I left my heart in Branford

My husband and I are Airbnb renters, spending about a week each summer in a different house in a different town along the East Coast. We enjoy becoming part of the local community for our allotted time — experiencing life as residents, albeit temporary ones.

Inevitably, I fall in love with each place we visit, suggesting to my husband that perhaps “we should retire here one day.”

This year, we visited Branford, and I think I have found my geographical soulmate.

We enjoyed our first days — ferrying around the Thimble Islands, visiting Outer Island, taking in a concert on the Green, and, of course, touring the Stony Creek Brewery, where even I, not a fan of beer, found a brew to my liking. We spent one rainy afternoon indoors at the architecturally stunning library.

It was early evening of our fifth day that Cupid’s arrow found its mark, and I realized that this town was “the one.” We were at Stony Creek Beach.

In the waning hours of the day, the sun was leisurely stretching its colors across the sky pushing aside the tranquil blue, tinting it with pink in the east while more urgent reds and yellows around the sun were blending into subdued oranges in the west. The streaks were softening to wide ribbons of color as the sun touched the horizon and gave way to the arrival of night. The sky was transformed to deep blues and purples ready to shine with starlight.

In contrast to the serenity in the sky, the activity on the ground was hurried, everyone rushing to take advantage of those last few minutes of the daytime. Children splashed in the water, then challenged each other to cartwheels on the sand. One little girl stopped to pet my dog before answering her mother’s call that it was time to go. A mechanic worked on a boat’s disabled motor, determined to solve the mystery before calling it a day. Other boaters glanced at him as they scurried along the docks, their arms laden with provisions, no doubt grateful that their own vessels were seaworthy. Those whose travel plans did not include sailing settled themselves on lawn chairs with pizza and wine to spend the twilight catching up on the events of their day and toasting the scene in front of them.

The rhythms of the sky, land and water fit together so harmoniously. It was then that I realized I was completely smitten with Branford. “This is where I want to retire,” I said to my husband. He gave me a nod and checked his camera settings — he’s heard that before.

But this time, it’s the real thing.

Thank you.

It was then that I realized I was completely smitten with Branford.