in Thoreau’s Journal:

I go to observe the lilies.

I see a rail lodged in the weeds with 7 tortoises on it––and another with 10––another with 11 all in a row sunning now at midday hot as it is. ––They are mostly the painted tortoise. Apparently no weather is too hot for them thus to bask in the sun.

The pontederia is in its prime alive with butterflies yellow & others– I See its tall blue spikes reflected beneath the edge of the pads on each side–pointing down to a heaven beneath as well as above–