Sunday in the gardens

After taking care of mundane domestic stuff this morning, I took a book over to the Botanic Gardens for a leisurely afternoon of reading in a shady spot. The day was perfect day for it - sunny and warm with a light breeze. 

Before I found my shady spot, I wandered about taking some photos.

The eels are much easier to see now the algae has cleared

 The Lamb's Ears are very velvety 

 Bees were busy going about their business

The ducks were on the outer

These are called feather heads

Hairy

 Hellebore pod

Strange flower growing in the herb garden

 A moth on a pincushion flower 

 Poppy

 Poppy pod

Twins

Hairy II

Looking towards the city

I finished reading The Book of (Even More) Awesome. To be honest, I found it less awesome and way more hokey than the first book. Maybe the first was hokey as well, but I read it during a very difficult time in my life, so perhaps I found the hokeyness less irritating. 

I still did relate to many of the awesome things, such as: 

When you went to the gym yesterday and now you can take a break. 

When you sneeze and a stranger says bless you. (That happened to me just yesterday.)

When you reunite a sock from the Sock Orphan Drawer with its freshly washed partner. 

Most of all though, I relate to the author's own story. Neil Pasricha started his 1000 Awesome Things blog during a rough patch in his life (as did I with this blog) and the difference it made to his life exceeded his expectations. The same goes for me with this blog. After a while, finding life's little gleeful/awesome things just happens without you even having to think about it.  Somehow it actually enhances your appreciation of small stuff that you never cared much about before - if you even noticed it. 

While I'm getting all quotey on you, the other day I read a quote from Cheryl Strayed (aka Sugar, the advice columnist at The Rumpus)  which really resonated with me. 

We can survive anything, even if we don’t want to. Even in the face of great suffering, there is joy.

Yup. Life is not meant to be easy....but it can also be delightful. (You can read Gretchin Rubin's full interview with Cheryl here.)


But back to my day... 

I took a back-up book with me to the gardens - Marian Keyes' new novel The Mystery of Mercy Close. I didn't know she had a new book out and bought it on the spot when I happened upon it by surprise last weekend. I love it when that happens. Anticipating the release of a favourite writer's new book is great too....speaking of which, I still haven't bought The Horologicon! I must remedy that soon. Tomorrow perhaps. 

Fruitful, awesome find, fiery sky

I had homemade fruit salad for breakfast this morning. Yum. I've probably eaten about five serves of fruit today. 

On my lunch break I dropped into the discount book shop in the old Angus & Robertson store near work. I didn't find anything of interest until my eye lit upon the follow up to Neil Pasricha's The Book of Awesome, The Book of (Even More) Awesome for a paltry $5. Tis now mine. 

For those who you don't know, the books were a spin off from Pasricha's blog, 1000 Awesome Things, which, like Gleeful, celebrates life's simple pleasures (only he's made wads of money out of it!). 

I got a Facebook message tonight from a friend in the US who is sending calendars with pretty pictures of her home state of Oklahoma to her online friends. She asked if I would like one. Yes, please! I love stuff like that. Thanks, Erin! Does anyone want a Melbourne/Victoria/Australia calendar?

I had a good session at the gym tonight. I always worry how I'll go when it's an effort walking up the stairs to the gym entrance, but I did well. I have a new program that I like...partly because the weights part of it doesn't take as long!

The sunset was AMAZING tonight. I took loads of photos. 

I always look behind me when photographing a sunset. Sometimes the sky goes a nice pink along the horizon in the East. Tonight I saw this reflection. I also saw someone flying a kite and some people rolling down the steep hill at Birrarung Marr. 

 Yes, it was this exact colour!

 Fiery!