[dynimagelv]

Originally Posted by jenn0816

A desert is not a forest, and a forest is not a desert. They both have beauty and are different. People who insist on moving to the desert and want to plant these lush gardens are just deluding themselves. Yes, when I schedule my vacation, I usually go somewhere a little more green, but the desert is beautiful. How can you compare with our sunsets? I am from rural Northwest Arkansas and I do sometimes miss going 4-wheeling off logging roads in the middle of nowhere through canyons and creeks, etc. on the other hand, what I do not miss about the forests are the BUGS!!! Has anyone noticed the distinct lack of mosquitos? If that is not a selling point for the desert, I don't know what is.

Mosquitwhat's???????

[bellini195]

Being from Florida, yes I miss the green trees and the beautiful beaches. Yes, there are mosquitos, so you spray on bug spray, burn citronella on your patio or just don't go out during sunset. Stay away from the pond waters edge, and the alligator won't eat you, your children or your doggie. Hurricanes are good for spending quality time with your family without the everyday distractions. You also get to spend time with the neighbors as you BBQ all your meat in your freezer before it rots. A quick drive, and you're digging your toes in the sand and hanging out with friends on the beach.

In Vegas when there's a wind storm above 25 mph with 110 degrees, you can't see those mountains with the blowdryer effect. Oh and how about that smoke from California wild fires being blown in. I walk outside and feel like a raisin, the water being sucked right out of my eyeballs. Vegas Sinus they call it.

I'm homesick I'm hoping to move back very soon. No more cinder block walls, beige, 120 degree summers with 4% humidity, crazy drivers = highest car insurance rate in the US, replacing car battery and tires once a year, horrible medical system, and praying I don't get killed by a drunk driver on the way home.

[Californiaguy2007]

I live in the Central Valley of CA and whenever relatives visit me they always comment on the Greenery.

[SocDoc]

I miss birds AND trees, but I also understand that living in the desert means getting used to a desert environment. It irks me to see people using scarce water resources to create green spaces to remind them of home. The desert landscape is beautiful and should be respected. It is one of the reasons I moved here.

[Sinkbean]

I'm not so much freaked out about missing trees and I am missing my 4-hour drive to the sandy white beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. I usually visit the beach at least 4 times a year. I know I could go to California, but the Pacific Ocean and those rocky beaches just don't seem to cut it for me.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by Sinkbean

I'm not so much freaked out about missing trees and I am missing my 4-hour drive to the sandy white beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. I usually visit the beach at least 4 times a year. I know I could go to California, but the Pacific Ocean and those rocky beaches just don't seem to cut it for me.

Nothing rocky about the beachs of So Cal. Both LA, OC and San Diego have miles and miles of broad sand beaches. There are rocky areas but there are miles and miles of broad sand.

Water is a little cool. San Diego gets into the high seventies in August/September but that is as good as it gets.

[SocDoc]

I hate the big walls that block the backyards, but I wouldn't feel so bad if more neighborhoods were walkable, had play areas for children, and comfortable front porches. All of these are ways to encourage neighbors to connect. Without these things, we are more isolated, and the big ol' walls just make it worse.

[Sinkbean]

You're right. I've seen pictures of my house and back yard and it does have a big old wall, which sucks because there we live on the back street of the neighborhood and as of now, there are no houses behind ours, which means a great view of the mountains, if it wasn't for that crappin' wall which makes the small yard feel even smaller...but my husband took pictures of several walking trails and a children's park just a block or two away from the house, so maybe we just lucked out in that department.

[CheeseheadInNV]

Oh yeah... I moved to here from Wisconsin, so HUGE change. I just miss the colors, and how everything looked fresh. The constant brown in my opinion makes everything look older and more run down.

I'm not gonna lie, I love the desert landscape around the mountains.

[ruready1st]

I much prefer the green of the Sonoran Desert as opposed to this Mojave Desert. I will take any desert over the green of the East Coast though.

Those trees come with bugs, pollen, leaves to be raked, and birds that poop.

We visit back East for family functions, weddings and funerals. We were just in WMass for Labor Day for HS reunion. They have had tons and tons of rain. The week we were there it was nice, dry and in the 70s. But the dampness remained with the morning dew and moisture in the greenery, couldn't get used to that smell. It was green, very green, in fact I told my DH after a few days, there was too much green.

I do like grass. Much easier on the feet, keeps the dust down and it looks nice. However, I don't think that you should try to recreate the green grass landscape in the desert. Waste of water. We solved our desire for grass by getting the fake stuff. We also live on a golf course, but that was only because the house has a wrought iron back fence instead of a wall and no house behind us.

Many of the walls, especially the grey block are disturbing. Supposedly, fences make good neighbors. Plus, chain link wears easily in the desert, wood dries out and plastic cracks and deteriorates. Block walls are lower maintainence.