title today I imagined all the visitors to Revelstoke going home and explaining about this beautiful mountain city they fell in love with but first they start by saying “

I’ll tell you about Revelstoke, but you have to keep it a secret ♥

It is a smaller secret all the time though as the little town is definitely growing. The city of Revelstoke has a population of only 10 or 11 thousand but construction is happening and the businesses are busy.

The city was named to honour Baron Revelstoke (Edward C Baring) whose bank helped to save the Canadian Pacific Railway from bankruptcy by buying up all its unsold bonds.

Revelstoke was once one of the largest and most prominent communities in the interior of the province, mostly due to its importance as a railway center. Steamboat traffic on the Columbia river from the south connected with the Canadian Pacific Railway making this an important transportation hub.

The railway shaped the city of Revelstoke – want to know more? LINK

This summer I saw how popular mountain biking is in Revelstoke; gondolas take the riders to the top of the mountain resort (it’s a jewel of a view) and riders of all ages enjoy riding the trails down (over and over). I was awestruck at how young some of the riders were.

In the winter it’s the ideal snow that makes it an winter athlete’s dream – average snowfall of 246 inches and 92 snowfall days – the record for snow in one day is 16 inches. World class skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling as well as snowshoeing and cross country make this a 5 star destination for people who embrace winter.

The three days we were there we loved the ambience of the city and the bike culture including cargo bikes. Coffee shops stay open late for the young population to mingle; the average age in the mid-30’s for the city. Even in the evenings when it was raining it was sweet and delightful.

It was cool to see the layback style downtown, everyone walking, riding and cars moseying along. No one wears helmets there on bikes and it’s because of the respect of the Revy residents to the slower pace. Pedestrians wave thanks and the drivers are smiling when the cars need to stop at the corners.

It seems a tight knit community of like-minded people AND that made it so enjoyable for us to visit.

In addition to spots around town we also went to Mount Revelstoke National Park which is east of Revelstoke. We visited the 500 year old giant cedars which had a boardwalk through the rainforest of western hemlocks. It was so pretty and majestic at the same time. Many of visitors we chatted with were Swiss and German.

Here is a link to a SIX minute Youtube that shows the Giant Cedars Boardwalk – quicker than driving there eh? LINK to walking in the cedars

Now I told you, but you have to keep it a secret – Revelstoke BC – (wink)

Thank you my friends for reading – please add a comment! – David♥

Posted in O Canada, Thinking Out loud, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

No Bright lights for this pre-birthday holiday

Posted on September 29, 2024 by dfolstad58

This year we relinquished a repeat trip to the Bright lights of the coast (Vancouver) and traded them for a visit to a four-season activities playground located in fabulous BC mountain city only 4 hours from home.

But first, a quick look back to last year before I post about this year.

This has been the third year that I have taken a trip in late September with my son in advance of my birthday (as a gift to myself).

These are 2023 photos from our fall pre-birthday holiday escape. It was a three night holiday where we enjoyed being a tourist even though I grew up in East Vancouver, went to school at SFU, and lived in the lower mainland from 1965 to 1992.

Jericho beach, Vancouver skyline, Stanley Park, along with famous celebrity in photo♥
This Denman street restaurant featured Australian pies and it smelled heavenly
Hikes in Pacific Spirit park
Like a cathedral the Pacific Spirit park was a wonderful refreshing experience
Not soon to be a foot model but soon to be dipped in the Pacific Ocean which was right handy!
Across from our hotel, English Bay, sunsets were wonderful.
You can just see the outlines of cargo ships in the bay as they are waiting their turn to load.
Our days were filled with smiles while staying at this Vancouver landmark
More fresh air close to a big city
This chair in an art gallery just shouts for an inappropriate caption
I think this was close to third beach at Stanley Park.
Historic apartment building, now hotel, across from English Bay
Stanley Park Seawall circles the 1000 acre park going under Lions gate bridge and coming back to Lost lagoon.
Art galleries in Vancouver await discovery!

