The cycle of life and cupcake coincidence

I know I've written many times how much I love the Royal Botanic Gardens, but I'm going to say it again: I LOVE the gardens.  One of the things I enjoy most is being able to feel like I'm close to nature despite living almost in the centre of a city.

Because I visit fairly regularly all year round, I witness the cycle of life repeating itself year after year - the hatching and growth of ducklings and cygnets, the breeding season of the turtles, new green shoots, tiny buds, flowers in full bloom and then decline, crisp pods rattling with seeds, the changing colours of the leaves, drifts of dry leaves on the ground, the return of the bees.

I went over to the gardens today with my camera. I was looking for the Fern Gully Rest House, but got a little lost finding it (after all this time....), but I did discover the herb garden. I knew there was one, but somehow I have never encountered it. Say it with me, "There's always something new to discover in the gardens."

The sun dial at the centre of the herb garden

I did eventually find the Fern Gully Rest House. I wanted to see if there was any little fungii growing on its mossy roof. I found one.

There's lots of spiders hiding in their little leaf houses throughout the gardens. See its legs poking out the bottom?

I saw two dead leaves stuck to a strand of spider web, blowing in the breeze as if they were dancing with each other. I visited the Ornamental Lake to see the eels (or eel, in this case) and the ducks.

Click here for more photos from my gardens jaunt. 

I walked into the city after the gardens and found myself at a bookshop. Bad move...or good move. I'm not sure. I bought three books, including a very handsome* hardcover Winnie-the-Pooh: The Complete Collection of Stories and Poems. I've been meaning to read it for years. 

I also bought the perfect birthday card for a friend. 

I had an ice-cream while sitting in light rain at Southbank and wandered into the city, where I ate a red velvet cupcake. It was only after I bought it that I noticed the sign saying the red velvet cupcakes were gluten-free. Hurrah! Of all the varieties I could have chosen...

I wandered about some more and then headed home. Did I mention my flatmate has moved out now? Yay for living alone again (for now at least).

* I've decided the word 'handsome' has gone into decline so I'm bringing handsome back.