Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

A wall sculpture by Gary Burke.

Desert Tortoise

This was my birthday present from Jerry.

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

A new Lagerhead Black and Tan Turtle. This was more of my birthday present from Ray and Cathy.

Thanks, Ray and Cathy!

By the way, this is a friend of another Black and Tan Turtle. You might have seen it in action in one of my earliest YouTube creations some seven years ago.
 

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

A pot loving turtle.

This was a present from Ray and Cathy. Thanks, Ray and Cathy!

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

A rayon throw.

Another souvenir from the Birch Aquarium gift shop.

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

A lily pad with turtles carved from bone. It's hanging on a silk cord.

We got this at Gum Saan in Old Town State Park.

The card we got with it explains:

Bone in Buddhism

In Buddhism, we use bone in spiritual practice because the more we appreciate death, the more fruitful our life will become. We begin to live life differently and accept that death is inevitable, while the path to the end of this life is about service to others, loving all, and being happy (our the pursuit of happiness) in each moment, through the good and the bad. Bone is used as a constant reminder of death helping practitioners remember that life is impermanent. This is to help keep from getting caught up in petty concerns (Career, Social Status, Wealth) that mean nothing once this current incarnation is over. Another reason for the constant use of bone is that, in certain tantric rituals in Tibet, practitioners must offer themselves up to malevolent spirits and actually let their selfhood (their ego) be killed. This rather extreme step is considered an important sacrifice in the quest for enlightenment. The yak is an important animal in Tibet, the tribespeople will honor them in this life and the next.

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

A pot holder that's just hanging around the kitchen.

We got this at the Birch Aquarium gift shop.

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

Another uranium glass turtle from Poss lit by a black light.

Thanks, Poss!