crazyjim Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 We're up to 34 right now. I used to come down to FLA at the end of April every year for the Vietnam Veteran reunion in Melbourne. When I knew I'd be retiring I started checking out the area. Melbourne was too crowded. We didn't like the Howey in the Hills area. Came over to the left coast and loved the 2 lane roads, no traffic, and few people. The drawback is that we have to travel for decent shopping. It's about a 25 mile ride to Ocala. Besides all that, we got a great deal on a 1800 sq ft house with an inground pool sitting on almost 3/4 acre property. Train show Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Depends on how ya look at it Virge. I don't worry about alligators in my HOUSE and some stupid law tellin me I CAN'T kill the darn thing if it's IN MY KITCHEN!!!! Saw THAT stupidity on the News!!! No fireants, or scorpions or those big ol rat like nutria. So Paradise is all in how you look at it. I'll take the snow BEFORE i put up with those kindsa things. The only way a gator would come into a house is if someone was feeding it. I've been here 21 years and have only seen one gator around the house and that was because there is a small lake next to the house. The DNR came and took it away. Now snakes are a different story. I've never seen a cottonmouth, but I did kill a 20 inch coral snake in my garage last fall and 2 of my neighbors have seen a 4 foot rattler around. I've never seen any big rats or ever heard of scorpions here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Jim, Normally i would agree with you about Chicago, but you have missed a very mild winter so far. Yesterday was about the coldest so far and that was upper 20's. UPPER 20's!!! That is really warm for this time as you know. I find i am much more prone to the length of the winter than the depths reached by the thermometer. At this point we have about 60 days and its over. cheers, joe. We only have 1 cold day yesterday and 2 cold nights and it will be nice weather again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 George, I hate Michigan winters. I was born north of Flint, grew up in Southfield and moved up in the Saginaw area after the riots. I used to count the days between Thanksgiving and Easter. Gloomy winters with no sun for long periods of time. I can't be too hot, but I can be too cold. I actually have bad dreams about having to move back there. I love it here in Florida. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) I remember Michigan and Ohio winters...don't miss them. I did like S. Florida winters when I lived there (Marathon in the Keys). But I don't miss the hurricanes... Colorado is still my favorite place of the states I've lived in over the years.. Edited January 4, 2012 by Rob Hall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Sunny and heading to 67 today............................Just sayin.................... G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outlaw035 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 relax all my fellow floridians...there is no real "D" in cold in fla...but sometimes it gets mighty cooooool...but it will be summer like by the weekend....just say'n.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajaboy5b Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) Yesterday was over 40c inside right now its 11c inside Edited January 4, 2012 by bajaboy5b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Jim, Normally i would agree with you about Chicago, but you have missed a very mild winter so far. Yesterday was about the coldest so far and that was upper 20's. UPPER 20's!!! That is really warm for this time as you know. I find i am much more prone to the length of the winter than the depths reached by the thermometer. At this point we have about 60 days and its over. cheers, joe. I gotta agree, hAven't seen a winter this mild in atleast a decade, heck, I've got a fleece pullover that has been worn maybe a dozen times since October! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Sunny and heading to 67 today............................Just sayin.................... G Sunny and 78 today , its spring time already here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Appetite Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 At 11:00am our temp was only 39 going to a scorching 45 today. Tonight is supposed to be only 20! It feels like I'm back in the Chciago area. At least there'ss no cold, white stuff in our forecast. Almost time to get all bundled up to go outside and cover some of our plants for tonight's freeze. That cold huh? You'd probably flash-freeze up here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonioseven Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I don't miss Ohio winters. I've been here for just over 5 years and I've seen all kinds of weird stuff. Several gators, a few scorpions, boars, and this fellow that wanted to colonize my a/c unit... Those are the bushes surrounding my a/c unit in the background. Also saw this on the way home from work a few weeks ago... This little guy was in my office at work the other night... These can be found in the parking lot where I work (this one's a small one)... Yeah, I hate the cold but it'll pass. Make for GREAT sleepin' weather!! Oh, it was either ME or the water moccasin; guess wo won THAT one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Depends on how ya look at it Virge. I don't worry about alligators in my HOUSE and some stupid law tellin me I CAN'T kill