Gift Ideas Part 2 for Mom's Day Big: A Hike, A Play, a Movie About Hunky Norse Gods?

Maybe your mom isn’t the type to luxuriate in a spa. She'd like to get out and conquer a mountain, or at least a field of wildflowers, and then go chill at a good movie. And, maybe she’s already been pampered and powdered to perfection all year long at some of the spas mentioned in our story or at others. 

Viva le difference, and here are non-posh-spa ways for Mom to spend her special day.

Mount Diablo State Park Wildflower Walk: Hike the Twin Peaks on a four- mile trek through one of the area’s most bountiful natural gardens. Bring your boots if there’s been rain the day before. Stay home if Mother Nature decides to send showers, as rain cancels the event. Cost: $6 park entrance fee. Meet: noon, Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center, Mount Diablo State Park. Leader: Ken Lavin, 925-852-8778, or kenlavin@hotmail.com.

Lesher Center for the Arts: Take mom to see Center REP’s The Lady with all the Answers, the one-woman play about one night in Ann Landers’ amazing life. Make sure mom knows you’ll always listen to her advice first, then sit back and let someone else deal with the big stuff for 90 minutes. Cost: $25. Knight Stage 3 Theatre, Sunday, 2:15 p.m.

Or, have her take the grandkids to see Fantasy Forum Actor's Ensemble's The Crimson Pirate, in the Margaret Lesher Theatre. Believe us, it's fun as adults to take young kids to see these shows, especially seeing little ones wide-eyed with wonder at the delights of live theater.

Shows are at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday. Cost: $13. For information, call 925-943-7469 or visit www.lesherartscenter.org. 

The Bedford Gallery: Thirteen artists explore magic, illusion, fantasy, memories of childhood and the space between dreams and reality in this exhibition. Sounds like the perfect setting to revisit family memories and ask your mother why Joe/Sue/Bob/Nancy — insert your sibling’s name here — was always her favorite.  Cost is free if you're attending a performance. Open Noon-5 p.m., Lesher Center for the Arts.

The Lindsay Wildlife Museum: Join a petting circle, get nose to nose with a hawk, see what’s on the animals’ menu for lunch and learn about native California wildlife with a low-stress trip to the Creek’s much-loved museum. Cost: Free-$7. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek.

Century Walnut Creek Downtown 14:  Screen time, especially if the weather sends you inside, is the perfect way to satisfy your film-addicted mom. She can see the new Thor: God of Thunder comic book action film opening this weekend, and watch some actors, no doubt with nicely chiseled torsos. It's in 3D and it might be totally mindless but there might be some high-minded comments on the human condition with a director like Kenneth Branagh and co-star Natalie Portman. 

Well, whatever you decide to do with mom, have a lovely day.