Prior to coming here, I would have never realized how dramatic the difference! Most other places I've lived had entire *seasons* that were overcast, cold, wet, etc. And, you thought nothing of it -- "Oh, it's October..."
Here, I get noticeably irritable if it remains overcast for a single *day*!
I feel better when I'm in the light, so, making my bathroom into a plant room that I can light up for pennies is kind of nice.
I've been seeing a therapist to enable me to accept CFL's in place of real light bulbs.
Last week I asked him about teaching me to accept LEDs and he said we'd have to start at the beginning again. I feel like I've wasted 2 years and all that money for therapy. (Insurance won't pay.)
Is there some adapter I could get that would enable my acceptance of CFLs to be converted to acceptance of LEDs? Either an electrcric or an alphabetic adapter?
The real problem with all of the alternatives is they really only do well with a very narrow range of light wavelengths. The incandescent is a wide band emitter, all the way from infra red to the UV. It will always be closer to sunlight.
Western New York is cloudy more like 250 days of the year. Wonder if that explains a few things?
Very, very possible.
Might explain your dark view of the world, eh??
I don't have a dark view of the world. I just am depressed all the time.
When I used to go down there for training or to take a part in designing new product line, often guys told me to move there saying shoveling sun shine is easier than snow... Now glbal warming is giving us favor. Have not started snow blower in years. Today it is sunny 5C, perfect to finish hanging lights out side. In Canada Alberta is the most sunny province year round.
If you like bugs, critters..., LOL!
Most loads have inductive reactance. Z=2*pi*f*L
I actually much prefer the summers, here, than the winters *anywhere*. The summers in Chicago, Denver, Boston, etc. were all *miserable*; hot and humid. You couldn't go outside without expecting to take a shower WHILE THERE!
Spring and Fall were always dreary and wet. The kind of cold that seems to go straight through to your bones.
You end up with a *day* in Spring -- and another in Fall -- where things are "very nice" (I used to joke that "Spring will be on a Wednesday, this year").
By contrast, our Summers are hot and dry. But, you only tend to notice it if you are *in* the sun. I hauled 20 tons of crushed stone into the back yard with a wheelbarrow one day with 117F degree temperatures... and felt nowhere near as bad as I would have on that same day in Chitown (when it was probably 80F with an RH of 60+%!).
[Trick is you have to consciously remember to drink lots of fluids! A pint every 20 MINUTES -- almost half a gallon/hour -- lest you become dehydrated. As its so dry, you "never perspire" (of course you do -- but it works as evaporative cooling and leaves you DRY, instead of acting as a poorly designed BATHING SYSTEM that just leaves you wet and sticky!). It is very disconcerting to drink all that water and *not* have to pee!]Nights in Summer may drop to 80 or 90F -- and you'll see folks wearing light sweaters (it actually *is* "cool").
Fall, Winter and Spring are delightful, here. I only wear a jacket when I am out in the wee hours of the morning for those unusual nights when temperatures drop below freezing (we had a few consecutive nights in the high teens a couple of years ago) and I opt to spray the citrus trees with a fine mist to protect them from the cold (they start to get upset at ~28F). Having that 60F water blown back in your face at 20F is not a comfortable feeling (sort of like blowing snow and having to put up with all *that* airborn cold water!)
Our "bad" season is Monsoon (we have 5 seasons) -- when the humidity creeps up and the temperatures don't fall *enough* to compensate. OTOH, the storms are a delightful consolation prize! When I first came here, I used to think folks were "weird" cuz they'd all stop what they were doing and watch it rain (WTF??). I now include myself in that crowd and marvel at how much water comes down in such a short amount of time -- then, how quickly it clears up afterwards.
[Downside is weeds will grow almost overnight! Upside is you can pull them easily when soil is that wet.]If we could keep all the "visitors" away, it would be very nice! One advantage to Summer & Monsoon is they're all back up north sitting in their air conditioned homes (because they can't tolerate the heat/humidity *there*, either! :> )
As to your 5C... cold here today -- 62F (17C?) -- but that's about as cold as we'll typically see in daylight hours for most of the "Winter". Our Vancouver BC neighbors have obviously decided it worth purchasing a second home, here, to get away from the PNW dreariness...
We have Chinook wind in winter, maybe you experienced it in CO? Year round humidity is on the dry side. In winter indoor humidity can be negative, without humidifier one's nose can bleed. I just don't like all the bugs and critters in warm climate. But wife being a serious green thumb, misses all the flowers, shrubs growing down there. I guess home is where you are no matter what. Also oriental custom does not like moving around. Some even says if one leaves home town he can't go to heaven, LOL!
Sounds like you are not taking enough vitamin D3 pills daily. You can take 6000iu every day in winter. Very important, again very important!!! What is your D level in your blood test? 80 Mols at least. If not do something. Also use day light bulbs in living space.
Well, I don't like spider or snakes...
