I found it disorienting when I lived in Louisiana until my second fall and could start to read the seasons. A sense of place involves engagement with an area over changing seasons. In Louisiana, my favorite time to go to Grand Isle was November when the beaches were empty. Tourists visit places during particular seasons but locals live there year round.

I visited Niagara Falls as a child and I also took my children to Niagara Falls. These visits were tourist visits during the summer tourist season. While living in Buffalo, NY I have been trying to see Niagara Falls during different seasons and not just the falls but the surrounding areas. This week has been a bitter cold week and so it was perfect for a drive along the Niagara River and walk at Niagara Falls State Park at a time when few tourists are there. The Falls begin to be part of my locale rather than a tourist destination.