Sleeping Turtles Preserve North, with Bog Lily
February 6, 2018
Sleeping Turtles Preserve North is part of the Sarasota (Florida) County park system. Bordered by the Myakka River, it is resplendent with huge live oaks that host thousands of bromeliads, including Spanish moss. What makes this park different from other parks in the county that I have visited are the many marshy spots. This park is where I saw my first bog lily—and nearly slipped into the muck while photographing it. I was a bit more careful a couple of weeks ago when I came across another.
I have a strange confession to make concerning the blog post called GBH in SLP. On that post I intimated (because for some reason I have thought of George Bernard Shaw whenever I heard “GBH”) that “GBH” was how people referred to George Bernard Shaw. It isn’t! Obviously (even to me, now), George Bernard Shaw is “GBS”! I’m sorry if I confused any of you in my own confusion. I have no idea how that erroneous thought got lodged in my head. Thank my dear husband for setting me straight.
Romancing Reality 
Just out of curiosity, I Googled GBH and the first entry that came up was this:
GBH may refer to: Grievous bodily harm, a term used in English criminal law.
I’ll take Shaw any day over that!
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February 6, 2018 at 8:05 AM
I’ll take your comment as a kind of forgiveness, Ken. Thanks!
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February 6, 2018 at 11:08 AM
Lovely lily brightening up the bog!
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February 6, 2018 at 3:41 PM
It really did stand out. Thanks for writing, Patricia.
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February 7, 2018 at 2:02 PM
Ah, no worries, as they say around here, about the initials. My confession is that I just went along and didn’t question, or think. 🙂 The lily! How exciting! I think it must be the same as one I saw on the side of the road, this time of year, in a wet place not far from you, some years ago. I What’s not to love about lilies? This photo illustrates a Buddhist concept about lotus flowers growing out of mud – here’s one description –
“Because the lotus grows in muddy water, it symbolizes the purity of enlightened mind arising amidst the suffering of samsara. It also represents nonattachment, as it is rooted in mud (attachment and desire) but its flowers blossom on long stalks unsullied by the mud below.” There are many versions of the concept, but the ones I like emphasize the fact that the lily remains in the mud, a reminder that enlightenment doesn’t mean leaving the world.
A pleasant image to come across this evening, after a day of wrestling with computer frustrations. Thank you.
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February 8, 2018 at 9:50 PM
Thank you for the Buddhist commentary, Lynn, and for the forgiveness about GBH. I wonder if people think of you as a bodhisattva. There are little signs . . .
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February 9, 2018 at 10:10 AM