The last two years we went to Vancouver BC, which is a beautiful city and September is warm and beautiful there. Volleyball is still being played (by hundreds) down at Jericho Beach and the sunsets on English Bay are scrumptious.

Stanley Park, Pacific Spirit Regional Park are two lovely spots to enjoy and close to downtown. There are also art galleries and a seemingly endless variety of restaurants to choose from. Of course, it’s what you might expect from such a large and cosmopolitan city.

THAT WAS 2023 ! My Next post is going to be about where we went this year, and just returned from – no bright lights but lots of smiles.

I look forward to soon sharing memories from the 2024 trip!

Thank you ♥ for visiting and commenting – Hugs, Dave.

A few of you I hoped enjoyed the musical link in my previous post LINK – Sister Golden Hair – it’s a song that I enjoy and I hope you did also.

Here is a link to another song that I find grabs me – but this time I will keep it a mystery for you to unpack. Mystery musical youtube link

This artist is well known but this is the first song of theirs that I have ever listened to. (my daughter was surprised) I only watched this video because I saw the bike ridden in the video was identical to my own and it caused me to check it out. Love the bike and Loved the song. ♥

Posted in Thinking Out loud, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

It doesn’t mean you ain’t been on my mind

Posted on September 24, 2024 by dfolstad58

Time seems to be speeding up on me and I have so many photos and thoughts I have thought about adding to my blog because I sincerely haven’t forgotten the lovely people who read and comment on my blog.

Well, I keep on thinkin’ ’bout you
Sister Golden Hair surprise
And I just can’t live without you
Can’t you see it in my eyes?
I’ve been one poor correspondent
And I’ve been too, too hard to find
But it doesn’t mean you ain’t been on my mind

Sister Golden Hair (with lyrics)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thanks to Linda for the”little boot” to post today – ♥ – you’ve been on my mind too 🙂

Peach King fruit stand in Keremeos does an impressive display every year with so many pumpkins – it must take days to set up. ♥
Looking down the valley, relaxing reading – it’s nice to disconnect and the beaches are empty (virtually)
Dave Jr has been a bear all summer – lots of dips even into the colder temps of Sept.
the fire ban was lifted the week before (whew)
Hijo y Padre trip to cabin at top of the valley – watching satellites at night and loving it.
This beauty in my backyard just glows, I hope to save the seeds from the quail. ♥

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I had it on my calendar to remember Jim Henson today. He was born September 24th, 1936 and he began his puppeteer magic in high school. Surprising eh?

What a legacy he left of bringing smiles and laughter to millions and millions.

Not forgotten and definitely living on in the hearts and twinkling eyes of children and adults everywhere; Happy birthday Jim.

Yip yip yip – there are so many fun characters that Jim Henson created or inspired but the Martians make me smile.

In this short skit – the Martians discover a telephone on earth and try to communicate with the ringing phone by looking at their earth dictionary and making sounds. (look it the old dial tone – that brings back memories) ♥

Moo yip yip Yip – link here

Closing thought – I gave a speech last week in Toastmasters called Train, Trust, and Jump.

In the speech I talked about these three principles as I gave the group their final instructions (make believe) before they take their first flying trapeze lesson.

I remind them of the voice commands they will hear including “Ready” (bend knees) and Hup (go!)

If there is something “dear reader” that is on your mind to do, a place to visit, something to try; I hope you begin the process soon – life slips away fast.

Ready, Hup ! (flying trapeze commands♥) – Bend your knees and don’t hesitate – JUMP!

Hugs to you guys – ♥ David

Well, I keep on thinkin’ ’bout you
Sister Golden Hair surprise
And I just can’t live without you
Can’t you see it in my eyes?
I’ve been one poor correspondent
And I’ve been too, too hard to find
But it doesn’t mean you ain’t been on my mind

Will you meet me in the middle?
Will you meet me in the air?
Will you love me just a little?
Just enough to show you care?
Well, I tried to fake it
I don’t mind sayin’, I just can’t make it – Sister Golden Hair ♥

Posted in Just being creative, music related, okanagan related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The secret “other anthem” I knew first

Posted on May 7, 2024 by dfolstad58

Thank you for visiting again for another post in the “O Canada” category.

