This is how I feel at this time of the year, in the middle of a winter that seems to be but is not. A winter without snow is not winter, even if it's cold outside.

However, half of winter tells us that there is still half of winter left and maybe snow will come, there is still time for that, but the experience of the last few years tells us that the chances are small.

"Feeling in blue" describes a state of sadness or depression that I'm feeling right now and it has nothing to do with the fact that there is no snow in the winter now.

I'm depressed because I'm always thinking about the sea, the sea of the warm vacation times that are now so far away, and I can't be certain that more will come (for me).

The only way I can overcome this state is to remember my vacations by the seaside, of course, with the help of photos.

As I've been saying here, images from the past that evoke nostalgia and sadness are always in black and white. This form of photography I think helps most to evoke this mood.

My summer vacations always occur on the Black Sea shore, in Balchik, in Romania's neighboring country, Bulgaria.

All those who find out about this situation I am in, because I prefer to walk in the same place, look at me with wonder, curiosity, and pity. They don't understand why I don't look for other areas, which can be much more attractive and interesting.

Well, there is an explanation, there are several, but I want to reveal only one.

One reason is history. Balchik was, at the beginning of the last century, part of the kingdom of Romania. There are still many traces of Romanian presence here that I like to find. This beautiful vacation home belonged to a famous family of Romanian artists, Frederic Stork and Cecilia Cutescu Stork.

I love the sea and would have loved to live somewhere close to the sea. I will never know if I would have loved the sea as much if I had lived close to it or if the distance and longing amplified this passion.

In my walks by the seashore, I met some creatures that can live both on the sea and near and are a kind of symbol of the sea, the seagulls!

I wonder what they think about people who trespass on their territory and bother them.

_{This is my entry for the #monomad challenge.}

This time I managed to find a reflection that would introduce me into this black and white world.

_{I rely mostly on photos in all my blogs. Words don't help me as much as photos.}

_{I always start with photos when I want to write a blog. Photos remind me of places, events, and feelings that then turn into words. When I post in Photography Lovers the words have even less importance, they are a companion to the photos I want to show. This often makes the story uninteresting or common, yet it is necessary; otherwise, the photos would merely be a series of unexciting images.}

_{I make this statement as a plea to those reading not to over-judge the text and to focus on the photos. The story puts everything in context and provides the explanations and clarifications necessary for the blog to convey something of interest to the reader.}

_{Since we all love photography, let’s explore the captivating details captured in these photos.!}

_{A wise saying goes that a photograph is worth a thousand words, but I don't think so.}

_{It depends on the viewer.}