Robin Finch

Cold weather has been romanticized. Cuddling with your partner in front of the fireplace, watching the snow fall outside of the window, holding hands to keep them warm. Sounds great, right? Wrong. I live in the south/southwestern United States where it snows at least once a year. Sure, it’s pretty when it’s untouched and laying ever so beautifully in your backyard. But then you get out on the road.

Road slush. Scary, wet, icy and dirty. Black ice is terrifying and there’s at least one car accident a day because, I’ll admit it, even though it snows at least once a year, we don’t drive enough in this junk to be prepared enough. Snow tires who? Snow chains where? This ain’t it, Chief.

Even if you don’t have to drive in the snow, being cold just sucks. I hate wearing jackets and layers. It feels constricting and uncomfortable to me and I love being comfortable. When I tell people I prefer hot weather, they’re always like “but you can only take off so many layers!” And you can only put so many on! My toes, nose, ears and fingers hurt. I can’t walk blindly around in a full body suit every day until summer comes around!

And if you live somewhere where it doesn’t snow frequently in winter, everything is dormant and brown and the pretty colors from the rest of the year are gone. Spring is green with wild flowers blooming and people’s flower gardens are covered with buds about to burst! And summer is all beachy and fun. Kids are out of school and the laughter of little children warming the already hot air. And everyone loves fall. Autumn colors of red, orange and yellow. Pumpkins on porches, sunflowers blowing in the breeze. Winter here? Brown. Sad. Cold. It’s so humid icicles are forming on my eyelashes!

So, I can’t really express enough how excited I am to be moving to the desert. It may be 110^F in the morning but at least you’re not breathing hot soup! It’s dry heat. The best kind. Winters are mild and hikes in the mountains are aplenty. I will die a happy woman if I never have to see the snow again.

Now that you know my answer, let me know yours! And if I wasn’t clear enough before, mine’s summer. Always.