Poking fun lol

[diamondbp]

I just figured my buddy from Garden State Tortoise would get a kick out of this lol. Don't be mad bro! Lol one day you'll be down south ....one glorious day

 

[mike taylor]

Seeing that picture makes me happy I live in the Houston area .

 

[diamondbp]

Seeing that picture makes me happy I live in the Houston area .

I always joke with Chris about how miserable we get during the winter time, even though his winter is WAAAYYYY worse that what I deal with in Louisiana. Even though winter sucks for everyone, it's nice to be this far south as I'm sure you would agree.

I didn't realize you were from the Houston area, that's not to far from me....roughly 6 hours or so

 

[terryo]

Winter is a fun time here. The kids can't wait for snow. After a snow storm, hiking in the woods is the most beautiful thing you ever saw. The deer are all over the place. We have a big hill near here, and the kids go sleigh riding. One Christmas I was in Florida with friends, and I couldn't wait to get home. People were Christmas shopping is shorts. The lights around the houses just didn't have that cozy glow. It may be great for some, but to me it just didn't feel like Christmas. Shopping in Manhattan with all the beautiful store displays, and then going for hot cocoa. All the turtles are hibernating outside, and the little one's are in for the Winter (something to play with) Solo is in and it's the only time of year that he gets to roam around the house for an hour or two, looking for the dog's food. And then the anticipation of waiting for Spring, when you see that first crocus coming up through the snow....something to look forward to. When it snows outside the horses are neighing like crazy to go out and play. Nope, I wouldn't give up my Winters here no matter how bad they are. I love the change of seasons.

 

[diamondbp]

Winter is a fun time here. The kids can't wait for snow. After a snow storm, hiking in the woods is the most beautiful thing you ever saw. The deer are all over the place. We have a big hill near here, and the kids go sleigh riding. One Christmas I was in Florida with friends, and I couldn't wait to get home. People were Christmas shopping is shorts. The lights around the houses just didn't have that cozy glow. It may be great for some, but to me it just didn't feel like Christmas. Shopping in Manhattan with all the beautiful store displays, and then going for hot cocoa. All the turtles are hibernating outside, and the little one's are in for the Winter (something to play with) Solo is in and it's the only time of year that he gets to roam around the house for an hour or two, looking for the dog's food. And then the anticipation of waiting for Spring, when you see that first crocus coming up through the snow....something to look forward to. When it snows outside the horses are neighing like crazy to go out and play. Nope, I wouldn't give up my Winters here no matter how bad they are. I love the change of seasons.

That was almost poetic! I know there is some beautiful stuff about the winter time up north, but I have cajun blood that doesn't tolerate cold very well

 

[mike taylor]

I'm sure you have a fun time in all that white cold stuff . But not me I hate winter in Texas and there is no white stuff . The winters here a cold and wet . Up there cold and frozen. I like hanging out shooting deer and drinking ice tea in the winter and if I can do it in short pants I'm happy . Plus I hear alligators hide in the sewer systems in New York . I like to see alligators top side in ponds and lakes . I'm just kidding. But really I hate winter . Where in Cajun country do you live ?

 

[Tom]

My job takes me all over the country and all over the world, literally. I've always been fascinated by why people choose to live and stay where they are, and why they sometimes leave the area where they grew up, while others want to stay where they grew up.

I grew up here in sunny SoCal, but I have been all over the frozen North too. I find the cold doesn't bother me at all, but I prefer the sunshine and warmth of more southern climates. Frankly, I couldn't live some where that didn't have decent tortoise weather year round. I hate our occasional cold overcast winter days here.

I think Chris has chosen the right species to work with given his climate.

 

[Millerlite]

My job takes me all over the country and all over the world, literally. I've always been fascinated by why people choose to live and stay where they are, and why they sometimes leave the area where they grew up, while others want to stay where they grew up.

I grew up here in sunny SoCal, but I have been all over the frozen North too. I find the cold doesn't bother me at all, but I prefer the sunshine and warmth of more southern climates. Frankly, I couldn't live some where that didn't have decent tortoise weather year round. I hate our occasional cold overcast winter days here.

I think Chris has chosen the right species to work with given his climate.

I live in southern ca and it's great. I use to live in il and winters not that bad, I don't mind the cold, but tortoise keeping is just so nice around here lol. The overcast weather can be tricky and the ocean breeze is cold high also can be tricky over all tho low 40s is the lowest it ever gets

Kyle

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Terryo almost made me want to experience the snowy Christmas.....almost!

I've been in SoCal my whole life. Can't imagine living anywhere else.

I just decorated the house for Christmas yesterday. I set up a small Christmas village each year on a counter. Little houses with lights, fake snow, snow covered trees and little peoples, etc. I then joked to my family that I wonder if only us in warm weather set up snow villages at Christmas time lol. Maybe those in real snow areas set up beach style villages? Lol

 

[diamondbp]

I'm from Houma Louisiana (south of New Orleans) and I honestly couldn't handle any colder winter lol. I love being able to at least gather clover/grass/weeds all year long even when I can't let my tortoises out.

Now the "wet cold" down here is no walk in the park, but I'd much rather that than deal with snowy power outages and 10degree weather.

I made that meme because Chris is always jealous of the Louisiana weather when we talk. He got a kick out of it. But Tom is right about him choosing the right species to focus on considering his location.

