This post was originally published on January 31, 2023.
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I was blessed enough to grow up in an area that has a lot of natural beauty. It’s the kind of beauty that’s hidden in plain sight. It’s often overlooked or taken for granted or even derided, for reasons I don’t really understand.
I’m blessed to this day to still live in the same area.
The part I love best about living in coastal Connecticut is, well, the coast! Are the beaches expanses of soft, white sand? Nope. Are there enormous, powerful waves that crash onto the shore? Nope. Do we make fun of the dirty Long Island Sound and how dodgy it is to go swimming in it? Yup.
The beach is the place I go to regroup and just be when the things of life swirl like a tornado around me. I find it to be so peaceful, tranquil, and grounding.
It’s just so pretty here! There are some really cute little villages and harbors, steeped in history and lore.
If you fancy a driving adventure, there’s plenty to discover. Less trodden coastal side roads provide the most beauty and wonder moments. I’m still discovering areas I never knew before.
And while these are a delight to find, the old haunts are where the truest sense of home is.
Coastal Connecticut has treasures in each season, if you’re willing to look for them. One of my favorite times of year is in the winter when everyone else stays far, far away. It can be blustery and with the kind of chill that seeps down into your bones. But also the kind that, strangely, makes you feel so alive!
The way the light plays against the water, the sky and clouds commands you to pause and gaze in awe.
These photos I’m sharing with you all have been taken over so many years. Often, they’re snapshots while driving around my regular routes to and from my obligations. The view arrested me at the time and I just had to stop and capture what I saw.
I’m so grateful to live in such an area with so much natural beauty. And I’m grateful that I’ve been made to notice and appreciate it!
How about you, friend? Do you have places near home that give you that deep-seated contentedness with their beauty?
