Posted on 06/10/2004 12:13:18 PM PDT by Rate_Determining_Step
(Actually, it wasn't North Carolina where I learned that: It was Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama.)
I lived in Houston for ten years. It's pretty much the same climate as Florida. We had grapefruits in the back yard. Summers are pretty much the same as St. Louis, where I grew up, hot and humid. Winters are mild - you can wear shorts a few days almost every month, and I never wore a coat. Only two seasons - green and brown. East Texas is pretty much likc Missouri with Oak/Hickory forests in the higher country and rice land in the deltas. West Texas - west of Austin/San Antonio is where the dry region starts. I miss Texas.
I live about 120 east of Dallas in NE Texas and the only two months that are really hot are July and August, our winters are mild and October and April are outstanding.
I thought I knew what hot was until I went to Cambodia last year. OMG! This was during the "cool season", in November, when the morning low was about 85 and the midday was about 105.
So in reference to the above - and I'm really not kidding - some people were wearing sweaters because it was 'too cool'.
Texas Hill Country west of Austin is beautiful. When I finish my assignment here in Florida, it's back to Texas as fast as I can travel.
There is a climate for everybody in Texas -- that includes a political climate.
It depends on what's important to you. Both TX and NH are beautiful, but TX is a lot less expensive.
Houston has many great qualities and is a great place to live - except for one thing.
The humidity.
You know you're approaching summer in Houston when you walk outside and instantly burst into a heavy sweat. Ten minutes outside and you've got perspiration stains on your back, under your arms, etc. Step out of your car or front door and your glasses are immediately fogged up so bad you can't see.
I roofed my house one year during August. I was drinking over three gallons of Gatorade a day, and didn't have to take a leak even once !
When I moved here from Seattle, my wife and I drove to Houston in our un-airconditioned Mustang. Even prior to finding a house, the first thing we did was go out and buy an airconditioned car.
I left Houston one day when it was 85 degrees and absolutely miserable to be outside. I landed in Phoenix, where it was 102. It was so comfortable by comparison I went for a walk outdoors !
This scenario exists for about six months out of the year.
Come to Phoenix, every building you go in has AC. And almost every home you'll look at has a pool. And if you ever miss the cold and snow its just a couple hours up to Flagstaff
I grew up in Bakersfield and all I could think about after reading post number 5 was: Wow that was every single summer (that started in April) that I have experienced at home. LOL. I don't miss Bakerspatch. The heat is awful!:)
I would recommend looking at Tennessee. Nashville is a nice mid-sized city (1M) that is consistently rated as one of the most liveable cities in America. It has good schools, good business opportunities (several auto manufacturers, hospitals, publishing, academics), a good music scene (obviously) and nightlife, and NO INCOME TAX (thanks to a very vigilant and vocal populace).
But at least they know how to make chili
"My name is Frank and recently I was honored to be selected as an Outstanding Famous Celebrity in Texas, to be a judge at a chili cook-off because no one else wanted to do it. Also the original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be standing there at the judge's table asking directions to the beer wagon when the call came. I was assured by the other two judges that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy, and besides, they told me, I could have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted this as being one of those burdens you endure when you're an Internet writer and therefore known and adored by all." Here are the scorecards from the event:
Chili # 1: Mike's Maniac Mobster Monster Chili
JUDGE ONE: A little too heavy on tomato. Amusing kick.
JUDGE TWO: Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.
FRANK: Holy smokes, what is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway with it. Took me two beers to put the flames out. Hope that's the worst one. These people are crazy.
Chili # 2: Arthur's Afterburner Chili
JUDGE ONE: Smoky (barbecue?) with a hint of pork. Slight Jalapeno tang.
JUDGE TWO: Exciting BBQ flavor, needs more peppers to be taken seriously.
FRANK: Keep this out of reach of children! I'm not sure what I am supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver. Shoved my way to the front of the beer line. The barmaid looks like a professional wrestler after a bad night. She was so irritated over my gagging sounds that the snake tattoo under her eye started to twitch. She has arms like Popeye and a face like Winston Churchill. I will NOT pick a fight with her.
Chili # 3: Fred's Famous Burn Down the Barn Chili
JUDGE ONE: Excellent firehouse chili! Great kick. Needs more beans.
JUDGE TWO: A beanless chili, a bit salty, good use of red peppers.
FRANK: This has got to be a joke. Call the EPA, I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been sneezing Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now and got out of my way so I could make it to the beer wagon. Barmaid pounded me on the back; now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. She said her friends call her "Sally." Probably behind her back they call her "Forklift."
Chili # 4: Bubba's Black Magic
JUDGE ONE: Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing. JUDGE TWO: Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other mild foods, not much of a chili.
