Seattle to Dallas (Odessa, Winters, Trinity: transplants, big house, landscaping) - Texas (TX) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

ladyjay73 · 12-13-2006, 08:48 PM

Hi StarGazer:

I found this board about an hour ago, & I have been hooked ever since. So much information, it's making my head spin! I am thinking about relo'ing in the summer time '07. The kids will be there anyway. Moderator cut: inappropriate comment is in Sasche, & as I mentioned, grandparents are in Ennis.

I have been going round & round about the timing of my move. DS will be in just finishing 7th grade in '07. I would like to move him while he is still in middle school so that he enters H.S with some friends. I just think that H.S has so many issues going on, that if he goes in knowing a few people, then maybe that might help a little? DD is 10 & she will be entering 6th grade. Again, thinking about having her older brother with her a new school for a year will help the process a lot! Lastly, baby will be entering 1st grade, & basically can adapt to anything & anyone.

I am serioulsy leaning towards McKinney because from the descriptions that I have read, the quality of living kind of reminds me of Washington. I am looking to maybe rent a house for a little while, just to get used to the area. Maybe buy in a year or 2. I don't have a job lined up as yet. Kind of worried about telling my boss, until I am very sure about what I want to do. From the looks of the jobs that I am finding on Monster, Craigslist......, I am figuring that average salary in my field is about $40K. Do you think that I am able to survive in McKinney with that salary? Also, what about the schools? I was reading a post by the mom person, & she said that they are having major issues with a new drug called "cheese" in middle school. That totally freaked me out.

Thanks for responding. I appreciate it.

Ankhharu · 12-14-2006, 01:09 PM

If you are coming from the beautiful NW, I think you are going to be a bit disappointed in the Dallas area. You'll get sun...plenty of it. I can't stand the summers here, but there scenery is not that nice. Not many tree's, no mountains, no rivers, the lakes are nasty. It's just not a very nice looking place. It is a great area to own a home as real estate is prime here in the metroplex, and can't be beat. Lot of restaurants, but outside of that, nada. Not alot to do. As far as hunting and fishing, you will have to drive a few hours north or south east to get that fix.

momof2dfw · 12-14-2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ankhharu

If you are coming from the beautiful NW, I think you are going to be a bit disappointed in the Dallas area. You'll get sun...plenty of it. I can't stand the summers here, but there scenery is not that nice. Not many tree's, no mountains, no rivers, the lakes are nasty. It's just not a very nice looking place. It is a great area to own a home as real estate is prime here in the metroplex, and can't be beat. Lot of restaurants, but outside of that, nada. Not alot to do. As far as hunting and fishing, you will have to drive a few hours north or south east to get that fix.

Huh? You can hunt for dove IN Frisco, there is one area a man owns that is zoned for hunting and it is w/in the city limits. There are also lots of other hunting areas w/in an hour of the city limits of Dallas proper.

There is some nice scenery too it is all just in the eye of the beholder. We have rivers, LOTS of tress (did you know one of the largest natural hardwood forests is w/in the city limits of Dallas?). Also there is a HUGE native palm tree area just south of downtown Dallas. One needs to get out of the subdivisions to find these places but they are there.

Ankhharu · 12-14-2006, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Huh? You can hunt for dove IN Frisco, there is one area a man owns that is zoned for hunting and it is w/in the city limits. There are also lots of other hunting areas w/in an hour of the city limits of Dallas proper.

There is some nice scenery too it is all just in the eye of the beholder. We have rivers, LOTS of tress (did you know one of the largest natural hardwood forests is w/in the city limits of Dallas?). Also there is a HUGE native palm tree area just south of downtown Dallas. One needs to get out of the subdivisions to find these places but they are there.

Rivers? What the Trinity? West Fork? Have you ever tried fishing these? Unless fishing for debris, you're sol. I've lived here for 11 years so it's not like I just strolled in to town last week. Tree's are few and far between in North Texas compared to the Pacific NW or even the deep south where i'm from.

