We lived near Sacramento, CA for about eight years. Weather there was really boring. No thunderstorms, only one brief snow flurry, and most of the year seemed to be hot and dry.
About a month ago, we were on the way back from my dad's house. Somewhere around Arkadelphia, AR, I noticed what looked like a lot of smoke drifting across the road. We drove through it for several miles. It wasn't smoke. It was yellow. It was pollen. Several place in Arkansas recorded the highest pollen count in history that day.
We do have four seasons most years, but there are variations:
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Snow, Hail, Tornado, Rain
Spiders, Mosquitoes, Chiggers, Ticks
It's not uncommon to have 5 - 7 inches of rain from a single storm, that usually happens once or twice a year. I think our average annual rainfall is 53 inches, but only 3.6 inches of snow. Once Spring arrives, everything turns green quickly, with an explosion of flowers and pollen!
In Colorado, at least once a year we would have 60-degree temperature swings from one day to the next. Highs in the 70's one day, lows in the teens the next. We would also occasionally have a 'four season' day -- snow, rain, hail, sun. It wasn't uncommon to shovel show while wearing shorts and a tank top.
I've been dealing with lower back pain for nearly a week now. I think it's my sciatic nerve. If I don't move, all is well. Sitting is fine. Standing is fine. Changing from one position to another can sometime be quite painful. It's slowly getting better.
We need to finish preparing for our visit to my dad's house, then get on the road. It's only about a three-hour drive, with half of that being on quiet, peaceful two-lane roads.
Love always -- Jessica Rose
