The Angelus Bells

    Every hour is marked by the deep gong of the copper bells.  The toll of the bells reverberated around me.  I sat on a bench mesmerized by the fountains surrounding the Angelus bells.  It is an easy place to sit down and become lost in thought at the National Shrine to Our Lady of the Snows.  

    My visit to the Shrine was both beautiful and rewarding!  Partialy enclosed in woods, the Annuciation Garden felt secluded.  This devotional stop is located on the top of a hill overlooking the Main Shrine.  It has a gorgeous view over the Shrine's grounds.

    I loved how alone I felt there.  This is a great place to come if you are in need of peace and solitude.  The sound of the breeze mingled wilth the splashes of the fountains adding to the peaceful enviroment.    Every once in a while a turkey vulture circled overhead riding on the warm air currents.  

    It was time for me to go all too soon.  I looked one last time at the Byzantine styled bells and went for a walk down a walking trail.  If I didn't know that I was near a town, then I would honestly think I was wandering around a beautiful national park.  The grounds are very well cared for.  There is a touch of human works and nature that makes the Shrine so alluring.