Five Things to Love, Love, Love about Colorado

[scribblemyname]

This entry is part 5 of 8 in the series December Ramblings

Prompted by in_the_blue, for a change of pace:

1. Christmas - Don't get me wrong: I take issue with harsh winters and icy roads I have to actually drive or be driven on, icy winds, and the deeply drifted snow. That is, I take issue with having to be out in it. But there's something about deep snow outside and wind wailing around the house when I'm inside and the white Christmas lights are glowing from greenery and Christmas carols fill the house and I'm sipping hot carob with the family. That is what I grew up loving, and that is still perfect.
2. Dry Summers - There was nothing particularly pleasant about the forest fires that wracked our state, and that's not why I love it dry. It's the humidity. When we went down to San Antonio, I felt like I'd stepped into a swimming pool. That feeling lessened but didn't go away the week I was there. I felt like I'd shed pounds getting back home and the temperature swings didn't bother me as much.
3. Sunshine - Except for Florida, Colorado gets the lion's share of America's sunshine and this is a very good thing. It's beautiful even when it's freezing outside—though technically I usually take umbrage if the sun tempts me out to my own cold misery.
4. Swings - Frankly, I don't know that this is a Colorado thing, but I know it's not a New Mexico thing. Green parks with swings. I could swing forever.
5. Family - My family is here. That makes it home.

Download article as PDF

Originally published at Liana Mir. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Although from sunny California I should take issue with not being named as one of the states that gets the lion's share of sunshine. *cough*

I've only ever been to Colorado in passing, but I'd like to visit. I have more friends in the Denver area than anywhere else, I think, and it would be a kick to see everyone.

[scribblemyname]

LOL Well, the stats may have changed, but when I was doing a big, huge report on my state in high school, I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to see that Colorado outranked California for amount of sunshine. This from a born-in-LA sunbaby. I always say that being born there (though we stayed for a whopping 13 weeks) was why I take umbrage at frigid sunny days. :grins:

It'd be great to see you too, though I'm not sure how I'd pull it off, being still carpooling and tied to the hectic family life.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Where there's a will, there's a way.

I take umbrage at frigid sunny days because they're too damn cold! You know, long-time Oregonian, we don't mind it cold as long as it's also wet but when it freezes that means ice and ice sucks.

It's actually been in the low 30s here at night this week, which surprises me. I feel like such a wuss complaining that it's only supposed to get up to 50 degrees today, and only in the 40s the rest of the week. I mean, it is December, and I did grow up in New England so I know my snow and my winters very well. Me, I'm just spoiled.

[scribblemyname]

'Tis true.

LOL I'm with you on the cold. And the ice.

It's funny because my boss (who telecommutes from CA) was just telling me all about the temperature. He was feeling so bummed about the temp for the Christmas parade then heard how the rest of his colleagues were faring. :chuckles:

[thecatisacritic.livejournal.com]

I like the dry heat, too. Not the fires, but it is so much nicer here in the summer than where my extended family lives in North Dakota/Minnesota. I can't handle the humidity.

That's why I'll never leave. That, family, and while I do not want to live in the mountains, I'd miss seeing them every day.

I think I'd have the open space and the people on my list. Working rural areas I see pretty scenery and deal with mostly nice people. It's almost a whole other world. And then I go home to the "city" and have its conveniences.

[scribblemyname]

I'm a claustrophile, but I can intellectually appreciate the wide open spaces. I should have put on there skies after rainstorms too. Those are gorgeous.

[thecatisacritic.livejournal.com]

Sunsets over the Rockies. Very beautiful.

I don't really like being in very crowded space or around a lot of people. So I like that while there are urban areas for what I need that there is also a lot of space, too.

Of course, I'm rural born and more or less raised (we were either in small towns or in between them until I tried to go to college) so I prefer that. :)