the darn thing if it's IN MY KITCHEN!!!! Saw THAT stupidity on the News!!! No fireants, or scorpions or those big ol rat like nutria. So Paradise is all in how you look at it. I'll take the snow BEFORE i put up with those kindsa things. Yep, that's all part of Florida living. We gotta remember we're living in their habitat not the other way around. The pythons/boas and nutria showing up recently are all non-native species that have been introduced by the illegal tropical pet trade from south Florida. Check out an episode of Animal Cops: Miami and you'll see what I mean. I've shot several water mocassin on my property and killed a couple of rattlers. A 12 gauge with a bird shot load will do the job right. I've studied the wildlife so I know the difference between the good ones and the bad. Fire ants are a constant pain in the posterior I'll admit. Plenty of spiders and scorpions too. And don't sweat the alligators, they aren't interested in people (our dogs maybe). If they are in your kitchen it's likely someones been feeding them and usually animal control will be happy to extract and relocate the offender. Jim, don't sweat the weather. It'll be warming up before you know it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 I'm sweating, Rob. I'm frozen. Temp this morning is 27 going to 67 and this is it for a while. We're going back to a more normal weather pattern today. I've a couple of coral snakes; black snakes and brown snakes, but they're supposed to be good guys that eat rodents. They must eat well becasue I've never seen a mouse down here. Little (1") white, scorpions run around after pine trees are cut down. They appear to like living up in the trees. Did you see the newspaper article about a 11 foot salt water alligator in Australia that confiscated a workers lawn mower? Guy was cutting the grass in the compound and the gator decided he wanted it. Gator was huge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaydar Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Snakes, fire ants, alligators, spiders, scorpions, boars and bugs as big as your hand, no thanks. I am a tad on the squeamish side, I guess!! If all i have to do is tough out 2 - 3 months of winter crispness, I take it and be happy. You guys rock. best regards, joe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Don't forget the possum, hawks, eagles once in a while, armadillos, deer . . And there's always the dreaded snowbirds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heatride Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Don't forget the possum, hawks, eagles once in a while, armadillos, deer . . And there's always the dreaded snowbirds. Sounds like my neck of the woods ! Don't for get the coyotes ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Yeah, coyotes. Raccoons too. All kinds of critters around here. The cardinal is the state bird of Illinois and I don't remember every seeing one up there. Down here they fight for space in the bird baths in the yard. Unless the crows are around. Then the little birds stay away. The area around our house looks more like Wisconsin with the pine trees and 2 lane roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george 53 Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Well at least you guys are HONEST!!! My best freind moved down there about 6 years ago, an he claims I'm lyin. HE says HE ain NEVER seen Scorpions OR rattlesnakes. I told him he better quit walkin around blindfolded or he WILL MEET them! I been there a few times(and ALWAYS GLAD to come home)and I've seen them EVERYTIME i was there.They showed on the News that a gator was in the ladies kitchen , came in THRU a screened door, an the guy in the house COULDN'T do ANYTHING to it. I guess they LIKE gators in kitchens in Florida. If you CAN'T kill an animal as big as that, IN YOUR HOUSE, I guess that's one of the reasons Bush got elected in Fla. My Buddy's in Ellenton, about 30 miles from Tampa/St.Pete. If cities that large can have them.ain't NO way they aint in those smaller wooded two lane places that reminde folks of Wisconsin!!! Like I said, Nice place to visit........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Haven't seen a gator or rattlesnake yet. No bears either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heatride Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Yeah, coyotes. Raccoons too. Jim I was talking to Don Yost asking him some modeling advice on the phone the other day and we got off track, and I told him , you don't know what good food is till ya eat a Raccoon Sandwich He thinks im a little off my rocker ........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Well gee, Glenn, I agree with Donn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornpatch Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 The Only Good thing to ever come out of Florida is I-75 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 (edited) The Only Good thing to ever come out of Florida is I-75 Been thru Iowa. Ain't nothin good come outta there. Except me. Edited January 5, 2012 by my66s55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixx Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Hey to Tonioseven...you can keep the water moccosins < however you spell it, those big nasty-lookin bugs ( what the heck are they? ) and the pythons...I guess I'm not that cold after all! LOL!!! Really tho, what kind of bug is THAT? Geez!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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