What do you like/love about where you live?

[imjustawarrior]

If the markets keep dropping, I'm going to have to learn how to love much more about where I live.

 

[timbervest]

Southern California:
Positives:

• Great weather; can BBQ outside 11 mos of the year
• Accessible to beach, mountains, desert
• Cultural diversity
• Generally aligned with my politics
• Strong soccer, basketball, football teams
• Kids live here

Negatives:

• Traffic/too many people
• Fires/Mudslides
• Weak government response to most problems
• Perennial baseball champs (I am a Giants fan)

 

[Koolau]

Yeap, 'cept ya'll have nearly perfect weather year round.

Yeah, can't argue with that but "When it's bad, it's very, very bad."

 

[steady saver]

skyking1, you remembered! Thank you for sending the beautiful sunset photo. I caught this as I was coming inside after a long day of outside work. I just happened to look up and, wow, there it was! Mother Nature never ceases to impress me.

 

[steady saver]

Thank you to all who have responded on this thread - keep them coming! I really enjoy reading about what you love about where you live. Who knows where each of us will end up and reading about others' experiences just expands the possibilities. I know I won't be living on a 30 acre farm forever (it's a LOT of work...too much, and I know it) and so I like to tuck ideas away for consideration... But for now, oh my goodness, what a treat to be here.

 

[skyking1]

Yes the rewards of a big spread tug at your heart. The back has other ideas

 

[imjustawarrior]

Here is something I don't love where I live. This was neither sunrise or sunset. The timestamp shows 2:42pm. It was like this for many days. One would think it was the end times. It was actually the 2 largest fires in state history burning just west of us. The photo is due south.

 

[skyking1]

WA had some bad air in summer's past with fires all around. That big fire in BC just slammed the air quality in Seattle. Our choice of the western Straits was also to mitigate that. AQ is always a few points better there due to the marine influence. The pollen count is lower, all things considered.

 

[Koolau]

WA had some bad air in summer's past with fires all around. That big fire in BC just slammed the air quality in Seattle. Our choice of the western Straits was also to mitigate that. AQ is always a few points better there due to the marine influence. The pollen count is lower, all things considered.

The volcano smoke from Big Island gives us interesting skies from time to time - not to mention scratchy throats from the sulfur dioxide which becomes sulfuric acid upon contact with moisture. As long as the Trades are blowing, we have no Vog. When the Kona winds blow, the Vog can be quite unpleasant, though predictions are for the current eruption to cease soon. I hope Madam Pele got the news.

 

[threeonesix]

I wonder how many people are like me. I absolutely hate where I live, except for two things:

1. All of my lifelong friends live within 2 miles of me.
2. The cost of living is cheap, cheap, cheap.

If it weren't for those two things I'd live in Eugene, OR. I'll probably move to Eugene at some point in retirement. Eugene is my Adult Disneyland; anything you want to do outdoors you can do it within 60 miles. And it still has four seasons. Perfect.

 

[tutan]

Southern California:
Positives:

• Great weather; can BBQ outside 11 mos of the year
• Accessible to beach, mountains, desert
• Cultural diversity
• Generally aligned with my politics
• Strong soccer, basketball, football teams
• Kids live here

Negatives:

• Traffic/too many people
• Fires/Mudslides
• Weak government response to most problems
• Perennial baseball champs (I am a Giants fan)

There’s always some anxiety for us to drive in LA. We are in the Bay Area which is not exactly rural driving but driving in LA takes a higher level of skill and patience.

 

[Time2]

I have only lived in 3 places, Kalamazoo Mi, East Lansing Michigan and Panama City Fl, for the last 31 years, which recently, I've seen has to be called the, not bad Panama City, because of all the spring breaker problems they have on the other side of the bridge in 'Panama City Beach'. My life 0 to 20 was in Kalamazoo, I had a good early life but that was 50 to 70 years ago, so, I'm sure a lot has changed, probably not worth discussing. Then I lived in East Lansing near Michigan State University. I do miss being near the campus with all that went on, on the campus, even though I was not a student. I loved their libraries, but, that was 50 years ago, I don't know what their libraries would be like today, (card catalog anyone) . Also I miss the famous El Azteco basement restaurant, just off campus. But it has since moved a couple of times. Now in Panama City, the first thing I'd say is," you don't have to sweep the sunshine of your windshield". I don't miss the cold and snow at all. We have the beach, I'm a bit hit or miss on that, some years I go often, other times I don't go at all. When I do go it is to St. Andrews state park, to the Kiddie pool, a calm area off the channel blocked from waves by jetties. The Panama City area is big enough to have restaurants up and down the price range, however, mostly we will only eat out when the kids come into town. The city was devastated when Hurricane Michael went through town, some are still struggling 7 years later. Having money sure made going through that so much easier. A lot of complaints about city government, but we just had an election, 6000 out of 37000 voters went out to vote. I don't expect to ever move, we are close to everything, within 2 miles of shopping, many restaurants, hospital, groceries, Lowes, Home Depot, Office Depot Sams, but we did lose our mall in the hurricane. The only thing I would like closer is my daughter, she is 400 miles away :-( but she is doing well with her dental practice, I wouldn't council her to move closer.

 

[HFWR]

Yes the rewards of a big spread tug at your heart. The back has other ideas

I’ll refer you to my funny joke post for today.

 

[Pointby2]

There’s always some anxiety for us to drive in LA. We are in the Bay Area which is not exactly rural driving but driving in LA takes a higher level of skill and patience.

When we drive up into LA it's always very stressful. Invariably, due to traffic, the GPS will guide us off the freeway onto back streets to save time and then we end up being forced to take left turns into fast moving traffic. It's like playing dodgem cars. My DW just covers her eyes.

 

[skyking1]

I wonder how many people are like me. I absolutely hate where I live, except for two things:

1. All of my lifelong friends live within 2 miles of me.
2. The cost of living is cheap, cheap, cheap.

If it weren't for those two things I'd live in Eugene, OR. I'll probably move to Eugene at some point in retirement. Eugene is my Adult Disneyland; anything you want to do outdoors you can do it within 60 miles. And it still has four seasons. Perfect.

The Willamette valley is indeed a sweet spot on earth. You can grow anything you want there, the beaches are close, the mountains are close. The other spot at the same latitude is Bend/Sisters/Redmond on the east side. Much cooler winters and more distinct seasons, but very nice nonetheless.

 

[Gallaher]

I wonder how many people are like me. I absolutely hate where I live, except for two things:

1. All of my lifelong friends live within 2 miles of me.
2. The cost of living is cheap, cheap, cheap.

If it weren't for those two things I'd live in Eugene, OR. I'll probably move to Eugene at some point in retirement. Eugene is my Adult Disneyland; anything you want to do outdoors you can do it within 60 miles. And it still has four seasons. Perfect.

During the 10 years I lived in Eugene it rained a lot! Before that I lived in Corvallis where it also rained a lot. After I left Eugene I moved to Silverton…70 miles north and it rained a lot for the 20 years I was there.
I spent 34ish years in the Willamette Valley and it rained a lot. Like 6 months of the year. But the summers are beautiful.