One of the largest natural hardwood forests? Lol, there are no hardwood forests in north Texas. Just check the Nature Conservancy. Maybe you are confusing the DFW area with the area 5-6 hours south east of Dallas. As far as Palm tree's i'm assuming you speak of that small clutter in the Farmers Market area as if to say it's on par with palms grown in their natural climate.

momof2dfw · 12-14-2006, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ankhharu

Rivers? What the Trinity? West Fork? Have you ever tried fishing these? Unless fishing for debris, you're sol. I've lived here for 11 years so it's not like I just strolled in to town last week. Tree's are few and far between in North Texas compared to the Pacific NW or even the deep south where i'm from.

One of the largest natural hardwood forests? Lol, there are no hardwood forests in north Texas. Just check the Nature Conservancy. Maybe you are confusing the DFW area with the area 5-6 hours south east of Dallas. As far as Palm tree's i'm assuming you speak of that small clutter in the Farmers Market area as if to say it's on par with palms grown in their natural climate.

Then you need to get out more. Have you never heard of the Great Trinity Forest? It is a natural hardwood forest IN Dallas. As for those palms, many of them have been destroyed but they are working to restore the area. They are native to this area. While they may not be the palms one pictures when the think of the tropics, they are here and native to that area.

Ankhharu · 12-14-2006, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Then you need to get out more. Have you never heard of the Great Trinity Forest? It is a natural hardwood forest IN Dallas. As for those palms, many of them have been destroyed but they are working to restore the area. They are native to this area. While they may not be the palms one pictures when the think of the tropics, they are here and native to that area.

I have heard of The Great Trinity Forest. It's not considered a "natural" hardwood forest and I can see why seeing how most of those shrubs barely constitute the area to be called a "forest". I stand by my notion, as the shrubs in this area can hardly compete with the evergreens of the pacific northwest, the redwoods of California, the Magnolias of the Mississippi, the Oaks of Alabama, the wide array found in New England, the Appalachians, or even South Texas for that matter.

ladyjay73 · 12-14-2006, 05:49 PM

I'm not too worried about the trees. I do love them, & scenicly (if that's a word), it is a wonderful place to live.

I have spent most of my childhood here, and then relocated to the midwest. I can back here in 1998. I have had my fill of the Northwest. The older I get, the more the gloomey weather take a toll on me. It even makes the kids down. It can be gloomey here from about October until May, maybe even as late June.

I have been doing a lot of research, & it seems like Dallas would be a nice place to move to. (Parents are in Ennis). I am feeling partial to the Mckinney area. My only concern is, will I made enough to afford housing & the high cost of utilities in that area. The school information that I have read sound great which is the most important. My son is into football big time. My daughter's cheerlead. Momof2dfw, do you know anything about the athletics in the Mckinney ISD?

GoPadge · 12-15-2006, 07:24 AM

Ankhharu's statement reminded me of the time several years ago when we went hiking with friends in the Angeles National Forest. We pasted the NFS sign but nowhere in view were any trees. Plenty of small cedars, more along the size of what we'd call shrubs, but no real trees.

LastDallasNative · 12-15-2006, 11:20 AM

I have seen the The Great Trinity Forest and it did not consist of shrubs. It is considered the country's largest urban forest. It is just immediately south of downtown Dallas, not 6 or 7 hours away from Dallas.

However, it is not the evergreens of the pacific northwest, the redwoods of California, the Magnolias of the Mississippi, the Oaks of Alabama, the wide array found in New England, the Appalachians, or even South Texas for that matter. That is true.

Californians are leaving the oceans and mountains en masse! The entire middle class has left! So much for oceans and mountains if you can't afford to live there!

Ankhharu · 12-15-2006, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LastDallasNative

I have seen the The Great Trinity Forest and it did not consist of shrubs. It is considered the country's largest urban forest. It is just immediately south of downtown Dallas, not 6 or 7 hours away from Dallas.

However, it is not the evergreens of the pacific northwest, the redwoods of California, the Magnolias of the Mississippi, the Oaks of Alabama, the wide array found in New England, the Appalachians, or even South Texas for that matter. That is true.

Californians are leaving the oceans and mountains en masse! The entire middle class has left! So much for oceans and mountains if you can't afford to live there!

Not the largest, not even a close second. Here are the two largest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Park_(Portland)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Memorial_Forest