I must add about my little section of Upstate NY, it is far from perfect. We get the "lake effect" snow in winter; fight the black flies in spring, the mosquitos in summer; my soil is acidic glacial till and I have to dig up 3 rocks to plant 1 flower; the roses I love struggle to survive here while the native wildflowers (read that weeds) thrive.
In spring I go outside with a net over my head, socks over the hem of my pants and gloves over the cuffs of my sleeves and reeking of insect repellent. All that to defeat the black flies to which I am very allergic. But then I can sit on my swing and watch the creek down in the ravine that runs 20 feet from the side of our house, or I can work in the gardens, or watch the bluebirds nesting in one of the 5 houses I keep for them.
Would I move to get away from the snow and the black flies, NO WAY!!!
by the edge of the ravine
[ATTACH=CONFIG]262269[/ATTACH]
Lookin' out my backdoor
[ATTACH=CONFIG]262270[/ATTACH]
our creek (crick?)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]262271[/ATTACH]
we get snow
[ATTACH=CONFIG]262273[/ATTACH]