Mom-Day at Home in Daisy and Denim, Bird-Nerding and a Wee Shop

Hello, my friends, welcome back to Mom-Day Adventures! I bused out to Mom's place for the afternoon - it was a beautiful day. 

I last visited Mom at home here in March. 

I knew I'd be walking, and that Mom had a couple of things she needed done around the house, so I wore a comfy casual outfit - with jeans! So unlike me! 

I started with the daisy bomber jacket - it's the very first piece of Weird Adidas I ever bought. 

• Daisy bomber - Stella McCartney X Adidas 2014, consignment, Vancouver; last worn here in June 2024 for a trip to the mall with L
• Cotton blouse - Zara, thrifted; first seen here in March with sequined popcorn
• Jeans - Scotch & Soda, thrifted; last seen here in March on a Mom-Day at Colquitz Creek
• Sneakers - Ryka, consignment; last seen here (2nd outfit) in September 2024 for a shop in Oak Bay

This jacket is by fancy designer Stella McCartney and I was so excited when I found it for less than $50 on consignment in Vancouver 6 years ago.

It's that thin slick nylon and has an elastic waist, a two-way zipper, and pockets. 

I often pair yellow to match the centres of the daisies. I liked it over this yellow cotton blouse - they worked really well together. 

The nylon meant no Cotton Rage.

And the slight batwing sleeves contained my cuffs.

Not the cuffs I did on my stretchy black jeans (which were awesome). 

But the ginormous cuffs on my blouse! 

I took the jacket off while I was in Mom's house. 

Incognito - this is how most people saw me. 

The jacket is only zipped at the top, so that my belt shows and the jacket hangs nicely. 

Accoutrements: 

Scarf in case of rain, cold or extreme sun. We had none of those, so it stayed tied to my purse.

• Purse - consignment
• Silk scarf - vintage, thrifted

The stuff: 

The comfy shoes are a nice bookend to the white/grey of the jacket. 

Orange and silver bling: 

Sunshine shapes and citrus colour. 

• Belt - vintage 90s, consignment
• Silver mesh bracelet - consignment, Sidney
• Plastic cuff/ring - Italian, vintage 60s, vintage mall
• Wooden clip-on earrings - vintage expo
• Silver/onyx necklace - Mexican, consignment, Powell River
• Steel/Lucite ring - Calvin Klein, thrifted

I uploaded the app Merlin Bird ID (link here - it's super fun) on my phone and have been having a blast identifying birds by their songs. 

I spied a seagull lookout on the corner of the Porter Block building while I waited for my bus.

This farm is right near the final bus stop. The lambs are getting big! 

I always like seeing the sheep. 

SHEEPS!

So wooly! 

This looks like a perfect spot to turn on the microphone and see who's making all this noise. I caught 5 or 6 birds in this area and identified them. 

This was such a lovely walk in the sun. Ah.

I turned off towards Mom's.

This was another rich environment for finding new birds to add to my "Life List", which is your ongoing tracking of all the birds you identify. You get a little fireworks graphic when you add a new one.

I heard an American Goldfinch (new), Chipping Sparrow, Northern House Wren (new), Song Sparrow, and our old friend the Pine Siskin (these live in Garry Oaks, I've discovered). 

Amazing! It's like magic! 

Mom's crabapple is coming in bloom. 

So pretty! 

We did a tour around her house, checking out the camas and salmonberry bush.

And the blueberry bushes near the deck.

I'm fond of lilac. 

I buried my nose in that. Mmmm.

This rhubarb is out of control. 

Next time, I'm grabbing a knife and taking some stalks home to cook up. 

Gorgeous purple and pink azaleas.

They're frothy with blooms. 

Mom knows the names of all these bushes. 

I do not. 

But I spotted this lizard soaking up the sun on top of one. 

Hey, I get it. The sun felt so good. 

Around the front, more azaleas. 

I see some red coral bells on the right. I love those. 

A perfect red bloom. 

I took a few close-ups with my phone. 

I love the mix of different flora. 

After our tour, we had lunch. 

Ginger lemon tea, salmon/mushroom quiche, cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices.

Delicious! 

I checked out Mom's latest small paintings.

Looking good! 

The portrait.

Great outfit! Thanks so much for hosting me for the day, Mom! I love you! 

Waving to Mom in the kitchen on my way to the bus stop. 

Harley the Hog has been on the deck for over 35 years. 

I watch for birds up high too - the Merlin app also helps you figure out what birds are by description: size, colours, what they were doing. 

A starling! I didn't have to look that up - we have plenty of them around. 

I had a good browse around in the WIN Boutique on Quadra - I haven't been there in ages, and all of the stock was completely new, very exciting. 

I've been low-key looking for a "bum-bag" for ages, and nothing has been Fashion enough for my taste. I like the caramel brown and the teddy-bear plush. 

It has a back zip pocket with a good quality pull. 

It was only $6.95 - that felt like a deal. 

The main pocket has a big metal zip, and has three mesh pockets. 

All of the seams are finished, but there isn't a single label or tag on it. It's a mystery! 

I hit a bonanza of nylons and tights. 

All $1.95 a pair. Filodoro is usually around $20 and Leg Avenue tights are usually around $15. 

A pair of bright green socks.

I can certainly use that colour. 

A pair of black tights for wearing around the house.

They're short, so will be good for summer.

Simpli was a local brand in the 90s and 00s.

It was all made in Canada. Not bad for $14.95.

"Very work-y," said L when he saw this shirt. 

Yeah, but my white shirt is getting worn out, and this one is spotted. 

It's also Eddie Bauer's wrinkle free which feels nice and crisp. 

My current white shirt is this same label. For $19.95, I am willing to give it a shot. 

I also bought another Jo Nesbo book for $3.95. 

And this scarf has the best graphic. It's all items "safari and equipment." 

There are acacia trees, giraffes, moths, a compass, binoculars and pocket watches. Also some dubious algebra.

The tag has been cut off, but I spotted the name in a corner - Echo! It feels and wafts like silk. $6.95 is a score! 

As I walked home, I watched for birds, catching this one just as it landed on this pine branch. 

It's a Cooper's Hawk. 

She's so pretty! 

Definitely out hunting - she swooshed off quickly. 

And last, this squirrel and I had a moment. 

You pose, and I'll move on. Deal! 

And now, my friends, I'm signing off for the weekend - I'll be back on Sunday with tales of adventure! Thank you so much for stopping by.