This past week, on a whim, I drove up to the Abby of St. Walburga, located at Virginia Dale, Colorado. The Abbey is a small community of Benedictine contemplative nuns,a place of prayer. Now this is a place of quiet. The monastic life they live is based on a praying the Divine Office. There have been periods in my life where the only prayer I said was “Oh God!” So, I commend those who devote their lives to prayer, meditation and contemplation, no matter what faith. And, as I’ve aged prayer, meditation and contemplation are playing a larger part in my life.

To get the Abby you almost have to drive to Wyoming. As you notice in the above image there are not many trees up there due to the rocky soil and the wind. So, if your’e not careful, your hat will end up in South Platte, Nebraska. For me it is a beautiful drive along Highway 287. The wind blown rock formations. The antelope and soaring hawks and clumps of trees scattered here and there caused me to wander all over the road. Sometimes I think photographers should not be driving. So I had to stop and take a few images and left my hat in the car. The image below is taken near the main door of the convent and shows the surrounding hills and a bronze statue.