A Sense of Place

I have just started a wonderful online photography class with Kat Sloma called A Sense of Place.  I am starting to understand the difference between a great picture as well as a photograph that captures the emotions and feelings of a place. Gibbs Gardens is an incredible place that I have visited recently.  The above picture, which I really like, does not capture the feelings you get from the gardens but it is a picture I enjoy.  I like the colors, I like the water, and I like the way the light shines on the water.  One of the things I am finally accepting is that as a creative person I need to be consciously aware of who I am and what I like and be willing to share those things with others. I think it is important for me to know why I am drawn to a person, a picture, a painting, a method, or a place.  This class has just started but I know that I am going to learn quite a lot about what constitutes a "sense of place" for me.  What do those words mean to you?