FRANK: I felt something scraping across my tongue but was unable to taste it. Sally was standing behind me with fresh refills so I wouldn't have to dash over to see her. When she winked at me her snake sort of coiled and uncoiled... it's kinda cute.
Chili # 5: Linda's Legal Lip Remover
JUDGE ONE: Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground adding considerable kick. Very impressive.
JUDGE TWO: Chili using shredded beef; could use more tomato. Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong statement.
FRANK: My ears are ringing and I can no longer focus my eyes. I belched and four people in front of me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed hurt when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue by pouring beer directly on it from a pitcher. Sort of irritates me that one of the other judges asked me to stop screaming.
Chili # 6: Vera's Very Vegetarian Variety
JUDGE ONE: Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spice and peppers.
JUDGE TWO: The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, and garlic. Superb.
FRANK: My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous flames. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except Sally. I asked if she wants to go dancing later.
Chili # 7: Susan's Screaming Sensation Chili
JUDGE ONE: A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.
JUDGE TWO: Ho Hum, tastes as if the chef threw in canned chili peppers at the last moment. I should note that I am worried about Judge Number 3, he appears to be in a bit of distress.
FRANK: You could put a hand grenade in my mouth and pull the pin and I wouldn't feel it. I've lost the sight in one eye and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My clothes are covered with chili which slid unnoticed out of my mouth at some point. Good. At the autopsy they'll know what killed me. Go Sally, save yourself before it's too late. I've decided to stop breathing, it's too painful and I'm not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air I'll just let it in through the hole in my stomach. Call the X-Files people and tell them I've found a super nova on my tongue.
Chili # 8: Helen's Mount Saint Chili
JUDGE ONE: This final entry is a good, balanced chili, neither mild nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge Number 3 fell and pulled the chili pot on top of himself.
JUDGE TWO: A perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili, safe for all, not too bold but spicy enough to declare its existence.
FRANK: MOMMA!!
Texas is REAL hot during the summer and in the Houston area the humidity hovers around 90% which makes it feel hotter than it is and break into a sweat within seconds of stepping outside. The rest of the year is rather pleasant though. I've spent several Christmas days in shorts and tee-shirts. Snow almost never happens here and when it does, the whole city shuts down because no one knows how to drive on it.
LOL
Rookie mistake
Not to throw cold water on your project, but in NH, 3-4 months isn't the amount of time you'd have to put up with snow; it's the amount of time you'd have to enjoy decent, sunny, warm weather. In New England, our winters last a good 6 months. It's not unheard of to get snow in late April/early May, or be snowbound from early October on out.
I am from Texas, currently live in Laredo, but from El Paso.
For the most part Texas is warm to hot during the summer. But here (Texas), hot can mean 102 no humidity (West Texas) or 102 with humidity (South Texas--ie 112 real feel).
If I could live any place in Texas, it would be in the area they call the "Hill Country". This includes Austin, Boerne (pronounced Burnee), etc. San Antonio is outside the Hill Country (southern edge), and really one nice place.
I am partial to this state, great people, great culture, great weather (most of the time).
If I can be of any help,let me know.
DO NOT GO TO EL PASO. El Paso is not Texas. It is California. Or maybe Mexico. Seriously. You will find no more conservatives there than in Seattle. (To give persepctive, El Paso is closer to San Diego than Houston.)
It's not even in the same time zone as the rest of the State.
If you are looking for low humidity, think Lubbock or Midland (home of George and Laura). Do not be put off by the lies regarding sand storms. They happen twice a year, in the Spring. It gets hot, but a dry 100 is a wet 80. Most of the year is moderate. 320+ days of blue sky.
If you want trees outside the city limits, go to a suburb of San Antonio or somewhere else in the hill country.
Dallas is expensive.
Austin is pretty, but makes Seattle look like the founding location of the John Birch society, it is so liberal.
Houston is so wet and hot, it is oppressive. Plus, it is the uglist city in the world.
East Texas is OK, lots of trees, not as hot as Houston, but jobs are scarce (compared to the rest of Texas).
I was born in the Bakersfield area (even in Belton, TX--which was the closest to feeling like I was in Bakersfield I've ever known!). I've lived all over; but I keep coming back here. I guess I'm just aclimated!!
These are hilarious. Wow.
I've got this theory about hot and cold. When it's hot, you can slow down, strip, etc. But when it's cold, you just wish you were dead. Sure, you can crank the heat, but you really wonder that humans are not built for cold.
BTW, west Texas is very dry, no trees, great if you like desert. Around Austin they have what they call trees, but are more properly termed "bushes". Going further east, there are some nice trees from Houston on north, but nothing like the PNW.
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