Does anyone miss the trees? (Kingman: construction, company, working)

[jaada]

Originally Posted by Steel Ovaries

I am from the Midwest (Illinois) and have been out here almost 8 years. Some people like the desert landscape and that is fine. I do not and it is not for everyone. Here is what I miss...

1. Trees- big monstrous leafy oaks and maples
2. Grass- growing naturally, green, thick, cool and moist
3. Water- rivers, lakes, streams abound where I am from. u could just pick up your fishing pole and walk down the street to find a fishing hole. u could smell the water. not here.
4. Rain- the smell and feel of cool, cleansing rain
5. Clean air, country air, freshly tilled soil air, humid air
6. Midwestern folks
7. Hometown fairs and festivals, that take place in a park, not the mall parking lot
8. FALL!!! Pumpkin patches, hay rides, bon fires, hot cider, sweatshirts, gorgeous fiery leaves, and not sweating in your Halloween costume.
9. The Holidays. They just don't feel the same here. No snow, no bundled up Christmas carolers, no roaring fire, no reindeer tracks in the snow on Christmas morning.
10. The anticipation of the Winter ending, rushing the Spring and waiting for that perfect day to wear shorts for the first time and laugh at everyone's white legs from Winter hibernation.

It is very different here. If you hate the Midwest and have spent enough time in a desert climate to say that you love it, then I would say go for it. But if you truly love the Midwest, you will not like it here. It is sooooo very different.

i so miss the same things

[jaada]

Originally Posted by Steel Ovaries

I would also add... be prepared when you say you can handle heat. It is one thing to live with heat for 2 months (95-100, as it gets in the Midwest), it is quite another to live with it for 6 months, year after year after year. And 120 is 120, dry heat or not. Also, if you or your family have allergies, asthma or other respiratory problems you do not want to come here. The pollution is horrible and the American Lung Assoc rates us as an "F".

that is the truth i never had asthma in my life untill i moved to az. and the heat i have known people who were born here that still hate the heat.

[jaada]

Originally Posted by kdog

Well, no. I've lived half my life back east and know what I'm talking about. Swing sets, sandboxes, house sills, and anything that's wood, treated or not, rots out in no time back east. That doesn't happen here. Wood structures last essentially forever in Arizona. I can sit out in my yard here at night and not get eaten alive by mosquitoes. You won't find anywhere back east or in the midwest where you can do that. Hey, if that's what you like, I'm not knocking it. But it would take an immense amount of money to get me to return there.

thats because its too hot for the mosquitoes lol! thank god we dont have many of them-but termites we do have.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by jaada

but termites we do have.

Not like back east though. Ever heard of carpenter ants? I've never heard of them in Arizona. But they're everywhere back east. And powder-post beetles. You can imagine how they got their name. All those wood eating insects need water to survive, so they don't do well in the desert at all. I've fixed up many a home back east with wood-eating-insect damage like this. Those bugs will eat an entire home out from under you. True story!

[JAinAZ]

[quote=Allieloopy;15750691]

Originally Posted by JAinAZ

That is so funny. We were just cleaning off the porch today and found a bag of salt that was left over from winter. (I know, we procrastinate a bit!) We just looked at each other and put it back on the porch. We'll need it soon enough.

When I switched the calendar to September the other day, my first thought was "well, it's time to start winterizing pretty soon." Then I remembered I had moved to a place where winterizing consists of wrapping the outside faucets in an old t-shirt. Pretty nice

[LordBalfor]

[quote=JAinAZ;15752242]

Originally Posted by Allieloopy

When I switched the calendar to September the other day, my first thought was "well, it's time to start winterizing pretty soon." Then I remembered I had moved to a place where winterizing consists of wrapping the outside faucets in an old t-shirt. Pretty nice

Yeah, and probably not for another 2 months.



Ken

PS - On a side note, I just have to add that I saw a post on an Alaska thread recently where someone there stated something to the effect of "Any month without snow is summer".



Sure as heck glad I'm not moving THERE.

[DaisyAZ]

I just moved to Kingman (April 2010) from Oxford Alabama. I like it better here so far. I lived in Alabama 30+ years and the humidity (and bugs)in the south are tough. Although the heat here is stunning at times, the nights are wonderful. In the south you cannot escape the humidity, even at night you just want to stay inside. I've got to watch my Auburn Tigers play football here in a few minutes but if you would like to chat more let me know. I found citi-data a great resource when I was thinking about moving here.

[LordBalfor]

DaisyAZ - you hit the nail on the head when you wrote "the nights are wonderful" - they are indeed.
Once in a while - a VERY once in a while - we get those kinds of evenings up here in Seattle. Though I think of them as "California Nights" the fact is Arizona has them too.



Ken

[zonababe]

Originally Posted by Phoenix lady

Everyone out here routinely says "the desert has its' own beauty." Kinda reminds me of the unfortunate homely girl who everyone talks about being 'so smart.'

Unlike you, the desert is very forgiving. It takes but a little rain to see greenery.

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by zonababe

Unlike you, the desert is very forgiving. It takes but a little rain to see greenery.

I can't believe how beautiful and GREEN it's been up here in the Valley this summer. Even Mingus Mtn. is green and lush looking. I thought it was really gorgeous, and still is! I guess I live in sort of a 'green belt' here with the Verde River being so close too but we sure don't lack for trees.