I was born in the proverbial small town in the prairies, a railway town with a small population. But like many, maybe most, small prairie towns it had a hockey rink and a curling rink.

In Canada hockey and curling aren’t just winter sports that a small minority are interested in. In Canada talking about hockey and curling, especially curling in my family was “what we talked about”.

On my family curling team “growing up” my Dad was the skip, my Mom played third, and I played second and my brother was lead. We played in leagues every winter and it felt natural that we did; it was never even discussed as optional. I remember when I had my learners driving licence driving the family to the weekly games every Sunday night.

My father curled for over 50 years, and if my parents went away then my Grandparents “subbed” in for them.

I think for families all across Canada watching and playing curling some time in their lives is just normal and it’s definitely multigenerational.

It’s not uncommon for curlers to begin in their teens and curl until they are seniors!

Of the 1.5 million people in the world who have curled; 1.3 million of them live here in Canada.

(Canada used to dominate curling I think it would be fair to say but now there are many other countries on the podium. This year Canada won the Gold world curling championship trophy for women (Rachel Homan’s team out of Ottawa) and the men won Silver (Brad Gushue’s team from St. John’s).

Curling is definitely a world sport now and so winning both this year was really sweet!

But winter offers more than curling to Canadians – it also offers hockey.

When I was only 6 years old I had skates and I played on a team although my skating skills were something my Mom joked about for years. I guess it was more like snowshoeing the way I moved and all of us just bunched up around the puck.

My Dad even made an ice rink one year in the front yard which earned him the “super dad” title that winter.

As I grew up it was normal for winter to include these important items; toboggans, curling shoes and brooms, hockey skates and hockey sticks.

I love those roots and that I, like many other Canadians, look forward to winter because that’s curling and winter seasons!

I would remiss if I didn’t answer the question to the title of this post –

What was the “secret” other anthem I grew up with?

I think every boy I grew up with could hum the music to “Hockey Night in Canada” before they memorized the O Canada theme but it helped it was sung at every game♥

The opening bars of the Saturday night musical theme for “Hockey Night in Canada” are deeply imbedded in my memory and I am fairly confident that before I memorized “O Canada” – Hockey Night in Canada was my anthem, at least on Saturday night♥

Thanks for reading and visiting- ♥ David

Please enjoy the 30 seconds of opening music to Hockey Night in Canada!

Posted in music related, O Canada, Thinking Out loud | Tagged , , , | 22 Comments

O Canada, Our home and native land

Posted on April 29, 2024 by dfolstad58

Thank you for returning for another post in my “O Canada” category.

Canada’s national anthem is “O Canada” and I love that it’s easy to sing and when it is sung at events.

I think what I enjoy the most is when the crowd sings along with the anthem. I don’t want to be the only one singing and neither do you. LOL

While researching this post I listened to O Canada many times, and different anthem singers including Sarah McLachlan (famous Canadian singer songwriter – more than 40 million records sold)

I think the version that is my favourite remains the Nylons. (The Nylons were an a cappella group founded in 1978 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

I remember them singing “O Canada” during half time of a Grey Cup game, which is the Canadian Football league championship.

I also heard them sing it live at a concert once and I was in row 11 in the hall that evening – what a fun night that was, and of course that was how the night began – no instruments except them – the beginning and the percussion they make with their voices always makes me smile ♣

Here is a link to the Nylons singing O Canada in Ottawa on July 1st which is Canada Day, the celebration of confederation July 1, 1867.

Canada Day – The Nylons singing “O Canada” a cappella

But I digress, here are the lyrics to O Canada

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

And for fun, the Molson Fridge Commercial in which the key to a cold drink is properly singing O Canada

For Thee !

