I walked the dog near the beach this morning and snapped this photo. To me, it’s very romantic!

Why do I think an empty beach is romantic? Because I have this love of busy places – when they’re not busy. Boardwalks in winter. Downtown neighborhoods early on a weekend morning. Ski resorts in summer. I can’t explain it really. Maybe there’s romance in abandonment, or in the quiet before the crowds. Or maybe it’s the magic of seeing a place in a way that most people won’t and having the opportunity to experience it in a unique way.

Whatever is behind my empty-place obsession, I give you my local beach, without the summer crowds that have probably overwhelmed it as I write this.

Enjoy, and don’t forget to look for the small moments of romance!