While driving to Taos, New Mexico, I passed this interesting roadside attraction outside of Hooper, Colorado in the San Luis Valley. I had heard about it but forgot I would be going by. I had to stop!

While I have mixed feelings about UFOs, here I had a problem sorting the facts from the fancy. There seemed to be either a lack of skepticism or a lot of tongue-in-cheek. I just went with the flow but Mary (actually Judy, see comments; other occurrences corrected) wasn't impressed with my lack of enthusiasm.

As I began my picture-taking,  Judy Messoline, the owner, arrived (top right picture), and began her explanation of why she built the Watchtower (because she couldn't make a living ranching and she had heard about UFOs since she moved here).

Then she explained about the Vortexes in front of the Tower. Fifteen psychics have taken readings and found that two vortexes of spiraling spiritual energy existed. The south one spins clockwise and the north one counterclockwise, creating the Eye of Pisces where they overlap. Nearby Crestone also has a large Vortex that energizes its spiritual nature. At  Judy's request, I walked the Garden but didn't find any energy uplift. I've heard I wasn't very sensitive before . . .

The Healing Garden is largely visitor created by their sharing something they own: money, CDs, writing pens, sunglasses, etc., making  a very eclectic montage.

The mountain in the background of the South Vortex is Mount Blanca, THE landmark of the south San Luis Valley. There have been repeated reports of unexplained lights on the slopes of this mountain for decades. Whether evidence of UFOs or some more natural explanation, I don't know.

And the Sand Dunes themselves have always fascinated humans from prehistoric times. Between the majesty of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the oddities of the San Luis Valley, this is an area which lends itself to imaginative concepts.

For more information about the UFO Watchtower, go to   http://www.ufowatchtower.com/