Thanks for joining today, I sincerely hope you enjoyed the topic today, and the Nyons singing O Canada ! – ♥ David

Posted in music related, O Canada, Thinking Out loud | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Because I Can Project

Posted on April 28, 2024 by dfolstad58

This post is one that is very close to my heart because I am a kidney transplant recipient from a living donor – last week I had my 5th birthday. My Third Transplant

My third transplant was a chain just like the one Shelley was involved in.

Today for this reason an extra big big BIG thank you for reading my blog today, consider it my birthday gift ♥♥♥

Shelley is a regular Mom who dotes on her boys

I remember the first time I sat down and visited with Shelley Hunt, it was a decade ago.

It was summer time and a hot Okanagan day, her two adorable little boys were splashing and enjoying the waterpark down at Skaha lake. I chatted with her as we sat on a bench and watched them splash and laugh.

At that time she was waiting to donate one of her kidneys to a young boy thousands of miles away and she told me how she was making sure that she was super healthy to give him the best kidney ever!

Shelley loves to hike and be outdoors and she was doing it all while getting ready to give a gift that he could never hope to repay.

It was a conversation that I would never forget.

Shelley said she’d been accepted into an organ donation chain that had her attached to a five-year-old boy in Langley.

Shelley was not a medical match to the boy in Ontario, but when one of her kidneys goes to her recipient, it will trigger someone else’s donation to the boy in Ontario that she wanted to donate to.

“The chains can actually be quite long and complex, but it usually consists of six pairings,” she explained,

Shelley said it all began with a pamphlet in the mail

Shelley said it started in March 2012 when she spotted a pamphlet about organ donation in her junk mail and she decided to research the subject.

“I never look through my junk mail and so it was exactly the right time in my life,”

When she learned of the huge need that exists for organ donors, she knew she’d just heard her calling and what she wanted to do.

She began by organizing some community events, such as the Wishmakers Walk and annual Easter egg hunt at LocoLanding to sign up organ donors but wanted to take on something bigger.

“I was really looking for something that was a lot more direct. I didn’t want to just hand over a cheque to somebody; I wanted to be involved in something,”

The Project Vision was born after she met Jess,

The Because I Can project began when she posted on Facebook a video she made with her son about the need for organ donors.

Co-founder Jess Royan, a casual acquaintance at the time, got in touch with her and “literally within 24 hours we decided we were going to start a national campaign,”

Because I Can – The Project

Please watch the trailer

The “BECAUSE I CAN” project tells Shelley’s story but its overall goal is to raise awareness for all the other people waiting for a transplant.

In British Columbia 95% of the population supports organ donation while only 21% have registered their decision to be an organ donor. And get this fact I didn’t realize – Only 3 in 1000 registered donors will die in a way that allows for deceased organ donation.

But change and awareness is growing and that’s part of the Project.

Nova Scotians already have the opportunity to be organ donors unless they opt out.

Nova Scotia has the highest rate of organ and tissue donor registration in the country, but donation rates could still be higher.

In Nova Scotia everyone is a potential donor, and will be automatically referred to donation programs to determine if they are good candidates. 

Not Based on a True Story – It is a true story !

The documentary is amazing to watch, and I truly hope you will ♥

Here is the link – watch ten minutes or as much as you want. If you can. BECAUSE I CAN – TELUS ORIGINAL LINK

♥Hugs, David

BE AN ORGAN DONOR – Because you Can! link here to learn more

Organ donation includes kidneys, pancreas, heart, liver, lungs and small bowel. Tissue donation includes cornea (tissue that covers the front of the eye), sclera (white part of the eye), skin, bones, tendons and heart valves. 

A single organ donor can save up to 8 lives, and a single tissue donor can help up to 75 people.

You’re 6 times more likely to need a transplant than become an organ donor.

Posted in health, Thinking Out loud | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments