Joy Drop: The mountains were calling and I had to go

Friends! As the spring rolls on, I extended the winter by visiting Banff. I have been very lucky to travel across Canada and meet people and truly take in how stunning Canada is. I love the East Coast (obviously!) and I regard it as some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the world, but there is something about the mountains that leave me breathless.

My daughter and I spent a couple of days wandering around Lake Louise and the Bow Valley.

This included a two-hour walk in Johnston Canyon to see the frozen and defrosting falls. We borrowed some slip-on ice cleats from the hotel and made our way.

May is around the corner and it is AAPI (Asian Pacific American Heritage) Month. Barbie has decided to honour one of the most impressive and beloved athletes of East-Asian descent. I was delighted to see that figure-skating legend Kristi Yamaguchi has been made into a doll. I remember Yamaguchi's skating, her smile and her sizzle on the ice. In the last few years the list of Barbies I want is growing but I'm thrilled to see the number of women athletes being commemorated this way.

Speaking of fire on ice, the attendance at last week's PWHL game in Montreal's Bell Centre against Toronto did break the record as predicted. More than 21,000 fans were present to watch these incredible teams face off with Toronto getting the OT winner thanks to Sarah Nurse.

I had seen a few reels and posts about a wonderful tradition in Sweden where people gather around farms and watch cows be released from barns for the spring.

The spring cow release is called kosläpp and yes, it's real. The cows frolic and jump with happiness because being stuck in a barn for many cold months is not particularly joy-inducing. I found a blog-post from a woman who attended the celebration in 2017 and raved about it. The post is a few years old but the tradition continues. A Swedish dairy producer named Arla promotes the event and asks people to register. Supporting the cows in their joy is certainly one way to appreciate happiness.

Joy Drop celebrates happiness but there are often moments of sadness and we try to frame those with gratitude and love. When legendary hockey announcer Bob Cole died on Wednesday at 90, the tributes came pouring in.

Hockey journalist Chris Johnson's tweeted really resonated with me: "His voice will always be the soundtrack to the sport in my mind."

When I think of hockey, I think of Cole's voice describing the play and keeping Canadians on the edge of their seats through many games and playoffs. The scuffles, the intensity was all explained and offered up by Bob Cole. It's safe to say I learned so much about the game listening to him.

He was an adored colleague and a friend to so many people. And his voice and his personality will be so missed.

I hope you frolic in the fresh spring and hear the voices you love so much around you.