Mom-Day Adventure: Ross Bay Cemetery in Pink and Black Layers

Welcome back, my friends! For our Mom-Day Adventure today, we re-visited Ross Bay Cemetery, which I last visited here in August 2023 with Betty, and here with Mom in January 2023.

So good to see you, Mom! 

It was a crisp but cloudy day, but there were promises of sun in the afternoon. I dressed accordingly - layers! 

I laughed when I looked back through the pics of the last time we went to Ross Bay Cemetery - I wore the same black vest and coat! 

• Top - M by Missoni, thrifted; last seen here in April 2023 for the Mom-Day where the swan came after us
• Vest - Religion, consignment; last worn here in October 2023 over magenta and plaid
• Skirt - Dolce & Gabbana, vintage, thrifted; last seen here in March 2023 for a Mom-Day at the HCP
• Boots - Original Sabado, Fluevog; last worn here in January with a coat dress
• Coat (below) - Sarmite, consignment; last seen here in December 2023

I wanted to wear the coat, in particular, plus this skirt hadn't been worn yet this season. 

Long vest for extra warmth, just in case.

I also have a tank on under my sparkly striped top, which is quite thin. 

I've had the skirt forever - I thrifted it for $6.00 in 2014 and have worn it 14 times. 

The last time I wore it, I thrifted these pink tights. 

I liked the flashes of pink. 

Most people saw me like this. 

It got warmer after lunch, and I ended up with my coat open for the walk (uphill) home. 

Isn't she magnificent?

Such a gorgeous work of art.

I'm thrilled to be incognito again. 

I'd forgotten how different the world looks with sunglasses on.

Hey, Mom! 

I bought you new dark chocolates! Ghirardelli squares filled with salted caramel and mint.

I accidentally bought milk chocolate for my lactose-intolerant mum for Christmas. 

Sorry! I hope you will enjoy these substitute treats.

Accoutrements:

I always like wearing my McQueen scarf.

• Purse - Michael Kors, consignment
• Scarf - Alexander McQueen, consignment
• Gloves - thrifted

The stuff: 

Comfy boots, good for sometimes muddy areas. 

Brutalist bling: 

All old favourites. Mom noted her ring, of course.

• Volcano ring - vintage 70s, Mom's
• Hematite ring - thrifted (I use this to keep Mom's ring on)
• Square ring - thrifted
• Necklace - Robert Larin, vintage 70s, vintage mall, gift from L
• Earrings - vintage mall
• Leather cuff - Guess, thrifted
• Leather/metal cuff - thrifted

We parked in the strip mall parking lot outside the pub, and strolled down the lane to the waterfront.

We could see the ocean and the mountains to the south, in the US.

This holly has some big shaggy puffs.

Weird! 

Dramatic trees!

Nice to see the mountains. 

I dashed down to the walkway - Dallas Road/Beach Drive is below me. 

You might recognize this from some of my pandemic walks, or Karen's memorials.

Looking towards Clover Point. 

Blue sky! The tiny black spec in the water is a paddle-boarder.

Beautiful graves.

The grass is kept low from the natural lawn-mowers.

That would be the urban deer that live here. 

See them?

"Lovely and Pleasant" - wouldn't it be nice to be remembered like that?

Okay, maybe not me...*snort* Snowdrops! 

I spotted a wee hummingbird on the top of one branch. 

A Celtic cross below it.

Looking at the waterfront through the trees. 

We could hear the rush of traffic below. 

I've never seen a gravestone with a weeping willow on it before. 

C.B. Montobio, Died at Nanaimo, BC, April 9, 1889 - link here (all links 'cause I love), and my bad, that's an acacia tree!

Ready for a sit, Mom? 

We found a bench and sat and chatted and looked at nature, trees and felt the sun on our faces. 

I had to go investigate this gorgeous stone, with matching husband-wife (I assume) carved portraits. 

It's Petronell and Carlo Bossi (A native of Italy is proudly carved under his dates) - she designed it when he died (link here with a picture of the full gravesite). 

We spied deer in the distance, chomping away at the grass. 

They roamed over a large area while we sat. 

This stone made me tear up. 

It says: 

Don't think of him as gone away --

His journey's just begun;

Life holds so many facets --

This earth is only one. 

Just think of him as resting

From the sorrows and the tears

In a place of warmth and comfort

Where there are no days and years.

Think how he must be wishing

That we could know today

How nothing but our sadness

Can really pass away

And think of him as living

In the hearts of those he touched...

For nothing loved is ever lost--

And he was loved so much.

Right? A tear-jerker! I appreciate that it's well punctuated. 

This memorial is for Annie Deans (link here).

I like the statue on top.

More grazing deer. 

The trees here are all old and gnarled, their limbs arching overhead. 

These two obelisks are talking to each other. 

"Lovely to see you." 

"Yes, beautiful day."

Cloud drama above us.

The sky was so bright, all of the trees looked black. 

Squirrels scampered around these stones. 

I see you!

Furious digging. 

Careful, there are bones under there! 

Selfie to send to my brother Dave. 

It was so nice to just sit and take in the world, and be together. 

As Mom and I got up to head to the Ross Bay Pub for lunch, we realized that the big Douglas fir above us was beside...

Sir James Douglas' grave - he's a local Famous Person From Local History - he led a very interesting and varied life in the very early days of European settlers in this area of the world. Read about him here - it's quite a journey! 

This is the Dunsmuir's stone, they of Craigdarroch Castle (link here).

Another group of Famous People. A coal baron! 

A lovely angel on top of the grave of Giacomo Bossi. Note contrast of the modern houses on the other side of Fairfield Road. 

The building shown in this link here is part of Market Square now, corner of Johnson and Store Streets, just down from the Fluevog store. 

We had a delicious lunch of prawn tacos at the pub. Great necklace, Mom! I like the shoulder detail on that sweater too. 

Thanks so much for such a beautiful visit with you. I love you! 

I was nearly home when I spotted this lovely fellow watching birds from his patio perch. 

What a handsome cat! 

Then he spotted me.

"What are you looking at?"

Nothing at all!

Where's my little tuxedo kitty?

"Oh good, you found me."

Hiding under my robe on the bed. 

And now, my friends, I'm off for the weekend - and oh, do we have some fun planned (and it does involve the pirate monkey!). I'll be back on Sunday with tales of adventure - thanks so much for dropping by.