Inspired by. . . lilies

Inspired by. . . an announcement Inspired by . . . Paul

Inspired by. . . lilies

I had the privilege of visiting the Vanderbilt estate, Biltmore, in Asheville, North Carolina this past week. The grounds and gardens on the 8,000 {not a typo} acre estate are breathtaking.

Here are just a few of the pictures I took at the lily pond.

Textured with Kim's Sybil

Textured with Kim's bentedges

Originally, a Star Maiden had looked down on her people and longed to be with them. Falling from the sky, she had first hidden herself in a white mountain rose. But she was too far away from the village, and became lonely. Then she hid in a prairie flower, but the trampling buffalo made her afraid. Finally, she floated over a lake and saw her reflection. This pleased her, and she floated down and rested like a canoe upon the cool bosom of the water. The next morning the lake was covered with great white shining star-shaped blossoms, with golden fragrant hearts.

“The night stars have bloomed again in the water,” sang the children, and hand clasping hand, they bent over the water-edge to dip their noses into the big, sweet, wonderful flowers. “Wahbegwannee,” the children sang. The White Star Flowers.

Then the winds caressed the white flowers' petals, and the birds kissed her golden heart. Through her long slender stems, fish guided their darting course, and upon her flat green leaves dragonflies sparkled like gems. The moonbeams wooed her by night, but she shut her heart and denied them entrance, for she loved only her people.

The heart of the Star Maiden grew full, for the joys and sorrows of her beloved people were at last her own. And the men sat no more around the council fire, but smoked their pipes on the shore in sight of the lily pads. ~The Legend of the Starflower, excerpt from Starflower, A Novel