 

[AnnV]

I grew up in Ohio. My husband too. Married young and started traveling as a Navy wife. So I have lived in many climates. Mostly, for whatever reason, here in New England.
Started out in Port Deposit, MD. Then on to Southwick and Chicopee, MA. Charleston, SC next where I loved the weather but hated the racial attitude. Back up to Westfield, MA. Navy then tried to send us to Hawaii (back when there was a 4 month pet quarantine). With 4 Afghan Hounds and 3 cats, we fought long and hard to get that changed. Begrudgingly they changed it to So. CA. So we lived in Poway, CA for 2 years til we could get out of there. I, of course, loved the climate and we had a fabulous house. But too many restrictions (I nervously resided in a 2 pet limit with 6-8 pets at any given time). We wanted VA, a nice weather compromise, but got CT. So we lived in Salem CT for 12 years til we moved to our beautiful farm here in Preston.
Recently purchased a house in Punta Gorda, FL and will be on our way next year when we get this house sold (hopefully).
I can take the cold just fine. It has some wonderful advantages and can be lots of fun as stated.
Caring for horses in winter is getting harder as I age, but my barn has all the winter conveniences. I am torn about leaving, and husband even more so. But CT politics is driving us out. My family has migrated to FL so this determined our destination. At least it is tortoise friendly and I am looking forward to expanding my involvement once there.

 

[Tom]

I grew up in Ohio. My husband too. Married young and started traveling as a Navy wife. So I have lived in many climates. Mostly, for whatever reason, here in New England.
Started out in Port Deposit, MD. Then on to Southwick and Chicopee, MA. Charleston, SC next where I loved the weather but hated the racial attitude. Back up to Westfield, MA. Navy then tried to send us to Hawaii (back when there was a 4 month pet quarantine). With 4 Afghan Hounds and 3 cats, we fought long and hard to get that changed. Begrudgingly they changed it to So. CA. So we lived in Poway, CA for 2 years til we could get out of there. I, of course, loved the climate and we had a fabulous house. But too many restrictions (I nervously resided in a 2 pet limit with 6-8 pets at any given time). We wanted VA, a nice weather compromise, but got CT. So we lived in Salem CT for 12 years til we moved to our beautiful farm here in Preston.
Recently purchased a house in Punta Gorda, FL and will be on our way next year when we get this house sold (hopefully).
I can take the cold just fine. It has some wonderful advantages and can be lots of fun as stated.
Caring for horses in winter is getting harder as I age, but my barn has all the winter conveniences. I am torn about leaving, and husband even more so. But CT politics is driving us out. My family has migrated to FL so this determined our destination. At least it is tortoise friendly and I am looking forward to expanding my involvement once there.

Thanks for sharing all this. This is exactly what I'm talking about. All the reasons and various pro and cons of any given area. I find people's reasons and choices interesting.

 

[JennBell0725]

Gahhh the frigid cold wet Louisiana sucks! Wet and Cold way different than dry and cold.

 

[terryo]

I guess I'm lucky too, because when my husband retired we bought a house in Florida, which I don't go too often to. He loves the warm weather and I don't. My son has the horse farm in New Jersey that we go to all the time, and we live in Staten Island, which is so close to Manhattan, where the shopping is fantastic. We are blessed to have all these choices that we can live in and enjoy. When I was younger my favorite place was Manhattan. So exciting, shopping, and all the best restaurants. Now that I'm older, I'm in love with the horse farm, which is where I will eventually live in my "twilight years". Thank God he has a truck with a plow so we can get out of there when the snow piles up. LOL

 

[compassrose26]

Two weeks ago I was in Nashville and I was walking into a restaraunt wearing a dress. It was really warm compared to back home so I just left my coat in the car. A woman wearing a winter coat walked up to me and said "Darlin, You look adorable but aren't you cold?" To which I responded, "I'm from Michigan, this is nothing!"

 

[erica anne]

I lived in Minnesota for 20 years and then Ohio for 4 years before moving to AZ. While I have often felt nostalgic about the different seasons and do miss them, I wouldn't trade in this beautiful sun I get every day. (I do still find Christmas a bit off but have adjusted lol)

I always say its not the cold weather/ winters that I mind, it's the fact it lasts 6-8 months!

 

[bigred]

I really enjoy being in sunny So. Cal for the warm weather for the torts. I went outside this morning and could tell its going to be a warm day. Should be approx. 75 degrees today with no clouds in sight

 

[Tom]

I always say its not the cold weather/ winters that I mind, it's the fact it lasts 6-8 months!

When I was a child I never went anywhere. SoCal was my whole universe and my only frame of reference. I remember being shocked when, as a teenager, I found out that theme parks in other parts of the country were closed for 9 months of the year... I found that inconceivable. I knew what snow was, but that was something that happened to other people in some far off land...

 

[erica anne]

I always say its not the cold weather/ winters that I mind, it's the fact it lasts 6-8 months!

When I was a child I never went anywhere. SoCal was my whole universe and my only frame of reference. I remember being shocked when, as a teenager, I found out that theme parks in other parts of the country were closed for 9 months of the year... I found that inconceivable. I knew what snow was, but that was something that happened to other people in some far off land...

That is funny, I remember the very first time I saw a palm tree. I was about twelve years old and thought that I had finally found paradise (like you see in calendar pictures lol)

I have never understood why cold climates have theme parks and Arizona has zip! Maybe because we are too close to Disney etc...

 

[smylemaker]

I would love to sell our house and live somewhere warm.. I could def give up the snow and if I missed it I would take a mini vacation , then go back to the nice warm weather... I wish I lived in some of the locations ya'll live in that I could keep torts outside all year round let dreamers dream <3 HA! I do understand the winter wonderland , magic that New England has... but then the gross dirty snow, freezing weather, grumpy ppl, shoveling snow, etc... ack.. give me palm tree's anyday today is a balmy 32F almost tropical