In 1987 I moved from North Alabama to the Tampa Bay area right after Labor Day. My mind was geared for the changes the seasons bring. I was not ready for the sameness of color, green, the sameness of the land, flat, the sameness of the light, sunshine all the time or the sameness in the rain, little to none, sunshine all the time. My surrounding and the weather were depressing me it was not what I was expecting.
In North Alabama, it rains in the fall, there is roll in the terrain, the weather is colder, and the trees have color and lose their leaves. So come Christmas time I take the train to Northern Virginia to spend a week with my brother and his family. The weather was similar to North Alabama and what I am use to, just a little colder and a little more snow. The temperature was between 30-40 degrees during the day the whole week I was there with a mix of rain, sleet and snow. The sun was not seen that week. I had a good time with my brother, but when I got back to Florida the sameness of the environment, the constant sunshine did not bother me any more. I enjoyed the sunshine more.
Even to this day as we travel down to Florida in the winter I know I am getting closer when the temperatures are warmer, and the sun is sunnier (most of the time).