I found wind in Chicago to be the most debilitating. I was clearing the ice off a rental car at the airport with temps of -26F and a wind chill of -83F. When the weather forecasters start talking in terms of "exposed flesh warnings" (in *minutes*!), you know it's cold!
Downtown, the lake keeps things a bit warmer. OTOH, the "canyons" made by the taller buildings funnel the wind down the streets in a surreal fashion.
I like sleeping on the floor (hard surface). But, won't dare since moving here! Black Widows aren't a problem (indoors) as they want webs to "borrow" (unless you're a sloppy housekeeper). But, can be a concern if you're rummaging around through piles of lawn/gardening equipment that you've stored on the porch, etc.
Wolf spiders are intimidating but, usually, pretty harmless. You'd have to be blind not to see one (and accidentally provoke it). Tarantulas are similarly shy -- and I've never seen one indoors.
Scorpions are the biggest "pest". They seem to find ways to get through cement walls!! OTOH, depriving them of their foodstuffs does a lot to keep them away (when we removed the lawn, the number of scorpions fell dramatically!).
Wildlife is a bigger problem as many are physically large (coyote, javelina, bobcat, bear) and "get their way" in a confrontation. I worry for SWMBO's safety when she's hiking in the desert (nat'l park). OTOH, we've had bob cat, javelina, coyote and even bear in the *neighborhood*.
Yeah, our front "lawn" is a carpet of wildflowers. Presently blue bells and poppies (I've been aggressively trying to get rid of the lupines as they take a lot of time to maintain).
The downside for folks like me (seasonal allergies) is there is ALWAYS something in bloom to irritate! There are times of the year when cars will be covered in yellow pollen. Or, you'll look out the window and see "puffs of smoke" -- which are actually pollen releases.
Exactly. There are good and bad things everywhere. I miss the "opportunities" of New England -- but not the weather, arrogance, traffic, etc. I miss Chicago pizza -- but not the flatness of the landscape, bitter cold, monotony of culture, etc. I suspect I will (eventually) miss things from here...
Ah, well... I'm screwed. Good thing I don't believe in Heaven! :> I figure I've got maybe two more moves left in me, time permitting...
Both are relatively easy to avoid. Scorpions are more of a problem; sort of like bees elsewhere. Some people have bad reactions to their sting; others barely notice it.
OTOH, seeing real roadrunners is truly entertaining; it's hard NOT to go "beep-beep" when you see one! And birds of prey are absolutely magnificent "floating" overhead. Amazing to think they can actually *see* small critters from that height!
Woodpeckers are a pest. Apparently "protected" else they'd be EXTINCT (from angry/annoyed homeowners).
And watching hummingbirds is easily far more entertaining than folks who will stare at a "fish tank"! They actually will come up to the kitchen window to "complain" if we've not put the feeder out, yet (despite the fact that the yard always has *something* in bloom -- deliberately chosen for THEIR benefit -- from which they could feed). And, will "buzz" your head while you're setting it out (you can actually hear their wings beating) as if to say, "OK, leave it here and now GO AWAY so I can eat!"
I love birds, and most animals, but many biting insects, and spiders I could do without!
Love to watch the hummingbirds, too. A couple summers ago a young blue jay had a broken beak and was having a hard time eating, so it started cheeping loudly every time I came outside. I eventually had it sitting on my knew while I fed it mashed bread soaked in water. That went on for a couple of weeks. I'd get home from running errands, and go in the back yard and call "blue jay!!" and it would just show up for it's meal. After about the 3rd week of doing that it just didn't show up for it's meal one day, but I saw it flying about the yard as if to say, "thanks! I'm ok now."
That only happened once. If it wasn't for events like that, I'd have no memories of certain years. Not that I'd want a repeat. I enjoy the change of seasons.
And it was only 117F here, once. :>
I recall waiting on a street corner many years earlier (didn't live there at the time) for a friend (who lived on LSD) to pick me up. Got into his car and stuffed my fingers *into* the heater duct by the floorboard...
I enjoyed the change of seasons -- and good apples! But, I could arrange to spend my time indoors if the weather was inclement (and watch out the window as all my neighbors fought with the rain and snow). That wasn't true of most folks who had to contend with dragging themselves off to work, etc.
Now, I like the fact that I can go for a walk damn near any time of day and any day of the year -- just by opening the front door. I don't have to plan on what-ifs -- in case it chooses to rain/snow/etc. Worst case, a sudden storm will come up and drench me in the course of a block or two. But, it won't be that numbing cold rain. Rather, something warm.
And, there's so much more "going on" as the weather draws people and activities that would be too hard to plan for, elsewhere ("Will it rain and ruin our event?"). Two weeks back, a neighbor had a birthday party (outdoors) 'til the wee hours of the morning -- though I think only the brave/foolish went into the pool!
Ten days ago I was out watching shooting stars at 4AM. Would you try that in Chicago (assuming you *could* see the sky!) in mid November? Next event will be in mid February...
cob grow lights from cobgrowlights nice bright purple/pink. Good for your skin I heard.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.